Scotch // Aaron Hotchner

Chapter twenty four

"Hold the elevator!" A familiar voice yells as the door start to shut. It had been an eventful Morning and I was already running late and needed to get up to the BAU as soon as possible but I reached out to keep the doors open anyways. I look up at the man coming into the elevator and realize that it's Hotch. He looks at me shocked for a few seconds before looking away and going to stand next to me. "Running late boss?" I ask while keeping my head straight ahead, not looking over at him. 

"Apparently I'm not the only one" he mutters

It's silent after that. We had left New York on Monday morning. We barely said a word to each other at all. It was an incredibly awkward car ride back. I was hoping it wouldn't be like that today but I was obviously wrong. I knew that this would be the only time I had the chance to talk to him alone today and we had a lot we needed to discuss. "We need to talk. I'll see you in your office after work." He raises his eyebrows at me, "Not that. We're actually gonna talk." The elevator dings indicating that we had reached the floor the BAU was on. 

"I'll see you later then." he says still not looking over my direction. 

He walks out of the elevator as soon as the door opens and heads straight to his office. I sigh and walk straight over to my desk. I set my bag down and look around to realize that no one is at their desks. I walk up to the round table room to see Reid and Morgan sitting around the table but no one else is there. "Where is everyone?" I ask. Reid just shrugs his shoulders but Morgan starts to respond when we're interrupted by Hotch. 

"We don't have a case today. Just a consults on cases and such. Be prepared to leave tomorrow."

We all nod and he walks back towards his office. "So where is everyone?"

"Emily and JJ are off somewhere together..." Of course I think to myself. Morgan continues, "...Garcia's in her office and Rossi should be around here somewhere."

"Oh, okay. So what are you guys working on?"

"Report for the Miami serial." Reid says while reading something in front of them. 

"Miami? That was over a month ago?"

"I'm a little behind. I had to recruit Reid to help me out." 

"Ouch. If you still need it I can come help after lunch."

"What are you doing until then?" Morgan asks with his eyebrows raised.

"I'm helping Garcia with some things."

"That sounds suspicious."

"Ok then, Morgan. We'll I'm off to her office. I'll see you boys later."

Reid looks up from the papers on the table and waves at me, "Bye, Nat!"

I wave back, "Bye Reid. " and then I walk out and down towards Garcia's office.  I start to look over and into Hotch's office as I walk past but I force myself to look away. I was honestly feeling conflicted about what had happened on Saturday but I had bigger things to worry about. I walked down to Penelope's office making sure I looked calm and collected. But the minute I walked in and shut the door I was the exact opposite. I was panicking. I had been ever since I had left New York. I needed to know that my life for the past two years wasn't a lie. I needed someone to tell me that Ben was who he said he was and that he wasn't just using me to get to the team. 

"You look stressed." Penelope says the minute I shut the door.

"I am" I respond back with a playful tone. I was trying to lighten the mood but I was really worried inside. 

"Well let's try to relieve some of that stress, shall we?"

"Let's try"

She starts typing on her computer, "What's his first and last name?"