The welcome smell of coffee met Aaron when he woke up the next morning. He felt around the bed but there was no sign of Rachel. He opened his eyes and raised his hand to block the early morning sun. Rachel was at her wardrobe, pulling out her clothes. Aaron smiled.
"Morning."
She quickly turned her head around and smiled back. "Morning."
"Why are we up so early? I thought we could…"
"Don't be so bad, Aaron." She removed his shirt and grabbed her underwear.
He smiled and sat up on the bed, sipping his coffee. "Thanks for this. Why are you getting dressed? It's Saturday."
She removed his shirt and grabbed her underwear, focusing on putting them on as she spoke. "My mother's coming over with Arya this morning." Aaron made a sound of understanding. They were quiet for a while. Rachel walked over to the bed and settled in his arm. "I'm sorry…" She stroked his chest gently. "We should tell them. We can't help it that we love each other."
Aaron nodded and kissed her forehead. "Later. I want this to just be about us."
Rachel looked up and he kissed her. "Ok, you really need to get out of here before they get here."
Aaron reluctantly got out of bed, dressed and reluctantly kissed her goodbye.
For weeks after, Aaron wanted nothing more than to tell everyone about him and Rachel.
"No," Rachel said as she chopped the onion. "Have you told anyone?"
Aaron hesitated. "Not really." Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Just Morgan and JJ and Emily. But... They won't say anything."
"What happened to…" She glanced into the next room to make sure Arya was preoccupied with the DVD. "…it just being about us?"
Aaron was at the iPod dock and flicking through the songs. "I know. And I meant that. But…I'd like to be able to see you more than once or twice a week. And go out in public. And not worring about what Arya hears us whsper to each other."
"So do I." She put the onions onto a plate and grabbed a pepper. "Look, Haley and I are finally back on track... I saw that." Aaron rolled his eyes. She placed the knife on the counter wiped her hand, walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "She's my sister. And this will hurt her. Despite everything."
"You're right. She's your sister. But that didn't stop her from making your lives hell when you were kids. Or making you feel worthless. Or ordering you around like that." He wasn't looking her in the eye.
"Well, you're making up for her now, aren't you?" She reached up and kissed him, then went back to chopping the vegetables. Aaron settled on a song and sat beside her, watching her work. "We do need to talk about it though, don't we?"
"What?"
"Haley."
"I say we just tell her, quick and easy, and deal with the consequences."
Rachel laughed. "It's not that simple." She grew serious. "So how's work?" Aaron frowned. She'd been doing it a lot since they'd slept together. Whenever Haley came up. It was as though she forgot, and when they got to a certain point she'd remember and change the subject. It was always his work. He always played along.
"It's alright."
"But?"
"But nothing… We just need to finish the other conversation for once."
"I thought we had finished."
"No, you cut it off. Like you always do." Aaron stood up and wrapped his arms around her waist. She tensed up.
"I just feel guilty, I guess. I'm scared to tell her." She smiled. "But I will."
She left Aaron in charge of cooking when she went to get Arya. "Sweetie, dinners almost ready. Will you go clean up?"
"Kay."
Arya's third birthday was a tough one. The whole family, Aaron included, all in the house together. They wanted so many times to get away from them and just be together but they never had the chance. Jessica was always watching them.
As Arya hurried upstairs she knocked over Aaron's work bag. Files spilt out. Arya turned. "Go! I'll tidy here."
Rachel bent down and began gathering the files, not looking at the details or the pictures. She came across an envelope, it's contents half out. They were the divorce papers.
Geiger & Jones.
Uncontested divorce.
Mrs. Haley Hotchner will retain full custody of Jack Hotchner, while Mr. Aaron Hotchner will be given scheduled visits.
Rachel stared at the bottom of the page. Haley Hotchner. Haley's neat, perfect signature. She looked to the side. Her throat tightened. Aaron's was nowhere to be seen.
"Dinner's ready." Rachel jumped. Aaron walked into the room. "What are you doing?"
"You're bag fell. I was tid-" She cleared her throat and held up the papers. "She served you."
Aaron froze. "That's private."
"Haley served you with signed divorce papers and you haven't signed them yet."
"I only got them a couple of weeks ago. I haven't had a chance to sign them yet."
"You sign… a dozen things at minimum a day. Signing these would have taken you how long? Two, three minutes?"
"It's not as easy as that."
"Why not?"
Aaron stared at Rachel. "Scheduled visits? That means I have to show up when I'm supposed to. No reorganising. I get to see Jack only when it suits Haley. I don't want that."
"Do you want Haley?"
"Wh-?" Aaron was taken aback. He laughed. "Are you serious?"
"It's not funny."
"It's ridiculous."
Arya appeared on the stairs. "Done, Mommy." Rachel finished tidying the files from the floor, while Aaron dished out ate in silence. Arya didn't take much notice of the tension. After dinner, she hugged Aaron tightly and Rachel carried her up to bed. When she came back down stairs, Aaron was doing the cleaning up.
"I'll do that." She had his bag in her hand.
He grabbed a dish cloth and wiped his hands. "Nearly done. Just have to do the drying." He looked at the bag.
"You should go."
He laughed. "Oh really, and what about the movie?"
She kept her straight face. "I'm tired."
Aaron's face fell. "You're serious?"
She threw his bag to him. "Go."
"Me not signing those divorce papers is like you not telling your family."
"No. It's not. I plan to tell them. I plan to have a life with you. Even if it means they're not there. But I can't have a life with you if you're still married to my sister."
"Rach…" He knew that the only thing he could do was what she wanted. When he came to her, he bent down and kissed her cheek. "I love you," he whispered. "Just… remember that. Please."