Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any character associated with it, no copyright infringement is intended.

Reid drove the rest of the way back to Quantico, neither man breaking the awkward silence. When they were back Hotch barely spoke, except to apologize to Reid again for what happened with Chester.

Hotch went up to his office while Reid went to his desk in the bullpen.

Reid was surprised to see the rest of the team wasn't there. When he asked Garcia where eveyone was she seemed evasive. All she would say is that the team was working a old case of Rossi's. There was something more to it than that, Reid sensed, but he didn't pry any further.

He was working at his desk, fully absorbed in the files he was reading when he heard someone cough. Reid look up and saw it was a man. He was familiar to Reid. Where had he saw him before? Oh yes, the analyst who filled for Garcia. What was his name? Kevin. That was it, Kevin Lynch

"Excuse me," Kevin said,"is Agent Rossi around?"

"He's out," Reid said. "Is he expecting you?"

"No. But I do need to see him. We need to talk. Man-to-man."

"Well, I don't know when he'll be back. Of course, if you want to wait his office is right up there." Reid pointed to Rossi's office at the top of the catwalk, next to Hotch's office.

Reid watched Kevin walk up the stairs and hesitate when he got to Rossi's office. From his body language, he seemed to be having an internal debate with himself whether he really wanted to go inside. Then he walked inside Rossi's office.

A few seconds later, Hotch walked out of his office and saw Reid looking up.

"Reid, can I see you in my office for a few minutes?"

Reid nodded. As he walked up the stairs, he wondered if he was going to be reprimanded for his conduct on the way back from the prison. He walked up the stairs and closed the door behind him when he entered Hotch's office.

Hotch looked at him as if he was uncertain where to begin. "I owe you an apology Reid," Hotch said at last.

"Hotch, you already apologized seven times for what happened with Chester Hardwick."

"Actually, I meant about how I behaved in the car. I was being immature."

"You're allowed."

"A man's allowed to yell fire in a theater. It doesn't make me want to follow him though."

"Maybe. But we aren't really talking about something so public. We were talking about your reaction to Haley, and that's incredibly private."

"Except I've allowed it to interfere with our work here. I'm just going to sign the papers and get this over with."

"Oh." Reid paused for a moment while he considered his next words. "If that's what you think is best. I mean, if that's what you really want to do."

"Those are sometimes two very different things."

"Maybe. Anyway, it's up to you."

Reid turned around to leave when Hotch said," you think I'm wrong to sign the papers, don't you?"

Reid sighed and said," It's your choice, not mine."

"That wasn't what I asked. Do you think I'm wrong?"

"It's a little complicated."

"Why?"

"Because...I think I'm wrong person to ask that question."

"Why?"

"Two reason: One, I've never been in your position and two, I think I'm projecting my own personal history on your situation."

"I don't understand."

"I hear you say you're going to sign the papers, and I think of my Dad leaving when I was 10."

"I'm sorry."

Reid shrugged his shoulders. "It's not important, what my Dad did. At least, not for your situation. But, if I might just ask one question."

"What do I want?"

"No. Whose idea was getting divorced?"

"Haley's. A few weeks after she left."

"Did the two of you talk about it first?"

"No, not really."

"That doesn't seem fair."

"It doesn't matter. She decided."

"Why, because you didn't transfer out of the BAU?"

"I don't think that really matters. What matters is that this is what she wants."

"Are you sure this is what she wants?"

"She's doing everything she can to get me to sign the papers."

"That doesn't mean that's what she wants. It just might mean it what she thinks is the only answer that makes sense. Look, I don't know what led up to this and I don't need to know. Like I said, I'm the wrong person to ask advice from about relationships of any kind. But, it occurs to me you might think a little bit about what happened with Chester today."

"If you mean about how I acted in there..."

"It's not that. I told him that he didn't have a chance, that it's almost certain he would turn out like he did. We both know there's evidence to suggest that his genetic background and the environment he grew up certainly made him pre-disposed to become what he is, but it doesn't make it a certainty. There's always a choice. Now, you can choose to believe that your divorce is inevitable or ... " he paused. "Maybe it's worth a conversation with Haley and Jack before you sign the papers. "

"It's not that easy."

"I didn't say anything about this will be easy, Hotch. But I've never known you shrink away from something because it wasn't easy."

"Thanks Reid."

"For what?"

"Being a friend when I needed one."

"Oh. Yes well," Reid suddenly seemed uneasy, uncertain what to say next. "I'm just...Anytime."

Then he left.

A few hours later, the team was back from their case. Reid was distracted thinking about his conversation with Hotch. He told Rossi that Kevin was waiting for him up in his office.

Reid didn't pay a lot of attention to the conversation, until he heard Emily say "Just when I thought nothing scandalous would ever happen here."

"What? What happened?" Reid asked.

"Didn't you hear what JJ said?"

Reid vaguely remembered JJ singing a song, but he didn't pay attention to it. "No, did the song mean something? I missed it."

Emily gave a look like he was crazy or a freak. He hated that look. He hated the look even worse when she was the one who gave it. There were sometimes he wondered if they could ever be something more. Close friends maybe or even...

But when she gave him that look.

"Never mind." Emily said and sat down.

Reid felt more perplexed than he had in a long time.

Meanwhile, Hotch had the divorce papers laid out in front of him. He kept thinking about what Reid said. He could jus sign the papers. That would be the smart thing to do.

He picked up the phone and called Haley.

"I have the divorce papers in front of me," he said.

"Have you signed them?"

"No."

"Are you going to?"

"Not yet."

"Aaron, we talked about this."

"Did we? Mostly you became very adamant that this was the right thing to do and what I thought about it didn't seem to make much difference."

"Aaron," she began in her most irritated tone, "don't make me the bad guy here."

"I'm not. Look, I just..." he paused for a moment. "I just want to talk about this before I sign the papers, that's all."

"Fine. Talk."

"Not over the phone. I want to come see you, both of you. If by the time we're done talking, you still believe this is what's best I'll sign the papers right in front of you."

There were a long, pregnant pause.

"Fine," she said, her voice just louder than a whisper.