Going Home

This is my first fan fiction and first time ever writing one of my fantasy stories. I would love to hear your opinions and look to working further on the story.

I do not own or have connection with the "Criminal Minds" program or its characters

Death is Never Easy

As they lay next to one another spent and tired, they began to hear voices. It took a while for them to realize that it is the members of the team yelling from outside the tree house, it seems they heard screams and became concerned. They look at each other in their disheveled state and laughed.

Kathy: "You tell them what's happening; I am going to get a drink." She walks to the small refrigerator in the corner while he looks around for something to put on, Finding his shirt he puts it on and goes to closed window. Opening the window, he yells down.

Hotch: "We're fine, there is no problem. We will be down shortly."

Kathy: "You want a bottle, Aaron?" He turns and looks at her strangely. She waves a bottle of water at him. "A bottle?" He laughs and nods yes. "Of course we could put a nipple on it if you like." She says teasingly.

Hotch: "You know, I think you could use a spanking," with a smile.

Kathy: "You think so and whose gonna give it to me."

Hotch: "I think I should for lying to get me here."

Kathy: "I don't think so." She turns her back on him and begins to find her clothes. He walks up behind and swats her.

Kathy: "Hey, I don't like it when people sneak up behind me."

Hotch: "I'm not people." He kisses and begins to once again rub her on the shoulders while she begins to rub his manhood again.

Kathy: "I don't think we should be doing this again. There are people waiting downstairs." He groans.

Hotch: "You're right. Let us find those clothes." He kisses her passionately. "Did you know that it looks like there are a lot of people down there?"

Kathy: "The children might have spread the word that Aaron of the tree house is here."

Hotch: "That shouldn't make a difference."

Kathy: "It doesn't in your mind, but only in yours."

They dress and she hands him the bottle of water. He does not notice that she puts a few pieces of white powder in her own water. She straightens his tie and makes sure he looks like that formidable FBI agent he is. They both go down the stairs to the ground. They look at the people around them, the BAU agents, townspeople and children.

Hotch: "Is there something that you wanted to know?"

Rossi: "What is happening to you Hotch? Since we came to this town, you do not seem the person that we are familiar with."

Hotch: "I know and I am sorry if I have worried you." He is speaking to his team. "This is my hometown and I don't exactly have the best memories of the place, I never wanted to come back. Reid, tell me about Huntington's disease.

Reid: "It is a hereditary disease that affects the neurons and destroys brain cells. The person who gets it begins with spastic movements, intellectual loss, and emotional disturbances. They begin to lose their minds and hurt the people they love. A person has a 50% of getting it if their parents have it and of giving it their offspring. There is no cure for it and only limited ability to control, eventually they must be institutionalized and cared for. They can live up to fifteen years from the onset of symptoms, but it continually and progressively worsens daily and yearly. Many times death is caused not by the disease itself but by complications to other things, such as pneumonia or choking."

Hotch: "There's no hope for recovery."

Reid: "None. They can only help the symptoms of the spastic movements, antipsychotics medicine for the hallucinations and delusions. There is no other help for it. The deterioration is ongoing and complete."

Hotch: "Thanks Reid, I'd like everyone to go back to the house and get their stuff, you will be heading back to Quantico this afternoon. The case has been solved, thankfully to a good conclusion."

Rossi: "You said we will be, aren't you heading back with us."

Hotch: "No, my mother died, I should see about that. I can take time for that."

Rossi: "You hated your mother."

Hotch: "Yes, but I can do the right thing and bury her with dignity. Despite my feelings, everyone deserves to be buried with dignity." As Kathy hears this, she knows that the man she always known is still there, even for the woman who wronged him so many years ago. She couldn't be more proud of that man. "Besides, (looking around at the townspeople) I think there are people who want to see me. Maybe I can give them a little time." Kathy smile is even greater.

Kathy: "There's not much you need to do. Your mother has prepared and planned for it. She wanted to be cremated and her ashes placed with her husband. Their stone has room for her on it; it is just waiting for her death date."

One of the townspeople: "We would love to hear some of your stories of your job and just what you've been doing to get all those write ups in the news."

Hotch: "What do mean?"

Townsperson 2: "The stuff that's on the display in the library."

Hotch: "You have a display of me?"

3: "We sure do, we are very proud of our agent." Hotch looks at Kathy and sees the glowing pride in her eyes and countenance and once again feels like a heel for ignoring her requests to come home. Maybe, his mother was right. He is a spoiled and selfish man.

Prentiss: "Do you think we have time to see that display before we head back to Quantico?"

1: "It's at the library. Come along and I'll show you." The people begin to move towards the library which is just a few blocks down the street. The agents get swept up with the people. Their curiosity was piqued as what this display would show of their fearless leader.

The Library

As the group of people enters the library, the go past the front desk and security, taking a turn to the left, a large windowed display comes into view. In that display is newspaper articles, online articles, a screen which continually shows you tube videos of one man, Aaron Hotchner. The articles and pictures surrounding them all discuss him and his work with the FBI, as a prosecutor, a photocopy of his diplomas, his work with Ambassador Prentiss and anything that has to do with Aaron Hotchner. The display is amazingly accurate and stunningly lovely in its portrayal of what this town considers a remarkable man. As Aaron looks at this display of his life's work, he is humbled by this apparent affection. He doesn't believe that he deserves this type of display and says so.

Brian: "I can't believe that this is the tiny pipsqueak that stood up to me and my friends to protect others." Aaron turns around.

Hotch: "Brian! Did you do this?"

Brian: "No, I helped but this is mostly Kathy."

Hotch: "Of course, it would be her, but I don't deserve this. I work with a team and they are equally as impressive."

Brian: "That may be true, but we don't know them and they are not from this town."

Hotch: "What do you do now?"

Brian: "I followed in your footsteps and became an attorney."

Hotch: "Prosecuting?"

Brian: "No, I do paper law. I write wills, patents, trusts and such. I am your mother's attorney, as well as Kathy's and most of the people in town. So you will probably see me a lot in the next few days while we take care of the legal niceties of death." As Kathy watches this interaction between the men, she takes another swig of water. Aaron notices her drinking and goes to take the bottle of water from her, there is very little left.

Hotch: "What did you put in here earlier?"

Kathy: "Did you see me put something in there?"

Hotch: "Yes, what was it?"

Kathy: "The disease that I have is going to kill me slowly and cause me to lose who I am. I'm not going to let that happen. I have always ruled my own life and made those choices that were best for me. You are not the spoiled or selfish person here. I am. I choose to take my life when I want to do so, before I lose that choice."

Hotch: "You poisoned yourself."

Kathy: "Yes. I saw my father lose himself and become outraged and violent to the people he loved. I don't plan on doing that. I have taken an overdose of my medications. I hope it will kill me quickly; I have no intention of going to the hospital or anything else. Just be with me when I die."

Hotch: "I'm not going anywhere." Brian goes and brings the rocking chair from the children's section for Kathy to sit down in. Another townsperson brings a chair for Aaron to sit next to her while he holds her hand. The team and people surround these two people and look on, unsure how to help or give comfort to them.

She talks to him quietly and with certainty of what she is saying. This is a woman who knows all about this man and his team members. She is wealthy enough to be able to pay for all the knowledge that she can get and has done so. She talks about the members of his team as if she knew them intimately and can read their very souls.

Kathy: "You need to listen to me now and take heed of what I say. You have wonderful group of people working for you, but they need your strength to lead and guide. Do not fail them. Young JJ and she is young, maybe one she could be your replacement before that happens she needs to make a choice of family and how she wants to create that. Henry will need a sibling soon, who she wants to make it with is causing her to question her own feelings. Tell her that she needs to follow them; they will lead her more so than her logic and reason will. Sweet Spencer, a great mind and it will continue to expand and he will continue to mature, he needs to learn how to look beyond the written word that he clings to and see the other world of imagination and creation. He should look to create his own works of words and how they fit into his life. I didn't get to Penelope, but she a fascinating woman with a great deal of love to give, yet she needs to receive an unconditional love and respect. Derek is your maverick. His strength lies not in bulging muscles, but his gentle heart. He makes people feel good, but he needs a companion. His trust is low but is heart will open in time. And dear Emily, a woman of strength and yet she is very vulnerable, she believes that you don't trust women, yet you are the greatest defender of them. Of their abilities and their cruelties, you know women of both; it is not that you do not trust women; you just need to know them. Emily needs to know that she if fully loved and it does not matter if the church does not have faith in her, her father in Heaven does. She needs you to put her before all other women, she hasn't met. Introduce her to Brian; I think that they'd be good for each other. Jason needs to find the angel of the wood; he is searching for the true innocence of people. He will find it in her. She has given all of her life to restoring men and renewing their faith in people. She would be good for him and would heal his tormented soul. David is a mystery to me and I've never been able to pin him down or to know who he really is. He writes his books and yet puts so little of himself in them. Keep him under control and tell him to introduce you to his special sister. She is a soul who needs a hero. She does not trust men, in fact she despises them, and your gentleness can heal her. Don't forget to find a companion and a friend to care for you and who will put you first in their lives darling. You deserve it."

Hotch: "Your insight into people is interesting, but I have no control over what they do."

Kathy: "Just support them as they search and go forward. There is one more person I need to talk about before I die, I don't have much time. Sean is a wonderful young man; you were a very good brother. You need to talk about the deal and why it wasn't necessary. For thirty years I have disliked men, your father did to me. It began when I was nine, when I became pregnant at twelve, the adults did not believe that I could raise a child. My mother could not, so the child was given to your father and his wife to raise. That child needs to be tested for this disease because he has a 50-50 chance of getting this disease and I hope he doesn't have it. Talk to Dr. Hendrickson about, he'll know what to do. Your mother would never have done to Sean what she did to you, he wasn't her biological son. She cared for him, but didn't really love him as a mother should. You gave him that love that he needed to grow on and I hope he appreciates you. I know that he respects you and he knew about the deal. It wasn't something you could keep from him. Trust in him and share with him your story.

Hotch: "I don't think I can do that."

Kathy: "Put aside your big brother pride and embrace him as a friend and you can talk to him about it." She coughs violently and leans back weak.

Kathy: "I love you Aaron."

Hotch: "I love you."

Kathy: "Keep yourself clean and dry, I'll be watching."

Hotch: "I'll do my best." Upon hearing that Kathy closes her eyes and expels her last breath.

Hotch: "NO!" The man bends over her and begins to sob in anguish as his friend dies."