MELT DOWN

SUMMARY: (crossover: The Unit/Criminal Minds) Hotch is quickly having a melt down. It's up to a friend to save him

DISCLAIMER: I so don't own Criminal Minds or The Unit…sad isn't it!?

BETA: None!

A/N: Ok, this is the Fic SHOTBOXER and SPARX wanted…I hope you two like it! See, now I'm worried!

A/N2: For anyone wondering or anyone who doesn't know 'The Unit', Jonas Blaine is played by Dennis Haysbert (some of you may know him as the " All State " guy. Mack (Gerhardt) is played by Max Martini.

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The sound of the phone caused the group of highly trained military men to jump. They shared a look before hiding their expressions under passive faces. The lone officer in the room raised a single eyebrow at his unit leader who shrugged his shoulders.

Knowing there was only one way to make the sound shut off the unit leader answered the phone, "Blaine."

Who ever was on the other end was obviously not saying something the other man appreciated. Blaine's eyebrows were furrowed, "I'll be right there."

The man pocked his phone before looking at his unit commander, "I need some time."

The Colonel looked the man over before nodding. The Unit leader headed for the door, only pausing when he heard one of his men's voice ring out, "Everything ok top?

Blaine nodded, "Aaron decided to pay us a visit."

The redhead's eyebrow shot up, "This could prove interesting."

With a slight roll of the eyes the Unit leader walked out of door and let it shut behind him with a loud slam.

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He made his way to the local police station all the while trying to calm himself down. He simply couldn't believe it. The man he knew simply as Aaron was not the type to drink his sorrows away and was defiantly not the type to drink and then get into a car and drive! At least he hadn't thought so.

He made it to the station in record time. Walking in he nodded to the sergeant on duty, "Jonas Blaine here for Aaron Hotchner."

The man nodded and, after a brief phone call, Aaron was led out from a back door.

"We're not going to press charges Sergeant Major." The Sergeant told him.

"Thanks Eric," Blaine gave him a grateful smile, knowing full well that a DUI would have seriously hurt the younger man's career.

He hadn't been surprised that the police officer hadn't pressed charges. They knew Blaine well enough to know that the man would handle any first time offenses himself. It wasn't the first time he'd been called to pick someone up, though this would be the first time it was for a non military person.

The older man all but dragged a still rather drunk Hotch out to his truck. Buckling him in place, Blaine started the drive home. He couldn't help but wonder what had driven the younger man to this point.

He knew Aaron! Aaron was the man who was too serious. He was the man who was no none sense. He was the one…

'Damn' Blaine growled to himself. He missed it. He missed every single sign that Aaron was falling apart. Well, he would fix that problem…real quick.

He could still recall the first time he'd met the FBI agent…

-- FLASHBACK –

"Where we going top," A younger Jonas Blaine asked his Unit leader.

Ron looked him over, "They want us to train some profilers."

"In what," Blaine asked in disbelief.

The Unit leader gave a snort of laughter, "New SWAT techniques."

Blaine asked no more question as he tried to keep his laughter hidden. The plane ride was short and as painless as the Army could make it.

The two were greeted by a young FBI agent who obviously trying to impress them as much as he could, "Sergeant Major Cheals, Master Sergeant Blaine, I'm Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, it's a pleasure sirs."

The two shared a slide glance before Ron spoke, "It's Ron, Special Agent Hotchner, no one needs to know who we are."

"My apologies sir," Hotch replied instantly, a shade of pink creeping onto his face, "If you'll follow me please."

"Lead the way Hotch," Blaine boomed.

Aaron frowned slightly at the name but said nothing. He had, had several people try and shorten his last name but he'd never allowed it. Now didn't seem like the time to mention that though…not when the FBI was trying to play nice with the Army.

The next couple of days went by quickly and to the surprise of both Unit men, the FBI agents, Hotch especially, quickly picked up on the new SWAT techniques that they were shown.

The real test came the day before the two men were to leave. The results had been bitter sweet. The profiling team had gotten the hostages to safety but in the end they had lost two people and the person they wanted to catch had gotten away for a short while.

They had found him and he had died in a shoot out that cost one more FBI agent his life.

There were no words that could be spoken to help ease the pain of losing team members so the two visitors didn't even try.

Before they left, Blaine had taken Hotch aside, "If you need anything, you call me. I can be here in a plane ride or you can come out and visit me."

Hotch nodded, not speaking; the pain still too raw. Blaine gave a soft sigh, "Why don't you come back with me?"

His offer surprised both of them. Some how, in the four days since their arrival, Blaine had taken the younger man under his wing; had tried to shield him from the pain of being in charge of a SWAT team.

In the end Hotch had decided to stay in DC and so Blaine had gone home. He called Hotch every few days and three weeks after he'd left had shown up in DC…

-- END FLASHBACK –

Blaine shut the truck off and helped Hotch out of the truck and into the spare bedroom. He got the younger man onto the bed and headed for the kitchen where his wife, Molly, met him, "Bad?"

"Like the first time," her husband answered honestly.

"What are you going to do?" Molly asked as she looked down the hall where the man was sleeping.

"Handle it like last time," came the honest answer. "Maybe you should go visiting."

Molly nodded thoughtfully, "There were a couple old friends I wouldn't mind seeing again."

Blaine nodded his head, deep in thought. His worry was evident to the woman who still held all his love. "It worked the first time."

"What if it's not enough," the reply held all the worry the man was feeling.

"You might be surprised." Molly gave her husband a quick kiss and made her way to her room to pack.

She was the only person outside of her husband and Hotch who knew what had transpired during Blaine's second stay in DC.

It hadn't been pretty and she was pretty sure it was gong to be worse this time around.

OoOoOoOo

Hotch's eyes slowly opened as his brain tried to process where he was. Soft bed…warm, clean blankets…pajamas…

"What the hell," Hotch tried to sit up but the room started to spin so violently that he fell back.

"Wouldn't recommend that if I were you," Came a sarcastic response.

Hotch let his head roll to the side to look over at who ever spoke. The red hair and unshaven face could only mean one thing.

"Mack?"

"So you do have a brain after all huh precious?" Mack's sarcasm took a tighter note causing the other man to wince. "Hell Aaron, what were you thinking? You know what, don't answer that."

Hotch gulped nervously, "Where am I Mack?"

The red head's eyes bulged, "Where were you going?"

"Um…" Hotch's eyes were starting to get heavy, "I needed to see Jonas."

"I'm here Aaron," Blaine's voice boomed from the doorway. "You go to sleep, there will be plenty of time for us to talk later."

Hotch nodded, his brain not taking note of the wording, before he once again fell into an uneasy sleep.

"Jesus Christ Top," The red head's temper started to show, "He could have killed himself or someone else."

"I know." Blaine responded looking down at the sleeping form on the bed.

"Tell you one thing," Mack also looked over at the sleep form.

"What's that?" Blaine asked, finally looking over at his teammate.

"If you don't handle it," Mack started, "I will."

"Oh don't worry about that," The Unit leader promised, "I'll take care of everything."

TBC...