A/N – Takes place a few months after Route 66.
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Return to Me – Chapter 1
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"Beth, it's not going to work." He looked at her.
Confused, she asked, "What do you mean? Is it me?"
He shook his head, "No. I just can't…" He looked away,
"But Aaron, tell me what's going on and …and we can maybe fix it." She didn't want to give up.
"I'm sorry Beth."
"No, you can't end it like this. I love Jack, you can't do this to him too."
Shutting his eyes for a moment, "No, please don't include my son. You're making it hard."
"No, I'm not. Not if you tell me why. Is it because I wasn't there when you had your surgery?"
"No, it's not." He began to stand up.
She stood up with him and stood in front of him and looked pleadingly. "Tell me what I had done wrong Aaron and I…I…I'll change it. We can fix it but please don't end it…end us." Tears began to pool her eyes.
Feeling bad, "Beth, I told you, it's not going to work."
She watched him, "I love you, Aaron. Doesn't that mean anything for you?"
"I love you too, Beth but not that way, not anymore." He admitted.
Shocked, "Not anymore?" She whispered. "I don't understand…"
"Beth, please, you know before we got together that my job is important… and Jack."
"I know, you told me and I had no problem. What changed?"
"You."
"Me?"
He nodded. "You have changed."
She shut her eyes for a moment before she opened them again, "Please, I deserve a proper explanation."
He removed a photo from a file, "This was delivered to me."
It was a photograph of her and a man, they were in a tight embrace and kissing each other.
"Where…where did you get that?"
"It doesn't matter. It's over." He began to walk away from her when she grabbed his arm.
He looked at it and at her, "Let me go Beth. Stephen Goldstein came to my office."
"Stephen?" She stared at him. "What's he doing there?"
"He gave me this and this," He showed her another photo of them, they were coming out of a restaurant, his arm around her waist as they nuzzled intimately. The expression on her face was of pleasure.
"Who's doing this?"She glanced up at Hotch. "You. You had me follow."
Hotch shook his head, "I didn't. His wife's private detective did."
"His wife?" She paled.
He nodded, "Philippa Myers-Goldstein. They've been married for the past ten years and they have three children, two boys and a girl."
"Oh my god…I didn't know." She stared at the photos. "He told me he was widowed."
Feeling a sudden pain, "Is that what you go for? Widowers?" He began to get angry.
Shaking her head, "No…no…no. I …he means nothing. You are the one for me, Aaron."
"I'm not a sucker, Beth. You made a fool of me. Good bye and good luck to whatever." He walked determinedly away from her and kept walking out of her office and out of the building.
He shoved a hand in his pants pocket and felt the small velvet box.
He was this close, tonight to be precise, to propose to her.
Whoever that sent her those pictures had saved him humiliation.
…
Half an hour later, alone in his office, he tried to concentrate on his work but his mind kept flashing back to images of Beth.
How she approached him at the park.
He should have known. He should have research on her more.
But he wanted to believe; he wanted to believe that he could find true love. Of even a relationship.
Was he doomed forever to single life? Married to his job?
He deserved some happiness.
Jack deserved some happiness too.
His cell phone rang and he saw with a lurch in his chest it was Emily Prentiss.
"Hotchner." He answered.
"Hey Aaron, it's me Emily." She greeted him cheerfully.
He couldn't help but smile, his grin spread across his face, "Yeah, I know who you are…Caller ID."
"Oh! Yeah…forgot about that." She replied sheepishly.
He could picture her blushing. "What can I do for you?"
"Well, I have a favor to ask."
Curious, "Shoot away." He said.
"I need to borrow Jack." She stated simply.
"Jack? Why?"
"I need a date."
Feeling slightly depressed but curiosity soon over trumped the depression. "Why may I ask again, you need Jack as your date? Aren't you too old…" He winced and amended. "I mean isn't he too young for his first date? His father is dubious over this Cougar."
She laughed, "Who taught you about Cougars…no, nevermind, must be Garcia." She laughed more before she continued, "I guess you need an explanation."
"Yes, I do and," Feeling chirpy and happy at hearing her laughter, "I might consider it."
"I'm going to be on a short holiday and I'm coming back to the States. My mother procured a couple of tickets to the Broadway play 'The Lion King.'
"Lion King…Broadway…that means it's in New York." He began to think.
"Yeah…it's generally where Broadway shows are featured."
"That means he'll be going to New York City."
"That's another correct," she said. "Aaron, I know it's out of state but these tickets are front row seats. You need a holiday, don't you?"
"Yes, but the team…"
"I checked with Garcia and she said you've already put in a week off and it so happened to be at the same time my tickets are for. Please, Aaron." She begged shamelessly. "I believe your brother Sean lives there too? You two could have your brotherly reunion while Jack and I have a night to ourselves."
The thought was very tempting and now that Beth…
"Let me get with Jack and I'll call you back." He smiled again.
"Okay…hey, I'm shacking up at the Waldolf-Astoria's, compliments of the Ambassador. It's a suite so, you and Jack are definitely my guests for the week."
"The week? You're holidaying that long?" His heart was jumping like a Mexican jumping bean!
"Yeah, a week. So…oh I forgot...your girlfriend is more than welcome to join us too."
"Emily, Beth and I broke up."
"Oh…are you okay?"
"Yeah, I am. So, let me get back with you tonight?"
"Of course, I'll be waiting for you."
Smiling softly, "Okay, bye Emily."
"Well, look like someone is on a rebound?" Dave stood by Hotch's doorframe. "And pretty quick too." He grinned happily for Hotch. "Who's she?" He stepped in and sat down across from him.
Shaking his head, "Nothing gets by you, Dave."
"That's why I'm the proficient profiler. Come on, who was it you're talking to?"
Glancing at his cell phone on his desk, "Emily." He revealed and smiled.
"Emily who?" Dave stared at him. "Prentiss?"
Hotch nodded, "Prentiss." He began to fill Dave in of his phone call with Emily.
"I thought she's beyond your reach? And I'm quoting from the horse's mouth."
"Dave, that was half a year ago."
"Yeah, she's living in London, and you're here in America."
"And, what about it?"
"You know about long distance relationship…blah, blah, blah…they don't last."
"Blah, blah, blah? You must be hanging around Garcia too long."
"Don't change the subject, Aaron."
"Okay Dave," he leaned back against his chair. "So I was wrong about Emily."
"What happened?"
He shrugged, "I'm not sure, Dave. But I'd like to think this is my second chance."
Dave nodded, "They say happiness is a choice."
Arching a brow at him, "I've heard that before…" He looked beyond Dave. "Someone…Haley, I had a dream a while ago and she told me the same thing."
"I wouldn't argue with a memory if I were you. You need happiness, Aaron."
"What about you Dave? Where's your happiness?"
He shrugged, "It's around somewhere…I'll find it one day."
"Well, don't wait too long for it. Take it when you find it."
"Good advice, my friend." They grinned.
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