Cassidy "Cassie" Mae Dylan, a childhood best friend to Aaron Hotchner. Best friends, but they both secretly wanted each other. While both went off to different colleges, they lost touch.
Ten years later, Aaron is the Unit Chief of the Behavioral An...
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Chapter 16, Anger
September 17th, 2008
Aaron's POV
Is that Cassie's car? I feel immediate happiness thinking she's come to see me. I continue to watch out the window, when I see Spencer get out of her car. "What the fuck." I say, letting the anger get to me.
"Aaron." I hear Dave say, and I immediately turn around. Let's hope he didn't hear that.
"Yeah Dave?" I say, looking at him. He smiles, almost laughing at me.
"Is everything alright?" He asks. He heard.
"Of course, why wouldn't it be?" I ask him, trying to catch him off guard.
Dave steps farther into my office, and says "Aaron c'mon, I'm a profiler. We all are, so it's dumb to act like this. What the hell is bothering you?" He asks.
"Someone dropped Spencer off, and it looked like it was Cassie." I say, telling the truth.
"You're jealous." He states.
"I'm not jealous, just curious." I say, trying to remain calm.
"No, you're jealous. Spencer is hanging around your old best friend, and you don't like that. Aaron, you're married and have a child." Dave replies, and I feel somewhat angry.
"Yeah, well your three marriages are in the gutter. I'm not jealous, Dave." I state, lashing out.
"Look, I didn't say marriages last. You have Jack to think about. Face it, Aaron you still love Cassie. You're jealous because Cassie's moved forward. She still loves you deep down, but not in the way you do. You're jealous, because you want to be Spencer." Dave says, and I don't say another word.
I know Dave's right, but I just don't want to admit that. What person would want to admit that they're jealous of a cohort? No one. I simply sigh, and look out to the team. Spencer walks in, just as I look out. Well, perfect timing.
"Look, we have a case to present. Now, let's go." I say, grabbing the case files. I walk out of my office with nothing else to say.
...
September 21st, 2008
It's been four days of nonstop work. I can't stop thinking about Cassie. I want to hold her, and never let her go. Cassie is the love of my life, my soulmate. I love Haley, but she's not the one. I noticed over the course of the case, that Spencer seemed pretty happy and preoccupied. Which pissed me off, because if it was Cassie that dropped him off that day, was she the reason for his giddiness? I didn't have a way of knowing, but it didn't stop me from having a way of thinking.
We are currently on the plane ride back home, and I couldn't be more thankful. I am doing some paperwork, when I overhear Morgan and Reid's conversation. "So, pretty boy, why are you over there smiling at your phone so much?" Morgan asks.
Reid put his phone down to answer Morgan. "What do you mean? I wasn't smiling at my phone." He says, trying to hide his emotions.
"No games, Spence. Do you have a girlfriend?" He asks, and I immediately look up at them. I could see right through Reid's blushy cheeks.
What if it's Cassie? No, that's absurd. There's no way. "N-no, in fact I'm just texting my neighbor. They're watering my plants while I'm gone." He says, and I look back down at my papers.
"Wait, is it the neighbor you had coffee with?" Morgan asks again. I don't physically look at them, but I listen intently.
"Her name is Cassidy, but yeah. Before we got called on the case, we were having coffee. She actually dropped me off at headquarters." He says, and I look up at Dave.
Dave looks at me, giving me a stare that reads, "Don't do it." I look back down at the paperwork, and continue working.
"Wow, so you do have a girlfriend?" Morgan asks, and Reid shakes his head.
"What, just because I don't sleep around with women, and don't get a lot of female attention makes Cassie my girlfriend?" Spencer retorts, and Morgan clearly backs off.
"Woah, it's okay. Spencer I was joking." Morgan says, defending himself.
"Sorry, I don't know what got into me. I should probably text Cassie and see if she can pick me up." He says.
Before a moment could pass I say, "Reid, I can take you home, it's not a problem."
Spencer looks at me and says, "Oh, well thanks Hotch." I smile and go back to my paperwork.
...
We are now off the jet, heading back into the office. "Reid, I just have to drop these off at my desk and we can head out." I say, and he nods and follows me. The rest of the team bid farewell, heading in the opposite direction.
"Thanks again, Hotch. I really didn't want to bug Cassidy. She's probably sleeping right now, honestly." Reid says, as we wait for the elevator.
"Yeah, it's not a problem. So are you and Cassie friends?" I ask, not wanting to sound nosy. That's exactly what you're doing though, being nosy.
"Uh yeah, I think so at least. We only ever talked twice really, but she's amazing. Hotch, was there ever something between you and Cassie?" Reid asks, as we exit the elevator. We head toward the bullpen doors, and walk inside.
"Reid, I don't have to divulge my life story to you. Just because you're her neighbor. I don't know what she's told you, but you let her be the judge of that. I'm married and have a son." I say, getting mad, and I walk into my office at a fast pace.
"I-I know that, but just the way I bring up her name makes your whole demeanor change. You love her don't you?" Spencer continues to harp. He's standing at the entrance of my office.
"Don't profile me. I do love her, okay? Is that what you want me to say? That she's the love of my life, because she is. I love Cassie, with my whole heart. She walked back into my life and made it more chaotic than it already is. Now drop it." I say, and Spencer just smiles.
We head out of the office, and make the small venture to the apartments where he lives. Reid thanks me, and I wave him off making sure he got into the building safe. Once that was done, I went home.
When I arrived home, I saw a note on the small table where we keep our keys. It read: Aaron- I don't know what to do anymore. You're never home, you hardly even spend time with Jack. Jack and I are safe, we're staying with my parents. I want a divorce. Ever since Cassie came back into the picture, I can tell who you really loved all these years. It's her, and you can't deny that. I'll love you forever, but we need to think of what's best for Jack. Love, Haley
"What?" I whisper to myself. Have I been that blind to my love for Cassie all this time? I search the whole house, seeing that they're really gone. My eyes brim with tears, not wanting to let them go. I love Haley, but I love Cassie more.
I walk into my bedroom and get dressed for the night. It's too late to even try and text Haley. I brush my teeth, and I go to sleep.
