Daniel reappeared with Mattie and dropped her onto the floor next to Hotch. He stepped into the kitchen and lit a flame. Within a minute, he took out pliers and turned to Hotch with a devious smile.
"I'm going to teach you a lesson that you won't forget."
Hotch let out a "No!" as he woke with a start from his nightmare. He nervously looked around to see that the room was dark. Prentiss was close by, nodding off in a chair next to his bed. She didn't wake at Hotch's cry, prompting him to pull off his oxygen mask and call out, "Emily?"
"Huh?" she sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Hey, you ok?"
"What happened?"
"You fell asleep while we were talking." Prentiss took his hand and gave him a worried look. "Do you want me to call a nurse?"
"No, No- I'm ok. I just-" he looked around, "Where is everyone?" It was unusual to Hotch that they were alone again.
"Everyone is sleeping in the waiting room except for Rossi- I don't know where he went." Prentiss stretched out her legs and let out a yawn. According to the clock on the wall, Prentiss could make out that it was 6:45 in the morning.
"Ok…..the last thing I remember was us talking about…." Hotch trailed off, the memory of him falling asleep mid conversation making him feel guilty.
"We were talking about…don't worry about it, Aaron." To Prentiss, Hotch didn't look much better than the day before- Hotch was still wheezing and still looked very pale. She didn't want him to spend his time worrying about their relationship- if there could ever be one.
Hotch opened his mouth to protest, but Prentiss placed the oxygen mask back over his face. "Rest," she told him softly along with a kiss on the cheek. Prentiss then turned around to see Rossi standing at the door. "Am I interrupting anything?" Rossi asked.
"No, come in," Prentiss beckoned him in. Rossi stepped in quietly, sparking suspicion in both agents.
"How are you feeling?" The eldest agent asked, his eyes flickering between the folder in his hands and Hotch and Prentiss. Prentiss released Hotch's hand the moment she picked up on Rossi's odd behavior. "Rossi, what is it?"
Rossi placed a file on the table. "The SAE tests came back for the both of you." Hotch nervously looked away from him; he didn't know that any test had been done on him. Personally, he didn't want anyone to know about the rape.
After a few seconds, Hotch's mind suddenly registered for the both of you. " When?" he asked, looking up to Prentiss.
"I think- I don't- Dave?"
"I'm sorry, but they both came back as positive." Saying those words made the eldest agent sick to his stomach; the hopelessness in both Hotch and Prentiss' eyes made him feel worse. He shifted his weight and asked, "You guys ok?"
"Yeah," Prentiss answered in a shaky voice, "I mean I'll be ok, I guess. I'm just glad that I know." Next to her, Hotch quietly layed back onto the bed with his eyes focused on a corner in the room. Rossi picked up that the Unit Chief was shutting down again and said, "Hey, let's go get some coffee," to Prentiss.
She nodded and followed him out into the hallway. Rossi took a breath and said, "We need to get the psychiatrist in with him."
"I think he feels weak and embarrassed more than anything else," Prentiss quickly glanced through the room window where she could see Hotch still in the same position, " Maybe he just needs time before we bring in psych."
"Mmhh. You keep an eye on him for that. Don't let him come back in the same position."
"What do you mean?"
He paused, letting out a annoyed sigh. "Strauss wants us to go back to Quantico. I argued with her, but…she won. I don't see Aaron getting out for another week or so, which Strauss deems too long of a time for the A team to be on stand-down."
"That's ridiculous."
"That's the job, Emily. Anyway, we'll come by around ten and then hit the jet….if I can get the team going."
"I know you don't want to leave him, Dave-"
"No one does, but again- it's the job. We all want to be there for him, but we know that he'll be in good hands." Rossi gave her a wink and added, "Be careful."
Hours later, Hotch sat at the edge of his bed as a doctor placed a stethoscope on his back. He had spent more than an hour in physical check-ups. His body still felt terrible, but it was still a large improvement from the day before. The entire time Prentiss stayed by his side, giving him encouraging looks whenever possible.
"Ok, Agent Hotchner. Take another breath for me," the doctor requested and the agent complied. He took a short breath before breaking into a cough. The doctor placed his stethoscope around his neck and stepped away from his patient.
"Your lungs are still weak. The ankle and burns are looking better, though," the doctor stated. Hotch nodded and adjusted his gown around his shoulders. "So when can I go home?" the agent asked.
"Agent Hotchner, your body went through a lot of abuse in a very short amount of time. Why the rush?"
Hotch looked down and mumbled, "I'm ready to go home."
The doctor paused. "Let's see how you do today before we look into you going home. This doesn't have anything to do with your team flying home today?"
"No, but I understand your concerns, doctor."
"Good. Get some rest- I'll be back to check on you in the morning." The doctor stepped out of the room, leaving Prentiss time alone with Hotch. She quickly glanced down to her phone once she felt it buzz with a text message.
"The team just got back to Quantico," Prentiss said after she read the text. Hotch climbed back under the sheets and mumbled," Ok. Emily?"
"Yeah?" Prentiss stepped closer to the bed at his question.
"Did you tell me that you loved me before I had fallen asleep?" Hotch asked. Prentiss paused, hesitant of answering the question. He picked up on it. "It's ok to answer. Also, I promise I won't fall asleep on you again."
Prentiss smiled. "Yes I did, but I-"
"I love you too," Hotch answered. He held out his hand towards her, which she took. Prentiss squeezed it and said, "And it only took a traumatic experience to get us together."