Disenchantment
Disclaimer: As per usual I own nothing related to any TV show, book, movie, etc. How sad D:
Pairing: Hotch/Prentiss friendship and romance. Everything else is friendship :D.
Genres: Crime, Drama, Friendship, and Romance.
Rating: 14 Advanced. There will be swearing, violence, and sexual implications. Nothing too bad without me warning you (or) changing the rating.
Spoilers: Some time during season five, I suppose.
Summary: Aaron and Emily have an accord but it is put in jeopardy when the illusions of one man finally push him over the edge.
Dedication: For "The Boy". You may as well be the sun; everything ends up revolving around you ;D.
Date of Completion: Sunday May 30th 2010.
Author's Comment: *Arises from the dead* I AM ALIVE! :O.
That's right, dear readers, I am not dead, I am simply procrastinating :P. You see this is what happens when you let the "Real World" monopolize the time that you could have spent writing fanfiction :/. Nevertheless, I have completed the tenth chapter so none of you have to go too long without an update before I decided to not post for forever again; aren't I just lovely? Not the point! The point is that I am sorry for not finishing the chapter sooner and I am here now, groveling on my knees, for you, my dear readers. I hope you find emotional gratification from this latest installment :D.
Chapter Ten. Protective Custody
"Fear is the father of courage and the mother of safety."
-Henry H. Tweedy
8:12AM
Thursday March 25th 2010
Quantico Police Department
Renée had imagined that, if she were polite and non-resistant, the police officers would kindly allow her to stay with her niece and nephew instead of being holed up in some interrogation room, however she had been sorely mistaken. Unimpressed with the police department, Renée quickly concluded that two could play this frustrating game, and promptly locked her jaw; she hadn't spoken since. The officers, who were a man and a woman, had tried just about every trick in the book to get her to speak but being Renée she was nothing if not stubborn. She held her ground until they finally—blindly—hit her Achilles' heel; Phoenix and Andrea.
In return of Renée's willingness to help "find" Zephyr, the officers had guaranteed her access to her niece and nephew. At first Renée had been reluctant but there would never be a part of her that would be comfortable with leaving children without someone they can rely on, someone that they know will look out for them when they need it the most and Renée had always prided herself on being that person.
"What do you want to know?" She had asked and instantly she could see a twin spark in the man and woman's eyes, something telling her that she had made a wrong turn or misjudgement. In the back of her mind, Renée wondered speaking to the authorities was considered turning on her brother but she knew that she could always censor and edit where necessary, just as long as she got to see her niece and nephew once more before the police took them away forever.
8:17AM
Thursday March 25th 2010
Quantico Police Department
One would think that a pre-cinct would be more entertaining than say, a doctor's office, but it really wasn't. Phoenix, no longer being four years old, had only found the half filled in colouring books and out-dated magazines completely tedious. Andrea, however, was entertaining herself by awkwardly braiding her hair, having finished drawing all over a page in one of the dog-eared children's books with every colour of broken crayon that the twenty-four pack had to offer, a twenty four pack that sadly only had seventeen colours.
Briefly, Phoenix wondered if they would have to speak to the police like he knew his aunt was currently. He wasn't sure that he would like sitting in one of those dark, dingy rooms with only two metal chairs and a metal table that was likely smothered in germs, sweat, tears, and probably blood. What would be worse though, Phoenix contemplated, would be having an officer try to buddy up to him in one of those cushy children's rooms that offered beanbag chairs, pastel painted walls, and smelt like Play-Doh and flowery air freshener. Despite how long ago it had been, the eleven year old didn't think he would ever forget sitting on that stupid blue couch that one couldn't help but sink in, across from some kid shrink that was trying to get him to talk about his mother.
Phoenix had always considered his sister fortunate that she never had to go through all that.
"Pheo," a little voice called out to him. "When's Aunt Renée comin' back?"
The older child didn't bother looking away from his random spot on the wall as he answered. "Soon, I guess."
Thankfully his answer had satisfied the young girl who had resumed braiding her hair and playing with the buttons on her blue wool cardigan as well as tracing the thin lines of her snowy white leggings. Sometimes Phoenix would wonder how his sister could be off in her world, totally immune to the reality surrounding her, but he also knew that it had something to do with the way she thought and the way that she articulated her thoughts. At eleven years old, Phoenix didn't know much about his sister in a medical or scientific sense but he knew that she had been born like that and the details of her birth were not all happy ones. If he closed his eyes, held his breath, as well as curled his fingers and toes he could be right back in that same hospital with Andrea in their aunt's arms and his father bent over himself, cradling his head and hiding his tears. For most people birth was a blessed occasion but Andrea's just reminded their father of his dearly beloved's untimely death.
"Pheo," his younger sister called for him again and when he didn't react she continued. "I'm hungry."
Tough luck. Phoenix thought to himself since he knew full well that neither of them had any money to go and purchase any food and he wasn't about to do something stupid like going to search for some when, at any time, his aunt could be finished up speaking to the police. He told Andrea, quite politely, to "deal with it" until their aunt was back with some cash or to drive them home.
However, Andrea who was six and stubborn, blatantly ignored Phoenix in favour of wandering over to a desk where a woman was scribbling a signature on paper was. She tugged on the woman's black dress pants and smiled a toothy grin when she was awarded with attention. The woman, weakened by the adorableness of Andrea's few dimples, handed her a granola bar and Rice Krispie treat from her desk drawer. Then, being a kind sole, the woman walked over to a water cooler and filled two flimsy paper cups with cold, clean tasting, H20. Andrea, no doubt, flashed another "aww, how precious" inducing smile before stumbling back towards her brother.
First she offered the cone full of liquid to Phoenix and then the rocky road granola bar. A sudden pang of "I'm an horrible big brother" shot up Phoenix's spine and he decided to play nice, and he even asked his sister if she would draw a picture with him while he would find the comics in the day before yesterday's newspaper which was still lying around for some reason.
For a moment the boy wondered if this was what his father and aunt were like growing up and it was something that Phoenix wanted for Andrea and himself.
8:23AM
Thursday March 25th 2010
Somewhere, Virginia
It had been the third time he had to drug her.
Zephyr had forever been a realistic man, especially in relationships. He knew that not always could a partner satisfy the other nor could a person be dedicated at all times. It was difficult to grasp but he knew that sometimes people changed, however little, into something unfamiliar. Temperance, for example, was not one to fight. She was a firm believer in talking things out and cooling down before things escalated. Of course Zephyr appreciated how well his wife could relax him, how skilled she was at keeping him grounded when he felt like he was going crazy. Yet, as of late, she seemed to be uncharacteristically defiant.
Temperance was fighting him, personally as well as physically, and he was beginning to worry for her. Perhaps she felt as if she no longer belonged in their home, with their family? Maybe it was a matter of repressed feelings and boiling resentment? Was she upset that he had kept Andrea, if only because that little girl was evidence of the woman he had thought left? Or was it because he had taken so long finding her and that he had been distracted and deceived along the way by pretty faces he confused with the mother of his children, the friend of his sister, and his own sweetheart? Nonetheless Temperance—his Temperance—had to understand that they were reunited now and that the end justified the means. It may have taken six or so years but finally they were together, happy and just as in love as before.
He hits a bump in a road and her body remained lax.
Her long, dark hair flailed as Zephyr manoeuvred through numerous potholes but her expression stayed stoic, flawless, and beautiful. He wanted nothing more than to reach across the space between them and to touch her gorgeous face. Instead he restrained himself with the promise that they could have some tender and conscious moments once she was awake.
"We're almost there, baby." Zephyr assures her as he fiddles with the radio knobs. Expectedly, she did not answer but that didn't faze the driver as he turned up the volume once he settled on a station.
"Hear that, hon?" He asks as soft music filtered through the radio. "That's our song."
Sometimes words are hard to find
I'm looking for that perfect line
To let you know you're always on my mind
Bryan Adams' hit song "The Best of Me" is almost intoxicating, dancing in and out of Zephyr's ears before escaping through the opened windows on both the driver and passenger's side of the vehicle. With a smooth voice designed for singing and speaking and seducing, Zephyr follows the lyrics from memory. He clasps Temperance's hand in his own and fancies her asleep. She is absolutely stunning in her green and gold flowery sundress. It has a decent v-neck and is made of some kind of wrinkly material; the dress falls just above the knees and she is wearing Gladiator sandals. Zephyr, being almost completely inept when it came to hairstyling and aesthetics, had applied no make up and simply knotted the woman's hair into a bun the way that Temperance wore it when she was concentrating on something.
"I can't believe we're finally back here; it's been years." Zephyr speaks to the unresponsive woman in the seat beside him. He leaned across the armrests between them and kissed her jaw as the radio piped out their song and the vehicle came to a complete stop in front of a poorly maintained house that came straight from the Victorian era. To anyone else who laid eyes on the building they may wonder what would possess someone to venture into such a death-trap house but then none of them were sentimental.
Ooh, when you want it - when you need it
You'll always have the best of me
Oh, this is love
You got the best of me
Oh, you got the best of me
8:29AM
Thursday March 25th 2010
The Nolan Family's Neighbourhood
Jennifer Jareau had decided to drive with Rossi and Morgan to the Nolan household.
The ride was mostly a quiet one with the exception of the three of them speaking about the case, answering phone calls, and drinking coffee from travel mugs. It was difficult for the blonde agent as well as the dark skinned man to do anything other than obsess about the case, the Unsub, and the victim especially when the case cut so close to the bone. Every case that they worked, every single case, monopolized their time, energy, and attention but this was one of those special cases that no matter how hard they tried they just couldn't stop seeing it when ever they closed their eyes or thinking about it during every aspect of their day.
And the elephant in the room didn't make it any easier.
"I thought Officers Hahn and Sidney already checked the premises." JJ asked from her seat behind Morgan, who was residing in the passenger seat of the vehicle.
The eldest agent answered the blonde through the rear-view mirror. "They did and for the most part they came up empty handed. However we believe the Unsub made a run for it."
There was no need to vocalize what the three of them already knew; Zephyr took Emily with him.
Morgan sighed and checked the GPS; they should be close.
"Is that normal for him though?" Derek asked from behind the lip of his coffee. It was his third one this morning and he still felt like he was in a dream-like state.
From behind him, JJ spoke up with a file opened in her lap. "The previous two victims were never found but we can assume, since he has victims, that they have been disposed of."
Rossi, who was driving, sighed and closed his eyes for just a split second; "he kills them."
As soon as the Italian-American spoke that fact aloud, both JJ and Morgan had to fight the all-consuming compulsion to open every window in the SUV to let the tension out. No one had to say it because it choked the oxygen; Emily could very well be next in line.
Moments passed without anyone saying anything, instead Derek and JJ let Rossi drive through the quiet and secluded neighbourhood while they tried not to think of Emily being taken during her sleep, being forced in unfamiliar quarters, and coerced into God only knows what by a possibly murderous and delusional man. Rossi could remember something that Emily had told him years ago, something about people not knowing that their time was up.
"It's always sad seeing someone's life reduced to the things they had with them when they died. It's just so clear they didn't know how short their time would be."
That begged the question what had happened when she was abducted and, of course, her current situation. Hotch had said that she was taken during the very early morning and that she had been asleep when the Unsub must have found his way in. A part of Rossi felt awful for being so inquisitive about his friends' private lives when one of their lives was at risk but it something that he just couldn't shake. Maybe it was because it was affecting Hotch so much or maybe it was because he wasn't sure why Aaron and Emily hadn't shared something like that with the team.
The whole scenario reminded the SSA of JJ and Will who had wanted to keep their relationship under wraps. In their line of work it was difficult to have a private life, difficult to have a private past, and even a future that everyone else didn't already know about. It was a much sought after prize to have something for yourself but, like most things, it would come out eventually and that usually took place at the worst possible times. However, in Hotch and Prentiss' case, it may have been the secret itself that made it slip out. Had Emily not been sleeping over at Hotch's house—for God only knows how long as well—the Unsub may have stalked Emily but waned interest upon finding out the truth that she was not in a mother or wife position like one could assume when seeing her with Hotch and Jack.
Of course that was an extremely negative way to look at it and Rossi honestly believed that Aaron and Emily had only the best of reasons for being together that evening as well that Hotch was currently being eaten away by misplaced resentment and helplessness. For as long as David Rossi had known the younger SSA, he was well aware of Hotch's ability to blame himself for things that he could not have prevented. David believed that it stemmed from Aaron's control freak personality and need for everything to have a meaning and purpose because, God forbid, something doesn't have meaning than it someone can be put at the disadvantage not knowing what to anticipate.
And Aaron Hotchner, by nature, was not someone who enjoyed surprises.
"Where is Hotch, anyway?" Morgan asked from beside Rossi; had he been thinking aloud?
JJ answered without looking up. "Went with Reid to see Hahn and Sidney; he wanted to sit in on the interview I think."
Now why didn't that surprise Agent Rossi at all?
"I don't know if that's the best decision," was Derek's response as he looked out his window.
With a "how so" expression written across her face, JJ awaited elaboration.
"It's just that Hotch has been really involved in the case, probably more than the rest of us, and maybe having him watch or participate in an interview with the person closest to the Unsub wouldn't be the best idea."
The blonde woman rubbed her temples soothingly before answering her friend and colleague. "Hotch won't crack, Morgan. He's Hotch."
The way that JJ had put it made it sound so fool proof, so factual, and so believable.
"What do you think, Rossi?" The agent tried again, wanting to believe the woman but needing more security than what she could offer.
Not answering Derek immediately, Rossi pulled into the driveway of an older home. He inspected the house through the windshield and it was pretty nice one at that. The question formed in Rossi's mind; had this been where he held her? And it popped just as suddenly. Turning to the man adjacent to him, Rossi gave Morgan an answer.
"The only thing worse than Hotch in action is when he's waiting."
The conversation ended, seatbelts undone, and car doors flung open as the trio climbed out of the SUV and approached the Nolan household.
9:12PM
Wednesday January 20th 2010
BAU, Quantico, Virginia
Aaron Hotchner had always been notorious for staying after hours, what with him being a self-proclaimed workaholic. He would stay in his office until the later hours of the evening, the early hours of the morning, and sometimes for more than twenty-four consecutive hours. Usually the burning the midnight oil pattern was in accordance to an overload of paperwork and case files but Hotch had been known, on occasion, to camp overnight when a case got too close for comfort. If it were up to the aforementioned BAU agent, he would renovate his office so that Jack could have a second bedroom. Unfortunately for Aaron—and his type A personality—he had not expected the arrival of one Emily Prentiss.
It had begun with that look on her face; the expression that Emily wore when she spoke about how the stress of the job would be the death of her, that she had a total of four and a half hours of sleep so everyone better shut the fuck up or be on the receiving end of her Glock, or when a member of the team denied how a case was truly affecting them. Actually the ladder of those example would be the best definition of Emily's current "oh yeah, you're totally fine, you've just let this case consume your well being for shit and giggles" expression. Hotch had always hated when that look was directed at him, mostly because he understood that Prentiss was right to do so.
Like this moment had been, for instance.
"Can I help you, Agent Prentiss?" Aaron had asked while looking up from his pile of paperwork when Emily entered the room. There had been a slight frown on her face and an absence of her usual grace; exhaustion had been weighing heavily on her.
"I think they have support groups for these kinds of things," she had responded only half-sarcastically. "Workaholics Anonymous, although the meetings would have to be after over-time."
Despite the fact that Hotch had sighed at his friend's remark he had let it slide.
"I'm almost done here." Liar. "Then I'm going to pick Jack up." Truth.
She had only raised an eyebrow and asked a rhetorical question if he had ever heard one, "before midnight?"
Since when had he become an open book?
"You shouldn't still be here, Emily. Go home." Hotch had sighed as he rubbed his tired eyes with the heels of his hands. But Emily hadn't listened to Hotch, not that he had really expected her to, and instead waltzed her way around his desk and plucked his pen out of his hand. She had been incredibly she wasn't anyone else.
There had been a momentary pause in which Hotch reflected on how the moment could be interpreted. It certainly could have been seen as "personal" and even "intimate" but it wasn't the alleged "intimacy" that had made Hotch think, instead it was the unfolding of events that had led up to the "moment". Had Aaron ever let someone in willingly; had he ever even noticed that it had been happening? Certainly not or else he would have run in the opposite direction. Aaron Hotchner had never done well with breaking down walls and wearing his heart on his sleeve.
Emily's voice had broke Hotch from his insights. "I told Jessica that you'd pick Jack up soon."
Instinctively his eyes had found hers with that gaze that just screamed eternal questioning. It still bothered Hotch how—no matter what he tried—it would always be obvious that he could continually be surprised. He had always believed that a "poker face" was something to strive for, however his eyes seemed to disagree. Ever since Aaron could remember his mother, as well as a few other close relatives and family friends, had made it a point to inform him that having such expressive eyes were a blessing, however he had only seen them as a nuisance that let other people see what was going through his mind. According to his mother, Aaron had never liked being "figured out".
"Thanks." Sure, it had been mumbled but it had been vocal appreciation instead of a nod or a look. It was something akin to human connection and when cases like the ones that they had just experienced it was amazing that Hotch could summon that much up. Prentiss had sighed a little gratefully and started pulling on the jacket Hotch hadn't realized was draped over her arm.
Patiently, Prentiss had waited until Hotch was packed up, likely to make sure he actually left. Together they had made their way out of the building only dividing when they realized that their cars were in opposite directions.
"Get Jack, go home, and get some sleep." Emily had said it like it was a statement, as if it were a routine or expectation she had been reciting. "Promise me."
Hotch had begun to argue this with a slow drawl of her name, one that she had interrupted before the second syllable.
"Promise me," she had reinforced and with the addition of her hand on his elbow, not willing to back down verbally as well physically. Aaron had given her another one of those expressive looks and she had to try her hardest not to crumble. Unintentionally she had squeezed his the crook of his elbow and he had faltered, letting go of all the built up tension.
"Why do you do it?"
Based on the confused reaction spelt across Emily's face, Aaron had realized he would have to elaborate.
"Take care of everyone else?"
It had been Emily's turn to let her defences fall; her arm had, however, stayed locked in place.
"Because you can't do it all the time."
The tall, dark, and handsome man had conceded to this and met his friend's gaze again. "Come home with me."
Where the fuck had that come form?
"H—" Emily had begun but was cut short.
Aaron had to work twice as hard to keep eye contact as he confessed something he hadn't planned on telling her. Ever.
"It's just a bed when I'm alone."
And by some freak chance Emily had managed to decode his admission with a spark of awe in her deep, dark eyes.
"My car or yours?"
Author's Comment:
1) Confusion was mentioned in the previous chapter's reviews and I would offer clarification but I am not sure what you were all confuzzled over (o.O) so you'll have to tell me in so that I can help straighten things out, okay? :D
2) The flashback was totally lame, I am well aware, and even though I wanted to make it more…more (if that makes any sense) but I didn't want to jump into a situation that makes Hotch or Emily any more out of character than I've already accomplished :P.
3) Originally it was Hotch who was supposed to be driving the car and that piece of the chapter was mostly going to be the insight of JJ and Rossi who would be accompanying Hotch to the Nolan household. However, a turn of events occurred when I felt that the dialogue in this chapter was lacking and that it would be interesting to see the team worrying over Hotch without Hotch actually being there. You know? XD
4) Plus it gave Reid and Hotch something to do while they were not present ;D.
5) Yes, Zephyr is on the run and for the most part Prentiss is still in tact :D. There will be a little more on this in the next chapter because it is a change in scenery and I have some tricks up my sleeve ;D.
6) Insight on Andrea, Phoenix, and Renée! This was rather exciting for me to write, although most of it was Phoenix centred which I'm not sure of :P.
7) Super long author's comment, I know, so I am going to wrap this one up with the good ol' "read, reflect, and review" ;D. Thank you so much for reading and stick around to see what's coming up next :D.