Cry Me A River

Chapter 6 - What Even Was Today??

River would choose to crawl underneath the chair she is sitting on if it meant she could escape the predicament that she had put herself in. She wasn't prepared to talk about daddy issues or if she had them with her boss but here she is now. "Haha, sorry about that," she chuckled nervously. 

"It's okay, I thought it was funny actually," he smirked. "Am I though?"

Wait, what? 

"Are you...hot in a... daddy issues kind of way?" Absolutely stunned she felt her face turn six shades of red and she avoided his gaze. He just looked her way, subtle curiosity written on his face under the bemusement. "I would like to plead the fifth. I know my rights and I want a lawyer." 

"I mean, I am a lawyer," he laughed. "I used to be a prosecutor." 

oh my god

"Guess I'm going to prison," She laughed.

Hotch laughed and River looked over at him. Everyone on the team had warned her that he was always serious and not to take him too personally. However, her experience with him so far has been the opposite of what they told her it would be. Maybe he is better with some people than others. Everyone has a soft side after all. River wondered why he was choosing to show it to her when they barely knew each other. She had gotten to know the rest of the team pretty well while training but Hotch was deployed the whole time. 

"Don't worry I'll come to visit you in prison." 

Her heart fluttered when he said that. She took a slow and shallow breath to try and ease the anxiety that was building in her chest. 

"I appreciate that," she laughed nervously as they pulled into the hotel parking lot. Hotch got out of the car and pulled their bags from the back. River also got out and attempted to take her bag from him but he refused and carried it into the lobby. He set both bags down and pulled out his wallet to show his ID to the man behind the desk. He had beach blonde hair and striking blue eyes and he smiled at River the moment he saw her. 

"How can I help you folks," he grinned basically ignoring Hotch. River glanced over at her boss who had a stern look on his face.

"We have rooms reserved, SSA's Hotchner and Leland with the FBI," he spoke. 

"Right," he took the ID from Hotch and started entering their information into the computer. "FBI huh, that's pretty bad-ass. Do you have like a gun and everything?" River smiled at his obvious flirting. 

"I do have a gun," she leaned closer to the counter, "but as long as both of us keep ourselves holstered we won't have a problem...Bobby." River smirked looking from him to his name tag. 

"Yes ma'am." Bobby grinned and placed two room keys on the desk. Hotch grabbed the keys and the bags before turning on his heels and marching to the elevator. Interesting. River followed in his steps trying to ignore the flirtatious stare she was receiving from desk boy Bobby back there. 

"That was weird right?" She looked up towards Hotch once they were alone in the elevator. He didn't look mad as much as he looked distressed, like a battle was going on in his head that River wasn't privy to.

"Yeah." His steel eyes stared forward. 

"You okay?" She asked and gingerly touched his arm. She felt him tense and then relax all at once. She pulled back and looked into his warm brown eyes that melted just a little once they met hers. He gave a small smile and visibly relaxed. 

"Yes sorry,  just a lot on my mind tonight."

"Well you can't go to bed yet you know Rossi will be mad if you don't eat," she joked. 

"You're right," he laughed. 

The elevator dinged and the doors opened on their floor. Beige and pink floral wallpaper really gave the whole place a 'the shining' haunted vibe. Dingy florescent sconces glowed faintly compared to the blinding over head bar lights that would definitely give Spence a headache. Hotch handed you your key card and your go-bag when you arrived at your door. They got rooms right next to each other as they were the first to arrive. Numbers 201 and 203, neighbors in this haunted hotel nightmare. River slid the key through the lock, the light glowed green and she opened the door. 

River set her gun down and changed out of her work clothes and into a t-shirt and shorts. The case they were working was still rumminating in her mind. Kids. Why did the first case have to be kids? It's like the universe was testing her and her ability to do this job long term. Can she look past her own trauma to help these kids? The thought of being responsible for a childs safety gave her a pit in her stomach that unsettled her. How Hotch managed to take care of his son and lead this team was she would never understand. 

*knock* *knock* 

"Foods here!" Emily's voice rang through the door. River ran over and opened the door to see Emily smiling with bags of food. 

"Finally," River laughed.

"We are gathering for a family meal with Garcia via Facetime in Rossi's room which is 209 so go get Hotch so I can set up." 

River grabbed her phone and keycard before shutting the door behind her and walking five feet to Hotch's door and knocking. "Yeah?"

"Hotch, Em-," Hotch swung the door open and Rivers eyes about fell out of her skull. Her boss stood tall in front of her with his white shirt unbuttoned and hanging loosely open and his tie mid being undone. He continued to pull off the tie in front of her as she tried to remember what words are. "Umm." Her eyes grazed over his muscular chest noting the scars on his stomach and abdomen. His tie slid off gracefully from around his collarbone. Her face felt like it were on fire all of a sudden.

"You okay?" he smirked lightly catching your eye. He wasn't easy to read so she understood what her team meant but River was used to paying very close attention to the strong stoic types in her life. 

"What um yes, Emily said that were um meeting in Rossi's room to eat so I will see you there," she turned around immediately and started walking away.

"River?" His voice called behind her.

"Yes boss," she turned back trying to quench her embarrassment.

"What's Rossi's room number?" He grinned. 

"Oh um room 209."

"Thanks, I'll be there in a minute," He closed the door and River practically ran away from his room as fast as possible.