Hotchniss

11 (Hostages)

Pain. A burning pain all through out his body.

"Look at me boy!" The iron clad hand of his father rains down blow after blow. "You did this to yourself, you damn fool!"

Raising his arms for aid is futile. The blows still land all over his body and the hurtful words come down like rain.

"Dammit boy!" He never breaks stride," Hotch! Hotch! Aaron!"

It's a dream.

It's a dream.

"Hotch!"

He jerks awake and immediately regrets it.

"I'm fine," he gasps leaning forward as he tries to make some of that precious air enter his starved lungs.

"You don't sound fine," she says gripping his hand like a lifeline.

She listens as he coughs and doubles over with pain.

"Hotch?" He keeps coughing and she turns her head as far as she can. "Hotch answer me!"

She feels his chair jerk several times before she gets her hoarse reply," 'm fine."

She moves her hands around until she manages to grab both of his," Hotch, you're gonna be okay."

He leans his head back and although she can't see him she can feel his breath on her neck. "I need you to promise me something," he whispers.

"Anything," she says, her heart pounds in her throat.

"I need you to promise that you won't fight them." He says and she wants to scream at him. She wants to hit him and make him understand that she doesn't want to walk out of this hell hole by herself but she can't tell him no. She nods and fights back tears," I promise."

He seems to relax against her," thank you."

She moves her head just enough that she can feel his temple against her own," can you promise me something?"

"Maybe," he says coughing weakly.

"I need you to promise that you're gonna fight. You can't just die, okay?" She says and she can feel her tears slipping out from under her blindfold.

He moves, maybe it's the blood loss or maybe it's the fact that he can't stand to see her cry, towards her. As much as his aching body will allow, in the end his twist his body tell it hurts, and captures her lips. She taste like tears. "I promise," he whispers against her lips.

"Good," she whispers back. She calms her breathing and clears her mind," how's the bleeding?"

He looks down and finds a blood soaked rag  wrapped tightly around his bleeding leg," when did they come back in?" He must have been really out.

"Couple of minutes ago, I asked them to tie off the wound but I don't know if they actually did." She loathes for his warmth but finds herself unable to even grip his hand.

"They did," he says softly, why is she always worrying herself with him? Why does she care so much for a person who can't even bring himself to care? "Thank you, it seems to be stopping the blood."

This time she's surprised when he grips her hand," no matter what happens, Emily. It's not your fault. What they're doing is inevitable." She nods her understanding what he needs her to say, what he needs her to believe...but she can't.

"How can I not blame myself? I get a free pass out of here and you're not supposed to walk out of here."

He doesn't get to tell her what she so desperately needs to hear. Instead she hears the loud thud of a door opening.

"Well helllooo," the man says with a proud smirk. "How are we doing?"

Emily grabs Hotch's hand again, as if by holding his hand he's rooted to her.

"How's that leg?" The man asks, Emily makes a mental note of that.

The man approaches Hotch and sticks his ring finger and middle finger deep into the open wound.

Emily's heart clenches at the weak sound that escapes Hotch's mouth.

"Stop! Stop! Leave him alone!" She yells, pulling against the ropes. "Please."

"Aww isn't that just adorable," the man must step away from Hotch because his cries of agony stop. A rough han grips her jaw," what are you gonna do?"

She can feel Hotch struggling behind her," l-leave her alone."

The man just lets go and Emily hears the sound of flesh against flesh," and what the hell do you think you're gonna do about it!"

The sound keeps coming.

Hotch keeps lifting his head for more, anything to keep the attention off of Emily.

The blows keep coming and with it the blood.

He can feel his own blood falling from his mouth, nose, and eyebrows.

"Stop!" Emily yells. "You're gonna kill him!"

The room fills with silence and Hotch is no longer making any noises at all.

"H-Hotch?" She calls squeezing his hands. "Hotch!"

The man lifts Hotch's head," don't worry about him. He's not dead, yet."

Wow. I'm not even sorry, guys.

So do you guys have any questions for me? My age? Height? Anything?