Chapter 12: I Can Handle It…
His chest felt like a weight was being pressed onto it, and he struggled to breath. He knew exactly why he was now sitting in the all too comfy leather chair of Strauss' office.
"I know how irresponsible you were, Aaron." Her head shook slightly in disapproval, and he could not help but feel the sense of thinking doesn't everyone already know? "Allowing a pregnant Agent to stress herself so much she ended up in hospital on a case was bad enough, bringing her home and allowing Agent Morgan to run the team is another, after leaving Morgan to get shot was bad enough but you had to push it over the top with a relationship with Agent Prentiss." The disapproval was thickly lining her words and he sucked in a deep breath. A part of him already feeling back for getting Morgan shot, but it was pushing it when the true reason he was in that office came to light: his relationship with Prentiss.
"I did not 'allow' him to get shot." He now spoke.
"You might not have pushed him in front of the bullet, Agent Hotchner, but leaving in the middle of a case to escort your 'new fling' home, is so appropriate!" She snarled him and Hotch looked infuriated.
"She is not my 'new fling'" He air quoted her.
"I do not care for any details on yours' and Agent Prentiss' relationship, Agent Hotchner, but, since the relationship has been brought to my attention, I have been forced to note how, since that relationship, your team have been in trouble and what has happened. And it has now been brought to my attention that you, since that relationship started, have not cared for the team as much as before, and your feelings are clouding your judgment. Now, I feel that firing you completely would be a slight bit over the top, but I am giving you the option to either break off your relationship with the newly pregnant agent, or stand down from your position as Team Leader." Aaron knew the first was not an option, and, from seeing his face, Erin Strauss figured that out too, "Who will you assign the team to?" She asked, and Hotch wondered for a moment before replying.
"Agent Derek Morgan once his injury has healed, until that time, I give the team over to Agent David Rossi." He said.
"Great decision." She slid a piece of paper over to him, a black ball-point pen lying on top of it. Picking the pen up, Hotch skim read over the sheet before resting his hand to sign the names and his signature when his attention was caught by a strange ringing. He could have sworn it was Strauss' phone. To confirm his idea, the woman took out her phone and pressed answer, cutting of the more melodramatic version of 'fur elise.' She stood from her chair and excused herself before leaving the office, the phone to her ear.
Entering his bedroom, he gave off the biggest groan ever and plopped himself on the mattress, right next to a wide awake Emily.
"What's wrong?" She asked, looking at him with worry.
"Nothing, don't worry, it's nothing." He immediately regretted his actions, remembering he was not supposed to be stressing her out.
"Oh, come on, Hotch, you can't shut everything off from me. Besides, I'm off bed rest tomorrow and everything's fine." She pulled a tongue at him.
"Don't think so yet, you are not leaving that bed until I hear the doctor saying you are fine, Emily." It was his turn to pull a tongue.
"Whatever, Hotch, just tell me what is wrong." He shook his head in protest, "Hotch," She grabbed his attention. "With some of the things we see, letting my imagination lose to wonder what the hell has happened is a worse way of stressing me. Even though I am fairly certain that the real reason you are in a foul mood is probably due to something smaller than me thinking JJ is hostage on a train or that Morgan has been shot." Her face dropped when she saw Hotch's expression. "Morgan?" Her eyes widened, "Oh my God, is he alright?" Now she looked overly stressed.
"He is fine, calm down, he is perfectly fine, he was shot almost a week ago anyway." Now her face filled with fury. "I told no one to tell you until you had the all clear."
"What? Hotch! You can not keep things like that from me! Is he fine?" Her shouting died down as she knew it was not good at all for the baby, and it would probably only lead to her bed rest lasing the remainder of her pregnancy.
"He is fine, perfectly fine. Will be on a crutch for a few weeks, but he is alright." He looked down, worry still in his face and Emily could see it was something else bothering him.
"So what is actually wrong then, Hotch?" She asked and his eyes met hers, before he let out breath and succumbed to telling her.
"Strauss…" That name was never good news. "She told me I had to either break up with you, or assign the team over to someone else…" Both of their eyes avoided each other's, but Emily guessed that since his hand was still holding hers' he had gone for the second option.
"Who did you sign it over to?" She asked, already knowing the answer.
"Morgan… well, Rossi until Morgan is better." She gave a nod.
"Good choice." Giving him a small reassuring smile told him he had done the right thing.
"She said I will be re-assessed when the baby is born to see how our relationship affects it then, if I don't stop putting the team first I might lose the position permanently." He looked to the bed as he gave the worst part of the news, "Or I might lose my job."
"That is not going to happen, Hotch. If it comes to it, I will leave the BAU, I am sure a more stable nine to five job will be better when I have a lovely baby anyway." Hotch shook his head.
"I will not let you do that." She sighed.
"Then we need to separate our feelings from work." He nodded. "Now cheer up, I have something to tell you." His eyes brightened as they once again met his, no words were passed but she could read that he was waiting for her to continue. "The baby… it's a girl." Nothing happened for a moment, but then his smile grew bigger and bigger and his hands went to her stomach with a grin.
"A girl? A beautiful baby girl?" He kissed her stomach happily and Emily laughed, slightly tiredly.
"Yeah, a girl, now quit it with the kissing, and let me sleep." She told him and Hotch gave her a guilty look before smiling and giving her one last kiss on her forehead.
"Alright, good night Em, good night Angel." He rubbed her stomach one last time. "I'll be in in a few, I'm going to check on Jack." Another kiss and he left and Emily's eyes fell as she went into a deep sleep.