Title: Moments of Hotch: Not All There Is
Author: PhirePhox666
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Chapter: 1 of 28(ish)
Pairing/Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Dave Rossi, Jeniffer Jereau, Spencer Reid, Derek Morgan, Emily Prentiss, and Penelope Garcia. Hints of Hotch/Rossi.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Hints of slashiness. Mentions of Het. Mentions of the killing of children. Mentions of death and suicide. Fluffy, cuteness. Ooc-ness.
Summary: Hotch's reaction to pure exhaustion, physical and mental, is a surprise to all of them. Because a sleepy Hotch is an adorable Hotch. Hotch-centric.
Disclaimer: Ah, yes, I am ze owner of Criminal Minds. In my dreams, that is. Nope, don't own, to my great chagrin.
Word Count: 1,671
Dedication: For Aslan.
Prompt: None
Excerpt: None
A/N: This is going to be a series of randomly updated Criminal Minds oneshots that relate to eachother and are in no particular order. There is a PLOT and stuff though. As the title implies they'll all be very Hotch-centric because I adore Hotch. Some will be very obviously slash, although you can probably get through most of them without noticing, many'll just be friendship. Have fun, y'all. Reviews and Flames are Welcome. Hope you enjoy.
Not All There Is
"Everything in this world exists to wear you down."
By the time they catch the unsub who has killed ten kids in the last ten days, Hotch has been up more than four days with only a couple hour nap on the couch that had been pushed in the corner of their borrowed space during that time. He'd sent each of them home at a decent time each night while staying behind and working the case. When they finally catch the unsub it's barely in time to save the eleventh victim while the unsub commits suicide by cop. They say their thanks, accept the local gratitude, and pack up in record time and by the time that they're getting in the SUV for the ride to the airstrip, a thirty-five minute drive away, the adrenaline has worn off and Hotch is fading fast.
It's the first time any of his team except Rossi has seen him do this and his reaction to shear exhaustion, both physical and mental, surprises them all. Because an exhausted Hotch is a sleepy, child-like, without his normal shields Hotch and it's adorable beyond words.
"Come on, Aaron. Time to go." The team, gathered by the SUV, is surprised to hear Rossi who, in contrast to normal Rossi-ness, is speaking in a low, coaxing tone to their team leader. They turn almost as one entity, looking to where the voice emanated and are greeted by a Hotch who is not in his usual suit and tie but instead in a pair of loose, comfortable-looking jeans and a warm sweater. He is holding a folded blanket tight to his chest and looking blearily around. Rossi has a guiding hand on the small of his back and is looking fondly at him, a half-smile curling at the edges of his mouth, both or their go bags slung across his back, awkwardly.
J.J. is calling Garcia almost before the thought that Garcia might want to witness this, occurs to her. "What can I do for you, oh, mother of my favorite godson?" Garcia answers as Hotch stumbles slightly on the curb and Rossi steadies him with a gentle touch to his arm with the hand not still at the small of Hotch's back. J.J. suppresses the inappropriate urge to squeal at the adorableness of it all even as she answers Garcia.
"Have you ever seen Hotch coming of adrenaline and completely exhausted" She asks, curious to know if Garcia has heard or seen anything because the easy familiarity with this in Rossi shows that this is not the first time this has happened.
"Nope." Penelope responds, popping the 'p' and, on the other side of the line, tilting her head a little, "Why?"
J.J. looks up again watching for a moment at the scene of the two men making their over to the SUV, Hotch's face turned towards Rossi, obviously listening to the elder man speak, although it's too quiet for the rest of them to make out. Her eyes slide over to her friends and teammates. Emily meets her gaze and smiles a little, Spencer looks at the two most senior members of the BAU, fascinated by some part of the display, and Derek looks quietly pleased in a way she's never seen him look before.
"I think you might want to experience it, even if it by phone." She finally responds. Garcia makes a little sound of acquiescence and doesn't question her. J.J. puts the phone on speaker phone as Rossi and Hotch finally come to stand next to the rest of the team, and Garcia's phone-proxy.
Rossi sends them all a glare even as he speaks to Hotch. "Give me the keys Aaron. You're in no condition to be driving us anywhere and I'd rather not end up making friends with a tree because you wouldn't give up the keys." For a moment it's like he hasn't heard the elder profiler, then, slowly, he digs in the pocket of his jeans, finally producing the key to the SUV.
"Good. Stay here." Rossi commands, sending another glare at the team and beeping the car unlocked. Even as they efficiently load their go bags in the back they're trading smiles and quiet giggles even when Rossi glares again as he loads his and Hotch's bags. Reid and Morgan are arguing on who has to get in first when Rossi quietly speaks again, "Come on, Aaron, get in. All of them quiet down and try to be subtle as they listen in. They fail miserably.
"Don't want to." Hotch says sounding faintly confused, stubborn and tired. J.J.'s not sure but she thinks Rossi rolls his eyes, even as he opens the door and gently pushes Hotch towards the passenger seat.
"In." He commands. "Or have you forgotten what happened last time you stayed up this long and then refused to get any sleep." It's not really a question, and there is a hard note to Rossi's voice that, even in his semi-asleep state, Hotch doesn't miss.
"'Kay," he finally agrees, after a long moment of thought. Rossi smirks a little and helps Hotch in to the vehicle with an ease of experience. A giggle comes from J.J.'s right hand and she realizes that she's already forgotten the techie.
"That's adorable." Penelope whispers and J.J. smiles.
"Yeah," She agrees and nothing more is said between them. Spencer and Derek end up in the way back, Emily and J.J. in the middle and Rossi is driving. Hotch has already been settled in the passenger seat after much fussing from Rossi and an adorable scene in which he'd taken the blanket from Hotch and carefully tucked the younger man in.
The first five minutes of the drive are relatively quiet and subdued before Hotch makes a quiet sound as he shifts towards Rossi. J.J. is sitting behind the driver's seat and in a prime position to watch Hotch. The emotions play clearly across his unguarded face, for once there are no shields there and it makes him look younger, especially with his dark, serious eyes closed.
"Dave," The profiler says it softly, but in the near silence of the SUV it's heard by everybody.
"Yes, Aaron." Rossi says and there is amusement in his voice although J.J. doesn't understand why.
"What's that thing, the urn thing? Something writing-ish..." He asks vaguely, eyes still closed as he curls towards the sound of Rossi's voice.
Behind her, J.J. hears Spencer murmur, "The urn thing?" bafflement clear in his voice at his boss' unclear description. 'Something writing-ish' is what gets her and she giggle softly in to her sleeve.
Rossi responds, still sounding amused. "'Ode On A Grecian Urn' by John Keats." And he says it so simply, like this is the obvious answer, that J.J. just stares at the back of his chair for a moment while Spencer makes a noise of disbelief behind her and Emily frowns. Derek laughs quietly and in front Hotch starts speaking again.
"Yes. That one. All poetry-ish he was." There's a pause and then: "Do you think Strauss would like an urn for her birthday?"
J.J. stifles the sudden laughter in to her sleeve and hears Morgan doing the same in back. Reid makes a choking noise and beside her, Emily is bent over with silent laughter.
"I don't think so, Aaron. Strauss doesn't seem like the urn type." Comes Rossi's response, still amused, but somehow calm.
"Hmmm." Hotch's response is tinged with sleepy contemplation and for a moment J.J. thinks he's going to go to sleep. Instead he quotes, "'And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, /And she forgot the blue above the trees, /And she forgot the dells where waters run, /And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze,'"
"'Fair Isabel, poor simple Isabel!'" Rossi quotes back then laughs softly, "Not about urns at all. And no, I don't think she'd like a pot of basil either, Aaron. Do you even know when Strauss' birthday is?"
J.J. wonders to herself if this is to get Hotch off of poetry for a little. "Mm." Hotch responds, "June 17th. She shouldn't leave passwords out where anybody can see them."
Rossi laughs again and signals their turn. "No, I suppose not." He says and then parks the car ending that discussion.
They unload quickly; Morgan taking Rossi and Hotch's go bags as Rossi gently assists Hotch from the car. J.J. loses track of them for a while as she ends the call with Garcia, only a small amount of squealing involved. When she finally makes it on to the jet and to where the team has settled itself she's greeted by Hotch's half-asleep, "J.J.!"
Before she can respond Rossi intervenes. "Sleep, Aaron. You need to sleep." Reluctantly her boss relaxes back in to his seat next to Dave. J.J. settles herself and then quietly observes her two friends.
Rossi is speaking softly to Hotch and Hotch looks sleepily serious. He shifts, pulling his blanket around him as he carefully leans in to Rossi, looking as if he expects to be pushed away. The expression is so open, so raw, she almost looks away from it. Rossi carefully wraps his arm around Hotch, pulling him closer. Finally Hotch relaxes, curling against Rossi until his head rests in the crook of Rossi's neck and his whole body is pressed somewhat against the elder man.
Rossi pulls the blanket more securely around Hotch before softly stroking Aaron's hair. There is an expression of such open tenderness, fondness and love on Dave's face at that it frightens her, and causes an ache in her heart. She wonders if Aaron knows that expression. Aaron shifts and sighs against Dave's collarbone, slipping in to the blackness of sleep quickly. Not long after Dave follows him, finally relaxing himself.
For a moment she contemplates them, feeling a great affection for them and for each of her other friends, then a gratefulness for Will and Henry. Quietly J.J. closes her eyes and, with thoughts of Will and Henry dominating her thoughts, follows them in to sleep.
"The world is filled with darkness and pain and yet, that is not all there is."
Finis.