Chapter 7
After about ten minutes of walking around alone in the woods surrounding the cabin, Hotch finally had himself back under control and headed back in. Kahlan was asleep on the couch, so he fixed himself some dinner and settled down at the table to eat. He watched her sleeping and smiled. She looks so innocent when she's asleep. He sighed and took another bite. Maybe she'll feel better tomorrow. He cringed as he thought about it, though. That's sad, Hotchner. She's sick and you're hoping she feel well enough to give you some attention instead of hoping she feels better just so she isn't sick anymore. He pinched the bridge of his nose. It's not like this is our last chance or anything. You can just wait until next time! He shook his head and finished his dinner.
After eating, he scooted Kahlan over enough to sit down with her and he sighed when he felt her starting to shiver again. He grabbed the thermometer and took her temperature again. He shook his head when he read it, 103.6. He got up and grabbed her a couple more pills and some juice. He took them back to the couch and sat down beside her again. "Babe?" he asked as he nudged her.
She moaned and pulled the blanket a little closer to her face.
"No. You need to take your pills again," he tried as he pulled the blanket away from her.
"Just leave me lone, Dad," she whined and tugged on the cover.
He sighed. "You can have the blanket back if you take your pills."
She huffed. "I don wanna."
"I know, but you have to."
"No!" she blurted out and turned her head towards the back of the couch.
"Babe, turn over and take your pills, or I will take you back to the shower."
She finally opened her eyes and gave him a mean look. "I don't think so!"
He stood up and bent down and grabbed her by placing on arm under her knees and one behind her back, but as soon as he started to lift, she squirmed out of his grasp. He reacted and tried to grab her again and they ended up wrestling as she tried to push him away and stay on the couch as he kept trying to pick her up. "Kahlan!" he yelled as he wrapped both hands around one of her thighs and picked up so that only the back of her shoulders and head were touching the couch.
"Aaron!" she refuted as her hands fought to find purchase on the couch but sickness depleted muscles weren't strong enough to actually hold on well enough. "You're making my head hurt worse!"
He quickly put her back down. "I'm sorry!"
She smiled as she pulled her leg away from him. "Yes you are!"
"Why, you little shit!" He shook his head and tried to grab her again.
In her squirming to get away from him again, she ended up falling to the floor and she winced as the side of her head connected with the hard wood floor. "Owwwie!"
"Oh my God, Babe! I am so sorry!" he screamed as he jumped and pulled the coffee table back so he could get to her. "Are you ok?" he asked as he knelt down next to her as cradled her head in his hands.
She sat up and pulled out of his grasp and then slapped his hands away as he tried to check her head. "Stop being such a big bully!" she demanded as her chest heaved showing exactly how much the slight struggle had worn her out.
He sat back on his heels. "If you would just take the damn pills. . ."
"If you would just leave me alone. . ."
"Kahlan!"
She slumped. "I don't have the energy to argue or fight any more."
He moved closer and wrapped his arm around her. "Then stop fighting me and let me take care of you."
She sighed heavily. "Fine."
He put his arms under her and picked her up and put her back on the couch. "Here," he told her as he grabbed the juice and the pills and held them out to her.
She locked eyes with him. "I don't deserve you."
"You're right. You deserve someone who doesn't make you fall on the floor and hurt you when you're sick."
She reached up and cupped the side of his face. "I don't deserve you because you are too good to me. I am too big of a pain on a normal basis, let alone when I'm grumpy and sick."
He leaned in and kissed her nose. "Even grumpy and sick, I love you."
She smiled. "I love you, too." She took the pills and the juice. "Would you be to horribly upset if I went ahead and went to bed?"
He stood up and held out his hand. "Come on. I'll tuck you in."
XXX
She was out in no time and Hotch joined her about an hour later after taking a shower. He had to fight to get some of the covers from her, but she eventually gave them up after moaning her disapproval. He reached over and pulled her close and she snuggled into her spot and he leaned down and kissed her on the top of the head. "Night, Babe, I love you," he whispered and turned off the light.
XXX
Hotch woke up to Kahlan calling out in her sleep. He sat up, flipped on the light, and looked around trying to figure out what was going on. Kahlan was on the other side of the bed and she was tossing and turning. He slid over to her and cringed when he saw sweat beaded up on her face and the heat coming off of her would rival a small oven. She was mumbling and he couldn't tell if she was speaking a foreign language or just not speaking plain enough that he could understand her. He shook his head and got up to get her some more pills and the thermometer.
He scanned her forehead and sighed when he read it: 104.8. He licked his lips and sat down next to her and brushed sweat dampened hair back from her face. "Babe," he tried.
She cringed away from him as her face scrunched up as if she was in pain and his heart sank.
"Kahlan," he tried a little louder as he shook her.
"No!" she got out through gritted teeth and her whole body tensed for a few seconds and then she panted a few times.
He pulled his hand back and his fingers twitched as he licked his lips trying to decide if he should try to wake her up because it was obvious that she was reliving something really unpleasant. He inhaled deeply and reached out again.
Before his hand touched her, though, she let out a scream of pain as her whole body jerked and Hotch couldn't take it anymore; he reached around her and pulled her to his chest. "You're ok. You're ok," he whispered over and over again as he rocked her. "Come on, Babe, wake up. It's only a dream," he urged quietly in her ear.
She started trying to get out of his grip and he worried about her fighting him, but it was almost like she couldn't use her arms and when she let out another scream, his eyes filled. Oh my God, she's being tortured. "Wake up, Kahlan!" he ordered as he held her even tighter. "Wake up! You're ok!"
She clenched her jaw and let out a long moan of pain and Hotch knew she had bit back a scream. A few tears fell down his cheeks. "Come on, Kahlan, wake up!" he commanded as he stroked her hair.
She whimpered and tried to pull away from him as she said something he couldn't understand.
"Kay!" he yelled and her eyes finally snapped opened as she sucked in air. She looked around frantically as her hands went to her chest, and his heart sank. Her hands had gone to a nasty scar she had right under her left breast. He had never asked her what had given it to her, but was apparent that she had gotten it while being tortured. He held her tighter. "You're ok. It was just a dream," he consoled her because he could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she fought to get her breathing under control.
She looked down at her chest and then into his eyes. He reached and pulled her hands away from her. "See? No blood. You're ok," he assured her. She still didn't look sure, so he pulled up her sweat soaked shirt and showed her. "You're ok, Babe. It was just a bad dream." She searched herself, swallowed hard, nodded and then melted into him. He tucked her head under his chin and squeezed her. "It's alright, Babe, I got you." While she wasn't out right crying, he could feel her shaking and he didn't think it was the fever. "You're safe, Kahlan. You're here with me and you are safe."
She blew out a breath and pulled away from him enough to look him in the eyes. "I haven't dreamt about that in a really long time." Her shaky voice told him exactly how much the dream had upset her.
"You want to talk about it?"
She licked her lips. "I need a drink."
He nodded and let her go. "Here I got you some juice so you could take more pills. Your fever's back up."
She took a deep breath and took the cup from him. "That's probably what brought it on."
He sat there as she took the pills and drank down the juice giving her time to collect herself and decide if she wanted to share the dream or not. He wanted her to tell him about what had happened, but he'd learned not to push her.
She put the cup back down and ran a hand down her face as she leaned back into him.
"You know what. We can talk tomorrow. Why don't you try to go back to sleep," he suggested when he realized she really didn't want to tell him, at least not right then.
She nodded against his chest and he kissed her on the top of her head and then got up and straightened the blankets back out as she got up and changed her shirt and then got back in bed. He went to his side and slid in next to her and she snuggled into her spot as he turned off the light. She gave him a squeeze. "Night, Hun. I love you."
"I love you, too, Babe."
XXX
Even though she slept peacefully the rest of the night, Hotch woke up several times to check on her, but he was satisfied with how she was doing. Once her fever broke, it never went back up and he started thinking that she was finally getting over whatever had attacked her. When she woke up and actually wanted to eat, he smiled. She frowned as she looked at him. "What?"
He leaned down and kissed her on the top of the head. "You being hungry is a good sign."
She shrugged. "I just want some toast or something."
He got up and started for the bedroom door. "I'll get it. You want some coffee, too?"
She cringed. "No."
"Juice?"
"I'm coming," she told him as she threw the covers off.
He stopped and turned back to her. "I was going to bring it to you."
She shook her head. "I want to get up, if that's alright."
He smiled again and went to her and held out a hand to her. "Another good sign." She accepted his help and he leaned in and kissed her forehead to check her temp. She raised her brows waiting for his assessment. He smiled. "And your fever's stayed down."
She nodded. "I'm going to take a shower and see if I can feel even more human."
He chuckled. "I'll put you on some tea, but I'll wait until you're done to fix you breakfast."
She leaned in and planted a quick kiss on his lips which caused his heart to skip a beat. She gave him a little smile. "Thank you."
He watched her grab her clothes and then watched her go into the bathroom and shut the door. He inhaled deeply. Does she even remember the dream? He sighed and then went to the kitchen.