Forgive me for my lateness, but you can blame my writer's block. Thank you for your reviews, favs, and follows. Now enjoy.
Spencer woke up nearly soaked and completely disoriented. Aaron didn't waste time in helping him into the bathroom while having Sean make something quick for dinner. As he sat Spencer on the toilet, Aaron had to hold back the grimace as he saw the completely white face of his youngest brother as he removed the strands that stuck to his damp skin on his forehead. Spencer's eyes were unfocused as he looked up his oldest brother, his lips slightly opened as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out. His hand was shaky as he reached for the crook of his elbow and started digging in. Aaron was quick the smack the hand away.
"Enough of that," Aaron said as he helped Spencer out of his shirt, "We found the remains of your stash and threw it out."
Spencer's body visibly tensed, and Aaron could see a wild look flare up in Spencer's eyes as his fist clenched. Trying to take a step forward, Spencer stumbled right into Aaron's eyes, which caused Aaron to let out a sigh. Sean was going to get an earful from their youngest brother when Spencer was more alert. Good thing Sean had tough skin.
"You had no right," Spencer mumbled as Aaron once more led Spencer to the toilet and sat him down.
"Actually, Spencer, we do," Aaron had to wrestle to get Spencer's pants off. Spencer being bratty was worse than Spencer being distant. One you just had to worry about the other you had to hold back that nagging voice telling you to put the guy in his place, "You nearly died from it."
"But I didn't."
"Spencer, you had went under several times before the EMT came. If Sean and I hadn't acted so quickly, there could not have been anything, anyone could have done." Aaron's voice was even, but he couldn't fight back the tears that were stinging his eyes. He had never been that scared since the first time he saw the bruises left on Sean by their father. The wild look in Spencer's eyes changed into realization but then melted into exhaustion. Aaron never realized how tapped out Spencer was, "Let's get you in the shower," Aaron said.
Sean made simple sandwiches complaining about how Spencer needed to do some grocery shopping when Aaron led Spencer back into the dining room. Spencer remained quiet when he sat down, now wearing loose pajama pants and a Caltech T-shirt. Aaron saw Sean trying not to stare at the now exposed puncture marks on Spencer's arms. The meal was eaten in silence with Sean and Aaron sending warning glances to Spencer every so often when he stopped eating. Once Spencer looked as though he was ready to puke again, Aaron made him stop and told Sean to take him back to bed. Spencer gave Aaron a dirty look but didn't fight back as he led away. Aaron cleaned and put away the dishes
"He's pissed," Sean announced when he returned, his hand rubbing at his forehead.
Aaron nodded as he let out his own tired sigh, "Give him time."
"No other choice," Sean said, "You should be going, Aaron. The wife and son are probably waiting up for you, and you're probably going to be facing a bigger headache than me in the morning."
Aaron pressed his lips together. He should be going, but his big brother instincts were in overdrive; and he was having a hard time fighting them off. What if's passed through Aaron's mind in warp speed, and it crashed head first into the worst case scenario of Spencer getting past Sean; getting a fix; and overdosing alone and with no one to save him. The thought made him sick.
"Go on, Aaron, I can handle things here." Sean encouraged while slinging his arm around Aaron's shoulder, "Mini Motor might have been pissed, but he was out like a light when I put him back in bed. If we're lucky, he'll sleep through the detox session."
"Hopefully," Aaron responded before letting out a sigh, "I wasn't kidding about you calling if anything happens. I'll stop by after work if we don't have a case."
Sean nodded, giving Aaron a reassuring smile. Aaron checked on Spencer one more time- Sean wasn't kidding when he said he had fallen asleep- grabbed his things, and left. A tired sigh escaped his lips throughout the drive home, and Aaron had never looked forward to seeing his wife and son.
The full brunt of Aaron's exhaustion hit him once he walked through his first door and nearly slumped in Hailey's arms when she came up to hug him genuinely. Not the somewhat forced ones they'd been sharing for the past few days.
"How's Jack?" Aaron asked as he held Hailey.
"Fast asleep," Hailey answered, guiding her husband to the living room and having him sit on the couch, "How is he?"
"Exhausted in every sense of the word," Aaron said while combing his fingers through his hair.
"He's always looked exhausted, Aaron, even on the day I met him," Hailey said, a fond smile on her face. Aaron couldn't help but have a slight one as well.
Aaron didn't have Hailey meet his brothers until they had settled into their new apartment. He didn't want her to become his father's next victim, nor did he want her getting to deep into what his father was doing to them. Just before she met them, Aaron came clean about the abuse; Hailey only smiled and said she knew there was something wrong when Aaron had cancelled several dates do to "family emergencies" with an expression of pure terror and worry- big reason he perfected a stoic expression. She had fallen in love with both Sean and Spencer off the bat although Spencer had spent the meeting hiding behind Aaron's leg, his eyes wide with terror at the strange woman. Aaron wasn't surprised. According to Spencer, women were either crazy or just abandoned him like his father. It had taken Hailey three months for Spencer to even talk to her.
"Even more so than usual, Hailey," Aaron went on as his smile disappeared.
Hailey nodded in understanding as she placed a hand on Aaron's knee. When was the last time they had been this intimate? Letting out another tired sigh, Aaron actually allowed his stoicism to crack as he leaned more on his wife and just sat there. The silence went on for a while before the familiar sound Jack's crying took them out. Hailey made a move to stand, but Aaron grabbed her hand and told her to relax. After everything, Aaron needed this quality time with his son. Jack quieted and squealed when he saw his father, blabbing his first words. Aaron only laughed and took the time to read to his son, something he hadn't done in a long time.
Later on, Aaron found himself showered and in bed next to his wife, his hand wrapped her waist. Hailey didn't say anything, and Aaron appreciated it. With everything that had went on for the past few days, Aaron needed the silence to help himself regroup. Tomorrow he would have to deal with the team, and he had to do this without revealing too much about his relation with Spencer.
Aaron sighed. The next few days were not going to be fun.
When Aaron came into the office, he had instantly locked himself in his apartment and pulled out his cell phone. Sean was on the receiving end clearly tired and kind of pissed from being woken up, but he told Aaron that Spencer had, for most of the night, been asleep and didn't cause any trouble.
"Most of the night?" Aaron questioned while his free hand tightened into a fist on his desk and his dark eyes focusing intently on the small stack of paperwork that was assigned to him.
"He woke up kind of delusional and was running towards the bathroom, clearly trying to find his stash." Sean explained and Aaron could pick up on the sense of concern and anger in his brother's tone, "Thankfully, he wasn't violent when I told him that we threw it out, but I would say I never thought Mini Motor had it in him to say a few words."
Aaron raised an eyebrow but didn't question. Spencer did curse but rarely anything past "damn". Anything above that, Spencer would blush deeply if anyone else said it.
"Did he try to get away from you?" Aaron asked.
"No, I think he's so tired that even cursing takes everything out of him." Sean explained, "When he finished, he just apologized for everything, and I helped him back to bed."
Spencer apologized. Aaron took that as sign that Spencer was finally coming to terms to what was happening. The exhaustion was kind of discerning, but Aaron thought maybe it was because of everything Spencer was going through was now hitting him full force and at his weakest point. He couldn't fight it because there was no energy left to fight it.
"He's asleep still," Sean went on, "And since I'm awake, I guess I'll make us breakfast. Something tells me Mini Motor at least wants his coffee."
Aaron couldn't help the slightly amused look from spreading across his face. Exhaustion or not, Aaron knew that Spencer would still want his coffee. Memories of how Spencer would forgo food, but still held his love for coffee. He would have probably been more worried if that was even cut out.
"Careful. I think he's irritated enough to bite." Aaron said, thinking some type of humor was needed during this trying period. Sean clearly agreed from the small laugh he emitted.
"So you do have a sense of humor."
"Sometimes," Aaron said, remembering Emily saying those same words after Aaron caught Spencer making cap rockets in the bullpen one morning. Spencer had answered the same way he just had.
"Well it needs to happen more often," Sean said before saying his goodbyes and hanging up. Feeling a bit better, Aaron pocketed his phone and sat down. The good mood kept up while he got to work on some paperwork, but then disappeared when he heard a knock on the door; and Gideon came in with a look Aaron couldn't read.
"I'm probably the last person you want to see," he said right off the bat. Aaron remained quiet and just stared at the man in front of him, "How is Spencer?"
Anger flooded through Aaron, but he knew there was a hint of his own guilt in there. He had taken Gideon's word about the situation, believing that the man had done what Aaron had- hesitant to admit- failed at; and that was breaking through Spencer's stubbornness and pride and having him see what was happening. Of course that all blew up in not only Aaron's but Sean and Spencer's as well. Aaron took in a deep breath. Maybe it also blew up in Gideon's as well.
"We're getting him help," Aaron explained while trying to keep his tone even, "I'll explain more later when I get the team together."
Gideon nodded before letting out sigh. One out of guilt or one out of relief, Aaron couldn't tell. Instead of building up another headache over the question, he dismissed Gideon and went back to his work. He decided he would tell the team later on before the team went home.
Hope you enjoyed.
