Reid's POV
The second we step out of the conference room, Hotch than I, we see everyone gathered around Emily's desk spin around. They see us and Garcia looks scared. Hotch has his "work face" on and I wipe my face of emotion. Without saying anything Hotch goes to his office and me to my desk.
At my desk everyone gathers, Morgan starts, "something's up Rei-".
He doesn't finish before Garcia interrupts and says "we are here for you and Hotch. Is everything okay? How can I help?"
I just chuckle and put my hands up and say "everything is okay". She nods and everyone goes off to get their bags for the flight.
* * *
Hotch said we'd probably have a case so we packed go-bags ahead of time, but we still arrive last. The couch is open and Garcia is coming due to webcams and websites it's easier having her close. I assume she left it open to see who sits where.
Hotch and I casually sit down together on the couch and Hotch leans over to mumble in my ear, "I will get us back for your birthday if it's the death of me" I smile and hug him tightly making him laugh. He knows almost every birthday I've had was forgotten or missed due to my mother's schizophrenic breaks or lack of friends. Even with the team I never did anything. He wants to make it special and it will be no matter what, I'm with him. With our small act of affection the team seems to relax as if seeing us together was reassuring. The plane ride is short so I just lean into Hotch the whole time.
At one point I say, "Aaron" looking up at him.
He replies with "hmm?"
I smile and say quietly so we can hear, "I love you".
He smiles back and stares into my eyes and says "I love you too". Then the jet starts to descend.

Hotch's POV
We head straight to the station to set up. This case doesn't worry me as much as the others but I'm still scared for him. This is a serial killer who's killing because of someone in his past. As usual Spence starts by heading straight to the board to set up maps. We all discuss what to do first and then split up. Reid and I go with Rossi to one of the dump sites and the others go to the victims families. At the site I can't focus at all, I can only admire Reid as he thinks and thinks. Then he gets it and I try to focus.
"I think I know why here. Before we couldn't figure out why this location, it's busy and open. We know the unsub blends in too. What if the unsub is dumping where the next victim will be picked" I just stare in shock and Rossi says "you are insane". After a bit more talking we get in the car to go back to the station. Rossi drives with Reid and I in the back.
I curl my arms around him and mumble into his hair, "you're in pain, I can tell. What can I do?"
He pretends to think it over before he says "maybe something tonight". Smiling I kiss his head and say "maybe if you're good".
He smiles up at me and says "aren't I ways?" with a sly grin. Back at the station we go over photos and maps searching for a connection.
Finally Reid turns to Garcia for some help, "speak to me boy genius" she says.
He pouts before saying "can you run for any records connecting our victims, maybe they worked together or something".
"One second lover boy" she tells him and we hear the fast clicking of keyboards. "Oh oh oh oh oh apparently both our victims were not so sweet. They both had affairs....annddd if I keep digging a little more they had affairs with the same man".
I cut in and ask "do you have a name".
She says "of course, it's Arthur Jackson and his address is on your phones" I quickly thank her.
Looking at Rossi and Reid I say "let's go, Rossi call the others and have them meet us here" and we are off to Jackson's. When we arrive it seems he's home so we carefully approach the house we hear fast footsteps and no one answers. Without Morgan or S.W.A.T. our only option is to have one of us kick the door down. Knowing I'm the best option for the door now I don't hesitate before I kick it open I step in and Rossi parts left and Reid right, as Reid passes I feel his hand drag across my ass and slightly grab it, but knowing our situation I try to brush it off. I hear the others pull up and I can just barelly hear Morgan say to go around back and surround the house. Rossi goes upstairs and Reid checks the rest of the downstairs as I venture into the basement. Pulling out my flashlight I explore deeper into the darkness, I see a women curled up on the floor and hear a gun click. I freeze. Something swings.

Reid's POV
Aaron should kick down doors more....wait I can't be distracted focus on the case. I try to pull myself to get her and search the downstairs. Faintly I hear Rossi call down "all clear" but after a moment of no Hotch I get worried.
"Hotch?" I call down to him.
At first there's no answer and I get panicky but then I hear, "clear spence, there's nothing here". I go and call Rossi and run straight to the basement door, something's wrong. We agreed our names weren't to be used like that. Quietly I sneak down the stair and I can hear Rossi coming. I freeze, there's a gun to Hotch's head and this unsub will not stop. He sees me and we both know there's no way out. One of us is dead. A single tear falls from his face and tears silently stream from mine. He looks me in the eye and draw the unsub's gaze to me and the tears flow from his face now, "be strong" is all he says. I scream and a gun goes off. One flashlight drops, the other shakes. A body falls. I scream and race over, my eyes filled with tears can just barely make out the tall strong figure of the surviver. I feel their arms wrap around me and I breathe in their deep scent. Aaron. Crying we sink to our knees on the floor. We rock each other and Rossi finally locates us in the basement. He says something but I can hear it. Rossi approaches us and places a hand on our backs trying to guide us up and out, but we don't budge. Finally it takes Morgan to physically lift us onto our feet and JJ and Emily to guide us out. They try to talk to us and calm us down but Hotch silently cries and I sob, both of us uncontrollably cry into the others arms. There's police and the press outside, we know that we should pull ourselves together and be professional but not after that. The team leaves the living room and goes into the kitchen to debate what to do with us, they won't even let police in right now. Hotch and I still can't stop crying as we hold each other on the sofa. One of us was going to die. Hotch planned on it being him. He didn't think of using me as a distraction till it was happening. I was going to lose him.

Hotch's POV
We sit on the couch crying in each other's arms. I was planning on dying for him. After about an hour our tears slow and we sniffle and gasp choking breaths as we try to calm down.
Reid finally pulls back enough to look me in the eyes and say, "I love you so much" his voice is wobbling like he's about to cry again.
I lean in very close and say "I'm so sorry. I love you. Oh god I love you. Please forgive me".
When my ramble ends he places a hand on my check and says "I will always forgive you" I nod and we kiss. At first it's a short kind kiss, but then the kiss deepens into a reassuring lust fill kiss. We kiss until the need for air becomes so desperate. We rest and kiss non-stop until the reporters are gone and Rossi comes in and says "Guys it's safe to leave now, the reporters are gone".

Reid's POV
Hotch nods but doesn't break eye contact with me, then slowly with shaking hands, he stands holding me and pulling me up with him. I realize that he doesn't move after that so I bury into his side and we slowly make our way out. JJ places a hand on our backs and helps guide us to the car. We climb into the back and cuddle up together, exchanging kisses every so often. The team helps us into the station, past all the cops and straight to the conference room. Hotch and I sit at the table and hold hands and with our free hand we collect files.
When we stand he quietly groans and I grow worried and ask quietly "are you hurt?"
He just shakes his head and whispers "it's nothing" I don't like his answer but I don't pry. In the car we curl up on the back seat lying down and I notices him sigh in relief from some pain.
I give a small kiss and say "please Aaron," he knows exactly what I mean and he unbuttons his shirt while I sit up and straddle him to see. He slowly shows me his chest, it's a little bloody from a small cut and is cover in lager bruises, I gasp and say "how" as I hold back tears.
He barely talks loud enough but I hear him say, "when I found her I heard a gun but when I turned around he hit me with a crowbar. Then he moved closer and told me to answer you" I lean in immediately kiss him and then I pull back and open my bag. he looks confused but I pull out some gauze and wrap his chest to stop the slow bleeding.
When I finish I lay a hand on his chest and stare down at him and say "I love you" it comes out so quietly that I doubt he hears it but he does. His hand slowly reaches up and pulls my head slowly down to his. I place a hand on either side of his head to keep me up and off his chest as I lean down and kiss him deeply. The kiss is slow and passionate. The car stops and we don't notice, all we do is continue to kiss more and more. Rossi drove but he didn't notice us in back, he just focused on the road. I think he forgot we we're here because he grabs he back and gets out, I barely noticed. The door near our head swings open and JJ smiles at us as we break away from the kiss slowly. She apologizes and tells us that everyone else is on the jet and offers us help.
I ask I she can help with our bags and she says "no problem". Then I return my gaze back down to Hotch, he stays quiet as I slowly button his shirt and jacket back up. Leaning back down I give him a short kiss before kissing his forehead, I let my lips linger against his skin before I pull back. Slowly I climb off him and out of the car, then I guide him up slowly and he hisses in pain through clenched teeth. We hold each other as we climb the stairs to the jet. It used to be him helping me and now it's me helping him. Why couldn't we just freeze in time when we were both fine. He pauses, breaking my thoughts, and I grow worried. Hotch takes a deep breathe before he nods and we enter the jet. Everyone looks worried when they see us. Our eyes are bloodshot and our faces stained from tears, with me supporting Hotch. We're a mess.
When we reach the couch I slowly help him down and I kiss his head and mumble "one second" into his hair. I wander to the kitchen to make a cup of tea and grab him a blanket. I cover him with the blanket and he thanks me, I sit down with him and he adjusts so his head is on my lap and then he slowly falls asleep. I quietly sip my tea and stare at him as he sleeps, with my free hand I gently play with his hair.
The rest of the team watches us and Morgan speaks up, "hey Reid," I look up at him but I stay silent and he asks "can I ask what happened. Not just because I'm curious but I'm also going to do Hotch's paperwork for this case too" I nod slowly.
Then quietly I tell them, "we were checking the house, Rossi upstairs, I had the first floor, and Hotch went to the basement. Rossi called clear and so did I. The basement was quiet so I called down. And when he called back he called me spence, he said it was clear and he'd be right up. I new something was wrong and I called Rossi and rushed down. I got down there first. A victim was on the floor but Hotch was standing right facing me and had a gun....inches from his face" I pause before I continue saying "he saw me and we both froze. He looked me in the eyes and he said..." I choke on my words and I don't know if I can continue.
"It's okay Reid you don't have to" Morgan says.
I ignore him and take a deep breathe before I say, "he said be strong...the unsub turned to me and Hotch pulled out his gun while the unsub was distracted. A gun when off, I screamed, the light dropped and....he was hit by a crowbar" that's where my voice goes small and I stop. I purposely skip over small details like me grabbing Aaron as we entered. A tear silently rolls down my face and they all are silent. I set my tea down and I realize I have no interest for it anymore. For a long time no one says anything, almost an hour goes by before the jet starts to land and JJ and Morgan offer to help us with our bags. Silently I lean down and kiss him and he starts to stir, his eyes slowly open and he starts to sit up without warning me and he lets out a gasp of pain. Everyone looks worried and I stroke his hair and hush him. He collapses into my side and I whisper sweet nothings to him then I slowly stand, gently helping him up with me. We walk out together slowly leaving the jet.