Crying Lighting (Hotch x Reader)// ✔

4.Spotless Mind

Summary:

You finally reach a consensus with the BAU

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He wanted you out, wanted to get rid of you? – then fine, you'd bring him to you instead. Another journalist asks a question, to which is answered by one of the police officers who'd driven in from Washington this morning. 

The event wraps up quickly and most of the news crew is packed and already parting ways when a black SUV speeds through the street. You smile, directing your attention to the officers instead. The scratching of the breaks over the asphalt is loud, as is the slamming of car doors. Unlike how you'd expected, Agent Hotchner does not address you once he's close. His anger is directed to the police officer who looks up at him.

"Agent Hotchner-"

"I specifically told you to not involve the news" he snaps, "I told you that Agent Jareau will oversee every single communication your office has with the media."

The man gulps, visibly intimidated.

"I-"

"You're interfering with a federal case and your superior will hear about it-"

"It's not federal" you jump in, and he finally turns to look at you. There's not a hair out of place, not a single crease on his suit, but he looks – feels – disheveled.

"All the victims were found within Washington state lines"

You'd done your own research after leaving their offices, on the competencies of the FBI. Both bodies had been found in Washington – he'd said so himself.

"No, they weren't" the officer says. You flinch -he'd lied?

" Where was the first body found?" you ask him, and he turns his entire body to you – the officer in between you both immediately forgotten, as is the entire matter with the press.

"Where was it, Agent Hotchner?"

His nostrils flare, a visible vein on his neck angrily inflamed as he holds your gaze.

"Outside Red Demo, in the Ozarks" he responds.

You blink slowly, trying to digest the information he drops at you so casually. The Red Demo – the strip club you used to work at as a manager before leaving that entire part of the country. And you understand much too late why he'd been so goddamn stubborn, so incredibly distrustful of you. Even through the alibi and the test – he believes you're a serial killer. And you're left speechless, because what do you tell someone who believes you're a serial killer just like your father? 

Being accused of murder was one thing – one singular murder was digestible. Something you'd learned to cope with - as if it was as simple as not finding milk in the morning to eat with your cereal. But to be capable of this, and taking after your father? You start to understand even the little charade he'd pulled this morning in front of his unit – all of them trying to grasp your true intentions, trying to read you.

"The Red Demo" you repeat, voice still steady somehow.

"Yes" he says, and watches you in silence. The officer beside you both is as confused as Agent Jareau who has just joined you.

"I see" you let out.

Everything is important to him, childhood, past crimes, life story, everything - the same sentence you'd said about your father. You'd offered him help in understanding your father, while he's studying you.