First things first, thanks to Emilee, I appreciate it a lot. And I like to mix up with OC´s, they offer a lot of possibilities
The last three days were hectic. The organisation of the gallery opening had proved to be more extensive than Alix thought. Bradley, her little brother felt pity for her and finally borrowed Alix his boyfriend Edward. Ned had a talent for organisation, Alix had to admit that.
"You don´t have to do it all by yourself," Ned said, "we are family, I told you that before."
Alix accepted the help without any protest. But, there was also something good, in having so much to do. Alix hardly thought about Hotch, if every 5 minutes could be called 'hardly'.
He has not even called, Alix thought. Well, volunteered her inner voice, he doesn´t have your number, sweet cheeks. Nonsense, she shook her head, who, if not Mr. FBI could easily find out any number he want´s? Besides, Alix was listed in the telephone book.
"Alexandria, you're here, somewhere?"
Edward fixed the last couple of things in the gallery and was now looking for his nearly sister-in-law. Bingo, Ned thought. Alix was in her dressing room, only wearing hold-ups and a french-lace-corset with a matching slip. She was looking kind of helpless.
"Let me guess", Edward said, "there ist nothing to wear in here?" he started laughing. "You need any help? I bet you want to look stunning today."
"Why would I like to look stunning?" Alix asked, smiling.
"Because every girl want´s to. And you wanna blow your very special agents mind."
"Oh, come on. He´s not my very special agent, Ned. How do you even know about him, Sherlock?"
"I know everything, that concerns you, sweetie," Edward grinned. "Put this one on, it´s deep cut, you´ll drive the guy´s crazy and the leoprint goes well with your hair. And, if he won´t show up today, he´s an idiot and he isn´t worth any thought. By the way, did I tell you, a lot of my hetero friends would you like to meet you?"
"I love you, Ned, you know that?" Alix turned to Edward and hugged him gratefully.
Hotch and Jack spent Saturday at the zoo. Jess came by around 7 p.m, to take care of Jack.
"So you really wanna go to this opening?" she asked. Hotch had told her about Alix and Jess was not convinced of Alix, being a good catch.
"Don´t get me wrong, I don´t want to talk you out of this, but is there anything, you have in common?"
"I have no idea, Jess. But I want to find out, you understand?" Hotch said.
Jess nodded. "Maybe it's time to look ahead. Haley wouldn´t want you mutating to a hermit."
"Sound´s like you were meeting secretly with Rossi? He told me almost the same thing, a few days ago."
"Well, Mr. Dave Rossi seems to be a reasonable man." Jess grinned.
"Can we read something, before I have to sleep, Daddy?" Jack was already in his pj´s and ready for bed.
"Of course," Hotch said. He picked Jack up and carried him to his bed.
"Daddy?"
"Son?"
"Where you're going, and what is a hermimut?"
Jack picked up fragments from the conversation, Aaron and Jess had, but it didn´t make any sense to him.
"Hermit, Jack, this is a person who lives alone." Hotch said.
"Something you're not, there is aunt Jessy and me. Hermimut also is a funny word," noted Jack and was almost asleep. The zoo had been exhausting. Aaron kissed his son's forehead.
"Good night, Jack."
It was already 9.30 p.m. when Hotch arrived at the gallery. It was brightly lit and apparently very well attended. Aaron entered the gallery resolutely. He noticed Alix immediately. She looked gorgeous. She wore a knee-short, form-fitting gown with leoprint and had a conversation with three men. Judging by the similarity, her father and her brother.
He couldn´t place the third one. It seemed, he was close to Alix brother. But as long, as he didn´t belong to Alix, he is non of my business, Hotch thought.
The unknown guy had Hotch identified at the door, poked Alix and jerked his head in his direction. She turned around, smiled warmly at Hotch and came towards him.
"Aaron. So nice that you're here." Alix kissed him on his cheek. " Would you like to look around by yourself, or can I offer you the VIP tour with the artist herself?"
"If you have no other obligations?" Hotch was moved by her warm welcome.
"Nothing that would be that important." She linked her arm with Hotch´s. "Come on, let's start there in the corner," she said, pulling him in the direction she indicated.
"She looks so happy. I haven´t seen her like this for years," Bradley said with a glance at his sister and the g-man.
Edward laughed, "I didn´t expect anything else. The last few days she was jumpier than usual, and she almost hypnotized her cell phone. Our Sweetie has lost her heart. Just like me." Edward kissed is boyfriend and the two men again mingled with the guests.
Aaron enjoyed the tour with Alix. Her photos were excellent. In each and every one of the pictures she worked out a special detail, sometimes examine various aspects of a subject. Some photos were oppressive, like the ones, Alix shot on trip to an African war zone, or showed radiated love and trust like the picture of the old couple, Alix shot. Her pictures were exclusively in black and white, nothing should distract the viewer from the effect of the single image, she explained to Hotch.
These pictures expressed more of Alix personality, than she was aware of, Aaron thought. Her clothes were only inclined façade, the real Alix Talbot was hanging right there, on the wall. He listened carefully to her, as Alix talked about the passion she had for her profession and Aaron caught himself thinking, what passion she might show in bed.
"Alix? Time to say goodbye."
Henderson Talbot put his hand caring on his daughter's back.
"Oh, Dad, this early? I thought you´ll stay in DC tonight?"
"Your mother has been very anxious, it´s better when I go home. But I still have enough time to have a few words with your new friend, if you like to introduce us, Alexandria."
Alix rolled her eyes, her father never called her by full name, unless he wanted to convey something very clear. This time he wanted to scare Hotch off.
" It´s SSA Aaron Hotchner, B.A.U." Hotch introduced himself, "I'm glad to meet you, sir."
"I bet you do," the senator said and gave Aaron a strange look. Hotch was unimpressed and stared at Alix father the same way.
"My daughter is very important to me, Agent Hotchner. I wouldn´t like to see her getting hurt, by somebody," Talbot made the first move.
"I completely understand, sir. I feel the same way about my son," Hotch replied. This answer seemed to please the senator.
"Goodnight, Agent Hotchner." The senator he held out his hand and Hotch shook it.
"You come by for lunch tomorrow, dear?"
"Of course," Alix said and hugged her father tight. "Give Mami a kiss from me, will you?"
With a "sure, sweetheart", the senator made his way home.
"At least I know where your directness comes from." Aaron said dryly.
Alix grinned, "My family is a bit, well, you´ll get used to it. You see the tall redhead over there? This is my brother Bradley. The guy next to him is his boyfriend, Edward."
"His boyfriend?" Hotch repeated.
"We are Democrats, we don´t look at this so serious," Alix quipped, "don´t you say, you're Republican?"
"I take little account of political sensitivities, otherwise I couldn´t do my job. If your brother is happy, then that's fine with me."
A ringing cell interrupted their conversation. "Sorry, I have to answer that. Hotchner. Yes, JJ? How many? I'm on my way."
Alix could not understand what Aaron was told, but it seemed to mean nothing good.
"I'm sorry, Alix, I have to go, a new case."
"It's pretty bad, hu?" she wanted to know.
Hotch nodded. "I'm going to take care, promise," he said, before she could say it. "And I'll call you when it´s possible. Ok?"
Slight uneasiness spread through Alix, "Yes, please. And don´t you forget about it." Alix placed her arms around his neck and kissed him softly. Hotch lingered on to this kiss. It wasn´t passionate, it was caring and yearning. Hotch suddenly felt the warmth in his tummy. Good Lord, Aaron thought, I missed that so much.
"Where did he go, sis?"
Bradley asked. He instantly noticed, Alix mood had changed. There was this special connection between them, the siblings were very close.
"Work."
Alix answered monosyllabic.
"Come on, sis. Don´t look like you´re having a root canal." Brad tried to cheer her up. "He´s comming back to his very special girl. The guy in pinstripes is a reporter from the Washington Post. And he insists on an interview with the artist, so show him what you got." Brad pushed Alix in the reporters direction.
