The Children are Missing
Chapter 25
"You've been followed for two weeks?" Kahlan asked clearly concerned. "And you didn't think that was something that maybe you should have shared with me?"
Hotch sighed. "I wasn't even sure it was happening, and when he showed up I just assumed it was him," Hotch told her with a gesture at Chuck.
"So how many other old friends does he have to be worried about?" Rossi asked Kahlan.
Kahlan gave him her most innocent look. "You weren't supposed to have to worry about any of them," she told him as she shot a look at Chuck.
"Yeah, but there still had to be someone connected to you who is following Hotch," Blake told her.
"Why does he have to be connected to me? I'm sure Hotch has a few of his own enemies out there."
Hotch mentally smiled. He noticed that whenever Kahlan was around the team she always referred to him with his nickname. "And again, I'm not even sure someone actually was following me," Hotch tried to assure them. "I never actually caught anyone doing it. It was just a feeling." Hotch tried to plead his case. It was bad enough when his team thought he was in trouble, but seeing Kahlan's concern made him regret even bringing it up.
Kahlan fixed Chuck with a look. He timidly took a step back. Rossi had to chock back a chuckle. He would have sworn that the muscular man was in his late thirties and fit enough to take on the whole team at once; but when faced with Kahlan's very Hotch-like stare, he seemed like a timid school boy. Kahlan's stare bored into Chuck and he swallowed hard. "Have you seen anyone that I need to know about?"
"You're asking me if I saw anyone following him?"
"Well, yes, and I'm also worried you have shared your version of looking out for me with anyone else."
"First off, I haven't told anyone about your new boyfriend." With the look Kahlan gave him he immediately regretted referring to Hotch that way. "The agent, and no. I didn't notice anyone showing him undue attention, but I only followed him that one day to the bar."
"When was the last time you felt it?" Kahlan asked as she turned to Hotch.
"New York, and not since, so it was nothing," he told her off-handedly.
She sighed and decided to let him drop it, and turned her attention back to Chuck. "I think it's time for you to go." He gave her a big smile, but lost it when he realized it wasn't going to change her mind. He followed her to the door. Once they were outside and the door was shut, Kahlan turned and gave her friend a hard look. "How did you know?"
"Cameron told me. He knew I was back in Virginia, so he told me what was going on. He wanted me to check him out, too."
Kahlan shook her head. Cameron was the computer genius from her old team and had helped her with everything. "I'm sure Cameron didn't tell you to attack him."
He held up his hands in submission. "He attacked me! I was only defending myself."
"Well what do you think he was supposed to think when you snuck up on him?"
"He's actually a pretty good fighter. I think you got yourself a keeper," he told her with a grin.
"Yeah, well, you just stay away from him for now." As much as she wanted to, she couldn't stay mad at him. "I'll call you later, and we'll get together and catch up." She hugged him.
He hugged her back. "It'll be like old times."
"God, I hope not," she told him with a grin as she watched him walk to his car and leave.
She went back inside and noticed the agents getting ready to leave. "Sorry about that. He is actually a really nice guy," she explained to them. Everyone said their goodbyes and Kahlan thanked them for their help. Wyatt asked Jack to help him unpack some stuff in his room. Kahlan shot her son a smile and sat down on the couch. Hotch joined her and studied her face.
"Chuck isn't an old boyfriend or something is he?"
She laughed. "No, but he's always had the crazy idea in his mind that he needs to protect me. I am sorry, Aaron. I didn't even know he was in Virginia, let alone that he knew about you. I haven't seen him in over a year."
Hotch nodded and he considered her for a moment. "Any other squad members that I have worry about being concerned for you?"
"No. Well, I don't think so," she answered with a small smile. "Last I heard, Harry and Jan were living someplace in Europe. It's not like we stay in constant contact or have a reunion every year or something."
Hotch smiled at her. He couldn't blame Chuck for being worried about her. His whole team considered themselves one big family, so he understood where Chuck was coming from. "I'm glad you're finally here," he confessed as he moved closer to her and leaned in to give her a kiss. They pulled back when they hear Wyatt's bedroom door open.
Hotch stood up and looked at his watch. "Well, I better be getting Jack home and in bed," he told her and yelled for his son to get his coat.
Kahlan stood up and walked him to the door. "Maybe we can get together this weekend or something," she suggested with a smile as they waited for Jack.
"We have to wait three days?" Hotch asked with a grin as Jack came door. Kahlan just smiled and told them goodnight and watched them walk back toward their house.
XXX
Another case came the next afternoon, and the team found themselves in Florida fighting to stop a human trafficking ring. After two days, Hotch got a call from Jack asking if he could spend the night with Wyatt. Hotch smiled. It was nice for Jack to have someone he could play with and he knew Jack would be safe with her, so he agreed. Once he was in the hotel that night he called Kahlan to make sure everything was going well.
"Any feelings of being watched?" She asked him.
"No."
"Good. I'd hate to have to make a trip to Florida to kick someone's ass." Hotch wasn't sure if she was being serious or not, but she laughed. "We need to discuss something if you have a minute."
"Sure. I'm the hotel for the night."
"Wyatt said that he and Jack were discussing what to call us. Wyatt wasn't sure so he asked me, and now I'm asking you."
Hotch smiled. He had been worried for a second, but he laughed. "Yeah, I was hoping Wyatt would stop calling me 'Mr. Hotchner.'"
She laughed at that. "Well, I don't think he feels comfortable with calling you Aaron, either. I was wondering if you'd mind if he called you 'Hotch,' and if it would be alright with you if Jack called me 'Kay'? That's what the kids in Reliance always called me."
"That's fine with me," he told her.
"Well, I didn't want to do it without asking, and I don't want them to feel awkward around us either." That was easy, she thought and then she teased him that she had fixed a roast for dinner.
"That's not fair," he told her, and she could actually hear his smile in his voice.
"I'd tell you I let you have the leftovers, but you probably aren't sure when you're coming home, are you?"
"No. not yet."
"I'll just have to fix another one when you're here. Maybe we can get Garcia to watch the boys again," she hinted.
"Oh, yeah?"
She could just imagine his dimples and it made her smile. "Yeah. We can figure out who has the most comfortable bed."
Hotch groaned. He didn't want to imagine it, but it was too late and he was glad he was in his room already. "You are mean."
"You think I'm mean just because I mentioned a bed?" She laughed. "Well then, I guess you'd hate me if I described what I would be wearing in that bed, huh?"
Hotch groaned again and let his head fall back on the pillow as he laid down on the hotel bed. "Please don't. That would be torture." His imagination was already too much for him, and he knew he'd have to take a cold shower to be able to go to sleep.
"Hmmmm. Torture. . . I'm seeing ropes and my four poster bed. . ." Hotch almost choked on his own breath. She giggled. It was the same giggle that he had only heard from her when they were in bed, and he groaned again. "Or handcuffs. You have a pair of those don't you?" she asked seductively, and he knew he would never be able to look at his handcuffs the same again.
"You are definitely not nice, woman," he told her as he adjusted his slacks.
"No one has ever accused me of being nice," she told him with a laugh. His phone signaled that he had received a text, but he was going to ignore it. "You may want to look at that," she told him slyly.
"Is that you?"
"Maybe," she told him with a giggle.
Hotch quickly brought up the message. It was a picture of black negligée laying on what he assumed was Kahlan's bed. He moaned as he imagined her wearing it. "No, you are definitely not nice."
She giggled again. "Oh, you don't like that one? Well, I. . ."
"I didn't say that!"
"Oh, so you do like it?"
"Maybe," he used her own word against her. "I guess I would have to see it modeled to be absolutely sure."
"That can be arranged."
His phone went off again. He found a picture of a purple teddy with matching garters and stockings. Ice cold shower, definitely ice cold!
She laughed as if she could read his mind. "So which one do you want to see me in first?"
"I have to choose?"
"Unless you want me to surprise you."
"Yeah, you better choose. I don't think I can be held responsible for actually making a decision at this point in time."
"Wow. Did you just revert back to being a lawyer?"
Hotch laughed. "Yeah, I think you have fried some part of my brain."
"No. That's just one head taking control of the other head," she told him as she giggled again.
"I think I should go take a cold shower before I completely lose all of my ability to think."
"Then I guess I better behave and let you go, huh?"
"Yeah, it's probably going to be a long day tomorrow."
"Well, good luck with the case, and be safe. Call me tomorrow."
"I will. Good night."
"Sweet dreams," she told him with another giggle and hung up.
Oh yeah, definitely not nice! He thought as he made his way to the shower.