BLAKE | a. hotchner

25

A/n: Sorry for the wait, guys! There's like two chapters left so get ready for an ending!

"Hey! How was the weekend?" Garcia greeted me when I walked through her apartment door. "It was great," I smiled. "Amazing, actually," I put my bag down on the floor.

"Oh honey, you're blushing," Garcia hugged me tight and I could practically feel the smile on her face.

"Well it was kind of the perfect weekend," I sat down on the couch, letting out a breath. "Jack tried to teach me how to ski and we watched movies and made pancakes and Aaron and I got a little cozy by ourselves," I looked up at Garcia with, what I can only guess, a goofy smile on my face.

"Soo.." Garcia sat down next to me, a smirk playing on her lips. "Soo?" I laughed. "Are you in love with him?" She asked.

It felt like the air got stuck in my throat, "what? No- what? I-I don't know." I shook my head, it was no doubt in my mind that I had feelings for him, that I cared so much about him, but love? "I think it's too soon to tell."

"How long does it take to fall in love? A second? A week? A year?" Garcia took my hand in hers and patted it lightly. "It's like asking how long it takes to fall asleep. Some are gone as soon as their head hits the pillow. Others lie awake for hours, and it's only when their brain stops churning for a while that sleep sneaks in and drags them under."

"Wow P, I knew you were smart, but deep I had no idea," I smirked.

She just laughed and stood up, "tea?" I nodded and let my head fall back on the couch, thinking about what was just said.

I thought about the first time I met him, he visited me in jail when he was looking for one of my fathers associates.

*

The chairs were rusty, the walls were green and it the smell of sweat made me gag. No one had ever visited me, which made me think that Rose had disobeyed my request of her staying away from prison. I was proved wrong, however, when the door opened and a man in a fancy suit stepped in.

"An agent," I sighed. "Of course," I looked up at him, he looked very confident and weirdly comfortable.

"Hello," at the sound of his first word to me, I knew that I wanted to see him again. I knew that whatever he had come to say, I would listen. "I'm Agent Hotchner with the BAU," he extended his hand for me to shake. I tilted my head to the left, smirking as I shaked his hand.

"And I'm guessing you're not here to show off your great analysis skills?" I watched him as he sat down opposite of me, unbuttoning his jacket as he went.

"No, I'm afraid not," he smiled halfheartedly.

"Then why are you here, Agent Hotchner?" I was intrigued by the man, there was no doubt about that. "I'm here concerning a friend of your fathers," he put his hand together on the table, studying me.

"If you want to know something, just ask," I smirked. "It will take less effort than trying to read me," we made eye contact and he suddenly looked very flushed, as if he had been caught red handed.

He cleared his throat, "and if I do ask, will you promise to answer me truthfully?"

"For you, Agent Hotchner, anything," I answered. Seeing one of his eyebrows raise I knew that he didn't trust me, but who would? "Would you like me to take a lie detecting test?" I offered, not wanting him to leave.

"No," he answered. "I think a simple pinky promise would suffice, don't you?" He smirked and I couldn't help but smile as I extended my pinky finger to him. This man was patient, calm and collected, funny.