Retribution, A Spencer Reid/Criminal Minds Fanfic

Chapter 26. Diagnosis

“Wake up, Hotch……Aaron, wake up.”

“Mmmphhffffff.”

“C’mon. Up.”

The Unit Chief opened one lazy eye and trained it, in an impassive stare, on his friend.

“Dave.” He turned over onto his back and ran a hand over his face, trying to rub the lingering drowsiness away. His eyes winced at the light coming through the coarsely woven drapes.

“What time is it? I slept through the night?” On their previous visit, Hotch remembered coming awake and finding out he’d been under for a lot longer than eight or nine hours. He hoped that scenario hadn’t been repeated.

“You slept through the night…just the one, by the way.” Rossi had a feeling he knew what was on his boss’ mind. But he was also waiting for another realization to hit him. He stood back, smiling, waiting for Aaron to wake up enough to remember why he was here in the first place. It took the space of one yawn for things to click.

Hotch sat up abruptly, running his hands over his chest and ribs. Assured of his upper body being sound, he flipped the bedding back and leaned toward his right thigh. When he looked up at Rossi, both men grinned as though it were Christmas morning.

“He did it! He healed me!”

“Did you ever doubt that he would?” Rossi stood back, arms folded, and enjoyed the sight of unguarded happiness on Aaron’s face.

“No, but…well,…maybe a little.” Hotch swung his legs around and stood up, testing the formerly injured one by shifting his weight onto it and giving a small hop. “I mean, the last time, sure he helped me, but it wasn’t physical injury. Except toward the end of our stay when I pulled that muscle. But that was nothing like getting shot.”

Rossi raised his chin and gave Hotch a calculating look. “You didn’t tell me anything about a pulled muscle last time. What happened?”

“It was nothing.” Hotch looked up and saw by Dave’s single raised brow that he wouldn’t accept less than a full account of the incident. But the Unit Chief thought he knew how to cut the tale short. “It was something that happened during that sponge bath, Dave. Remember the sponge bath?Do you really want me to go there?” Hotch raised one of his own brows in challenge. “Reliving it might make me reconsider the whole payback situation. Might make me think I’m down by more than a purple unicorn. Might make me think I need to catch up. Big time.”

Visions of his beautifully landscaped mansion being overrun by caterers and coworkers the last time Hotch made good on the threat of payback played past Rossi’s inner eye. “Alright. We’ll forget about last time.” The calculating look waned, replaced by a grin. “You look healed. How do you feel?”

“Great. Hungry.” Then Hotch remembered the other half of what occurred when he stopped two of Calvin Saunderson’s bullets. “How’s Ana? Melinda?”

Rossi felt his skin prickle and shiver at the name the Reids favored for their child, but hadn’t revealed to anyone until Hotch had spoken it as matter-of-factly as if it were common knowledge. He swallowed. “Reid and Ana are here. They’re waiting in the living room. The doc wants us out there, too.”

This time both of Hotch’s eyebrows rose, questioning, seeking any and all available information regarding the young family-in-the-making. He was disappointed when Rossi shook his head and shrugged.

“That’s all I know. I think the doc wants us all together before he says anything.” His look traveled over Hotch’s unclad body. “And I think Reid and Ana might re-damage you if you don’t hurry up and get out there so we can hear what all this baby-link stuff is about.”