Now I'm A Little Worried
4th installment of my "Now You See Me" Series
"Okay, now I'm a little worried." Batman, from Batman Returns (as his car is hurtling towards a really narrow alleyway)
Gideon stared at the door in front of him and narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. It was six months after the event itself, and he finally had gotten wind of the kidnapping that Aaron Hotchner had endured at the hands of a sadistic unsub.
He had come to D.C. to check up on Aaron, not the BAU, so he had driven straight to his house, hoping that his former agent wasn't already in bed, given the late hour.
The house was empty. Aaron wasn't there, and more importantly, it looked as though he hadn't been there for some time. A For Sale sign was posted on a stake in the front yard, and the lights were off. He knocked on the front door anyway, but his knocks were answered only by silence and a motion activated light that went off when he didn't move soon enough for its programming.
Aaron wasn't there.
Was it possible that he could have left town?
His contacts within the FBI had seemed fairly positive that Aaron was still working for the BAU.
Gideon looked back up at the house with a pensive expression. The place was too big for Aaron, little boy or not. It would have been logical to assume that he had taken his son and moved somewhere smaller, somewhere less fraught with explosive memories.
He made it back in his car just as another idea came to his mind. David Rossi had come out of retirement shortly after his departure, and had taken his spot on the team. David and Aaron had always been good friends, and he could think of no reason why that would have changed now.
It was with a small sigh that he turned his car in the direction that he remembered the other man living. Hopefully he would be able to find the answer to his question before losing his cool. He and Rossi had never seen eye to eye, and he didn't relish the idea of having to speak with him again.
. . .
Hotch and Dave both looked up in surprise at the sound of a knock against the front door.
"Were you expecting someone?" Hotch asked from his position against Dave.
"No. You?"
Hotch shook his head and sat up, automatically reaching for his gun as he did. He felt, more than saw, the appraising eyebrow that Dave raised at him, but ignored him. They could discuss his pessimism later.
As he was sure they would.
Dave went for the door as he slid the gun into a crack between the couch cushions. So intent on making his behavior seem casual, he missed the appearance of the man at the door.
"Gideon?" The shock was evident in Dave's voice. Hotch's head snapped up with an audible pop and he stared back wide eyed.
"Can I come in?" Gideon sounded tired, the polite tone in his voice a bit more forced than what Aaron remembered.
Dave paused and then gave a rough, "Sure."
"I wasn't expecting to find you here, Aaron," was the first thing Gideon said, his attention focused entirely in his direction.
"I'll assume that you heard about what happened?" Hotch asked, trying to play diplomat to the potentially explosive situation he had before him.
Dave sat back down beside him, not touching him, just offering silent support.
"I came as soon as I could, Aaron," Gideon said, shifting a bit on his feet. They had not offered him a seat, and he had not taken one. "What I don't understand is why you're living here?"
Gideon's dark eyes stared back at him accusingly. Aaron had no doubt that the other man knew what was going on.
"Dave has been an integral part of my recovery, Jason," he replied stiffly, not breaking eye contact.
Beside him, Dave shifted a bit closer to him, letting him feel the warmth that he would always associate with him.
"Tell me Aaron," Gideon said slowly. "Did you start fucking Dave before or after you experienced your ordeal?"
He saw red, but he forced himself to continue sitting, forced himself to funnel the energy of his anger into remaining completely and utterly still.
"Get out of my house, Gideon," Dave growled, standing up and shielding him partially with his body.
"You've known Dave how long, Aaron? Have you ever known him to really stick by someone? He saw your vulnerability and he used it, just like he uses everyone else in his life."
By this point, Rossi had him by the shoulder and was forcefully dragging him to the door. Hotch couldn't move, wouldn't move, the shock of what was happening weighing down his limbs like cement.
"He's using you as a place to stick his dick, Aaron! He's even convinced you somehow that you're gay, when you're not!"
Dave gave him a shove and put him outside before forcefully slamming the door behind him.
"Let me guess! He listened to you, didn't he? Pretended to care? David Rossi doesn't care about anyone, Aaron!" Gideon continued, his voice only slightly muffled by the sturdy oak door.
"You got ten seconds Jason!" Dave yelled back. "And then I'm shooting you off my property, got me!"
"Your judgment is clearly messed up Aaron! If this is an example of your personal life, I'd hate to see how the BAU has been affected!"
Then stomping and an angry slam of a car door, followed by the start of an engine that slowly receded into nothing.
Dave looked back at him as he put his pounding head in his hands.
. . .
"That went well," Dave commented drily an hour later, from where he was pressed up tightly against Hotch in their bed.
"He's going to go to Strauss," Hotch said glumly, his head resting on Dave's chest.
"Well, it's not as if we didn't know this could happen."
"It wasn't supposed to happen like this, Dave," he responded tiredly. "And fuck, I hope to God that Gideon doesn't meet up with Reid tomorrow."
. . .
The next day dawned bright and painfully cheery, considering their moods. Dave, of course, was sarcastic and upbeat, but Hotch could tell he was nervous about what could potentially occur that day.
They drove to work together and as they parted to go to their separate offices, Dave briefly squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. He nodded his understanding and steeled himself for whatever might happen.
The call demanding his presence came at exactly half past ten. Hotch could feel his heart beating quickly in his chest, but he responded nonetheless and slowly made his way to his superior's office.
"Come in Aaron," Strauss said formally, not showing any telltale signs of emotion. He could feel sweat gathering at the small of his back and involuntarily gave a shiver as he remembered the last time he had felt such cold fear.
"Jason Gideon was here in my office earlier this morning."
"Oh?" He tried to sound both surprised and uninterested, but from her expression, he doubted he pulled either off particularly well.
"Yes," she said, crossing her arms over one another on the desk. "He told me a very peculiar story, and then proceeded to level a great number of accusations against you and David Rossi."
He didn't say anything. There was no good answer.
"Of course, I listened politely."
He could just imagine what that had looked like.
"And then I kicked him out."
He blinked. "Pardon?"
"He doesn't have any authorization in this office—not anymore," she said with a touch of cruelty, her face stern as she looked at him across her desk.
Jason Gideon had left them all in a lurch. Aaron could understand why she would be pissed, especially since his exit allowed Rossi to get back in the game.
"Now Aaron," she said.
"Ma'am?"
"You might be a pain in the ass, but you're my pain in the ass. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, ma'am," he answered tensely.
"No, I don't think you do. Let me put it another way," she paused and looked away. "You're my responsibility, not Jason Gideon's. Furthermore, it is my opinion that you and David make a damned fine team," she finished, finally turning back to look at him.
Aaron blinked in surprise. Did Strauss just compliment them?
"Thank you," he answered softly, still in shock.
"It is your business what you do with your spare time, little of it that there is. I do not care what happens behind closed doors. Believe me, I am happier not knowing," she said, turning back to her computer dismissively.
"Yes ma'am," he said again, standing as he did so.
He was almost to the door when she spoke one final time.
"It's good to have you back, Aaron."
He nodded solemnly and then turned on his heel and got the hell out of there. He had a very nervous boyfriend to go speak with.
Boyfriend, he thought with a minute shake of his head. It was yet another one of those thoughts that he wasn't entirely used to yet.