A/N: This story is written for the Chit Chat on Author's Corner Fanfic Challenge 2011 – Round 7 – Happy New Year's Challenge.

Pairing: Hotch/Reid

Prompts: countdown to midnight, champagne, glitter

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Criminal Minds. I'm just playing a little :)

There was glitter absolutely everywhere. Garcia had truly outdone herself this year. Reid bet that when David Rossi had offered his Little Creek cabin as the location for the BAU team's New Year's Eve gathering, the Senior Agent had not considered the implications of Garcia taking it upon herself to 'decorate' for the celebration. Reid only ever bet on a sure thing.

Everywhere he looked, there were glitter flakes of all shapes and sizes, starting with large square ones that might more rightfully be called confetti. Those adorned everything from tablecloths to centerpieces, and filled floating helium balloons. Then there was the powder-fine glitter that spelled out "Happy New Year" and "Welcome 2011" on several banners draped on Rossi's walls. The same fine glitter, in painfully bright colors adorned foil party hats with messages to match the banners.

Taking a sip of his ginger ale, Reid wondered idly exactly how many different types of glitter there were, and if there was some way, some database of glitter, to find out. It was the kind of thought that could occupy the young genius' mind for minutes at a time, if he was allowed to indulge.

Any gathering with Garcia included, however, left very little room for wandering thoughts. Right then, Reid could hear her voice, raised over the chatter of the other members of their little team, as she let them know that it was less than a minute before midnight.

Then Reid realized that she was addressing him. "C'mon Boy Genius, get over here and get your drink and hat."

Walking over to the rest of the group, he lifted his half-full glass in Garcia's direction and said, "I'm good, Garcia."

"Nonsense!" Garcia grinned at him as she quickly snapped a bright blue foil hat onto his head, and swiped his glass, replacing it with a champagne flute full of a pale pink concoction. "One little Kir Royale won't hurt you. Besides, you only have to drink enough to toast."

"I thought you're supposed to toast with champagne." Reid noted quietly, still eyeing the bubbly rose colored liquid somewhat doubtfully.

"Technically, this has champagne in it." Garcia answered, lifting her own glass as she spoke. "It's just got something else that makes it even better!"

There was a sudden clamor from the plasma screen television behind them and Reid turned to look.

"Ten … nine … eight …"

"Ooh, it's starting everyone. C'mon, gather round!" Garcia herded the group into a loose circle and they all joined in the countdown coming live over the television.

"Seven … six … five …"

Reid watched the faces of the people in the little half-circle as they waited for the year to change, and he was amused to notice that Garcia had even got Hotch to wear a party hat, in a lurid shade of pink that clashed horribly with his olive green tie.

"Four … three … two … one … HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

At the stroke of midnight heralding the New Year, they all raised their glasses and shared in the toast. Reid noted to himself that though no one had said anything out loud, each person had instinctively ensured they touched their own glass to everyone else's before taking a single sip. He felt it too – the importance of the moment.

They shared hugs and kisses as well, comfortably slipping out of the intense moment that had come before, and with the same unspoken ease, separated to get some food, refill their drinks or return to interrupted conversations.

Reid stood for quite some time talking with JJ and Emily.

Maybe that had been why it took him quite a while to realize that Hotch was missing, and probably had been since shortly after the toast. His pink hat lay abandoned on a side table, keeping company a tall glass vase that had been filled with layers of glitter in different colors.

It had been a long, tough year. As Hotch stood near the wooden railing of Rossi's back deck, he contemplated all the changes that had been visited upon their little family over the past year.

This New Year was markedly different from the last. Then, he had been mourning Haley and had fallen asleep with his son, never even noticing when the old year rolled into the new. In truth, he hadn't cared. It had been just another night to get through.

Though no one had come right out and said it, everyone seemed to know that the seven of them – including JJ – would welcome in this New Year together.

The last time they had all been gathered together in one place was for Halloween, at Will and JJ's party. Even though it had been a large gathering, with lots of Will and JJ's neighbors and friends, somehow the BAU team had ended up in JJ's family room with her and Henry.

Except for Rossi, the others had all been in the living room when Henry had his clown meltdown. JJ had taken him away and Morgan and Garcia had gone after her. Hotch had been debating whether he could come up with an excuse to follow, when Morgan and Garcia had returned and said that JJ wanted them to return to the party. It removed any chance he'd had to go after them.

When Rossi had arrived, however, he'd noticed that JJ was missing from the party and when he found out why, made his way to the family room. When he didn't return to the party after more than half an hour, it gave Hotch the excuse he'd needed to go looking. Prentiss had noticed him leaving and followed.

Not long afterward, Garcia had bustled through the door to the family room, dragging Morgan and Reid in her wake. All three were loaded down with drinks and snacks from the main party. They'd ended up having their own impromptu party right there in Will and JJ's family room, and Hotch could not remember the last time he had had such a good time.

His memory was interrupted by movement on the other side of the glass doors leading to the porch and he glanced up to see JJ and Emily laugh at something Reid was saying. Hotch noted that the latter looked somewhat embarrassed, and assumed the women were teasing him about something.

Leaning back against the rail, Hotch stared up at a surprisingly cloudless sky, stars twinkling gently in it. Though the wind was a bit chilly, his coat kept him warm enough and he was enjoying the fresh air. He thought about what JJ had said to him a while back – that the loss of someone you loved did get easier with time. She had been right. He was able to think of Haley now, and smile at many of the memories.

"Hey." The quiet, unassuming voice of his youngest team member brought Hotch completely out of his reverie.

"I needed some fresh air." Reid continued quietly, his hands buried in the pockets of his black winter coat, his ever-present purple scarf wound securely around his neck.

"Same here." Hotch answered, just as quietly.

Reid leaned against the railing next to Hotch, and followed the latter's gaze into the lighted room where JJ and Emily were still standing near the fireplace.

"We've had a lot of changes this year." Reid commented. "It's really hard to say whether a change has actually been good or bad, though, isn't it?"

Hotch made a noncommittal noise, knowing that an answer wasn't really required. His gaze was still focused beyond the glass door. It tracked JJ's movements as she slipped out of the room and again upon her return a few minutes later to resume her conversation with Emily by the fireplace. He assumed she'd gone to check on Henry and Jack who were both asleep in Rossi's spare room.

It led him to wonder why Henry was there … or rather, since Henry was there … where was Will? In his case, Jessica and her husband had gone to a party, so he had brought Jack, but either Will should have been here tonight, or Henry should have been with him. It was strange.

"He left, you know." Reid spoke suddenly. "Will."

It must have seemed to Hotch as though Reid had read his mind. In reality, the young profiler had merely noticed where Hotch's gaze was focused, and drew the obvious - for him anyway - conclusions as to the latter's thoughts.

"Left?" Even to his own ears, the word didn't sound half as nonchalant as Hotch would have liked.

"Yes. The party at Halloween was also Will's farewell party for his friends."

"She never said … how did ...?" Hotch trailed off, suddenly uncertain whether he was treading on a private relationship. The hurt was unexpected, but no less sharp for that.

"I'm Henry's godfather. I'm always there. It would have been impossible to hide it from me. Or from Garcia."

Understanding and relief fought for prominence in Hotch's mind. He couldn't think of a single thing to say. In the silence, Reid spoke again. "Rossi's the only other one who knows. She told him at Halloween."

"Dave knew?" Hotch was surprised that he hadn't said anything.

Again, it seemed as though Reid could hear every unspoken thought. "She told him not to say anything."

Hotch nodded slowly. David Rossi was not known for breaking confidences. It was probably why he knew as much as he did about everyone and everything.

For the first time since he'd ventured outside, Reid turned to Hotch, his face a picture of wide-eyed innocence. "JJ never told me not to say anything."

Hotch couldn't help it – he laughed. Low and quiet, it was nonetheless a real laugh, such as he hadn't found himself doing in quite some time.

"Reid, you wouldn't be matchmaking, now would you?"

"What? Me? No, of … of course not!" Watching him almost stumble sideways in his haste to deny that he'd been doing any such thing, Hotch thought you could almost believe him.

Almost.

If you hadn't worked with the young genius for more than six years, and gotten to know him more than a little, you could probably believe it was an innocent statement. Hotch, however, knew better. Ah well, he thought, turnabout is fair play.

He asked his own question. "So tell me Reid, have you asked Agent Seaver out yet? Or is that your New Year's resolution?"

Hotch struggled to hide his grin as Reid turned bright red and mumbled, "I don't … don't make New Year's resolutions."

Raising a single eyebrow, Hotch was about to speak when Reid continued, "Do you know more than ninety-two percent of New Year's resolutions are never kept? There've actually been studies, you know … and most people don't even make it to the end of Jan …"

Taking pity on Reid, Hotch cut him off with a wave of his hand, "Reid, take a breath. It's okay."

Reid pressed his lips together firmly and turned back towards the lighted room, in time to see Garcia waving to them to come inside. His face was still flushed as he took his first steps toward joining the others.

Hotch's voice stopped him. "Since most New Year's resolutions aren't kept, how about we don't make any, then?"

Not waiting for an answer, Hotch walked past him towards the glass door, and after a second, Reid followed, catching up. With his hand on the door handle, Hotch paused.

"How about we make a deal instead?"

"A d-deal?" Reid almost squeaked his response, still more than a little embarrassed.

"Yes." Hotch responded patiently. "A deal. You ask your question … and I'll ask mine." Nodding his head to where JJ was now seated between Prentiss and Garcia on the long sofa, Hotch knew when Reid followed his gaze that he understood.

"Deal?" Hotch asked, turning the handle that would take them back to their friends.

Reid hesitated only a second before he responded.

"Deal."