Yep, I'm closing this story off in the next chapter.
"Normally we don't discharge on a Saturday, but your boss was very persistent. He even told us to make sure you ate enough, drank enough...even when you were to go home. It's why the doctor had our specialist make up a diet for you."
I almost laughed when the nurse handed me the papers for my release from the hospital. Hotch had certainly gone out of his way to make sure I was alright.
But instead of laughing I smiled. "Thank you." And when the nurse left the room in a hurry, I looked down at the papers in my hand and sighed. I was going home, I was supposed to be happy about it but I didn't know if I was. It meant spending time with Will and talking to him about random things because we had been skirting around the issue of my capture.
That was mostly my doing though.
Rossi had arrived before Will had but he'd been quiet while I walked around getting ready to leave. It was only when I was done that he cleared his throat.
"You should realize that this is hard on him too," he said without preamble. I knew what he meant though and I stared at him, my eyes heavy with sleep still.
"I know. I realize that and I try, okay? It's just that he keeps things from me because he thinks I'm weak."
"In a way you are. You were weakened even if it was only three days. You got hit over the head and have a concussion and he's right when he says that he is worried about what that might mean...we all are. You know that Reid has been trying to figure out if he could come visit while you were here or if he should wait until you're back on your feet?"
"I didn't. Rossi, I get it okay? I get that this is hard on everyone. I mean, no one other than you and Henry know how to act around me. That's what's got me on edge." I pushed the tears back with the heels of my hands and sighed. "I don't know how to be the person I was."
"Until you do it's going to be a little weird, but who cares? You lived when he died, when they died. You survived. You need to get that into your head because if you don't you're not going to be a survivor. And as for us...we need to stop being awkward around you and accept the fact that you've been through hell and came back. You will be stronger for it once you learn how to deal with it and we're all going to be here to help you." He chuckled when I kept staring. "No matter how awkward it's going to be."
"So since you know so much about this, how long is it going to take for me to get back on my feet and for everyone around me to accept that it happened?" I asked, my hands shaking against my face. I was fighting against everything and maybe I needed to listen to Rossi and just accept what happened and try and move on from it.
"Eh, it could take a while."
That's what I'd expected but I had hoped that he would tell me it would all be over soon. Sometimes the truth hurt and this was one of those times. Rossi was the only one to be honest with me about things though, so I accepted it and simply nodded.
"At least you're honest." I stood and zipped up my bag full of clothes. "I'll just accept it then."
Rossi grinned and I realized I acted like it was easy, but we both knew it wasn't as easy as it seemed.
"Anyway, Garcia managed to get nothing off of your phone so she'll be dropping it off later today. And as it is we're no closer to why you were taken so you're going to have to wait a while for that." He stood and sat down next to me on the bed. "My theory is that when you moved into that house, you replaced an agent of some sorts and he thought it was okay to take you instead of them. But that's just a theory."
We had just moved into that house a week before I'd been taken. It might have been that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or maybe he didn't even know about the change in house owners.
"Either way, it results in the same thing. I was taken, and now I have to learn how to deal with that."
"True. It might not even be necessary for you to know why you were taken, we know that you weren't on the list and we know that it might be that you having moved is just..."
"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," I said as he faded out. He nodded and then sighed. "It doesn't really matter, but I'd like to know. Even just know a couple of theories you guys have, might help me figure it out."
"You'll know, as long as you want to know I'll come and tell you what we find."
We were silent for a moment and in that moment, Will walked in. When I glanced at the door to see if Henry was with him, he smiled and shook his head.
"Henry is home with Garcia. She said she had something to give you, and told me to just go and get you," he explained. Rossi stood to his feet.
"That means that I can go. With Garcia there I'm sure you're going to be just fine. And don't forget what we talked about, okay? We're all just here to help you."
"Thank you Dave," I said and he bowed his head before disappearing. Will looked at me and smiled again.
"You ready?" He held out his hand and even though the flutter in my stomach was making me feel sick, I took his hand and stood to my feet with his help. My skin crawled and the palm of my hand itched, but I forced a smile on my face and waited until he had lifted the bag onto his shoulder. "Let's go home."