Shattered. [Aaron Hotchner + Emily Prentiss]

Chapter 19.

"Princess!" The soft and comforting beckon coming from her dear friend a few feet behind, as they walked through the glass doors, made the raven haired woman turn in her tracks to face Derek Morgan - who stood next to the Behavioural Analysis Unit's very own personal genius; Dr. Spencer Reid. "Wait up!"

She turned back to the man who was graciously carrying her bag, telling him to walk ahead and wait in his office before turning and walking back to the boys. "Yeah?"

"We just had a- a question and uh, I-" Spencer began stammering, unable to form true sentences.

"What Pretty Boy, here, is trying to ask is if you're ok?" Derek began, causing confusion to ponder her face. She was just in the same hospital as them, right? She thought. Crystal clear facial expressions meant Morgan could sense some uncertainty, and continued, "Ok, we heard you crying in Rossi's office the day you got the case, and we couldn't ask you if you were ok because you had to leave immediately, but we just wanna know. We do care." He said discreetly, pulling her to the side more.

Trying on her best fake-ok voice and forced smile, she slowly replied, "I was just high on emotions and some bad memories. Rossi knew about them and I needed to talk to him. I'm ok."

"You don't seem ok." Reid piped up.

"Just don't worry about me." She said, brows furrowed as she limped away and up the catwalk, straight into Hotch's office where he, Leila and Isabelle sat talking. Topics being sprung on him about the books hidden within his built in bookshelves, all the way to past cases. "Hey, are you two ready to go?"

Leila and Isabelle swivelled in their chairs, before the older one spoke, "Yeah, I think Penelope has our bags in her office, one second!" The girls jumped off the two seats in front of Hotch's desk, and ran out the room giggling the contagious laughs that no one could resist joining in on - or at least smiling at like the two hard-ass brunette agents stood in the office.

"You're coming to mine tonight, right?" She asked the man who had already delved into his paperwork, filling out the forms in the meticulous mess he calls handwriting. He just nodded, barely giving her a second glance as he read over the initial report for the victim's data. "Aaron."

His head sprung at the use of his first name, although they had been together for a while now, it was still unusual. "Yes, yes I will. I just need to file this and I'll be there." He courtly said.

Just as she went to reply, giggles came rushing back in with the sounds of rustling in their bags following. "Ready!" Emily smiled, turned back to Aaron who shot her a similar expression and told the girls to wait outside for a second, suggesting the idea of annoying Reid - which they happily agreed.

"If you don't come to mine tonight, I will get Rossi to rip your work up. I would do it myself but I'm on leave so..." She said, walking around his desk, holding a teasing look, and sat down on it, rolling the end of his tight fitting tie between her fingers.

"Would that be so bad?" He said jokingly, looking up at her but not acknowledging her expression. Slow body movements followed by her hot breath whispering in his ear made his spine shiver.

"I miss your touch, so for me, yes." She leaned back up, straightening her posture and running her hands between her hair only to feel his hand climb up her thigh - higher with each subtle stroke. Quickly dismissing him with a smirk, she grabbed the hand and moved it before standing up. "Do your work, but be there before 9."

"You're a minx."

She giggled, slowly walking out of the office without a reply to find Leila and Isabelle, hovering Reid, who was just trying to get a coffee from the station. "Hey Reid, another joke for you!" Isabelle spoke.