Old Enemies

Chapter 30

The ride to the hospital was uneventful to Rossi's relief. The medic started pumping Hotch full of antibiotic and fluids to help replace the fluids Hotch had lost to the fever. They also gave him something for the fever that was still burning through his body. Hotch stole a couple glances at Rossi. Rossi held his hand and smiled whenever Hotch looked at him. Rossi thanked God that it wasn't a repeat of the last time he had ridden with Hotch in an ambulance. They arrived at the ER quickly and Hotch disappeared around the corner to be treated. Rossi hoped that treatment didn't require another trip into surgery. He went to fill out the required papers, but he figured they had most everything they needed from the previous visits.

"Oh my God! Really?" Came a loud yell from somewhere back in the ER.

Rossi smiled, he recognized Hotch's doctor's voice. Well that will make his treatment a little easier since he already knows what happened before.

Rossi found a seat and waited to be updated. He took a deep breath and then another. The day could have taken a seriously different turn, and he was glad he didn't have to deal with what could have been the hardest day of his life. He took the note Hotch had written out of his pocket. He couldn't bring himself to read it again; he couldn't stop himself from crying the first time, and he didn't think reading again would be any easier. He thought about throwing it away but decided against it. He would put it back in Hotch's glove box before Hotch got out of the hospital, so Hotch wouldn't know he had read it. The letter had been extremely personal and open, something Hotch never was. He might feel embarrassed if he knew Rossi had read it. He put the letter back in his pocket, and was glad he had decided not to share it everyone else.

"Agent Rossi?" Hotch's doctor came up to him. Rossi stood up and shook the man's hand. "I was about to jump Hotchner for getting to the point of his arm almost killing him before he came back in," he said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "And then, low and behold, I realize he'd been shot."

Rossi looked at the doctor. "He's been. . . busy," Rossi told him flatly.

The doctor studied Rossi face. "And you have been busy, too, it seems."

Rossi laughed. "Just a little. How is he?" Rossi asked serious again.

"Well, compared to his earlier injuries, the GSW is a scratch." Rossi nodded. "His arm however has one of the worst infections I have seen in a long time. According to his blood work earlier, the infection had yet to reach his blood stream, but we are running blood tests again to make sure nothing has changed. If we can stop it before it reaches his bones and blood stream, he will be fine. Only time will tell, though. We will get him on the strongest antibiotic intravenously and clean the wound. Once his wound is clean, we will admit him," the doctor stressed the last part.

Rossi raised his eyebrows. He figured Hotch would be admitted, but he couldn't figure out what the doctor was getting at. "And?"

"I know Agent Hotchner despises the hospital. I am asking for your help in keeping him here until the infection is under control enough that I think he will be alright at home."

Rossi smiled. "You want me to cuff him to his bed?"

"God, I would hope it wouldn't come to that, but sure, if that's what it takes." He smiled back.

"Don't worry. We'll will keep him firmly in place, but just be aware that his cooperation and mood will change drastically with each passing day."

"I can accept that. I don't care what he thinks of me, I just want to make sure he gets better," he told him with a smile and turned to leave.

"What if the infection does reach his blood or bones?" Rossi asked, the worry very evident on his face.

"Honestly?"

Rossi nodded. "Please."

"He could lose his arm." Rossi winced. The doctor knew the kind of work Hotch did, so he knew how damning those words were. "Let's just hope it doesn't come to that," he told him, squeezed his arm, and went back to Hotch.

Rossi sat back down heavily. Hotch wasn't out of the woods yet. He laid his head back against the wall and waited for the team to get there.

Forty-five minutes later the team showed up and went to Rossi. "How is he?" Emily asked before anyone else could.

"His leg is fine. His arm is another story." They all had a seat and waited for Rossi to continue. "The doc said that if the infection stays out of his blood and bones, then he'll be fine. We won't know if that will happen, but it is bad enough that it could be a possibility."

Morgan ran a hand over his head. They all knew what happened to limbs when infection ran amuck. "I should have made him go home when he showed up at the BAU."

"Oh, please. No one is to blame for this. Only Hotch knew how bad his arm was," JJ pointed out.

Emily winced and picked at her nails. "I did," she admitted. "Well, not that bad, but I knew he should have been admitted back into the hospital. I helped him hide its severity this morning so he could help us with the case."

"And you made him come to the hospital. You didn't know he would leave," Reid told her.

"Alright! No blaming anyone or ourselves, that won't get us anywhere!" Rossi suggested. He waited for each of them to nod their agreement. "OK. Did anyone call Jessica?"

"Yes. I told her he's in the hospital because to the infection. She said she'd wait until tomorrow to bring Jack up. I also told her that everything was finally over, and she was very relieved."

"I can imagine," Rossi told her with a smile. "I also assume Garcia knows?"

"Of course. I told her as soon as the ambulance left," Morgan told him.

"And Strauss?" Rossi asked, but by the looks they all gave him, he knew they hadn't called their Section Chief. "Really? Thanks guys," Rossi said as he got up to go call.

"Well, with as excited as she was when you showed back up, we figured you should be the one to update her," Emily said with a smile.

"And exactly what are you implying, Prentiss?" Rossi asked with raised brows.

Emily shook her head. "Nothing," she said innocently.

"Cause if you're trying to point fingers and imply things, I could do the same for you," he told her with a sly grin and headed for the door.

Everyone noticed Emily blush before she ducked her head, suddenly interested in retying her boots. JJ laughed.

"Busted," Morgan said with a grin.

"Shut up, Morgan," Emily told him with a glare.

Two hours later the doctor came out to tell them what room Hotch was being transferred to. They all got up to go visit him, but the doctor said that Hotch was still asleep. "We put him under to clean the wound. He'll be out for a few hours," he explained. "Why don't you just come back in the morning?" He knew from previous experience that they wouldn't listen, but he had to try. They all looked like they could use some major sleep.

"We won't stay long," Rossi assured him and they headed up stairs.

The doctor shook his head. The whole team thoroughly impressed him. Now if they could just keep their boss out of trouble.

XXX

Hotch woke up and realized that Emily had fallen asleep on him like the last time he was in a hospital bed. She was holding his hand and had put her head down on his bed. Her other arm ended up lying across his abdomen. He smiled down at her head. She was turned away from him, so all he could see was her hair. He knew everything was over, so he knew she didn't stay to protect him. She must have stayed because she wanted to, and that made him smile even harder. He fought the urge to run his hand through her hair. He couldn't anyway because he couldn't with his right and his left was in her hand, and he didn't want to break that connection.

He looked at his right arm. It rested on a pillow and his upper arm was wrapped, but a tube was running out of it. He knew they had cleaned it, and while it was giving him pain, it wasn't burning like it had been earlier. He couldn't even feel the wound in his leg. The doctor had told him in the ER that it was a through and through that didn't hit anything major. That was good because he wasn't sure how much more his poor leg could take. His calf hurt, but he knew that was from walking on it. Beside his arm, his calf was the worst wound Cypress had given him because the slice had went across his muscle. He didn't think the walking had done any real damage, though. It was just sore from being used when it shouldn't have been.

He felt drained. He felt like he could sleep for a month, and he knew the stress and the fever had taken their toll. He noticed, though, that his fever was down or maybe even gone. He wondered why he had woken up. Emily was sleeping peacefully and the hospital was quiet, so why had he wakened? Maybe he had just come out of the anesthesia. He looked around his room. He knew they were going to admit him, and apparently the whole team had been to see him. The giant balloon with a bear that said 'Get Well Soon' had to be from Garcia. He smiled at it, but he knew he was going to have to stop the whole 'bear' thing before Garcia went completely over board. That made him smile again. She'll still go overboard.

He looked back at Emily again, and suddenly he was mortified. Did they read the letter? Oh, God! Is that why she's here? He had confessed his feelings for her and expressed how sorry he was for not telling her before. If she had read it? God! I'll never be able to look any of them in the face again. He wanted to disappear. Just then, Emily sighed and turned to face him. He had shut his eyes and hoped she didn't know he was awake. She gently eased her hand out of his and sat up. He could hear her stand up and leave the room. He had to find out if they knew about the letter, but he wasn't sure how to do it without tipping them off to it. He could just picture them racing to his car, where ever it was, to try to be the first to read it. He wasn't sure, but he would bet money that JJ or Morgan would be the fastest, but he wouldn't put it past Prentiss to trip one of them. He chuckled at the thought.

Emily had opened the door without him realizing it. "Exactly what is it you find so funny?"

Hotch had a 'deer in the headlights' look for a millisecond, but his usual stoic expression replaced it with precision. "I just noticed Garcia's balloon. I'm gonna have to have a talk with her." He adjusted his bed to sit up more. She went up and adjusted his pillows.

Emily laughed at that. "You just need to stop getting put in the hospital. You know she means well."

"Yeah, but really, bears? What have I done to make her think of bears?"

"Oh, you know, that grizzly look you always give everybody." He looked at her. "Yeah like that, just a little more eyebrow," she told him laughing.

"I've been called a wolf, a panther, and now a bear. Jesus Christ! Any other animals I've been compared to that I should know?"

"No, I think you've covered them all, but I could tell you about some of the other things you've been compared to." She gave him a sly smile.

"No thanks." He studied her. She wasn't acting like she had read the letter, but he wasn't sure because he knew she could compartmentalize very well.

"What?" she asked as she became uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

He shook his head. "I was just wondering why you're here. You don't have to protect me anymore."

"Maybe I didn't want you to be alone. Maybe I just wanted to be here," she told him offhandedly as she sat down next to him.

He studied her again. "Well. . . thank you, but I can handle just lying in a bed."

"Maybe your doctor asked for a guard to make sure you didn't get up and leave."

"Now, that I believe." She gave him her best 'that hurt' look. "He doesn't have to worry about that. I'm not going to rush off and risk losing my arm. Besides, there isn't anything that I have to rush off to."

"Well, I'm sure he will be glad about that. What, you giving it two or three days?"

"Two should be good enough to tell me if I'm getting better or worse," he told her truthfully.

She laughed. "So you're going to bust out of here in two days as long as you don't get any worse? Damn Hotch, most people don't wake up in a hospital after almost dying – TWICE – and immediately come up with a plan to get out."

"I'm not most people," he told her slyly.

"Don't I know it," she said under her breath.

"What?"

"Nothing."

XXXXX

Three days went by and Hotch's arm healed drastically as soon as the infection was under control. The whole team had visited off and on, but Emily had stayed the whole time. The doctor reluctantly released him with a promise from Emily that she would keep an eye on him. Emily drove him home and he moaned when he saw everyone's cars along the road. "Just stop. Garcia and the boys wanted to throw you a welcome home party, and you will like it!" she told him as she handed him his crutch as he got out of the car.

"I will, huh?"

"Yes, you will."

"And when did you become my wife?" he asked jokingly.

"I had it done when you were asleep," she laughed.

"Well, then, I guess it's 'yes ma'am,'" he laughed with her as they made their way up the drive.

"Daddy!" Jack yelled as he launched himself out of the house towards his father. He came to a skidding halt as Hotch turned his body so his excited son would run into his good leg.

"Hey, Buddy!"

"Are you glad to be home?"

"Of course!"

"Uncle Dave and Uncle Morgan are grilling and it's not even summer!" Jack told as he grabbed his hand and started pulling him inside.

"Is that right? Are they making Daddy a steak?"

"Yep! And me and Henry get hot dogs!"

"Cool!" Hotch told him as they finally made it inside. Hotch groaned inwardly as he saw how Garcia and the boys had decorated. Every balloon and streamer had some sort of bear on it. Right in the middle of it all sat the giant bear Garcia had bought him, and somebody thought it appropriate to but one of Hotch's good ties around its neck.

"Well, it's about time you get here. You want a cold beer?" Morgan asked gesturing with his own bottle.

"Give the man a chance to get in first," Rossi scolded Morgan, and went up to give Hotch a hug. "Welcome home my friend."

Hotch hugged him back. "It's good to be home."

"And finally able to completely relax!"

Hotch smiled at the man. "Yes, finally!"

Everyone gathered around and welcomed him home, Morgan got him a beer. The whole party was going nicely and once the food was done, everyone sat down to eat. Rossi had even brought Mudgie with him. He had earned a steak, too, after what he had been through. After eating everyone settled down and just enjoyed each other's company as Garcia went around passing out her famous cookies. The boys took two each and went outside to play with Mudgie. Hotch quietly escaped everyone's attention and slipped out the front door. He hobbled over to his car as he wondered who had brought it to his house. He went around to the passenger side and opened the door. He held his breath as he opened the glove box. He let the breath out and relaxed when he saw the letter still there. He sat in the car and took the letter out. Shit! He knew someone had read it by the way it was folded. It also looked crinkled and Hotch figured it must have spent some time in someone's pocket. He unfolded it as he wondered who had read it and put it back. "I found the letter," Rossi said and actually startled Hotch as he hadn't heard anyone approach.

Hotch got out of the car and looked at the man who was so many things to him: friend, coworker, mentor, father. "You read it?"

"Yeah," Rossi said his eyes watered.

"You share it with anyone?"

"No. I couldn't do that until I knew for sure."

Hotch nodded and looked at the ground. "It's all true, you know?" His eyes watering, too.

"Yeah, I know." Hotch looked at him again. "Some of the other people in there may not, though. Maybe you shouldn't wait until you die before you tell her how you feel."

"But I . . ." Hotch started as he wiped the tears out of his eyes.

"Don't 'but' me Aaron. You've liked Prentiss for a very long time." Hotch went to say something, but Rossi went on. "Yes, I know you were her boss, and I know the stickler in you would never go against policy, but you're not her boss now, Aaron. You missed your chance when she left because you were with Beth."

"Alright, Dave."

"No, Aaron. Why exactly didn't it work between you and Beth, huh? And don't tell me it was because she moved."

Hotch just stared at him.

"Do you think it might be because you kept thinking about a different dark haired woman?"

Hotch looked at the ground again.

"Aaron, I don't need to be a profiler to see your attraction to her. Hell, the whole team knows it."

Hotch's mouth hung open.

"Well, the whole team except Prentiss."

Hotch looked relieved at that, and when Rossi didn't continue he shuffled his good foot on the pavement. "And if she doesn't feel the same?"

Rossi laughed. "And here I thought you were top notch profiler."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Jesus, Aaron, are you really that blind? I tried to explain it to you when you came home last time. We all can see the attraction you and Emily have for each other. Apparently, you two are the only ones who don't see it." Rossi could tell Hotch was thinking about it. "What have you got to lose? If she doesn't feel the same, then she goes back to London. And everything is back the way it was."

Hotch smiled. "I guess. I don't really have an excuse, do I?"

"Not anymore. Now put that letter away, and let's get back in there before they think we went missing again."

Hotch laughed, put the letter away, and followed Rossi back into the house. God, it is good to be home.

The End