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“Thanks for the ride,” Aaron said from the passenger seat. “I should hopefully be getting my car back tomorrow.”
Dave waved that off. “It’s no problem. Do we have to pick up Jack?”
“No. He has a sleepover tonight at a friend’s house. Jessica’s dropping him off.”
“Okay. Do you want to get some dinner then?”
“Sure,” Aaron said easily. “How about Chinese? That place just down the street from my apartment is good.”
Dave nodded. “All right.”
Aaron sighed and relaxed minutely in his seat although his back was still stiff. “Do you believe Strauss admitted to being wrong?”
Dave chuckled. “And the devil is skating to work as we speak.”
Aaron laughed despite himself. “She’s not that bad.”
Dave rolled his eyes. “Sure she isn’t.” He heard the hip hop beat and barely lifted his hand off the steering wheel. Then Aaron’s voice stopped him.
“Wait.”
“My car. My radio.”
“Could you leave it on?” Aaron asked in as tentative a voice as Dave had ever heard from him.
Dave stopped at a red light and looked at Aaron over the rims of his sunglasses. “Come on, Aaron,” he drawled lightly. “It’s teenage girl music.”
Aaron’s own sunglasses hid his eyes from view. He stared straight ahead and mumbled, “This was one of Haley’s favorite songs.”
Dave faced forward again. The light turned green and they started moving forward again. “Okay, Aaron.”
Dave figured they’d listen to the song in silence. The last thing he expected was Aaron to start singing. “I feel like I've been locked up tight. For a century of lonely nights. Waiting for someone to release me.”
Dave tried not to smirk. The uptight unit chief was singing loud, proud, and on key. Was that a real smile? Aaron Hotchner singing along with Christina Aguilera. Now, Dave knew he’d truly seen everything.
“My body is saying let's go. But my heart is saying no. If you wanna be with me, baby there's a price to pay. I'm a genie in a bottle, you gotta rub me the right way.”
After the song was over, Aaron’s smile turned sheepish but remained. He took his sunglasses off and wiped his eyes. “Sorry. I got a little carried away.”
Dave laughed. “No. It’s good to see you enjoy yourself for once.”
“The year that song came out Haley was a genie for Halloween.”
“As in I Dream of Jeannie?”
Aaron blushed. “And I was Major Nelson.”
Dave pulled into the lot at the restaurant. “Are there pictures of this event?”
“I’m sure there are,” Aaron hedged. “But I don’t know what she did with them.”
Dave parked and half turned in his seat to face Aaron. He looked Aaron up and down. He smirked. “Liar.”
Aaron glared but it lacked its usual force. He grunted and jumped out of the car. He started walking towards the restaurant without a glance back.
Dave snickered and left his sunglasses in the car. He followed but at a slower pace. “You know I should tell Garcia,” he called across the parking lot. “She’d love to owe me for that tasty bit of information.”
Aaron waited at the door for Dave. “Do you really want to start that? I’ve got plenty of dirt on you,” he mock growled.
“Me?” Dave gasped in exaggerated innocence. “My life’s an open book.”
Aaron mouth twitched but that was his only outward sign of amusement. He yanked the door open and went inside. “Yeah, a cross between a trashy romance novel and a Dashiell Hammett mystery.”
Dave was on his heels. “I’m never bored, Major Nelson.”
“That’s not necessarily a good thing, Dave.”
They continued to trade good natured barbs until they were seated at a booth in the corner next to a desert mural. They placed their drink orders and started looking over the menus. “You know the song’s not that bad,” Aaron said suddenly.
Dave didn’t bother looking up from his menu. “What do you mean?”
“It’s not empty,” Aaron answered earnestly. “There’s more to it than a good beat and a sweet voice.”
Dave lifted his head to look Aaron straight in the eye. “So?” he asked curiously.
Aaron shrugged and made a noncommittal noise. “Nothing.”
At that moment, the waitress appeared for their orders. After she was gone, Dave leaned back in his seat, never taking his eyes off Aaron. He tilted his head to the side. “What’s on your mind?” he asked mildly.
Aaron tapped his fingers on the table. “Just a bizarre thought.”
“Now you have to spill.”
Aaron sipped his water but answered confidently, “It reminded me of you and Morgan.”
Dave let out a startled laugh. “Somehow, I can’t make that connection.”
Aaron shrugged. “I told you it was a bizarre thought, but…” His voice trailed off and he shook his head. “Forget it.”
Dave sighed. “I’m probably going to regret this, but let me have it.”
Aaron flashed a smile. His voice was low and steady. “I know that you miss him, Dave, and you want more from him than you think you should.”
Dave’s throat went dry. He couldn’t help the slight squirming in his seat. However, he made himself meet Aaron’s gaze.
“And you don’t think it could be mutual.”
“Me and my big mouth,” Dave muttered. “I don’t suppose I can tell you to shut up now.”
Aaron chuckled and let out his full grin. “No. You told me to let you have it, Genie.”
Dave grinned back but flipped Aaron off. “Aaron, Derek and I had some fun. That’s all.”
Aaron eyes sparked mischievously. “You forget. I know you, Dave. I know why you really broke it off after Sarasota.”
“Aaron,” Dave tried to interrupt.
Aaron sat forward and lowered his voice. “Don’t you see? He feels the same as you and it scares him just as much.”
Dave opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out.
“I heard Morgan invite you to New York for this weekend. Don’t fuck it up and let him impress you.”
Dave fiddled with his water glass. “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.”
Aaron sat back with a satisfied smile. “We’re having it because I’m your friend and…”
Dave looked up. “And?”
“And, to be honest, the team works better when you two are on instead of off,” Aaron said seriously. “The others don’t feel like they have to choose sides and Garcia will concentrate on her work.”
Dave smiled ruefully. “I never meant things with Derek to go this far.”
“Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men.”
“Are you sure about this?” Dave asked before he could stop himself.
Aaron nodded once. “I’m sure.” He pointed at Dave. “Just don’t fuck it up. Find a way to rub the genie in the bottle the right way.”
Dave smirked. “Rubbing the right way has never been the problem.”
Aaron rolled his eyes but he was grinning. “Not what I meant. Get your mind out of the gutter.”
Dave couldn’t help but think on Aaron’s words. He couldn’t help watching Derek at any opportunity. He did miss Derek even if he could only admit it to himself and Aaron.
He missed the way Derek’s eyes flashed when challenged. He missed Derek’s quiet strength. He missed the way they could be comfortable together without saying a word. And he missed the sex. He wasn’t dumb enough to think that he could fool anyone on that point.
He found himself looking forward to the weekend. He was eager to see just what Derek had planned for them. Unfortunately, an unsub had other plans. He listened to JJ outline their newest case, trying not to dwell on the disappointment he saw in Derek’s body language.
After the briefing, Dave barely tilted his head at Derek. Derek gave the slightest nod and followed him to his office. He perched on the front edge of the desk.
Derek shut the door. “So much for our weekend.”
“I know.” Dave folded his arms across his chest. “But, I was thinking.”
Derek looked at him expectantly. “Oh?”
Dave took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m gonna Tivo those games and stay away from the sports page until we get back. I thought maybe we could go up to the cabin on our days off after the case.”
A slow smile crossed Derek’s face. “Just me and you?”
“Yeah.”
“Watch the games, eat junk, and drink beer.” Derek walked up to Dave and nudged his arms down. “I’d like that.” He leaned in close and his voice was barely above a whisper. “I’ve really missed you.”
Dave cupped the side of Derek’s face and kissed him softly. “I’ve missed you too.”
There was a sharp knock on the door and Aaron’s crisp voice came through. “Come on. Wheel’s up in ten.”