The bar scene was crowded, even though it was still fairly early in the evening.

Kate moved through the crowd, getting appreciative glances from members of both sexes. But no Damien.

Hotch followed behind her, and at first they were going to stay apart, see if Damien approached Kate while she was alone. They'd only act together if he didn't appear, so at a certain point, Kate was keenly aware of the fact that Hotch wasn't behind her anymore. Mainly because she couldn't feel his stare on her back.

Outside, before they'd come in, there had been a drunk who'd hit on her. The look on Hotch's face had astounded her: pure possession as he curled his arm around her waist and pulled her away from the drunk. "She's with me."

That was it. Simple but claiming.

And it scared the hell out of Kate.

She reached the bar and glanced around her casually, as if checking out the guys there, but she was really searching for Hotch, and she finally located him in the corner, leaning against the wall with his arms folded.

He met her eyes and she was shocked when he gave her a slow once over, before realizing that it was all part of his act. Of course he was going to act like this.

To complete it, she flounced her head and turned away from him, acting insulted.

The bartender approached.

"Vodka," Kate ordered.

He nodded and moved to fill her order. She crossed her legs and whirled around on the bar stool to check out the crowd, just in time to see a woman dressed in a sheer lace dress approach Hotch.

Kate's heart stopped as she dragged the agent onto the dancefloor. She expected Hotch to resist, but then he was moving in time to the thumping music, with footwork and twists that made her feel itches in places she knew she couldn't scratch.

He pulled his partner close and Kate's eyes focused on how his hands were touching the woman's waist.

She turned back around and took her drink with shaking hands, downing it in one swallow.

"You look down," the bartender commented. "Most people would sip that drink."

"Yeah," she rasped. "My guy is dancing with someone else...I think it's over between us but I don't want it to be."

"Who, the one with tall girl in lace?"

"Yeah," Kate said. "I'm short. I always knew he had a thing for girls with legs and now I know it."

She shoved the glass back for a refill and the man obliged.

Kate finished this one more slowly, looking at the clock on the wall before leaving the bar and heading onto the dance floor.

Hotch now had two very willing women dancing with him, winding around him and grinding against his leg.

Kate grabbed the hand of the first guy who checked her out. "I want to make my guy jealous," she said. "Dance with me."

"How far can I go?" He asked, pulling her close.

"As far as you want," she whispered.

She spun away from him then back, letting herself twist around him and only barely flinched when she felt his lips on her neck.

"Shit," she said and pulled away.

He grinned at her, not apologetic at all.

"I'll have a mark in the morning," she said, pulling her neckline down so she could see it.

"That's okay," he said and grabbed her ass.

She went with me, moving into him, when she felt a large hand on her shoulder.

She was afraid to look up, knowing who she'd see standing there, but her partner was backing away so she turned around.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, dancing with him?" Hotch asked, the hand not on her shoulder clenched into a fist.

"Jake, things were over between us the instant you danced with miss Legs over there," she bit back. "I wanted you, babe. I wanted you so much and you went with her."

"It wasn't like that, I was just waiting to see if you'd forgiven me," he replied. "Cassidy, you can't dance like that with other guys." He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him. "You're mine, Cassidy."

"No, this is the last time," she shrieked back. "In case you've forgotten, you've done this before. And I am not going through this again."

She felt tears coming to her eyes as she pulled away from him. "We're through, Jake. Get the hell out of my life."

Hotch pulled her back to him. "Let me say goodbye properly then."

He kissed her, his lips pressing into hers with an intensity that made Kate purr, deep inside. She found herself curling around him, like a cat, before remembering herself and yanking away.

The slap was heard even above the music. "Don't touch me, Jake."

Hotch let her go this time, his glare following her back to the bar.

Once there, she let herself cry a little more before ordering another drink.

And then Damien appeared at her elbow, matching his photograph exactly and sending a chill through her veins when she remembered what exactly it was that he was capable of.

"That must have hurt," he commented. "That was brave of you, to leave your boyfriend like that. He seems violent."

"He is," she sobbed. "He never hit me but he was always doing things like that to me, almost forcing me."

"I'm Damien," he said.

"Cassidy," she said. "God, I'm sorry. Here I am sobbing about my boyfriend."

"That's okay, Cassidy," he said, taking the stool next to hers. "We should get you out of here."

"But I want to show him that I can have fun," she said. "Would you dance with me first? I want to feel good about myself."

His eyes darkened. "Let's dance then."

He led her onto the floor, and his hands went places even her first partner's hadn't.

She took it, though. She moved into it and let her teeth nip his ear; her breasts bump against him in ways that made him gasp. She could feel Hotch's eyes following her every move; she wondered how hard it was to stop himself from taking about Damien.

He finally stopped, taking her hand and leading her from the floor. "Let's go," Damien whispered into her ear.

She could no longer feel Hotch's eyes on them and felt a chill run down her spine. "I just wanted to make him jealous," she said.

"Oh, no, it had to have been a lot more than that, the way you moved," Damien said and pulled her along with him. "Don't you want this?" His voice was harsh and she knew that she had to answer quick.

If it wasn't happening here, she'd just go home with him.

"I do want it," she said, squeezed the hand that held hers in a bruising grip and let herself leave. With Damien.