Hotchniss

28 (Push)

LET IT BE NOTED I DROPPED AN F-BOMB....I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU PEOPE WORK SO HERE'S A FAIR WARNING....

A lot can happen in ten minutes.

You can make a pot of coffee. Check your email. Run a mile. Call your parents. Feed your pets. Water the flowers. Catch up with an old friend.

You can conquer the world.

Or just ruin someone else's.

"I am taking care of myself."

Maybe it isn't just cliche that couples fight in the rain. The thing is when it rains in Virginia... it rains all day. So when it rains...it rains.

"You're not. We can all see it."

What's that thing parent's say... it takes two to argue.

"Just leave me alone! I'm a grown ass man, Prentiss!"

Her scowl says it all," fine. You wanna be that way?" She throws her file on his desk," fine by me. It's not like I'm loosing much." The sound of her hiss fills his ears," good day.... sir." The whole bullpin jumps as the door is roughly thrown shut.

Hotch stays dumbfounded in his seat.

Ten Minutes Previous

"How are you lovely people?" The tip tap of heels on tile halts them all in their progress down the hall.

Garcia hugs JJ and grins broadly at the rest of them.

"If you'll excuse me.." Hotch takes up his briefcase and go-bag, gives a small nod to the others, and practically bolts for his office.

"He's okay?" Garcia asks watching Hotch.

"That depends." Rossi says sliding past Morgan. "What do you mean by okay?"

Rossi's words make the air thick. Emily can feel the sudden weight on her chest. That weight is what leads her up to Hotch's office.
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"I need a drink."

And drink she did. Tequila. Vodka. Bourbon. A shot of Scotch. She had a little bit of everything.

"Emily-"

"Fuck off, Dave." She knocks back another shot and wipes her eye.

Dave takes a seat beside her and lets out a deep sigh," what did he say?"

Emily ignores him and stirs her second drink with her straw.

"Come on," Rossi urges leaning into her personal space. "It doesn't matter what he said, Emily. He's probably said worse to me."

Emily continues to scowl at her drink.

Rossi signals the bartender over and orders his drink.

"He said..." she trials off and focusses on her drink. "He called me Prentiss."

Rossi nods, understandings, mostly, why she's so upset.

She pushes her drink away," you know how he is." She sighs and turns towards Rossi, a clear sign that she's ready to really talk. "Prentiss, Dave. I thought we were past that."

Rossi drums his fingers for a moment as he thinks. "You are past that," he confirms sipping his whiskey and leaning forward," calling you, Prentiss, arouse the exact reaction he wanted it to."

She silently, waiting for the end of Rossi's train of thought. "You're beginning to become a constant in his life," he looks up at her and puts a comforting hand on her knee. "He's not used to that. He pushed Haley. He pushed me. He pushed Gideon." Rossi puts his empty glass on the counter and stands," he doesn't realize he does it. It's something he's done for years...to keep himself safe. So he doesn't get hurt again." He puts a hand on her shoulder," let him let you're not leaving."

She has to physically stop herself from rolling her eyes," okay."

Rossi turns away and Emily turns back to face the bar.

"And Emily!" She turns and Rossi smiles at her," take it easy on him."
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Sadly, after all of Emily's rage drinking she hadn't developed a buzz. Which means...she has no excuse not to go see Hotch.

"What're you doing?" If his dark suit hadn't given him away she would have never saw him.

He squints up, the rain poors down into his eyes, and looks around. "My car won't start."

Emily gives him a puzzled look," so you're just going to seat out here in the rain?"

He looks up towards the sky, his black hair lays flat against his skull, and he shrugs. "Tow truck should have been here an hour ago."

She bites the inside of her lip and nods her head towards the car," get in."

He shakes his head, sending little splatters of rain out of his hair," I'm soaked, Emily. I'll ruin your car."

She nods again," come on. I don't mind really."

He really is soaked. His socks squish in his shoes and his boxers stick to the insides of his thighs.

"I'm sorry," he says seating down and he feels worse than he did just seating in the rain.

"Really," she says pulling out of the parking lot. "It's fine."

He seats silently and Emily smiles as a small little drop of water slides down his hair.

"You really are soaked," she laughs reaching over and turning on the heat.

"Yeah," is his reply.

They seat in the silence of the pitter-patter of the rain on the hood of the car. The swish-swash of the wind shield wiper is the only thing breaking that silence.

"I know you don't have Jack."

Hotch nods and stays silent.

"You know.... I'm sorry I blew up on you earlier."

Hotch nods and clears his throat.

She drums her hand on the wheel and the soft sound of the rain is fairly peaceful.

"It's hard," Hotch finally says. "I'm a Unit Cheif, a single father, an uncle, a friend.." He looks out the window," and I pushed you." He looks down at his soaked pants," like I push everyone."

She reaches over and takes his hand, it's cold from the rain," you'll have to push a little harder than that to keep me away."

Sorry for not updating a lot this week. I've been super busy...but I hope this makes up for it...

P.S. Did anyone watch tonight's episode?