Aaron adjusted his tie, feeling slightly uncomfortable with being there in front of his brother's door. They had gotten into an argument recently, when Sean had informed him of the fact that he had been dropped from yet another restaurant for his hot-headed behavior. He only hoped he could make it up to Sean during this brief weekend away from the team, away from the Replicator case. It also helped that he would be seeing Beth, too.
Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door, and through the wood, he could hear two voices talking. He wondered when Sean had gotten a girlfriend, since he hadn't mentioned it when they had talked last week. Tapping his foot impatiently, he looked at his watch, thinking that he was earlier than he had said he would be. That wasn't the case and so he knocked once more, this time with greater force.
Finally he heard soft footfalls come towards the door and then it was wrenched open. "What?" a familiar feminine voice growled out, and he looked down in shock at Beth, dressed only in one of Sean's shirts. "Aaron? You're Sean's brother?"
He just nodded, trying to control his anger as he stepped into the apartment. "That would be correct, Beth. Hello, Sean."
His brother had the good grace to blush as he ran his hand through his shaggy hair. "Hey, bro. I see you know Beth."
"Yes, quite intimately. The same as you, it seems. How long has this been going on?"
"Why don't you take a seat, Aaron, and we can talk about this. I'm sure that we can work this out." Beth tried to smile winningly up at him, but he just shook his head, disgusted by the pair of them. "What? It's not like this means anything. My heart was always true to you."
He shook his head, feeling his eyes narrow. "I don't know if I can believe that, Beth. Sleeping with another man should mean a little something, especially if you're in a relationship with his brother. Dammit, cheating on your partner should mean something to you. Was he that good in bed that you could just forget you were my girlfriend?"
Beth's eyes filled with tears as she shrugged. "He must have reminded me of you on some level. I'm sorry. Can't we work this out?"
Aaron looked over at his silent brother, noticing the smirk on his face, and shook his head violently. "No, there is no working this out. You made your choice the moment you were unfaithful to me. Goodbye, Beth. Sean, I'll talk to you sometime in the future. Just not now, especially not after this."
Turning on his heel, he strode over to the door and slammed it behind him before making his way over to the stairs, taking them two at a time in his haste to get away from them. "Aaron, wait! I love you!" Beth screamed after him in a desperate attempt to get him to come back. He ignored her words, though, and continued on down the stairwell.
All he wanted to do was go home and lost himself in work, to try and bury this pain deep inside. He knew it wasn't the most healthy thing to do, but it was better than letting them hurt him even more. Pushing his way out of the building doors, he stalked down the sidewalk for a few blocks before deciding to hail a cab. "The Belvedere Hotel, please," he said as he slumped back against the seat.
The scenery of the city did little to calm or cheer him as the cab driver took him back to his hotel. Thank fully, he hadn't mentioned where he was staying to either his brother or his ex, and he wondered how quickly he could pack and catch the train home.
The doorman opened the front door for him, and he nodded and smiled at the older man. Going over to the elevator, he pressed the up button, waiting for it. He was glad he had asked for a room in the middle of the hotel, since it gave him some time to think about what he was going to do now.
There was going to be fallout, that was for sure. He had to tell Jack that he had ended things with Beth, but he knew his son would ask questions. And there was really no delicate way to tell him what had happened. Especially when it was his uncle that had effectively broken them up. Jack wouldn't understand that, he adored his uncle. The doors slid open and he stepped out into the hall, heading down to his room.
The maid had already cleaned up and he smiled to see that she had straightened his clothes in the closet. Taking a seat on the bed, he sighed, burying his face in his hands. His phone dinged, alerting him to the fact that he had just gotten a new text message, and he pulled it out, looking at the display. Hey, how did it go with your brother? Did you get to ask him about romantic places to take Beth?
Of course, it would be JJ who texted him, not knowing a thing that was occurring in New York. Shaking his head, he quickly typed back. There's been a change of plans. I'm coming home tonight.
Her reply was quick. I'll be there when you get home.
Aaron smiled at the message, tucking his phone away in his pocket. Letting out a deep breath, he stood and pulled out his suitcase, unzipping it and beginning to put away his clothes. Morgan always made fun of the fact that he practically moved in when they were at a hotel, but he just couldn't get used to living out of suitcases when on the field. It didn't take long for him to get fully packed, and he slung his duffle over his shoulder before picking up the suitcase and making his way back downstairs.
"Leaving already, Mr. Hotchner?" the clerk asked, and he nodded.
"Yeah, I just got called back to work a case in Florida. Will you have to charge me for the full weekend?"
The woman shook her head. "I understand your job, sir, it's just like being in the military. We always make exceptions for matters like this."
Aaron felt bad for lying to the woman, but he did not want to reveal the true reason for his sudden departure. Nodding, he went over to the door and peered outside. "Do you need me to hail a taxi, Sir?" the doorman asked and he nodded. The man went outside and quickly got a taxi for him, opening the door for Aaron. He slipped the man a ten and then got in the taxi. "Penn Station, please."
The man nodded and Hotch slumped back in the seat as he pulled out his phone and began to delete the pictures he had on there of Beth. He wanted no further reminder of her in his life. The only one he couldn't bear to get rid of was one of him, Beth, and Jack together. He dug out enough money to pay the man before getting out of the cab and heading inside.
Taking a deep breath, he walked up to the first open ticket counter he saw and smiled at the young man there. "I need a one way ticket to Washington D.C., please."
"Yes, sir. It looks like there are a few trains that head that way this afternoon. Would you prefer cheap or fast?"
"Faster is better in this case." The young man nodded and clicked a few buttons.
"All right, I can get you on a train that leaves in fifteen minutes, but you'll have to hustle over to the right track. I'll radio ahead and let them know you're coming, they might be able to hold the train for two minutes, tops."
"I know how to move quickly," he replied wryly, pulling out his credit card and driver's license. After it had been approved, he took them and his ticket from the young man's hands, thanking him before taking off for the right track.
He made it with just three minutes to spare, and he went to the first free seat. Thankfully, the train wasn't too crowded and he was able to sit alone, which suited him just fine. Once the train was under way, he pulled out his phone and texted Jessica. Hey, I'm coming home early, but I still would like you to take care of Jack for the weekend.
What happened? she texted back a minute later.
Things that I want to work through before I see Jack. Beth and I are no longer a couple. And I don't think that I'll be talking to Sean for a few months to come. Give Jack an extra hug and kiss for me, okay?
All right. We love you.
He smiled at the words on the screen, knowing that he loved them as well. Thanks, love you, too. Powering down his phone, he stuck it back in his pocket and rested his head against the window, letting his eyes close heavily, trying to figure out where his life was heading.
When the train pulled into the station, Aaron sat up, stretching. There on the platform he saw JJ waiting for him, and he gave a half-hearted wave to her. She smiled sadly and nodded, waiting as he deboarded. Wordlessly, he slipped his hand into her outstretched one, letting her lead him out to her waiting car. "I figured you would take the fastest way home, which would be the train. I bought us some supplies for when we get you home."
Aaron nodded, still looking out the window. He heard the soft sound of concern she made and shook his head. "We shouldn't be doing this, you know. Will wouldn't like it."
"Will knows I'm here with you, he encouraged me to come get you. He likes you, too, you know. He always has, since you have my back so often."
He turned to her in surprise, seeing the soft smile she wore. "I will always have your back, you're one of my closest friends." His lips turned up in an answering smile and she nodded a little. "We've shared so much over the years."
"We have, haven't we? I always thought…well, it was a pipe dream, but it was a nice one at the time." Aaron wondered what she had almost said, he wondered if she had been about to admit to the one thing that he was guilty of himself. Of loving her, when she wasn't his to be loved. Of hoping that Will would make a mistake and he could be the one to pick up the pieces.
"Jen, you don't have to take care of me like this. I can get over…this."
Her smile faded as she turned slightly to look at him. "You've been a lone wolf for too long, Aaron. Let me bring you back to the pack."
He shrugged a little, looking away from her. "I just, I don't think this is a good idea."
"Let me be the judge of that." JJ pulled into the driveway of his apartment complex. He quickly jumped out of the car, shouldering his duffle as he went to the back seat and pulled out his larger suitcase. JJ picked up a paper bag and followed him up and into the building. He frowned a little as she kept at his heels, and he sighed as he unlocked his door, letting them both in. "I got bourbon and whiskey. Rossi said that they were the best for forgetting things."
He nodded slightly as he shuffled his shoes off. "There's a lot I need to forget about today."
"What happened?"
"Beth was cheating on me."
"That sucks. How did you find out?" She led him over to his couch and they sat down together. She cracked the seal on one of the bottles, handing it to him. Not bothering with a glass, he took a long swig before shaking his head and shuddering a little. "Yeah, I may have gotten the strongest proof available."
"That's fine. And I found out by going over to Sean's apartment."
"Wait, your brother, Sean? She was sleeping with your brother?"
"And claimed not to know who he was. I know we're not the closest, but I'm certain I mentioned him, and the fact that he was a chef in NYC, before. And Hotchner isn't that common of a name!" He took another slug, relishing the slow burn that was forming in his stomach.
"That is really low. I can't believe they would do that to you." JJ reached out for the bottle, and he handed it over. As he watched, she wiped the rim off with her hand before taking a long drag. "I'm sorry this happened to you."
"I am, too. What am I going to tell Jack? He loves Sean, and this would devastate him." Jen shrugged as she took another sip, handing the bottle back. He didn't even bother to wipe it off before drinking once more, needing the taste of alcohol on his lips. It didn't take long for him to get drunk, and they opened the second bottle, passing it back and forth. There was no more talking, since words weren't really needed in this case, and he sighed deeply as the second bottle was soon drained.
"You are going to have a wicked hangover in the morning."
"So are you." Without meaning to, he leaned forward and kissed her gently. The moment their lips touched, he jumped back, horrified with what he'd done. "I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to apologize for, it was just a little kiss. I don't even need to tell Will about it."
"Yes, you do. This is the first slip down a slippery slope. I won't treat Will the way Sean treated me. I care for you too much to do that to you or him." He took in the way her eyes sparkled with tears moments before she launched herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. Her tears quickly became sobs, and he just held her, not certain where this emotion was coming from.
"I wish we were different people, people who didn't listen to our inner moral compass quite so well. I think I love you, but I love him, too. What are we going to do?"
Aaron knew it was the alcohol talking, but he also recognized that they were about to enter the worst case scenario situation. "We try to make sense of things when we're sober. I'll call Dave, and have him run you home. If things ever change in the future, I'll be here." She nodded as she continued to cry and all Aaron could do was hold her, not knowing what outcome he should hope for.