A/N: This is a fic based on the season 9, episode 22 "Fatal." I feel like the writers left it open ended for us to talk about. And instead of talking I had Aaron Hotchner asking the teacher out on a date and seeing where it goes. Namely because Ms. Springer and Aaron Hotchner are two adorable people and Jack is just… Jack. I took out the case business because everyone can go watch the episode if you guys want to watch some UNSub poison his boss. And since this is my story...

A/N2: I don't own Criminal Minds or anything you recognize. This time, I don't even own the teacher of the kids. I'm pulling the puppet strings for a few hours. So, sorry CBS/Mark Gordon.

A/N3: I can make this a rolling story if the interest is there. So comment and let me know!

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"As my dear mother used to say, a penny for your thoughts?" David Rossi entered Aaron's office, breaking him out of concentrated stare at the yellow legal pad in front of him.

"Hey. Jack asked me to speak to his class about being an FBI agent. They're having career day." Aaron sighed as he explained his scribble of notes he sat looking at.

"Sounds like fun." Dave shrugged, his hands in his pockets, as Aaron stared in disbelief that his best friend, his mentor, would agree with Jack on this idea. Before Aaron had time to think of a comeback, Dave stepped further into the office. "Come on. Every day you strap on the six-shooter and go after the bad guys. The kids'll love it."

"Oh, I know." The stoic unit chief finally looked at Dave's eyes to see a glimmer of whimsy and fun flash across the chocolate eyes. "And I'm glad he asked. It just, I'm a little worried about it because I don't want it to end up being difficult for him."

Waiting a beat, Dave squared his shoulders before asking Aaron, 'because of what happened to Hailey."

"One of the bad guys killed his mom." Aaron remembered as Dave took a seat in one of Aaron's leather bound visitor chairs. "And he's doing fine." Waving a hand to Dave, to dismiss any notion of Jack having a bad childhood or thinking bad thinks about Aaron as a father. "And we talk about it some, but I just don't want this-" Aaron's voice trailed off before he said, almost as an afterthought, "to end up hurting him."

Nodding in agreement, Dave said the first thing that came to his mind. "You're a good dad, Aaron." Dave sighed trying to get his best friend to stop the self-deprecation of something that happened nearly five years prior. "And I know you're doing everything you can to help him.
And I also know you'll make the right decision about this, whatever it is."

"Thanks." Aaron put a smile grin on his face as the footsteps of one, Penelope Garcia, was heard in the office.

Before Dave could say anything back, the bubbly blonde's heels stopped and she looked in the scene in front of her. Both men looked up at the coffee cup she held, which said "miracle worker" before looking up at her. "Oh, I'm interrupting. But we're ready."

"Thank you." The unit chief dismissed both of his visitors rather coldly before following them to the round table room across the catwalk and down another corridor where his team of profilers were waiting.

This case, which had the BAU traveling to Long Beach, California, had been particularly strange, as victims of arsenic poisoning are found as the killer had a fascination with Greek mythology.

During a minute of downtime at the Long Beach police department, he called the number on the card Jack handed him before leaving for school that Monday.

"Hello?" The blonde answered her cell phone.

"Hello, Ms. Springer, it's Aaron Hotchner," he fiddled with his tie as his other hand held the phone to his ear. "Jack's dad."

"Oh, Mr. Hotchner, hello. Is there something wrong with Jack? His Science test-"

"No, no," waiving to an arriving Blake and Reid, Aaron continued to talk to the teacher in the conference room. "Jack said career day was next Monday. And I'm sorry it's Thursday, but I've been on a case, actually I am on a case with my team but I wouldn't mind having the kids around for the day. Is there any problem with that?"

The teacher waited a beat shuffling some papers on her desk. "Oh no, Mr. Hotchner, nothing's wrong with that. I can have the kids there at noon and we can go until 2, so we can have them back to Crossroads by 2:30."

"Great. And it's Aaron, by the way." He smiled a bit at the giggle from Jack's teacher. He had known she was a pretty blonde, from the parent-teacher conferences earlier in the year. He was interested in her, but she was a bit on the young side and with his job and Beth, he had figured it was a no-go, but that giggle gave him some hope. "I'll call my tech and have her shore up the details. I'll see you noon Monday."

"Sure, thanks. Bye." They both waited a few seconds leaving awkward silence between them. "Oh, it's Liza, by the way."

"Liza. Liza Springer. Lovely name."

"Thank you, Aaron. Aaron Hotchner. We'll see you Monday." After the hang up, Garcia and Hotch were on the phone and Hotch was giving her the run down and plan of attack for Monday. Rossi and Morgan had walked by with Morgan turning around to look as he heard the screams of Garcia over the phone. When Hotch waved him off, Rossi had to remind him about the file in his hand and to concentrate on the task at hand. With Reid's genius, they found the killer was leaving handwritten threats and he was obsessed with Greek mythology. And Friday afternoon, the BAU was back on the jet heading for home.

"Thanks." Dave handed Aaron a piping hot cup of coffee as he was staring at the yellow legal pad, again. Going over notes from this case, Dave hoped.

Sitting down to his best friend, Dave inquired, "Given any more thought to, um, career day?" A quick smile on the chief's face told Dave everything he needed to know.

"Jack's third-grade class is descending on the BAU on Monday." Aaron looked up from the papers and took a sip of the coffee, two creams and a sugar, Dave was good about that.

"Excellent. And is Jack happy about it?"

Dave didn't even have time to breath before Aaron answered back. "Ecstatic. He's very excited."

With Morgan and JJ across the jet from them, and the resident genius and his teacher friend's head in a book, Dave lowered his voice an octave. "He's proud of you."

"I know." Aaron reminded Dave. "And I don't want to take that away from him. The challenging part is coming up with a profiling presentation." Sitting back and taking a cup of his coffee, Dave took in Aaron: stoic, hurting, nervous, proud.

"Well, after 20 years of facing down killers, rapists, and psychopaths, SSA Aaron Hotchner may have finally met his match." Aaron smiled at Dave as Dave put his suit jacket under his head and was able to fall asleep. Aaron kept looking at the notes in front of him, praying to Hailey that he would be able to make it through Monday's presentation without any interruptions.

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A/N5: Totally looking for a beta for this story, if anyone is interested, drop me a line. Or find me on twitter: leapoffaith_13. Gracias!