Oxytocin [aaron hotchner]

thirteen

It's been about a week or two since your last meeting with your unit chief in your hotel room. You had just gotten back at Quantico after another case. In these past two weeks the team has worked extremely hard and long days, so much that Strauss even gave all of you three mandatory days off. Which definitely wasn't a lot, but it was something.

It was early in the evening, around 6PM when you got back. Everyone gathered their things and took off. You weren't in a rush to get out of here anyway, so you waited for your boss to go home too. He was already in his office sitting at his desk and you hadn't even arrived ten minutes ago. You walked over to his office and knocked on his door. "Come in" you heard him say and you stepped in, closing the door behind you.

"Hey, are you not going home?" You asked, sitting down on the couch that was against the wall, across from his desk. He didn't look up from his documents as he said "I'm not in a rush, Jack is at a sleepover. I'm gonna pick him up there tomorrow."

"Oh that's good, he'll be happy you get to be home for a couple of days." You said, smiling at the thought of the little guy. He was about 7 now, you thought. At this comment, he looked up at you and gave you a slight smile, "yeah. He's been wanting to go to the Natural History Museum to see all the dinosaurs skeletons. I'm gonna take him there."

"Oh he's gonna be so excited. That's so cute."

He looked back down at his papers. You couldn't help but feel kind of odd. It was like he didn't even you know... notice you? Not that he had any obligation towards you at all. But it's been two weeks since the last time you guys had sex and you know... he has barely looked at you ever since then. You have been working together in pair on the past cases regularly but even after hours or back at the hotels, you didn't see each other once. You kind of wanted to see him during those times, but because of his sudden lack of interest you didn't want to initiate it, afraid to embarrass yourself.

"Are you okay?" You asked, furrowing your brows. He looked back up at you in confusion, "why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, you've been kind of... distant? Maybe? I don't know. I just thought I'd ask." You mumbled the end of your sentence.

"Y/N, I'm okay, really." He smiled "thank you for asking."

"Of course. I wouldn't want you to not feel good or anything."

"I know. Thank you." He nodded

You sat there in silence as he worked through the papers on his desk for a while, scrolling through social media on your phone. After about twenty minutes you rose from the couch and put your phone into the back pocket of your pants. "Okay, well, I'll see you in a couple of days then."

He looked up at you and then quickly looks back down. "Aaron, are you sure you're okay?"

He sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair. "Haley's death anniversary is coming up soon... I'm feeling guilty that I haven't been with Jack enough these past few weeks, I'm slacking, Y/N." He rubbed two fingers on his temple. You quickly walked over to him and stopped right next to him. You kind of kneeled so you were looking up at him. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't realise it was coming up. Can I do something for you?"

"No, it's okay. It's just- it doesn't seem to get easier. I mean, it's definitely easier than it was but every year I'm just reminded of that day. I keep thinking of what she must've thought or felt in those moments. I mean, I have my own special memory of Foyet as well but that's not even a fraction of... if I had just been there sooner, Jack would still have his mom." he let his head fall down and he closed his eyes, a tear quickly running down his cheek.

"Hey, hey, hey," you placed your hand on top of his. "You cannot blame yourself for what Foyet did. He was a terrible, horrible man and what he did... and what you've gone through, both you and Jack. You're a great father, Aaron. That boy loves you." You rubbed your thumb across his hand as you looked at him. "And I'm sorry that happened to you, to your family."