A/N: I never mentioned this regarding any story I've written for CM, but I discovered I received no reviews at all for either chapter 59 or 60, and I'm just curious. Are people getting tired of this story? I've gone from getting about six per chapter down to three, then two, and now none, and I don't understand why. Whatever the answer is, I will still complete this.

Chapter 61

Dave fought to keep his emotions under control. Aaron's words were troubling him and he was really starting to wonder if Hotch was breaking under the stress of everything that happened. Added to that, the stress of knowing Foyet was still after him, and now this innocent nurse who resembled JJ being murdered possibly by Foyet. But as far as he was concerned, Rossi was determined to do all he could to protect his friend and get him through everything.

"Listen to me, Aaron, please. We are going to do everything we can to make sure Foyet is caught, and you are all right. So stop talking like you're standing on the precipice and about to step into oblivion. I don't want to hear you talk like this, because you're starting to scare me. I don't want or like hearing you sound as if you're giving up your right to live."

"But, Dave…"

"No buts, Aaron. I listened to you, now you're gonna listen to me. You saying things are not gonna end well for you is like you saying it's okay if you die as long as we stop Foyet. Well, to me you are being damn selfish."

Hotch arched his eyebrows. "I don't understand how…"

"I said shut-up and listen!" the senior agent spoke in anger.

Hotch's eyes widened. Rossi had never spoken to him like this at any time since they'd known each other. He opened his mouth to interrupt his friend's tirade.

But the older man refused to be interrupted. "You indicate you're being selfless by telling me you're willing to die as long as we catch Foyet. Well from where I stand, you are being damn selfish because you haven't stopped to realize how your death would affect others. If we lost you it would destroy us, Aaron. Yes we would continue, but it wouldn't be the same for us. You would be missed terribly. You are the one we always turn to for leadership and strength. You Aaron. Not me and not Morgan. You."

Hotch chewed his lower lip. "Dave…"

"I did not give you permission to talk yet! So stop interrupting me and cease your petulance!" (1)

"Yes, sir," Hotch relented. He figured it would be better to acquiesce than to argue.

"But forget about us for the moment. You seem to have forgotten your son. What about Jack? Doesn't he deserve to have a father who will do everything in his power to come home to him?" Hotch bowed his head and studied his good hand.

He realized Rossi was right. "You're being unfair," he replied softly. He looked up at the older man he loved like a father.

"I didn't intend to be fair. I intended to point out several facts of your selfishness you seem to be overlooking. This plan of yours isn't just about you. This is about all of us…your team, Jack, Jessica, those who love you, and you. Garcia has come up with what she calls a masterpiece in which to hide a camera and a microphone. JJ is busy with her assignment, and I will be doing what I have to do after she's done. Should I just tell them both to forget what they're doing because you decided instead that it's okay for you to die? And just to let you know something else, my friend. I spoke with Jack before I came here. He's worried about you, and keeps asking when are you coming home? He's still afraid he's going to lose you after having lost his mother. Should I tell him his dad's not coming home because he thinks it's okay for him to die instead?"

Aaron now averted his eyes instead of looking at his friend. All he could do is shrug his shoulders which gave Rossi the answers he had sought.

"I didn't think so. So don't you dare sit here and tell me you're willing to die as long as we catch this bastard!? That sure sounds damn selfish to me!" Rossi shook his head with feigned disgust. "I knew you were a lot of things, Aaron, but I never thought selfish was one of them."

Hotch blew out a deep breath through his mouth, raised his eyes, and stared into Rossi's. It was obvious the younger man was struggling with his emotions now.

"I…I'm sorry. I don't understand what's wrong with me and why I'm reacting this way. I don't mean to sound selfish, and I don't want to leave the team or Jack. But this won't end well for me. It's just a feeling, nothing else. I really don't want or plan to die."

Rossi smiled. "And I didn't mean to go off on you. You're my best friend and like a son to me. And as I told you, we are going to do everything we can to catch this bastard and keep you alive. And if you accept only one thing tonight, Aaron, you can accept this. You will live and see another Foyet punished. That I promise you."

Foyet was smiling as he worked behind the nurse's counter. The smile on his face was from remembering what had taken place the night before in the parking garage. There was a stirring in his loins as he recalled the woman struggling beneath him. But what made the memory even better was picturing Hotchner's face in place of the blonde's. Imagining Hotch struggling beneath him as he pounded into the unwilling body caused Foyet to be glad he was behind a counter. He looked down and noticed the erection tenting the front of his pants. He smirked at the reaction an image caused.

"You see what you do to me, Aaron?" he whispered softly. "It's because of you that she had to pay. I should have been with you. I had to use a substitute instead." He wished he could stick a hand inside his pants, but he couldn't. There were just too many people around and a greater chance of being noticed. And if he was caught, all chances of getting at Aaron were gone. "I promise you, Aaron, soon we will be together again the minute I find a way to get rid of your babysitters. They're all that stands between us being together and I can't allow that. I won't allow it. Besides, I'm tired of waiting to be with you."

He shifted his stance hoping to conceal the tenting in his pants, when a pretty brunette candy stripper approached the counter. He straightened his posture as the woman leaned against the counter and smiled sadly.

"You okay, Candace?" he asked in a strained voice. He wasn't a religious man, but he found himself praying being this close to a woman would cause his manhood to become flaccid and soon. If not, he would more than likely explode behind the counter where everybody can see.

"Not really," Candace said in a husky voice. "I just can't stop thinking about Rosalind. I mean, I just had lunch with her yesterday afternoon."

"I can understand that. I only met her once or twice as I haven't been here but a few days, but I was shocked." He found his eyes staring first at the nineteen-year-old candy stripper's breasts before his eyes glanced downward at his crotch. A grin appeared seeing the tenting in his pants going down, and could feel he was becoming flaccid at last. "I mean, it's scary. Do they have any idea who did it?"

Candace sighed and rubbed a hand up-and-down her arm. "None. I heard somebody might have been laying in wait for her when she got off work." Her body shook with fear. "It's so creepy. I'm really glad my boyfriend picks me up after work."

"You're lucky that way." Foyet started to say something else when the telephone rang. He smiled at the brunette and grabbed the receiver. "Sorry, but I'm the only one here right now so I gotta answer this. I'm talk to you later."

"No problem," she replied with a smile and waved at Foyet. "Bye."

"Bye," Foyet replied with a small wave of his own. He didn't need to glance down to realize he was now flaccid again. He just needed to stay that way until he was alone again. He put the receiver against his ear. "Georgetown Memorial, how may I help you?"

Rossi was the first to enter the BAU that morning, and wasn't the least surprised to find Emily and JJ seated at Prentiss's desk drinking coffee. He smiled at them and they at him. He glanced around the bullpen noticing the empty desks.

"Where are the other children?" he asked with a grin.

JJ exchanged looks with the brunette and then back at the senior agent. She shrugged. "Neither of us have seen Reid, Morgan or Garcia."

Rossi glanced at his watch. "They do remember we're meeting in the conference at nine a.m., right?" It was now about eight a.m.

"I hope so. I mean, they all know today's the last day to get everything in place to lure Foyet out into the open."

"By the way, JJ, how's Alana doing? You talk with Jess?" asked Rossi.

"Ummm," the blonde replied having taken a drink of coffee. She looked up after swallowing. "Briefly. Jess said she and Jack are getting along just fine, but Alana's suffering from nightmares of the kidnapping."

"It's no wonder," Prentiss said. She saw the others looking at her. "I mean, considering what Nathan Foyet did to her and her babysitter," she quickly added.

"We know what you meant," Rossi exclaimed. He looked up when the double doors of the BAU opened, and in walked an exhausted Penelope Garcia carrying a cardboard box open at the top. And an equally exhausted Derek Morgan held open the door for her. He tried to hide a yawn behind the back of his hand and failed. Both of them approached the others.

'Well, you two look like hell," Emily teased. "Late night?"

"And why didn't you ask us to join you?" said JJ with a smirk.

"We wanted to be alone, my beauties," Garcia replied tiredly. "Besides, you try completing a masterpiece in the wee hours of the morning, then tell me how you feel?"

JJ smirked. "You sure it wasn't from being near your Chocolate God that has you tired?"

Garcia paused. "If I wasn't so tired, sunshine, I would have a snappy comeback for you. But as I am, I will ignore that comment about my Hot stuff until later."

"Morgan, did you do what I asked you to do with this 'masterpiece' kitten keeps talking about?" asked Rossi. "I'm assuming you did since you both look like hell this morning?"

"I did," Morgan answered. "And let me say you'll be pleased with what Baby Girl came up with because I was." He glanced around at the empty desks. "Where's Pretty Boy?"

"Right here," a familiar voice said.

Everybody looked and saw Spencer Reid approaching holding a large cup of steaming hot coffee in one hand. He noticed the open box Garcia had placed on Emily's desk, and started to lift a corner of the lid and take a peek inside the box. Garcia slapped his hand away.

"No peeking, my junior G-man. You'll see when everybody else does."

Reid glanced at his best friend. Morgan held up both hands in defense.

"Don't look at me, kid. I'm under threat of death if I tell."

Garcia gazed at Rossi. "Did you get the note from Jackers, sir?"

Rossi reached inside his inner jacket pocket, removed a folded slip of paper, and handed it to Garcia.

"I did, and Jack was delighted when I told him he would be working the case with his dad. Said he wanted to help his dad."

Garcia unfolded the paper and saw the words she had wanted written. She re-folded the paper and tossed it into the open box. "Now my masterpiece is complete and can be shown to the world. The BAU world at least." She started to reach into the box when a voice stopped her. Everybody faced Rossi who now had a grim expression on his face. Everybody but JJ and Emily stared at the older man with worry as both knew what happened the night before at the hospital. Rossi had asked them to keep it between the three of them as he wanted to inform the others in the morning himself.

"What's wrong, Rossi?" asked Morgan warily. "Is it Hotch? Is he okay?" Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed no reaction from the brunette and the blonde media liaison. "What's going on, you two? Neither of you look nervous which tells me you both know what's goin' on here. So somebody better tell me and if it's got something to do with Hotch." He stared at Rossi waiting impatiently.

"Just hold on, Derek," Rossi explained cautiously. "Hotch is fine. I'm gonna tell all of you. And yes, JJ and Emily already know because it involves them."

"What is it?" asked Garcia fearfully. "Are two of my fine, furry crime fighters in danger? Is that it?"

"To answer your questions, JJ possibly. Emily we don't think so."

Morgan glanced around at both women impatiently then again at Rossi. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Exactly what I said. Last night I got a phone call from Detective Moeller. A nurse named Rosalind Davies was brutally raped and sodomized. She uh…she apparently was sodomized with a knife and her rectum was cut open. Also, her throat was cut severing her jugular. The cut was so deep she was nearly decapitated. According to Moeller, she worked on the same floor Hotch is located."

"Oh my gosh!" Garcia gasped with a hand over her mouth and tears threatening to fall.

"Was it Foyet?" asked Morgan.

"We're not sure, but that's not the worst of it," Rossi continued. "Hotch was familiar with this nurse and she has blonde hair, blue eyes, and uh…"

"And she looks like JJ, doesn't she?" asked Reid apprehensively.

"Yeah. So until Foyet is caught, JJ and Emily go nowhere by themselves, and Hotch agreed with me. And trust me, it wasn't easy to keep Aaron from pulling rank on me and yanking both Emily and JJ off this case. He suspects it's Foyet, and that he killed this nurse as a substitute for Aaron because he can't get to 'im."

"What do you think?" asked Reid.

Rossi sighed wearily. "I can't say yes or no until we can compare Foyet's DNA with what was left in the nurse and in Hotch," he said. "Only then can I say yes or no with any confidence."

"So Bossman knows?" asked Garcia.

"He does, and of course he's blaming himself no matter what I say. That's why we need to catch this bastard and soon. And despite what's happened, we are still to go through with Hotch's plan. We need to stay focused and do our jobs the way Hotch would expect us to do them."

Morgan shook his head and angrily pounded a fist into his other palm.

"This means this bastard is in the hospital, or at least is able to get access to people working there. I'm sorry, man, but we need to come up with another plan. This bastard killing a nurse who works on the same floor as Hotch makes this entire plan of his too risky. Did you tell him that?"

"I did. But he made it clear to me that we are to continue with his plan no matter the risk to him. He wants Foyet caught and off the street permanently."

"That's not good enough, Rossi!" Morgan raised his voice which he realized could get him suspended. "In my opinion, this just proves to me that Hotch is breaking under the stress and strain of everything. He isn't capable of thinking straight or making rational decisions on his own," he emphasized. "You need to overrule 'im, man, take over the team, and reject this crazy plan of his."

Garcia, Reid, JJ and Emily all stared at Morgan, incredulous. None of them had ever seen him challenge an Acting superior before, much less question Hotch's sanity. They all waited to see what Rossi would do, expecting him to chastise the black agent. But it took a lot to make the older man lose control. And they also understood their teammate was speaking out of concern for Hotch, and the effects everything was having on him.

Rossi's eyes narrowed and when he spoke, he kept his voice calm. "Derek, if you think Hotch is losing or has lost his sanity, and the ability to think clearly, then by all means you should be the one to tell 'im."

Morgan swallowed the building lump in his throat. "No thanks, man. I like my job and don't wanna lose it."

Rossi smirked. "Maybe. But something tells me you like and care about Hotch more, and will do whatever you can to help take down Foyet. Am I right?"

Morgan sighed and nodded. His 'gun-ho' attitude had lost a lot of steam after his outburst, and he simply nodded. "You can count on me, Rossi. I'll have Hotch's back no matter what. I'm sorry for acting like a jackass."

"Apology accepted," Rossi said with a smile and a pat on the shoulder.

"Told you, JJ…" Emily announced with a smile.

The media liaison's eyes widened. "Told me what?"

"Morgan just apologized for acting like a jackass. Why should he apologize for acting normal?"

"Hey!" Garcia said slapping Prentiss on the shoulder playfully. "That's my Chocolate Stud-Muffin you're talkin' about, my raven-haired goddess." She feigned being angry.

"All right, kiddies. We have work to do if we're gonna get everything set up in time," Rossi added before looking at Garcia. "Unveil your masterpiece and amaze us, kitten."

Garcia pushed aside the top of the box and reached inside with both hands. But before she did, she paused and looked at the others. "Before my unveiling, let me explain the reason my sexy Derek Morgan and I look like we do. We were testing the cameras and microphones inside my creation to make sure they work as they should. And I am pleased to announce they work perfectly. The cameras will give a clear visual of whoever enters Boss-man's room, and the audio is clear as a bell. What that means is we can hear everything said in his room only. It's a one-way listening device." She proceeded to remove the item from the box and sat it proudly on top of Emily's desk.

"Taaaah daaaa!" she announced with a wide smile as the others studied the item. "So? What d'ya think?"

"Garcia, it's…adorable," stated JJ with a smile.

"Something tells me Hotch is gonna flip," Prentiss smirked.

Rossi chuckled. "I can't wait for Aaron to see this masterpiece. You've outdone yourself, Penelope, because Aaron certainly won't be expecting anything like this."

Morgan smirked and shook his head, grinning.

"And see…" Garcia explained. "My wonderful Derek Morgan helped install a camera inside each eye, and microphones inside each of the three buttons."

"I don't understand," Reid stated, puzzled. "Are you sure about this, Garcia? I mean, Hotch is a grown man and won't be expecting something so childish."

"And neither will anybody who doesn't belong in Mon Capitan's room. And to those who are authorized, they will find it adorable. To anybody and everybody our furry friend here will simply be a gift to Mon Capitan from his son. Also, Doctor Genius, I chose it because it's something a child would pick for his…Oh!" she snapped her fingers having forgotten something. She reached into the box removing the note and a small item. She unfolded the note, and pinned it to the creation where it wouldn't interfere with the microphones. "There! Now it's complete!"

On the desk sat an eight inch stuffed brown teddy bear wearing a red vest with three black buttons. Pinned to its chest was a note saying 'I LOVE YOU DADDY, LOVE JACK.'

(1) Petulant or Petulance means easily annoyed and complaining in a rude way like a child.