❝ you're the best of us. ❞
in which the ex-agent with a therapy license decides to get back in the game.
CRIMINAL MINDS SEASON 4
OC X AARON HOTCHNER
TRIGGER WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, MENTIONS OF SEXUAL ABUSE AND ISSUES SURROUND...
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SEVENTEEN. DOMESTIC ACTIVITES
DAISY WAS A DIFFICULT PERSON TO UNDERSTAND. Was she clumsy, or just focused on what she was doing and found herself constantly walking into people? Was she always so chipper, or was it all a front? These things had been a problem all her life, but she'd never had anyone call her out on it quite like Hotch did.
"Shit, sorry!" she apologised quickly as she stepped back onto someone's foot at her local supermarket. She whipped around, nearly falling into the apple shelves if she hadn't been yanked forward at the last minute. She grunted as she slammed into the person's chest, feeling a slight ache in her almost healed ribs. She looked up in surprise, seeing none other than Aaron Hotchner. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Hotch? Can't stay away from me, huh?"
"Very funny," Hotch let go of her and rolled his eyes, his grip tightening around his shopping basket. For once, he wasn't in one of his expensive suits, instead in an equally fancy sweater and jeans. Daisy, like usual, was quite underdressed, in a white top and sweatpants with a rolled bandanna keeping her hair up. She knew that rain was forecast for later on in the day, but she decided that she'd beat the weather home. "This is the only place they stock my son's favourite cereal."
Daisy vaguely remembered the mentioning of Hotch's son, Jack. He was young, only three or four, but from what she had seen, he was Hotch's entire world. She couldn't help but smile. "Aw, that's sweet. I didn't think you cared about other people."
Hotch scoffed at her teasing comment, starting to walk away from her. She didn't seem to care, following him down to the cereal aisle. She pretended that her being there was merely a coincidence, and whenever he'd look up at her, she'd turn her attention to a random product she didn't need. As much as he hated to admit it, Hotch found himself shaking his head in amusement. "Alvarez, can I help you?"
"What?" Daisy glanced over at him, as if she didn't hear him. "Did you say something?"
Hotch closed his eyes and exhaled. "Can I help you?"
Daisy walked up to him with a jar of peanut butter in her hand. She dropped it in her basket and then looked over at Hotch's. "Do you really need that many packets of frozen vegetables?"
"I find that I don't have much time to cut them myself," Hotch replied. He pointed at her basket. "Do you need that many juice boxes? Last time I checked, you were an federal agent in her thirties."
"Who says they're for me?" Daisy tilted her head. At Hotch's confused expression, she cleared her throat and adjusted her posture. "They're for the kids at the care facility a few blocks away."
Hotch noticed her change in body language. She was no longer as confident, as if there was something to be ashamed of. He straightened up a little. "Do you...have family there?"
