Reid watched the bathroom door with a hawkish gaze as the main door swayed open to mostly-closed and exposed what Reid would say reluctantly was a handsome nurse approached him.
"Good morning," the man approached Reid, brushing the fabric of his hospital gown upward to view his IVs. Reid flinched at the gesture, giving clipped tones as he replied.
"I've been up for a while, actually."
"Oh, we'll fix that right up then." The nurse offered in a smooth tone, too smooth to Reid's ears.
"I'd rather you not. I don't want to be over-medicated."
"I can appreciate that, but if you don't get enough sleep, you won't heal properly. Your boss probably would like to go home without guilt, too." He reaches into his pocket again.
"I'm telling you, I deny consent for you injecting me with anything." His voice drops to a dangerously thin, razor-wire of a tone as he struggles with his own wish to garrote the nurse.
The nurse leaned in, equally quiet, "I've already heard you're a bit of a frump, let's try to relax a bit and get through the night, hmm? Unless you're up to drink more water that is…"
"Are… are you threatening me?" Reid said incredulously, how the hell did a nurse have the audacity to threaten a patient?
The man gave him a strange look, "Not at all. But you should try to drink some more water, we have to get you used to it again." He retracted his arm, "Come on, let's try sitting up again."
"I'm pretty sure I'm at my limit."
The nurse smiled patiently, "I understand that it feels that way, but you have to push yourself."
"I already am and I'm at my limit!"
"You know, you're getting a reputation around the nurse's station for being hard to deal with, but I promised your coworker that I wouldn't give up on you." He smiled cheerily which only managed to piss Reid off further. "Now let's try this on three, one… two…"
"Don't! I mean it!"
The nurse raised his hand, "Alright, then why don't you take a sip?"
"Why don't you go to hell!"
"You know, you'd be much less cranky if you took something for the pain."
Reid allowed his mind to click facts together, "She got you out of the pediatrics ward, didn't she? How old do you think I am? Huh? I'm plenty old enough to think for myself. I know what you're trying to make me do hurts, A LOT, and I don't have the energy to do it yet. I get recovery plans, I've had physical therapy, but pushing me past my own limits won't help, it'll set it back. Now why don't you go convince some six year old that you'll make the shot not hurt and just leave me the hell alone?"
He smiled back at Reid then injected the needle into the line as Reid shot him daggers, "Sweet dreams."
"Bast…" Reid was out before the thought could be fully verbalized.
"Excuse me, Agent Hotchner was it? Visiting hours are over. By all means, if you're going to be quiet you can stay in here, but he should be out until at least 4 from that dose. He needs his rest, so when 4 comes around, another nurse is going to do the same thing."
He waited for a response. He knocked on the door to the bathroom. "Agent Hotchner?"
He turned his head to the side when he opened the door finding it empty. "Huh, I was sure he was in there too. Maybe he did leave already." The nurse left, dimming the light and closing the door to the room completely.
About thirty seconds later, Hotch slipped out from behind the bathroom door. He sat in the chair next to Reid, "So I have until 4AM before I have to hide again?" He kissed Reid's forehead and just thought about how this would be the first time he'd actually get to watch Reid sleep in a real bed versus those too-short couches on the jet Reid would often curl up onto.
TBC.