Hello people, this is my HotchReid fic and it contains slash. If you don't know, slash is a romantic male/male relationship; so, if ou don't like to see two men falling in love for each other, you do not need to read it or comment, right?

English is not my first language, and I tried to make no mistakes. But, if you find one, let me know, but not "break" me, please.

I wrote this fic because I love CM and all it's characters, and I hope you like my humble fic too; by the way, Criminal Minds does not belong to me, it is CBS'!

The Best Things in Life - Chapter 1
"New Co-Worker"

"Love is something I do not understand. I do not know when it comes and I just do not know when it ends" -
Madeleine de Scudéry, French writer.

Aaron Hotchner was sitting in his chair, inside his new office, looking at fifteen horrible crime scene photos that JJ had brought for him a few minutes ago. He had become the leader of the BAU one year ago, after Gideon's "breakdown". However, that was the most terrible case he would have to solve on charge. It involved three girls murdered, found in an alley in Montgomery, Alabama. But the worst was what was written in their bodies.

After all, the crime wasn't what worried him most. The fact was that it would be the first time he would leader the team without Gideon's presence. The old profiler was taking vacations in Maine, and nobody knew when he would be back. Hotch knew Gideon deserved to rest, but it would be hard to prove that he could be as good as him. And, taking Aaron out of his thoughts, a knock at the door.

"Come in", he said, putting the photos on his desk and settling in the chair.

He hid the crime scene photos in case it wasn't a person of the team, but who was there was just a boy wearing a large and red blouse with yellow stripes and a very short hair. Hotch didn't know the kid, but the other seemed to be very shy.

"Good… Good morning, Agent Hotchner. I'm Dr. Spencer Reid"

"Good morning", they greet and Hotch stood there, raised eyebrow, asking for explanations and knowing that tiny boy wouldn't be intimidating. Reid, on the other hand, was much more nervous. Hotch was about to ask what he was doing there and, other question, which was inside him: how can someone as young as that boy be a "doctor"?

"Well… It seems that I have just been accepted as a member of your team", he finally said, hesitantly.

"Excuse me?", Hotch asked. "I'm the leader of the team, and I haven't done any kind of job interview, and…"

The look in Reid's eyes was a mix of fear and disappointing and Hotch was about to end up saying that it was just a mistake when someone entered the office without asking, what made the two men leaving the conversation back and looking at the door. Gideon was there, red because of the running he did to arrive to Hotch's office before he could sent the boy away.

"Agent Gideon?", asked Hotch, who always used "agent" before the name of the person when they were close to other people, no matter how friends they were. "I thought you were on vacations". A look of hope appeared at Reid's eyes. On his turn, Hotch made a look that let evident how he hated when someone entered his office without knocking first. Of course, Jason, being the best profiler the FBI has ever had, knew it.

"Sorry for entering here without asking, but I was afraid that Dr. Reid couldn't explain well". He gave a little smile and let the bomb falls: "I've just hired him, Hotch. Remember when you told me that the team needed new agents? So, Dr. Reid concluded the course in the FBI with honors, but was undecided about which department to choose. I met him and, well, you'll see how intelligent he is. It's not forever, it's just a test. If he gets it well, we can accept him as a formed member".

Dr. Reid smiled and looked at Hotch, who was confused about what to do. Yes, he said the team wanted new members, but Gideon didn't have the right to go hiring everyone that crossed his way just because the person was intelligent. Hotch was the leader of the team, he was the one who decided who to hire and who to fire. Gideon could be the founder of the BAU, its best profiler, but he agreed to be under Hotchner's orders after the "breakdown" he had.

"Well… Agent Gideon, being my subordinate, you should have told me about yours

plans towards…" for God's sake, he would say "this kid". "… Towards Dr. Reid, I mean, I am discovering it only now".

"I'm really sorry, I've just come back to my accommodation, and I spoke about it to Dr. Reid after going there. In this period, I'm pretty sure that Dr. Reid did all the tests that are usual, am I right?"

"Yes, you are right", said Reid, still nervous, showing to Hotch an envelope he had under his arm. "I have already made all the psychological tests. I'm ready to go".

Aaron began to read carefully to the card of this boy for whom Gideon showed so much confidence. He read that this Dr. Reid had eidetic memory, an IQ of 187 and the ability to read 20,000 per minute, besides three PhDs – Chemistry, Mathematics and Engineering.

"Wow", thought Hotch. "All these abilities can really help the FBI".

But… Reid was so young, and… Hotch felt a mix of humor and guilty when thought that he was a person who seemed to be weak. Hotch wasn't the type who goes judging people by their appearance, but that red blouse was too much. The place that boy belonged was certainly his mommy's house or the school, not the FBI. If Hotch accepted him as a member, nobody in the team would facility Reid's life: the little doctor would have to see crime scenes photos, would have to visit crime scenes around the country, talk with serial killers, carry a gun, and, if necessary, he would have to kill people. Would he be capable of doing all this stuffs?

On the other hand, Hotch remembered the day he accepted Garcia in the team. Hotch didn't trust her, she was a hacker and dressed like… Like… Like a crazy lady wanting to be a young teenager, with all her flowers on the hair and dresses with cats pictures. And she called Hotch "my big boss" one hour after her contraction. But, three years after it, Garcia had already begun to receive all the respect and affection she deserved from them. Would the same happen with Reid, or there was a possibility that he revel himself as an asshole?

And there was Gideon in all this mess. He was Hotch's mentor and the best profiler, was him who called Hotch to be in the BAU. And was Gideon who was helping Hotch to make his way upon his biggest dream: be the director of all the FBI, not only in the BAU. Hotch owed him a lot of things.

"Look, Dr. Reid" Hotch said. "Do you know what we do in the BAU? Do you know what you will have to do if you're accepted as a member?"

"Yes, sir, I'm aware. The BAU was created by David Rossi and Jason Gideon in 1966. We make the profile of the criminal using all the psychologist aspects of the crime itself, and…"

Realizing that Reid was about to make a speech on the history of the BAU, Hotch cut him off by saying that they could make a test. They were with a case in their hands, a case involving three girls dead in Alabama, and Reid would go with them to help and prove that he deserved to be a profiler.

A grin of happiness appeared in Reid's face as he thanked Hotch and walked to the desks of the office, knowing that he would have to do his best to sit in one of them. Then, when he was out, Gideon closed the door and smiled at Hotch, who crossed his arms around his chest, waiting for explanations. Hotch had 45 years in 2005, at the same time Gideon was 55. Aaron had been a BAU agent since he was 40 years, and the marks this job would leave him weren't there yet. Yes, because there would be a time in which he will smile less, in which he will stop trusting in humanity, in which he will begin to see everyone around him as or an enemy or an instrument to do justice in the world, and, with it, appease the feeling of inferiority he had always hidden in his heart. And this time would come to it's apex in 2007, when his best friend and lover, Reid, would almost die in front of him. But, of course, none of them knew it.

"So" Hotch said, looking in Gideon's eyes. "Can you explain this joke to me, please?"

"It's not a joke" said Gideon, putting his hands in his waist. "I want Dr. Reid to be a member of the team"

"You want it, doesn't mean you'll get it" said Hotch, with more anger in his voice than he intended. "I am the leader, Gideon. I decide how things are going to work in this department. I don't even know that guy, for God's sake, we have a case right now and you want to send him there just to see how he's going to deal with it? It's insane, Gideon".

"It's not insane. You don't know him now, but you will. He is discrete, humble, dedicate and extremely intelligent, you read it on his envelope" And, after a pause, in which Hotch capriciously raised the eyebrow while turning his head in his best expression of: "it doesn't guarantee anything", Jason completed: "I trust that he'll do a good work"

"Then" Hotch walked to his desk and took the crime scene photos, casting them to Gideon, who didn't let them fall on the ground barely. "You're responsible for him now. If that kid makes any mistakes, you'll be the one to blame"

Gideon did not seem intimidated.

"I stand by his actions and by mine. Only in this case, that will determine if he keeps with us or not. And…" he gave a manic smile, and, if Hotch didn't know him, he would tell that it was the smile of a suicidal about to jump to his most wished joy: death. "… If you decide that he is not able to be on the BAU, we both will be out"

This time, Hotch became truly shocked.

"What are you saying? You'll put your hands in the fire because of him?" seeing that Gideon continued with his smile, Hotch lower his defenses. "You're the best profiler we always had, Gideon. If you're out, we can't continue solving the cases"

"Stop with this silly inferiority of yours!" exclaimed Gideon, happily, including that he was right about every thought of his own place in that machine that was the BAU and about Hotch's emotions. He was right in his observations, as usual. "I won't go out because Dr. Reid will prove how good he is"

Hotch didn't know what to say or do, and called for the case.

"It's ok, Gideon. If you want to hire yourself, do it. But now we have a case to solve" and walked out to his office, walking downstairs and finding JJ in his way.

"Agent Jareau" he wasn't in the mood to call the blond "JJ", like he always does. "Call the team now. We're going to Alabama"

"Yes, sir, but…" she said, her voice holding Hotch's anxiety in the stair. "… Do you know about that new member of ours, Doctor…? What's his name, by the way? Doctor…"

"Doctor Spencer Reid" corrected Hotch. "Yes, I'm sure you saw him. He'll make a test in this case, if he gets it well, we'll accept him".

"A new member?" said JJ, suspicious.

Hotch didn't want to demonstrate that he was more concerned and suspicious than her, so he just said:

"It's not important, JJ. Think of him as a help that we'll have, only in this case".

"Does Gideon know?" a female voice asked and JJ and Hotch turned their heads to the top of the stair, where Elle was stood, looking at them.

"Yes, he does" answered Hotch.

"Does he trust him?" asked Elle.

Hotch sighed before saying:

"Unfortunately, yes".

"Love is like war: easy to start, hard to stop"
– Ninon de Lenclos, French writer.