ENTANGLED | CRIMINAL MINDS

Redemption

The silence loomed over the pair as they sat far apart on separate ends of the bed. Several minutes passed as they both looked at the floor and stole glances at each other, unsure of what to say. There was a huge divide between the two and they were both unsure if it could ever be fixed.

"Jeanette, before I say anything else, I want to apologize," Hotch said solemnly as he looked up at Jean with his dark brown eyes. 

"I was frustrated and confused when I yelled at you in my office the other day and I know that is no excuse, but I just wanted to clarify. After you left, I truly felt like less of the gentleman I pride myself on being. That's not how you treat someone you love and care about and it was horrible of me to place my anger with myself on you when all you wanted to do was be there for me" he said as he nervously ran his hand up and down his ring finger where his wedding ring used to reside.

Jean looked up at him, shifting closer till they were side by side, their thighs inches apart from each other. "I know it was a mistake, Aaron, but it still hurt. I forgive you but I still am having to rebuild the pieces of my heart that you broke" Jean said lightly. "I look at myself in the mirror everyday and all I can see is someone who wasn't good enough for you" she cries out, tears beginning to well in her eyes as she desperately tries to brush them away.

Hotch feels his heart fall out of his chest as he watches the woman he cares so much about break down in front of him because of his actions. He wanted to take on her pain, to take back the hurt he had caused, but the damage had been done.

He slowly scooted over and closed the space between them, taking his small hand into his. "Jeanette, please give me one last chance" he pleaded with her. "I would move heaven and hell for you, give me the chance to show you".

Jean felt his words hit her hard. She wanted nothing more than to let her guard down again once more, but there was so much at stake. Waiting two floors below them was a man who had done her no wrong and was everything she could ever dream off. There was no escaping this situation without someone getting hurt.

"Hotch, I want to give in, so badly, but I have someone downstairs waiting for me who has never for a second doubted me or made me question myself. That is something I want to hold on to and respect" Jean said sadly as her and Hotch looked at each other.

The air was thick with a heavy sadness as the duo realized that this was the end. Hotch sat there in silence as Jean rose up from the bed and headed to the door, shutting it gently behind her as she made her way back downstairs to reunite with Spencer.

She quietly unlocked the door and was surprised to find that all the lights were still on as she assumed that Spencer would have already gone to sleep. As she further into the room, she heard his voice coming from the bathroom, clearly talking to someone on the phone.

"Maeve, I'm on a case right now, I can't," he said into the speaker, "I'm working a case right now with the team but I wish I could be there with you right now. Last time was pretty amazing right? I didn't even know I had it in me to do half the things we did together" he said with a chuckle.

Jean's blood runs cold and she feels the air rush out of her lungs. This was happening to her all over again.

She walked in through the open door of the bathroom, tears already streaming down her face. "Spence" she said as she made eye contact with him, her eyes swimming with teardrops caused by him. He looked at her quizzically until he realized that she had overhead everything that he had said on the phone.

He opened his mouth, a string of words coming out but Jean heard none of them. She angrily left the room, slamming the door. She ran into the elevator on her floor and tried to rationally think about her next move but all rational thoughts had been thrown out the window thanks to the blow she had just suffered.

Without a second thought, Jean reached forward and pressed the 5 on the elevator, waiting until it took her to the fifth floor.

She stepped out and walked to the very door she had just come from, knocking on it hard in hopes that the man inside was awake.

"For the last time, I didn't order room service" Hotch shouted out as he swung the door open, the look on his face changing from one of anger to one of surprise.

"Hate to disappoint, but I'm not room service" Jean laughed out quietly as she looked up at Hotch, the tension between them palpable.

"Jeanette, why are you here?" Hotch said, his heart already beginning to beat faster at the thought of a chance of redemption. "I'm standing here in front of you giving you a chance to prove yourself to me. Take it or leave it " Jean said as she placed her hand on the white t-shirt he was wearing to bed.

Without wasting a second, Hotch pulled Jean into his room, shutting the door and leading her to the bed. "Let me prove myself tonight to you, Jeanette. Let me show you how a real man can make you feel".