***Here is a one-shot based on the episode The Fox. What if one of the wedding rings found in that box held a special meaning to a small group of people? But have no fear, I love Aaron Hotchner and he is my favorite although I love all the characters. This just came to me while watching the episode. Although Hotch was happily married in season one, with one son, Jack, for this story I had Haley have twins(a boy and a girl). I do not own CM or the characters. They are the property of the Mark Gordon Company, ABC Studios, and CBS Paramount Network Television. I do won the DVDs and enjoy watching them.***
The Engraving
This was the cruelest blow of all as the agents of the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI had ever been dealt in their careers, and their expressions reflected their feelings. Seated around the table in the conference room except for Agent Jason Gideon who was standing, they were all looking at the small decorated open box on the end of the table; Gideon was looking into the box, a grim expression on his face. This wasn't suppose to have happened, they all thought collectively. Not this way. Not to one of their own.
The team knew that their Unit Chief, Aaron Hotchner, had scheduled a ten-day vacation in order to celebrate his and Haley's wedding anniversary. They were also taking the twins, Jack and his sister Erin along even though they both were infants and too young to really appreciate the beauty of Hawaii. As he was leaving work that day, Hotch promised his team he would be bringing each of them back a souvenir of the tropical island. They knew he and his family were leaving the following day therefore, Hotch was leaving work at noon.
Nobody said a word as they continued to stare at the box. There were no tears of grief, the shock was too new still, still too fresh. Then, letting out a deep breath he wasn't aware he was holding, Gideon picked up the box and emptied its contents into his hand.
Nobody noticed anything was wrong at the Hotchner home. The mail had been stopped as had the newspaper delivery. The house alarm had been activated. Also, there were no family pets to be concerned about. A week had gone by before the strong odor became so powerful it was noticed by the next door neighbors. That was when the local police had invaded the house and the nightmare in the basement had been revealed, and the FBI had been notified as was the BAU. When they arrived they found two infants and a blond-haired woman stabbed to death, and a dark-haired man shot in the temple with one of his two Glock weapons.
Gideon dropped the contents in his hand onto the table and the eight gold men's wedding rings glimmered in the artificial light of the room against the rich darkness of the table top. Elle, Reid, Morgan, JJ, and Gideon all stared at the small glittering bands of gold on the table. Then Gideon picked up one of the small golden bands and, holding it up to the light, read the tiny inscription inside:
"To Aaron, love Haley."