The Goodbye
A/N The Goodbye was a joint effort by MellowGirl and Mouse95. It is our way of dealing with Gideon leaving the show and our sincerest hope they don't kill him off.
A phone call in the middle of the night woke Jason Gideon from a deep sleep. Jason rolled over and answered the phone without opening his eyes. "Hotch we just got back," Jason said, in to the receiver.
"Dad?" the voice asked on the other end of the line.
He was gone that was that was the only thought going through Hotch's mind as he stood staring at Gideons empty office. Jason had come in the middle of the night and cleaned it out. Hotch had not believed him when he called to say he had had enough. It had been a hard case and Hotch thought he was just blowing off steam. That was until he came to work and found Gideons office cleared out. Hotch sat in his office with emotions written on his normally emotionless face. His head was in his hands. Hotch sat up and composed his face back into it's normally emotionless mask. When the elevator opened he saw Morgan, Reid, Prentiss, and JJ step off the elevator. How was he going to tell them? Or should he tell them? No it would be cruel to let them walk in and find and empty office as he had. Hotch met them in the bull pen.
"Morgan go get Garcia and meet us in the conference room," Hotch said, gruffly. "The rest of you follow me to the conference room," Hotch said, heading for the conference room.
As Reid was heading to the conference room he looked towards Gideons office the door was shut and the lights were out but Reid figured he was already in the conference room.
Once everyone was settled in the conference room Reid looked around the room. Just as Hotch was about to speak Reid asked: " Hotch where's Gideon?" Reid asked, concern in his voice.
"That's why I called you all here," Hotch said.
Hotch was just beginning to explain the situation when Hotch looked over to see Gideon standing in the doorway.
"Good I'm glad you're here you can explain," Hotch said, sitting down.
"This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life," Gideon said, looking around at his team, his friends, no he thought his family.
"This morning I turned in my letter of resignation effective immediately," Gideon said, stopping as shocked gasps filled the room.
Everyone in the room looked like they had been punched in the stomach, with the exception of Hotch who was as stoic as ever.
"I have been thinking about this for awhile now," Gideon said, letting his words sink in.
"Last night my son called me and told me I was going to be a grandfather," Gideon said, with a small smile.
"I just can't handle the thought of putting another picture in my book. I missed the most important years in my sons life. When he called me last night and told me about the baby and offered me a chance to be apart of it's life. I can't I want let that opportunity slip by me. I've seen so much of the bad in this world I need to see some of the good before it's to late," Gideon said shakily, looking around at the team.
JJ looked like she wanted to cry. Morgan looked like he wanted to punch something. Garcia was openly crying. Prentiss just looked shocked. Reid's face was a flood of emotions. But what surprised him most was the look of sympathy and understanding he saw on Hotch's face.
"Goodbye," he said, walking out the door.