No-one had seen Annabel Bradey in a decade, that was until she resurfaced in SSA Aaron Hotchner's office in Quantico. She was carrying scars both physical and mental, but wouldn't share her story. Or at least not until everyone she loved was in dang...
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Aaron Hotchner placed his phone in front of Annie as he walked past, the woman smiling as she saw Jack smiling and waving at her from the screen. He didn't wait to see her reaction, instead he continued walking down the centre of the plane towards David - who had already poured two glasses of Whiskey for them. Nodding in thanks, Aaron smiled as he heard his sons voice faintly singing along to the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack. Without even looking, he knew that Annie was grinning from ear to ear, while she watched him in absolute awe.
Before him, David Rossi shook his head, knowing that, while completely understandable, the co-dependant relationship that had been growing between the pair was unhealthy. Letting out a sigh, David asked, "How long is she going to be sleeping on your couch? It's not healthy for either of you."
"Dave, we promised we wouldn't profile each other," Aaron announced, but the Senior Agent simply raised an eyebrow still awaiting an answer. "I don't know. I was thinking that maybe we could get a larger apartment, we do have two paycheques now."
David shook his head, knowing that despite the intelligence that Aaron had he couldn't remain smart when discussing Annie, "Can you hear yourself? You're not thinking clearly."
"I don't think there is a clear thinking in this situation," Aaron announced, having shut out the laughter from behind him. "I can't just let her go again, especially not while there's still so much we don't know about where she's been."
The Senior Agent let out a sigh, taking his moment to point out, "She isn't Haley, Aaron."
"I know that," he stated, yet David still wasn't convinced. "I'm not trying to make her Haley either, I'm not trying to replace my wife. But, David, you need to understand, I can't lose another person I love."
"She's not your responsibility." The Italian explained, not wanting the man to completely shut Annie out but for him to step away from the situation. "Is it good for Jack?"
Aaron places his glass back on the table, meeting David's gaze as he replied, "I haven't seen Jack smile so much for what feels like a lifetime. They have a bond that not even I understand, but right now I thinks it's what they both need."
The elder of the duo knew that he wouldn't get anywhere with Aaron that day. Even if somewhere he was aware of the fact that David was correct, he wasn't going to accept it for a while. Though, Aaron did wonder what would happen when Annie inevitably moved out. Even though he knew she would never move far from him and Jack, he knew that at some point she would have to. When she got Eden back, she couldn't continue to live in their two-bedroom apartment, the thought of that, while causing him relief from her happiness, made him want to pause time.
As the two men sat in silence, both going over the conversation they had just had, they failed to notice the shifting of the remaining team members behind them. Neither of the agents realised Annie had joined them until she placed Aaron's phone on the table before him, breaking the cycle of contemplation they had been in.
"Can I steal the boss man?" Annie asked, screwing up her own face at the statement. Both men laughed at her, the woman joining in shortly after having shaken her head at the comment. "What I meant to say was: David can we swap so I can speak to Aaron?"
"I gathered as much," David chuckles lightly, standing and offering her a light embrace. "You did good today, Cara Mia."
She smiled lightly, knowing that what she had done that day was stupid. The son was an abuse victim, talking to him should have been her job, no matter the path he had taken. That was why she had entered the warehouse and hadn't waiting in the car; she had been cleared for the field and she was wearing her vest. As usual, Aaron had been being protective as he asked her to stay in the car.
However, despite being successful, Annie was still kicking herself for her behaviour in the field. Following orders was a large part of her job description, and that day she had proved that it was that part that she had the most trouble with. She had half expected to be chastised when she returned from the hospital - where she had spoken to the victim and offered the appropriate aid - but the team had merely congratulated her. In fact, Aaron had apologised for asking her to remain in the car.
Taking the seat opposite Aaron, Annie smiled taking a sip from his glass, "You know if this is what you do after every case I'm seriously going to have to come sit at the adult table more often."
"In order to sit at the adult table, you have to be an adult." Aaron jokes, taking his glass back from her. "Did Garcia find Liam?"
Annie nodded, "He's in a centre in New York, apparently he moved around for years after he was released. He avoided Seattle though, couldn't face going home." The woman took a breath, glancing up at Aaron with a sad smile on her face, "I can't blame him. For all he knew, he was the only Bradey left, being in Seattle must have reminded him of that."
"You can take some time," Aaron announced, but the ginger shook her head. "I know what I told you was a lot, but he's still your brother under everything."
"I know, but I can't take time off yet." Annie explained, causing the man to grow confused. "Tell me that you would have authorised any other member of the team time off when they had only worked one case." Aaron was silent. "I'm going to reach out, slowly. I read that a large even, positive or negative, can cause an addict to relapse. I don't want to push him back on his recovery."
Aaron reached across the table, taking his hand in hers, "It's the right thing to do."
"We need to stop this," Annie whispered, taking her hand from his. "You were just prepared to give me special treatment, and it wouldn't have been the first time."
Looking up at her, he noticed the conflict written across her face, "Annie, we aren't on the clock right now, we can act like we do at home."
"Aaron, I don't think this arrangement is working anymore." Annie declared, catching him by surprise. "What I said that night, it still stands and everything that has happened, to both of us, makes that much more complicated."
Shaking his head, Aaron pushed his fear away, "What we have is not conventional, but it's ours."
"That's the problem," Annie argued. "What's ours should be yours."
Aaron took a breath, leaning back in the chair, "Can we talk about this when we get home?"
She nodded, knowing that they could talk more freely about anything when they weren't surrounded by the team. However, what Aaron didn't know was that Annie was contemplating the offer Emily had given her. A spare room with a colleague was much less troublesome than the couch in the living room of the widowed man with whom she shared a complicated past.
