"Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise." – Sigmund Freud
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After picking up Jack from school, he walked to his apartment only to find that Dave was waiting for him. He sighed, and opened the door to the apartment.
After a few minutes of listening to Jack tell him about his day, and seeing his school project, Dave decided to find out where Aaron's head was at after the previous day's confrontation. He knew he hit a nerve but it had to be done, and he knew Aaron would understand eventually.
"Hey Jack, can me and your dad have a few minutes please?" Dave said, receiving a look of resignation from the older Hotchner.
"Sure Uncle Dave!" said Jack, as he dutifully headed off to work on some of his model planes; a hobby that he and his dad shared.
"I knew this was coming," I think bitterly.
"So Hotch, did you think about what I said yesterday?" Dave starts.
"Yes." Aaron says emotionlessly.
"And?" Dave prods.
"Not now Dave!" I plead.
"I know you didn't want to hear it Aaron but you needed to. Snap out of it, or a might as well hand you a loaded gun," Dave states surprisingly calmly.
"You're right!" I admit, hanging my head, unable to meet my friend's eyes. "But, did you really have to pull that parenting card?"
"That's a start,"" Dave encourages. "And yes, I did. My wife always said I had a flair for the dramatic."
"Which one?" I ask curiously.
"All of them," Dave admits.
"Something has to give Dave," I state. "I don't want to lose my son."
"I know," Dave states simply. "So, why did you leave Jack at Jessica's?"
"I am scared out of my mind Dave, and I didn't want Jack to see me like that," Aaron confesses.
"What are you scared of?" Dave prods a bit more.
"Honestly, myself," I reply weakly.
"Why?" questions Dave,.
I just ignore the question, and sit there silently.
"Aaron, you're not avoiding this!" Dave harshly says.
"Fine!" I mumble under my breath. "I feel like I am going insane, and I almost killed you Dave! Lewis even boasted about what he did to me!"
"But you didn't kill me Aaron. You fought him," Dave says simply.
"It was so hard to fight, and you know that all of his victims killed someone! Who says it won't happen again, or that I'll be able to fight it?" I say desperately.
"You're scared that you might snap?" questions Dave.
"Yes," I yell. "I have blanks in my memory, and who knows what I forgot!"
"We won't let you go off the deep end Aaron," says Dave.
"You can't say that Dave," I accuse.
"Yes I can Aaron," Dave says. "There's a reason that I am constantly visiting, and I tried pushing you to deal with this."
"Damn! He's shutting down!" Dave thinks to himself.
"Aaron, a coffee if I may?" says Dave, trying to keep Aaron engaged.
"U-uh sure," I say and head to the kitchen, feeling grateful for the brief change in conversation.
Coming back into the living room, both take a few sips of coffee, before Dave starts up again.
"Did you leave anything out in your testimony?" Dave asks.
"What, no! Why would I?" I retort obviously offended.
"Just thought I'd ask," says Dave. "Although if you did, it might explain what Lewis meant."
"So much of it doesn't make sense," I say.
"That's understandable," says Dave.
"I can't believe I thought this case was going to be simple! Who would have ever thought that we'd be dealing with mind control, and the boogeyman of all things? I feel like I've seen everything now," I say with a half-hearted chuckle.
"Agreed. This job definitely keeps you on your toes." says Dave.
"Dad, Uncle Dave! Come see my new planes!" exclaims Jack excitedly. "It's like the BAU jet! Dad showed me pictures!"
"Did he now?" inquired Dave.
"Yeah, it's awesome!" says Jack.
"It better not have been the photo from my last birthday Aaron!" Dave says laughing.
"It might have been!" I say with a smirk.
"Oh you're a dead man mio fratello!" says Dave.
"Whatever!" I say and the two start laughing.
"Hurry up!" says Jack
"Alright, alright, we're coming!" I say/
"He's laughing; there might be hope for him yet," Dave silently hopes.