You Got Shot
Aaron Hotchner x Reader
summary: you get shot (in your vest) and your boss falls a part for a second.
word count: 5.1K
aaron hotchner masterlist
-
Derek spins around in his chair, glancing up to find you’re still standing in the doorway of Hotch’s office. You’re nodding along to whatever he’s saying, he can’t see your face but he can tell you’re smiling. He can however see the small smile that Aaron gave out rarely while at work.
“This is painful.” Derek sighs dramatically.
“What?” Emily looks up at him from her paperwork. He nods his head in the direction of the office and she quickly catches what he was referring to.
“They’ve been making eyes at each other for twelve months.”
“They don’t make eyes.” Reid corrects without looking up, “They make… extended mutual gazes with elevated dopamine responses.”
Morgan looks at him and blinks a few times.
“Kid, that’s making eyes.”
Everyone now turns to look back at the office. Hotch has fully set down his pen and is turned to where you’re leaning in the doorway.
“I give it six more cases before one of them slips up.” Morgan bets.
“Try five.” Emily throws down.
“Make it three.” Rossi steps out of his office.
Aaron’s phone rings and your spine automatically straightens. He answers it with a simple ‘Hotchner’ and says very few words before hanging up. The second he does he looks back up at you.
“We’ve got a case.”
He gets up from his desk and you step out of his way.
“Conference room.” He calls, walking directly to the room. Everyone gets up and follows, a minute later Garcia enters with a tablet in hand. Everyone else has filled in the remaining chairs.
Hotch clicks on the monitor and three pictures pop up on the screen. A uniformed cop shot execution style. Another, shot through the windshield of the police cruiser. A third, off the shoulder of the highway with his car abandoned.
“Three officers in five days.”
The light atmosphere from the morning was long gone now.
“The unsub is also taking their service weapon after each murder.” Garcia adds.
Rossi nods, “Power.”
“Or souvenirs.” Reid adds.
Garcia pulls more information onto the screen, “All three victims were patrol officers, two different precincts. So far they’ve come up clean, no major cases.”
Morgan frowns, “No personal connection?”
“Exactly.” You nod, all eyes falling on you, “He’s targeting the badge, the officers are interchangeable.”
Hotch nods for you to continue.
“If this was revenge against specific officers we’d expect complaints, lawsuits, and arrests from them.” You look at each victim's picture, “None of them have disciplinary records.”
“So, why them?” JJ questions.
“They’re accessible, it isn’t personal.” You look up, meeting Aaron’s gaze, “It’s symbolic.”
He likes watching you talk, you start to talk with your hands when you get invested in something. It’s another thing he noticed but would never admit.
“He isn’t killing officers.” His brows furrow.
You nod, “He’s killing what they represent.”
Rossi smiles into his coffee cup, looking between the two of you.
“That distinction changes the profile.” Reid comments.
“It does.” Aaron agrees, “He wants the public to see that officers aren’t untouchable.”
“Exactly.”
-
An hour later, the team was up in the sky. The jet is headed to Cleveland, everyone has settled into their usual seats. Hotch sits across from you, a file in his hand. You’ve already kicked off your shoes and have one leg tucked under yourself.
Most of the team is resting now, knowing how this will go. Cop cases were hard, the local law enforcement always takes cases like this personally making it harder for them to do their jobs. You and Aaron are the only ones with the window shade up and files open.
“Public panic is going to get out of hand once the news of the third officer hits the news cycle.” You comment, Aaron nods instantly.
“I’m having Garcia look into social media posts to see if anyone in recent weeks has had a problem with the police or believed wrongful action.”
After landing, the local police station was buzzing with tension. It was clear that no one was sleeping, exhaustion was evident on everyone’s face. The sheriff met the team at the entrance.
“You’re the profilers?”
Hotch nods and offers his hand, “I’m Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner.”
He introduces the team one by one, landing on you last. The conference room becomes the command center for the team. Crime scene photos cover one wall, Reid manages a city map with various pins in it.
“Confirmed, no overlap in arrests,” Garcia sighs on speaker, “No lawsuits, no complaints, no disciplinary records, no common calls for service. This guy is cleaner than my browser history.”
Morgan looks up, “That’s not saying much.”
You snort into your coffee.
“I’ve checked family connections, nothing.” JJ shakes her head.
Reid paces in front of the board, a legal pad in hand.
“If we assume he’s selecting officers randomly-”
“He isn’t.” You interrupt and tap the photo in front of you with your pen, “He wants us to think he is.”
Rossi leans back in his chair, “Explain.”
“He isn’t picking the officers, he’s picking symbols.” You get up and walk toward the map, “Symbols still have patterns. All of these officers were killed in highly visible locations.”
“Public places.” Emily agrees.
“So the message is more than the victim.” Hotch finishes.
You nod, “He wants witnesses.”
The room falls quiet. Aaron watches you for a second before calling the sheriff into the room.
“When does the second shift end?”
The sheriff looks down at his watch, “In about forty-five minutes.”
“I want every available officer briefed before they leave.”
The sheriff shifts in place, adjusting his hands to rest on his hips. His cliche mustache doesn’t even hide his frown.
“We’re already short.”
“And you’re going to be even more short if this unsub keeps finding exhausted officers alone.”
The room falls silent, Hotch steps closer to where you stand by the map. He points to the same three spots you had minutes ago.
“He’s hunting opportunity, let's not give him any more.”
Officers crowd into the station, the other local precincts call in.
“Fatigue creates opportunity.”
One lieutenant crossed his arms, “We can’t stop policing.”
“No,” Hotch frowns, “no, you can’t.”
He looks around the room.
“I’m not asking you to,” He continues calmly, “I’m asking you to be smart.”
Hotch began issuing instructions for everyone, calm confidence and a stern look leveling the room. It settles the few grumbles and pushbacks from angry men already looking for revenge.
“No one goes home alone. Double units only. If your shift ends, another officer escorts you to your front door.”
He looks around the room once more.
“You’ve been running on adrenaline for five days. Tired officers make mistakes, go home and stay vigilant.”
The room slowly emptied, you watch Aaron for a moment while the rest of the team returns to the conference room.
“You know,” You take a step closer, “You’re good at that.”
“At what?”
“Making people listen.”
He bites back a rare smirk, “I’ve never had much luck with you.”
“Well, I never said you were perfect.” You smile, breezing past him to follow the rest of the team.
By eleven thirty that night, the precinct was abandoned. The lights had been dimmed and the cleaning staff made a pass through, but the team was still situated in the conference room. Garcia is still on screen, but her eyes are starting to glaze over.
“I have officially entered the part of the evening where every license plate looks like alphabet soup.”
“You passed that hours ago.” Emily sighs.
Morgan stretches in his spot, “My back hurts.”
“My brain hurts.” JJ echos.
“Everything hurts.” Rossi tops.
Reid hadn’t sat down in nearly an hour, pacing keeping him awake.
“Maybe he identifies with law enforcement but simultaneously resents authority.”
“No.”
Everyone looks over at you and you don’t even lift up your head. Your head is resting in your hand, which is resting on the table.
“He doesn’t identify with them… He envies them.” You rub a tired eyes and a long yawn escapes, “If he identified with them, he’d want acceptance.”
Rossi nods, “He wants control.”
“Good distinction.”
Hotch writes it on the board, “Envy.”
“If he wanted revenge, he’d escalate emotionally.” Another yawn escapes, your elbow slides down the table, “He’s…”
“Y/n?” Emily looks up.
Morgan looks over, “Did she just?”
“She fell asleep.” JJ smiles.
You’re still sitting mostly upright, completely asleep.
Reid looks genuinely impressed, “I didn’t know people could actually fall asleep that quickly.”
Hotch looks over from the board, a soft expression crosses his face immediately. It was subtle, and most people would miss it. His shoulders relaxed and the hard line between his brows disappeared. He looked fond. You were the only person in the room to miss it.
Nobody said anything or tried to wake you. For twenty minutes the team worked around you, speaking softer without realizing it. Eventually Garcia yawns loudly over the speaker.
“Okay my crime fighting ducklings, I officially vote bedtime.”
Rossi checks his watch, “I second.”
Hotch reaches into his pocket for his phone and checks for any new messages from the sheriff.
“We’ll resume at six.”
Everyone slowly packed up and grabbed their things. Everyone except for you. You were still asleep and undisturbed.
“Who’s gonna wake her?” Reid whispers, nodding in your direction to Morgan.
“Just wait.”
As if on cue, Hotch leaves the board and stops beside your chair for a moment. Morgan deliberately busies himself with collecting files. JJ slowly organizes the crime scene photos. Rossi takes twice as long to put on his jacket.
When Aaron looks down at you, something warm fills his chest. You look softer when you sleep, the sarcasm and sharp edges tucked away for the time being. A loose strand of hair has fallen across your face.
He should hesitate, but his want overpowers him for a few seconds. He carefully brushes it back, stopping it from tickling your nose.
Behind him, Emily’s brows shoot up toward the ceiling and Morgan’s smile nearly splits his face. JJ looks over at Rossi who has a simple knowing smirk.
Aaron crouches slightly beside you, his voice drops a full octave.
“Y/n.”
Nothing.
A tiny smile tugs at his lips.
“Y/n.”
This time you stir slightly, “Hm?”
You don’t even have the energy to open your eyes.
“We’re heading to the hotel.”
You sit up, blinking slowly as you try to orient yourself.
“Did I fall asleep?” You look up at him.
“A little.”
You look around the conference room and see everyone’s eyes on you. The team is clearly packing up and moving toward the door.
“That’s embarrassing.” You mumble, standing up and stretching, clearly not too embarrassed.
“Not really.” Hotch looks down.
“You all just let me?” You point at the team and Derek makes a face that clearly said absolutely.
You groan dramatically, “I’m transferring.”
Emily laughs, “Too late.”
You shift in your spot, the tiredness still seeping into your bones.
“C’mon Sleepy Girl.” Morgan chuckles.
“Shut up,” You slowly roll your eyes, “Some of us didn’t sleep on the flight, some of us worked.”
“What, you and Hotch?” He raises brows that show you walked right into that one.
“Shut up.”
Everyone makes their way back to the SUVs. No one utters a word when Hotch opens your door for you.
-
The hotel lobby was almost empty at five thirty in the morning. A sleepy desk agent noticed Aaron’s sharp suit and straight tie for the early hour as he makes his way over to the coffee station. He makes one black and the other doctored to your liking.
Five minutes later a knock echoes in your hotel room. You groan into your pillow, your alarm still has two more minutes.
“If it’s Morgan…”
Another knock.
“I’m armed!”
Aaron's voice comes through, close to the door.
“It’s Hotch.”
Your head quickly snaps up from the pillow, suddenly sleep is the last thing on your mind. You toss off the covers to make your way over to the door. You crack the door open and squint at the bright light it lets in.
Aaron looks down at you, barely awake. Your hair is a mess and you have a big FBI hoodie hanging off one shoulder.
“Are we being called in already?”
“No.” He holds out one of the coffees, “I thought you might need this before heading over.”
You look down at the coffee, then back at him, then back to the coffee.
“You’re voluntarily bringing me caffeine?” You raise a brow.
The corners of his mouth curl slightly, “I’d like you awake for the morning briefing.”
You finally accept the cup, your fingers brushing his as you take it.
“I think you just like seeing me suffer.” You tease, “My alarm hasn’t even gone off yet.”
Now he openly smirks, “We’re supposed to leave for the station in ten minutes.”
“Don’t doubt me.” You shake your head and take a long sip of coffee. You aren’t surprised it’s exactly to your liking.
He hides his smile now, “You have five minutes.”
He turns and leaves your doorway and heads in the direction of the elevator.
“Yes, sir.”
He almost reaches it, but you step out into the hall with your hand still holding your door open.
“Hotch?”
He turns, taking in your bare legs as you’re just standing out in the hall. Your free hand braces the door behind you so you don’t lock yourself out.
“Thank you.”
He nods and the elevator doors open and you go back inside your room. Taking your coffee with you. A second later the room across the hall from you opens, Morgan steps out and looks both ways in the hall. JJ walks out of her room just down the hall in time to see the elevator doors close with Aaron inside.
“He just brought her coffee.” Derek shakes his head and gestures between the elevator and your room.
“Coffee…” JJ nods.
Rossi steps out next, adjusting his watch on his wrist.
“Good morning.”
“Hotch is getting awfully domestic.”
Rossi smiles, “I noticed.”
You're the last one to join them in the lobby, coffee still in hand. You take one last sip before throwing out the cup by the door. By six o clock, the team is back at the precinct. The atmosphere felt different. Heavier.
The sheriff meets everyone halfway to the conference room. His face said everything before he even had to speak. Hotch noticed it instantly.
“What happened?”
The sheriff swallowed.
“We lost two more.”
The room froze.
“They were together.”
Silence.
Emily’s shoulders drop, “They followed protocol?”
“They did everything they were supposed to.”
The sheriff rubbed tired eyes.
“They were parked outside a closed convenience store waiting on another unit.”
Morgan frowns, “How?”
The sheriff passes Hotch a folder, “Explosion.”
Everyone loops up.
“There was an IED placed on the cruiser.”
Reid’s expression darkens, “”Remote detonated?”
“We think so.”
“He adapted.” You speak up.
Everyone turns toward you and you continue to stare at the crime scene photos.
“He expected us to pair officers.”
Hotch nods once, “So he changed tactics.”
Rossi sighs, “Which means he’s watching.”
Derek folds his arms across his chest, “He knew our response procedures.”
-
Half an hour later the team is standing outside of what’s left of the police cruiser. The blast tore through the driver’s side, metal warped in horrifying directions. Bomb technicians were still searching the area.
Morgan crouches near the crater “He knew exactly where to place it.”
“He needed line of sight.” Reid looks around the intersection.
Your head turns on a swivel, “So he was nearby?”
Aaron scans the surrounding businesses, “Watching.”
His phone rings loudly and he answers it, putting Garcia on speaker.
“I’ve got surveillance cameras from the liquor store across the street.”
Back at the sheriff’s station everyone crowded around the laptop with the file Penelope sent over. The time stamp read 2:13 AM, a patrol car pulls into frame. The footage is grainy and nothing happens for the first four minutes. Then, a figure walks calmly on the sidewalk. Hands shoved into a hoodie pocket, he doesn’t even look in the direction of the officers.
“He isn’t looking at the cruiser.” Morgan observes.
“He doesn’t have to,” You reply, “He already knew exactly where it was.”
Garcia works on enhancing the footage. Enough to see dark work boots and a baseball cap. One shoulder sits noticeably lower than the other. Reid notices it instantly.
“He’s not carrying his weight regularly.”
“Domintant right side.” You agree.
“Construction?” JJ guesses.
You shake your head and trace the angle of his arm, “He’s carried something heavy on one side for years.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.” You admit.
Hotch hasn’t taken his eyes off the screen, “Play it back.”
The footage backs up, he leaves the frame, before starting over again. This time it’s slower and focused on his walk rather than the explosion.
“He never looked back.” You swallow.
“He’s done this before.” Aaron continues, eyes darting to yours.
The words settle over the room with weight. Your eyes stay locked on his as you continue to think, finally placing what you thought you saw before.
“Someone who spent years carrying a rifle.” You point to the suspect’s gait.
JJ nods before adding, “He scans reflections instead of turning his head. Store windows, car mirrors.”
Rossi looks towards Hotch, “Military.”
Aaron nods, already looking down at his phone.
“Garcia, look into anyone who recently applied to the police academy with a military background.”
Her typing became audible with rapid speed.
“Former Staff Sergeant Daniel Mercer. Three deployments, honorably discharged four years ago.”
Garcia puts his photo onto the screen, “He was diagnosed with severe PTSD after his last tour. He applied to three police departments”
Three rejection letters appeared.
“The psychological evaluations all came back the same.” Garcia’s voice softens, “Not fit for duty due to unresolved combat trauma.”
“That’s him.” You stand suddenly, grabbing your badge and gun.
Rossi nods, “The military gave him purpose… Law enforcement was supposed to replace it.”
“When they rejected him,” Morgan sighs, “They became the enemy.”
Garcia sent the coordinates for Daniel’s hunting cabin to everyone’s phones.
Hotch reaches for a vest, “Let’s move.”
The cabin sat deep in the woods. It was too quiet, the team studies the layout before moving in.
“One front entrance.” Morgan points.
“No movement.” Emily confirms.
You adjust your point tail tighter, “He knows we’re coming.”
Aaron looks over, “We need to assume he has every inch trapped.”
You smirk, “You always know how to make a girl feel welcome.”
He gives you the look. Even now.
You smile, “There it is.”
JJ shakes her head, “Seriously?”
Hotch continues to stare you down, “Focus.”
“Breach on my count.”
Three. Two. One.
The flashbang goes off and the front door explodes inward. The team floods into the cabin.
Morgan and Emily go left. Rossi and JJ clear the kitchen. Reid heads upstairs. You and Hotch move deeper into the house. Empty rooms with lights off, Hotch leads through the halls. There’s a closed door at the very end, he opens it and you march in. Hotch follows close behind, then the door slams behind the two of you. You both spin around to face him, Daniel Mercer standing there with a gun already raised.
“Drop it!” Hotch shouts.
Daniel’s eyes weren’t on him, they were on you. He doesn’t negotiate for a second, his finger tightens on the trigger. Two deafening shots ring out, the impact slamming you backward. You crash to the ground and Aaron’s world stops.
Mercer doesn’t get the chance to raise his weapon again, Hotch fires. Once. Twice. Three times. He drops before he can hit the ground. Aaron doesn’t even look, he’s on his knees next to you. Blood roars behind his ears and his heart thunders in his chest.
His hands shake as he reaches for your shoulders, he can barely breathe. Somewhere behind him he hears the door open and he can see David, Morgan and Prentiss in his peripheral.
“Y/n?” He whispers your name.
You suck in a painful breath and he freezes. Two hot pieces of metal sit against your vest, protecting you from actually being pierced.
You wince, “...Ow.”
He simply stares for a few seconds.
“I think I have some broken ribs.” You mutter.
He still looks unable to process, stuck in a state of panic. You reach out a hand slowly to his arm. His eyes dart down at the contact.
“Hey.. you look,” You hesitate, “...really freaked out.”
He lets out something between a laugh and a sob.
“You got shot.”
“In the vest.”
“You got shot.” He says it again, but this time you can hear the raw deep emotion in his voice. Fear.
He pulls you into his arms, carefully. One arm behind your shoulders and the other behind your back supporting you. He’s holding onto you like if he lets go you’ll disappear. You hiss through the slight pain. He loosens his grip immediately.
“Sorry.”
Emily blinks looking down at the two of you. Morgan couldn’t ignore it either. None of them said a word, not now. They hadn’t seen fear like that on Hotch in a long time. His composure was gone, breathing uneven. His hands still shake where they hold you.
He pulls back and looks at you. Then, very faintly, “You scared me.”
Your teasing smile softens, “I’m sorry.”
The sincerity in those two words hit him harder than he cared to admit. You were rarely serious and normally would take every possible opportunity to tease him. Only after you give his hand a squeeze does it finally stop shaking. He lets Morgan help you up.
Twenty minutes later you're sitting in the back of an ambulance. The EMT carefully examines your ribs, you wince every couple of seconds as the bandage braces you tighter. You’re sure to have a couple of ugly bruises as well.
Aaron stands several feet away, his eyes still carefully trained on you. Rossi wanders over, no longer able to watch the man suffer alone.
“You can breathe now.”
Aaron doesn’t answer.
“Aaron.”
Still nothing. Rossi looks toward the ambulance. You’re laughing despite the pain as JJ fusses over you.
“You almost lost her.”
Aaron's jaw tightens. It’s the first sign he’s shown that he’s actually listening.
“I know.”
“No,” Rossi looks directly at him, “I don’t think you do.”
Aaron finally looks over.
“I’ve seen you worried about this team. I’ve seen you angry. I’ve seen you blame yourself.” Rossi nods in your direction, “I’ve only seen you fall apart like that once.”
Haley.
Aaron looks away.
“I thought she was dead.”
“I could tell.”
Another long silence. Finally Rossi smiles.
“So…”
Aaron already knew where this was going.
“No.”
“You need to do something about that.”
“I don’t know what-”
Rossi doesn’t even let him finish, “You emptied half your magazine into a man because he shot the woman you’re in love with.”
Aaron sights, “I’m not-”
Rossi holds up a hand, “Save it.”
-
The ride from the station to the airport was unusually quiet. Everyone was tired and you were wincing every time the SUV hit a bump. You tried to hide it, but failed miserably considering the audience.
Emily commented on it first, “You okay?”
“I’m great,” Another pothole, “I hate Ohio roads.”
Aaron looks over from the driver’s seat, “You got shot.”
“In the vest.” You sigh dramatically, “We’ve been over this.”
JJ smiles in the backseat, “We’re worried about you.”
You twist painfully to look at her in the back, “This is excessive.”
By the time you reach the tarmac, so does the rest of the team. Morgan insisted on carrying your go bag. You try to take it back but he slings it over his shoulder and walks ahead.
Emily reaches the stairs first, “Easy.”
“I’ve climbed stairs before.” You roll your eyes.
“Not with bruised ribs.” Aaron calls from behind you.
JJ hands you a water as soon as you settle into your chair, “You haven’t been drinking enough.”
Reid frowns thoughtfully, “Actually, hydration helps with tissue recovery.”
“Alright, alright.”
It was clear that without having to discuss it, the team had all decided you wouldn’t be lifting a finger tonight. The jet lifted into the darkness within a half an hour. The cabin lights were dimmed to a minimum. Reid fell asleep with a book on his chest. Morgan was stretched across the couch. Emily and JJ took two seats near the back. Rossi quietly sipped coffee in the way back. The engines settled into their familiar hum that signaled it was time to go home.
You shift in your seat and regret it instantly.
“Ow.”
Aaron looks over, “You alright?”
“I’m discovering muscles I didn’t know existed.” You sigh, trying to stretch out and keep your ribs straight.
“You don’t have to pretend you’re fine.”
Your eyes snap open to look at him. He openly stares back and you smile faintly.
“I know.”
He hesitates for a few seconds, looking at the empty chair to your right. He quietly moves into the seat beside you and you look at him with an amused smile. He adjusts the armrest between the seats so you can lean against him, not having to support yourself while still being able to stretch out across to the seat he had just been occupying.
“You’ve never sat here.” You sound surprised, “You don’t have assigned seating?”
“I don’t.”
“So this is voluntary?” You raise a teasing brow.
“Yes.”
You smile, “I’ll try not to let the power go to my head.”
For a minute, the two of you just sit there. You enjoy the feeling of his warm chest under you, his arm protectively keeping you there. Eventually Aaron breaks the silence.
“I’ve replayed it.”
You look up at him.
“Back at the cabin,” his jaw tightens, “if I had entered first.”
He huffs and you start to frown.
“If I’d seen him sooner, if I’d-”
“Aaron.”
“I can’t stop thinking about it.” His voice is barely above a whisper.
“I thought…” He swallows, “I thought you were dead.”
You watch him carefully. He isn’t looking at you, he’s staring at his hands.
“I’ve lost agents before.” He continues quietly, “I’ve attended funerals. I know what this job costs.”
Another pause.
“But today,” His voice cracks just enough for you to hear, “Today rattled me more than it should have.”
You already knew what he meant, he finally looks back at you.
“It shouldn’t affect me like that.”
“Why not?”
“I’m your unit chief.”
You hold his gaze, “Aaron.”
He waits. Hanging on your every word. He would wait for the rest of the flight if you made him.
“You don’t look at me like you’re my unit chief.”
He doesn’t deny it and you give him a small smile.
“You haven’t for a long time.” You tilt your head, “You look at everyone else like you’re responsible for them. You look at me like I’m precious.”
His breath catches, “I tried.”
“I know.”
He sighs, “I told myself a hundred times that I needed to keep things professional.”
You nod, “I know.”
“I convinced myself that what I felt would eventually…” He searches for the word, “fade.”
“It didn’t.” You look all over his face.
“No,” a humorless laugh escapes him, “it only got worse.”
Your ribs want to protest, but you reach your hand out to his. He looks down at it, tightening his grip before looking back at you.
“Today, I was terrified. When you went down, I was terrified. I wasn’t thinking like your supervisor, or a profiler. I wasn’t even thinking like an FBI agent.”
His thumb brushes against your fingers.
“I was thinking like a man who was about to lose the woman he…”
He stops and you give him an encouraging smile.
“Go on.” You bite your lip to stop the grin from spreading.
He laughs softly, “I profile serial killers for a living.”
“And yet this is somehow harder?” You bite.
“It is.”
You squeeze his hand, “I know.”
He looks at you for a long moment.
Then, with all the certainty he brings to every single profile, “I love you.”
The words hang in the quiet cabin.
“I’ve been trying not to, burying it under paperwork and professionalism.” He smiles weakly, “It didn’t work.”
“If it makes you feel better, I’ve been denying that I’m in love with my boss.”
His eyes widen and you squeeze his hands again.
“I love you too.”
Every worry he’d been carrying since the cabin vanished. Every ounce of fear seemed to disappear all at once. Neither of you speak, you simply look at each other. He lifts his hand and you lean into the touch when he cups your cheek.
“I almost lost you.” His voice is impossibly soft. He takes your hand up to his lips, kissing the back of it.
“I know, but I'm here.” You remind, “Because of you.”
You lean forward enough to rest your forehead against his.
“I’m here.”
Your words are warm on his face, he smiles.
“You are.”
He leans down, closing the short distance between the two of you. His lips are careful on yours, clearly not trying to shift you around and hurt you. You don’t let that stop you, chasing his lips to deepen the kiss.
A few rows behind the two of you, Rossi smiles into his coffee cup.
JJ looks up from her book, “I can see forehead touching.”
Emily looks over, thanks to being nudged by JJ a dozen times.
“Told you!”
Morgan stretches at just the right time, “Confession time!”
Rossi shakes his head, “And it only took one of them getting shot.”
“Wait, so who won the bet?”
Back at the front of the cabin you smile, finally pulling away from him.
“Should we tell them?” You nod back toward the team filling the rows behind the two of you.
Aaron straightens for a second, looking over the top of the chair and catching several eyes immediately. Everyone looks elsewhere too suddenly. Emily inspects the ceiling. Morgan suddenly reaches for the safety card. JJ’s book is now somehow upside down. Reid is still asleep. Rossi simply raises his coffee in acknowledgment.
He sighs, settling back into his seat and pulling you back against him.
“I think they already know.”
You laugh, “They’ve known longer than we have.”
“Should that make me proud?”
-
an// aweee cute! that was fun, plz let me know what you thought of it!