Temporary -An Aaron Hotchner Story-

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"Drinks on the Reid's" Morgan announces but Spencer's head shoots up and he mentions "Uh...Sandy actually left a little bit ago" making Emily look around and ask "Hey...uh...where's Hotch?" Rossi joins the rest of the team and explains "He left too" making them all exchange glances.

Aaron Hotchner left right after the end of a case?

How odd.

A smile tugs on the corner's of Spencer lips and Emily's eyes narrow at him "What are you smiling about, Reid" she asks and he just shakes his head shoving his hands in his pockets saying "Nothing." He rocks on the balls of his feet as Rossi seems to understand and goes "Ah" making the rest of the team look around in confusion.

What is going on?

"Wait..." Morgan seems to think he's got an idea and he asks "Did...Did they leave together" but Spencer shakes his head "No. Sandy left way before Hotch." Rossi gives the team a raised eyebrow and reminds them "But that doesn't mean he didn't go after her."

Emily chuckles in disbelief as JJ smiles and Morgan just shakes his head. "That was all it took, huh" he asks and Spencer just smiles as Emily asks "One look and Hotch is like putty in her hands?"

Rossi leads the team out of the station explaining "Hey, that's love" and Emily whines "I want some of that" with a pout as JJ mentions "Well I guess suggesting drinks at Alessandra's is out of the question."

#

Hotch steps into the empty bar, his black button-down speckled with raindrops as heavy clouds bring the threat of a big storm outside. He stops in his tracks as he sees her, Alessandra, sitting at the bar rolling the olive on its pick around her martini as her mind rests elsewhere.

The sight of her drinking her usual gin martini brings him a form of comfort as he sees that at least her favorite drink hasn't changed.

She's still in the blue dress. Her coat is draped over the stool next to her with her clutch and her gun resting on top of it.

Hotch looks around noticing the chairs up on the tables and only Alessandra sitting inside. No bartender. No crowds. No band, just light music coming through the speakers.

He approaches her cautiously thinking of something to say and settling on "Do you want to know how I guessed your drink" and she slowly turns to him, her pupils dilating immediately.

She looks just as he remembered her.

The only difference being that her smile is now replaced with a firm line.

Sandy hears the words coming out of his mouth and returns to reality as she turns to him watching his pupils dilate as he focuses on her face.

He's lost weight, but other than that he's the same Aaron she remembers.

She can't help but smile up at him as she's taken back to their first "date" at the bar on 8th and Mathis where his profile of her led him to guess that she drank classic gin martini's. Aaron feels a sense of relief wash over him as her beautiful smile spreads across her face and she offers him a seat.

"Are you here to profile me again, Agent Hotchner, after three years" she asks finishing her martini and popping the olive into her mouth. Aaron's eyes take in everything about her.

Her lips are stained red with the remaining tint of the lipstick she just removed.

The martini brought a pink flush to her cheeks beneath the blush she brushed onto her face.

As she looks over at him, he sees the icy oceans of her eyes, missing the way they used to melt in his presence.

With a single glance, Sandy's hit by the memories she pushed into the farthest stores of her memory.