Losing Game |Aaron Hotchner|

20: Foreboding

"That's what we need to find out. Reid, I want you here to start the geographical profile. Morgan and Prentiss head to the gas station, Dave and JJ to the Howard's residence, and Addams and I will take the Duncan's," Hotch assigned.

With that, everyone rose to head off for their appointed destination; everyone except Blair. She stayed, swiping through the crime photos on her tablet, eyebrows scrunched as in deep thought.

Hotch waited in the doorway. Noticing Blair's hesitance to move, he asked, "Is everything alright?" Blair didn't respond, continuing to examine the images and read the family files repeatedly. "Jo?"

The nickname caught her attention, "Hm? Oh, sorry. I'll be ready is a second," she responded hurriedly, closing the cover to her tablet.

"I asked if everything was okay," he repeated.

Rising from her seat, Blair met Aaron at the doorway where he awaited, "I'm not sure. Something about this case isn't sitting right with me. I just have a bad feeling. I don't know," she shrugged, dismissing her negative thoughts, "I can't seem to put my finger on it."

Aaron only nodded, knowing exactly why Blair wasn't a fan of the case to begin with. Ever since Agent Cooper's death, any case dealing with bombs or arsonists was difficult. At least they had learned their lessons from last time.

After two days of investigating crime scenes, bodies and yet another bombing, the team had finally discovered their unsub was Rodger Way. If they were being honest with themselves, the team got lucky. The only reason they found their unsub was because he had been to prison before for arson, but was released only two months ago after good behavior. He missed his recent hearing, leading him to head straight to the top of the FBI watch list. It also didn't help that he lived in the neighborhood he was bombing.

Hotch's phone began to ring as him and Blair drove through the neighborhood, "Hotch, he's got a kid in there. We have to move quick, but the lieutenant disagrees. What do you want us to do?" Morgan asked in a worried and annoyed tone.

"We're almost there. I'll talk to him," Hotch answered, ending the call.

Arriving last to Rodger Way's home, Aaron and Blair strapped their vests on, prepared for anything. Blair was about to exit the car when Aaron stopped her, "Hey," he caught her attention.

Turning to look at him, Blair noticed his eyes staring at her, full of hope, yet so much worry. "What's up?" She asked.

He sighed, "Just be safe for me, okay?" He spoke gently, lightly bobbing his head towards her.

Blair smiled, bringing her hand up to cup his cheek, "I promise." With the small yet loving gesture, she opened the car door, making her way to the rest of her team that was talking to the local police force.

Snipers were surrounding the home, located on top of neighbors' houses, in the yard- everywhere, scoping the inside of Way's house.

"Lieutenant," Blair greeted with a shake of the hand.

"The kid is in there. We've got this covered," the officer started, "Tactical teams are covering the exits."

"Way needs a distraction," Prentiss spoke as they each placed their headsets in their ears.

"He's focused on the kid."

"For now, but we're going to have to figure out the safest way to get that kid out," Blair said, adding a hint of authority in her voice. All she and her team members were worried about was saving the child.

"Trust me," the officer attempted to ensure, "I've got a team in the back and one on the way. We're going to infiltrate."

Blair rose her eyebrows, not understanding what the local officers were failing to notice, "You do realize you do that and someone else dies."

"Either Way or a child. Flip a coin," the lieutenant scornfully played.

"It doesn't have to end like that," Prentiss stated. "We get a confession out of Way and he goes away. No one else has to die."

As they were speaking, what the team failed to notice was Hotch removing himself from the SUV, heading straight for the building at hand.

"Hotch," Prentiss pointed ahead.

"What?" Blair turned, looking at the man with his back towards them, walking up the driveway and towards the front door.

"Hotch!" Emily shouted, trying to get his attention, but he never turned back. Rossi, JJ, and Morgan who were suiting up, noticed the commotion. Now the whole team watched as Hotch entered Way's home. They all called after him, but he never budged.

"What the hell is he doing?" Morgan asked, throwing his hands in the air, beginning to make his way towards Hotch.

Rossi placed a hand in front of him, his palm hitting Morgan's chest, stopping him, "Let him go."

"Rossi, I'm not letting him go in there solo," Morgan aggressively tried to fight back against him.

Rossi grabbed Morgan's shoulders, shaking him, "We have to trust him!"

Meanwhile, Blair stood wide eyed as she watched Hotch enter the building. Her heart practically thumping out of her chest.

The entire team stood in agony, not knowing what was going on inside the home. Each of them wanting to run in and assist Hotch, but they knew they had to trust him and his plan.

After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the child in question exited the building. JJ and Reid ran up to him, hugging his side making sure he was okay. They brought him to the ambulance so he could go through a physical exam.

More and more waiting for Hotch to walk out. Blair switched between gnawing on her finger nails and her cheek, tapping her foot repeatedly. She was a nervous wreck, hoping and praying he would exit.

"Do you hear that?" Reid asked his team.

"What?" Blair and Prentiss asked simultaneously.

Rossi clicked his head to the side, bringing his ear closer to the house, "Ticking."

"What?" Blair repeated, "We have to get him out of there!"

Before the team had any chance to react, a loud explosion was heard from the house. The roof has basically flown off the house, along with the walls and windows shattering to pieces.

The shockwave sent everyone flying to the ground. Morgan grabbed Blair, protecting her from any flying debris. Their ears rung, that annoying whirring, whistling tune that drowned out their thoughts and prevented them from hearing anything. Blair's vision blurred. It felt like everything was moving in slow motion.

"Addams!" She heard someone call, but she couldn't make out the voice. It was too muffled.

"Addams!" Morgan shook her shoulders, bringing her back to reality. Looking up the long driveway, she saw the house in flames. Her teammates making sure each of them were okay. Rossi cupped his ears with his hands, attempting to make the sound of torture diminish.

"Hotch?" Blair whispered, beginning to remember what was happening.

"What?" Morgan asked, furrowing his features. Like a lightbulb, his mind clicked, "Shit, Hotch!"

For the team, this was all too familiar. It was what happened nearly a year ago when they lost an agent, but this time it was different. This time, the roles were reversed.

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A/N: AHHHHHHH sorry for the mini cliffhanger LOL bye

Word count: 1705