Warnings!: Angst, crying, some fluff, creepy officers, mentions of drugging, TW!: drowning, sad Aaron Hotchner :(, mentions of death, mentions of kidnapping, fluff, some kissing, and obviously a happy ending
Description: A small town case stumps the BAU more than usual. What happens when you are the next victim? Will the team save you in time or will Hotch lose another woman he loves?
A/n: first fic in a while, hope you all enjoy. :) Also not my gif.
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Coldness seeps through your bones.
Darkness creeps in on the edges of your vision.
You’re gulping for air but all you’re getting is the freezing water. You want to breathe, to swim, to move, but you’re frozen.
Someone jumps in above you, a hand reaches for your own, you almost see his face….
… and then darkness consumes you.
And then there is nothing.
* * *
Twenty four hours earlier…
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing at the crime scene that we can use.” You shake your head in disappointment as you look at the board Reid is working on.
“Drownings are always the worst, the evidence is more often than not washed away.” Morgan mutters before turning to Prentiss to discuss the ME’s report.
You guys had arrived two days ago, after the chief of police had called begging for help. You had traveled quickly to a small town in Arizona, who’s name you couldn’t seem to remember.
Small town cases were always hard. Everyone knew everyone. Not only were there rarely suspects, but it was always so much harder watching so many people grieve at once. And this case, it was brutal.
Young women being drowned in the town’s lake. The team was called after three murders, the fourth being found this morning.
Most of it wasn’t even making sense. No motive, no evidence, not even a reliable timeline.
You continued staring at the board praying some evidence would magically appear. Alas, that didn’t seem to work.
“Staring at it won’t help.” Hotch sneaks up behind you, and you turn smiling softly at the man.
“I know.” You nod. “I just, this one is really hitting me, I’m not sure why.” Hotch nods in understanding and takes your hand squeezing lightly for a second before letting go. You and Hotch had been friends for a long time. Since college, to be exact. He knew you better than anyone in the world and he knew when you needed a moment for yourself.
“Go grab some coffee, meet us back in the room after a few.” You nodded and let out a soft thank you before walking to the break room.
You walked over to the pot, only to find it empty. You quickly began filling it up and were so focused you didn’t notice the officer walking into the room.
“Need help?” He asked, startling you so much you almost dropped the pot.
“Oh! No, I’m fine, thanks.” You say as you calm your breathing. He walks closer, uncomfortablely so, you back away and turn then, feigning looking for the sugar.
“Sorry.” He chuckles. But it sounds anything but friendly. “Didn’t mean to startle ya darlin.” You smile weakly before turning back to pot. When you look at him, he already has your cup of coffee in hand and you take it.
“It’s fine.” You mutter. As soon as you utter the words, you rush back to the conference room. The officer was rather creepy and he had been since you arrived. You didn’t want to spend any more time with him than you needed to.
You shook away your thoughts however, and got back to the case. Everyone makes their way into the room and you all take seats around the table.
“Alright, I talked to the latest victim, Samantha Jones’, mother. Apparently, Samantha was the only victim that didn’t attend the public high school. Most of the girls had a lot in common. Straight A’s, varsity soccer, scholarship to college. But Samantha, she was homeschooled, she didn’t play any sports, and had no scholarships.”
“It’s like the unsunb was going for the opposite of his type.” Prentiss says and you nod in agreement.
“He could be devolving.” Hotch suggests and murmurs of agreement fill the room.
“I’m not sure. I think this was on purpose.” You speak up and Reid turns to you curiously.
“You mean to throw us off?” He asks, catching what you’re saying.
“Yeah, I mean, small town. There is no way he doesn’t know we are here.”
“He would need to be somewhat close to the case for that to happen. Maybe even, precinct close.” Rossi says and Hotch is quick to get up and shut the door. He gestures for everyone to lower their voices.
“If we are really insinuating this, we need to think it through. No accusing without evidence. And I don’t want a single officer to catch wind of what we are doing. But I do think it is a very real possibility that our unsub may be working from the precinct.” Hotch speaks and everyone nods in understanding. “I want everyone to head back to the hotel for the night, we’ll talk more in the morning.” Everyone begins getting up, but as you stand you stumble slightly, your head going slightly dizzy at the action. Reid is by your side and is quick to place a steadying arm on your shoulder.
“You okay Y/l/n?” He asks and you nod shaking away the dizzy spell.
“I’m fine.” You say and smile to reassure him. You can feel Hotch’s eyes on you as you walk out of the room. He follows closely behind and soon you are all climbing into the SUVs.
You arrive at the hotel rather quickly and Hotch is sits on escorting you to your room. You two are the last two in the hallway.
“Are you sure you are alright Y/n/n?” He asks and you smile at his worrying.
“Of course Aaron, I’m just fine. Promise.” He nods but doesn’t say anything else. He allows you to open your door, and before you walk in he presses a kiss to your temple. It’s an action of comfort and you’re grateful for the small bit of warmth it brings you.
“Goodnight Aaron.” You whisper, your voice barely heard.
“Goodnight Y/n/n.” He walks back to his room and you sigh contently. You walk further into your room to your bag, but you notice it’s open and clothes are strewn across the room. Suddenly your head pounds harder and your dizziness has returned. You stumble and hit your leg hard on the bed frame before trying to stand again, your vision blurring.
“Awe, poor agent Y/l/n.” A voice calls out, before a prick in your neck and then darkness.
* * *
The next morning, Hotch gets up early, grabbing your coffee just the way you like before walking to your door. He can’t seem to stop thinking about you. Your smile, the way you care for people. He might have realized his feelings sooner, had it not been for his stubborn nature. He wanted to tell you, desperately.
But after years of friendship, he didn’t want to risk losing you.
However, all of this leaves his mind when he sees your door cracked open, and your clothes strewn across the floor.
He sets the coffee down and runs out gathering the rest of the team and calling the station to set up a crimes scene.
Everyone begins showering the area, searching for any evidence. All they find is a used needle.
You were gone.
Morgan and Reid check each and every spot in the room for evidence. JJ and Prentiss check with the people staying next door, seeing if they heard or saw anything. Rossi is talking to the officers.
Hotch can’t breathe.
He pulls at his tie, he loose a his suit jacket, but it doesn’t help.
He can’t breathe.
Because you’re missing.
What a horrible time to realize you love someone.
* * *
You wake up, your kind foggy and your vision still blurry. You try to shake away the haziness, and it helps a bit, but not much.
The room is dark, your arms and legs are tied. You can feel water dripping from the ceiling, and the slight rocking.
It doesn’t take you long to realize you are on a boat.
Not too long after your realization, does the door slam open. And out walks Officer Creepy.
Or that’s what you had nicknamed him when talking about him to Garcia over the phone a day ago.
“Agent Y/l/n, so nice of you to join the conscious world.” He smirks and you stomach turns. You’re not sure if you’re sea sick or if it’s the situation.
“What do you want with me?” You croak, your voice is tight as your throat strains. You’re so thirsty.
You think to how you got here. What had happened?
“Awe. You don’t know?” He asks, the sinister smile returning. “I thought your profilers, ya’know profiled this stuff.” He laughs at you suppose is supposed to be a joke. “Didn’t you say, I’m obsessed with it. Killing girls. Watching them drown. I get off on it. I think those were your unit chief’s words.” You shake your head, begging yourself to remember how you had gotten here.
“Why am I here?” You grit out and he just chuckles before walking away.
You think and think and think.
It clicks after a few moments. You rmember the hotel, the prick of the needle, Hotch, the dizzy spell at the precinct, and then the coff-
You cut your own thought off with the realization.
“You drugged my coffee!” You exclaim before he leaves the room. He spins on his heel.
“What a smart girl you are. Too bad it will all go to waste.” His putrid laughter fills the air before he walks back out.
You grunt in frustration. You should have trusted your instincts. You shouldn’t have drunken the coffee.
How disappointed everyone would be in you right now. Especially, especially Hotch.
“Oh god.” You groan. “Hotch.” You feel a tear slide down your cheek.
You couldn’t breathe.
You didn’t know if you would see him again.
What a horrible time to realize you love someone.
* * *
Hotch paces back and forth as he talks to the chief of police. It had been fifteen hours since your abduction, and the odds were growing thinner and thinner by the minute. The sky’s had grown dark, and he knew the chances of finding you alive.
“I understand that you trust everyone in this office, but the public knows nothing about this case, or even where our agents are staying, except for the people in this precinct. I need to know right now who here owns a boat.” Hotch argues strongly. He stands tall above the man, and intimidating look to most, but it doesn’t seem to break the man.
“I am not throwing any of my officers into your interrogation Agent Hotchner!” The man exclaims.
“A federal agent is missing! If you do not cooperate, I will have no choice but to arrest you for impeding a federal investigation.” Hotch barks back and the chief finally cracks. He looks down, shaking his head in defeat before finally speaking up.
“Officer Nick Donavin.” Is all he says before Morgan is calling Garcia.
“Nick Donavin, tell me you got something babygirl.” Morgan spews. The sound of typing fills the silence and JJ begins pacing.
“His father owned a boat and it was given to him shortly after he passed away. It’s at the western dock.” Garcia yells through the phone and Hotch begins barking out orders. “Be safe my loves, and bring her home.” The team rush out of the precinct all piling into the SUVs.
They would find you.
Hotch swore to himself that he wouldn’t do this again, he wouldn’t let it happen again.
Not to you.
Not to the woman he loves.
* * *
“How did they know!?” Nick comes barging back through the room for the uptienth time that day. You shake yourself fully awake as he clambers over to you, slicing open your feet bindings before forcing you to stand. “Let’s go!” He shoves you forward and you stumble before Nick leads you up a flight of stairs.
He forces you towards the edge of the boat, and he places a gun at your temple.
“Please. Please don’t.” You beg, all pride gone from your body. “Please.”
He laughs in your face, but it’s strained.
“Please.” You say over and over until he is striking your face with the side of his gun.
Bliss trickles down your face, and you whimper in pain.
Your tired, and you want this to end. You want to be in Aaron’s arms, home snuggled together.
You imagine how warm it would be to be in his embrace. You wish you would see him one last time
You are so out of it, you don’t realize when voices surround you, you hear shouts before you feel yourself being pushed overboard.
You try to prepare yourself for the icy water, but a gasp escapes you when your back hits the surface. Your breath escapes you and your left gasping water into your lungs.
It takes you a minute too long to realize your hands are still tied. You are sinking. You can’t breathe.
You still have so much to do, so much to say.
And Aaron, god Aaron.
He’s all you think about as you sink further into the depths of the icy cold water.
Coldness seeps through your bones.
Darkness creeps in on the edges of your vision.
You’re gulping for air but all you’re getting is the freezing water. You want to breathe, to swim, to move, but you’re frozen.
Someone jumps in above you, a hand reaches for your own, you almost see his face….
… and then darkness consumes you.
And then there is nothing.
* * *
It’s like a nightmare.
Finding the boat, seeing him holding a gun to your head. You are so out of it you don’t even realize your team is there, Hotch is there.
He’s shouting, he knows he is, especially when you are pushed overboard.
He doesn’t think, he leaves the unsub for his team and he runs into the boat.
He takes a breath and jumps over the side. He swims and grapples with the water before he finally spots you. He reaches and begs for you to keep your eyes open.
They close and he grows frantic.
He grabs your hand but you are unresponsive.
He pulls you to the surface, and drags you to shore.
“Hotch!” Rossi yells, but Hotch barely hears it, your lips are blue. You aren’t breathing.
He is freezing, but he doesn’t notice. He places his mouth over yours, two breaths, thirty chest compressions.
He repeats it over and over and over as the team gather around. Reid drops beside him to help with compressions.
But he knows, after five minutes there’s nothing.
Reid backs away from your limp body. Morgan helps Spencer up, as he silently sobs for his friend. Rossi brings JJ into a hug as she herself begins crying. Emily stares angrily at the ground. Hotch doesn’t stop.
He keeps going and going and going.
“Wake up.” He pants. “Y/n, I swear to god, wake up!” He’s yelling but he doesn’t care. Morgan moves to Hotch and grabs his shoulder.
“Hotch…” he whispers but Aaron shakes him off.
“No!” He cries. “She’s in there! I know she is!” He continues compressions until his arms are burning, he breathes for you.
“Please, Aaron, stop.” Rossi whispers into the silence.
“She’s gone man. She’s gone.” Morgan says softly and Hotch’s body sags.
“No. She can’t-“ Aaron’s voice breaks. Crying fills the air as he leans over you and scoops your body into his arms. He holds your cold, limp body tight to his chest.
“Please.” He begs one more time. He can’t do this again. He won’t survive it. He prays to a God he doesn’t believe in, and he is begging.
And then you’re coughing. And coughing. And coughing even more. Hotch backs away and everyone looks up confused.
You turn your head to throw up what feels like the entire lake. Your lungs burn, your heart is beating out of your chest. You can breathe.
You turn your head as your eyes focus on your surroundings.
You see Rossi holding JJ and Emily crying, Reid’s shocked expression, and Morgan’s defeated one.
And then you see the heartbroken expression on Aaron’s face, and you can’t hold back, tears slip down your cheeks as the realization hits you.
“We thought- we, we thought-“ he can’t say it. You don’t let him either before you muster all of your strength and throw yourself into his arms.
And it’s warm.
You can finally breathe.
* * *
A few hours later you are sitting in a hospital bed, a heated blanket surrounding your cold body. Hotch hasn’t left your side, despite him telling everyone to get some rest. After an hour or two of consoling each other, you had insisted they all head back to the hotel. But Hotch had refused to leave.
You slide over, a silent plea for him to climb in the bed beside you. He does so without question and warmth surrounds you.
“I, I don’t know what I would have done if we had lost you today.” He whispers and you listen silently. “I don’t think I can ever live without you sweetheart.” You smile at the endearment and look up into his eyes.
“I’m not going anywhere. Not for a long time.” You say and he nods, burrowing further into your embrace.
“I love you.” You both spoke at the same time. You both laugh, and he looks down at you. He brings his hand up, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. He only hesitates for a moment before you are leaning in and pressing your chapped lips to his soft ones. He inhaled deeply and kisses you as though you would disappear.
He channels all the love that has grown over the years into the kiss and you pull him closer until you aren’t sure where he starts and you end.
He pulls away when you both realize you need to breathe.
“I will never stop loving you.” You say and place your head on his chest and he wraps his arms around your chest.
“And I will never stop loving you.” He murmurs before your eyes close.
And warmth surrounds you.
And you know you will never be cold again with Aaron by your side.
