or what, sir? |a. hotchner| ✔️

forty

That case really got to me emotionally, it was hard relating to a victim so much. We caught the unsub only two days later though, and we were now on the plane back home.

Everyone was kind of minding their own business, me sitting next to Spencer, Emily and Derek sitting across from us. I was cozied up in my blanket, trying to get my mind off of the case we were just on by reading a 945 page book Spencer had suggested called Dark Psychology, all about the art of serial killers and their way of thinking.

Yes. I get my mind off of things by reading about how a serial killer thinks, I'm so incredibly normal.

Spencer nudged me, and my head shot up, "Huh?" I noticed the three were staring at me like they were expecting an answer, and I narrowed my eyes. Shaking my head, I said, "Did I miss something" Prentiss sighed, Derek scratching the top of his head.

"Uh, yeah. What happened with you and Hotch?" Derek asked, and I looked back down at my book.

"Nothing, we haven't talked" I wasn't really lying.

Sure, we hadn't talked. That was no lie. But something did happen. A few days prior I slept with him in his office. How stupid could I have possibly been

"Yeah, we know. That's what's weird, you didn't insult him once during the case. We know this one was a stressful one for you, but you usually at least shit on him once" I shook my head, not glancing up from my book.

"No, I've been too tired. He's a waste of time" I replied simply. Spencer snatched the book right out of my hand, and I gasped.

Looking at him as if he killed someone, he nodded, "Yeah, I just did that" He said with both his brows raised. "Tell me what happened!"

"Look, nothing happened! I was really stressed with this case, I just ignored Aaron the entire time. Hell, I basically ignored all of you the entire time!" I pointed out, and Spencer looked me up and down. He slowly handed my book back to me, and I ripped it out of his hands, "Dick" I shot at him, going back to reading my book.

We finally got off of the plane, but still had to go to headquarters to finish a shit ton of paperwork, which was always the best after a long case. I loved paperwork, it was something that relieved me. And I needed that right now, I needed a break.

So I sat down at my desk with my tea and a stack of papers, going about my night. I occasionally spoke to either Spencer or Morgan, but I was pretty quiet the entire time. People were staring to get up to leave, not many people were staying past nine. However, I was planning on staying much later, until...

"Gordon" I heard someone call, and I looked up from my papers. There stood Aaron, who looked ready to go home. My eyes went wide and I looked back down, quickly starting to pack up my papers. I grabbed my tea and messenger bag and almost sprinted out of the office,

"V?" Spencer asked, confused. He looked at Aaron, and he raised his brow. I ignored him though, and Aaron rushed down the stairs. I had no reason to talk to him, no desire to. I was honestly a little embarrassed by what happened between us, especially because I'm still extremely upset about the thing he had said to Jessica.

I swung open the doors to the office,

"Veronica, please talk to me" Aaron begged, "Come on, can we at least talk about the other night? Or the fight that happened almost a month ago?" I shook my head,

"Why would we do that?" I asked, not looking back as I continued walking towards the elevator.

"Because I love you!" I then jolted to a stop, my eyes wide as I heard the three words I never thought would exit his lips. I almost dropped my cup on the floor, but instead I gripped onto it tighter. I slowly turned to look at him, seeing his eyes sad and tired.

I shook my head lightly, "What?"

"What I said to Jessica, I didn't mean it. I was upset, I was stressed and she wouldn't leave me alone. Haley had just died, Veronica! You know I didn't mean-"

"No, what did you just say?" I cut him off, still completely dumbfounded by his pervious statement. He just stared at me. Everyone was, actually. But for some reason, the two of us ignored all of them.

"I said..." He paused, realizing what had just came out of his mouth. His eyes went wide,

"Did you mean it?" I questioned, taking a step closer to him. He didn't do anything for a moment, he seemed to be paralyzed. He obviously hadn't meant to admit that out loud, he was probably freaking out. That was until he nodded,

"I did"

He loved me.

And in that moment, nothing else mattered. The hurtful things he said to Jessica, the stupid, petty and childish things we would say to one another. None of it mattered, because he actually loved me. And I really loved him.

So I dropped my tea on the ground, ignoring the mess it made as I quickly went closer to him. And then I kissed him, and he kissed me back.

And it was the most passionate kiss I had ever experienced, more passionate than any of our other kisses. It was like our lips had never met before, like we had never had a single problem prior to.

His lips were soft and warm, as if they had been waiting for mine to be pressed against his. It was perfect, it felt like how every kiss in every romance novel ever. Just... perfect.

I pulled away from him slowly, "I love you, too" I revealed as our foreheads touched, and I watched as a huge smile appeared on his face. He was ecstatic, so much so that he cupped my face and pushed his lips against mine again.

I gladly followed in his footsteps, until we heard something. We pulled away from one another once again, but his hands were still cupping my face. We looked to our left, seeing a janitor cleaning up my spilled cup of tea. I clenched my teeth,

"Sorry" I let out, and he shook his head as to say not to worry about it. Aaron and I began to chuckle lightly, and I glanced behind him. There stood the entire team watching us from the opposite side of the glass wall, all smiling. Aaron turned his head a little to see them as well, making him take his hands off of me. He pointed at them,

"I'm expecting the reports to be on my desk tomorrow morning" He said with both his brows raised, and they all looked like they shit themselves. They scurried off, and I started to laugh.

Shaking my head, I said, "You're impossible" He turned his head back to look at me, and he had the biggest smile reappear on his face.

"Not entirely" He ensured, and he held onto my hand. My face turned a bright red,

I was so happy. I didn't even know what to do with myself, I wanted to bounce off the walls. I was actually so excited I was ready to cry, but before I could, he pulled me into the open elevator. He pressed a button, "Do you want me to take you home?" It was the same question he asked me when we first told each other we had feelings for one another, so I smiled and shook my head.

With the same answer I replied with long ago, I said, "No, not really"