Angel

He doesn't sound like a very good boss

the ballroom was something out of a movie, the chandeliers flickered and glimmered causing a beautiful glowing ambiance and the floor reflected its light with its granite polished and sparkling - even the walls showed intricate carvings of marble that showed a likeness to those in the palace of Versailles - close to the Salle de bal d'Angelle (the Angelle Ballroom) which was located in Versailles (something Aaron did not know until friday evening when Taylor sent him a link to his plane ticket and the location of his hotel room in the heart of Versailles)

"I know I'm not supposed to like it - but this ballroom is gorgeous" Aaron whispered to Nicholas as they stood waiting for Aurora and Taylor to arrive. Their drive had been quiet but comfortable with a few small conversations about cases and management but mostly they sat in silence listening to the sound of the car's engine whirring

"I won't tell her you said that" Nicholas said with a laugh as he took a long sip of the flask he had hidden in his pocket "it is pretty though - Astrella decorated it"

"did she like to decorate?" Aaron asked as he accepted a champagne glass from a server who was weaving his way in and out of the celebrities in the ballroom "Aurora mentioned that she decorated Manerio Angelle"

"yeah she decorated everything she deemed was hers" Nicholas said, the ghost of a smile lingering over his features as his eyes trailed around the ballroom "and then Andrea told everyone that he did it all himself - Aurora hates it being brought up because he took everything from the both of them and ultimately it led to Astrella's suicide"

"I think it's amazing that you've always been there for Aurora" he said taking a sip from his glass "I know that she really appreciates it" he noted the slight stiffening of Nicholas' body and the turn of his head away from Aaron's eyes

"well when you share trauma, you form a sort of bond" Nicholas said finally looking Aaron in the eye "she doesn't form attachments easily - but I think you know that"

"shared Traumas?" Aaron said completely ignoring Nicholas' previous dig

"the day her mother died I was supposed to be at the house to go over paperwork with Aurora. There was a case I needed her help with so she told me I could go over and we could talk it out - of course Aurora was eighteen - turning nineteen in the August and she was still living with Andrea and Achille and of course her mother" Nicholas said quietly as to not allow bystanders to listen in "I walked into the house and I could hear some form of wailing but to be honest in a house with an abusive man you get used to hearing women wailing from their bedrooms. Anyway, I walked into the living room where Aurora quite often was and Andrea told me quite cruelly that she was busy crying upstairs - he was cold and rude which wasn't necessarily like him as he tried to charm me whenever he could. So I went upstairs where I found her cradling Astrella on Astrella's bed, covered in her blood which was literally pouring from her mothers wrists. I called 911 and they came to move her body but she wouldn't let go - I had to pick her up off the bed so they could take astrella which is how we both ended up with blood on us. She still has the dress - it's in Astrella's room, you know the one she never goes in at the top of the stairs? It was horrible and we both had to live through it but we also had to survive it and to do that we needed a strong support system"

a few wordless minutes passed as Aaron digested the information he had just been fed when Andrea Angelle wandered over "Nicholas, it's good to see you here, you too Mr Hotchner. Do you know when Aurora will be getting here? I'm hoping you will keep her out on the dancefloor like the good old days right Nicholas?"

"I don't know when Aurora will get here actually" Nicholas said with fake respect as his palms began to slightly sweat "it's a good turnout today isnt't it!"