Devolution, a Spencer Reid/Criminal Minds Fanfic

Chapter 38. The Comfort of Company

When Hotch rejoined the group downstairs, Rossi gave him a few suspicious glances. Hotch tried to hang onto an innocent look, but it didn’t come easy.

“Aaron?”

“Dave.”

Rossi narrowed his eyes and gave his friend a sidelong look. Hotch was having a hard time keeping his lips under control. He didn’t want to show too many teeth. It was a dead giveaway from the time he’d been a child. Dave had once told him that if he could see Aaron’s incisors when he smiled, he knew something was up. Hotch’s smile muscles were beginning to quiver, objecting to being held in, when the doctor stepped in and rescued him.

The old man had been off to one side, discussing something with Ana and Reid. He approached with Ana in tow. Stopping in front of Hotch, in the matter of fact way that was second nature to a long-time physician, he took the agent’s face in his hands and inspected him.

“Hmmmmm. Son, you’ve been through a rough time. You still need rest.” He released Hotch. Turning him around, he pushed him back toward the stairs. “Go get yourself to bed. There’s something the empath and I want to try that might cheer you up some.”

Rossi’s eyebrows shot skyward as he caught the Unit Chief’s eye. This time he was the one trying to stifle a grin. He couldn’t help emitting a tiny, choked-off snort.

“Oh, shut up, Dave.” Hotch obediently retraced his steps up the stairs, memories of the morning’s sponge bath making him a little nervous about whatever the doctor and Ana had in mind for him that required him to be in bed.

He forgot to take into account the psychic power surrounding him. The doctor’s chuckle was a reminder that few thoughts were private among present company. “Relax, son. No one’s coming anywhere near your boxers.”

xxxxxxx

Fifteen minutes later Hotch was between the sheets. To be on the safe side, he’d put on a t-shirt and sweat pants. While the others helped Millie clean up downstairs, the doctor and Ana came to his room. A light tap on the door presaged their entry.

Hotch sat up straighter, leaning his back against the headboard. The doctor ducked his head and smiled as he took a seat on the edge of the mattress. “It’s alright, Aaron. You really do need rest. You have to make up for months of lost sleep. It’s going to take more than one night to do that.”

“Okay. But why do I have to be in bed for whatever you’re going to do? And exactly what are you planning to do to me?”

Before answering, the doctor reached over and brushed some stray hair off Hotch’s forehead. The simple touch had power in it. Some of the tension drained out of Hotch’s shoulders, neck and chest. He slumped a little lower and felt his breathing deepen.

“You miss your friend, the telepath. I have a theory I’d like to test and I think it might make you feel a little less lonely…in there…” He tapped a finger against the center of Hotch’s brow.

“What theory?”

“About me.” Ana spoke up. “About the way I can have telepathy with Spencer. And used to have it with you, too…sort of. When Spencer was around anyway.” Ana sat on the other side of Hotch’s bed, making him feel like a child with both parents tucking him in for the night. “I’m not a telepath, Hotch, so we think maybe the reason I could communicate with you was that I have some kind of sympathetic mental vibration with Spencer’s mind. He sort of dragged me along for the ride.”

The doctor took up the explanation, his calm voice making extraordinary subject matter seem like the most reasonable thing in the world. “I believe the path that was opened into your mind, that caused you so much trouble, might still respond to the empath’s brainwaves, independent of the telepath who created it. If I’m right, you two won’t be able to speak the way true telepathy allows, but you would still be able to communicate emotions. You would still be able to feel each other’s presence.” He smoothed Hotch’s hair back again.