A/N: Hello Friends! This is my second story based on the wonderful characters of Criminal Minds. I hope you enjoy. Just to let you know, most of these chapters will be pretty short, but hopefully they will still get the point across. Please let me know what you think! If you like it...great! If you hate it...please tell me why! I really want to know. And again, a special thanks to my lovely CM Message Board family who encouraged me to post this story here. And especially to FX for giving me the idea behind this little adventure! You guys are awesome! I do not own Criminal Minds or it's characters...sadly.


Hotch sat at the corner table in the bar with his cell phone in his hand. There was only one person he could call right now, but he didn't know if he should considering the late hour. She'll understand, he thought. Maybe you won't wake him up. Finally, he swallowed his pride and dialed her number.

"Hello?" came the groggy voice on the other end.

"Hi, Haley."

"Aaron? It's two o'clock in the morning."

"Yeah, I know. I just…I…uh…"

"Are you alright?"

"Uh…No. Not really." He took a deep breath. "Haley, I need a favor."

With concern in her voice she asked what she already knew.

"Aaron," she hesitated. "Are you drunk?"

"Ahh…yeah. Pretty much." He hesitated, too. "I'm sorry for calling you, especially so late, but I couldn't think of anyone else to call. I didn't wake up Jack, did I?"

"No. He's still asleep. Where are you?"

"I'm at Lucky's."

"I'll be there in 20 minutes."

"What about Jack?"

"My sister's here. She'll watch him. Just…don't do anything until I get there."

"Thanks."

Hotch hung up the phone and downed the final shot of whatever bottle of dark alcohol he'd been drinking all night. Now he couldn't even remember which it was. Scotch, probably. Or maybe it was Bourbon. Could be Brandy. Whatever. He stared at the empty bottle, searching for answers which he knew were not there. He ran his hand through his hair and laid his head on the table.

As promised, 20 minutes later Haley arrived at Lucky's. Hotch had started on the coffee already, but he still looked terrible. She was instantly concerned for him. She'd known him since he was 17, was married to him for more than 15 years and she'd never seen him in this state. She sat next to him but didn't say anything. She could see the torment in his eyes. Finally, she broke the silence.

"Aaron, talk to me."

"I should have seen it coming," he said. "I should have seen it two years ago, but I didn't."

He was on the edge of tears.

"What are you talking about?" She was thoroughly puzzled now.

"I should have known."

He was very drunk, and he wasn't making any sense. She knew something must have happened on the last case.

"What happened in Seattle?"

He put his head in his hands. Haley still cared very deeply for him, though their marriage hadn't lasted. She still hated to see him hurting. She put her hand on his shoulder.

"Aaron, please look at me."

He looked up.

"What happened in Seattle?"