"Hayley? What are you doing here?"
Hayley Hotchner smiled at her husband, who had been sitting at his desk, completely engrossed in the papers lying before him. He quickly closed the files, not wishing her to catch a glimpse of the gruesome crime scene photos, and stood, walking around his desk to kiss her lightly.
"Well," she answered, her grin widening. "Since you left before I got up this morning, I wanted to say goodbye before I headed off to the airport."
Hotch smiled, wrapping his arms around her. Though he wasn't one for such public displays of affection in the workplace, he was confident in the fact that the few people ever disturbed him in his office.
"Are you sure I can't get you to reconsider?" He asked quietly.
"We'll only be gone a couple of days," Hayley replied. "My sister's been begging to see Jack, and she could really use some family right about now."
"I'm sorry I can't go with you," Aaron stated earnestly.
"I know you are," she remarked. "But they need you here."
"Maybe next time?" Hotch asked.
Hayley laughed. "Yes, next time. And rest assured, you'll be the one sitting in an airplane next to a crying toddler for three hours."
Aaron smiled, "I'll miss you."
"You'd better," Hayley joked, leaning her head upwards to let him kiss her again.
Hotchner straightened, opening the door to his office, a practiced profiler once more. Gently, he put his hand on the small of his wife's back, leading her out into the bullpen. Hayley smiled lightly at his transition, knowing how hard her husband strived to be professional at work.
"You've got everything you need?" Aaron questioned, turning to face her again. "Your plane tickets? All of your luggage?"
Hayley nodded. "Everything's in the car, packed and ready to go. You just have to kiss Jack goodbye and we're off."
"Jack's here?" Hotch looked excitedly over Hayley's shoulder, expecting to see JJ playing with the youngster in the bullpen.
"Yeah," she replied. "One of your team members offered to watch him for a few minutes. I left them in the break room."
Hotch surveyed the bullpen once more, his eyes widening slightly as he began to realize who was unaccounted for.
"Which team member?" he asked, a feeling of dread overcoming him.
"MOMMMIIIIIEEEE!"
The distressed call, though expected by this point, ignited the parental sense of panic Hotch had become accustomed to over the past two years. Both parents hurried off in the direction of the scream, ignoring the questioning looks of the FBI agents that surrounded them. The scene they encountered upon entering the break room confirmed Hotch's suspicions.
Therein, a confused and overwhelmed Reid was frantically trying to quiet a sobbing Jack. Upon noticing their entrance, the young doctor looked to the parents desperately, a plea for help evident in his eyes.
The toddler ran to his mother, who promptly scooped him up and attempted to comfort him. Hayley gently wiped at Jack's eyes with the sleeve of his 'Looney Tunes' sweater, sending questioning glances at Reid, who had adopted a 'deer-in-headlights' expression.
Hotchner looked to his agent for an explanation, but it was Jack who responded first. The two-year-old sniffed loudly, looking up into his mother's kind eyes.
"He killed Bugs!" The toddler accused between sobs, large tears streaming down his face.
This statement seemed to rouse Reid, who immediately began shaking his head in protest.
"N-No-- no, I didn't kill him!" The genius stuttered, desperately trying to explain himself to the suspicious parents. "I-I was merely explaining how his surviving being shot at close range by Elmer Fudd is simply not viable! The b-bullet was shot at close range during ideal conditions - The likelihood of Bugs Bunny not sustaining a lethal wound is a statistical impossibility--"
Jack's crying intensified, and Reid, perhaps realizing the futility of it, finally stopped talking. Hayley ushered her young child into the hall, still whispering soothing words to the weeping toddler.
Reid stood awkwardly, his eyes flitting back and forth between his boss and the floor, awaiting a reprimand of some kind. Hotch knew he should be annoyed, but he couldn't fight the slightly amused and exasperated smirk that found its way to his face.
"You attempted to explain the improbable physics of a cartoon show to a two-year-old?"
The younger profiler blinked, before shrugging helplessly.
"I was just trying to make small-talk," He stated, an apologetic smile gracing his features.
Hotch turned silently and left, eager to catch up with his family, the smirk still evident on his face. Jack's wails still echoing loudly in the hallway, the older profiler just shook his head, and reminded himself to never underestimate the power of the 'Reid Effect'.