Hi everyone! Sorry I've not updated, been crazy busy and the snow hasn't helped!
Lea: Aw thank you so much! I'm glad you think so! Sorry for the late update, I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!
ILR: Hey no problem! I'm glad you've taken the time to read and review! I do agree with it feeling slightly rushed, after I read over the chapters I do feel like I could've spent some more time with the characters. I'm glad you found that part amusing! I hope everything's okay with you and you enjoy this chapter.
Happy reading!
Chapter Sixteen.
The flight home took just over five hours, some of that time consisted of the team and myself talking and laughing and then the rest of that time was me fast asleep and probably snoring or dribbling in the seat next to my boss. Yep I know what you are all thinking, what an attractive and classy woman I am but honestly, I was still feeling really rather tender after my interaction with a vodka bottle and I tried very hard to stay awake but sleep was a battle I wasn't going to win.
"Hey Red, we're going to go grab burgers. You in?" Morgan looked at me as I dropped some stuff off at my desk, my eyes watching as Hotchner went straight up to his office and sat down.
I turned, swinging my bag over my shoulder, "Uh sure. Can you give me two minutes?" Morgan nodded and moved with the rest of the team toward the elevators, telling them to go on ahead. I however walked in the opposite direction to them and stood in front of Hotchner's door, my hand raising to hit my knuckles softly against the frame. "Sir?"
"Come in." He didn't look up and I nudged the door open, taking a few steps inside.
"I just wanted to apologise for what I said in my hotel room..." I moved to the seat in front of his desk, sliding down into it as I dropped my bag on the floor. "I got so worked up and I was completely out of line."
Hotchner stopped scribbling in a file, lifting his gaze onto me. "Davis, you must understand that you can't let yourself get so involved." I nodded, my hair dropping over my face. "I understand that this case was close to home..." He paused, my eyes on my boots. "But you have to keep your composure. You did some great work on this case, you showed me you have the right to be here with what you brought to the table – don't throw all that away by losing control."
I lifted my head to look at him, my eyes drifting over his features. His face seemed softer this time, as if this wasn't my boss talking to me anymore. "I completely understand Sir, I'll make sure my emotions don't get the better of me next time..." I bit my lip, my knee bouncing. "I just wished there was something more I could've done."
He let out a small sigh, leaning forward on his desk. "Clara, you have a big heart and you did everything you could have. I have a son too and if anything happened I'd want someone like you to be there to help." Hotchner paused, looking at the photo of his son on his desk that made me avert my eyes to it also.
"He's a cutie." I said without thinking, which I swear made Hotchner's lips twitch into a small smile.
"He certainly is."
"You miss him don't you." I said again and he returned his eyes to me.
"I do." He paused and he looked outside the door, seeing Morgan tapping his watch. "I think you best be leaving, Morgan gets moody when he's hungry."
"Oh... Right." I stood and grabbed my bag, looking at him. "Sir? You aren't coming?"
"You can call me Hotch you know." He grabbed some more paper work and placed it in front of him. "I've got some work to finish, you go on ahead."
I smiled at him – walking to the door. "Right, well see you tomorrow... Hotch." I left him to it, walking down the stairs with a grin still on my face.
"Girl if you don't walk faster I'm going to drag you into that elevator." Morgan said and I let out a laugh, jogging past him.
"You wouldn't even get close." I stated, stopping by the doors and pressing the button.
"You have no idea what moves I've got." He stated and I raised my eyebrows, scoffing.
"The moves you possess won't help you here buddy."
He laughed as the doors opened, allowing us to step inside – my eyes returning back onto Hotch before the doors slid closed.
When Morgan and I arrived at the restaurant I stopped, looking inside. "This isn't what I expected..." I looked at him and he smiled.
"What do you mean?"
I rolled my eyes. "This is a bar."
He chuckled, wrapping his arm around my shoulders – guiding me inside. "Red, this place serves the best burgers in town."
"I have trouble believing that." I slid out underneath his arm. "What you having?"
"Beer is fine." He said as he walked over to the remaining members of the team who didn't have anything else to go home to.
"Hey can I get a beer and a..." I paused, looking at the spirits, my stomach churning. "I'll just have a diet coke." The woman behind the bar nodded, grabbing my drinks and taking my money. "Thanks." I smiled politely and made my way through a crowd of rowdy men who have had one too many.
"Thanks Red." Morgan said as I handed over his drink – his eyes moving down to the drink in my hand. "That better have whiskey in that."
Prentiss, Reid, Morgan and Garcia looked at me – my eyes looking at each of their faces before looking at the drink in Reid's hand. "Reid has a lemonade..."
"Reid rarely drinks." Prentiss added.
"Well I've got to get up early tomorrow, I don't want to be feeling... Delicate." They laughed and Reid smiled at me. Least I'm not the only one who will be sober.
"What have you got to get up early for my little elf." Garcia asked, my attention turning to her.
"I'm going to the gym." Her face screwed up slightly and she shook her head.
"Why would you put yourself through that?"
They laughed and Morgan spoke up, looking at Garcia. "Because baby girl, people can't all look as perfect as you." He smiled that brilliant smile of his and she winked back at him. Those two were so weird with each other.
"How's the arm?" Reid said quietly as he moved to stand beside me, careful not to draw everyone's attention.
"It's fine Doc, don't you worry." I nudged him gently and I heard Prentiss call my name.
"So Clara, any men in your life?"
I looked at Reid for a moment, did I just miss a massive part of the conversation about relationships or was that question out of the blue?
"Uh nope... No men in my life. Last one was in London and that didn't end well." I took a sip of my coke, "For him anyway."
"Oh come on Red, you can't leave it there!" Morgan groaned, causing me to let out a slightly evil laugh.
"You really don't want to know."
"I'm curious to hear it." Reid added and I licked my lips, placing my drink on the small table between the group.
"Well he worked within the Scotland Yard as a homicide detective. I met him as we worked on a case, he was persistent and kept asking me on a date. I eventually said yes and..."
Garcia interrupted me, her hand grabbing my arm. "Sweetie, you skipped the part of what this detective looked like."
I laughed and took out my phone. "This was him." I showed them all a picture and Prentiss and Garcia started to jokingly fan themselves.
"Jeez Clara, what the hell happened?! He's gorgeous!" Prentiss said as I slid my phone back into my pocket.
"Well, it turned out that this particular detective liked a certain London brothel which was also a rather large drug den."
Their mouths dropped, all except Reid who was interested with how it ended. "So, I burst in with a bunch of his police friends, catching him with some skanks leg's wrapped round his neck – high as anything on cocaine." I paused, taking another sip to let the tension build.
"And?!" Garcia and Prentiss said in unison.
"And I dragged his naked ass out of there in cuffs, in front of all his colleagues and the press who I may have tipped off anonymously." They burst into laughter, Morgan shook his head in shook.
"Damn Red, remind me never to piss you off." I grinned and winked at him.
"The best part was he and his..." I paused, pointing down. "Made it to the front page. He was extremely popular with the guys in prison... If you know what I mean."
They laughed again and Reid looked down at me, confusion on his face. I decided against explaining further and just tapped his cheeks. "Oh Doc, you've got so much to learn."