For Old Times' Sake

Chapter 10

"Y/N. Please don't."

You ignored Hotch's plea as you continued to stuff your clothes in a duffel bag. 

"Would you just listen to me for one minute?" he walked over to you from where he was standing near the door, pulling the clothes you had in your hand and throwing them on the bed.
As you began to reach for them again, he grasped your wrists firmly, pulling you close so that you wouldn't be able to break free.

"Look at me," he commanded.
You glared at him, willing yourself not to cry as his raven eyes bore into yours.
"Until you tell me why you're acting up like this, I am not letting you go anywhere."
You scowled. No way were you going to talk to him after the way he had treated you in his office.
As you tried to pull your hands free, his grip only got tighter.
Finally, you had no choice.

"Let me go, Aaron."
"Tell me why you're upset."
Your temper suddenly flared at the question. "Do you really have to ask?" nearly shouting, you could feel tears forming.

"No, no, no. Don't cry in front of him. Not now." you thought.

"I can take a really good guess, but I still want you to say it."

"Oh, you can, can you? Then why don't you tell me and I'll tell you how spot on you are," you said, sarcasm dripping from your voice.

Narrowing his eyes, he started to talk as if he was giving a profile.

"Back in high school, when I met Haley, you and I drifted apart a bit. I thought it was because of the pressure exams put on you. Then, after prom, you ceased all contact, and I was so busy making my life stable with work and Haley that I forgot all about us. Of course, I never really forgot about you and all the things I felt for you. Then I saw your application years later and obviously, I approved it. And you came back into my life, and it was great. But barely months have passed since you got here, and there's another woman in my life. Again. And you're scared that like the first time, I'll get so caught up in my romance that I'll forget about you. But I promise that won't happen. I promise you Y/N, I will not let anything or anyone come between us. Not that I've finally got you back."

During his monologue, the tears in your eyes had run down your cheeks.
Well. He was right, if only to an extent. Leaving out the part where you were insanely in love with him, he had hit the nail on the head.
"I hate you, Aaron Hotchner." you said, not feeling the strength to fight with him any longer.
He smiled sweetly. "That's okay. I love you enough for the both of us." and with that, he pulled you into his arms, burying his head in the crook of your neck as you did the same to his chest.
"I wish you did," you thought, inhaling the scent of his skin as much as you could. Your hands had been squished between the two of you, so you pulled them out to wrap them around his neck, lifting your head to put your chin on his shoulder.
Your eyes were closed as you absorbed how good it felt to be lost in his embrace- your heaven on earth. He too was making no effort to pull away, holding you and soothingly rubbing your back.

"Excuse me?" a sharp feminine voice rang out in the silence of the room.
As your eyes flew open, Hotch pulled away to distance himself from you.

Beth. Of course.
She was standing there, eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Hey honey," Aaron said, walking over to her and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
She looked scandalised as if she had walked in on you kissing Hotch.
"I'm sorry about the other day, Beth. I was out of line," you said, looking at her emotionlessly.
"Um. That's fine. Are you going to stay?"
"No, not really."
Hotch whipped his head around to look at you. Raising your hand to silence him, you continued.
"I just want to stay over at Emily's for a while. You two deserve some space right now."
Obviously, you were lying through your teeth. You just didn't want to get caught up in the awkwardness that was bound to follow if two women who liked the same man started living together with him.
"That's really thoughtful, Y/N. Thank You. Really." she said, smiling.
Discomfort filled you as you saw her being nice to you; it wasn't making disliking her easy.
So you just smiled back, wondering how you were ever going to be okay with all of it.