AFTERSHOCK

Chapter 1 – Lunch Time Drinks

A/N Ok I know I said I was not writing anymore but I CAN'T HELP IT!! I'm not going to write slash any more, just friendship. All my old reviewers, I'd love to have you back again! This story has been screaming at me to write it. I still totally love Aaron! Please review, I love you all!!

W.C. Fields said, "Somebody left the cork out of my lunch."

Aaron Hotchner looked at the envelope that had just landed on his door mat. He knew who it was from, and he thought he knew what was in it, but he really didn't want to open it. He used to like it when the post arrived before he went to work. Now he wished it would come later. He sighed and snatched the letter up off the mat and shoved it in his pocket without checking the sender.

Dammit all to hell!! Why does this have to happen?

He felt a little shaky driving to work worrying about the letter. He stopped in a lay-by and opened it. He couldn't work until he had read it.

It was from Haley's lawyer.

Aaron wanted to say 'Take the bloody lot!' He didn't care any more, he just wanted this over. But he knew that in a few months time, when the emotional turmoil had settled down a bit, he would regret it.

He would give his life for Jacky-Boy. But he was damned if he was going to set Haley up in luxury for the rest of her life from a job she didn't even want him to do!

He scrunched the sheet of paper up in his shaking hand, and put his forehead on the steering wheel.

Come on, Aaron. You're not the first man to go through this, and you're definitely not the last. It'll be over soon...

He decided to have a chat with Dave when he got a minute. He'd survived three divorces, and was currently 'between wives'. If Dave could survive, maybe he could too.

But oh boy, were these feelings confusing.

He threw the letter in the back and drove on to work.

-0-0-0-

There were no new cases yet, though JJ had a pile of requests to go through. She had seemed a little 'off' in her manner lately. When he felt a little better, he would talk to her about it. He was the last one in, something that didn't go unnoticed by the team. Morgan studiously didn't raise his head from his work, the less subtle Dr Reid called out 'hello', drawing unwanted attention to him.

Aaron nodded hello and went straight into his office and sat down. He called his lawyer, who said not to worry, and fax the letter across.

"Let me worry about it, Mr. Hotchner." he said, adding with a laugh, "After all, it's what you are paying me vast sums money for!"

Aaron didn't laugh and cut the connection.

The morning was long and boring. JJ had sifted the requests and none of them needed their expertise. At lunch time, Emily suggested they go out together. There was a nice 'English' pub just outside Quantico, and she wanted to try it. It sounded like a nice idea, Aaron thought, and said he would go.

Garcia had other plans, and JJ wasn't feeling too good. So the others met by the lift. Emily, Rossi and Morgan went in one car, Aaron took his own, just in case he was called back. Spencer asked Aaron if he could go with him.

Aaron remembered opening up to Spence a few weeks ago when they were in the SUV together. He knew that the team wanted to reach out and support him, but only Reid seemed to know how. Aaron didn't know how to open up. He had no idea why talking to Spencer was so easy. Dave had tried really hard to get him to open up to him, but Spencer didn't have to try. It seemed natural somehow.

He nodded to Spencer, the little gesture speaking volumes to him.

The two cars drove up the ramp into the traffic. It was light at this time of day. It was late for lunch time traffic, and the school run hadn't begun yet. Aaron leaned over to the back seat and retrieved the letter. He handed it to Reid in silence. Spencer uncrumpled it, and read it quickly. A old Ford pickup pulled in between them and Rossi's SUV. Aaron slammed down on the brake, cursing softly under his breath. Spencer grabbed the handle.

"What's he playing at?" Reid said as Aaron swerved slightly.

Aaron pressed his lips together in annoyance. This was being a bad day.

So, isn't every day a bad day?

"You ok, Reid?" he asked, glancing over at his colleague.

He didn't hear the answer. The car in front suddenly screeched to a halt. Aaron hit the brakes and stopped short of smashing into the pickup. Spencer had his hand on the dash, Aaron breathed out heavily, gripping the wheel.

"What the hell's..."

Reid's words were cut off as another car impacted with the side of Aaron's car, pushing Aaron across into the passenger's seat where Spencer was trying to open the door. The front air bags deployed, but they were useless in a side impact. Spencer yanked open the door and fell into the road. He stood up shakily and climbed back into the car. Aaron was lying across the passenger's seat, bleeding heavily from a head wound. Spencer reached over and turned off the ignition, got his mobile out and called emergency services.

He checked Aaron's pulse.

He was alive, but the head trauma looked bad. He was very pale, it looked as if his legs were caught.

"It's ok, Hotch, Help's on its way." Spencer said. Aaron moaned softly, and tried to lift his hand. Spencer took his hand and Aaron's fingers curled around his. "Hotch, I'm going around the other side to see if I can open the door. I'm not going away." Spencer gave Aaron's hand a squeeze, and ran round to the other side.

He had a horrible feeling that this was set up. He needed to think. What were the odds...?

Two people were getting out of the car that had ht them; a woman and a man. The man had a crow bar. They had reversed their car back a little, so Spencer began to pull at the door.

"Please, get back. We're doctors." the woman said. She ran round the other side, and climbed in the car. Spencer stood back as the man pushed a crow bar into the join between the door and the frame, and wrenched the door open.

It looked to Spencer as if Aaron's legs were broken. He cried out as the pressure of the door was released. There was a lot of blood. Spencer called out to him.

"They're doctors, Hotch. It's ok!"

Suddenly to Spencer's horror, the man grabbed Aaron by the ankles and started to pull him out of the car. Aaron screamed as he felt bones grind together and he writhed in pain.

"What are you doing?" shouted Reid, as he tried to pull the man's hands from Aaron's legs. The man swung a punch that caught Reid totally unawares, knocking him backwards a step. The woman had hold of Aaron's upper body, lifting him out of the car. Aaron's eyes were wide with pain as he was roughly manhandled out of the car. Spencer tried to push the man away again.

Aaron screamed as the man dropped him onto the road, picked up the crowbar and swung it at Reid. It caught Reid on the side of the head and he dropped with a moan.

The man picked up Aaron again, holding Aaron's knees either side of his waist. The woman climbed out of the car holding Aaron's shoulders.

Aaron struggled weakly, trying to twist out of their grip, but he had no chance. Tears of pain flooded his cheeks and each breath came as a cry. As they lifted him out of the car, he saw Spencer sprawled out on the road, a growing puddle of blood around his head. He tried to call his name, but even though his lips formed the word, there was no sound other than his desperate cries of agaony.

The woman stepped over the body on the road, and the two of them carried Aaron to the back of the pickup, and dropped him over the back into the flat bed. Aaron hit the floor with an agonising crash. The shock was too much, and passed out. The man reached in and covered his body with an old tarpaulin.

The man and woman ran round to the cab, and the pickup drove off.

The whole operation took less than a minute.