Sweven | a Hotchniss fanfiction

Sweven

"I don't need a babysitter!" Hotch took his bag from Emily.

Emily rolled her eyes and took the bag back, then put it on the ground. "Pick it up then."

Hotch sighed as he desperately tried to bend and after failing, he tried to squat, which resulted in another failure.

"Stop being so stubborn!" She picked the bag. "Do you really want to get your stitches opened again?

Hotch was defeated. He let Emily carry his bag to his apartment. After spending half an hour to convince the nurse he didn't need crutches, he was a little too tired to argue with her.

He unlocked his door and let Emily in so she could put the bag on the counter. Unlike what he expected, his place was completely neat and clean. The bloodstain on his carpet was gone and the hole on his wall was filled. It didn't really take a profiler to find out who did that. "Thank you." He said. "I can take it from here." He walked to his desk.

"No. You should rest."

"Stop it Emily I'm fine."

"Just tonight. I will help you with those files but please rest tonight." Said Emily.

"Fine..." He was so tired but wasn't admitting it. Multiple interviews, the feeling that he was never safe, the press outside the hospital, and the pressure of guilt he felt added to the nightmares he had whenever he closed his eyes didn't let him take a proper rest when he was conscious. The only time he slept was whenever he was under effect of sedative drugs. "I'll go to bed... I will... you can go now."

Emily was certain he would jump on his desk as soon as she turned her back at him. "I need a minute to pack your meals for tomorrow." She took out top locks from her bag.

"Just put 'em in the fridge. I can do it myself." Said Hotch

"How about you change your clothes while I pack your food and organise your meds?"

"Prentiss... please stop... I know you care but this isn't doing me any good right now."

"Hotch..." she sighed.

"You don't have to feel responsible. There was no way anyone could find out sooner."

"I wasn't there to help you when it was happening... it could've been any of us... can you please let me help you now?"

Hotch sighed. "Okay... just don't reorganise anything. There's an order in that mess."

"Copy that." A little smile appeared on her face as she put all the top locks on the counter and started putting the food into tiny containers so Hotch could warm them one by one anytime he wanted. Rossi's cooking smelled amazing.

Hotch went to his bedroom and tried to change his clothes. It wasn't easy. Wearing his t-shirt took five solid minutes and then he couldn't pull his pyjamas up after taking out his jeans.

Emily put all the food in the fridge. Thankfully Rossi had fed Hotch before they got out of hospital and he wasn't going to sleep with an empty stomach. "Hotch?" It had been around fifteen minutes now. "Is everything okay there?" She knocked on his door.

"Yes." Hotch replied. His pyjamas were halfway up and he could get it done if his hand could reach it. It hurt a little bad but he managed to bend a little and finally do it. He finally got out of his bedroom after 17 minutes of struggling to put his clothes on.

Emily had stolen 5 cups of Hotch's favourite pudding from hospital. She left him one on the counter and placed the rest in the fridge, next to the food containers.

Right when he saw the chocolate pudding cup, a tiny smile appeared on his face. It was the first time he was smiling since the incident. It was just a tiny curve on the side of his lips but it did count. He picked a spoon and pulled a chair by the counter. "Thank you." He said after having the first spoon.