Title: Along Came a Spider

Author: Storyteller73

Pairing: Hotch/Morgan, Rossi, Garcia

Rating: K+

Warning: self-betaed, pre-slash

Summary: Rossi and Garcia play matchmakers.

Follows "Here I Stand: I Can Do No Other" and "Many Rivers to Cross"

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All mentioned characters of CM belong to the various creators, directors and CBS.

"When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude." G.K. Chesterton.

Aaron Hotchner can be described as man who never let his emotions show or get the better of him and one who does not wear his heart on his sleeves. So when I notice him watching a certain dark chocolate (Garcia's words not mine) on the team with hungry eyes I had to smile. After all these years I've know Aaron, it still amazes me that he can be unsure of himself when it comes to matters of the heart.

A few weeks later while Aaron was still chocolate watching, along came a spider (me) and sat down beside him and apparently frightened Aaron.

"You keep watching him like that and he's going to begin to think something's up."

"Well Dave, give a guy a heart attack why don't you" Hotch glared at him.

Dave glared back unapologetic, "I'd say sorry if I was, but you had to know I wouldn't hold my tongue forever on this."

"There isn't any this Dave, so you can hold your tongue."

"And isn't that the problem?" asked Dave.

Hotch once again glared at him as if he had suddenly grown two heads.

"Look Dave, I appreciate your concern but you and I know that it's against the rules of the BAU to fraternise with one another much less your subordinate."

"And who's going to know or report you?" Dave questioned

"I'll know Dave; it's just too great a risk."

Dave shook his head in disbelief. "Still afraid to go after what you want, well a little advice my friend, you need to deal with this before it starts affecting your work."

Hotch stiffened at the implications of Dave's words before replying softly. "It won't."

Staring in disbelief at the man standing before him, Dave asked, "you sure about that Aaron?" sighing he continued, "just do us all a favour and talk to him about what your feeling now before its to late and someone else snatches him away, I guarantee you won't be disappointed" Rossi told him before leaving the office and effectively ending the conversation.

Alone with his thoughts Hotch wonders if others on the team have noticed his watching of Morgan as well or if its just Dave being himself and meddling where it doesn't concern him. He wondered at Rossi's last statement about taking action now before someone did, he'd not given any thought to the fact that other individuals viewing Morgan would find him just as attractive as he did and would probably give anything to him for them selves. Clearly he had some thinking to do because he'd be damned if he allowed the younger man to escape him just because BAU had policies again fraternising or because of his own stubbornness.

Rossi stood briefly outside Hotch's door and looked out on the floor at Morgan talking with Reid and wondered not for the first time how the hell did the two most stubborn men on this team find themselves so attracted to one another. Walking back to his office Rossi considers how to have a similar conversation with Morgan without getting his head bitten off or whether he should use his secret weapon (Garcia) since she seems to be an expert on all things Morgan, and since there was only one individual and one spider in that nursery rhyme its safe to assume he's done his job. With that thought in mind he picked up his phone and dialled.

While sitting at his desk Morgan receives a text message from Garcia asking him to come see her as soon as possible, curious as to what his baby girl was up to he quickly closed the file he was working on and hurried off to her room.

"Hey baby girl."

"Hey there my stuff muffin." replied Garcia

"Got your text, you gonna tell me what it is that you need?"

"Yeah, close the door and have a seat."

Morgan did as he was told and waited with baited breath as Garcia turned to face him.

"Come on woman, you know you wanna tell me what's on your mind so spill before you and I both die of old age." Morgan said looking fondly at her.

Smiling at him she took a deep breath and then began.

"You know I love you right?" she asked and Morgan nodded.

"Well it's because I love why I'm about say this to you."

"Okay" he responded

"I know that you have feelings for boss man and I think he feels the same way about you."

"Come again," he said

"Just please hear me out would you?" she requested of him and not being able to refuse her he nodded.

"I have seen the way you look at him when you think no one is looking, your eyes shine with something more than just respect for him these days and well I think its cute and hot that my Greek Chocolate finds boss man irresistible but I don't think that you realise that he feels the same way and I'm a little tire of you two walking around here like ships in the night and neither one is making a move to talk to the other. So I've decided that it's my duty as Oracle of Light to help you both out of your darkness. I've devised a plan to get you two alone so you can talk and maybe get some hot man loving as well, now I know how stubborn you two can be but this is for the best because I don't think we will survive working here much long if the sexual tension between you and boss man continues to intensify. There I've said it."

It was a mouthful but she sighed in relief having gotten it off her chest and knowing that her team-mates were counting on her and Dave to get through to these stubborn me before the BAU really did explore or implode which ever.

"Breath woman before I have to perform CPR on you," he said smiling fondly at her. "You are something else you know that, now tell me about this plan of yours." He wasn't about to fool himself, he had not idea on how to approach Hotch about his feelings and if he was getting help from the Oracle of light he was gonna take it, after all he momma never raise no fool.

And so it was that Unit Chief Hotch sat in his office watching Morgan away when along came a spider and sat down beside him and frightened him into taking action while the fairy god mother got prince charming to start the ball rolling.

The End.