Chapter Text
The last thing you remembered was walking down the street arm in arm with him. Think Nora! It was just you and Hotch. You’d dragged him out of the police station where he’d been holed up for the entire day.
“You’ve gotta get some fresh air.” You’d said.
“We’re so close, I can’t leave now.” He’d argued back.
“Hotch. Reid will still be here and the rest of the team has you on speed dial. If they find anything out they can call.” You’d grabbed his hand then and he’d looked up from his paperwork at you. “You need to get out of this building. The diner is only three blocks away. You’re not actually going to make me go alone are you?” He sighed and stood up.
“Fine. But only because I know that Morgan ordered two entrees and a dessert and I don’t think you’ll be able to carry everything back alone.” You wanted to ask if that was supposed to be an insult but you thought better of it. You had gotten him to agree to leave the station. Stepping into the crisp air you could see your breath in clouds of steam. You’d pulled your hat lower onto your head and woven your arm through Hotch’s. Your sides brushing one another as you walked, the only sound between you was the clicking of your boots on the sidewalk.
“Thanks for forcing me out of the station.” Hotch said a block later, “you were right. I needed the fresh air.”
“I’m sorry. Did Unit Chief Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner just admit I was right about something?” You teased earning yourself one of his rare smiles.
“Don’t make me regret coming.” He teased back. You gave his arm a gentle squeeze.
“Oh I forgot to ask. How did Jack’s science project go?”
“Really well. We got the light bulb to light twice.” He had used potatoes as batteries, your suggestion. “We’re going to try charging a phone with one next time.”
“Oh cool! Let me know how that goes.” You’d seen a man pass you, but hadn’t thought much about it. At least until someone had a grip on your neck from behind. “Hotch!” You had gasped but he was already crumbling to the ground, someone poked you with a needle. The last thing you saw before passing out was someone picking Hotch off of the ground as another person dragged you backwards toward the street. You haven’t opened your eyes. You're too freaked out about what you might see if you do.
“Nora.” Hotch whispers and your eyes snap open.
“Hotch.” You breathe, he’s here and alive. Thank god.
“Are you okay?” You glance around and can’t see him, then you feel his fingers against yours. He’s behind you.
“I’m okay. Confused. Are you okay?” You grasp his fingers with yours and hold on for dear life. He runs his thumb across your knuckles, and you take a deep breath.
“I’m okay. What’s the last thing you remember?” He asks, his voice low and calm.
“Someone put me in a choke hold then poked me with a needle.”
“I was poked too.”
“Isn’t this what the unsub does?” You ask, the panic evident in your voice.
“Yea.” He confirms.
“But we’re not a couple!”
“I know.” How is he so damn calm? “Breathe Nora.” He says softly. “We were walking like a couple maybe that was enough.”
“Hotch what’s going to happen?” You’d been dealing with the press a lot more on this one so you hadn’t known the details. They’d given the UnSubs a name and you had been trying to squash that all while trying to keep too many details from leaking and comforting the families. It hadn’t given you much time to help profile.
“Nothing good.”
“Hotch please.”
“He forces them to, be intimate.” Oh god. “Then he tortures them, starting with the woman then the man until one of them breaks and gives him what he wants. Then he kills them.” Tears spill down your cheeks and you suck in a shaky breath. This can’t be happening.
“What’s the plan?” You choke out.
“We don’t break. Whatever he wants we don’t give it to him.” It’s not the first time you’ve been tortured so you’re not too worried about that, no it’s the, as Hotch put it intimate part you’re worried about.