Okay, it's not great so please don't crucify me for this chapter, I know I haven't updated much lately and I am sorry for that, but between work and trying to find time to sleep I haven't really been brimming with ideas for this story, hence the crappy filler chapter, anyway enough of my crap, please read and If you can find it in your heart to review great, good or bad it's always good to hear what you guys think. Thanks for sticking with me so far, it's funny how this was always only intended to be a one shot, but somewhere along the way the muses seem to have run away with me. Anyway enjoy.

Chapter 7 A new beginning.

After speaking to vice principal things moved pretty quickly. Sean was pulled out of class and shown into Rossi's office. Giving the boys a chance to speak privately for a moment he left the room and knocked on the principal's door.

"Come in" came the somewhat irritated reply. Rossi stepped inside.

"Erin, I'm going to be out for the rest of the day"

"I see, and is there a reason why you are only bringing this to my attention now David?"

"I assume you have seen the state of Aaron Hotchner?"

"Yes, I assume you are going somewhere with this."

"He has admitted that his father has been hitting him and he wants to press charges"

"Making up vicious lies is more like it." Rossi looked incredulous at her

"Erin! You have seen the bruise yourself, on numerous occasions! You can't honestly tell me you think he's doing it himself?"

"Don't be so preposterous, of course I don't think that."

"Then what Erin?"

"I know his father well David, very well. He isn't the type of man to do that, and further more why is Aaron doing this now? If there were any evidence that his father was abusing him then CPS would have done something well before now. No, the most likely scenario is that the boy is involved in some kind of gang and has bitten off more than he can chew on more than one occasion. We have both seen the way he walks around this place, like something is owed to him and you are letting him pull you in to his little sob story." If the situation wasn't so serious it would have been damn right laughable, clearly this woman didn't know her ass from her elbow if she honestly believed that Aaron Hotchner was part of a gang, the idea would have been comical had he been talking about this with anyone else.

"Why do you hate this boy so much Erin? He's a seventeen year old, what could he have possibly done to you to inspire this level of hatred?"

"I don't hate the boy David; I simply don't buy into his lies as easily as the rest of you seem to."

"Whatever you say Erin, I am still taking those boys down to the station, if it was just Aaron, I could possibly believe that this was some attempt to get himself out of trouble if I didn't know him and hadn't seen his injuries on more than one occasion but with Sean there too your theory is looking more like the act of a desperate woman trying to justify the fact that she is sleeping with a married man who likes to get handy with his fists. Take care that you don't find yourself on the receiving end one day Erin." Strauss looked positively furious, Rossi didn't think he had ever seen the woman before him turn quite that shade of red before, he'd pushed his luck but he didn't care, it was well past time someone went up against this woman and if he was the one who had the chance to do it, then so much the better for it.

"What I do in my personal life is none of your concern Rossi."

"It is when I think you are endangering a student's wellbeing so that you can keep your bit on the side"

"Get out Rossi and be careful this doesn't blow up in your face."

"I'm more than positive that the only person's face this will blow up in is yours. Honestly Erin, I don't know what happened to you." He looked a little sad and more than disappointed as he took his leave. Somewhere along the line Erin Strauss had lost the passion that had attracted her to the teaching profession, she was not the approachable woman he once knew, but cold and impersonal, she had lost her fire and Rossi knew without a shadow of a doubt this wasn't the job for her anymore. You couldn't be responsible for vulnerable children when you were lost yourself, the only thing that kept her happy these days was the power she held over everyone and with a school full of impressionable students that was a bad combination.

Sighing he went back to his office and was pleased to see that Sean was more than willing to press charges against his father also. As Rossi had said, had it just been Aaron, it may have been more difficult to get a case together, difficult but not impossible. Having Sean onside certainly made things easier though he thought as he and one of the receptionist drove the two brothers down to the local station where they would meet with CPS and get the ball rolling, Arrangements had already been made for the boys to be taken to the Morgan residence once they had given their statements and In a couple of days once everything was in motion CPS and an officer would take the boys to pick up their things from the house, with a bit of luck the bastard would be in jail by then but Rossi wasn't holding his breath that he wouldn't make bail.