Chapter 31

Rossi sat in the chair Haley vacated earlier, and rested his arms on his thighs. He found himself taking inventory of his sleeping friend's body. The bruises from the waist up were becoming slightly lighter in color. The wounds to his upper chest and his chin were healing nicely, as were the cuts to his chest. The cuts to his face hidden by the gauze, were healing as well he had learned. Rossi recalled the last time his friend had cuts on his face from that bastard. These were worse in his opinion. But in a few weeks, they would be a distant memory thanks to plastic surgery. Hotch's knee and feet would heal and be as good as new soon. But he refused to think about one particular injury. Instead, Rossi studied his own hands for a few minutes before his eyes returned to the younger man's face. He straightened up in the chair as Hotch moaned a bit and his eyes fluttered open. He smiled as Hotch turned his head toward him slowly.

"Dave." A small smile appeared.

"Hey, Aaron." Rossi smirked. "Don't you think it's time you got your lazy ass out of that bed, and let a sick person have it?"

"When did you…become…a comedian?"

"I always had a sense of humor."

Hotch grimaced trying to smile. "Where's Ha...ly?"

"She went to get something to eat. I suggested she take her time. She's been here for a few days and needed a break. She'll be back." He sighed. "I have a sense you want to ask me something but don't know how. Am I right?"

Hotch lowered his eyes, embarrassed. Rossi was always able to read him like a book. He looked up again. "Yeah. Dave, what happened…to me?"

Rossi's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, why am…I in…hospital? What happened?"

"The why is not important. You were hurt on the job. The rest isn't important at the moment."

Aaron's eyebrows knitted. "Injured? How?"

"Your knee and your feet. Don't you remember?" Rossi was a bit confused by Hotch's look of bewilderment. "Aaron, exactly what's the last thing you remember?"

Hotch swallowed. "The last thing…is waking up…hospital."

"And before that?"

"JJ injured…alley. Why?" He appeared to be panicking again. "JJ…how's…JJ?" The heart machine started to emit a beeping noise as Hotch felt his heart race, and was having difficulty breathing. "JJ…where is…she?" Why can't he remember what happened?

"Hotch, calm down, please. You can't get yourself worked up like this. JJ's fine." Rossi got to his feet and put both hands on Hotch's shoulders trying to keep him lying flat. "Aaron! Take it easy!" Rossi realized his friend was working himself up into a frenzy as his breathing became rapid, and he was agitated. He was afraid the man would injure himself further if he didn't calm down soon.

The door opened and Doctor Fleming hurried into the room. She shoved past Rossi. "What happened?" she asked, worried.

"I'm not sure," Rossi admitted. "We were talking, and then he asked why he was in the hospital and about agent Jareau. JJ. And became upset." Rossi observed the doctor as she pushed several buttons on the EKG machine to stop the incessant beeping. She then looked at her patient.

"Agent Hotchner, calm down and breath normally for me," Fleming instructed. She glanced at Rossi as she inserted the earplugs of her stethoscope into her ears. "I'm going to need you to wait outside for a few minutes." With a nod, Rossi quietly left the room while Hotch struggled to calm his breathing.

"I'm calm…" he gasped. "I'm…okay…"

Fleming listened to his heartbeat with her stethoscope as Rossi watched through the small window. How do I tell him what's happened without telling him everything? Aaron, you can't find out right now. You can't handle it, and I'll do everything I can to keep you from finding out until you're able to handle knowing. He noticed Fleming drape the stethoscope around her neck again, turn, and leave the room. He confronted her with a worried expression. "How is he?"

Fleming motioned for Rossi to follow her and stepped away from the window so they were able to speak without Hotch seeing them, or possibly lip-reading. She let out a deep breath. "He's doing all right, except for this recent episode. I told him if this were to happen again, I would have him sedated. He didn't like it and started to argue with me. But I warned him it would get him nowhere."

Rossi chuckled. "That's my boy," he said.

"You can go back inside and visit," Fleming informed him. "Just don't let him get upset again."

"Understood. Doctor, there's something I want to discuss with you. Do you have a few minutes?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"Aaron told me the last thing he remembers is waking up in the hospital. When I asked him what he remembers before that, he said he recalls Agent Jareau being injured. He doesn't remember what happened in-between the two events."

Fleming crossed her arms and pursed her lips. "It sounds like your friend is suffering from what is called anterograde amnesia. What that means is that his long-term memories are and will stay intact. But the events which caused the amnesia are lost to him. Whether he eventually remembers what happened to him is unknown. He can remember everything, or he can remember bits and pieces. Or, he may never remember. There's no way to tell. We'll have to wait and see."

Rossi nodded. "Aaron has never been a patient man. When he's more coherent, he's gonna want to be told what happened to him. How much should I tell him if he can't remember?"

Fleming sighed. "Agent Rossi, as Doctor Betters and I told you and Mrs. Hotchner earlier, his mind can't handle knowing right now, so I wouldn't tell him everything. Especially about his most serious injury. The visible ones such as his knee, the cuts to his face and chest, his feet, are visible injuries to him. So I wouldn't lie to him on that part. Just use your best judgment. Now I have a question for you."

"Which is?" Rossi arched his eyebrows.

"Have you told him about this JJ yet?"

Rossi stuffed both hands in the pockets of his jeans. He let out a deep breath. "I told him she's fine, but I'm not sure he believes me. Which leads me to my other question. I'd like to ask if a patient phone can be installed in his room so I can call my team and let him speak with JJ. I think it might help him and put him more at ease where she's concerned."

Fleming nodded. "That shouldn't be a problem."

Rossi smiled. "Thank you, doctor. I'll let you return to your duties."

Fleming smiled and walked down the hall. Rossi waited until she disappeared before he reentered Hotch's room. When he sat down in the chair again, Hotch turned his head toward him.

"Doctor Fleming told me she warned you she would sedate you if you didn't stay calm. Aaron, you can't keep flying off the handle like that."

"Mother…hen…" Hotch tried to chuckle.

"I'm serious, Aaron. You scared the hell out of me with your reaction. I'm just glad Haley wasn't here to witness it. It would have frightened her to death."

Hotch became serious. The last thing he wanted to do was scare anybody. "Sorry. Dave…what happened…to me? To JJ?"

Rossi reached out and gripped his friend's hand. "I will tell you what I know. But you can't get excited.' He paused. "But I need to tell you something first. I'm having a phone installed. This way you can speak with JJ yourself since you don't seem to believe your old friend."

"Not that…don't believe you. Need to…hear her voice. Worried." He failed at stopping a wide yawn as sleep beckoned him. But he needed to stay awake right now so he ignored it.

"Aaron, why don't you rest right now. I'm not going anywhere. I'll answer any questions you have when you wake up later. I promise."

"No…tell me…now. Why am…I here…?"

"Where do you want to begin?"

"My face. What happened…to my face? Gauze."

Before Rossi could respond, the door opened, and Haley walked in carrying a large lidded Styrofoam cup. Rossi smiled when he saw her. Thank you, Haley.

"One large cup of black coffee as ordered," she said with a smile as she handed the cup to the older man.

"Thank you, milady," Rossi smiled as he took the coffee and started to get up so she could sit down beside her husband. She put a hand on his shoulder stopping him as she suspected she had interrupted something.

"Don't let me interrupt," she said.

"Okay…can wait…" A frustrated Hotch yawned again as he fought a losing battle at keeping his eyes open. "Tired." He barely got the words out before his eyes fluttered closed and sleep overtook him again. Once his friend's breathing evened out, Rossi gestured with his head to Haley for her to follow him out into the hall so they could talk.

Once they were in the hall and away from the window, Haley looked at Rossi, worried. "Dave, what happened while I was gone?"

Rossi removed the lid on his Styrofoam cup and took a sip. He savored the black liquid. After a few moments, he sighed. "Aaron is fine, Haley." He repeated what happened and watched the fear creep onto her face.

"Maybe we should let Doctor Fleming sedate, Aaron," she suggested.

Rossi shook his head negatively. "It's your decision, of course. But I disagree. I think if Aaron was sedated, it might cause him to believe what we tell him is worse than we lead him to believe. But as I said, it's your decision." He took a large gulp of coffee. "Thanks again for the coffee," he added.

"You're welcome." She sighed. "We'll try it your way for now. But if Aaron is becoming agitated, I will ask Doctor Fleming sedate him."

Rossi chuckled. "Agreed," he said. He took another drink of the beverage. "He should feel better once he speaks with JJ personally on the phone. That should end his concern about her once he speaks with her."

"I hope so, Dave," Haley added.

"Trust me. But when it comes to Aaron's injuries, let me do the talking. At least for now." Haley nodded her agreement. The duo then quietly reentered Hotch's room where the man was still sleeping. Haley sat in the chair beside his bed, while Rossi sat in the chair on the opposite side drinking his coffee. He watched Haley begin to stroke her husband's thick black hair as he slept. She looked pensive.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"No, not really," Haley replied somberly. "I just wonder when will things return to normal?"

"Depends on what your version of normal is. I mean, everybody's version is different."

"I know." She sighed as she continued stroking her husband's hair. "I'm starting to wonder if Aaron and I will ever return to some semblance of normal again."

"You will in time," Rossi assured her. "Or you can create a new normal. But no matter what, you'll do it together." He saw Haley smile at him.

Just then, the hospital door opened and a man in workman's clothes walked in carrying a desk phone. He sat it on the night table and bent over to plug the jack into the wall just behind the bed. He picked up the receiver and checked to make sure there was a dial tone before he hung up the receiver. A smile crossed his face.

"The phone's working just fine," he announced.

"Thank you," Haley replied looking up from her seat.

With a nod at both Haley and Rossi, the workman left the room as quickly as he entered. Haley looked across at the older man.

"As soon as Hotch wakes up, I'll phone the BAU so he can speak with JJ and the others."

Without warning, Hotch moaned. "JJ…" he whispered. "JJ…" He was obviously in the throes of a nightmare.

When he sensed his friend was on the verge of becoming agitated again, Rossi got to his feet. "Sounds like he's having a dream about JJ being injured. Try and wake 'im, Haley." He walked around the bed and stood next to the phone. He watched the blond gently shake her husband's shoulder.

"Aaron. Wake up, Aaron." When she got no response, Haley shook his shoulder a bit harder. "Open your eyes, honey, please. Aaron." Hotch opened his eyes and looked at his wife through slitted eyes.

"Ha..ly…" Hotch murmured with a smile. "You're back."

The blond smiled sweetly at her husband. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be than by your side, my love," she told him. She glanced at Rossi who had picked up the receiver and held it up so Hotch would see it. He began pushing buttons.

"Tired," Hotch said. "Sleep." He started to close his eyes again.

"No, Aaron." Haley shook his shoulder again causing him to open his eyes and look at her again. "You can't go to sleep yet. Dave's dialing the BAU. You can speak with JJ. It might help you relax. Then you can sleep."

When he heard JJ's name, it gave Hotch new life. He forced any thoughts of sleep out of his mind and struggled to stay awake as Dave waited for somebody to pick up the phone. After several rings, the older man smiled.

"Morgan, it's Rossi. Good. Good. Listen, is JJ there? Hotch needs to speak with her. Okay, I'll tell 'im while you do that." Rossi covered the mouthpiece. "Morgan's having Prentiss get JJ and Garcia, and he's gonna put the phone on speaker so everybody can say hello." He saw Hotch trying to stay awake so he could speak with his team and chuckled. When he was on speaker, he held the receiver and placed it against Hotch's ear.

"Hotch! It's JJ. How are you doing? Are you all right?"

"O…kay. You…were hurt. How…are you? Okay?"

"I'm fine. Really. You need not worry about me. It was a mild concussion but nothing serious. I promise. But thank you for being concerned about me. Rossi's been keeping us updated and told me you've been worried about me. Please don't. You just concentrate on getting yourself better. Oh, I'd better let Garcia have a turn. She's giving me the evil eye." Hotch heard a chuckle and then a squeal of delight.

"Garcia…behave…yourself…"

"My handsome liege. I was so worried about you. Are you all right? Our Italian Stallion has been telling us everything hoping that we won't worry, but I worry anyway. We miss you here. When can you come home so we can visit?"

Hotch smiled. "Calm…down, Garcia. Not sure…yet. Hope to…soon. Want to…see you guys…soon."

"I'll hold you to that mon Capitan. But our raven-haired beauty is glaring at me so I'll say tootles for now."

"Hotch, are you really doing better?" It was Prentiss. "I mean, Rossi's been updating us daily. But I never know if he's being honest, or trying not to scare us."

Hotch yawned, and Rossi sensed his friend was tiring. "Am…all right. Really. Dave…Haley…taking good care…of me…as are doctors. Promise."

"Like Garcia said, we miss you around here. Morgan does a poor imitation of the Hotchner stare by-the-way. You should see it. It's entertaining. You'd like it. I have to go, Hotch. I think Reid is chomping at the bit here. Don't let him drive you nuts."

"Try…not to, Pren…tiss." Hotch yawned again. He was fading fast but struggled to hang on a little longer.

"Hotch?" a timid voice asked. Hotch recognized Reid's voice at once.

"Spen…cer…"

"You sound tired. Are you okay?"

"Am…okay…considering...how about you?"

"I'm okay I suppose. Wish I could come and visit, but we were ordered back to Quantico…Owww. What did you do that for, Morgan?"

Hotch sensed Morgan had hit Reid for an unknown reason. But he was too tired right now to try and figure it out. He could feel his eyelids getting heavy. "What…happened. Reid?"

"Nothing, Hotch. Morgan hit me in the arm, that's all. And I have no idea why. I guess he wants to talk to you. Come home soon, Hotch. I miss you. We miss you."

Hotch licked his lips. Just another few minutes.

"Hey, Hotch. It's Morgan. I know you're tired so I'll keep it short. I echo everybody else here, man. We miss you and can't wait for you to come home."

"Mor…gan…why did you…hit Reid?"

"He was tryin' to monopolize the phone before I could speak with you. You know how the kid rambles," he lied.

"Yeah," Hotch said suspecting he wasn't being told the truth. He yawned widely this time. "Ev'rything okay?"

"Everything's fine, man. We're holdin' down the fort waitin' for you and Rossi to come back. And Prentiss lied to you, man. I do a great impersonation of you. I'll show it to you when I see you. But I'm gonna let you go as I can hear how tired your are. Take care, man. Please put Rossi on the phone."

Hotch's eyes fluttered closed. "Wants to…speak with…you, Dave…" he whispered before sleep and exhaustion took over his body. Rossi pressed the phone to his ear.

"What's up, Derek?"

"Rossi, is Hotch really all right? He sounded really tired."

"He's fine," Rossi replied as he studied the now sleeping man. "They're weaning him off the meds they used to put him into a coma, so he falls asleep at a moment's notice. In a few days he won't be doing that anymore. How are things on your end?"

Morgan sighed. "It's tough, man, being down two agents. But we're hangin' in there. Any idea when you and Hotch can come home?"

"Hopefully in a few days. It's a matter of seeing what shape he's in after he's more alert. I'll let you know. I also have to speak with Strauss. Listen, I have to go so I'll speak with you when I know something. Bye." Rossi hung up the phone and watched the serene expression on his friend's face as he slept. He chuckled knowing that speaking with JJ allowed his friend to rest peacefully and not worry anymore. He glanced at Haley to see her smiling. "What?"

"That was a lovely thing you did, Dave. At least now Aaron won't be worried about JJ." She let out a deep breath. "Later today, I'll call Jess and let Jack speak to his father. It should do wonders for both of them."

"I agree," Rossi concurred. "Anything to relieve stress on Hotch and make it possible for him to be transferred home in a few days." He let his eyes again turn to his friend and watched his peaceful expression as he slept. Pleasant dreams, my friend.