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Derek watched and waited. He watched Dave brood in silence. He waited for Emily to be asleep, Spencer to be engrossed in one of his books on tape, and Hotch’s nose buried in a file.
Derek slid into the seat next to Dave on the jet. He stared at Dave staring out the window. He nudged Dave lightly. “Hey.”
Dave blinked, but didn’t turn away from the window. “Hey,” he returned quietly.
Derek frowned. “What’s wrong? The Butcher’s finally behind bars.”
Dave shrugged. “Nothing.”
Derek took Dave’s hand and interlaced their fingers. “We defeated the evil. It can quit haunting you now.”
Dave turned his head to face Derek. “He told me that he remembers me. I’m the reason he stopped.”
Derek squeezed Dave’s hand. “He knew that if he kept it up, you’d catch him.”
Dave stopped meeting Derek’s gaze. However, he didn’t turn away. “The first time I heard his voice, it sent a chill down my spine,” he said more to himself than to Derek. “And now seeing what he’s become…”
“An old psychopath trying to recapture his memory and the power and rush from his kills,” Derek interrupted. “Don’t tell me you feel sorry for him.”
Dave snorted. “God, no. I’m sorry he won’t rot in jail for twenty years. I’m sorry he can‘t remember that horror while the victims’ families will never forget. He’s a pathetic, shell of a man and he deserves nothing better.”
“Then what’s bugging you?”
Dave turned back to the window. “Colby. The kid watched his father murder his mother, not only kill her but make it as painful and humiliating as possible.”
Derek squeezed Dave’s hand harder. “It’s terrible, but it was Colby who helped his father to kill this time around.”
“Colby’s dependent on his old man.”
“And yet he still knows that what he did was wrong.” Derek paused. His voice softened. “If he didn’t, you wouldn’t have been able to talk him down.”
Dave sighed. “He didn’t want to hurt her. He just didn’t know what else to do.”
Derek brought Dave’s hand to his lips. “You saved his life, Dave.”
Dave faced Derek again. “I think I’m finally ready to write about the Butcher. He doesn’t have any power anymore.”
Derek grinned and arched his eyebrows suggestively. “You know you should also do something fun with the rest of your vacation.”
Dave cracked a small smile. “Such as?”
Derek leaned in close to Dave’s ear. His lips barely brushed Dave’s skin. “I’ve got a few ideas.”
Aaron’s dry voice interrupted. “Not on the plane, guys.”
They both looked up to see Aaron, whose eyes were still on the pages in front of him. Aaron’s mouth barely twitched.
Derek snickered. “You sure know how to ruin a moment, Hotch.”
“I’m Unit Chief. That’s my job,” Aaron answered blandly.
Derek mock glared while Dave just laughed.