If he were completely honest with himself, Hotch knew the day has been coming for a while.

He could see the way Garcia was working herself to death, trying to keep up her work for the Resistance while parenting a month old baby. He could see the way Morgan and Prentiss were aching to do more against the Master, eager to avenge their families. He heard Rossi talking to the daughter he only recently found out he had, and longing to see her with his own eyes.

His needs were much simpler, and slightly more manageable despite the situation they were in.

He had found Haley and Jack not even a week after the First Attack, and kept them close by since. His relationship with his ex-wife wasn't perfect by a long shot, but circumstances brought them together again and they were starting to mend the pieces.

They couldn't do it properly while being constantly on the run, though. The realization of what had to be done had been building for a good couple of weeks before he brought it up, and though the remains of his team protested at first, they knew he was right.

Which was why now, a day after the decision had been made, they were standing at a metaphorical and literal crossroad.

It was decided that Rossi would head downstate to where his daughter was living in order to find her and discover all that had been kept from him by his second ex-wife. Though the old Profiler was clearly sad to leave them, he also knew he wouldn't be able to keep up with them for much longer. He wasn't as young as he used to be, after all, and though he kept in shape it was nothing compared to what they needed at this moment in time.

Garcia, Prentiss and Morgan would head up towards New York, where the base of operations for the Resistance was. There, they would be able to combine resources with everyone else that were actively – if quietly – working against the Master.

Hotch and Haley decided to take the kids and head towards the countryside, in the hopes of allowing them to meet with other children without as much of a risk of the adults being caught. Garcia argued fiercely at first, not wanting to let go of Henry, but with a combined effort the five of them managed to show her it was necessary.

After all, she didn't know the first thing about caring for a child and was working herself out trying to learn what was now demanded of her while doing what was needed to fight the Master.

Hotch had to fight to keep a straight face, looking at the people who had become his family more than anyone else and preparing himself to turn a different way than them.

They stood silently for several long moments, none of them daring to speak in fear of a last goodbye, before he managed to find the strength to speak.

"I wanted to say…" He took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice from wavering. "Working with you had been an honor… and a privilege."

"Stay in touch, if you can," Rossi said, his voice just on the edge of cracking. "You have my number, and it will probably be safer for us than…"

He trailed off, but Hotch knew what he was going to say. It would be safer for them than it would be for the others, since they were not going to actively work against the Master.

"Stay safe, will you?" Garcia asked. "All of you."

"You, too," Hotch replied, looking at her, then at Morgan and Garcia. "Keep each other safe."

"We will," Morgan promised, and it was the most honest promise Hotch had ever heard.

It took them two weeks to get to the small town that was their destination. Upon arrival, they were greeted with the expected amount of suspicion as they made their way towards the makeshift infirmary, requesting to see a Dr. Grace Holloway.

"You asked for me?" the woman asked close to two hours after their arrival, when she was finally available. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Being the only doctor in a place like this…" she shrugged. "Are any of you in need of medical treatment?"

"No," Hotch replied. "Maybe a few check-ups for the kids, but… nothing more. We got your name from the Resistance," he started, only causing Grace's eyes to widen.

"Look, I don't want any trouble," she quickly said. "I- I told you guys last time you asked that I didn't have any contact with the Doctor – or the Professor – in years. I know the fight is important – trust me, I know – but I've got too much to lose to risk it."

"We're not here to recruit you," Haley was quick to calm Grace down. "Actually… we're much in the same situation."

"The Professor is a friend of mine," Hotch said, hating the way Spencer's title sounded coming out of his mouth. "We… we were also targeted, and decided to step back in order to keep the kids safe. The Resistance recommended coming here because you try to keep things simple and detached from everything that is going on out there."

Grace nodded, letting his words sink in for a moment before speaking again.

"It's just…" she sighed. "Have you ever met the Doctor?"

"Briefly." As if working a serial killer and abductor case could be considered as 'briefly'. "It's the Professor I'm more familiar with… and I never heard of the Master until a few months ago."

"He's amazing." Grace spoke the words as though she couldn't help herself. "The Doctor, that is. He… he had a different face back then, and he changed it that first night we met and at least once more since, but I… I'd recognize him anywhere. He makes you want to be better," she explained. "And when you see him with the Professor, see how close they are… you want to be as close to them as they are to each other." She shook her head, as though returning to the world the rest of them were on. "But that was quite some time ago. I moved on, since. Left San Francisco. Started a family. I'll make sure you're safe here," she told them. "People will probably be a bit suspicious at first, but…"

"We understand," Haley told her. "The world's not exactly safe right now and people are trying to keep their families together."

"Yeah," Grace smiled softly, relieved at their understanding. "I'll be back in a minute with a nurse to take a look at the kids."

"Dr. Holloway?" Hotch couldn't help but call out as she was making her way out.

"Yes?"

"What about the Master?" He didn't think he imagined the way Haley froze at his side or the way Grace's eyes darted around before settling back on him. "Have you met him?"

"I… I have," Grace replied, swallowing hard. "Not for long, though. He's…" she hesitated briefly. "He's not exactly what you'd call stable. And he's hell-bent on complete domination of the universe. But if anyone can stop him, it's the Doctor and the Professor."

Hotch nodded, deciding it best not to mention that both the Doctor and Spencer were currently the Master's prisoners.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said. "And… thanks."

"No problem," Grace replied. "I'll be back in a bit."

This time, Hotch said nothing as she walked out of the room, returning a couple of minutes later with a nurse at her heels. He looked at she examined the kids, and couldn't help but envy her optimistic belief that somehow, the Doctor will sort everything out.

He wished he could be that hopeful, too.