Wicked Games || Aaron Hotchner

Chapter 31

• 3rd person pov •

Aaron steps out of the shower and heads to his bedroom. He opens the closet and picks out a pair of black pants and a black shirt.

He gets dressed quickly and puts his watch on. But as he grabs it, he catches his reflection in the mirror.

The good old emotionless expression is masking all his feelings once again. Sadness, loneliness, fear, exhaustion.

His eyes land on a golden chain that hung by the side of the mirror. It was one of Gianna's necklaces. She had left it there one night and forgotten to get it back ever since.

Aaron hasn't deared to pick up her things from his place yet. Her toothbrush is still in his sink. A spare set of pyjamas and pairs of underwear she left there for whenever she stayed over. Her favorite white musk candles in the living room and kitchen.

Everywhere he looks, there is a piece of her. She has already invaded his life so much, she was an every day part of it; the happiest part of it.

Tears form in Aaron's eyes, but he just shakes his head and moves on. He grabs his jacket and leaves the apartment.

Last minute, he decides to walk instead of taking his car. He needs some fresh air to clear his head.

Walking down the streets, he comes across the 4th flower shop in the last 15 minutes that he has been outside. But the flowers in display catch his attention.

Chrysanthemum and daisies.
Gianna's favorites.

It takes Aaron a few seconds and breaths to work up the nerve to walk closer and pick one of the bouquets.

"Special occasion?" the florist asks him as she freshens up the bouquet

"I wish" Aaron admits

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed"

"No, it's... I really wish she sees them today"

"I'm sure she will" she smiles sympathetically.

Aaron picks up the bouquet and continues his walk. Tears threaten to fall from his eyes everytime the corner of his eye catches the flowers.

• back to 1st pov •

All I hear is a buzzing sound. I can't make out where it's coming from. It might be just in my ears. I want to touch my head, but my limbs don't follow my brain's orders. It hurts. Everything hurts.

The buzzing slowly starts turning into reverb sounds. A voice... But it's too deep, I can't make out a single word yet.

"... cal... grew... plead... boj...".

I catch random sounds. Sometimes they make sense, but mostly they don't.

"... last... doc... night... back...".

Slowly, more words start making sense.

"... closed it. It was short... brutal. I'm sorry...".

The voice gets clearer.

Aaron?

I get excited. But I still can't move anything. Not even groan.

"Cases and murders are the last thing I want to talk about while you're in this position, but deep down I know you would have asked a million questions if you weren't here. And I really wish you were here. I really wish you are listening actually" he chuckles on the last part. "If you aren't, I'll feel bad about talking to no one these passed 16 days".