Tremors flow through his veins so severely that Dave would not be surprised if they were visible to the naked eye. They aren't he knows because the officers and detectives at the local precinct aren't giving him any more attention than usual.
The team is but he expected that.
Spence pushes the pin into the corkboard a little too hard and the map in his hands rips ever so slightly. He doesn't seem to notice as he pulls his bottom lip into his mouth and chews on it for second or two.
Derek is starring off into space, though he's using the map as focus point. His arms are crossed tightly, and he looks like he's going to snap into action soon.
JJ is starring in a different direction, at the glass board holding the pictures of their nine victims. Her jaw is clinched, and her eyes look as though laser beams might erupt from them at any second.
Dave takes a hand that is resolutely not shaking and puts it on the long conference table in front of him. It makes a small noise which is just enough to tell the three of them that he's there.
They all spring like scared cats.
"How is he?"
"What's going on?"
"Rossi, man, is he okay?"
Dave cuts the three of them off with a raised hand.
"He's fine. Like I said before it's a through and through. His arm is banged up and they put him in a sling for a couple of weeks, but he'll be fine. I just left him at the hotel."
They each give looks that convey everything from relief to, "but will he stay there?" Dave's proud of his ability to read those looks. Especially in these people.
"Yes, he will stay there. If he doesn't he knows that he'll never get to meet little baby Reid-Garcia because he'll be dead. This has been expressed to him. Several times."
They seem to trust him, at least outwardly, enough to get back to work anyway. Dave takes a moment to look at them before he retreats to a side room to get himself under control.
CMCMCM
Later that night, after they've caught their guy, Dave stops by Aaron's room to help him get packed. They don't share a room on cases as they are very careful with their relationship, but something inside of Dave is telling him that he needs to be there.
When Aaron opens the door he looks normal. Tired sure, and a little worse than he did when they left the hospital, the pain meds must have worn off, but otherwise normal. Dave lets out a breath he's been holding for half the day.
"Good, can you help me pack? My zipper is stuck and…" Aaron starts only to be cut off by Dave pushing his way into the door and closing it.
Dave isn't entirely sure what he's doing. He and Aaron don't so this. They may have been together on and off for years. They've even taken to calling one other partners in private. Neither one of them has been with anyone else in two years. Not since Erin died and Beth left. But they don't cuddle. They don't hold one another. They don't say I Love You.
But Dave needs to hold Aaron. He needs it like he needs food. And hell, he wants it like a nice juicy steak. Why the hell should he settle for the left overs? If he can have the steak he wants it.
It seems like Aaron is on board with the plan. He wraps his good arm around Dave and puts his nose into Dave's neck. He isn't as shaky as Dave, who has finally started to let that out, but he does press his forehead to Dave's. They stand together for a few moments. They don't say anything but Dave is finally able to let go of his tension when he hears the Beatles playing softly.
He has no idea where it's coming from or how long it's been on. He doesn't think it was on when he walked in but he really wasn't paying attention. It isn't Aaron's ringtone and he doesn't typically listen to music to decompress so he asks, "The White Album?"
Aaron smirks against his neck as he answers, "It's their best one."
Without any real thought Dave starts swaying to the music. He pulls Aaron along with him. Dave is careful not to step on Aaron's shoeless feet with his boots and any other time he might worry about his gray tee changing colors after being pressed against Aaron's red sweater but not this time.
The floors in the midrange hotel are carpeted well and they use it to their advantage to muffle the sounds lest a well-meaning teammate/pseudo-child knock on the door to check in.
Eventually the song ends. Aaron sort of sags into Dave warily and Dave thinks that Aaron is probably more exhausted now than he has been in a long time. It's not just being shot either. It's Jack, and Jessica. It's Spence and Penny. It's this case. It's the paperwork. Maybe it's even him or them or their relationship. Dave hasn't been there the way he should have been. That just won't do.
"Why don't we sit down," He tried as the next song starts.
"Dave I don't think I'm up for anything," Aaron says even while he takes Dave's suggestion and moves to the bed.
"Hey now did I ask you to suck me off? No. Did I say I wanted to suck you off? No. I did not," Dave huffs out with an eyeroll. It seems he really had some work to do.
Aaron glares at him which causes Dave to throw his hands in the air, "I wasn't even thinking about it. I swear."
The look on Aaron's face is surprisingly distrustful.
"Look," Dave says as he walks over to the bed, "We have two hours before we need to leave. I'm packed I just have to grab my things from the room. Can I just hold you for a while?"
He must come across as sincere. At least a little because Aaron lays back and moves into a place on his side of the bed.
Dave lays down next to him and curls around him. He places his chin on Aaron's shoulder, the good one, and puts an arm around his partner pulling him close. Aaron snuggles in.
Neither of them say a word.
It's a good place to start.