𝘉𝘓𝘐𝘕𝘋𝘚𝘐𝘋𝘌𝘋 | 𝘈.𝘏. ✔️

• Eleven

Chapter Eleven: Meet Me In The Afterglow

Truth be told, you didn't want to be here. Not the earth, just the stuffy police precinct that was full of pin boards and old people who needed a quick career when they were young. Details regarding the case weren't lingering in your head as you had no true purpose of being here other than pretending to help. What you heard on the jet became irrelevant because they didn't ask for your help.

To no surprise, they were walking on eggshells around you. Ever since Halloween it's been that way. You can see it in their eyes, the pity and sorrow. JJ offers to get you coffee three times a hour, even suggesting going to Starbucks to get out of this place. Each time you declined you felt more and more tired.

Excuse after excuse and yet you couldn't fathom how they didn't catch on. Maybe they pretended not to, for their own sake and yours. You scrolled through your phone mindlessly as Hotch rambled to Garcia over the phone about a location. The black slacks felt like second skin and you wanted to get them off as soon as you could.

"No that's not what I said Garcia," he sighs angrily, "I want you to locate Nancy Jenkins."

"Sir that isn't possible she is off the grid with no pings on any cell towers n-no recent credit card activity. I can only go so far." She stammered off quickly, the panic rising in her voice.

Hotch runs a hand through his hair and places his hands down on the table, leaning over it with a sigh. "That will be all."

Garcia nodded through the screen and ended the call. You glanced up at him but not for long as he didn't make an effort to create eye contact. You slowly took your feet off the table and placed them back down, leaning over on your forearms with a raised eyebrow.

"She can only go so far. She is already scared shitless of you and this case is putting pressure on the entire team." You say.

It was the earnest truth. The case was stretching thin just for the first day. There wasn't a rush to get anything done but Hotch seemed to want everything checked off the list in one day.

"I don't have time for her slacking off," he grumbled, now turning to look out the window that had a view of the city, "Garcia understands the pressure of this job and I can't have her giving up now."

You shook your head in disappointment, releasing the position you were in to go and stand next to him, hands gripping the table behind you. You turned your head to catch a view of his side profile and sharp jaw. It was a sight- an even better one than what was already in front of you. You let your head hang for a second once you turned away.

After you fell asleep last night you could only imagine Hotch didn't return to his dreams. Of course you felt guilty but you didn't want it to show. Eye bags coated his face like a relentless cycle of depletion. He never once let go of you even after you woke up and pretended to still be asleep when you both knew the truth.

"We have time, the house isn't going to disappear. Garcia can't find a location, you even know that it's impossible with the circumstances. She is overworked and overwhelmed- a horrific combination," you laugh.

Cars beeped and drove past with ease. "I know," he finally admitted, "I'm scared we won't be done in time for us to go to the estate."

Admittedly so, you weren't so persistent on having time. The faster the case would be done, the faster you would have to visit yet another reminder of the past. At the moment it seemed like a fantastic idea, now it seems terribly embarrassing that you would still cling to Axel after he is already gone in the wind.

"We will and even if we don't- we can always push the flight." You shrugged like you didn't have a care in the world and smiled at him when he finally turned to look at you.