Aaron returned home with a sense of satisfaction that he hadn't felt in the two months since he left the BAU. The team were on the right track, but just needed that extra push in the right direction.
He also did an assessment of the team. It was just as he suspected. While an accomplished profiler, Morgan was not quite ready for the Unit Chief position. Maybe in another two years. Also, Rossi was having trouble adjusting to the team concept, preferring to work on his own and was antagonizing all of them, especially Morgan. Strauss probably offered him the position but Rossi would never accept it. He had his own agenda. Prentiss was trying to play mediator with little success, and then there was Reid.
Reid was definitely upset with him. He wouldn't even look at Hotch, let alone speak to him. He only addressed the team. Why was that?
Hotch knew that Reid took Gideon's sudden departure the hardest. Gideon had been like a father to him; serving as a surrogate. His own father had abandoned him to take care of his sick mother at the age of ten. They had been growing closer and more comfortable with each other after the Tobias Henkel incident. Hotch had watched Spencer develop from an awkward genius, barely out of his teens to a great profiler and handsome young man. Hotch could admit that. The ordeal with the drugs had seasoned him. He hadn't agreed with Gideon's 'hands off' approach at first, but he was glad that Reid was able to get the help he needed. Reid was probably feeling abandoned yet again, but Hotch felt it was for the best, or at least he used to.
Of all the team, Hotch had missed Reid the most. He and Morgan, both being alpha males, had clashed from time to time over issues, but he still had a lot of respect for him. He didn't know Prentiss too well, and the fact that she hadn't come to Hotch immediately after Strauss approached her left him wary. But Reid, their relationship was unsullied, until now. He enjoyed Reid's random ramblings of obscure facts, even if he had to focus the young man from time to time. Now the young man was deeply resentful of him and it was all his fault.
He should never have left the BAU; he knew that now. But it was too late to go back. Even if the team was not doing well he couldn't go back. Strauss would see to that. And Haley would hit the roof. He remembered how she had screamed and screamed at him when he considered joining the team in Milwaukee, and issued the ultimatum. Haley rarely bluffed, and he didn't want to risk losing her and Jack so he caved. Now he was sitting at a desk, on a computer from 9 to 5 trying to keep from falling asleep from boredom. His team was capable enough, but not much personality.
The transfer hadn't done much for his marriage. Sure, on the surface everything seemed fine, but there was tension underneath. Aaron's lack of satisfaction and fulfillment at his new position led to him being perpetually moody. Plus, now that he was home more, he was subject to Haley's passive aggressive methods of control and criticism. And worse, he was having a personal problem.
They hadn't had sex in over a month. Not that Haley wasn't willing, but Aaron found himself unable to 'rise to the occasion' so to speak. The first time it had happened he had attributed it to the stress of adjusting to a new position. Haley had been understanding, but now she did nothing to hide her contempt.
When he got home, Haley wasn't there. She left a note, saying that she had to go out and Jack was with Jessica. Hotch though that was strange. She hadn't mentioned having to go anywhere. He decided that he really didn't care, he needed some alone time anyway.
In the den he fixed himself a drink and turned on the tv. He felt so useless, sitting at home watching the Ravens lose to the Eagles while the team, his team were out solving real cases without him. Sure, he had busted up some embezzlement rings, the most successful being a televangelist who had scammed millions from his congregations and was only declaring a small portion of that income. But it wasn't the same as profiling some of the most dangerous criminals in the country, reuniting families, rescuing victims and better understanding human behavior. No more papers, no more collaborations, no more guest lectures. He had given it all up.
He woke up at four AM, still in the chair. Haley hadn't bothered to wake him when she got in. He didn't feel like going upstairs so he padded to the guest room down the hall and slept on the bed. He woke up again when Morgan called him at seven thirty to tell him that they had arrested the UnSub and were headed back to Quantico. He was glad for them, but the longing only increased.
"Uh, Morgan can I talk to you for a minute?" Garcia asked after walking into his office.
"Sure baby...Garcia. What's up? Why the long face?"
"You need to hear this," she handed him a listening device with headphones attached.
Derek's face went from shock to anger and back to shock as he listened to the recording.
"Garcia...what am I listening to?"
"Exactly what it sounds like." Garcia leaned in. "Haley and Strauss plotted to have Hotch kicked out of the BAU."
"How...how did you get this?" He asked.
"I...I did a thing. Look, I'm not supposed to be telling you this but Strauss went to Prentiss to try to get her to get dirt on Hotch to get him fired. But she quit instead. So after Gideon left and Hotch took the blame and she suspended him. Emily came to me and I wanted to see what else Strauss was up to. So I planted the bug. Last night I saw Haley go to Strauss's office when I was getting that file from Prentiss's desk so I listened in." It came out in a rush.
"Garcia, you could get fired if anyone found out…"
"I know! But what was I supposed to do?"
"Well Strauss was right about one thing. This team is falling apart. We need Hotch back."
"Morgan-"
"No it's the truth. I'm not ready to be the Unit Chief. Hotch makes it look so easy. I find myself second guessing all the time. And Rossi is an arrogant son of a bitch who I swear I'm going to slug if he keeps going around me in the field."
"So Morgan, what do we do?"
"The only thing we can do. We tell Hotch."
Garcia's eyes widened in fear. "He's going to be so mad at me."
Morgan hugged her. "Don't worry baby girl. I'll take care of it."
Garcia smiled through teary eyes. "So I'm your baby girl again?"
"You're always my baby girl."
Hotch sat in his office, bored and irritated. He had met with his new team, and there was nothing new to report. His team was pretty much self sufficient and he had not completely learned the ropes of WCC.
His intercom buzzed. "Sir," his secretary said. "The Unit Chief of the Behavioral Analysis Unit is here to see you."
Derek? What was he doing here? "Send him in."
"Derek," Hotch greeted his former subordinate. "This is a pleasant surprise. What brings you here?"
Derek looked sullen. "I'm afraid it's not good news Hotch."
Hotch's eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?"
Derek set the recording device down and pressed 'play'. He watched Hotch's expression go from surprise to absolutely murderous as he listened. Derek had never been afraid of anyone, but the look in Hotch's eyes sent a chill down his spine.
"Where did you get this?" Hotch asked, his voice strangely quiet.
"Hotch-"
"Garcia?" Hotch cut in.
"Look Hotch, don't blame her. Prentiss confessed to her what Strauss had tried to get her to do and Garcia decided to keep an eye on her. She bugged Strauss's office. She was in the bullpen and she saw Haley going up to Strauss's office. She downloaded this conversation and played it for me this morning."
"Does anyone else know about this?" Hotch asked again in that quiet voice.
"No, I came straight to you."
"Good. Tell no one else of this, and instruct Garcia to do the same."
"We got you Hotch. What are you going to do?"
Hotch was contemplating this. Derek continued. "Look Hotch we need you back. The team is falling apart. Strauss was right about that. I am not ready for this Unit Chief position. And I swear to God, I'm going to beat the hell out of Rossi really soon."
"Derek, it's not that simple-"
"Look Hotch, I get it. I know you took a desk job to spend more time with your family, and I'm not trying to tell you what to do but you're wasting your talents over here, supervising a bunch of glorified accountants. Strauss will take you back, in fact, she'll probably be begging this week. "
"I'm not worried about Strauss. I'll deal with her. Look Derek, we've never been close, and I haven't told anyone else this. Haley gave me an ultimatum. She said if I went back to BAU she would leave me and take my son."
Derek looked stricken. 'I'm sorry man, I didn't know. Do what you gotta do. But do me a favor and at least think about it ok?"
Hotch nodded. "I will. And Derek, tell Garcia to get that bug out of Strauss's office."
"She took care of that already. She came in extra early this morning and removed it."
"Good." They shook hands, and Derek left. Hotch put the recorder in his briefcase.
"Stacy, I'm taking the rest of the day off to handle family issues. Please route all emergency calls to my cell."
"Yes, sir."
Note on Rossi: I like Rossi, much more than Gideon. However, for most of season 3 he was a jackass.
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