Give and Take

4.

The atmosphere on the jet was not a comfortable one.

You and Hotch were sitting on opposite ends, he was going through paperwork silently, but you could all feel the anger still radiating off him.

You imagined you were probably the same, he had no right to speak to you and embarrass you the way he did. You may have been a little out of line but he deserved it.

After a while Rossi came and sat next to you, smiling softly.

He opened his mouth but you cut him off "Don't. I already know what you're going to say. That I overreacted and shouldn't have shouted or said anything that I did. I will apologise but just let me be stubborn for a bit longer."

He raised his eyebrows "I agree with everything you said, but for the record you weren't the only one out of line, Hotch shouldn't have spoken to you like that in front of the team."

You looked at him, you hadn't expected him to be sympathetic, and for some reason it made you feel worse.

For the first time you felt like you properly connected with Hotch, like you saw more to him than the front he put on for the BAU, and that he saw you, and liked you, and then this stupid fight came out of nowhere.

You sighed again, and Rossi patted your shoulder gently "Don't worry about it too much, you'll work things out, people fight sometimes, trust me three divorces has shown me that much!"

————

It was almost midnight by the time you finished the last report. Offering to do Reid's so he could go to his book club had taken you much longer than you thought, but you couldn't be angry at him.

You sighed, rubbing at your tired eyes and leaning back in your chair. The office was empty, you hadn't noticed everyone else leaving.

The only other light on was in Hotch's office. Made sense as he never seemed to go home, but you cursed under your breath at the fact you'd have to speak to him to hand in the reports.

Sighing again, you stood and gathered the paperwork, walking up the stairs to Hotch's office.

You hesitated, you could just leave it outside and go home..

No. You were an adult, you weren't going to run away from a problem, no matter how awkward it might be. You knocked twice then waited.

"Come in" Hotch's voice sounded from inside.

You put on a neutral expression, opening the door and stepping inside, closing it behind you.

"I've finished the reports, mine and Spencer's are in here, along with the rest of the files." You stated, placing them down gently on the desk.

Hotch stared at the papers for a moment, before looking up at you. "Thank you Agent."

You waited for him to say something else, but he didn't.

Turning to leave, you paused, making a decision. If he wasn't going to be an adult about the situation then you would.

"Look Sir, I want to apologise, I understand that we both said things we didn't mean but I take what I said back, I wasn't thinking."

The seconds ticked by, and you wondered for a moment if you'd just thought all that and not said anything, then he spoke "Thank you. I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have spoken to you like that in front of the team."

You paused for a moment, unsatisfied with his response. Sure it was all well and good him apologising for embarrassing you in front of the others, but his words were what upset you the most.