Part 31
Strauss had just finished a phone call when there was a knock on her door. "Come in." She called out. Looking up she saw Hotch walk in. "Please, have a seat." She motioned to the chair.
Hotch walked over and sat down. He kept a hold onto the files because he wasn't really sure what she wanted.
"Um, a few things have come up and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind helping me. By the way, good catch with the replicator. I wouldn't have even guessed it was him for a long shot." She said to him.
"Thank you. It was a shock to all of us too, and we are working on the report for you to sign off on." He informed her.
"Thanks." She cleared her throat. "So, off the record for a moment. I'm leaving the Bureau. With my drinking, I can't afford to stay here. I'd lose my pension if I kept going. So, I would like you to fill in my position."
Hotch looked at her and didn't know how to respond right away. "I'm honored, but I don't think I can do that to my team." He said.
"I can pull some strings so you still work with them and do this job as well. But I don't feel comfortable putting someone else in for me."
"Who'd cover for me?" He wasn't thinking straight. "I could probably pull Morgan up, then if its ok, bring Agent Prentiss back in if she will except."
"That will work." She said. "I won't be returning though. I hate to do it, but I have to go through something's to get better." She knew she could trust him, he helped her before.
"Understandable. If there is anything else I can do, please let me know." He said to her. "When does this take affect?"
"Next week once all the paper work is filled out. I will need to know tomorrow if it works for everyone else."
"Yes ma'am." He said to her. "Was there anything else?"
"That will be all, thanks for being helpful." She said and went back to work.
He nodded and stood up and left her office. He stood outside for a moment. He took a deep breath and walked to Rossi's office and knocked on the door. He didn't give him time to say come in, he pushed opened the door and walked in.
Rossi looked at him. "Hey, you ok Hotch?" He asked, seeing the look on his face.
Hotch sat down and explained everything to him. "I, I have no clue if Emily will even want to stay or if Morgan will want to move up."
"Why don't we get everyone over to my place tonight and we all talk about it?" Rossi asked.
"That'd be great. Plenty of people there so no witnesses." He teased. He then pulled out his phone and text message to everyone. "Dinner tonight at Rossi's, mandatory!" He then hit send. Tonight, the future laid in his hands. Will he be able to keep the team together or is it just falling apart at the seams?