Coworkers || Aaron Hotchner

Chapter 55

My maternity leave lasted 5 months, 2 extra months than expected, due to a small compilation with me and my PE that the profiler had caused me. During those months, it took us some time to adjust and find a routine since Aaron was working. Luckily, with the help of our nanny who was with from the first few days, things were a little easier. We figured that Jessica had already done enough for us and especially Jack so it's time she gets her life back. We loved Violet from the first moment and Jack seems to like her very much. She is the best and she lives close, so she can be here when Aaron and I get called in.

I was supposed to start work on Monday but today is Wednesday. There was a case on Monday morning and the team had to fly to Texas. But I didn't get a text from Penelope for that case so when I got to the office on my regular hour, they had already left. Aaron said that she probably forgot to page me because she could have thought that I'm still on a leave which is understandable so I didn't make a argument about it and just worked and so I consulted from Quantico.

But today the same thing happened but I wouldn't let it slide this time.
I walk to Pen's office "Look at my phone" I say showing my messages to her
"What happened?" she asks worried
"Look at it" I say
"What am I looking for?" she asks taking it
"I don't have a message. You didn't page me to come. Not today, not yesterday and probably not tomorrow. You texted only Hotch. He put you up to that, didn't he?" I ask
"Kind of. He said that you needed more time. Did you guys argue? Did you piss him off?" she asks
"Yes, I pissed him off. I went and had his baby. I gave birth. I created a human life and now he is mommy-tracking me" I say
"Aw, it's cute. He is just going easy on you because you became a mommy" he says
"No, no. I change diapers, I clean spit up, I sing the ABCs, I was covered in mommy 24/7 and I need to get some air. I will be mommy-tracked by Hotch" I say
"Ok, you're starting to freak out now" she says
"I haven't even began freak out yet Penelope" I say and she nods
"Ok, sit" she says bringing the other chair next to her
"Thank you" I say.

"Nevada, we had 5 attacks, 5 dead people, during the last two days. All of them happened in crowded places and then the unsub disappeared into the crowd. First, he blends in, he pulls his knife out of his pocket, slashes the victim's throat and then keeps walking. Everytime he wears a black clothes and a hood so we his face wasn't picked up by any cameras" she explains as fast as she can
"I see... Can you call the others?" I ask
"Of course" she says.

"What you got momma?" Morgan asks
"I'm actually here with Jessie" she says
"Is Hotchner there?" I ask
"Yes, he's in the car with me and Rossi. I'm putting you on speaker" he says
"Agent Hotchner, if I recall correctly my 5-month maternity leave is over, correct?" I say
"Yes..." he answers
"Then why didn't I get called in today?" I ask but he doesn't answer. "Tell me Agent Hotchner, do you prefer sleeping in your bed next to your amazing and beautiful wife every time you come back from a case or on couch by yourself?" I ask
"The jet will be there to pick you up in a couple of hours. I'll call you and guide you through what we have until now when you're on your way" he says
"Thank you" I say and I hung up.

Meanwhile in the car...
As soon as I hung up, Dave chuckles. "What?" Aaron asks
"I see now who has the upper hand" he says
"Oh trust me, outside of the BAU I don't tell her what to do ever. I'm not stupid... or suicidal" Aaron says
"Smart move Aaron" Dave answers
"You should know that already Rossi. I mean how many times were you married?" Derek asks
"Not enough apparently" Aaron says and Dave shakes his head.

I landed in Nevada and Morgan was there to pick me up from the airport. "Hey, welcome back for real this time" he says hugging me
"Hi, it's good to be back" I say
"In how much trouble is Hotch?" he asks laughing
"It depends on his behaviour from now on" I say and he chuckles. When we got to the station, we found out that they have connected one of the victims to local team of activists. "Can I go?" I ask
"No, I need you here. Morgan and Reid go and interview them" Hotch says and they leave.

I sit down again and I look at the board. "Are you ok?" he asks me as soon as they leave
"Yeah, I'm fine" I say and I kiss him. "It's good to finally get some air" I say and he nods. "You know what?" I ask looking back at the board "The only connection we could find was that all the victims were white but if you take a look at the crime scenes... What if the crime scenes are this unsub's victimology. Think about it, everything happened in the area's most known and crowded places of the town" I say
"Well, we profiled that he is a narcissistic and wants to spread fear. That's why we are very careful with the information that gets to the media" he says
"Good but--" I was saying but an officer steps in the conference room
"We have another one" he says.
"Jessie, you stay here and... uhm... work on your idea. Blake and Dave, let's go" Hotch says and they leave. I roll my eyes and I sit back down.

When they came back, I figured that the new victim and crime scene fitted to the idea I had earlier. "So we have 2 attacks in 2 different parks, 3 attacks in 3 different train stations and now a mall" Morgan says
"The crimes happen with an 8-hour different from eachother so there is probably gonna be another one tonight" Blake says
"The only really public places he hasn't attacked are 2 squares and another mall" Reid says
"We need to increase police presence in those areas" Hotch says to the detective
"I'm on it" he says and leaves the conference room.

"I think we should focus more on The Golden Mall, the only mall that he hasn't attacked in" I say
"But if he attacks tonight, it will be closed" Dave says
"Yes but he eliminated first the parks, then the stations and now he moved to malls. He will want to eliminate that location too before moving on. It's a big mall but we can split up with some undercover officers and wait for him" I say
"I think we should let it up to them. They are enough to cover both the squares and the malls" Hotch says. I was about to argue but I was too tired to start a fight.