Chapter 14

Reunited

Medea said, "Oh, darling hand, and darling mouth; your noble, childlike face and body! How sweet to hold you!" (Euripides)

Morgan was still holding Reid in his arms when the doctor came into the room.

"Mr. Hotchner is out of surgery."

Morgan released Reid, and laid him back on the pillows. Reid's face was tear stained and his eyes were red from crying. Morgan looked scared. They both wanted news, but were afraid to hear it. Both men looked at the doctor.

"The chest wound wasn't too serious, but the gunshot wound in his neck was more of a problem." The doctor sat next to the bed by Morgan. "We patched him up, but it was a through and through. There was a lot of damage to the back of his neck."

Spencer picked up the note book and wrote:

will he be ok?

The doctor nodded.

"Yes, he should make a full recovery, but it will take time." He smiled at Spencer. "And I should be able to remove your ventilator tube tomorrow. It looks as if you will be able to breathe on your own."

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The news that Aaron was going to be ok helped Spencer feel calmer. As his muscles relaxed, so his lungs started to work properly again. Morgan bought a book for Spence to read from the hospital shop. The 10th Kingdom, by Kathryn Wesley. He doubted that Spence had read it before. He was right. Spence gave Morgan a funny look when he gave it to him.

"Read it slowly!" he said, knowing that was impossible.

Morgan left Spence reading it when he went home an hour later.

dreamy, creamy……

Spencer didn't sleep much that night. His thoughts were of Aaron, who was in the same building as he was. It felt strange, being so close to him, but not able to see him.

When he did sleep, his nightmares returned full force.

Images of Haley covered in Aaron's blood, of himself, trying to get between Haley and Aaron, and Aaron calling for him.

He woke up in a sweat, fearful that Aaron needed him.

He called the nurse, and wrote:

Aaron – please check

She smiled and went to telephone the ward where Aaron was recovering from his surgery.

Yes, he was fine. Sleeping soundly.

Spencer couldn't get back to sleep.

He started to read 10th Kingdom again.

Morgan was right. It really was good.

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The next morning, the nurse came in and removed the ventilator tube. Spencer was surprised; it didn't hurt like when he had pulled it out. She attached an oxygen tube to his nose and hooked it behind his ears.

"Just to help you while you get used to breathing on your own." She smiled at him. "I'll take you down to see Mr. Hotchner later on this morning if you like" She touched Spencer's arm. "He has been asking for you."

Spencer tried to say, "Thank you." but it just came out as a croak. The nurse handed him a glass of water. It felt good on his sore dry throat.

He was looking forward to seeing Aaron again.

He wanted to touch him, hold him. Spence was sure that he would need some comfort after finding out what Haley had done to him.

He picked up the book again. He needed to make the time go quicker.

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Aaron woke in the morning with his head full of confusing thoughts of Haley and Spence. He was in shock knowing that Haley had tried to kill him, and Spence as well.

He hadn't seen Spence since he left the hospital to arrest Bannon. He was missing him and worried about him.

The nurse came and told him that Doctor Reid was going to be brought down to see him. With the nurse's help, Aaron sat up in bed and eagerly awaited his arrival.

When he was wheeled through the door though, it was hard not to register shock.

Spence had always been skinny, but he looked starved now. His well defined cheek bones looked as if they could stick through his skin, and his long elegant finger were bony and thin. He looked sick and weak engulfed in the hospital gown. Aaron desperately wanted to hold him, to make him right again.

His thought flashed back to Haley, who had done this to him.

All those good times he had had with her paled into insignificance when held next to what she had now done.

Aaron thought,

How sad that it should end like that.

He reached out his arms to Spence.

The orderly pushed the wheel chair up to the bed, and, promising he would come back in an hour to take him back up, he turned to leave the ward.

"Excuse me," Aaron called him back. "Before you go, please would you close the blinds?"

The orderly smiled, and closed them. He shut the door behind him.

Aaron and Spence just looked at each other for a full minute, savoring the pleasure of being together again. Then without a word, Spence pulled the tube from his nose and stood up out of the chair. His legs were like jelly, and he shook with the effort.

Aaron reached out and held him.

Aaron pulled back the covers of his bed, and Spencer lay down next to him. They both closed their eyes, Aaron with his arms around him, Spencer holding Aaron's hands in front of him.

Aaron pressed his face to the back of Spencer's neck and kissed his hair. He felt Spencer push back against him.

"When we get out of here, Spencey Babe, will you come house shopping with me?"

Spencer smiled delightedly at the prospect. He turned his head to look at Aaron.

"I love you, Spencey."

Although Spencer couldn't speak yet, the shine in his eyes told Aaron everything.

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END