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Your mind went blank as the Unsub pointed his gun at you.
Bang.
The world went dark.
__________
The smell of cleaning supplies overtook your senses as you tried to open your eyes, heavy lids disobeying your orders. Slowly, the bright lights of a hospital room came into view as you heard a faint rustling to your left. 'Look who's awake.' A kind female voice spoke quietly as a woman in a white coat leant over you, her stethoscope hanging down loosely from her neck. 'I'm Doctor Nazir. How are you feeling?'
You took a minute before shifting ever so slightly, hearing your voice come out in short raspy breaths before you could talk properly. 'I don't know.'
'It's ok.' She said as she pressed a few buttons on a monitor next to you. 'You've got a lot of drugs in your system. Your boyfriend will be happy to know you're awake.' She said as she indicated to you right. Turning your head slowly as an aching pain filled your side, you saw a sleeping Hotch propped up on an uncomfortable hospital chair, his hair falling raggedly over his eyes as he leant his head on his hand. He was wearing grey joggers and a tight white t-shirt, his feet in some tall socks that were stuffed into what looked like hospital-edition slippers. He honestly looked like he hadn't slept in days.
'He's not my boyfriend.' You said as you turned back to look at the Doctor, your movements slow. 'He's just my boss.'
The Doctor smiled down at you knowingly before turning to look between the two of you. 'Honey, that man hasn't left your bedside in three days. Every time I tried to ask him to go home he just flashes his badge at me and says no. I know love when I see it.'
You take a slow breath before turning back to look at Hotch with slightly wide eyes. She must be wrong. He's just being a good boss. You think, unable to keep hope from filling your mind as you try to breath steadily. Truth was, you loved him too.
'Will you wake him?' You ask the Doctor with increasingly less shaky breath as she nods at you before walking around the bed, gently shaking Hotch's shoulder.
'Agent Hotchner. Agent Hotchner, she's awake.' She says as she shakes him slightly, his dark eyes opening slowly as he moves his tired gaze from her to you. A tired smile takes over his features as he looks at you clearly relieved. It wasn't often that Aaron Hotchner smiled, but whenever he did it felt like the world was spinning just a little bit slower. 'I'll leave you two to it.' The Doctor spoke kindly before slipping out of the room, closing the door behind her.'
'Hey.' You let out as a soft groan as you smile back at Hotch.
'Hey.' He replies before standing up slightly so he can move his chair further forwards so he's at your side. 'How are you feeling?' His voice is gentle and caring as he hesitates slightly, clearly wanting to reach for your hand. Closing the distance between you, you place your smaller hand in his as he pulls his other hand forwards as well, enveloping your hand in his much large grip.
'Like I just got shot.' You say through stifled laughter, Hotch smiling down at you kindly but not laughing. He takes a minute to move one of his hands off of yours, pushing a loose piece of hair behind your ear before holding your hand tightly once again with both of his.
'I was worried about you.' He speaks in a soft almost-whisper, the kind where the room needed to be silent for you to hear.
'So I've heard.' You smile up at him as he briefly looks out of the room's window and into the corridor where Doctor Nazir was typing up charts, smiling briefly before turning back to you. 'I'm sorry. I should have been there. I should have...'
'Aaron.' You cut him off with a stern glance. 'It's not your fault.' You reach your spare hand up and place it lightly on his cheek, him taking a second before leaning into your touch and closing his eyes.
'Please never do that to me again.' He speaks with his eyes still closed, his hands squeezing yours as the Doctor's words 'three days' came to mind.
'I won't.' You say as you shake your head ever-so-slightly, him opening his eyes as he leans forwards.
He takes a deep breath, steadying himself before he speaks in a soft mutter. 'I thought I'd lost you. I thought I'd lost you before I ever got to tell you...' a single tear falls from his eye as you rub your thumb against his cheek to remove it. Looking into your eyes, he breaths a heavy sigh before continuing. 'Before I ever got to tell you that I love you.'
You take a breath before replying, the biggest smile overtaking your face as you look up at him. 'I love you too.' He smiles down at you, hesitating slightly as he wants to move. 'You're gonna have to come to me.' You say through a laugh as tears start to form in your eyes too, his shape becoming blurry.
Laughing slightly too as another tear forms in his eyes, he bends his head slowly to yours, moving one of his hands so it rests on your cheek. He moves at a snail's pace as he presses his lips against yours in one long, deep kiss- a kiss that could never speak for the feelings you had both been holding up, but a kiss that held the promise of the world all the same. A promise of a future. A promise of a future together with the man you love.
He leans back gently, your noses touching as he grins at you through wet eyes.
'Well it's about time!' Rossi's voice comes blaring from the door as you hear the team come in one-by-one, Morgan cheering as Emily wolf whistles. Reid simply smiles as Hotch leans backwards, taking your hand in both of his once again as Reid comes to hug you. The team then take it in turns hugging you, JJ first and Rossi last, as Garcia carts in some large pink balloons and places them in the corner.
'We were so worried about you!' She says as she leans down to hug you, mindful of Hotch's hand still on your own.
'What happened to the Unsub?' You address to the room as Garcia leans away and moves into Morgan's embrace, Reid leaning slightly on JJ as relief seems to wash over both their faces.
'Hotch shot him.' Morgan replies as he indicates the man next to you, still sat quiet and unmoving as he holds you. You turn to glance at him as he simply looks down at you with a spark in his eye that was simply unmistakable. It was love.
'Now come on you lot- it's getting late and Agent Y/L/N here needs to sleep.' Doctor Nazir says as she moves into the room. Everyone does as they're told, saying goodbye and promising to come back tomorrow as they leave, Morgan flirting unashamedly with the Doctor as he leaves.
Anything you say, pretty lady.
The room empties leaving only you and Hotch as he makes to stand, his hands still enveloping yours. 'Wait.' You say as he looks down at you. 'Stay?' He smiles as he nods, you shifting in the bed to make room for his large frame as he lies under the covers. You get comfortable with your head on his chest as one of his arms reaches around you, the other painting lazy circles on your side as he holds you tightly to his side. 'Goodnight Aaron.' You speak softly into his chest as your eyelids start to become heavy, drifting off into sleep just as you hear his slightly muffled reply as he whispers into you hair.
