Rating, Disclaimer, Warnings, & Pairings:

K+; I do not own Criminal Minds nor its characters; Violence, team-fiction; [mainly]Prentiss/Hotch, [implied]Haley/Hotch, Reid-JJ friendship, JJ/Will, [slight]Garcia-Morgan banter, [slight]Garcia/Kevin.

Please take note that this fan-fiction story will involve more than just romance. It will most likely contain more drama and action.

Notes - I suppose I'll give it a shot. I even came up with an ending. Sorry about the synopsis earlier. Guess the story's pretty much predictable now. Actually I changed it a bit. Onto the actual preface please.

Love is Forever

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Summary:

It began as love, continued as car crash and ended as amnesia. Four long, terrible months ago. Hotch wasn't getting better. Prentiss had to deal. And now Hotch was back. And he still didn't remember. And Prentiss still had to deal. H/P, team fiction

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PREFACE

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Morgan ushered them into the conference room, one by one, a mask of exhaustion on his face. It had been four long, grueling months since the incident and the team was still a far cry from getting any better. He had to wonder if today would make even an ounce of difference. He doubted it. And even if it did, it probably wouldn't be the good kind.

The team situated themselves accordingly, with Rossi claiming the furthest end and Reid taking the other, closest to the door. Morgan stayed up front, feet firmly rooted to the spot. This could have passed as any normal day – as normal as a day could get with Morgan as Unit Chief and Hotchner nowhere to be seen – with the exception of two things. Penelope Garcia had come, when usually she'd be back in her lil' tech room with all her babes easily at her disposal. He caught her staring absently down at her feet.

The other difference was the presence of Erin Strauss. She stood next to Morgan; tall, powerful, commanding. Morgan took in the faces at the table.

Rossi messing with his phone; snip, snap, open, close. JJ staring at Strauss, as if trying to will her away with her mind. Reid looking around the room, studiously avoiding eye contact with both Strauss and himself. And Prentiss…she was watching Morgan.

"Alright let's start now. I'm sure you're wondering why your Unit Chief, Derek Morgan has called you down here." It was just like Strauss to get straight to business. She waited a moment for a response but no one seemed that interested in asking. "Well, I've decided on the final member in your team."

And just as Strauss predicted, that got a rise from pretty much everyone – there was a litany of "What" and "No one replaces Hotch". She raised a hand, palm face out, the universal sign for shut up. "Look," she began with perfect calm, "I understand that the past four months hasn't been the greatest—,"

Rossi snorted. Boy, was that an understatement.

"—and I realized that there's been a shortage in members—,"

"—actually, we've been holding up fairly well considering we only have four profilers on the team. I think it has more to do with Morgan's excellent ability to—,"

"—enough, agent Reid. Any more interruptions and I'll keep you all in here an hour longer than necessary. Anyone else would like to share their thoughts?" Silence. Strauss nodded her head approvingly. "Good. Then onto the important matter – let me introduce the replacement."

"Wait. He's here right now, Erin?" Rossi asked.

"Of course," Strauss said, voice clipped. The silent why hung from her sentence.

"I just assumed you'd at least give us a week's notice," Rossi murmured.

Strauss arched a brow, "And I assumed your Unit Chief would have told you."

Morgan frowned. "I couldn't find the time—,"

"—wait, I thought you refused a replacement for Hotch. Didn't you?"

Morgan looked up at Prentiss. He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Em. I tried to – I flat out refused her three times." He shrugged helplessly. "I'm sorry."

"That's just great," Prentiss said. She wasn't looking at him anymore.

Morgan sighed. "I guess you should just bring him in."

Strauss nodded and beckoned toward the door. There were the muffled sounds of scuffles and squeaks of shoes on the other end. Every person in the room was watching the door warily. After a few hesitant moments, in which Morgan found himself holding his breath and thinking maybe the guy won't show up, maybe he got cold feet, the replacement walked inside. Silence descended into the room almost immediately.

Strauss seemed to be the only person not surprised by the man in the business attire. He strutted up to Strauss and shook her hand. "I suppose a 'thank you' is in order, Strauss," he said blandly.

She nodded back curtly, faking a tight smile, "No need, agent Hotchner. I'm sure they're as ecstatic to have you back as I am."

Hotchner inclined his head, "Of course." He abruptly let go of her hand. "Thank you anyway, ma'am."

"It's not a problem, really, agent Hotchner," she said, waving it off. "I'll just leave you to catch up with some old colleagues."

Hotchner watched as she retreated out the door before turning to face the rest of the occupants in the room. "Normally I would introduce myself, but it's come to my attention that you all already know me," he said with a deadpan.

Prentiss couldn't help but stare at him and she was sure she wasn't the only one. He didn't seem to mind being the center of awkward attention though, just taking in all the faces at the table. Morgan seemed mildly uncomfortable standing next to Hotchner.

"Is it always this awkward with you people or is it just with me?" Had it not come from Hotchner, Prentiss was sure it was meant to be a joke. But Hotchner had a way with saying everything with a blank face and it seemed even a case of amnesia didn't change his inability to crack a smile.

It must have been that very same fact that got everyone laughing, as if to say "that's our Hotch for you – even amnesia can't change his personality". The tension in the air started to lift then, as if everyone that had been holding their breaths in were just now releasing it. Penelope Garcia, technical analyst extraordinaire, broke through the last remains, lunging out of her chair and throwing her arms over Hotchner like he was one of her stuffed bunny dolls.

"You're back, sir," she wept.

For a moment Hotchner stood still, eyes slightly wide in bewilderment. But then he relaxed and returned the hug awkwardly. "I suppose I am," he said carefully and Garcia could sense the silent but probably not in the way you want that didn't have to be added because everyone was probably thinking the same thing.

She hugged him tighter, "Don't worry, sir. You'll get better."

Hotchner didn't say anything. Prentiss could tell he was doubtful. Hell, they all were.