Monday Blues Chapter 12

AN: Once again THANK YOU ALL. For amazing reviews, you're all so wonderful!

It felt like an eternity since the surgery was done, and Aaron had been moved back to ICU where they were permitted to sit with him again. The doctor kindly relaxing the rules on visiting hours and numbers under the circumstances. Leaning on the doorway to the ICU Emily Prentiss smiled as she watched what appeared to be a family in the making. It may not have been a family in the traditional sense of the word but it definitely seemed to work. Jack Hotchner sat on David Rossi's knee as they chatted beside Aaron's bed side.

Sporting a fresh bandage around his head, Aaron was settled and now breathing on his own with only the slight help of a nasal canulla. His chest was still littered with ECG monitors keeping an eye on his vital signs which nurses where checking every half an hour. He was sadly still oblivious to the duo which had taken up residence beside his bed, both of them it seemed quite content to sit there and not move. She had a feeling that Jess, and probably even JJ would object to young Jack spending too long sat there but for now at least Uncle Dave was winning and he and Jack stayed in their place.

"Juice and Coffee..." She entered the room handing Dave the Juice with a wink and handing Jack the coffee. "This is yours isn't it Jack?"

"Ugh no way" Jack pulled a face wrinkly his nose at the strong coffee aroma. "Emily you got our drinks mixed up." He chuckled and transferred the coffee to Dave, taking his own juice. "You're silly Emily." He giggled with a rather orange looking moustache now forming after he'd slurped on the drink.

"I'm silly am I?" She sat down smiling taking a drink of her own coffee. It was nice to see Jack smiling, she didn't know how long it would last that was very much up to his father but for now at least they could enjoy a rare smile.

"I think she is too Jack" Dave prompted. "What do Silly people get?" He nudged Jack towards Emily.

"Tickled!" Jack declared proudly shouting loud enough for the entire corridor to hear. He put his juice down and charged towards Emily who managed to manoeuvre her coffee out of the way onto the bedside cabinet just in time. No sooner was it down than Jack was climbing on her knee and making every effort to tickle her ribs. She made a play of laughing and trying to wriggle free of his attention before catching his arms.

"Oh it's my turn now Hotchner. I got you." She laughed and kept both of his hands pinned in one of hers, and proceeded to tickle him with the other. His laugh filled the room, every corner of it. It was infectious and as Jack writhed and giggled louder Dave found himself chuckling along. Jack tried to make a break for it managed to get to the floor dropping to all fours to try and crawl back to what he assumed would be the safety of Uncle Dave.

He barely made it a few steps before he was grabbed and lifted into the air, squealing in sheer delighted as Emily put him over her shoulder.

"Oh I've lost Jack! Dave have you seen Jack Hotchner. Bout this high.." She held out her hand at approximately Jack height.

"I haven't Emily. Not seen him for ages... He must be around here. I'll help you look." Rossi joined in with a smile.

Jack squealed and waved his arms, his laughter getting louder and louder when he realised he was on his own and Uncle Dave had betrayed him.

"Nooo! I'm here! I'm up here! Uncle Dave, Emily! I'm up high!" He shouted.

"Can you hear that?" Dave asked Emily feigning puzzlement at Jack's voice. "It sounded a bit like him. I'll keep looking." He started opening cupboard and peeking behind curtains much to Jack's amusement as his laughter was now constant, and very infectious as both Emily and Dave now joined in laughing with him.

Dave's search continued, around every corner of the thankfully private ICU room. He stopped looking for the missing Jack Hotchner when something caught his eye making him stop dead in his tracks.

Aaron's hand had moved, not just a twitch or a sleepy jerk of the hand. But it was a definite movement. He caught Emily's eye and she nodded, she'd seen it too. It hadn't been just him.

"Aaron? Aaron its David Rossi... Can you hear me?" He prompted taking the hand that had moved. Emily returned Jack to the floor and he immediately took his other hand.

"Dad?" He questioned, his tiny eyes filled with hope and optimism.

"I'll get a doctor." Emily offered, receiving a nod from Rossi though his attention was focused solely on Aaron. She left patting Jack's head on the way out she felt her own heart pounding in her chest and not for the first time in her life found herself appealing to god for good news. On her hunt for the doctor she sent a message to the team letting them know that there may be news soon and to get ready to ditch the paperwork. She knew they would in a heartbeat if it was good news.

"Aaron" Dave squeezed his hand. "Aaron I'm here with Jack, you're going to be okay." He wasn't sure at that point who he was talking to, himself, Jack, or the unconscious man on the bed.

"Dad its okay you can open your eyes now." Jack's voice was filled with emotion as he squeezed his dad's hand.

Rossi was about to go to him, wanting to hold him and hug him. To reassure him that even the slightest movement was good, and they just had to be patient, anything to offer some reassurance, he froze when he saw the boys face light up.

"He did it Uncle Dave! He squeezed my hand!" His eyes brimmed with tears of delight this time as Emily returned with the doctor. "Emily he did it!"

Emily smiled and placed a hand on Rossi's shoulder who was grinning, a lot. The grin appeared to be contagious because the doctor wore one just like it.

"It was your laughing, and happiness that did it young man." The doctor praised Jack, as optimism filled the room.

TBC..