Chapter 5

Aaron and Cait walked off the elevator, arms around each other's waist. She guided him out to the parking garage and her vehicle. "I'll drive," Aaron said.

"No, I'm driving. You have two texts to send, and we bark at Matt not to text and drive; you're not going to do it either."

"Two texts Doc?"

"The first to the team and Strauss; the second to our oldest son to get his butt in bed." Aaron smiled, got in the passenger side and buckled up. Cait buckled her seatbelt as well and as they left the parking garage, Aaron sent the texts.

As Cait drove south on I-95 towards their home in Woodbridge, Aaron leaned into the head rest and yawned. Glancing at her husband, Cait said, "You OK?"

"It's been a tough six days, and that was last thing we all needed."

"Aaron, you know he's going to be OK?"

"Yes, but I don't like getting the shit scared out of me. This is my second contribution into that wishing well." Cait rubbed his arm as she drove.

"You don't think Dave fretted and worried about you when you were in the hospital?" She paused. "I'm surprised that Strauss hasn't raised a stink over you two being so close."

Hotch looked at his wife and smiled. "She did; but she made the mistake of bringing it up to Dave instead of me." Still leaning his head back in the rest, he looked deeply at Cait. "Care to guess how that conversation went?"

"Nope, I can pretty much imagine," Cait smiled softly. Yet, as they drove, Aaron could see a change coming over his wife.

He studied her for a while and then asked, "Doc, what's going on?"

Cait looked at him briefly and then put her eyes back on the road. "I'm worried about Jack."

Hotch lifted his head from the seat rest. "Cait?"

"This is too soon after Grandma dying. He had a tough time processing that."

"I never noticed."

Cait simply smiled at her husband and shrugged. "I'm trained to notice those things just like you are for catching the signs of an unsub." Hotch looked at her deeply. "Jack sleeps in the bedroom next to us when we're at mom and dad's. That night, after Grandma's funeral and burial, he made a million miles in bed."

"What are you saying?"

"Aaron, because Jack was so young when Haley was killed, he really didn't understand what was happening. But he's six now, soon to be seven and more aware and certainly able to process things more. He understood that Grandma died, and I think that woke up a demon. With Dave being shot, like Haley, I really believe that demon is going to come to the surface."

Aaron's face burrowed into a look a deep concern, which Cait noticed. "Aaron, in the long run, I don't think that's a bad thing. Just the opposite; I believe it's a good thing. I would rather have Jack deal with it now and get rid of that demon, than when he's ten or eleven. That just gives it more time to grow and fester."

"Bottom line Doc?"

Cait looked at her husband and sadly smiled. "This isn't the only lack of sleep night we're going to have in the next couple of days."

Cait turned her vehicle into their driveway off of Deer Valley Road and hit the button to open the garage door. Aaron grabbed his suit coat, Cait grabbed her handbag and they both got out. Cait unlocked the door, while Aaron hit the button, shutting the garage door. Cait entered first and shut the alarm off. As Aaron shut the house door leading to the garage, he bolted it safely shut and reset the alarm. They walked into the kitchen. Cait looked at Aaron. He simply shook his head and said, "Yes."

Cait pulled two glasses out of the cupboard as Aaron reached into the liquor cabinet and poured each of them a splash of scotch. They set together at the lunch counter and heard the soft footfalls on the steps and turned to see Matt. "Hey dad," he said as Aaron rose out his chair to give his oldest son a hug, which was greatly returned.

"Thanks again Matt for holding down the fort. I love you; and missed you. But you're supposed to be in bed."

"Dad," Matt said as he released Aaron, his voice now matching his father's baritone, "do you really think I could sleep until you two got home and I could look at the both of you and really know how Uncle Dave is doing?" Aaron rubbed his shoulder as Cait squeezed his hand.

"He's going to be fine Matt. Knowing how hospital standards are now, they'll probably kick him out in three, four days at the most."

"Really mom?"

"Really."

"Matt, I love you son that you care that much about Uncle Dave, but you need to get to bed."

"And you two don't dad?"

Cait smiled at their oldest son. "The difference between being parents and being an over grown kid," she said as she winked at Matt. He smiled and gave them both hugs, kissing his mother on the cheek, said his "good nights" and went back upstairs.

Cait and Aaron quietly finished their drinks, with Aaron putting the glasses in the dishwasher as Cait took Aaron's suit coat and shirt and got them soaking in cold water in the laundry tub to get Dave's blood out. They headed to bed themselves. Cait as usual, slept on her left side, giving some relief to her right hip. Aaron, in his exhausted state, spooned up next to her, taking solace in holding the woman he loved in his arms.

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