It was going to be a night out for the team. After a particularly hard case, everyone was in need of some time to cool down and unwind. Morgan and Prentiss had arranged it, a team outing to the local bar, and then they proceeded to berate and coerce every member of the team until they agreed to come. Allie knew JJ, Rossi, Garcia, Emily, and Derek would all be there. She was pretty sure she heard them convincing Reid to come as well.
From there a plan began to formulate in Allie's head. She managed to hold out and give Derek and Emily a vague 'maybe' answer. She figured if Reid thought she wouldn't be coming then he might be more likely to come.
Then, immediately following work, she went right home to her apartment. She searched her closet up and down for the right thing. After a few outfits that missed the mark, she finally landed it: a maroon strapless dress that was just casual enough, but also nice enough to make her look better than usual. Allie took her careful time showering, blow drying, and then curling her hair and bobby pinning it to perfection. It looked so different when she actually took the time to do something with it. After a little more primping, she even admitted to herself that she looked good. Hopefully good enough for Reid to forgive her.
When she arrived on scene at the bar, she got 'oohs' and 'aahs' over her look, but not from the one person she had wanted to see. Reid was nowhere to be found. When Allie asked about him Prentiss replied, "Yeah, he was here, but left pretty quickly."
"He left after fifteen minutes," Morgan added a little bitterly. "Well, whatever, we tried."
Allie nodded, suddenly very disappointed, but still took a seat in an empty chair next to another that seemed to be empty as well, but had a coat upon it. It wasn't until she saw him exiting the bathroom that she realized who's it was.
"Allie," Hotch said as he approached the table. "It's good to see you here," he added. "You look…um,"
"She looks hot!" JJ cued in, and the entire table laughed.
Blushing in response, Allie admitted shyly, "Maybe I overdid it…"
"Not at all," Emily cut it. "I wish I had decided to dress as hot as you." As an attractive blonde man passed the table and had eyes only for Allie Emily added, "I'm kind of jealous..."
As the night wore on, Allie began to feel slightly more relaxed. It didn't seem too weird having Hotch there, at least at first. Later on, Rossi left, and JJ had decided to be Emily's wingman as she tried to talk up a handsome-looking businessman there with a friend. Then Morgan got Garcia to go out on the dance floor with him, which left Allie and Hotch sitting uncomfortably alone at the table together. Allie took a giant gulp of her beer for courage.
Hotch leaned over and said quietly in her ear, "Can I have a word with you? Outside, maybe?"
Allie agreed and the two headed outside the bar and found a bench near a bus stop to sit at. Once they were both sitting for a second Hotch began to speak. "Listen," he said. "I understand why you said what you did the other day. I just wish you would have given me the chance to speak, too."
Allie nodded. "I know I was a bit unfair. I was being very unreasonable."
"I don't blame you," Hotch said softly. "What happened between us… shouldn't have happened. But, it did. As much as we would both like to pretend it never happened, I think that's impossible. I don't know about you, but I had feelings that night that don't just disappear."
"What are you getting at, sir?" Allie asked.
"I understand why you said what you said to me the other day," he said. "But, Allie, you will never be simply another Agent to me. You will always be special. But I also know how out of line I was. And… for us to be together, would mean one of us would have to leave the BAU. I don't want that for you. But if you asked me to –"
"I don't want that for you either." Allie interrupted. "And in all honesty, I know you wouldn't really be able to do that. Besides, this team needs you."
Hotch nodded. "Then nothing more will be able to come of this," he said sadly. "I owe you an apology, Allie. In caring for you I made your life exceedingly difficult. And in the process I think I may have done injury to another one of my Agents. One who also cares for you very much."
Allie looked down at her hands and felt tears forming in the back of her throat. She hated thinking of the pain she had inflicted on Reid. Someone who had only shown her love and kindness.
"If I'm not mistaken," Hotch added, "You feel the very same way for him." Then Hotch took her hands and held them in his. She looked up and he looked her straight in the eye. "Go to him," he said. "Make it right."
A tear finally escaped down Allie's cheek. "I think it's too late," she cried.
"It's not," Hotch promised. He stood up and pulled Allie up with him. "You," he said, "Look gorgeous. Go to Reid, tell him how you feel, and ask his forgiveness. There is no way he will be able to deny you. No way." With that, Hotch walked up the sidewalk and hailed a taxi. He put his arm around Allie's waist and guided her into the taxi. She got in, and with one last glance Allie looked up at Hotch in the second before he shut the door for her.
In that second, he was smiling at her, a rare Aaron Hotchner smile. She barely had time to smile back when the door was shut and the taxi driver asked her, "Where to?"