Old Friend New
Summary: It's been two years since Elle Greenaway talked to Aaron Hotchner. Can they be friends again? What about something more?
A/N: I've been watching the Elle episodes on A&E and realizing 'holy crap do I miss Hotch and Elle'. Hope you like the outcome of my nostalgia.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I should really try to change that.
Two years of silence could get to a girl. Elle Greenaway had adopted a nearly nomadic existence since she was released from the BAU. She doesn't look like a once polished, decorated agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; her raven hair is long and tangled, face sans make-up, and suits traded for jeans and a series of a causal shirts. She works as a secretary at a factory outside Norfolk, picking up a few shifts at a local bar on occasion to make ends meet.
She hasn't spoken to any of them since the day Hotch had followed her and told her it was time to pack her things and leave. She misses them, all of them. J.J., Gideon, Reid, Morgan, Penelope, most of all, Hotch. He was the one to cut the ties, to fire her, but she misses him. Aaron Hotchner was a hell of a lot more than a Supervisory Special Agent to Elle Greenaway -not that she'd ever admit that.
She sees a therapist twice a month. They talk about a lot of things -she's come to terms with a lot of things. Her father dying. Getting shot. Almost dying. Killing a man. Getting fired. Aaron Hotchner and her unrequited feelings for the married man. The last one is a recurring theme, it's been discussed so much that Elle can quote the psycho-analysis verbatim.
"Your homework for this week" -something else Elle hates, therapy homework- "is to call this Aaron Hotchner. Ask him to get coffee, you were obviously very good friends."
Elle hates her therapist -and her overwhelming ability to be right all the time.
She's been trying to call him for the past three days, each time she comes up with an excuse. "What if Haley answers?" "What if he's spending time with Jack?" "He could be gone on a case."
"Quit being a chicken shit." She scolded herself verbally and scratches her newly acquired cat between the ears.
She stared at her phone and it's resting place on her coffee table. She picked it up and dropped it like a hot potato. She felt sick and wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. It's something she has to do, she knows that much. She misses him so much it messes with her head and, if nothing else, she deserves some form of closure.
Grabbing the phone and not giving herself a chance to back out, she dials a number that can't be erased from her memory. She moves to her feet and paces the four feet between her couch and the TV.
"Hotchner." She hears his gruff voice and her heart stops momentarily, "Hello?"
"H..Ho..Hotch." She finally manages.
"Elle?" His voice softens and Elle collapses on her couch.
"Yeah. It's me." Elle informs him and draws her knees to her chest.
"It's... It's good to hear from you. How are you?" She hears him scuffling around and imagines him taking a seat at his dinner table.
"I'm good." Elle sniffles involuntarily, "I've been working at the Norfolk Refinery Plant as a receptionist, doing odd jobs and stuff."
"That's good." Hotch tells her and to her shock, there is no disappointment in his voice. Her own family hadn't been so approving -she was supposed to enforce the law, not break it.
"I've been going to a therapist." Elle admits.
"Elle, that's great." He tells her and she can almost feel his smile.
"I'm... I talk about you sometimes and she suggested I call you. I miss you." Elle swipes at a tear she doesn't remember falling.
"I miss you too." Hotch chuckles, "It's been too long.
"It really has." Elle agrees wholeheartedly.
"I thought you'd never want to talk to me again." Hotch admits.
"You were doing your job, Aaron." Elle smiles, "I wanted to hate you, but I couldn't."
"You sounds good, Elle. A lot better than the last time we talked."
"I am better, a lot." Elle agrees, "How is everyone? How are you?"
"Everyone is a great. Gideon left." He explains and Elle unclenched her muscles and prepares herself for a chat with a friend.
"I heard. He sends me Christmas cards." Elle chuckles and plays with a loose thread on her pillow.
"Yeah. J.J. has a son, a baby boy."
"Wow." Elle smiles, "Tell her to give me a call."
"I'll do that." Hotch agrees, "Reid's doing good and so is Morgan. They've both had it rough, but they're doing okay."
"And Garcia?" Elle asks, "Still pretending she's not in love with Morgan."
"If you already know, why'd you ask?" Hotch chuckles.
Elle smiles, "And you, Agent Hotchner, how are you?"
"Haley and I got divorced." He admits in one breath, "I see Jack on occasion."
"Oh, Hotch." Elle breathes and her heart breaks for him.
"Yeah.. well..."
"Yeah." Elle whispers, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Hotch shrugs it off, "We get along better now."
"If you say so." Elle tells him as her cat climbs into her lap.
"Let's have dinner sometime soon."
She almost dropped the phone, "Dinner?"
"Yeah." He releases a breathy chuckle, "Dinner. The third meal. You've heard of it, right?"
"Shut up." Elle shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"So?"
"When?" Elle smiled and clasped a hand over her mouth to keep herself from screaming like a school girl.
"Friday." Hotch suggested, "Seven."
"Friday at seven." Elle agreed.
"Give me your address. I'll pick you up." Hotch informed her.
"You got it." Her smile grew and she rattled off the address to her rat-trap of an apartment.
"See you Friday."
"See you Friday."
And with a click the line went dead.
A/N: So... should I continue?