AUTOR: fra235
TITLE: LOST IN AN EVERLASTING LOVE
RATING: T
CATEGORIA: Romance/ friendship
WARNING: /
PAIRING: Hotch/Prentiss
SPOILERS: Season 7
DISCLAIMER: Criminal Minds is not mine. (unluckily)
NOTE: Special thanks to HGRHfan35
and Faith On Mars Enjoy
When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one's self, and one always ends by deceiving others.
Oscar Wilde
"Can't you stay here with me a little longer?" he says, watching the brunette walking around the hotel room picking up her clothes.
"I'm sorry, Honey! You know I'm on a lunch break, too! I need to get back to the office!" she answer with a smile colouring her voice, entering the bathroom and turning on the shower.
Suddenly, he was at her back hugging her tight, Hotch kisses her slender neck, and she loses herself for a second, before turning around and pushing him away and outside the bathroom; ordering him, smiling, to not join her in the shower.
"You need to get back to the office, too! What would you say to your team if they ask why your lunch breaks are so long nowadays?"
"My team see, what I want them to see!" he says, while searching for a sock under the bed giving her a very nice view of his backside.
The Unit Chief arrived after lunch break, crossing the bullpen swiftly saying a quick hello to his Team who are gathered around Prentiss' old desk. He enters his office and sits down grabbing the next file on his ever growing pile, determined to get most done before it is time to go home to Jack. After a knock on the door jamb Dave enters and like always he sits in the chair in front of Hotch like he belongs there.
"Did you had a good lunch? Have you eaten in that new Greek's restaurant at the corner?" he say with flat voice.
"Lunch was wonderful! Thank you for the advice, Dave! Beth was very enthusiastic. She really loves the South European foods" Hotch says, while observing the papers spread on his desk.
"Really? I'm happy when I can help!" adds Dave with a strange intonation to his voice.
Dave stands up and walks to the door, while Hotch breathes a sigh of relief.
"Oh! I almost forget… "Dave suddenly says, walking back to Hotch's desk.
"Beth was here, while you were at lunch with HER at that Greek restaurant"
A surreal silence fills the room. Despite it being 75F, the room suddenly felt like it was freezing.
Hotch looks at his friend with guilt in his eyes and mouth open, like he was trying to find the right words to justify himself.
"She was here, because she wanted said Hi to you, before flying to New York" adds the old profiler. "You are lucky, I was here and I intercepted her. I told her you were at a meeting with Strauss."
Hotch was frozen!
No muscle moved.
Nor did his eyes blink.
He was almost scared to breathe.
What could he say to his friend? What could he say to get him to understand.
"my colleagues see, what I want them to see!" my ass!
"Look man, I don't know what are you doing, but let me give you one advice: don't drag a relationship, if it is not working out. Don't betray her! Trust the old man! I know everything about it and I have made some really bad mistakes so please Aaron, just listen to my advice.
And second: if you betray your woman, pay attention to lipstick smirches on your shirt." Dave said, walking out the door leaving Hotch with his thoughts. And thinking he did, a whole flood of thoughts stormed his mind.
Only in that moment he realized how stupid, dangerous and hurtful it was what he was doing. Beth was important to him. She was his first relationship after Hayley's death. She was kind, funny, friendly and sweet to Jack. She was important and he loved her but was he in love with her?
He knows very well how Beth feels about him, he knows very well that betraying her like this would hurt her beyond belief. But when he thought about her. . . when he saw her. . .
all logic thoughts went down the drain. With her, he cannot reason, he cannot keep a clear mind.
He jumped up from his seat and walked into Dave's office and closed the door behind him.
"You don't understand! You don't know what I'm feeling right now! You don't know who was with me at lunch break!" Hotch said. He wasn't mad, he was on the defensive.
His friend had discovered part of his secret (and covered for him). He's feeling so confused, so messed up. He knows he needs to talk with someone whom he trusts. He knows he needs to talk with Dave. "Dave…" the desperation sounded through in that one word, a cry for help.
"Have a seat, Aaron!" Dave says calmly.