Chapter 26
Over a month had passed since Hotch and Emily got home and Derek stormed out of her apartment.
Emily had tried talking to him multiple times but he constantly ignored her phone calls and texts. When she finally got him alone in person, they only spoke for a few minutes. He'd told her he wanted to take a break and ignored her after.
If people picked up on the tension between them, they weren't saying anything. Too much was going on. Gideon had just left, Reid was a mess as a result of it, Hotch still hadn't come back yet even though he was supposed to. Emily felt all alone and didn't know what to do.
She'd been texting with Hotch everyday, checking in and talking on the phone whenever they had a moment alone.
She missed him at work and just in general. She didn't know when he was coming back.
It was a Monday morning and she got to work. She'd hoped it would be a fresh start to the week. Right when she got to work, Derek was nice enough to say hey to her but that was it.
Not even 20 minutes into the day, Emily's phone rang. It was from Hotch.
She stood up from her desk and walked up the stairs to the catwalk, towards the bathroom. Once nobody could hear her, she stopped and picked it up.
"Hey.", she said sweetly. "How are you feeling?"
"Emily, can you please come over?", he asked.
"What?", she asked, confused.
"Haley won't let me work ever since the doctor told her I can't go in yet but I need something to do. She's gone all day with Jack at the park and spending time with her sister. Can you come by and bring some case files for me please?", he begged.
"Aaron...", she started.
"Emily...", he mocked her. "I swear, I'm totally fine to do work. I won't even get up and move around. Just come over with some case files you're working on right now.", he said.
"What are the others going to think? I'm not allowed to just leave.", she said.
"I'm your boss. And I'm telling you to come over here and bring me some work. That's an order, if that helps.", he giggled and heard him laugh through the phone too.
"Alright, alright. I'll gather some stuff together now and head over.", she said.
"Great, thank you, you're the best, truly amazing!", he said.
She laughed again, "Yeah, yeah. I'll be there in 30.", she hung up. She went back down to her desk and packed some things up to leave.
"Where you goin'?", Derek asked.
"Uh... Hotch wants me to bring some files by his place. He's going a bit stir crazy ever since the doctor said it'd be another week or so till he can come back completely.", she said.
"Oh.", Derek said, raising his eyebrows.
She rolled her lips in and looked down, feeling bad about telling him she was going to see Hotch.
Instead of replying, she just walked out and got on the elevator. Once she got to her car, she texted Hotch to let him know she was on her way.
She drove to his house and parked out front, reserving the driveway for Haley if she came back. She grabbed her bag with all the files in it and walked up to the door and knocked. She waited a while and almost knocked again but Hotch opened the door before she could.
"Hey.", he said with a huge smile on his face, letting her inside and closing the door behind her.
"Hey, yourself. You're dripping wet. What-", she said, looking confused.
"Yeah, I just got out of the shower. I didn't think you'd be here so soon. I didn't exactly finish drying off.", he laughed.
"Oh, go dry off. Do you need help up the stairs or...?", she asked.
"No, no, I got it. Are you sure?", he asked.
"Yeah, really.", she said.
"Alright, um, go ahead and sit down on the couch, you can pull the work out. I'll be right back.", he said, walking upstairs.
She sat down and got all the files, spread out on the table. Hotch was back downstairs less than five minutes later.
"Hey, sorry about that.", he said walking over to the couch, sitting next to her. She looked over at him.
"I've seen you wear pajamas before but it's totally different, knowing you're wearing them all day everyday.", she chuckled. "How does it feel to just be lounging around all day?", she asked.
"Ah not great. I mean, I love being able to spend more time with Jack but I don't even get to that much since I'm practically on bed rest. It's ridiculous. I was shot in my neck and shoulder. Not my leg or abdomen. I can walk just fine.", he said.
"Uh huh. Sure.", she said, raising an smiled and laughed in response to that.
"Let me get you some water.", he said, standing up and walking into the kitchen.
"Aaron, you're really bad at staying off your feet, you know that, right?", she said, walking after him.
"I'm just getting you a bottle of water.", he said, opening the fridge and handing it to her. She took it and glared at him, leaning against the counter.
"I'm glad you're doing better.", she said.
"A lot better. I see your cut is healed.", he said, bringing his hand to her forehead.
"Yeah, it's all better. They said it should barely leave a scar, if it even does, it'll be very faint.", she said.
"Good.", he smiled. He stared at her and stepped close, grabbing her with his right side and bringing her into him. He wrapped his arm around her as she held onto him tight, hugging his torso. "I really missed you, Em.", he said.
"I missed you too.", she said, pressed against his chest.
"You're not going to cry, are you?", he asked.
"No, you don't like it when I do that. I don't want to upset you any more.", she said, making them both laugh.
"Good, because I like seeing you smile.", he said.
"Well, good thing I am now because I haven't for a while.", she said.
He pulled back to look at her. "Are you and Derek still not talking?", he asked.
"Barely... he said he wants to take a break... think things over... whatever that means. He avoids me at all costs even at work unless we're talking about a case. I told him from the very beginning, this is why I didn't want to start a relationship with him.", she sighed. "Also... because of you. You were in my life.", she said, looking down.
"Oh... I see...", he said, quietly. "Emily, I don't want you to feel like I'm holding you back from things. I want you to be happy...", he said, bringing her chin up.
"It's not you that's holding me back. It's my feelings for you that are. You can't control that.", she said.
He stared at her and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I know.", he said, bringing her back in for one more hug.
He pulled away and looked at her. "Let's go get some work done, okay?", he said.
"Yeah.", she smiled. They went back to the couch and coffee table and did some more work.
After five hours, Hotch winced and pulled his arm back. Emily looked over at him, concerned.
"Aaron...", she looked from his shoulder to his eyes. "Okay, we're done for the day. You need to rest.", she said, putting things away.
"No, I'm fine.", he said. She grabbed some photos of the case from him.
"Emily, I'm fine, just give it - ahhh.", he winced again, in pain.
"Yeah, you sound fine.", she said, sarcastically.
"Alright, alright.", he said, putting his hand up and bringing it to his shoulder.
He tried standing up but Emily moved over and helped him.
"Yeah, you're going back up to bed. Don't argue with me on this.", she said.
He rolled his eyes and she said, "I saw that."
He looked over at her and smiled as she walked him upstairs. They got to his bed and she helped him under the covers.
"Alright, get some rest and I'll check in with you later, okay?", she said, starting to walk away. He grabbed her arm.
"Don't leave yet.", he said.
"Wha- Aaron, what am I supposed to do? You need rest.", she said.
"I need company. I can still rest with company being here.", he said, looking up at her with pleading eyes.
"Ughhh alright, fine. You win. What can I do? Do you need me to grab you a drink or make you some food?", she asked.
"Just stay here with me.", he said.
She sighed, "Fine.", she pulled up a chair next to the bed. She knew that if it wasn't his and his wife's bed, she would get in with him and hold him until he fell asleep in her arms.
But this wasn't her bed, this wasn't at the hotel, she couldn't do a lot of the same things as she had before. She was trying not to do anything at all, now that most things were back to normal. She realized they haven't had the talk yet that they were going to when they got back home. The talk about what to do with them now, how to stop, how to handle being around each other without letting it go too far anymore.
She sat down and placed her hands in her lap. "So... what? You want me to read you a bedtime story or...?", she joked but showing no amusement.
He laughed and then hissed at the pain, grabbing his shoulder again. She stood up and leaned over to it.
"Aaron, do you need to change your gauze?", she asked.
"Maybe...?", he said, looking up at her, squinting his eyes, afraid of her response.
"Where is it?", she said.
"Em, I can get it, just let me-", he started. She lightly pushed him back down.
"No, you're staying there. Where are the wraps and all the stuff for cleaning it?", she asked.
He pointed with his good arm, "If you go in the bathroom there, it should all be in the medicine cabinet."
She walked in and grabbed some cleaning solution, cotton balls, gauze, and tape. She sat on the edge of the bed with the supplies she had just grabbed, placing it next to her. She faced him and looked at his shirt.
"Take your shirt off.", she said.
He sighed and rolled his eyes, "Really, Emily, I can do this on my own."
"Take it off, Aaron.", she rolled her eyes.
He lifted his shirt up but was struggling so she helped him lift it over his head. Once it was off, she tried hard not to stare at his bare chest. She wanted to run her fingers down the cut edges of his abs. She could remember the last time she did, when they were in bed in the hotel room the night before he was shot. The night that she ended up in his arms when they fell asleep.
Suddenly, she became sad and shook her head to get all the thoughts out as she reached for the gauze on his shoulder to peel it off. He cringed when she took it off.
"I'm sorry.", she said.
"No, it's fine. It just hurts a bit itself. You're not causing it.", he said.
She smiled softly and laid the bandage off to the side as she grabbed some cotton balls and cleaning solution.
"Okay, don't hate me but this is going to feel a bit uncomfortable as you probably know by now.", she said.
He nodded his head, ready to get it over with. He hissed at the pain again as she cleaned the wound.
"I'm sorry...", she apologized.
"It's okay, just keep going.", he said when she stopped.
Once she was done, she blew on it and he shivered, feeling the cold air from her breath on his skin. She placed new gauze on it and taped it up.
"There. All better. See how easy it is to just let someone do something for you?", she snarked, as she got up to put everything back and throw away the trash.
She came back to his side and sat down on the edge of the bed again. She touched his chest and felt his heart beating and closed her eyes, breathing in deep. He took his hand and touched hers, holding it in place. She opened her eyes and looked at him.
"How's the one on your neck?", she asked him.
"It doesn't hurt at all... Nothing does right now...", he said, staring deep in her eyes.
She rolled her lips in and brought her hand up to his face. "You feel better?", she asked.
"Much.", he replied.
They stared at each other for a moment until her phone rang, snapping them both out of it. She reached in her back pocket and saw that it was Derek. She looked back at Hotch.
"I gotta take this, I'll be right back. Don't try and move.", she said. She walked downstairs and took the call.
"Hey, everything alright?", she asked.
"Everything's fine. I was just wondering if you were coming back to work today.", Derek said.
"Oh. God, what time is it?", she asked, looking at her watch.
"Almost 3:00... you've been over there for close to six hours...", he said.
"Wow, okay, I'll head back soon. I'll let you know when I do, alright?", she said.
"Yeah.", he hung up.
"Derek?", she asked, looking at her phone and noticing he wasn't on the line walked back upstairs, into Hotch's room and sighed.
He cocked his head at her. "Who was it?", he asked.
"Who do you think?", she said, sitting down in the chair.
"Ah. You know, if he can't be professional, that's an issue...", he said.
"Aaron, please don't get involved. He does his job, I do mine, it's fine.", she said.
"Okay, but if it gets in the way of his work, I can't ignore that...", he said.
"I know. That's why I hope it doesn't.", she said, sighing.
"Em... thank you for coming over. I know it probably wasn't your first choice of things to do today but it really helped.", he smiled softly.
"I really missed you. Of course I was going to come over. Also, it was an order.", she said, laughing, him joining in.
"Yeah, well, I'd be lying if I said it was just because of work that I wanted you to come over.", he said, looking at her sweetly.
"Well, I'm glad you asked me to come, regardless. And I'm glad I could help bring some form of comfort to you.", she said.
"You always do.", he told her. She wanted to tell him they should have the talk now but chickened out.
"You know, I should go now. Everyone is probably getting pretty curious about why I've been here so long. But I'll text you tonight, call me if you need anything else, okay?", she said, getting up and setting the chair off to the side. She walked back over to him and placed her hand on his face and stroked it.
"I miss you at work. Please get better so you can come back already.", she smiled.
"I'll try my best.", he said, smiling right back.
She let go of his face and started walking out and he got out of bed going after her. Before she got to the stairs, he reached for her arm. She turned around.
"What are you doing? Get back in bed.", she said.
"Let me walk you out. I have to lock up anyways.", he said.
"Alright but promise me that you'll get back in bed and stay there after I leave.", she said, walking down the stairs.
"I Promise.", he said.
They reached the living room and grabbed her bag. She walked to the door and faced him. "Please get better, okay?", she said.
"I will.", he responded, pulling her in for a hug.
She wrapped her arms around his bare torso and pressed her head against his chest. With one arm holding her close to him, he pressed a kiss on her head.
"Don't let this all get to you, Em. I know how strong you are, okay?", he said.
She nodded against his chest.
"Okay, now go head back and text me when you're there. I'll call you at some point to check in, alright?", he said.
She pulled back and looked at him with a smile.
"Okay. I'll talk to you later.", she said, walking out the door.
"Drive safe.", he said.
She got in her car and drove back to the BAU, dreading having to see Derek.