(This is only chapter seven man. We'll be going for awhile :)) also gonna say, mature content in this chapter, so just be prepared)
The team landed in Quantico. As soon as they landed, everybody started shifting awake, ready to get home and crash at their own places. They had the weekend off, Hotch was going to make sure of it. There were other teams that could cover them.
Kara had slept on his shoulder most of the flight, she still was even after they touched the ground, the familiar motion jarring the rest of the team awake. Hotch had almost forgotten she was asleep until he spotted the looks from the rest of the team. Emily looked at them, an eyebrow raised. She didn't say anything, Kara had just gotten shot. She couldn't lay the other way considering that arm was being held by a sling. Morgan's brow furrowed as he looked between the pair. He shrugged and decided against asking questions and followed Prentiss out of the cabin. Reid stood up and waited for JJ. He didn't think twice about Kara laying on Hotch, meanwhile JJ looked back at the pair and smiled. She was glad Kara was able to get some sleep. The hospital had given her something for the pain and it would be in her system for awhile.
Hotch lightly shook Kara's arm. She was slow to open her eyes, a heavy sigh escaping her. The energy she had before instantly vanished. She didn't feel good, that much was obvious. He frowned and held the back of his hand to her forehead. He had kept watch of her fever as best as he could the flight home. She felt the same. It worried him. "How are you feeling?" He asked when she blinked a couple times and found his eyes.
"Tired." She hummed quietly. She looked over Hotch's shoulder and saw a concerned Rossi. Nobody else was on the jet. "Are we home?" She asked, looking around the empty jet. Hotch nodded. "I'll give you a second and grab your bag." She nodded, slowly regaining herself. The pain meds in her system were still running strong and would be probably until the morning. He hoped he could get her home and to bed. He didn't trust another agent driving her home, not in this state.
He stood up and grabbed their bags from the overhead container. He threw them over his shoulder and headed towards the front of the plane, Rossi followed with his own bag. "What's bugging you?" His friend asked him. "Aside from her getting shot."
"She has a fever." He responded, glancing over his shoulder. She had shifted, pushing off the arm rest to stand. She was shaky at first, but quickly regained herself. He looked back to Rossi. "I'm going to take her home and make sure she gets to bed."
Rossi nodded. "Don't forget to take care of yourself too, Aaron. Make sure she's set then go home yourself."
He nodded. "I will."
Rossi returned the nod and headed off the jet, leaving the couple behind.
Hotch waited. He turned his body so he could see her and the exit. Kara walked slowly, but confidently on her legs. She adjusted the sling across her body, grimacing for a moment. "Alright." She said when she caught up to him. "I'm ready."
He nodded, offering his free hand. He squeezed her hand before letting it go and stepping in front of her. He led the way off the jet. He went straight to his car.
"I can drive myself." She said.
He rolled his eyes and tossed their bags in the back. "Not with your arm like that, or those meds in your system you're not." He said, looking over at her.
She huffed, but obliged and slid into the passengers seat.
He settled in the front seat and stuck the keys in ignition. He pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road. Once he was on the main road, he stole a glance at her, resting his hand above her knee. "You're only tired? You don't feel sick or anything?" He asked, worry clear in his eyes.
She tilted her head. "A little. I think it's just the drugs in my system." She said honestly. Kara had been injured before, but nothing this bad. She had a concussion as a kid, broken wrist, couple sprains here and there, and a torn muscle in her shoulder, but nothing she'd ever been on meds for. She tore her shoulder back in senior year of college and it still wasn't fixed, but this injury definitely took the cake. "Honestly I just want to go back to bed."
He nodded. Painkillers could do that, especially on an empty stomach. He squeezed her thigh and focused back on the road. "I'll make sure you get up there and then I'll head out."
She nodded sleepily, the steady movement of the car already lulling her back to sleep.
It wasn't far to her apartment. Hotch pulled into the same spot he had a couple nights before. He shook her leg. Despite the short ride, Kara had already fallen back to sleep. "Come on baby." He murmured.
The sound of Aaron's soft voice made her heart flutter. That and hearing him call her baby. She too a deep breath and raised her head. She offered him the tiniest smile she could and unbuckled from her seat. She pushed open the door.
He grabbed her duffle from the back and headed into her building. She led the way up the steps to the third floor. "My keys are in that pocket." Her words were quiet as she pointed towards the outside pocket on her duffle. He grabbed the keys from the pocket and opened the door.
"Thanks." She mumbled, pushing open the door.
Her apartment was full of neutral colors. Black, grey and white, but a pop of pink. It wasn't the bright pink you saw in a toddlers room. It was a dull, darker pink that added interesting contrast to the apartment.
"You can throw that wherever." She said with a half-assed shrug. She toed off her shoes and immediately headed to her bedroom.
He waited by the door. She glanced over her shoulder, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she saw him waiting patiently. "You can come too." She chuckled quietly.
He smiled at her and nodded, following her into her bedroom.
She sat in the edge of her bed. The sheets were the same pink she had in the living room. There was a desk in the corner, a tv mounted on the wall, and a couple knickknacks here and there, but other than that it was bare. He looked around the room for a moment before sitting beside her. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Sorry." She mumbled, looking over at him.
His brow furrowed. He tilted his head. "For what?"
"Having to see me like this." She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder, much like she had done on the jet. She took a deep breath. She was more tired than she thought.
He frowned and turned his head to look at her. He lifted her chin up with his thumb so she could meet his eyes. "Don't apologize." He pressed a light kiss to her lips. "You need to sleep, it's hot your body is gonna heal."
"I know the drill." She mumbled. She shifted. "Can you step out for a second?"
He nodded without question and stood up. He shut the door behind him and reentered when she called him. She had changed out of her jeans and into a pair of shorts. She laid I'm bed and threw the blanket over her with her free hand. She looked up at him. "Thank you."
He sat on the edge of the bed and nodded. "Of course. If you need anything, call me." He kissed her forehead. "Get some rest." He was about to get up when she grabbed his wrist.
"Actually...can you stay, for a bit? You don't have to all night, I'm just more comfortable when you're here." She started rambling.
He looked down at her, a growing smile on his lips. He nodded, happy to stay for a bit. He carefully toed off his own shoes and crawled to the other side of her bed. He sat with his back to the headboard. She shifted and rested her head on his hip. He brushed the hair from her forehead. In about five minutes, she was out.
Kara had been asleep for a solid hour before Aaron even dared to move. When he was sure she was asleep and wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, he carefully lifted her head and set it on her pillow.
He stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind him. He looked around for paper and scribbled a quick note. He locked the door and shut it, making his way back to his car. He pulled away from the apartment complex. He was on the road for ten minutes before he realizes that he wondered why he feet were colder than usual. He had left his shoes at her apartment. He was already pulling into his own place, so there was no point in going back, especially since he had left her asleep and locked himself out of the apartment.
He'd just have to go back tomorrow. Jack had a play date scheduled anyway, so he wouldn't have to find a babysitter. He grabbed his bag and headed inside. He pushed open the door and was immediately greeted by Jack.
"Hey buddy!" He grinned, kneeling and pulling his son into his arms. "How was your day?" He asked. He picked up his son, listening to the child ramble about what he did in school and about the fight he made his toys have when he got home. "That sounds like so much fun!"
He set Jack on a barstool across the kitchen island. "Now. What do you want to make for dinner?"
The night had come and gone. Hotch never received a text from Kara and he was glad. She needed to sleep. He was still worried about the fever she had, but hoped that sleep and some food was all she needed.
He drove Jack to his friends house the next morning after breakfast, the child beyond excited to spend some time with his friend from school. The day would most likely be consisted of army men fights and snacks, and the little boy couldn't wait. Once Jack was inside, he pulled his phone from his pocket. There was one text from Kara.
"You left your shoes..."
He huffed and rolled his eyes. "I'm on my way."
He parked his car in a space behind the building this time. He wasn't sure how long he'd stay. He stepped out of his car and put his phone to his ear.
"Good morning." Came Kara's tired reply. She sounded a lot better.
"Good morning." He returned. He pushed open the door and headed up the stairs.
She was silent, listening to him on the other line. "You're already here aren't you?"
"Mhmm." He hummed, stepping up to her door. He hung up the phone and slid it into the back pocket of his jeans. The lock turned and the door opened.
Kara stood in her apartment, dressed in exactly what he had left her in. The only difference was her hair. It was messy from her sleep. "Hey." She said, offering him a smile.
"Hey."
She stepped aside so he could come into her apartment.
"How are you feeling?" He asked. He stepped into the apartment, quickly looking her up and down. She carried herself a lot better, the hospital drugs finally working their way out of her system.
"My arm hurts, but I'm okay." She said with a reassuring nod.
"Your fever gone?" He asked, reaching out to feel her forehead. She frowned.
"I didn't know I had a fever."
He nodded. "It's gone down, but I still think you have one."
She shrugged, not having noticed her fever the night before. In all reality, she just wanted to eat a quick meal and go back to sleep.
"You eaten yet?" He asked, stepping further into her apartment.
"You read my mind. I just want some cereal and to go back to sleep." She rubbed at her eyes. It probably wasn't the best idea to sleep all day, but that's all she wanted to do. And now that he was here, she could use him as a pillow.
"Go sit on the couch. I'll be there soon." She motioned with her head towards the couch in the living room.
An hour or so after Aaron arrived at Kara's apartment, she was asleep again, but this time, her head was in his lap.
He sat on her couch, on the phone with Dave, while she laid on her back, head resting on his lap, face pointing towards the ceiling.
"What's the problem, Aaron?" Dave was expecting a call like this, especially after yesterday. The team lead had just watched his new girlfriend get shot in the shoulder. After what happened to his ex wife, he didn't expect Aaron to be so composed on the flight back.
"What if it isn't worth it?" Aaron asked. He hated saying it, it made his chest ache, but it was a true question. Is being in this relationship worth the risk of, not just daily life, but their job?
Dave frowned. He was silent for a moment. "You've smiled more in the past week than in the past two years." The smiles may have been in private, or when he thought no one was looking, but they were definitely there. "Life's short kiddo, I get that it's scary, you know I do, but you have to take the shot. Not literally."
Aaron rolled his eyes. He mindlessly played with Kara's hair. "I get that, Dave, I do." He sighed and looked down at her. She was fast asleep and had been for the past twenty minutes. "I don't know."
"You're scared."
"I know..."
A heavy silence fell between them. Aaron spoke up again. "All I thought of, when she got shot, was Haley and Foyett."
Dave sighed. "I know kiddo, and that's to be expected. It's gonna take time and you know that."
"What if she doesn't want-"
"She wouldn't have said yes. She knows your past Aaron. Take a deep breath kiddo okay? She'll be there for you."
"How do you know?"
"I just know."
The two hung up, and Aaron focused on the woman in his lap. Her face contoured in a way he had never seen before. Fear.
Kara was only about sixteen. She had just gotten home from school and practice. She set her bag down in her room, familiar foot steps echoing on the wood floors. She swallowed, but didn't bother looking up.
"Hey kid, how was school?" Her dad appeared in her doorway. He was a big man. Tall and large.
She was slow to turn around and offered him the best smile she could. "It was okay."
"And how about practice?"
She played softball at her high school. Varsity. She shrugged. "It was good." She scratched the back of her neck and looked at her feet, unable to meet his eyes.
"You know what's good?" He tilted his head, looking her up and down, eyes lingering on places she wished didn't exist. She swallowed, but didn't say anything. "Your ass in those leggings. Come here, let Daddy see." As much as she didn't want to, her legs moved her forward because she knew if she didn't listen, things would turn out a whole lot worse for her.
When she was with reach, he grabbed her bottom in his hands and pulled her into him. She came up to about his chest. He held onto her bottom with both of his hands, pushing himself onto her. Her body stiffened, but she didn't say anything, biting the tip of her tongue as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "Bend over the bed." His voice was almost booming now. She obliged, feeling his sweaty fingers loop into the waistband of her leggings.
—
Kara woke up screaming. She reached out for anything to hold onto, to save her. She flailed, feeling a secure hand grab onto the wrist of her injured arm, the sling somehow forgotten in the flurry. Hot tears rolled down her face as the image of her father was burned behind her eyes.
Aaron's reactions were fast. As soon as her scream hit his ears, his arms were around her, pulling her up and into his chest. He grabbed onto her wrist, her sling having fallen off as she flailed. His heart raced, adrenaline pumping through him like he was chasing an unsub. He held onto her as she cried. She didn't speak. Her eyes were wide, fear clear as day. He had no idea what could have spooked her, but he didn't care. Every time another tear fell, his grip only tightened.
Her breathing was rapid. She looked up at him, but looked right through him. When she finally calmed down enough to recognize him, she buried her face into the curve of his neck, and wrapped her arms around him, holding on for dear life.
"What happened? Kara?" He tried, but she didn't speak.
Minutes passed. His mind raced through every possibility. The reality never crossing his mind. His only focus was comforting her as best he could. "Talk to me. Please." He breathed.
Her breathing slowed, turning to hiccups for a moment. Her shoulders shook with every breath, the pain shooting through her body. She swallowed and slowly pulled her head from his neck. Her face was whiter than a s ghost and covered in tear stains. She hadn't told anybody about her father, and she didn't have the strength to talk about it now.
He wiped a tear away with his thumb. "Do you want to talk about it?" His voice was soft. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
She didn't meet his eyes and only shook her head.
He pulled her back into his chest and rested his forehead against hers. "I'm here baby. I'm here."