Title: Shared Emotions
By: TheLovethief
Pairing: gen
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Rating: PG-13
A/N: A little Oneshot about the relationship between Hotch and Reid. No slash, sorry guys ;)
Takes place after episode 3.02 „In Birth and Death".
I finally eliminated some typing errors. Thanks for the feedback!
Disclaimer: Still don't own Criminal Minds.
Summary: Two profilers experience a great loss and need an outlet for their feelings.

***

Quietly Aaron Hotchner checked every room of his house. Aware that he wouldn't find anyone, but looking nonetheless.

It was already dark outside. Only the dim light of the street lamps shining though the windows, illuminating the apartment enough for Aaron to see that no one was there.

When he was done searching half-heartedly for his wife and son the team leader of the BAU stood in the middle of his living room. Lost. Not angry, not upset or even disappointed. Aaron felt simply numb. The numbness of disbelief made it impossible to move. So he continued standing there, listening to the constant ticking of the big wall clock. Same rhythm as always. As if nothing had happened.

Aaron couldn't believe that she had actually left him. Over the years he'd gotten used to her complaints and wails. They had been rather justified and he really saw her point. But what was he supposed to do? Rapists and serial killers wouldn't take a break just because a profiler's domestic happiness was at stake.

Haley'd never understood how hard he tried to reconcile his job and his family. But despite of the strength-sapping battles with his wife it still had always been his family that saved him from falling apart. Haley and Jack had been his centre. They'd kept him grounded. No matter how cruel and dehumanizing the cases had been – when he'd come back home afterwards he'd just been Aaron, the husband and father.

Now that brace was gone.

Wearily Hotch let his gaze wander. In the semi-darkness of the room he let his look rest on a photograph on the corner cupboard. It had been taken shortly after Jack's birth and showed the smiling baby held by his proud parents.

A picture of what Aaron had lost.

Seeing this the numbness inside him was suddenly gone and was replaced by an unexpected ripping pain deep inside his chest. The realisation of the loss of his family hit the senior profiler like a blow to the solar plexus.

He wanted to scream, to curse, to cry. But he didn't. He couldn't. He'd weaned himself off doing such things in the course of time.

However, Aaron needed an outlet for all those emotions before their heaviness could increase ad infinitum.

He grabbed his car keys and left the abandoned house. Maybe, Hotch thought, he could let off steam at the shooting range. That was where he used to go when things seemed to become too much to bear.

Aaron started his car and turned off the radio. He didn't want to hear any music right now, let alone the happy voices of these annoying broadcasters.

Lost in thoughts and surrounded by complete silence the agent drove towards his destination. Due to the late hour traffic wasn't so heavy anymore and soon Aaron arrived at the shooting range.

While searching for the right parking he noticed a well-known car near the entrance of the building.

Irritated Hotch stopped the engine and slowly passed the ancient vehicle.

No doubt. That was Reid's.

Reid at the shooting range? Strange. The young man wasn't exactly known for his attachment to guns. Frowning the team leader entered the building and headed towards his habitual shooting stand.

Which was already occupied. Occupied by Reid who was just firing a salvo. The poor paper target received some nasty hits below the belt. A weak smile on Hotch's face. Déjà vu all over.

The older man remembered his long training sessions with the youngest team member at this place. Despite all efforts Reid had failed his firearm qualification and believed the whole world would break down. He'd probably foreseen the teasing and pitiful looks from his dear colleagues.

He'd been proven right.

Aaron saw Spencer recharging and took a look around. The shooting range was almost empty. So he could go to another stand very well. For some reason, however, he decided to continue watching the other profiler.

Hotch stepped forward a bit and stood pretty close behind Reid now. The younger man didn't notice his boss approaching because of the ear defenders he was wearing.

Front sight. Trigger press. No following through. Failing.

Frustrated Reid threw the empty gun to the ground. „Damn sick fuck!" Loud, angry curse.

This behavior appeared to be so heavily out of character that to Hotch it was almost funny. Almost. After all something must have happened to drive the genius up the wall.

After assuring himself that there were no other potential weapons in sight Aaron touched lightly Spencer's upper arm.

Reid jumped. No big surprise to the older profiler. Reid had always been a nervous guy.

Instantly the younger man took off the ear defenders and looked at his boss with huge eyes.

„H...Hotch? Wha...what are you d...doing here?" Stuttering. Much more in character than cursing, Aaron noted inwardly.

He sighed. „I wanted to shoot something. Obviously you had the same idea", Hotch stated.

Reid let his head drop and studies the gun on the floor. No reply.

The older man wasn't in the mood for riddles and decided to ask bluntly. „Did anything happen?"

The younger agent's gaze remained focused on the ground. Instead of responding he reached into his trouser pocket and brought out a folded piece of paper. Without looking at his boss Reid handed it to him.

Hotch scrutinized the quiet man in front of him and only tore his stare away to find out what was written on the paper.

While he was reading Reid turned away towards the torn paper man.

It took Aaron a minute to read the content of the letter.

It took him another minute to let the information sink in.

Finally he spoke again. „I see. Gideon's gone. For good this time, it seems." Hotch watched Reid nodding from behind.

So the young genius had just lost an important attachment figure. No wonder that he was beside himself tonight. Aaron knew this feeling very well. Actually he was pretty sure to share Spencer's emotions right at the moment. An overwhelming, depressing feeling of loss and emptiness.

When Hotch stayed silent Reid turned around again to face him.

„I..I went t..to his cabin and...", he started to explain with a small voice, but didn't get any further.

He didn't cry. He wouldn't do that. Not in front of his team leader. He swallowed.

Aaron realized how hard his agent tried to maintain his composure. Nonetheless Reid looked so young and so utterly alone that it nearly broke the older man's heart.

And suddenly he knew that he needed to support him. Try to at least approximately compensate for Gideon. Maybe that would help himself to get over his own pain.

His entire life Hotch had always been the one to take care of others, to protect them, to share his given inner strength with them.

He put on a more optimistic face and bent down to grab the gun.

„So, you know what you did wrong earlier?" Amused Aaron watched the puzzled expression on Reid's face

„Uhm, I guess I didn't follow through", the younger man replied hesitantly, apparently surprised by the sudden change of the subject.

„Right", Hotch confirmed and put on his ear defenders. Reid followed his example and stepped back to give the older man enough space to shoot.

Several bullets hit the middle of the target. Both men looked at the paper figure first, then at each other.

Aaron handed his colleague the gun. With a warm tone of voice he said: „You've already proven that you can do it on your own."

A small but genuine smile crossed Reid's face and he stepped into position again. Aware of his boss' supporting presence he aimed. And pulled the trigger. Bull's eye.