Monday Blues Chapter 9

AN - college work interrupted me but here we are. Thanks for all your reviews and encouragement. Still working away at this one.

Jack Hotchner sat on the grass in JJ's garden completely disinterested in the Soccer game Henry was trying to engage him with. It wasn't the younger boys fault, or Will's who was also trying to get Jack to join in. It was just that none of them where his dad. They were nice and all and they looked after him and treated him well but... He wanted dad.

The ball came over to him hitting his foot slightly and he looked at in disgust, he wasn't interested in playing with it, soccer was his and his dad's game. He smiled remembering the times in the park with his dad teaching him. Then his pride when his school team started winning games thanks to his dads coaching. Uncle Dave helped a bit but he knew it was mainly his dad.

"Come on Jack, kick it back." Will encouraged, seeing the hint of a smile on the boys face hoping the young Hotchner was ready to join in.

Jack shook his head and with his fingers pushed the ball away, not to any one in particular, just away from him. Henry in his young enthusiasm immediately chased after it wanting to carry on the game. Will sighed as he watched Jack return to his solitude.

"Will." JJ emerged from the house waving him over to her. He wondered if she'd seen what had happened and was as worried as he was about Jack.

"He won't do anything..." Will explained as he jogged over kicking the ball for Henry on the way.

"That's not what this is about. Rossi called... He wants Jack at the hospital."

"Has there been a change?" Will looked and sounded hopeful until he saw the look on JJ's face.

"No. But he wants to see if Jack can... stir something." She explained looking at the boy who got up and walked away from all of them. Sitting at the back of the garden by himself.

They of course had their concerns that Jack was too young to deal with any of what was going on with his dad but forty five minutes later and Jack was sat with Rossi who was trying his best to explain what was going to happen. For a profiler who also happened to be a published author, suddenly words seemed to escape him and he couldn't find a way to look into those sad brown eyes and explain what he wanted. He cleared his throat and took a drink of coffee, he could see so much of Aaron in Jack and he couldn't help a little smile at the expression on Jack's face. It was one of patient annoyance at not being told anything, keeping everything in check just below the surface. Just like dad would.

"Okay Jack... You remember when you had the poorly tummy before and your dad was looking after you, cleaning up your sick and giving you medicine?"

"Yeah..."

"Well this is kinda like that but only instead of being sick your dads really really sleepy. The doctors are giving him medicine but he's just so sleepy your lazy dad still hasn't woken up. So I want you to help me, come in and see him and sit with me and him. Talk to him and tell him all the fun things that's happened and what you want to do when he's better okay?" He waited for the nod and the expected grin to form at the idea of seeing his dad. "There are a lot of tubes and wires and machines, but their all helping your dad so just ignore them and don't be scared okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go see him Uncle Dave. I know loads to tell him and wake him up."

The youthful energy was contagious and Rossi found himself with new hope that maybe, just maybe, this might actually work. He took Jack's hand and they made their way to Aaron's hospital room. He pushed the door open gently and gave Jack's hand a reassuring squeeze as they made their way in.

Aaron lay just as he had for some time now, the covers pulled up to his chest hiding not only the new wounds but the existing scars from the Foyet attack. A dressing on his head from a blow he'd received in the bank, not serious but enough to warrant a few stitches and a nasty looking bruise. An IV line was in the back of his right hand, Rossi had no idea what was going in but he'd guess at least fluids and painkillers. Hotch looked almost peaceful, the customary scowl was gone, and his face instead showed complete relaxation. It was rare seeing Hotch so still and relaxed, he was an imposing figure in any room and seeing him like this was uneasy. He glanced at the numbers on the monitor which he didn't really understand but he had noted a steady heart rate of 85. This number didn't seem to fluctuate which he prayed was good news.

"It's okay kiddo, just remember. He's just sleeping. It's like waking up on Christmas morning except in this game you're not allowed to jump on him. You have to wake him with your words." He smiled and nodded toward the man laid on the bed.

A little nervously Jack stepped into the room, he could see his dad on the bed and his whole face lit up almost straight away at seeing the man he adored. He moved a little closer and climbed on the chair next to the bed sitting on his knee's so he could see his dad better.

For a few seconds there was total silence and Rossi was worried that maybe this was all too much for the youngster after all. He stepped forward ready to take Jack out when he watched the boys small hand take hold of his dads squeezing his fingers gently.

"Hi dad." Jack leaned forward and kissed his Dad's head, before carefully climbing the rest of the way onto the bed and being careful not to hurt him he cuddled right up close to his dad. He reached out tenderly with so much love an began tracing his fingers around the cardiac monitors that were secured on Hotch's chest, watching them as he spoke careful not to touch. His hand then drifted down the IV line to rest on his father's hand, again careful not to add to much pressure but clearly wanting to feel what was touching his dad.

Dave fought back the emotions as he smiled and nodded at Jack taking the chair Jack had just climbed from, he was content to sit there as long as it took. He sat back resting his head on the backrest of the chair listening as Jack began to chatter away about anything that came into his head. Some of it Rossi understood, some of it was obviously father/son moments that were between the two of them. He found himself enthralled with Jack's stories, the endless way the youngster seemed to talk without taking a breath. It was the most they'd heard from him in days and he found himself grinning once again. Like father like son, they came alive when they were with each other.

Hotch was exactly the same, the stoic serious unit chief that was all work when he was in the office and focused on nothing else but solving whatever heinous crime had crossed their path this time. Yet the second he was with his son whether it was in person or just talking on the phone there was a spark in his eyes, and a natural uplift to his whole personality that was never normally there. His son brought out the best in him in every single way.

With that idea ringing round his head, David Rossi couldn't help but have that tiny spark of hope that this would work, for both father and son.

TBC...