Helpless (Aaron Hotchner Fanfic)

Chapter Four

Morgan's POV

This could not be good.

Hotch never called me unless it was sending over info on a case, he was drunk, or he seriously needed help. Since we weren't on a case and he asked me to meet him at a nightclub, it was probably the third option. I sighed and turned into the only parking place available and cut the engines. Time to go see what this bachelor wants out of me.

I strode up towards the entry, flashed my I.D and the bouncer let me through. Between small dances with some of the party girls and a couple of sweet talks, I finally spotted Hotch at the bar ... completely wasted. I strode up and sat down beside him.

"How many?" I asked.

"Four," he slurred as he downed his tequila shot. Before he slid his glass up for another one, I slapped a five down on the counter and the bartender complied.

He took Hotch's glass and another one, filled them both up with ease and slid them back. Hotch and I clinked ours together and downed them. I winced as it burned a trail down my throat. We sat for a while, each of us downing more and more shots.

"What is it Hotch?"He looked up at me, sadness clearly visible in his eyes. He sighed and looked back down to the bar, where he was swirling his shot glass.

"Haley." After my quizzical look, he continued. "Another episode came today. After I layed Jack down, I realized that whenever I have him around, I see Haley more than I do my own son. Her last words always play through my brain and I can't get them out!" He slammed a fist onto the bar and tears started to leak from his eyes. "I saw myself with Foyet on the day Haley was murdered. I saw us racing out of my bedroom after I shot him and how we tumbled down the stairs. We rolled on the floor, punching and blood. I don't know Derek. It just really scared me having such a dramatic episode. I haven't had one in about a year."

I nodded. I understood his grief. Before I joined the team, I watched my father murdered. Before I joined the team, I watched my fiance murdered at our own wedding by her own father.

~~~~~

"Speak now or forever hold your piece."

"I will never accept this!"

I watched in horror as Dahlia's father stood up, holding a gun. I could hear myself shouting 'no!' as I rushed over to knock the gun out of his hands but it was too late. He fired the gun and the bullet implanted itself in her head. Guests screamed and flead for safety. People called 911 and my best man and my groomsmen held the father back while I rushed up to Dahlia. I pulled her in my lap and laid a shaking head over her blood soaked hair.

"Come on Dahlia," I shook her. "Dahlia? Dahlia, wake up! Wake up!" I leaned my head down on hers, tears pouring mercilessly out of my eyes.

"No, Dahlia no!"

"No!"

"Please Dahlia."

"Please ...."

~~~~~

"Hotch, I want you to know something." I took his glass and shoved both his and mine far down the bar. "It's okay to grieve over her death. She was the love of your life, was she not?" He nodded. "It's okay to grieve over something so important to you ... but you have to understand it's been three years. You have to let go eventually. I know that's hard."

"I just feel everytime I start to cry, I never stop."

"I know, buddy, I know."

~~~~~

Reader's POV

After Morgan danced with some of the ladies and drug Hotch on the dance floor, the pair invited over JJ, Prentiss, Reid and Garcia over to play card games and Truth or Dare to help Hotch get Haley out of his head. After Morgan snatched a bottle of red wine for the ladies, they grabbed a circle table and all six of them sat down.

"I'll start," Garcia said bravely and fluffed her blonde curls. "Morgan, the one and only love of my life ... Truth ... or dare?"

"Truth," he said smugly.

"Oh chocolate thunder you're no fun."

"Oh c'mon I am. Spill it, baby girl."

"Okay. Would you ever take any one of your 'girlfriends' home to your family?"

"Like to meet them?"

"Yeah I guess so."

Morgan thought about it. "Well yeah. If I knew that she was the one and not just a one-night-stand, then yes. Without hesitation."

"Can I be your 'one'?" Garcia asked. Morgan laughed and kissed her on her temple.

"Of course, baby girl." Garcia squealed.

"Okay lovebirds break it up," JJ laughed. "Morgan, ask anyone if you dare."

"Prentiss," he challenged and he laughed as her eyes widened. "Truth or dare, sweetheart?"

"Dare," Prentiss challenged. "What's the harm?"

"Your reputation is good girl. Go slide over to that man and seduce him into buying you a drink." Morgan pointed over to a man in a sharp, tailored suit sipping on a margarita. Prentiss stood up and smoothed out her red mini dress. She shot playful daggers Morgan's way.

"Watch me."

The team snickered as they watched Prentiss sway her way over the handsome man and wrap her arms around his shoulders, whispering seductively in his ears. He looked up smugly to her face and slapped a bill on the counter. She looked back and winked at the table while Morgan gave her a girly wave. The team laughed and Prentiss rolled her eyes. After sharing the drink with the man, she walked back to the table and earned high fives from everybody.

"Okay Prentiss, give it a whirl," Hotch said.

"Okay work-a-holic. Truth or dare?"

"Truth, I'm not risking my reputation."

"Okay. When did you first have alcohol?"

"Twenty-first birthday party."

"Wow, Hotch is always Little Miss Perfect, isn't he?" Morgan laughed and Hotch gave him a pointed look. All of the sudden, the whole table vibrated and the whole team looked down at Morgan's phone jittering it's way across the table. He stood up and grabbed the phone, leaning in between JJ, Prentiss and Garcia.

"Sorry but this hottie won't be here for a bit. I have to take this."

JJ and Prentiss rolled their eyes at Morgan as he strode off across the club with a phone pressed to his ear. Garcia just drooled and stared after him. After a couple more round of truth or dare involving JJ kissing a random guy on the dance floor and Reid getting a girls number, they stopped to hear a yell.

"Hotch!"

Hotch looked up from his conversation with Reid and saw Morgan rush up to the table, panting and out of breath. He stared quizzically at the man bent down over the table trying to catch his breath.

"Morgan ... what's wrong?" he said, standing up slowly.

"It's Jack."

"What?"

"Hotch ... he's missing."

~~~~~

Word Count: 1137