Dealing with the Kids

Lucy woke up soon after and looked around her scared. Where was she? She looked to the side of her and got even more scared. Why wasn't Adam awake and why was his leg up in some white thing and was that mummy in that scary thing on her head? She looked to the other side of her and saw Uncle Aaron.

She got out of bed and walked up to him with her bottom lip quivering. He lifted her up and placed her on his lap while she held tight to her teddy.

"Uncle Aaron," she asked wobbly looking up at him. "Why are we in hospital?"

"You were in a car accident, sweetie," he answered stroking her hair.

"What's wrong with mummy and Adam? Will they wake up? Will they be alright?"

"Well Adam hurt his leg badly and his chest but he'll get better and be ok. Mummy's hurt her head a lot and some of her bones but she'll get better too. They'll both wake up."

She smiled up at him slightly then touched her head. "My head hurts." She pouted.

"You hit it in the car but it'll get better, sweetie," he assured rubbing her arm. She nodded up at him then fell asleep in his arms and he held her close to him. After some time he tried to get her into her bed but she clung tightly to his shirt so he kicked off his shoes and got on the bed with her.

She clutched him close to her as she had her little hand tucked into his shirt trying to feel safer. He didn't mind crumpling his suit if it meant making sure Lucy felt safe. He even took off his suit jacket and wrapped it around Lucy's small frame to comfort her and she snuggled further into him. Ever since she was born he'd loved her like his own daughter.

Adam woke up some time later to see daddy Aaron sleeping in the hospital bed cuddling his sister close to him. He looked up and saw his leg in plaster and held up. His chest also hurt and he picked up the sheet to see he had bandage there as well. He wondered what was wrong with him. He noticed Lucy had a bandage around her head. Was his little sister ok? He looked over to the other side and was that mummy's head in that thing?

He looked back at his sister and daddy Aaron scared about mummy. Was she going to be ok? Was she going to wake up? Where was daddy?

"Daddy Aaron?" he asked scared.

Aaron woke up upon hearing the small voice of his son and looked over to see him as scared as Lucy had been last night. He tried to get off the bed to tend to his son but Lucy clung to him tighter.

"Lucy, Adam's awake," he whispered knowing the little girl would want to see the older brother she adored. She woke up and looked at him inquisitively with the brown eyes she'd inherited from her mother. "Yes sweetie, your brother's awake."

She let him go but held his hand so he picked her up and sat on the chair next to his son and took his seven year old son's hand. "Daddy Aaron, what happened? What's wrong with mummy? Is she going to be ok? Where's daddy?"

"Buddy, you were in a car accident. Mummy's hurt her head a lot and broken some bones but she's going to be ok..." how could he tell them about their father? Did he have the right to tell them? As he saw their faces get more and more upset he knew he had to tell them. He closed his eyes and held them tighter remembering what he'd told Jack when Haley died. "Daddy became a star in the night sky. When you look in the night sky you'll be able to see him and he'll be watching over from above but he's gone now."

They started crying and he held them close saying gently, "It's going to be alright. You've still got mummy and I. We will look after you."

"What if mummy doesn't wake up?" Adam asked trying to recover his tears.

"You'll always have me but she will wake up. I'm not going anywhere," he soothed.

"But you live in America."

"You'll be moving in with me."

"Will I still get to see my friends?"

"Of course you will we'll never take you away from your friends."

Adam smiled slightly then asked, "Will I make new friends too?"

"Of course you will. You're a great kid. Who wouldn't want to be your friend?"

He smiled even though he knew his daddy Aaron was just trying to cheer him up. He always tried to do that. He was the best.

"Will I have to call you daddy now?"

"You can carry on calling me daddy Aaron if you want. We'll never let you forget Daniel."

He nodded.

The doctors soon came in and noticed Emily was blinking. Aaron looked up when he heard this and headed to her bedside while Adam looked over.

Emily opened her eyes though they felt heavy and she was in great pain. Aaron stood by her, looked up at the doctor and he nodded.

"Emily, can you hear me?" he asked. She nodded ever so slightly though her head felt heavy. "Do you know who I am?" again she nodded very slightly. "Can you wiggle your toes?" she tried hard to but she couldn't. Aaron started pinching her feet but still no reaction.

The doctor left and he turned to her on the verge of tears. If she was paralysed he'd still love her and care for her. He'd even leave the BAU to be her carer. Nothing mattered more to him than her and the kids even if the BAU was his life.

"Emily, I want you to know if you're paralysed I'm still here for you. I'll always love you, Em. I'll take care of you," he said kissing her hand.

In the evening he saw Lucy was stood at the window when she called, "Uncle Aaron." He walked over and placed his hands on her shoulders. She seemed to be braver now her brother had woken.

"Yes Luce," he answered crouching down.

"Which star is daddy?"

"Which one do you think he is?"

"The one there surrounded by other stars as he was always surrounded by friends."

"Great choice so he's that one then."

She smiled up at him and hugged him while he hugged her. "I love you, Uncle Aaron," she said.

"I love you too, pumpkin," he answered kissing her hair.

"I miss you when you're in America."

"Well, you'll be moving to America too soon."

"Will I make new friends?" she asked shyly.

"Of course you will," he smiled at her tapping her nose with his finger which made her giggle. She was such a sweet child he hoped she would settle into Washington alright. As she was so young he also hoped she never forgot Daniel AS he'd been such a great father. "It's late. Let's get you to bed."

"Can I sleep with you again?" she asked quietly.

"Sure," he smiled scooping her up and taking her to her hospital bed and climbing in with her. He would do anything to make sure the children felt safe.

"Daddy Aaron?" Adam asked quietly.

"Yes buddy," he answered looking over.

"Can you give us a story?"

"Sure," he smiled at them. "Once upon a time in a kingdom far far away there lived a prince called Adam and his little sister Princess Lucy..." they smiled up at him as this was one of their favourite storylines that he made up for them.