Story I – Chapter 12

When Hotch and Kahlan got close to the house, they saw Sebastian showing the rest of the team in. She looked at her husband. "You better let us start this."

He nodded. "Yeah, I don't want any of them having a heart attack at seeing me without any warning."

She giggled and they went towards the back door. She made her way to the dining room and Hotch stopped in the kitchen and he smiled as he heard the team complaining about not being told what was going on. Kahlan shared a quick look with him and then went through a swinging door.

"What the hell is this?" Morgan demanded to know as his eyes went back and forth between Rossi and Kahlan.

"Please have a seat. We have prepared dinner for you all," Bartles tried with a grin as he motioned to the huge table.

"Is this some sort of a wake?" Mack asked she moved to a chair.

"Have a seat, guys. We need to talk," Rossi urged them as he sat down.

Reid turned concerned eyes on Kahlan. "You don't blame us for what happened to Hotch do you?"

She went to him when she saw how disturbed he was getting and pulled him into a hug. "Of course not, Spencer." She held him for a few moments as she looked at everyone else. "Please sit down; you really need to hear what we have to say," she begged and she released Reid.

"Sit down, My Chocolate Adonis, or they will never tell us what's going on," Garcia put in from the laptop.

"Now I'm really confused," Morgan started. "What's more important than getting home to everyone after what happened?" His eyes fixed on Kahlan's. "And you don't look too upset for a woman who just lost her husband!"

She sighed and gave him a hard look. "If you would sit down and shut up, we might just tell you!"

JJ placed a restraining hand on Morgan's arm. "Come on, Derek."

Morgan huffed, but sat down beside the laptop as his eyes locked with Rossi's, but Rossi's face didn't give anything away.

"How about a drink?" Sebastian asked politely.

"I think they need to hear what we have to say first," Kahlan told him.

"And if this is about Hotch, what the hell is he doing here?" Morgan put in still unable to control his anger.

"This is my house!" Bartles told him as he fixed him with a serious look.

Morgan met his stare and after a moment, he ducked his head. "I'm sorry. It's just that this whole thing is messed up."

Chuck laughed. "You have no idea how messed up, yet!"

Kahlan smacked his shoulder and her look told him to shut up, and he sank into his seat a little. Kahlan shook her head and then looked at them all including the laptop. "This is about Hotch, and what you are about to find out may be a little hard to believe, but. . ." she paused not sure how to continue.

"Just say it, Kiddo," Rossi urged with a smile.

She nodded, took a deep breath, and smiled. "The reason I haven't raced home to the kids or bothered to take care of anything is because Hotch is not dead."

They were silent: some in confusion, some in obvious sympathy for a woman whom they thought had lost her mind, and some in clear disbelief.

She looked at Rossi and grinned. "That went well," she said and her sarcasm wasn't missed.

"Now, hold up," Morgan started again as he looked back and forth between them and then looked at Chuck who was trying unsuccessfully to hold back mirth. Morgan shot him a dirty look and then turned back to Kahlan. "What do you mean he's not dead? We saw his damn body! We saw how whatever it was tore him up inside!"

"I don't appreciate you talking to my wife like that, Agent!" Hotch offered in his Unit Chief Tone as he came in through the swinging door.

Mack crossed herself, Morgan's Jaw dropped, all the blood drained from JJ's face, Garcia gasped as her hand flew to her mouth, Cam's eyes grew wider than they had ever been, and Reid's eyes darted around as his mind tried to process what his eyes were seeing.

Chuck laughed so hard that he almost fell out of his chair. "That was priceless!" He suddenly slammed his hand down on the table making most of them jump. "I so should have videoed that!"

"Alright, Chuck," Kahlan uttered and then went to stand beside her husband who still had Morgan fixed with his stare. "It's fine, Aaron. He's just upset."

Hotch's eyes cut to her and then he sighed a little. "I am really sorry about shocking you all like this."

Morgan stood up slowly as he looked around at his teammates. "What the hell is going on?"

Rossi grinned. "Like Kahlan said, Hotch isn't dead."

"I don't und. . . How. . . What?" Reid stammered.

"I saw your lifeless body! You can't be standing here!" Morgan insisted with eyes full of suspicion.

Hotch took a deep breath and Kahlan nudged him toward the seat at the head of the table, and she took a deep breath. "Let's all sit down and discuss this like the intelligent adults we all are."

Morgan wasn't having any of it, though; he shook his head. "It's not possible!"

"I don't care how, and just so glad to see you," JJ blurted out and jumped up and went to Hotch and gave him a hug.

Hotch wrapped his arms around her and gave her a squeeze. "I'm glad to see you, too," he told her quietly.

Morgan still shook his head. "Get away from him, JJ! We don't know what the hell is going on. . ."

"Sit down and shut up, Derek!" Rossi demanded and the look in his eyes commanded obedience, and a shocked Derek actually sat down; Rossi normally never got mad but when he did, people listened, quickly. Rossi took a deep breath and waited for Hotch, JJ, and Kahlan to sit down. Once they were, he smiled. "We will go over the how in just a few, but I promise you, this is the Hotch we all know and love and he is still in charge of this team!"

Morgan ran a hand over his head as he sat back in the seat. "You sure about that, Man?"

Rossi smiled. "Yes. I promise you that it is."

Morgan turned to his boss. "I'm sorry, Man, but you. . ."

Hotch held up his hand to stall anymore comments. "I know, and I'm sorry, but if you would just let me try to explain. . ."

"I'd say it's time for that drink," Sebastian offered as he got up and went to the kitchen.

Mack looked at the swinging door. "And exactly why is he in on this?"

Chuck started to laugh again, but quickly shut up with Kahlan's look and then she smiled at Mack. "He's very pivotal to the reason Hotch is here, so cut him some slack."

Bartles came back in carrying a tray full of beer bottles. "Dinner is ready if you would like to eat while you talk," he told Hotch as he passed the beers out.

Hotch looked at the team and he figured none of them would be able to eat until they had discussed what was needed, and he wasn't even sure they would be able to then. He took a deep breath. "I think we'll wait."

"Someone, anyone, please tell me that is My Liege really sitting there and not just some messed up holographic version and you all are playing a cruel trick on me!" Garcia pleaded as she looked around the table.

JJ smiled. "That's him and he's as solid as he ever was, Pen."

"Thank the gods, the fairies, the minions, and whoever else may have had a hand in this! I didn't know how I was ever going to face the BAU again without being able to see that perfect profile through your office window every morning!"

Kahlan smiled; she knew the whole team loved Hotch but Garcia was certainly the most colorful about it.

"I know what this is," Reid started as he studied Hotch.

"You do?" Morgan asked him flabbergasted. "Then could you please explain it to us?"

Reid swallowed. "Remember when Zimmerman started going on and on about attacking an FBI agent?" he asked the team and then looked at his boss. "You must have figured out he wanted to kill you and then faked your death, but for the life of me I can't figure out how you did it."

Mack's jaw dropped. "But why wouldn't you trust us with that?!"

Hotch sighed. "That's not it at all. I would never put you all through that by choice."

"If you would just let us explain instead of jumping to conclusions," Kahlan tried as she sat forward a little.

"Yes. Please be good little children and listen to Mommy and Daddy," Rossi ordered.

Morgan huffed, but he didn't offer up any argument.

Kahlan looked at her husband. "Do you want to tell them or do you want me to?"

He took a deep breath. "This is my mess, so I will try and clean it up."

She gave him a smile as she squeezed his thigh under the table in encouragement.

Hotch swallowed and looked at them all. "Zimmerman was telling the truth. He did attack me and I would have died as bad as it was if it wasn't for the Detective," he started as he gave Sebastian a nod.

Reid opened his mouth, but quickly shut it with a look from Rossi. "Go on, Aaron."

"Well. . ." He took another deep breath. "For the detective to save me he had to do something to me and that made you all think I was dying and eventually made you think I was dead."

"Do something to you? What do you mean?" Cam asked before anyone else could.

"You are going to have to give more detail than that, Hun," Kahlan told her husband as she took in everyone's confused looks.

"May I?" Bartles interrupted as he locked eyes with Hotch.

Hotch licked his lips and gestured to the table. "Go ahead."

Bartles stood up. "I was able to save Agent Hotchner because I turned him into a vampire, just like me."

A laugh escaped Morgan. "Yeah, right, and I'm the Creature from the Black Lagoon."

JJ's eyes narrowed as she studied the man and then looked at Hotch. "No, really, what happened?"

"He's telling you the truth," Hotch told them seriously.

Reid shook his head. "That's not possible!"

Bartles closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them, he'd changed and his smile showed his pearly white fangs.

Morgan flinched back in his seat. "What the hell?!"

"Na. . . na. . .No! That's some sort of trick, right? Ta. . . tell me I'm seeing things!" Mack insisted as she shoved her chair back away from the detective who was sitting beside her.

"Holy Moly, Batman!" Garcia yelled as she grinned.

"He can't turn into a bat, but that's funny!" Chuck offered as he laughed at everyone's expressions.

Morgan looked at Sebastian for a few more seconds and then looked at Hotch and started shaking his head. "There's no way!"

"Derek. . ." Kahlan started.

Morgan stood up. "Hotch is not a damn monster!"

"You can do that, too?" JJ asked him.

Hotch inhaled through his nose and nodded as he closed his eyes and forced himself to change. When he opened them, JJ gasped. "Please don't be afraid," Hotch urged them all as he looked at them.

Mack teared up. "But that's not possible," she muttered.

Bartles changed himself back to normal and sat back down. "It is possible and the sooner you all accept that, the quicker you all can move on."

Hotch changed back and looked at them again; they had feel silent again.

"Turn into a wolf, Sebastian," Chuck quickly urged with a big grin. When he felt most of them looking at him, he laughed. "It's cool as shit!"

Hotch shook his head. "Charles!"

Chuck ducked his head. "Sorry, but it was cool."

"So you all knew about this?!" Morgan wanted to know as he looked at Rossi, Kahlan, and Chuck.

"Not until this morning," Rossi started to explain. "And we were just as shocked as you all are, but believe me, if this is the only way we can have him that doesn't put him in a damn casket, then so be it."

JJ swallowed hard and looked at her boss and man she loved as a brother. "You would really be dead if you weren't like this?"

Hotch nodded. "Yes. It was the only way to save me so to speak."

She took a deep breath and nodded. "What do you need us to do?" she asked apparently only really worried about helping him.

Hotch gave her a smile. He knew the mother instinct JJ always felt for the team would pervade against any fear or doubt she was feeling. "There isn't really anything you have to do besides accept it."

Morgan slammed his fist down on the table as he shook his head. "This is not happening!"

Hotch looked at him and then the rest of the team. Garcia smiled. "You know I'm open to all kinds of crazy, so I love you no matter what!"

"Thanks, Penelope. I appreciate that," Hotch told her with a smile.

"And if Kay still loves him, then you know he's still Hotch, so no worries from me," Cam put in as he put his arm around his wife.

She giggled. "I love you, too, Puddin."

Kahlan turned to Reid, Mack, and Morgan and she licked her lips. She couldn't tell what they were thinking and that bothered her.

Hotch stood up. "You know what? I think they might need some time to discuss this on their own." He looked at his wife and Chuck. "Come on. Let's give them some privacy."

Kahlan slowly stood up. "But. . ."

Hotch gave her a hard look. "They obviously need time to decide if this is something they can deal with."

Kahlan took a deep breath and looked back at the reluctant team members. "But we can. . ."

"We can always block their memories like I suggested to begin with," Sebastian offered as he stood up.

Hotch shook his head. "No! No one will be force into this." He took a deep breath and looked at his team. "If they can't handle this or decide that they want nothing to do with this, then. . ." He took a shuddering breath. "Then I guess I will have to. . . leave the BAU."

"What?!" Kahlan and Rossi both yelled at the same time.

Hotch held up his hand. "You both said I had to tell them, that they had to know the truth." He sighed. "If they can't accept me as I now am, we can't continue as a team and that mean I will have to leave the BAU," he finished as his voice choked up a bit. "If need be, I guess. . ." He shook his head a little and the defeat in his eyes broke Kahlan's heart. "If need be we could even leave Virginia, maybe start over somewhere else," he offered as his eyes watered.

Kahlan put her hand on his chest and gave him a small smile. "I will support you on whatever decision you feel you need to make," she vowed as she locked eyes with him.

Rossi ran a hand down his face in frustration as he looked at the team members who had yet to offer up support and he shook his head. He knew Hotch loved the BAU almost as much as he loved his whole family and he knew that it was killing Hotch to even suggest leaving it. He took a deep breath. "Go ahead," he told the Hotchners as he gestured to the door. "We'll talk."

Kahlan grabbed Chuck's shoulder and pulled him up as she looked at Sebastian. They both moved to the door knowing they were not going to be part of that suggestion. Chuck shot a look to Cam and Cam gave him a quick nod as if to say he'd try his best.

Morgan ran a hand over his head and then stood up in anger before Hotch could go out the door. "Just wait a minute!"

Hotch and Kahlan turned back to him.

He licked his lips and stood up and squared his shoulders. "Now you have to admit, this is some freaky shit. . ."

"I know this is a shock and I know it's a lot to handle, but if you all can't. . ." Hotch started.

"Would you shut up and let me finish?!" Morgan demanded and Hotch fell silent. Morgan took a deep breath. "While I still don't understand all this, and you will have to explain it all – possibly several times – for me to truly process it." He took a step closer to his boss. "But I don't care if you turn purple and sprout four more arms; you are not leaving the BAU. That's your home and you are the Unit Chief!"

A smile grew on Kahlan's face and she gave him a nod of thanks.

"But, Derek. If you can't. . ."

"I always have your back, Hotch. You know that! If there is anything I can do. . . although I get the feeling you don't need me as much as you did before, but I will do anything for you, Man. You're not only my boss, you're my brother, and I love you," he offered as he went all the way to him and held out his hand.

Hotch gave him a grin and took his hand and shook it as he pulled him into a one armed hug. "Thanks, Derek. That really means a lot."

Once Morgan pulled away, Hotch looked at Reid and Mack. "If this scares you. . ."

Mack stood up. "To be perfectly honest, Hotch, you have always scared me a little, sometimes more than others, so this isn't really anything new. It will take some getting used to, but I'm willing because I couldn't stand the thought of not having you for a boss," she told him seriously as she went to him and pulled him into a hug.

Once she was done, Hotch looked at Reid, and he could hear Reid's heart beating out a quick rhythm that matched the movement of him chewing on his lips. "Spencer?"

Reid looked at the rest of the team and then looked at Hotch as he stood up. "But I don't understand. . ."

"Dr. Reid," Sebastian started to get his attention. "I promise that after this initial discussion and diner, that I will sit down with you and answer any and all questions you may have. Agent Hotchner is new at this, so he may not be able to answer all of the questions you may have."

Reid nodded to him. "That would be great," he told him and then looked at Hotch as he stepped towards him. "I guess it really doesn't matter if I fully understand it or not. You are Hotch and I will do whatever I need to. You are not breaking our team, our family, up!"

Hotch sighed in relief and pulled the younger man into a hug.

"Yeah," JJ offered with a big smile. "We're family and families stick together no matter what!"

Reid pulled away from Hotch, and Hotch looked at them all and a tear escaped his eye. "You have no idea how relieved I am that you all are willing to put up with me. I don't know what this all even means yet, but I promise to do my best and hopefully you will not regret making this decision."

"Please! Like you could ever disappoint anyone but yourself," Kahlan but in with a look to her husband, and they all laughed.

*I have to put this in: Thomas Gibson, Hotch, is up as a nominee for the People's Choice Awards - Favorite Crime Drama Actor – and as a reader of mine – YOU MUST GO VOTE! Here's the link: vote. peopleschoice #!/home/all/79/2 (remember – no spaces) Also, Criminal Minds is up for Favorite Crime Drama, so you better vote for that, too! You should be able to find it once you get to the People's Choice Awards site. And I believe you can vote multiple times, so bookmark the page for TG and every damn time you sign onto the internet – VOTE! We can make him get on the ballot, and then we can make him win if we try hard enough! You know he deserves it!