AN: So here's chapter two. I hope you enjoy it, and let me know what you think.
Aaron was supposed to be here twenty five minutes ago, and he is never late. Never. I've tried to call both his cell and home twice, but he's not answering. And I'm worried.
I'm thinking about going to his apartment to check on him, but as I am about to leave my condo, my cell phone rings.
"Prentiss." I say.
"Emily, it's Dave…" he sounds tired. "Derek is on his way to pick you up. There's something you should know… Hotch…"
But I cut him off.
"What? No, please Dave, tell me he's ok, please." Tears are starting to fall.
"We… we don't know yet Emily. Morgan should be there at any minute now, you come to the hospital and we wait, ok?"
I nod although he can't see me.
"Ok." I whisper and then hang up.
We wait… we wait for what?
Ten minutes later I'm sitting on Morgan's passenger seat. We are not talking. We don't need to. The air is filled with worry, and as more tears are starting to fall, Derek grabs my hand.
"He'll be ok." He assures me.
But I shake my head.
"You can't know that." I whisper.
And he doesn't answer me.
Forty minutes, we've been waiting for forty minutes for news on Hotch's condition, but nobody says anything. I look around and I see the same worry I'm feeling reflected on the team's faces. His team.
JJ is a mess; she was with Will and Henry when Dave called her, and she left the house in a hurry.
Penelope is crying, just like me. She has always had a soft spot for 'Boss Man', as she calls Aaron.
Reid is unusually quiet, more than he normally is when he's not throwing facts, but he is fidgeting with his fingers.
Derek is pacing up and down trying to keep his temper under control for he cannot understand why this happened to Hotch – nobody can, actually – and why the doctors aren't telling us anything.
Dave looks calm, but we know he is not. He's just trying to be our support, but he's suffering.
And me? I haven't had a proper look at myself, but I know I'm a mess. I'm trying to compartmentalize, but I can't, it's just… too difficult.
We see a doctor coming our way and stopping in front of us.
"Mr. Hotchner's family?"
"Yes." Dave quickly answers.
The doctor looks at us perplexed, he obviously knows we are not his blood related family, but he says nothing.
"How is he?" I ask, unable to hold on any longer.
"He…" the doctor seems to hesitate. "We've been able to remove the bullet, but some arteries were damaged, although we've been able to fix them. Even so, the damage made was high. The next twenty four hours are crucial, but we believe he'll be able to survive. He's in ICU right now and he won't be able to receive visitors for at least three hours."
"Thanks Doc." Rossi says.
The doctor nods and leaves.
"Why don't you go home?" Dave asks us as soon as the doctor is gone.
"I'm staying." I firmly say.
"So am I." Derek states.
The others want to stay as well, but Rossi manages to make them leave with the promise to call them as soon as we know something.
Two hours and fifty-seven minutes…
Two hours and fifty-eight minutes…
Two hours and fifty-nine minutes…
Three hours.
And with that I get up, startling Dave and Morgan, heading to the nurse desk.
"Can we see Aaron Hotchner?" I ask as politely as possible.
The nurse looks at me for a moment, types something in the computer and looks at me again.
"I'm afraid it is not possible yet, ma'am." I sigh and the nurse gives me a sympathetic look. "If you'd like, I can go tell you as soon as I know something."
I give her a watery smile while nodding. "Thank you."
Fifteen minutes have passed when the same nurse approaches us.
"You can see him now, but only one person at a time." And she moves away to give us more privacy.
"You first." Dave says.
I nod, I turn around and follow the nurse to Aaron's room.
"It's here." She says. I thank her again and prepare myself for what I'm about to see.
I open the door and suck in my breath.
He lays so… still, and pale, he looks… not Hotch at all, with tubes everywhere.
I slowly make my way to the bed, where I grab a chair and sit, carefully taking his hand in mine.
"Aaron," I manage to choke out. "You have to wake up. You have to fight; for your son, for me. Please Aaron, please." My sobs can be heard between the words.
I sit there repeating the same words all over again, like a mantra, for hours.
Derek and Dave have come to see him too, but I'm always there, not moving.
Just waiting.
AN: So what do you think? Let me know in a review.
