The Long, Lonely Road Ahead

The following events take place after Hotch’s divorce but prior to JJ’s giving birth.

Yes, I know it’s a Mary Sue in some ways, but it was fun to write, so I’m throwing it out there for you to read and see what you think. And keep reading – it does get to the point eventually, I promise you. Really.

The Long, Lonely Road Ahead

Chapter Four

Monty’s was old-school steakhouse, it turned out, with dark panelled walls, and leather upholstered booths and chairs. The maitre’d took my duster and hung it up for me, then he took two menus and a wine list, and led me through the main dining room to a table for two near the back. He held the chair for me and I sat.
“Miss is waiting for a gentleman?” he asked.
“No, I’m waiting for my cousin. She’s blonde and wears glasses,” I answered. “I’ll have a cosmopolitan while I’m waiting, please.”
“Very good, Miss,” he replied, and then headed off to place my drink order.

I sat for about 45 minutes, sipping my drink and checking my cell phone for a new text message every couple of minutes. While I waited, I had to fend off advances from at least four different businessmen or government officials, or what have you. They were always men sitting nearby, and always sitting alone. One sent me a drink, which I thanked him for and sent back. Two invited me to join them for dinner, which I declined. The fourth was the pushiest of the bunch; when I politely declined his invitation for dinner that night, he came back twice more, asking for dates on other nights. At that point, I was exceedingly sorry I’d worn such a seductive outfit to a simple dinner with Pen. I checked my cell phone again—no new messages. Damn. I sipped at my second cosmo; in my peripheral vision I could see that man approach me again and I could feel my anger rising.

“I told you the last four times, I’m not interested!” I snapped, turning and looking up at my harasser.
“I’m sorry,” Aaron Hotchner said, stepping back from me. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”
“Oh!” I said, standing up suddenly. “Aaron! I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else.” I looked around him, curious. “Where’s Penelope? I wasn’t expecting… I mean…”
“I know she told you I wouldn’t be able to make it tonight, and she was almost right,” he said, holding my chair out for me. I sat down and he sat across from me. “We’ve been bogged down with this case all day and I’m going to have to go in again tomorrow. But I thought, if she could manage to meet you for dinner, I should be able to. After all, I was the one who suggested it.”
“I’m glad you could make it,” I said sincerely. He looked exhausted though, and I felt bad for him. “You look like you could use a good night’s sleep instead of a dinner out, though. Maybe we should just get you home?”
“I need to eat,” he said, passing a hand over his face. “You look beautiful tonight, by the way.”
“Thanks,” I said, blushing slightly. When he said it, it seemed so much more sincere than when any other man said the same thing. “I just felt like dressing up and I had all this time on my hands…”
“And again, I’m sorry I didn’t contact you about our date,” he said as the waiter approached. “Just a soda water for me,” he told the waiter. “Would you like another drink?” he asked me.
“Oh, no, thanks,” I said, pushing the martini glass away. “I was only drinking cosmos ‘cause Pen said she’d pay. It’s something we do with each other.”
“Make the other person pay for expensive cocktails?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow at me.
“It’s like a personal practical joke,” I said, rolling my eyes at my stupidity. “I know, it’s lame, but it’s something we’ve done for years.”
“You and Penelope have quite the history,” he said, picking up his menu and perusing it.
“We’ve hung out together for years, yeah,” I said, taking another look at my menu. I’d practically memorized it in the time I’d been waiting.
“I’m glad she’s got someone she can talk to,” he said, his face serious. “I’m never sure how she handles the work we do.”
“Seriously? Pen’s probably the most emotional person I’ve ever met,” I told him. “She feels everything and more often then not she’s on the phone with me, crying about something she can’t even talk about.”
“That sounds difficult.” He stopped as the waiter approached us. He poured Aaron’s soda water, and then we ordered our dinners. There was a silence after the waiter left and I looked down at my fingernails. When I looked back up, Aaron was looking at me. “Why are you nervous?”

“Because I know you’re profiling me or something and it’s weird. I keep wondering what you’re going to find out about me, just by noticing all the little things I do,” I said, my words rushing out of me. I hadn’t meant to tell him that, but I guess I couldn’t keep it inside. He laughed.
“If I notice things about you, it’s because I can’t help myself. You’re a very beautiful woman, Terra, and I still can’t believe I’m here with you. That of all the men you could have chosen, you chose me.”
“That’s a strange thing to say,” I said with a frown. “Why wouldn’t I choose you?”
“It’s not that,” he said, his dark eyes focussing on mine. “I guess it’s just that I was married for a long time and now… now I’m not and I’m not used to it yet. Maybe that’s it.”
“I get that. You don’t know how to act with someone other than your wife. Did you choose the divorce?” I asked, as the waiter brought our salads.
“Not really, no,” he admitted and I sighed. I sure knew how to pick ‘em. I dabbed dressing on my salad and cut it up with my knife and fork. “Ultimately, I suppose I’m married to my work and Hayley knew that before I did. She couldn’t deal with all the time I spent away from home, and away from Jack, my son. She wanted me to choose between my work and my family, and I guess I made the wrong choice.”
“Do you still love her?” I asked around a mouthful of lettuce.
“Yes,” he answered honestly. “I do. She was the first woman I loved and she’s the mother of my son.” He put down his fork. “Do we have to talk about this?”
“No, of course not,” I answered. I chewed thoughtfully for a moment. “So, uh, are you from this area?”

We talked about nothing really for the rest of the meal. He devoured his steak and his vegetables, picking at his potato. I picked at everything, finishing most of my steak but leaving most of the rest of it. I wasn’t as hungry as I’d first thought, and the two drinks I’d had were having a war with the food in my stomach. Over coffee at the end of the meal, we ended up silent again, me contemplating my coffee cup, and, when I looked back up, him contemplating me.
“I know Garcia was hoping that something might come of this meeting,” he began. “I know she’s trying to do something about the mood I’ve been in since Hayley and I divorced.”
“I don’t know anything about that,” I lied and he held up his hand.
“You don’t have to lie about it, Terra. It’s okay. I think she might have been right. I haven’t felt this good in a very long time.”
“Oh,” I said, not sure how to answer that. I smiled at him and he smiled back over his coffee. “Does that mean we could… continue our conversation in a different locale, perhaps?”
“Where did you have in mind?” he asked, signally for the waiter.
“Well, we can’t go back to Pen’s place—I don’t have a room there and it wouldn’t be appropriate anyway,” I mused. The waiter brought the cheque and there was a brief power struggle over who was going to pay the bill.
“I insist,” Aaron said. “I asked you out and then I almost stood you up. It’s only right.”
“I don’t think so. Let me at least pay for my drinks.”
“Terra. Let me at least do this one thing for you.”
“Well… okay.”
“If it’s okay with you, why don’t we go back to my place?” he asked, handing over his credit card to our waiter.
“Sure,” I said, trying to sound casual. Inside I was jumping up and down for joy, of course, but I didn’t want to freak him out. “I’m just going to use the washroom. I’ll be right back.” I grabbed my purse and headed to the bathroom; a small glance over my shoulder showed Aaron watching me appreciatively as I walked away. Hmmm… nice to be admired in that way sometimes.

When I got to the washroom, I pulled out my cell phone and sent a text to Pen: Don’t Wait Up. Then I headed into a stall to pull myself together. I was completely in a lather. I was just drunk enough to throw myself at him before we even got to his place, but not quite drunk enough to really think it was a good idea. He didn’t seem like that kind of guy—the kind of guy to be up to public displays of affection, particularly with a woman he’d only known a couple of days. I peed, exited the stall, and primped just a bit in front of the mirror after washing my hands. I pulled my boobs up in my bra, making them sit up just a bit more, fluffed my hair, and checked my teeth for anything untoward. Then I retouched my lipstick, just as my cell phone went off: I Want 2 Know Everything! I laughed at Pen’s text, putting the cell phone back in my purse. When I stepped out of the washroom, the man who’d been annoying me was just exiting the men’s bathroom.

“Hey pretty lady,” he started, and I put up my hand to stop him.
“Don’t even go there,” I said, but he just grinned.
“I’m gonna give you one more chance. You don’t want to miss out on something this good,” he said, blocking my exit and then pinning me to the wall between his arms.
“Leave me alone, freak,” I snapped, trying to get away from him. He moved in close, his breath hot in my ear.
“Come on, sugar… You know you want it,” he said. He reeked of whiskey and I regretted the alcohol I’d consumed. Did I smell like that to Aaron? I shook my head and pushed against him with both hands but he was too damn heavy.
“I’m here with a another man… a FBI agent,” I hissed. “So you’d better get off of me right now, you fucking lump of shit.”
“You’ve got a foul mouth for such a pretty thing,” he said, pulling back a bit to look at me. I took advantage of the distance, and heaved with all my might against him, slamming the heel of my boot down on his toes. He howled and jumped back, leaving me free to bolt. “Bitch!” was all I heard as I headed back into the main restaurant, smoothing down my dress as I approached Aaron.

“Let’s get out of here,” I said, conscious of a small waver in my voice. Aaron looked at me, frowning.
“Are you all right? What happened?” he asked, but I shook my head.
“Nothing, really. I’m fine. Just let’s go,” I said, reaching out for him. He picked his credit card off of the table, sliding his wallet back into his jacket pocket just as I heard my drunken paramour charging up from behind.
“You bitch! You broke my toe!” he shouted, just as Aaron shouted, “Terra!” I had the advantage this time, though. We weren’t in close quarters this time. I pivoted on my heel, bringing the heel of my hand up to my attacker’s face, and felt the satisfying crunch as I broke his nose. He howled again and fell to his knees in front of me. The entire restaurant fell silent, staring at us for a very long several seconds, before a babble of voices broke out and several members of the wait staff converged on us. Aaron stood, watching from across the table, so surprised that his eyebrows had climbed into his hairline. I shrugged and reached for a napkin with which to wipe the blood off my hand.

“I’m sure you’ve got a good explanation,” he asked me, as a napkin full of ice was brought for my erstwhile attacker, and, I guessed, the police were called.
“At the beginning of the meal, I assumed you were someone else, remember?”
“I remember, yes.”
“Well, this was the guy. When I came out of the bathroom, he was there and he basically attacked me. He had me pinned to the wall and wasn’t letting me go, so I forced my way out and back here.”
“That would be the broken toe he accused you of,” Aaron said, and I nodded.
“Probably. He’s a big guy and I could barely get him off of me, so I stepped on his foot. I didn’t expect him to come after me again… but I’m not going to put up with being attacked either.” I narrowed my eyes. “This is going to be a problem, isn’t it?”
“Well, he is one of the governor’s top aides,” Aaron conceded and I winced. “But I have a feeling he’s not going to like the publicity this will generate, so no, this’ll probably not be a problem.”
“What about with you?” I still had a bit of blood on my hand, so I dipped my napkin in my water glass and wiped at it a bit more.
“What about me? Am I upset that you broke a man’s nose in the middle of one of the nicest steak houses in town? Or am I upset that you broke a man’s nose on our first date?”
“Uh… well… yeah. That’s kind of it, yeah.”
“Actually, I’m sort of impressed that you can take care of yourself,” he said, as the police strode towards us. “But this does kind of put a crimp in our plans.”
“Yeah,” I sighed, realizing that we had a long night of police and witness statements to make.