Airing Aaron (HotchxOC)

Completed Circuit.

Alessandra and Hotch had, in-depth, discussed Michael, Haley, and the children, but neither could quite believe the outcome. Hotch, a straight-shooting arrow, had decided that if it came to it, they could fight dirty with Michael. But they both knew that he didn't profile as the type to admit to an affair if his wife would learn about it. He was in the news from time to time, but it wasn't ever for anything serious; it was more about his wife, Henrietta. By the looks of things, her career was taking a rapid decline as her popularity dropped and fellow politicians dropped their support of her. This happened, of course, when it came out what had happened with the coffee shop, as well as a few other illegal things previously unknown. But when it was announced she too had had multiple affairs and one child wasn't even Michael's, life felt both fair and unjust. Neither Hotch nor Alessandra could handle the fact that poor babies were being born into such a shaken household with untold lies and secrets.

But Haley was spoken of with more care. At first, Hotch wasn't sure how to admit that he still missed her from time to time, but Alessandra told him out of the blue one day that she knew and loved that about him. During their discussion, he mentioned marriage. 'Oh, no. Not sold on the whole white wedding and documents. You've been married before, so you've probably scratched that itch and I don't like the social construct of a wedding ceremony, so let's not think about doing that,' Alessandra informed him. Hotch was less willing to avoid a wedding, but he knew it wasn't her type of thing, so they glossed over it.

And then the kids, well, the adoption papers were obtained and signed once Jess had been spoken to. 'Haley would love how Ali is with him, and she would want him to be as involved with her as Ella is,' Jess informed them when the topic was casually mentioned. Jack was thrilled, especially when he learnt that adoption didn't mean Haley wasn't his mother anymore. Ella, however, was just happy to be alive. Her parents were equally enthralled that she lived to see the end and start of each day. She had a death wish; from climbing out windows to touching electrical outlets, danger was her natural environment. Hotch was determined to believe it was the ginger hair that had caused her behaviour, but when Alessandra pointed the knife she was using at him, he seemed to withdraw his joke. It was settled that it was just a Gemini thing. Ella wasn't a Gemini, but they didn't care.

And all this is what brought them to their kitchen on a late Saturday night while the BAU stood around with them. Reid was in the corner, acting like Ella was a rocket, running around with her while Jack and Morgan were playing Mouse Trap. Hotch was standing at the stove while Alessandra sat at the table with Rossi and Prentiss, while Garcia and JJ stood close to them. Wine was sat in all of their hands. 'We all know who the superior partner is in this relationship,' Prentiss joked.

'Me,' Hotch chimed as everyone else called out Alessandra's name. 'That's not right,' Hotch mentioned as he carefully stirred the sauce he was making.

'Face it, Aaron. You know? Sometimes you have to ask yourself some pondering questions,' she teased. 'Am I the most attractive girl in the world?' Alessandra asked and paused for dramatic effect, 'no,' she joked. 'But do I have a great personality?' She asked with a more hopeful tone. 'Again, no,' she answered as the team laughed. 'But do I wake up every day and try to be the best partner, mother and employee who has values?' She asked with a merry tune to her voice. 'Absolutely not,' she finished before finishing off her glass and then refilling it.

'You're really selling yourself,' Morgan joked as he got trapped in one of the mouse traps.

Their conversation was continuing, but Alessandra didn't listen as she walked up to Hotch and wrapped her arms around him from behind. 'How is dinner going?' She asked into his back as he stirred still.

'It's going well. You should know. You cooked it all; I'm just stirring the pot,' he commented as he felt her dip below his arms, and she hugged him, her lips even grazing his from time to time. 'I'm glad your hair's tied up,' he remarked, and she elbowed him, making him laugh.