And this is why I sojourn here,

Alone and palely loitering,

Though the sedge is wither'd from the lake,

And no birds sing.

~La Belle Dame Sans Merci - Joh Keats


The sky was clear, small pinpricks of light mapping the clear expanse, twinkling with suppressed glory at the humans below. It was cold, the air like frost on his tongue, stinging, and yet refreshing at the same time.

He knew his purpose here tonight. He hadn't came here with no direction, and a vague idea of helping the woman who lived in the flats before him. They towered over him, the faded sandstone warning him to go no further. A defence, just like the one she had, before her illusion had shattered, making him aware of her faults.

A small wind whipped up, and a chill seemed to seep into his bones, be it from the unforgiving element, or the worn image of a woman that had once held everyone under her iron will. Even the building before him seemed to sag, as if bowing under the pressures of gravity, and the weight placed upon their once strong shoulders, and he made yet another link to the shade of a woman inside.

Strong, confident steps took him to the entrance. A flash of his badge got him inside. It was only when he approached her door that he hesitated, one hand raised in a fist ready to knock. Retracting it, he instead placed the business card through the slot that was her mail box, before fleeing silently into the night.

Sometimes, even the strongest person can need a knight to help slay the demons, and as the card for the private clinic touched the carpet on the inside of the threshold, he knew he had done just that.

The rest was up to her.


A/N: This was a challenge set by Alice Wednesday, where I picked the characters, and she gave me a quote... This is where my mind jumped. I believe that Hotch would have felt the need to do this, as despite their disagreements, he respects Strauss, and wouldn't want to see her go down this way. Also, I highly doubt he would have wanted to speak to her about it, instead giving her a small, anonymous push in the right direction. I hope you enjoyed this, and I would really appreciate a review :)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Criminal Minds *sigh*

I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this story.