Back To December || Aaron Hotchner

Chapter 20 - Aaron

~ December 28th ~

"I am not legally allowed to talk about that night" she said.

This sentence doesn't sit right with me. What is it supposed to mean? I was representing Sean, so why wasn't I made aware of any NDA? Did he sign anything behind my back?

I couldn't sleep all night as every possible scenario was coming to mind. I tried to do some research on my own but came up mostly empty. So, once the sun was out I asked for some help from the expert.

To my surprise, Garcia found nothing on the Staunton PD files. There were no records from that night, not even a 911 call. Someone erased everything. Garcia sent me a list of any law enforcement who worked in the area at the time, and I started from there.

I recognize some of the names since I grew up there, but one stick out the most.

Nolan McClain (Head of Department).

Leonard McClain was the guy Sean beat up that night while drunk and high. I did find it weird that he dropped the charges the next morning, maybe his dad told him to. And if his dad wanted to bury it, I bet Leonard wasn't too clean either.

Both Sean and Taylor were high, so it wasn't a coincidence that Leonard was there too. His toxicology report once he got to the hospital didn't show drugs in his system. So, either his father covered that too or Leonard was dealing.

From a simple Google search I learn that Chief Nolan McClain died in the line of duty during a hostage situation that ended in a shootout. Apparently, Leonard was there too. He was, and still is, a police officer in the same department.

I close my laptop and I look at Taylor, who is still asleep by my side. I brush her hair out of her face softly and I kiss her head. I get out of bed careful not to wake her and I pull my clean suit out of the closet. I get ready and I grab my badge and gun from the small safe. I place a note on Taylor's nightstand explaining that something came up but I will be back as soon as I can, and I kiss her one last time before I leave.

I book the first flight to Virginia as I go the airport and I continue to look a few things up about the McClain's as I wait for the gate to open.

An hour passes and I am already tired of waiting. This is so much easier and quicker with the jet. Unfortunately, after yesterday's budget meeting they wouldn't appreciate the use of those resources for personal reasons.

"I got so used to you in casual attire these last few days that the suit surprised me" Taylor says as she sits besides me.

I sigh and close the laptop on my lap "What gave it away?" I wonder

"A lot of things actually. The fact that you didn't sleep all night, not wanted to tell me where you are going in person, your suit, badge and gun missing..." she explains.

"And you are not mad?" I assume

"No. But I would appreciate a heads up next time. You really don't have to do this, Aaron" she says

"I want to do it. Something doesn't sit right with me, and the more I look into it the more complicated it gets" I admit

"What do you mean?"

"I found Leonard..." I say and her shoulders immediately tense. "And his father. I know he was probably the one who cleared up that night. But he died a few years later, under some quite questionable circumstances in a shootout" I inform her. "I understand if you don't want to tell me what happened. But I am going there and finding out myself"

She nods "I am coming with you"

"Are you?"

"Yes. Because I am tired of Leo's blackmailing and I finally want to see him behind bars. I will tell you everything once we are alone. But you can't use any of it in the investigation. I will do it just in case it helps us get some other evidence to put him away"

I take her hand and I caress her softly. "Thank you" I say.

She smiles and looks down. "I haven't been there since those days. My parents changed the custody arrangement, my father moved back to Chicago to be closer to us"

"Nothing has changed really. And maybe this is a good time to tell you that my mother will be there" I mention

"We are going to your hometown and your mother will be there? Unbelievable..." she says ironically causing me to smile

"I can introduce you as my coworker if you don't feel comfortable, of course"

"It's fine. You've been tolerating my family for the last 3 days, I think I owe you at least some time with yours"

"No, you don't owe me anything. If I knew it would get us here, I would have done it a hundred times" I kiss her cheek

"God... When did I start blushing to these cheesey lines?" she chuckles as she covers her face with her hands.

I laugh. "I find it adorable" I admit taking her hands away from her face. "You are the most beautiful and amazing person I have ever met" I say as I place a couple of loose hair strands behind her ear.

She has that soft smile on as she looks in my eyes. I lean in and I kiss her lips. It is the first time we kiss in public, and probably the first time I am not anxious to show affection in public. I didn't even think about the people around when I leaned in to kiss her. Nothing else matters when we are together.

It is unlike anything I have experienced before. I thought I had one great love and I lost her because I was not enough to give her what she needed. I can't argue over the fact that I put work over our marriage and I brought it onto us.

Taylor is the first person since then that has made me want to try again and change that. I can't stop myself from falling more and more for her. And maybe I don't want to stop.