Hotchniss One Shots

"Sick"

As the spring season arrived, so did all of the allergies that came along with the season. Emily found herself taking a variety of pills and medicines to help her inevitable spring allergies.

XXX

"It's not even spring!" she complained to Aaron from the passenger seat of his car on the drive back to his home after a long case in Salt Lake City, Utah.

"The ground is thawing. Get used to it for a while," he responded.

"No," she snapped in a nasally voice. "My nose has been raw since last week, and I can't smell or taste anything."

"Allergies."

"Yeah, I know." Emily rolled her eyes and then suddenly sneezed into her elbow and sniffled. "I need a tissue. No- I need ten boxes of tissues."

"We're almost at my house, okay? Can you last two more minutes?" he said in a joking manner.

She wasn't having it. "Cut the attitude, Hotch."

He chuckled at the use of his nickname.

XXX

They got to Aaron's home just in time to eat dinner with Jack. The boy was overjoyed that Emily, or who he so fondly nicknamed "Emmy" was joining them.

When they were finished eating, Jack went upstairs to play with his toys. Emily took a seat beside Aaron on his couch and leaned her head back with a sigh.

"Feeling better?" He asked, looking up from his book.

"No," she responded, shutting her eyes.

He moved his hand towards her and placed the back of his hand against her forehead. "You feel hot. Are you sure this is just allergies? I have some ibuprofen in the medicine cabinet."

She exhaled heavily. "I just need sleep. I should be at my place, I'm sorry."

"No, it was my suggestion that you come over. I'm glad you're here, because otherwise you wouldn't let anyone else take care of you."

"No, I-" she cut herself off, knowing he was right.

He smiled softly. "You're pale, Em. I'm bringing you to bed," he told her, standing up and extending his hand to her. "Let's go."

She stood up with a groan and followed him down the hall, feeling his hand running up and down her back comfortingly.

Then, she felt a new feeling of sickness rising in her stomach. "Aaron, I-" she grabbed his arm quickly.

"Woah, hey, hey," he caught her just as she leaned dangerously far forward. As soon as she was stable, she turned around and walked quickly to the bathroom.

In less than a minute, she was throwing up over the toilet, her boyfriend holding her raven hair back as she did so.

"I told you so," he said smugly.

"Told me so?" she hissed, taking a deep breath and not bothering look all the way up at him.

"I just need sleep," he mocked her, still holding her hair.

"Don't mess with me right now, Aaron."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Are you done?"

"I think so. . . Now I'm freezing," she said quietly, using his arm to stand up and flush the toilet. "Damnit, my head hurts."

Aaron took her arm and walked both of them down the hall and into his bedroom. "Em, you need rest."

"It's not even eight o'clock."

"I don't care, you're sick, and you're not leaving this bed until you're better."

"I don't need you to take care of me," she told him, letting go of his arm as she sat down at the edge of the mattress.

"I don't trust Sergio enough to do my job for me."

She groaned and gave up on trying to talk her way out of the situation, finally settling in underneath the covers. "I better get the day off tomorrow," she muttered, looking up at him.

"I'll have it taken care of. I'm going to say goodnight to Jack, I'll be right back."

"Tell him goodnight for me."

Moments later, he returned to the bedroom with a plastic container and a cold rag, closing the door behind him.

Emily had just began to drift off when she heard him enter and turn the lamp on beside her. She groaned, as the light contributed to her already pounding headache.

"If you need to throw up." He placed the container on the nightstand next to a tall glass of water. "Sleeping pills in case you can't sleep."

"Yeah, that's the definition of sleeping pills."

He ignored her snarky comment and laid a cold rag across her forehead. "For the fever."

"I don't have a fever."

After a moment of silence, in which Aaron refused to argue with her, he removed the rag and felt her head once more, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear.

"Bed time," he said finally, standing up and turning off the lamp.

It surprised her how easily he made it to his side of the bed in the darkness.

"Do you need another blanket? Are you cold?"

"No, I'm alright." She yawned and turned over to her side facing him. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"It's not your fault you're stubborn," he said quietly.

She could practically see his smug grin even in the dark room. "Thank you for being here for me."

There was a short silence between them. "You're welcome," he said, subconsciously moving closer to her.

Emily took this opportunity to snuggle into his soft shirt and put an arm over him. He did the same, and before long, their legs were also tangled together under the covers.

"I love you," Aaron whispered into her ear only seconds before she was out cold.