Scotch // Aaron Hotchner

Chapter sixteen

I woke up on Emily's couch the next day. I didn't remember falling asleep but I guess I did. I looked at my phone to see that it was 9 am. I was late for work. I got up and started rushing to get ready. I was about to head out the door when I saw the note Emily left on the door. 

"Natalie, don't even bother trying to go to work today. Stay here and sleep. There's ice cream in the fridge and an endless amount of sad movies on Netflix. We'll probably have a case so I'll see you when we get back and we can talk."

I smiled as I read it. I appreciated that she still cared enough to call out of work for me even though we had just been fighting. I looked at the note and put it in my bag. I left Emily's apartment locking the door with my spare key. I walk down into my car and I head back to my house. I get to my house and decide to change out of my work clothes from yesterday. I put on some more comfortable clothes and lay down in front of my TV. I surf channels for about 2 hours until I decide that I'm really bored. I send Emily a text, "Are you off on a case?"

She texts back ten minutes later, "Just got off the jet. Possible serial in Miami."

I get up and change into more professional clothes and head out into my car. I knew I had the day off but I had nothing to do. I didn't want to sit in a bucket of my own sorrow so I decided to go see if Garcia needed any help.  I got the building in about 15 minutes and I walked up and into the bullpen area. I looked down at my desk to see a brand new stack of files. Great. I grab them and walk over into Garcia's office. I knock twice on the door and wait for her to answer. The door starts to open and to my surprise it's Kevin who opens it.

"Oh hello, agent Hallow."

"Hey Kevin, please call me Natalie. Is she here?"

"Oh yeah we were eating lunch together."

"Oh, that's nice."

He moves out of the way so I can walk into to the office. I walk in and see Penelope typing something into her computer. I pull up a chair and and sit down next to her. "Hey Penelope"

She looks shocked that I'm sitting next to her. "You're not supposed to be here."

"I would be rather be here than sitting at home crying."

She looks at me like she's sad, "How are you? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." I wasn't. I was actually really upset but I wasn't gonna show that. I didn't want to sit here and cry about it. Especially not in front of Penelope. Besides, she had good news last night and I didn't get to celebrate it. "I hear something about you two being back together." I say while looking at both Penelope and Kevin. 

They both laugh and look at each other all giddy. Penelope grabs his hand, "We are!"

I smiled. I was always hoping they would date again. They were perfect for each other. I didn't really know why they broke up the first time but I was glad that they were giving it another shot. "Well let me take you guys out for a drink to celebrate sometime."

Kevin grinned, "We'll have to take you up on that offer. I have to go Pen, I'll see you later." He walks over and gives her a hug. He looks back at me, "Always a pleasure Natalie." 

"You too Kevin." With that he leaves and heads back to his office. "So did he ask you out again or did you do it?"

"Please Natalie it's Kevin. I obviously had to do it."

We laugh and she turns back to whatever she was working on when I first came into the room. "What's the case about?"

"Series of bodies in Miami. All are missing their fingers."

"That sound's bad."

"It is. Everyone's stressed out and they haven't even been there 6 hours."

"Guess I chose the right one to skip."

"Anyways, what's gonna be your big post breakup change?"

"Post breakup change?" I knew what she was talking about but I had never really been one to make a big change to my apperance after a break up. 

"What's something you wanted to do before you started dating Hotch that you didn't do because you were dating him?"

I thought for a minute. There really wasn't much that I wanted to do that I didn't do. I did want a dog though. "I wanted to get a dog, but I didn't because he was allergic."

"Then you my fine furry friend, are getting a dog."

"Penelope I can't get a dog, we leave to go on cases so often that I couldn't possibly watch them."

"You could for sure. There's no debating it. You're getting a dog. We can go to the shelter tonight or tomorrow."

I guess I was getting a dog. There was no arguing with Penelope. I really did want a dog and my I was sure my neighbor and her kids would be more than happy to help take care of him when I went on cases. "I'll get a dog if you help take care of him when we're away on cases."

"Deal, Tonight or tomorrow?"

"Today after work I guess. You realize we're basically co-parenting a dog?"

She ponders for a minute, "I love that for us." We're interrupted by her phone ringing. She clicks the button and answers, "Office of supreme genius and friends how may we help you?"

I hear the voice and realize and it's Hotch. He mutters a question he already knows the answer too, "Who's the friends?"

"Oh, um. Natalie's helping me right now and Kevin was helping me earlier."

"I thought Hallow was off?"

Ouch. He called me Hallow. He never did that. He didn't even do that before we were dating. I speak up, "I was off sir but my afternoon freed up so I came in to help with the case."

He ignores my response. "Garcia, I need a list of sex offenders in the immediate area."

"Coming right up sir. Is that all?"

"That's all for now." He hangs up the phone and Penelope turns to look at me, "That was cold."

"yeah it was. Should be fun when he get's back in town."

"The energy in the office is going to be so weird"

The rest of the day passes as it usually would. I really just helped Garcia out and finished all of my other paper work for the case we just finished. I was finished around 3:30 and I sat there waiting for Penelope to finish. She was done at about 5:30. We packed up and headed to the animal shelter. The way there was fun as we jammed to music and just enjoyed each others company. We arrived at the shelter and was greeted by a cheerful lady as we walked in the door. She asked a lot of questions like, "What kind of dog do you want? Where do you live? High energy or low energy?". I felt bad because I really didn't care. I was really just waiting till I connected with a dog to get it. Me and Penelope walked up isle after isle until I saw a greyhound sitting there in a cage. I walked up and held out my hand for him to smell through the bars. He immediately started licking it. I looked up at his name, Roscoe. "Hey Pen, I think Roscoe's the one."

"He's so cute."

I look over at the shelter worker, "Can we get him?"

She smiles at me and Penelope, "Of course"

The rest of the night consisted of me and Penelope spending way to much money at pet smart and spending time with Roscoe. He was so sweet and I think he immediately loved both of us. Penelope left around 11 and I ended up going to sleep cuddled up to Roscoe.

The rest of the team was gone for the rest of the week. I continued to go into work and just help out Penelope with her work and work on the case from Quantico. As much as I hated to admit it, I was still sad and upset over the break up. I had cried about it a little but I was trying not to. I had even put my paper work in Hotch's office so I wouldn't have to see him until the next case. I was making dinner for myself when I heard Roscoe barking at something. I walked out of the kitchen to see him barking towards the door. I got my gun and held it at my waist as I opened the door. I opened the door and was shocked by who was standing there. 

He looked at me, "Hey Natalie, can we talk?"