Hi everyone, here is the third and final chapter of this story. I'm sorry the delay but I had been a little bit sick and had not been able to finish writing this.

Anyway, thanks to everybody for reading, alerting and favoriting this story. It really means a lot.

Also I owe a huge thank you to kisaitaluvr for the beta.

I don't owe Criminal Minds or any of his characters.

OoOoO

"I don't know what happened. I just ... I just lost control." Hotch said pinched the bridge of his nose.

Dave nodded, listening to what his friend said. "I understand things like that happen."

Hotch narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw, looking at Dave "No, things like that should not happen" He all but growled.

"Of course not, but I get it, you have been under pressure lately, a lot of things have changed. It is quite normal that you have outbursts. Besides, I'm sure something like this never had happened before, right?" Dave said quietly looking at the man before him.

Hotch shook his head and took another sip of his drink lowering his glance again. "That's not an excuse."

"No. It is not, but this kind of situation happens," Seeing that Hotch was about to protest Dave raised his hand to stop him "I know that I don't have any children, but I have nephews and nieces. I will not say that is normal or good, but it happens." The older agent said firmly but gently.

He knew what this was all about, but he wanted Hotch to tell him. When he was ready.

Hotch lower his glance rubbing his forehead slightly.

"I ... When Haley got pregnant, we talked about this," he pauses to take a deep breath, "We both agreed that it would be her spanking Jack when necessary. I never had ..." He made a vague gesture with his hands struggling to say the words.

"I was afraid of not knowing how strong do it or worse, that simply I could not stop." He finished struggling to keep his voice steady.

After this confession, they were in silence a couple of minutes. Hotch still with eyes lowered and Dave looking at his friend.

"You were afraid of becoming your father." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Hotch's head snap up sharply and he looked at Dave in shock.

"What-..." He left out seeing the familiar expression on Dave's face. One eyebrow raised and his lips curled up events so single. Damn. He sigh "How do you know?"

"Come on, I'm a profiler remember? Besides I have known you for over 15 years." Dave replied simply.

The truth is that took Dave about a week after Hotch joined the team to discover that the "new kid" had problems with his father and a couple of months, after a case involving children being beaten almost to death (the father of the first two, to avoid being considered a suspect had attacked a couple kids in neighborhood) to find out what was the problem.

Hotch narrowed his eyes at Dave, his lips pressed into a tight line.

He should have known. Yeah, the team had a rule of no intra-team profiling but it was just there. No one followed it, the real rule was not talking about what you had discovered or deduced from another.

He had never talked about this with anyone. Or at least not the whole truth, but right now, sitting there with his best friend before him, he could not think of another person whom he trusted more to talk about this than him.

After taking a sip of his drink, Hotch took a deep breath and began to speak, his voice lower than usual.

"When Haley and I were married she didn't want children. She had a job she loved and she did not want to leave it. I was fine with that. I mean, I never thought I could be a good father, and I don't wanted bring a child to this world and treat him like my father did with me, but as the years passed she changed her mind. We talked about it and I told her about my doubts and of course I don't tell her everything about my father, but finally we decided to try." Hotch explained recalling the night they had talked about it after Haley's best friend had a baby.

"She said I was a good man and could never hurt her or our son." Hotch said with a sad smile.

"Well, I think she was right." Dave said honestly looking at Hotch's eyes.

Hotch just shook his head but don't say anything for a long time. Eventually he took a deep breath and began to speak.

"She did not understand and neither do you. He was the perfect man. The perfect husband, father and friend. He even was kind with children in the neighborhood. He was a perfect gentleman until he came home and became in another person, completely different. Nothing was good enough for him. It could be a bad note, leaving something out of place, and sometimes just being there was enough. It was always worse when he was drunk. Do you want to know why?" Hotch said and without waiting for an answer continued. "Because when he was sober at least he reminded stop himself before he left me unconscious."

He had never said this to anyone. Of course, Haley knew that he had not had a good relationship with his father, but he never told her why or who, because when they met his father was dead and he had a new life, there was no reason to mention anything about it.

Afraid she would think less of him after hearing about his father. Afraid that the love and tenderness that appeared in her eyes every time she looked at him would become compassion and pity.

Thinking about it all these years later and now that Haley was gone, it seemed silly to think that something he had no control over could have changed the way she felt and looked at him, it was impossible.

He had never said anything but he was pretty sure she knew, after all, she had always known him better than anyone. Well, no one except Dave, who was watching him, looking concerned.

Hotch looked into Dave's eyes, fearful of what he was going to find in the eyes of his friend. What he found looking back at him was not pity, but understanding and the respect that was there from the first case they worked together.

He let out the breath he doesn't even know he had been holding until now.

"Your mother knew it, right?" Dave asked quietly after a couple of minutes. He was pretty sure he already knew the answer and Hotch knew it too, but wanted the younger agent to speak of this. He was pretty sure it was the first time.

Hotch took the glass to his lips taking a drink before answering.

"Yes, she knew about but I don't blame her. He was the same or worse with her than with me, and honestly I prefer that he hit me instead of her."

Dave doesn't say anything. Just because Hotch did not blame her doesn't mean that she doesn't have some guilt. After all, she could have denounced him and end the nightmare for her and her son.

"Everything ended when he died, a car accident. He had a little too much to drink at a meeting with friends and decided to drive back home." Hotch said, remembering the morning when his mother told him. He had felt relieved more than anything to hear the news and had not shared a single tear about it. Never.

"Look Hotch, I understand you have doubts and fears, but you're nothing like your father." Seeing that Hotch was about to argue, the older agent raised his hand to stop him. "You don't even hurt Jack and you were unable to sleep. Besides, your son loves you and admires you. You are his hero. He talks about how his daddy caught the bad guys every time he gets a chance to anyone who wants to listen."

Hotch looked at his hands that were in his lap. He knew everything that Dave said was true, and that is exactly what made everything worse. Knowing that his little boy loved him so much and he almost hurt him. He would never forgive himself if he had done it.

"And what am going to say to him? I'm sorry to have been about to hit you, but I'll try not to do it again?" Hotch all but growled.

Dave shook his head slightly. "No Aaron, I want you to tell him the truth. That you're sorry you reacted that way and that scares you too. As I've said before, he's a smart kid and he will understand." Dave said, watching carefully for Hotch's reaction. He could say that the younger agent wasn't convinced so he played his last card.

"You are the only parent he has left. He loves you very much and will not stop loving you for this." He said firmly.

Hotch looked at Dave's eyes for a long time, thinking about what his friend had said. Finally he nodded slightly. He was not sure it was the best, but he had to try. He could not leave his son with Haley's sister forever. He just couldn't.

Both sat in silence for a couple of minutes.

"Okay, let's go." Dave said standing up and leaving some money on the table.

Watching the puzzled expression Hotch was giving him he said. "You've had a bit too much to drink, I'll take you home. Let's go."

Both left the bar heading to Hotch's apartment.

The driver was silent. Dave knew Hotch had a lot on his mind right now, so he doesn't said anything. He left Hotch lost in thought.

Eventually they arrived at Hoth's building and Dave was parked in front. Neither moved.

"Thank you. For everything." Hotch said Dave sincerely looking straight in the eyes.

Dave looked back for a few moments. Then he nodded. "Anytime."

Dave looked as Hotch get off the SUV and until he was inside the building Dave sigh deeply and start the car.

"A friend is one who believes in you when you have ceased to believe in yourself." Unknown.

OoOoO

... So, what do you think? Like it? Hate it? Please let me know. I have thought about writing a sequel with Hotch and Jack but I'm still not sure, What do you guys think? Would you like to read a sequel?

A/N:Thanks to all who read it. I hope you all have enjoyed, and as always feedback is appreciated. Thank you all.