sweet honey | aaron hotchner

24 - called back

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"She's sleeping." Ben said as he saw Hotch approaching him. He raised an eyebrow at the agent as he carried on walking to her room. "Aaron."

Hotch turned around to face him. "She just got shot. It's taking it's toll on her. Let her sleep." He told him.

"Can't I just sit next to her?" He asked quietly.

Ben narrowed his eyes at the man front of him. He had obviously just taken a shower as his hair was a little damp and flopping all over his face. He almost laughed at the sight but nodded instead. "All right. Don't wake her up, otherwise I'll see to it that you won't be able to see her until she's discharged." He said sharply.

"Got it." Hotch followed Ben to her room and he let him in silently.

"If you feel tired, leave. If she wakes up, it's best to let her go back to sleep but if she doesn't, call me." Hotch nodded as Ben told him that and left.

He walked over to the profoundly uncomfortable chair and got as comfortable as he could in it. He pulled out a book and started reading, glancing at Olivia's sleeping form every once in a while.

"Aaron?" She said softly after half an hour of him silently reading.

"I'm here." He said as he got up and went to stand by her side.

"Hi." She smiled painfully.

"Hi." He replied. She watched as he leant over her and his hair flopped over his eyes. She lifted her hand and pushed it back so she could see his eyes. She quickly put her hand down as she felt her shoulder throb a little and winced. He noticed and smoothed her hair down as he sat down on the edge of her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better." She chuckled.

"You should-" he said as he stood up again. "Ben basically threatened to keep me from seeing you until you're discharged if I didn't let you rest. So you should go back to sleep."

She smiled, it was just like Ben to do that. She turned over and sleep came easy this time. He watched as she fell asleep and settled back down in his chair, picking up his book and carried on with his reading.

An hour and a half later, he got a call.

"Aaron Hotchner." He answered the phone as he put his book down.

"Hotch, it's JJ, we have a case." She heard him sigh. "I'm on my way." He told her.

He picked up his book and stood up. "Leaving?" He saw Ben at the door.

"A case came up. Take care of her." Ben nodded as the agent walked past him and out the door.

He walked inside the BAU a few hours later after him and the team flew back to Quantico. "What do we have?"

"A missing girl." JJ said. "She was taken at a fair, she's been gone for nearly five hours. Her mother's in the conference room."

"Okay, we know we only have twenty four hours so we need to get started. JJ and Reid, I need you to talk to the mother. Rossi-"

"JJ there's a woman in your office, she claims her son was taken but the same person." Prentiss interrupted as she walked towards them.

JJ sighed, "Is she drunk?" Emily nodded. "Yeah she comes here every time there's a kidnapping. Her son was taken eight years ago she's never really gotten over it." JJ said as she left for her office.

Back in New York, Olivia was slowly waking up. "Aaron?" She whispered.

"Hello darling."

"Dad?" He walked over and kissed her forehead. She felt something squeeze her hand and turned to see her mom. "Hey mom." She smiled.

"Oh honey, we were so worried." She said. "We were in Maine when Ben called."

"I thought you guys were touring Europe?"

"We just got back. We were going to call when Ben called. How are you feeling?" Her mother asked.

"She's doing well Mrs Ambrosia." Ben answered as he slipped inside the room.

"Ben!" She gave him a hug and he reached over to give her father a handshake. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well, and you guys? How was Europe?"

"Oh it was absolutely wonderful! Promise me when you get married you'll take your wife there." Mrs Ambrosia said sweetly.

Ben chuckled, "yes ma'am."

"Ben. Has the team-"

"They flew back to Virginia a couple of hours ago. A case came up." He replied. She nodded. "But, Aaron has called five times over the last two hours to check on you. Now I can finally tell him you're awake." Ben told her.

His phone started ringing and he groaned. "I should never have given him my personal number." He mumbled as he answered his phone. "Dr Benjamin Parker." He paused. "She's awake now." He handed the phone over to her. "It's for you."

She slowly grabbed the phone and held it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Olivia!" She heard Emily and Penelope shout.

"Hey, the whole team is here. We just wanted to see how you were doing." Hotch said.

She grinned and looked over at her parents, they were smiling at her.

"I'm doing okay I guess. My parents are here so that's comforting."

"We miss you." JJ said.

"Yeah, ask Ben when you're flying back." She heard Spencer say.

"Ask him yourself." She said as she put it on speaker. "Ben, they have a question."

"Hey man, when's Olivia coming back? We're barely functioning without her." Morgan asked.

"Well hopefully she'll be well enough to fly back in three days. She'll be out of commission for a while so don't expect her to join you in the field but she can go to back to the office if she pleases." Ben explained.

"All right!" Morgan exclaimed and they heard a high five taking place.

Olivia giggled. "I miss you guys."

"We can't wait to have you back." Rossi said as he appeared next to Hotch, who was still holding the phone and grinning as he listened to Olivia. She heard the whole team agree.

"Well we have to go now, this case is working us hard. I'll call you later?" Hotch said as he took the team off speaker.

"Call her phone next time." Ben grumbled.

"I heard that." Hotch said sharply. "You get better okay?"

"Okay." She replied and he ended the call.

"They seem-" her dad paused, "very energetic."

Olivia laughed. "That's my team. Uh Dr. Spencer Reid, Emily Prentiss, Penelope Garcia, Derek Morgan, David Rossi, Aaron Hotchner and you know JJ."

"Rossi? The book guy?" Her mother questioned.

"Yeah mom, the book guy." She furrowed her brows at Rossi's nickname.

"And that man on the phone, who said goodbye?"

"Aaron Hotchner. My boss."

Her mother nodded slowly. "Your boss."

Ben grinned. "Yes the boss who stay- oof." He groaned as he held the side where Olivia elbowed him. She gave him a threatening glare and he smiled mischievously back at her.