Helpless (Aaron Hotchner Fanfic)

Chapter One

FBI BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS UNIT (B.A.U), QUANTICO, VIRGINIA

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"Morning, Agent Hotchner."

"Morning JJ," Aaron greeted and took a swig of his freshly brewed coffee. "Any new cases we have to work on today?" JJ shook her blonde waves.

"Not today. I guess it's just anything we need to catch up on. Let's hope the team can do something fun together today, like a game or such. It's been a while since we've really taken a break."

Hotch gave her a half smile. "Sure JJ. That sounds nice. If you'll excuse me I have some things to catch up on if I want to play that game that you mentioned," he said, gesturing to his office and the stack of manila envelopes holding their most recent cases in it. "Make sure that the team is actually doing work, okay? I'm not letting them participate if they haven't gotten anything done today."

"Yes sir," JJ laughed. "But first," she said, taking the manila envelopes out of Hotch's clenched hand. "I will take these and give them to the team and I. You need a break with all the stuff you have already. You don't need more. Anything that needs to be passed up to you, I will personally come and deliver it myself. No ifs, ands or buts."

Hotch smiled, internally relieved about not having to look through these recent cases and piling more work on his desk. "Thanks, JJ. You're the best."

He patted her shoulder and with that, she headed off to the rest of the team, lounging around Morgan's desk while he told some indescribable story about one of his five-hundred girlfriends he's had. Hotch watched them all throw their heads back with laughter, even Reid who usually didn't get stories involving romance at all. Hotch just wished that he was closer to them, instead of stuck up in his office all day, but he assumed that if he did perhaps spend the days down there, he would never reject the silence of his office again.

Climbing the stairs to his office and taking periodic swigs of his coffee, he waited and listened carefully for ... wait for it ... bam.! All at once, the office floor erupted in four chorused groans in response to thank JJ for the extra work she had put on each of their backs and he stifled a smile. He would sure hear about this later, but right now he needed an extra dose of caffeine and the pure silence of his office.

Gently closing the door to his office, Hotch was relieved to see even the bottom of his desk. He had stayed until two o'clock this morning trying to get as much work done as he possibly could, since his son was over at a friend's house for a sleepover and he didn't have to watch him. Now since most of the files were cleared off the desk, he could actually see the smooth mahogany desk top.

He figured he would get working on these last few files and take a break while the other's finished theirs, not knowing how this long deserved break was going to be spent. Probably standing behind Morgan to make sure he didn't throw any more smarties at Reid and call him "Bozo-Brains" (which is currently what he was doing now as Hotch peeked through the blinds) and actually do his work instead of flirting with Garcia. He rolled his eyes and drained his coffee. How in the world did I get stuck with these team members?

Deciding, in order to get these last remaining files done that he needed more coffee, he headed downstairs once more, this time taking the flight of stairs down to the team member's desks and flicking Morgan in the back of his head. He muttered 'ow' at Hotch's pointed look, indicating that both his head and his feelings were hurt. Hotch walked over to Reid and patted him on the shoulder, earning a thankful look. Poor Reid just didn't know how to stand up to Morgan on his own.

"Now all of you ... get back to work. No more throwing Smarties at Reid, Morgan and do your work. You can finish telling your so called 'thrilling' stories about your six-hundred and eighty-five girlfriends later at the game table, but now is not the time and place." He looked down at his mug. "I need more coffee," he muttered.

As he strode off, he heard the chorus of 'oooooohs' directed towards Morgan and Garcia's smart, mocking remark of, "Oh baby girl stop, drop and roll cause you just got burned by the boss, sugar butt." He liked that one. Don't get it wrong, Hotch and Morgan were best friends ... but sometimes he just didn't know when to stop talking.

He opened the door to the break room and grabbed the now almost-empty coffee pot and poured the rest of the contents in his cup, placing it back under the machine for the eighth round today. Next chance he got he was going to buy another coffee machine so they would never run out of coffee. That sounded nice ... but maybe it was best if some people found the coffee pot empty ... such as Morgan and Garcia for instance. If they had coffee, you knew nothing was getting done.

"Agent Hotchner?" He spun around to greet the familiar face of Lilly Amant, a BAU secretary. "There is a call waiting on line one in your office for you."

"Thanks, Lilly," he said and she gave a nod before retreating back to her desk to answer many other calls that came into the BAU every single day. Hotch admired her for her work. He knew he couldn't do anything like that in a million years. He dashed up the stairs to his office, suit jacket fluttering behind him, and ducked into his office. He picked up the phone and took it off hold. "This is Aaron Hotchner."

"Hi this is Sophia Brucklacer, the principle of Rangeview Elementary School? I believe your son, Jack Hotchner, has come down sick and we'd like to send him home."

"How bad is it?" he asked, dreading the thought of leaving the office.

"He's got a fever of a hundred and one, sir. I'm afraid we have to send him home."

"That will be no problem at all. I will be right over to pick him up in about fifteen minutes," he said and quickly pulled on his coat. "Thanks a lot, Miss Brucklacher." He placed the phone gently back down on the answering system and headed quickly out of the office, locking it behind him.

"Where you going Hotch? Off to see your girlfriend for lunch?" Morgan prodded. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"No Morgan, Jack has a fever and needs to be picked up. Prentiss, you're in charge of these four and make sure they finish everything they need to, okay?" Prentiss gave a curt nod and he smiled gratefully. "I need to take the rest of the day off. Sorry JJ. You always organize the best games and contests but I'll have to miss that. Today," he said, pulling on his gloves and pressing the elevator button. "My job is to be a full time Daddy."

All the girls gushed their 'aww!'s and Hotch smiled at them through the closing doors of the elevator. It was his day to be a full time daddy. He knew ever since Haley's death that it was getting harder and harder to be there for Jack and to have someone there for Jack as well. His work schedule and position as Unit Chief made it hard to be home with his son as much as he liked and it usually resulted in him being at a babysitter's or a friends and not at home with him. He was missing out on so much but he couldn't help it. He was trying his best to be home more, which usually resulted in night like last night where he stayed until two or three in the morning getting work done. All the tired nights spent with him were better than spending nothing at all together.

He stepped out of the elevator and headed out into the late early November chill. Great. He probably forgot to bring his jacket when he walked to school. he thought and sighed. It was freezing and very drizzly out today and not having his coat probably meant coming down sick. But he knew that Jack and his friend, Adrien, would soon find Adrien's mother, Sarah, standing in the front office with his son's jacket clutched in her hands in no time.

He pulled the keys out of his pocket and unlocked the SUV as fast as he could, ducking into a slightly less chilling environment. He sighed and leaned back in his seat and caught a glance of himself in the rearview mirror. He really needed to shave and his hair was starting to become messier and messier. He needed someone like Haley back in his life. The SUV rumbled to life with a turn of the key and Hotch raced out of the parking lot.

Come on, Jack. Let's get you home.

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Word Count: 1542