ALEX | a. hotchner (sequel to BLAKE)

12

"Do I even want to know how that little thing started?" Dave asked as I rejoined them after about fifteen minutes.

Spencer was reading in one of the files while Aaron was writing something on the board, the rest of the team sitting at the table, discussing the case.

"No, you don't," Emily smirked.

"Now you have to tell us," JJ said, clearly intrigued.

"It was nothing," I said quietly, sitting down next to her.

"That doesn't sound very convincing," Derek grinned.

"Fine," I sighed. "But just so you know, none of you have the power to put me in time out, Emily only can because she was my boss in London," I pointed at Dave and Derek, knowing they would use it to piss me off.

"Alright," Derek laughed and put his arms up in surrender.

"We were working on this case," I started and put my feet up on the table, only for them to be pushed down by Aaron as he walked by. I glared at him, but he didn't seem to notice, or if he did, he decided to ignore it. "One of the police officers screwed up and I got a little irritated," I continued.

"A little?" Emily scoffed.

"Anyway, I said some stuff about his mother," I paused, "and his dick, and I made him cry."

"And that's when I put her in her first time out," Emily finished.

"First?" Derek asked.

"I may have developed some, what do you call it?" I paused for dramatic effect, "anger issues."

"Developed?" Penelope laughed on the other side of the phone, "honey, you've had anger issues since the first day I met you."

"Wow, Pen, thanks," I rolled my eyes.

Aaron's phone rang and I followed him with my eyes as he stepped out of the room. After contemplating for a minute, I decided to go after him. He seemed to have just finished his call when I walked up to him. He turned around and faced me, raising his eyebrows in a questioning look.

"Look, Aaron, I get it," I breathed heavily. "You always play by the book, because that one time you didn't, you lost someone. But that's why it's called 'taking a risk'. If I would have followed your orders on the very first case we did together, then you would've ben shot, so take it from me, it's not always worth it to play it safe."

He sighed, clearly not in the mood to continue the conversation. I knew he was trying to act calm in front of the rest of the station, but his eyes were on fire and his words were a well strategized attack.

"I don't appreciate being talked back to, especially in front of an audience," he said quietly.

"You know what," I glared at him, "I was actually going to apologize, but forget it."

***

We finally settled on sending me and Aaron to the club where the unsub hunted his victims. Aaron admitted to it being a stupid idea to send in Emily, since the unsub most likely watched the press conference. Well, not as much admitting as accepting and compromising. But I saw it as him admitting he was wrong.

Derek was the first choice, but Aaron said he wanted to keep an eye on me. I couldn't complain, though, seeing him in a dark green button up and black slacks made all the fighting worth it.

We arrived at the club together, fake rings on both our hands. Spencer, Derek and Dave were scattered around the club, keeping an eye out for the unsung. Aaron and I were going to have a few drinks, virgin, of course, dance a little and then go out the back. Hopefully, getting the unsub's attention and making him follow us.