By the time the team made it off the plane and through a day of meeting families and visiting scenes it was ten P.M. They were all very tired. Hotch distributed room keys and they said their goodnights before heading up to their rooms.
Hotch didn't go to sleep though. Instead he poured himself a glass of whiskey and laid on his bed in silence. His mind was clouded with thoughts of Liz. That seemed to be his favorite thing to think about lately. He loved her he knew that, but nineteen years was to much. Would she even want that? After Haley died he created some distance from everyone. The truth of it was that he had eventually started to let everyone back in, besides Liz. He loved her, he always had since he met her. But it had been a brotherly love, fatherly even and he feared that if he didn't create distance it would become more than that. The feeling went away for awhile when he met Beth, then she left and he found himself trying to rid the thought of Liz from his mind. She met Simon and the space between Liz and Aaron grew deeper. She found someone else to confide in and he had to make himself forget about whatever feelings he might of thought he had. But he couldn't so he kept his guard up, tensed and quieted when she was around.
Things were different yet he enjoyed that she called everyday and made it a point to try and answer the phone before Jack could. And he loved listening to the two of them play from the living room. And he loved how she was at work, on top of things. She was strong, she was independent and she probably didn't give a damn about him anymore. He wondered what is was she wanted to talk about over lunch when they returned home. Probably Jack. His mind wouldn't rest, he finished his drink and turned out the light, then made an attempt to sleep, failing as he tossed and turned. Before he knew it his alarm went off, it was time for work.
The team slowly gathered in the hotel lobby, one by one. Most of them well rested besides Aaron.
"You look like hell." Rossi commented.
"I didn't sleep well." Hotch replied. "Okay, JJ and Reid you two can talk to the two other families you didn't yesterday. Morgan, Ruck and I will go to the newest scene. Rossi and Ryan you guys go to the police station. We'll meet back there in a couple hours." Hotch instructed.
They split up into the SUV's.
Rossi and Liz were silent most of the short trip before Rossi said, "do you know what's up with Hotch?"
She shook her head. "He's probably stressed about the case."
Rossi sighed. "I have a feeling it's more than that."
She raised an eyebrow toward him.
"He just isn't the type to not sleep over a case."
"What do you think it is then?"
Rossi looked over at her. "You."
"Me?"
"Yeah, don't play dumb. I heard you guys talking on the jet yesterday. Why do you want to have lunch with him?"
"So I can talk to him. You obviously know that since you were eavesdropping." She retorted.
"About what?"
"It's really not your business Rossi."
"You want to know something kid, I can see right through you."
"Hmm." She rolled her eyes. "Please enlighten me then. Why do I want to talk to Hotch?"
"You two clearly have some...unresolved issues, I remember when I met you and saw the way you two were with one another it made me smile because you guys were so close. You could see the bond you had. Then it just...went away."
"Yeah, well, people change." Was all she said.
They pulled in the parking lot. "Not with a bond like that." He stated before he stepped out of the car.
She didn't say anything more, it would only frustrate her. Plus they had more important things to do.
"We have another body." An officer said to them. They looked at eachother.
"We have a lot of work to do." Rossi said following the officer inside.
The day seemed to drag on, they didn't seem to be getting anywhere. Reid had begun a geographical profile but that didn't seem to be helping much either. So they sat in the office of the LA PD stumped and tired.
"Hotch we have no new leads." JJ said setting down the file she had in her hands.
"I can't find any connection." Garcia admitted from the screen over video chat.
Hotch sighed. "Alright. Everyone go back to the hotel, and get some rest."
Everyone got up and started to head out. Liz remained in her seat. She hated leaving when they had nothing. After a couple minutes everyone had cleared out. Only Liz, Simon and Aaron remained in the room.
"Night Aaron." Simon said, then turned to Liz. "You coming kiddo?"
"I'll walk back in a little bit."
"You sure?"
"Yeah I could use a walk to think anyway."
"Alright, just be careful and ring the phone when you're back at the hotel."
"I will."
"Goodnight kid."
"Goodnight." Simon walked out leaving Liz and Aaron alone in the room.
"You should get some rest." Aaron told her.
She scoffed. "You're the one who looks like you haven't slept in days." She didn't mean for it to sound sarcastic, but it was the truth.
"I have some paperwork to finish."
She looked over at him. "I can help if you want."
"I got it, thanks anyways." He shot her a polite smile.
"Fine, at least let me get you a coffee?"
"That actually sounds great, thanks." Liz got up and walked over to the kitchen area and poured two cups of coffee. She handed him his cup and sat back on her seat watching him contently.
"Rossi's worried about you, you know?" She said after a while.
"How so?"
"You haven't been sleeping well."
"Cases are stressful."
"Aaron?"
"What?"
"Look at me, will you?"
He obeyed and met her eyes. "What?" He asked again.
"It's more than that and you know it."
"It doesn't matter."
The answer frustrated Liz. She wanted more. She wanted to talk like they used too. When they told each other everything.
"I'm just worried about you." She admitted.
"Don't be." He said it with a hint of anger. Why was she so worried about him? He both loved and hated it. He only showed the hate part.
"Sorry." She whispered not wanting to be a part of the conversation any longer. He didn't say anything.
"I'm going to head back to the hotel." She got up and threw her coat over her shoulders.
"Night."
"Night Ryan." He said without looking up. Ryan? He never called her that unless around the team. Yesterday he seemed so much softer, so much nicer. Now he was just being cold and distant again.
She walked out without saying another word. When she got back to the hotel she texted Simon letting him know she made it in safe and then curled up in her bed. She laid awake in the dark. Replaying Aaron's words in her head. It bothered her that he had called her Ryan. She hated it, right now she felt like she hated him too.
