A/N I'm so sorry I haven't updated in forever with school and finishing up moving this poor story just got trampled over I'm also sorry that this one's so short but I wanted to update and I needed to get back in the writing mood before writers block set in but I hope you guys enjoy
Hotch fought not to look away from his team. Growing up he'd been taught again and again that there was no excuse for failure. It didn't matter how hard you'd tried or how sorry you were. If you failed you didn't carry on with endless apologies or excuses' you didn't expect forgiveness. You simply accepted that you'd failed and took your punishment.
And so he forced himself not to look away from them as they absorbed what he was telling them. Inside he cringed as he thought about how disgusting it must sound. that every second they'd spent together was a lie that on numerous occasions he'd asked them each to confide in him but he'd never completely confided in any of them. He swallowed and starred into the five faces in front of him.
Morgan was angry. His eyes bored through hotch accusing and hurt. He looked like he might jump out of his seat and leave any second. Hotch wouldn't blame him how many times had derrick stood up for him? Saved his life and trusted hotch with his own life only to find out like this that he hadn't even known who he was trusting?
Garcia reached over and took hotchs hand. "it's O.K." she said lightly "we've all hidden things from each other" Morgan snorted Garcia glared at him "we have , J.J hid will Rossi hid that unsolved case with the three kids. Emily hid her past as Loren" hotch frowned Garcia was bargaining. If they'd all done it then hotch wasn't such a bad guy. Right? He interrupted her before she could bring up Reid's drug problem or Carle Buford "it's not the same thing".
J.j grinned "well not exactly but this really isn't so bad" Rossi shook his head and Morgan slammed down his fist "j.j have you lost your mind?" he demanded hotch sighed j.j wasn't crazy she was in denial.
Reid sat forward and rubbed his head "she's not saying this isn't a big deal." he muttered "she's just saying it happens." he shrugged. It was such an odd thing for Reid to say and he said it so clearly and without emotion his voice was full of apathy and flat. He was depressed at the thought of yet another awful thing he couldn't help.
Emily smiled I guess it dose" she said. She understood what hotch was going through she'd been in his place before. She didn't like it but like Rossi she'd accepted it and was ready to get down to work.
Hotch cleared his throat "this isn't fair to any of you but-" he struggled to keep his voice even "but Dharma shouldn't have to pay for any of this I have to help her" he locked eyes with each of them accepting the anger the disappointment and the hurt he'd caused "I can't do this without all of you".
Rossi stood up "well you've got me" he glanced at Emily "you too?" she nodded "I'm in" Garcia cleared her throat "I'll go over all the info we have about where Dharma's been the last ten years and see what I can find" Reid sighed "I'll come with you I might be able to help fill in some gaps in the map" Morgan shook his head and sighed deeply "I'll need to question you" he told hotch "Rossi you should question stauss about the depth of her involvement" Emily nodded "I help you question hotch" she offered Morgan nodded j.j stood up "I'll get in touch with some of my contacts and try to figure out how far up the chain of commanded the order to hide you both came from.
Mogen looked across at hotch "so" he asked pulling out his notepad "Gregory Clifford?"
A/N so I vaguely remembered hotch hinting at growing up with an abusive father, but I just couldn't write Edward like that. So that's why his upbringing was strict and harsh emotionally instead of physically in this story.
