Chapter 65

Once 'Shifting Tides', the Schewel family boat, reached its destination, the younger shifters again put Hotch on the litter and carried him to the closest dwelling. Nora apologized profusely calling it a shack but agreeing with Jamison that it was the most secluded therefore the best place for a vampire to finish healing. What Nora called a shack, though, was actually a rather spacious guest house.

They took Hotch out back onto the covered porch to finish the healing process on the long picnic table, and when Jamison finally put the ladle back into the bucket and put the bucket aside, Rossi's sigh of relief made Nora smile. "We told you we'd get him healed up."

"But just because he looks healed on the outside doesn't mean he's done yet," Jamison explained as Nora went inside the house.

"What do you mean?" Rossi asked him as the elated feeling he'd just gotten started to seep away.

Jamison gestured to Hotch's legs. "He may be whole again, but to be fully healed, he needs more time."

"How much time?" Rossi asked.

Jamison clasped him on the shoulder. "With as quickly as he healed on the outside, I would think a couple of hours should do it."

Rossi nodded his understanding as he mentally sighed in relief. He had thought it was going to be a lot longer than that. He turned when Nora came back with a basin of steaming water.

She smiled at the confusion in his eyes. "We'll get him cleaned up and then I'll have the boys take him into a room so he can rest more comfortably."

"Oh, ok," Rossi agreed with a smile and moved to help her wash Hotch down. While he was sure Nora didn't want a blood coated vampire ruining one of her beds, Rossi wanted him clean so he could assure himself that Hotch was indeed completely healed. That and he didn't want Hotch to wake up covered in dried blood and him to have to explain where the blood had come from.

XXX

Once Hotch was resting comfortably in a lavish bed, Rossi decided it was time to call Kahlan. He'd already heard from the team. JJ had gotten a cast at the ER and had joined the rest of them, and Morgan proudly reported that no one suspected a thing. Their shifter doubles had done a wonderful job and all they had left to do was oversee the locals in finding the other victims that their fake unsub had confessed to killing. The case was close to being officially closed, and it made him smile and stroke the hair on Hotch's head. "Told you we'd solve this thing," he uttered quietly with a smile.

His smile left him, though, as he brought up Kahlan in his contacts. He really didn't want to tell her about everything that had happened, but he knew she would find out eventually so he figured he'd save himself and put everything on the table first. Hell, for all I know she has already talked to one of the others anyway. He shook his head and hit the call button.

"Please tell me he is going to be alright!" Kahlan demanded before he could even say hello.

Rossi winced. He could hear the desperation in her voice so he didn't waste any time with pleasantries. "Of course he is. I told you that didn't I?"

She sighed in relief. "Yes, but. . . I was so. . . I'm sorry, Dave. I know you take care of him."

He chuckled. "I know you were scared Kiddo, and I have to admit that I was, too," he started and then proceeded to tell her what had happened.

After getting herself under control; the story had choked her up and actually had her crying a few times, she sighed. "I am going to make him sit his ass down and go over exactly what he can and cannot do so then maybe next time he won't put himself in that position again."

Rossi huffed. "You are still talking about Aaron, right?"

She sighed again. "You're right. Even knowing what would have happened to him, he still would have done it to save that little girl. I'm just glad you all were there to save him."

"That's my job, Kiddo, you know that."

"We would be lost without you, Dave, and I thank God for you."

"I had help this time, though. I couldn't have done it without the Schewels," he admitted.

"I'd like to meet them some day and thank them personally, but would you please pass on my appreciation to them all for everything they have done for Aaron."

"I can do that, and if you ever do get a chance to meet them, you would flip."

"Aaron wasn't exaggerating when he said they could actually change shapes at will?"

"No, but I'm sure Aaron didn't truly relay exactly how cool it is. You have to see it with your own eyes to really believe it."

She chuckled. "They sound awesome."

"Bella sure would love them. They can turn into any animal they want to in the blink of an eye," he told her as he smiled thinking about his Goddaughter/granddaughter.

"Oh God, don't tell her that. She'd want one of them to change her into a shapeshifter," Kahlan insisted.

Rossi laughed. "Shapeshifters can't be made; they're born, so Joey couldn't be turned into one no matter how badly she used those damn puppy eyes on them."

"You mean like she can do with you and Aaron?"

"Shut up, Kahlan. You knew when I held her that first day that she had me wrapped around her little finger so don't even try it."

"You're right." She laughed. "Well, have Aaron call me when he can."

Her heavy sigh told him that she wouldn't truly relax until she heard his voice, but he understood it. "As soon as possible, Kiddo, I promise."

"Alright, thanks, Dave. I love you."

"And I love you. I'll talk to you later."

"Yep," she agreed and then ended the call.

Rossi slid his phone back into his pocket and sighed as he looked over Hotch's still form. "You better wake up soon, Aaron, or she's probably going to jump on the earliest plane just so she can see you for herself."

A massive rumble made his brows shoot to his hairline. "Damn, Hotch. Hungry much?" he joked as he smiled, but his smile slowly faded away as he stood up. Well, he was starving before all this. . . I better be ready for him for when he finally wakes up.

XXX

After another hour or so, Nora walked in carrying a tray. She smiled as she looked at Hotch. "He seems to be resting peacefully."

"Yes he is," Rossi agreed as he stood up and then looked over the tray as she sat it on the little table beside the chair he had been sitting in. "What's this?"

Her smile was warm. "This is dinner."

"Dinner?" Rossi asked and then looked at his watch. "I didn't realize it had gotten so late."

A soft chuckle escaped her as she took the lid off of the plate. The grin that grew on Rossi's face made her smile, too. "I do hope it's to your liking."

Rossi looked at her, then the plate, and then back to her. "I didn't figure I'd get Italian here on the islands." The plate was overflowing with spaghetti and meatballs.

Nora laughed. "I spent a little time in Italy back in my younger years."

Rossi leaned down and hummed his approval after tasting a huge bite. Once he swallowed, he wiped his face with the provided napkin and smiled again. "It's wonderful. It tastes just like my nonna's and I have never, ever been able to say that to anyone else in this whole world except my mother."

She laughed. "I think that is the best compliment I have ever received."

XXX

Rossi was slowly sipping his second glass of the excellent wine Nora had provided with dinner when Hotch abruptly sat up with a hiss. The sudden movement had startled Rossi so badly that he spilled most the wine out of his glass and onto his lap. The smartass comment he was about to make caught in his throat when Hotch turned towards him; Hotch was in full vampire mode. After swallowing, Rossi took a deep breath as he slowly put the glass on the table beside him. "Aaron?"

Hotch's nostrils flared for a second and his eyes settled on Rossi as his top lip flared, too, revealing his fangs.

"Ahhh, Aaron? It's me, Dave," Rossi tried quietly as he leaned back not liking the way Hotch was looking at him like he was his next meal.

A massive rumble escaped Hotch's stomach and he moaned and it was obvious his hunger was causing him pain.

Rossi grabbed the other glass sitting on the table. "I figured you might need this," he expressed as he offered the glass to Hotch.

Hotch's eyes locked with Rossi's for a moment and then flashed to the glass as his nostrils flared again and his stomach growled even louder.

When Hotch looked back at Rossi again, Rossi was half scared that Hotch might think that he might taste better than the blood in the glass because he remembered back to Sabastian telling them that Hotch's hunger could get bad enough that he would attack someone without really meaning to, so he licked his lips and gave the younger man a small grin. "Joey wouldn't want you to take a bite of her Poppi."

A sound escaped Hotch and Rossi wasn't sure if it was a huff or a growl, but he pushed the glass full of blood toward the hungry vampire. "Here, I got this ready for you."

Hotch's stomach rumbled again and he doubled over as he wrapped his arms around his midsection and closed his eyes and groaned.

"Aaron. . ."

Hotch shook his head.

Rossi knew he was trying to make himself change back but wasn't having any luck with it. "Damn it, Aaron! You need this and you are going to drink it!" Rossi demanded as he stood up.

"Just leave it!" Hotch got out through clenched teeth.

Rossi took a deep breath and placed a gentle hand on Hotch's head. "No, I am not, Aaron. I'm not leaving this room until I know you are alright, and that means you need to be up and moving around." He grabbed Hotch's chin and forced his head up so he could see his face, but Hotch wouldn't look at him. "I don't care what you look like, Aaron. I just want to see that you're alright," he added in a soft tone.

Hotch licked his lips through his fangs and finally opened his eyes to look at the man he loved like a father. "But I don't want you to see me drink that," he admitted weakly.

Rossi slowly shook his head. "I don't care about that either, Aaron." When Hotch opened his mouth to argue, Rossi cut back in. "Do you think I feel ashamed when I eat or drink in front of you?"

"But you don't have a reason to be ashamed. I. . ."

Rossi's sigh was deep. "You need that to survive, Aaron, just like we need food, so there isn't any reason for you to feel ashamed, either."

Hotch bit back another moan as his stomach muscles tightened. "But. . ."

"Just drink it!" Rossi demanded as he brought the glass even closer.

Hotch stared him down for a couple more seconds and then wilted. "Alright," he offered quietly and took the glass in both of his hands as Rossi finally released him and moved back.

Hotch tried to start off slow but as soon as the blood hit his stomach, the he couldn't fight it anymore and tilted the glass up and gulped it down.

Rossi appraised him with raised brows; and when Hotch finally finished, Rossi took the glass back from him. "Better?"

Hotch wiped his mouth off and nodded. "Thank you."

Rossi smiled as he tussled his hair. "Anytime, Aaron, anytime."

Hotch took a deep breath, blew it out, and then looked around the room; he'd changed back to normal. "Where are w. . ." he started to ask and then his eyes flew open as he finally remembered what had happened. He looked at Rossi for a second and then flung the cover off of him and looked at his legs.

Rossi put an arm around his shoulders. "You're ok," he offered and then moved a little closer to him. "Right?"

Hotch stared at his completely healed legs and then moved his toes and chuckled. "Yes." He took a deep breath and moved to get up by throwing his legs over the side of the bed.

Rossi moved back to allow him room and studied him. He was prepared to grab him if necessary, but it wasn't as Hotch stood up on solid legs, took a deep breath, and then smiled. Rossi's smile matched his. "So you're good?"

Hotch reached up and felt the side of his face where the shifter/bear had caught him with its claws and the back of his right leg where one of the animal's fangs had dug into him and then he nodded as his smile grew. "Good as new."

Rossi pulled him into a hug and wrapped strong arms around him. "Thank God!"

Hotch hugged him back. "And you." He pushed the older man away and locked eyes with him. "Thank you for taking care of me."

Rossi grinned. "That's my job, Aaron."