He knew that it didn't mean anything form the start, at least, he thought it didn't. They would hang out for a while, watching movies, eating dinner, drinking wine and things like that before they went back to his apartment, always his apartment. They would sleep together and then that young man would curl up to him and fall asleep. Tow hours later, Hotch would leave. He would dresses, grab his things and slip out into the night. It went on like that for almost a year, but then his little genius asked the question.

"So, are you ever going to tell Jack about us?"

Hotch stared at him blankly, still bent over to tie his shoe. Reid was leaning against the wall just outside the hall, facing Hotch. He was in red plaid pajama pants and nothing else, the soft light that filled the room from the bedroom door falling over Reid's pale skin and giving his a halo effect as it reflected off his auburn hair.

"Why would I tell Jack about this?" Hotch asked. He saw something about Reid shift and knew that he had said the wrong thing. "Reid, it's not like we're actually seeing each other, it's just sex, nothing more."

"What?"

"Reid, you didn't actually expect this to turn into anything more, did you? I'm you're boss, I'm ten years older than you, I have a son. Do you honestly think I would tell Jack about this? No offense Reid,but you're not exactly someone I would take home to my son."

"So you never meant it? Any of it?"

"Any of what?"

"You said that you couldn't wait to introduce me as your boyfriend, but you were afraid that it would put my job at risk if it came out that I was sleeping with my boss. You told me that you loved me."

Spencer was standing straight now, visibly fighting off tears that threatened to fall.

"Reid, it's just an expression. It means nothing more than when the rest of the team says it."

"Except that they mean it," Reid said. "Morgan is like the brother I never had to protect me as a kid, JJ is mother figure and I love her like she's my mother, Garcia tells me she loves me because because she does and I love her because she's the one I can call and tell anything. Prentice is a sister to me, she treats me like a brother and stands up for me like we're related. Rossi is like an uncle, he lets me learn and do things by myself. I was hoping that you would be the person that I could love the most. Aaron, I do love you."

"Then you made a mistake."

Hotch left, uncaring of the tears streaking down Reid's face and the coked sobs coming from his throat.

Two weeks later, the BAU team stormed Reid's apartment and found it empty, except a letter.

Everyone,

I'm sorry that I had to leave like this, but I just couldn't stay on any longer. I've resigned from the BAU and taken a teaching job in Nevada to be closer to my mom and, consequently, being farther away form you. Agent Hotchener should have already told you about my resignation,I left it on his desk, after all. I promise that I won't hide form you all, because that would be doing what my dad and Gideon did to me. I left my forwarding address and new numbers with my landlord, told him that you guys could have them.

Morgan, right now you're wondering why I left. You know how you've tried to set me up in the past year or so and I always said no?Well, it was because I had someone, or thought I did, but he turned out to be a lot like my dad, letting me believe that they loved me and then, for lack of a better phrase, dropped me on my ass.

Prentice, you're wondering who it is, I'm just hoping that he has the balls to tell you himself.

Rossi, thanks for letting me stand on my own two feet. I'll (hopefully) see you when you come to lecture in one of my classes. And, yes, I do expect to be near the top of the list of priorities

JJ, don't worry, I'll come visit the family when I can. I would never let Henry grow up without his "Pens".

Garcia, kiss kiss for you. My god, I can't believe I just wrote that. Skype me sometime and we can chat. Now you officially know that I'm out, I can talk with you about guys. I probably shouldn't have offered that, now that I think about it.

Agent Hotchener, for you I have a quote: "My tears for you are like dark chocolate—bitter sweet and no good for me."

~Spencer