Chapter 10

First of Many

"Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, it's what you are expected to give--which is everything." - Vittorio Alfieri

Spencer sat with Aaron for the rest of the evening. The rest of the team popped in from time to time, but they left them alone most of the time.

Spencer refused the offer of a private ward, and a bed was wheeled into Aaron's room for Spencer.

"You really should be in the ICU." the nurse had told him when she came in to make up the bed.

"I can't leave him, he needs me." he answered. "I would not be able to rest if I was away from him. We'll both get better quicker if we are together"

"Mr Hotchner is a very lucky man to have such loyal friends." she said. "I am going to bring him some food, Dr Reid. Would you try to get him to eat?"

Spencer was stroking Aaron's hair, Aaron's head resting on his shoulder. "Yeah. I'll do that."

She smiled at them , and went to get a sandwich. She left it on the table and left them together. Spencer opened the packet and showed it to Aaron.

"Ok, Babe, I want you to eat this for me." He broke off a bite size piece and put it in Aaron's mouth. Aaron chewed and swallowed, but his expression didn't change. His eyes didn't focus, and the tears didn't stop. Spencer wanted to cry for him, but he knew that Aaron's future probably depended on Spencer at the moment; he couldn't allow himself the luxury of falling apart.

When he had eaten, Spencer put a carton of orange in Aaron's hand, and he drank it. Spencer gently wiped his mouth.

"I am going to give you a bath now, Sweetheart. You stay here while I get it ready." Spencer kissed Aaron on the mouth, but again there was no response, his mouth slightly open, eyes wide and frightened. Spencer went to the en-suite, and ran a bath. There were different bottles of toiletries on the shelf. Spencer chose an antiseptic body wash. He had seen how his body seemed to be covered in cuts, and he wanted to make sure they were clean, especially those on his back, the new skin barely had had time to take. When the bath was ready, he went back to Aaron, who hadn't moved.

Very carefully, Spencer removed the bandages on Aaron's hands. "I'll redress them after." he said. "Can you stand up for me?"

Obediently, Aaron stood up, and Spencer carefully removed his hospital jacket. Gently he touched the cuts and splinters that covered his upper body.

"Oh, Aaron. What have they done to you?" He felt tears come to his eyes. He put his arms around him, and held him close, his head on Aaron's shoulder.

He looked up into the beautiful dark eyes and felt a lump in his throat. He stepped away from him and took his hand. "Come on, Sweetheart, let's get you sorted."

There was a knock on the door. Morgan.

"Spencer, we're going to book into an hotel." He glanced at the second bed in the room. "You staying here?"

Spencer nodded. "Yeah, I'm staying."

"Well be careful. You know you need caring for too."

"I'll be fine, Derek. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Morgan inclined his head and closed the door. Spencer took Aaron's hand again.

"Most of the team are here, Aaron. They'll be back tomorrow."

He led Aaron into the bathroom, and closed and locked the door.

"I'm going to finish undressing you, Babe, don't be alarmed."

Spencer undid the button on Aaron's trousers, and they fell to the floor. Spencer checked the water temperature, and led Aaron to the side. He sat him on the edge of the bath, and helped him to lift his legs into the water.

"Now, sit in the water, Sweetie."

Submissively, Aaron sat in the water; Spencer took a sponge, and gently washed his skin, blood and tiny flakes of wood washing into the warm bath water. Spencer carefully washed blood from Aaron's face. He asked Aaron to close his eyes, and wiped the dried blood away. He took his hands one at a time, and washed the blood off. It made Spencer cry to see the man he loved so hurt and destroyed, but if he was going to be like this for the rest of his life, he knew he would never abandon him.

"I am so sorry, Babe, if this is hurting you." He put his arms around him and held his wet body close. "I will look after you, I will never leave you."

He saw Aaron was crying again. "I wish I could walk those paths with you, Love. I wish you weren't so alone." He kissed Aaron's fingers.

Spencer moved to the end of the bath and tenderly washed the blood from his feet. He tried not to think about the terror Aaron must have felt to damage his feet and hands like this. A shudder ran through him.

Spencer then washed Aaron's hair. He tilted his head forwards, and carefully washed the blood out of his hair, avoiding the stitched wound at the back.

"Close your eyes, Babe, I don't want to get shampoo in them." He reached for the apple shampoo, and washed Aaron's beautiful dark hair.

"I love you, Aaron. I don't know if you can hear me, or even if you know I'm here. But if you can, I want you to know that I love you."

He rinsed the soap from his hair, and wrapped a towel around it.

"Ok, Babe, I need you to stand up now."

Aaron stood, and Spencer wrapped a towel around him. Aaron stepped out of the bath, and Spencer led him back into the bedroom, and sat him on the bed. Again, he put his arms around him, and pulled his passive body to him. Aaron dried quickly in the warmth of the room, but Spencer still held him, for long after he was dry.

Spencer dried his hair with a hair dryer, and smoothed cream into his broken skin.

"This will help with the healing." he explained. He rubbed Aaron's hands and feet with the cream.

He wasn't sure but he thought maybe, Aaron was moving his fingers in response. Spencer redressed his hands, and put clean PJ's on him. Spencer stood back and looked at him.

He looked like Aaron always looked, except for the eyes. Aaron's eyes were the source of his expressions. Now the sparkle had gone, and although they were open, they were not seeing, and his lovely face was devoid of expression. Spencer tilted his head beck and put the drops in his eyes. The nurse had said they were so dry when they found him, he was in serious danger of loosing them. He was going to need the drops for a long time, until they recovered. Spencer blinked back tears.

He pulled back the cover on the bed and sat Aaron on the edge.

"Lay down, Babe. I'll find a book and read to you."

Aaron lay down on his back, and Spencer covered him. There were no books in the room, except a bible in the drawer next to the bed. Spencer stripped off his clothes, and put on a set of hospital PJ's. He pushed his bed up next to Aaron's and untucked the sheets in between. He slipped across next to Aaron, and put an arm around him, and drew him close. He started reading 'The Song of Solomon' to Aaron, but after a while, he put the book down and recited it from memory. When he had finished, he notice that Aaron had closed his eyes, and seemed to be sleeping. Spencer turned him onto his side, and cuddled up close to him.

Aaron felt the same as he had always done, the musky smell was the same, and his pheromones had the same effect. Spencer pressed his face into the back of Aaron's neck and kissed him with all his love. His skin tasted the same.

"Good night, my Darling." he whispered to him. "I love you."