Alright! Here's a new chapter! A big revelation is coming...


10

Photographic Evidence Doesn't Lies

Later that same day, Hotch got a call from the unit.

Chief Strauss wanted to see him once he finished with the red tape of the day. It was almost eight P.M, and every wall in the BAU felt lonely. Even silence was louder.

Erin was sitting as always in her table, looking cocky as always.

"Wanted to see me?" he asked once he arrived. Aaron was in front of the door, like something was telling him to not enter and run away

"Yes. Come in and sit down" she ordered, staring at the folder she held in her hands

"Thanks" Hotch replied after he obeyed her demands

"How the case is advancing?"

"We just have a preliminary profile of the unsub, but nothing concrete quite yet"

"I thought your brother and Hastings' sister were the main suspects"

"They were, unless we found out they were drugged and they weren't in their finest state of mind"

"Well, it's not about the case that I want to talk you about"

"Then, what do you need Erin?"

"The truth. It's all I ever ask for."

"Excuse me? What are you meaning?" Aaron asked confused

Strauss pulled out some photos from a yellow envelop. She put them in front of Hotch and then, she looked at him seriously. His eyes widened and he looked shocked.

"Can you explain to me what it's going on between you and Emily Prentiss?"

The photographs showed up Emily and Hotch hugging and kissing inside what it seemed to be his office in the unit. They looked into one of those couple moments when they try to fight their feelings and ended up with a passionate kiss.

"How did you get this?"

"I get it early this afternoon. I usually won't pay attention to these kinds of things but this looks so real to be Photoshop"

"That's not real Erin. It never happened" he denied

"Are you saying the truth?"

"Yes. Emi… Prentiss and I just have a professional relationship. She's one of our best members in the unit, that's why we took her back when she came back from London a year and a half ago. This is for the case"

"How exactly can this be related to the case?"

"The unsub has been stalking Alison, so we believe he's also stalking us somehow. All he wants is pull away the ones around her to find her vulnerable, but it won't work. We're trying so hard to finish the profile, but there are many irregularities in the unsub's M.O and in the selection of the victims. We don't know if he plans another attack but we'll get through the latest corner of his mind"

"Once again, nothing is going between you and Prentiss?"

"No" he denied again. Somewhere deep inside his heart a pang of remorse made him feel the most worthless person in the world. He had feelings for her but he wasn't sure if that came up since she got back and he fell in a moment of weakness. Beth was meant for him, or at least that's what he thought but now, anything fitted like it did before.

"Well, I hope you're not lying. You can leave" she said coldly

"Alright. See you tomorrow" he said standing up and leaving without a word. In that instant, all he needed was a moment of clearness and a moment of truth. How the hell those pictures appeared from? Who was behind that message?

He went to his office, trying to find some sort of hiding camera or something but nothing. Except for a yellow envelop with his name handwritten over it.

He looked at it curiously but he decided to open it. What else could it give?

Inside of the envelop, there were many pictures of Hotch's department, but the real shocking thing was what the pictures showed. He turned the picture he held in his hand and he noticed a message written in red ink.

WHO WILL EVER THOUGHT YOU AND SWEET EMILY ARE PLAYING WITH FIRE? PLAY UNDER MY RULES AND SHE WILL BE SAFE

In the next second, Ali's phone ringed. She was playing her guitar, trying to picture out her day.

"Hastings" she replied

"We need to meet" Aaron said seriously

"Hotch? What's the matter? You found something?"

Literally, yes, he thought. "No, no yet. But, I really need to talk to you"

"Alright, hmm, where you want us to meet?"

"Somewhere we can talk" Ali frowned, confused by the situation. That man didn't sound like Aaron Hotchner.

"Oh… 'kay, hmm, well, you can come to my place. We can talk here calmly and as long as you want"

"Fine. See you there" he finished said while he hang up. Ali stood confused in the middle of the room, but she decided ignore that conversation for a while.

"Who was that?" a girl asked in the other side of the room

"Oh, it was Hotch. He's coming here"

"Really? That's awesome!" Sasha Mercer jumped excited "I finally get to know your boss" that girl was Ali's roommate. She was an old friend from Berkeley, who always offered Alison her friendship. Once they decided to live together, they moved to a small house, perfect for two young ladies.

"No you won't… quite yet" Hastings replied, making she looked frustrated

"Why?"

"Because he perhaps wants to discuss about work and he is in a pretty weird mood. He sounded like… mysterious. I wonder what happened"


Moments later, agent Hotchner arrived to Ali's house. He gave it a quick glance, looking how modestly it was decorated.

"You want some tea cup?" she asked

"Yes please" Aaron replied, sitting in the white couch. She went to the kitchen and came back with two cups of tea and once she sat down, she looked curiously at him. This is definitely Aaron Hotchner, but he doesn't looks like Aaron Hotchner.

"Alright, this is turning awkward. Can I know why you came here?" the girl asked, breaking the ice

"The unsub has been spying all of us, not only you"

"What?"

"I just found out that he wanted me gone, because he sent Strauss some photos that can ruin Prentiss' career and mine"

"What kind of pictures?"

He folded up the envelop and revealed to her one of the pictures he stole from Erin's desk. She looked at it, feeling confused

"He's sending Photoshop to Strauss? Why?"

"That's the problem. That's not Photoshop"

Alison raised her head violently quickly. "It isn't?"

"No, it is not"

She looked once again at the photo of Emily and Aaron kissing passionately. For a minute she thought it was real but after realizing it couldn't be that way, she ignored it. But his confession changed it all, shocking her.

"Oh my Gosh, you and Emily kissed?!"

"That's not everything. He sent me something too" Hotch unfold the photograph with the message behind it and gave it to her. The picture revealed him and Prentiss kissing inside his room. He was shirtless, she was without her blazer but her blouse was unbuttoned. She had her arms twisted around him and his were around her wrist. There was just a little small light in the corner but everything else looked bright between them.

"Is this what I'm thinking?" she turned the image and read the message "Hotch, what does the unsub means? Why Emily and you are playing with fire?"

"Because any of those photos are lie. That kiss really happened and the picture with the message…" he stopped, feeling embarrassed "… I –I slept with Emily"

Ali's jaw dropped completely. Her expression was shocked, she was shocked. It felt like somebody hit her with a big stick right in her forehead. What the heck did he just said?

"You and Emily?! What?! Holy crap! You slept with her?"

"I was hoping you didn't judge me" he said sincerely

"You just can't throw a bombshell without expecting this kind of reactions!"

"This is not a bombshell"

"It is! At least for us! You know perfectly fine we can't date with anybody of our team. You're the chief, remember?"

"Do you even know how hard is pretend you don't love somebody? Or at least you have feelings and you have to avoid them?" he asked her, opening up

"Yes" she answered sincerely. A small smile showed up and she couldn't help but think about Spencer. She loved him and she couldn't forget about him that easily

"Then, you must understand I'm afraid"

"Yes" Ali replied again "But, you can't hide this to her" she said looking seriously at him "I'm not sure how your relationship with Emily goes, but if you want to know who's the one you love, you have to be sincere to Beth. She has to know this"

"I can't just tell her this"

"Yes, you can. Why Prentiss deserves know that there's somebody else and Beth can't? Tell her before somebody else does. Otherwise you will lose both"

"You're right. It's not fair" he said determinate


Now, guys, I really want to know what you want to happen next. Tell me what you would like to see here and with who you want Aaron to be with. This is a pretty tangled relationship but I want to hear your thoughts! I hope you enjoyed this long chapter :D