For All Time

The SUVs came to a screeching halt on the dirt yard. Before the billowing clouds of dust could dissipate, the BAU team, along with the Sherriff's department, jumped out of their vehicles, weapons drawn; their senses on high alert.

Then they heard it: a noise. Different from anything any of them had ever heard, Morgan would later say that it felt as though a cold snake had streaked down his back.

Two snaps of his fingers, Hotch got the attention of Morgan and Prentiss. Quickly he jerked his arm in the direction he wanted them to head, as he and Rossi took the opposite end.

"What's your plan?" Sherriff Navarijo whispered.

"We're going in."

"You mean to tell me we are going to storm this place? We don't even know if the girls are in there? And if they are, we could get them killed."

"There is no guarantee that they are still alive. But regardless, we have him cornered. If our profile is correct, he isn't going down without a fight and he may take some of us with him. We need all the help we can get."

"I think you're insane."

Hotch nodded. "Perhaps. But you remember that third crime scene we found?"

The memory dawned on the officer. His features went from uncertainty, to angst, to anger all in the space of a moment. "You're right; this ends now!" Motioning his men over, the five men huddled together as Hotch gave them instructions.

"Let's get this son of a bitch!" the sheriff growled and cocked his service pistol. As his men dispersed, he and Hotch quickly made their way to the front door. Trying to keep his breathing under control, Hotch pounded twice on the door.

"Esperanza! FBI! Open up!" Silence. "Esperanza! There is no way to escape; you're surrounded." Again, silence.

"We go in on three," Hotch announced. "One. Two. Three!" Within second, then agents barged in. Guns drawn and senses on highest of alert, they were only momentarily stunned as the report of a shotgun went off. Taking cover, the agents returned fire.

That sound again. It was a child screaming. Instinctively, Prentiss was drawn to it.

"Morgan!" Prentiss shouted. "Cover me." As Morgan took stance to guard his fellow agent, Prentiss ran from one sheltered spot to another. She knew the cry was coming from the back room; if only she could get to it. She glanced back at Morgan. He nodded, stood up, and fired two rounds. Esperanza quickly returned fire. And that is when Prentiss made a break for it.

Just as she got to the hallway, Esperanza stood from behind the wall and leveled his shotgun at her. In the blink of an eye, a burst of gun fire hit her dead center in the chest. With the wind knocked out of her, she hit the floor. Within seconds, the gun battle escalated. Excruciating pain radiating from her chest kept her still, but she still had the sense to cover her head.

The gunfire seemed to go on forever. Then silence. Prentiss didn't know if the UNSUB was dead or caught, but she had to get up and get out of there. As she got to all fours, she heard it. The sound of a pistol being cocked reverberated in her right ear. And she froze.

In one instant, her life flashed before her. Her loves, her regrets. Her wins, her losses. Her apologies to make, her apologies to receive. Her wouldas, couldas, and shouldas neatly listed themselves. And then he flashed before her eyes. Her biggest love. Her biggest regret. Her secret. Rossi. The one person she would lay her life down for---or would have if she had the chance to tell him what had been in her heart from day one. I love him. God, just let me live long enough to tell him, her brain screamed, as she continued to watch her potential killer's face.

But she wouldn't get that chance. Her eagerness to help the victims overrode her common sense and now she was going to pay the price. Oh, what she would give to look in those brown eyes one more time. Instead, she found herself looking up into the face of a madman who was leveling a pistol at her head.

No words were said, but she wasn't a profiler for nothing; she could read him like a book and she knew what was in his mind. The most terrifying smile Prentiss had ever seen tugged at the UNSUB's mouth. Her blood ran cold. Her mouth went dry. She tried to swallow. It was over. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Please God, forgive me; I'm so sorry.

And then it happened. The infamous blink before the trigger was pulled. Instinctively her hands covered her head. But incredibly, there was no pain.

Her ears still ringing, Prentiss tried to gather her thoughts as the acrid smell of gunpowder clogged her nostrils. It took a moment to realize that she was in neither heaven nor hell, but still alive. Looking up, she saw him. Three feet away, and his hands still gripping the butt of his service revolver for dear life, Rossi had fired the shot that had ultimately saved her life.

For a moment, time stood still. Then, before she could analyze everything, she was lying on her back; her bullet proof vest was ripped off as she was assessed for gunshot wounds. She was lucky; the vest had done its job, and aside from a few deep contusions, she was going to live.

But first, she wanted to finish her job. She struggled to get up.

"Let me up!" Prentiss demanded and tried to sit up.

"No. You have to stay still until the paramedics arrive." Rossi's voice commanded.

"I'm not injured, damnit. I still have a job to do!" She looked over to her partner. "Morgan, help me up."

Morgan looked to Hotch for an answer. Hotch's eyes met Prentiss. He nodded in affirmation. Morgan gently but firmly hoisted Prentiss to her feet. Consciously she tugged her shirt back down. She was due a reprimand, but that could wait. They had to find the children first.

"I heard a sound coming from down this way," she offered. Aiming her service revolver, she stepped over the UNSUB's lifeless corpse and down the hall to the kitchen. Looking around, she spotted the pantry door to the left. Cautiously, she approached it. Wordlessly, team came up from behind.

Silently, she turned the knob.

The smell hit them before their eyes could adjust to the dimness. Morgan shined the flashlight. A small whimper perked their ears as the light beam fell on a little girl curled up under a table. Two more girls were found in cages.

As the girls were bundled up and taken by ambulance for medical care, the team stayed behind as the coroner removed the rest of the victims. As the last little black bag was removed and placed in the coroner's vehicle, Prentiss had to turn away as she brushed a tear from her eye.

She felt a hand touch her shoulder. Rossi. Never one to believe in miracles, still her heart picked up speed as it dawned on her that her prayers had been answered. She had her second chance to tell him. As she looked into his deep brown eyes, she struggled to find the right words, but lost them when he brushed a tear from her cheek.

"You okay?" he asked with more tenderness than she had ever expected from him. All she could do was nod. "Well, you look like hell; Hotch wants you to get checked out before we leave."

Prentiss struggled to maintain her composure. After all, she was a federal agent. "We only saved three."

Rossi stared her in the eye. "I know. Go get checked out." Then he turned and walked away.

Slowly and painfully she made her way to the ambulance. A quick check over revealed one broken rib. Against her protests, she was transported to hospital.

After a humiliating round of x-rays, which revealed three broken ribs, and laying in a chilly room with nothing more than a thin cotton robe and a blanket, Prentiss finally tried to relax. A knock on the door caused her to look up. JJ.

"Hi Emily. May I come in?"

"Sure." Prentiss tried to make her self presentable but it was no use. "I look horrible," she joked weakly.

"You're alive; that's all that counts." JJ pulled up a stool and sat down. "I talked to the parents. They wanted me to thank you."

"Thank me? I didn't do anything." She struggled to speak since her voice had clogged with tears. JJ took her hands.

"Yes you did. You are the one who found the clue that lead us to the UNSUB and his hide out. Did you know that he had that room rigged with explosives and if you hadn't run down the hall, he would have probably blown the house up?"

"So he shot me instead?" Prentiss tried to joke, but it hurt.

"You are a hero. I know everything hurts right now, but it will work out." JJ squeezed Emily's hand. "The doctor talked to Hotch about keeping you over night. We're going to stay over and fly out tomorrow."

"Okay," Emily replied, her voice coming in a whisper. She was so tired. She struggled to keep her eyes open, but finally gave in to the beckoning darkness.

"Get some rest," JJ offered.

"I want…tell him…love…" and with that Emily was out for the count. JJ waited for more, but nothing came. Her brow furrowed as she tried to make sense of her friend's words. Just then the doctor came in.

"We'll be moving her to a room. I let your boss know. You can come by first thing in the morning."

"Thanks." JJ took one more look at the sleeping Emily, who had a slight smile on her face, and wondered who, not what, was causing such pleasant dreams. Then she left to join her team.