Monday Blues Chapter 15

AN - Sorry for the deal, busy few days with football and a party, wanted to think about how this chapter a little and how i wanted there relationship. Enjoy!

The road to real recovery was slow, Aaron Hotchner still spent more time asleep than awake but when he was awake he was more and more lucid each time and seemed to be able to focus his mind better and easier. The only concern now was that he seemed to have the same conversations over and over again, as if he didn't recall the last time he'd asked a question. Naturally his family and friends were concerned; Jack took it in stride thinking his dad was being funny. For now the team opted to let him think that as the easier option.

"We'll keep an eye on the memory issue Miss Prentiss, but I really do hope that as his brain recovers from the surgery and any swelling that's still there gradually reduces this will clear up on its own. Certainly his last scans showed no cause for concern." The doctor explained as he updated Hotch's chart with his latest obs.

"Thank you doctor." She smiled pleased that despite their concerns the medical team were still optimistic. Reid and Morgan had just left half an hour ago and she was doing the night shift, she'd brought a book to read and the nurses had provided her with a pillow and blanket in case she wanted to sleep.

She picked up the book and settled in for what she expected to be a quiet night, it had been a few hours since he was last awake and generally so far that meant he still had another few hours before he'd wake.

"Enjoying that?" The voice startled her and she dropped the book losing her place instantly but paying it little attention as her eyes fell on her old boss, awake and watching her.

"Jeez, Hotch you scared the hell outta me." She laughed moving closer.

"Sorry." He smiled with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"No you're not." She retaliated with a grin.

"No I'm really not." He confirmed adjusting his position to be more comfortable. "Where's Jack?"

"At home with Jessica... Remember? We talked about this last time you woke..?" she frowned feeling a knot in the pit of her stomach.

"What?"

"Jack."

"Oh... He's at home?"

"Yes. With Jessica, he's been here most of the day and you chatted with him earlier but he's exhausted so Jess took him home to rest."

"That's good. " He looked puzzled as he agreed with her.

"Do you remember talking to him?"

"Yes." He arched an eyebrow glancing down at her fallen book.

"Hotch..." She shook her head and got up sitting on the side of his bed and took his hand gently. "Aaron... It's okay that you don't. The doctors think that will get better you just need to get plenty of rest and let your body heal. You've been through a lot."

"It's frustrating." He admitted watching her stroke his hand.

"Of course it is. You're always so in control and you take charge and right now you're feeling vulnerable... Any one of us would be the same."

"What if this memory loss doesn't clear up soon?"

"Hey come on, no negative thinking. A few days ago we weren't even sure you'd ever wake up... so you've made remarkable progress; this part is just a little slow that's all. Just give yourself time; and let us in to help you?" She posed it more as a question, not wanting to pressure him but wanting him to understand despite his usual tactic of keeping people at a distance when it came to him, this time he needed to let people in.

"Yeah." The one word answer wasn't exactly the committed answer she was hoping for.

"Aaron..." She leaned closer still holding his hand, and forcing their eyes to meet. Had he still been her boss she'd never have been this forward but a lot had changed lately. "It's not weak to let us in to help you. You need some support right now and whether you like it or not it's going to take time and rest, we are the people to help you get that. You need to lower that armour for a while and let us fight this fight with you. Garcia is already re-arranging your schedule to push any meetings back till your well, and schedule your hospital appointments after release for when one of the team can drive. Morgan and Reid have run all Jess's errands for her so she can be there with Jack full time and JJ and Will are helping with Jack on the occasions that she can't be there. Rossi is insisting you stay at his place when you get out, Jack too, so that he can help more. Blake is pulling extra at the BAU as well as getting plenty of food in and keeping an eye anything coming in for you marked urgent. It's a team effort Aaron, we all want to do this."

He allowed himself a small smile, he often thought he and Jack where alone, yeah he knew he had Jess but it really was a small family. He was just too stubborn for his own good to admit he had a whole lot more family that he trusted with his life every single day; he just had to let his shields down.

"I guess you're right. It'll be good for Jack to see how many people care and it'll help a full recovery if all the work is taken care of so I don't need to think about everything." He conceded.

"Atta boy." She grinned mimicking a phrase she'd heard Rossi use now and again when he approved of Hotch's decision making one way or another. "We'll get you through this with your memory intact."

"Emily?" He looked down captivated by her fingers playing with his still so caught up in helping him that she hadn't even realised what she was doing.

"What is it?"

"I'm scared." He admitted quietly and her heart melted, she knew he was taking the help offer seriously when he was willing to admit that to her. It was something he'd never ever admit, even when they as a team knew he was, he'd never actually let it show, or utter the words. She felt her eyes brim with tears and wary of his injuries and the wires she leaned in to hug him gently.

"I know Aaron, So am I."

TBC.