Author's Note: I probably should have included another warning in the summary. This story is pretty deep, and I would advise you to have a box of tissues handy. Because...it's sad. There's really nothing else that I can say except that I hope you like it. And that I'm sorry if it makes you somewhat depressed.

Disclaimer: The plot is mine. Ethan Lancaster is mine (...), and Olivia is, too. But everything and everyone else...isn't. :(

"Some love lasts a lifetime. True love lasts forever." ~ Anonymous

"This isn't the way you planned on ending this, is it, Agent Hotchner?" their unsub, Ethan Lancaster, taunted.

Hotch looked at Emily in Lancaster's arms, his eyes landing on the gun pointed straight at her heart. "No," he admitted. "But things can still go my way, Ethan," he antagonized.

Lancaster scoffed. "You're so confident…and are we on a first name bases, now? Because I'd love to call her Emily…" His lips skimmed over her throat and he murmured, "Agent Prentiss is a bit of a mouthful."

Hotch cocked his gun in warning. "Put your gun down and step away from her." When Lancaster didn't answer, he took a step closer and added, "Do it now!"

But their unsub wasn't listening. "If you make one more move, I swear I will kill her. And I'm not going to shoot her in the head, or the neck; that would be too easy. I'm going to shoot her in the chest. Long, painful death…all because of you. She's going to suffer, and it's all your fault."

"Don't listen to him, Aaron!" Emily shouted.

"Shut up!" Lancaster screamed, ramming the gun even harder into her ribs.

"If you have as shot, take it," Morgan's voice said over the headset.

Hotch analyzed the situation carefully. He could shoot Lancaster…but how did he know that at the last minute, he wouldn't push Emily into the line of fire? At the thought of losing Emily, his girlfriend, lover, and soul mate, his breathing became ragged. He knew that he only had one chance, but Ethan Lancaster had to die. It was either him or Emily. He frowned. Where the hell was his backup?

"Hotch," Morgan said, "Take the shot." Even Emily nodded. So, taking a deep breath, he did just that.

But it was as if Lancaster had read his mind. Right before he registered the gunshot, he shot Emily twice, both bullets surpassing her Kevlar vest.

Hotch screamed in anguish as Emily's body hit the ground, as if in slow motion. Ignoring Lancaster's dead body, he ran over to Emily.

"Emily! Emily, look at me!" Her eyes fluttered open. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry…"

"No…Aaron…" she choked out. "Not your fault."

"Stay with me, please," he begged, tears clouding his vision. "You have to stay so I can marry you."

"Marry me?" she asked, her breathing coming out in short pants.

"Yes. Please, Emily…"

She nodded, then winced. "It hurts…"

"Where are the paramedics?" he screamed for anyone to hear.

"I'll marry you…" she said faintly, her voice barely above a whisper.

He kissed her gently. "I know. Just fight for me, okay? Be strong."

She closed her eyes and let out a long shaky sigh. "I love you…"

"I love you, too, but please, Emily!" he cried. She didn't answer. "No! Emily, open your eyes! Please, sweetheart…" He began CPR, his tears falling on her bloodstained blouse. "Please!"

But she was gone. Hotch still continued, however, trying in vain to bring her back to life. Suddenly, the team was surrounding him. JJ was crying in Reid's arms, Morgan was shaking, and Dave…

Dave grabbed his shoulder. "Aaron," he said sadly, "Stop."

"No! She could still be alive!"

"Aaron…she's gone."

Hotch collapsed and pulled Emily into his arms. "Emily…" he said between sobs, "I love you so much. I'm so sorry…" He held her in his embrace for several minutes, noting that her body was still warm, her skin was still soft, her hair still smelled like citrus…

Then Morgan finally spoke. "Hotch, come on." His voice cracked. "Let the paramedics take her."

Hotch said nothing, and everyone knew that he planned on never letting go. "She looks so peaceful," he whispered. "She could just be asleep.." Finally, he released her, dropping his head in his hands and crying until he had no more tears to shed. Her body was about to be wheeled away when Hotch said, "Wait!" Running over to her body, he pulled out a diamond engagement ring from his pocket and placed it on her middle finger. Kissing her forehead lightly, he said, "This is for you, my angel."