Work Relations || Aaron Hotchner

Chapter 49

My vibrating phone pulled me out of my sweet sleep. I frown and I take it from the nightstand

New message from: Penelope✨
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!

I let the phone back down and I turn to the other side to wake Aaron. But he isn't there. I lift my head and I look at the door. I can see light coming from the bathroom. I force myself to get up and I go there. I see Aaron washing his face "Good morning?" I say
"Hey, why are you awake?" he asks
"Penelope called us in" I say
"Ok, we should be going" he says but I stop him. He looked a bit pale so I put my hand on his forehead.
"I'm going, you are staying here" I say
"No, I'm fine" he says
"No, you're not. You are pale, you're burning up and I bet that you were just throwing up" I say
"I'm gonna be ok" he says going back to the room.

"Hey, no! You're not going anywhere like this. Sit down" I say following him
"I said that I'm gonna be fine. I don't get sick, ever" he says
"Yeah, I can see that right now. At some point, Aaron, you have to ask yourself, is your presence there going to do more harm than good? It's better to stay home and get better than coming and probably getting worse. I mean imagine being at the crime scene and you vomit again" I say
"Don't... Stop. I can't let you go by yourself. You're almost 5 months--" he says
"I said sit down. Like you said I'm almost 5 months pregnant so you don't want to piss me off while my hormones are partying inside of me, right Aaron?" I ask and he finally sits back on the bed.

"Thank you" I say and I turn to go to the closet. "And it's not like you're my bodyguard or I'm gonna be alone" I say and he gets up runs to the bathroom again. "Oh God... Tell me that you made it to the toilet and that I don't have to clean up at 6 am" I say from the bedroom
"I did" I hear
"Good" I say and I start to get dressed.
"I left some case files on my desk yesterday, you can bring them to me. At least I can do that from here" he says
"No, stop. You're not working today" I say "You are going to lay in bed, drink lots of chamomile, eat some bananas and toasts. You will only get up if Jack really needs you because he is old enough to understand what being sick means, or when you need to go to the bathroom, got it?" I say as I pull the covers on him
"Yes ma'am" he says
"Great. I'll see you when I get back" I say and I blow him a kiss
"Call me when you are on the jet" he says
"Ok" I say and I leave.

I went to the bureau and ran to the conference room. "Let's start" I say
"Where is Hotch?" Morgan asks
"Home with stomach flu" I say
"Ok. Three hours ago the Nashville PD got a call reporting a dead body in an old diner that has been closed for about 6 years now and when the two police officers got there, the place blew up. Eventually they found the remains of 4 people in that place. They haven't IDed the two other people yet but I'm still waiting for DNA and dental records that should be coming any minute" she says
"There wasn't any matches with missing person's reports?" I ask
"There were some that match but they are more than you think" she says
"The attack was clearly against the officers" Morgan says
"The question is, are there gonna be more?" David asks
"Probably. Ok, wheels up in 30" I say and I go in the office. I let the new files on the desk and I look for the ones he said he hasn't reviewed yet. "How the hell does this man work in here?" I ask myself as I look at the piles of files that were already on the desk.

After we reviewed the case again on the jet and I assigned everyone something to do, I went to the side to call Aaron. "Hey" he says as soon as he answers
"Hey, how are you?" I ask
"No major changes on me. But Jack woke up and it looks like we are both in the same condition" he says
"Really? Is he running a fiver too? Is he throwing up?" I ask
"Yes and yes. We were taking turns vomiting until a few minutes ago" he says
"That sounds... lovely. How is he now?" I ask
"He is sleeping. I brought him to our bed" he says
"Good. Uhm.. look, when we land, I can catch the next flight back and--" I start to say but he interrupts me
"No, no, you stay there and work the case. We will be make it" he says
"Are you sure?" I ask
"I think so. You just focus on your job" he says
"You mean... your job?" I ask and I hear his chuckle
"Oh yeah right" he says.

"Ok. Call me or Jessica if you need something. And I know that your stomachs hurt right now but please make sure you BOTH eat something as soon as you complete at least an hours of not vomiting and drink lots of water, small but many sips" I say
"Ok, don't worry about us. How are you? Any kicks yet?" he asks
"Not yet. She will when she's ready. By the way, I went through the files you had on your desk and I reorganized a little bit until we left" I say
"You didn't have to" he says
"I know. I was just bored and was looking for something to do" I say and I hear him chuckle
"Tell me about the case" he says
"Oh no. You, my love, are not working right now" I say
"I had to try" he says and I chuckle
"I'll be home as soon as I can. I love you. Get some rest" I say
"We will. Love you too. Be careful" he says
"I will. Bye" I say
"Bye" he says and hungs up.

I go back to the others and I sit down. "Was that Hotch?" Morgan asks
"Yes. Apparently Jack is sick too, Aaron says that he got it but I don't know. I might need to leave earlier than you if they get worst" I say
"If it comes down to that you should go" JJ says
"We'll see... Until then they are staying in bed and Hotch may try fishing for information about the case so don't tell him anything. Anyway, Garcia were you able to find were the call of the dead bodies came from?" I ask
"Yeah, it came from a disposable sel that they actually recovered burnt from the diner" she says
"Any ID on the victims?" JJ asks
"Yes! That's why I called. The first victim was Nancy Webber, she was only 4... And the other one is her father Travis Webber. They were out for a walk last evening and they went missing" she says
"What about Nancy's mother?" I ask
"She reported them missing late last night" she says
"Ok, send me her address, I'll head there when we land" I say
"Done" she says.

Later that day, we reunited at the station and started building the profile. Penelope calls "Tell me" I say putting her on speaker
"Jessie, I'm really sorry" she says immediately
"What happened?" I ask
"Hotch called and you know how I talk and talk and sometimes I say thinking without thinking?" she says
"Yes?" I say
"I accidentally gave him information about the case" she says
"Penelope!" I say
"I'm sorry. He just got me talking and I didn't realize when the conversation went there" she says and I roll my eyes
"Ok. Just leave it up to me and don't tell him anything else please" I say
"I'll do my best" she says and hungs up.

I immediately dial Aaron's number still on speaker. "Hotchner" he says immediately
"Hotchner!" I say louder than usual "I believe I told you to stay in bed and get rest but instead you are calling and harassing the team" I say
"I didn't harasse anyone" he says
"Calling Garcia, getting her talking while knowing very well that she eventually will get distracted and tell you what you want without thinking, sounds like manipulation to me" David says
"Who's side are you on Dave?" Aaron asks
"On the side that tells you to rest, which side also happens to be my current chief" David says and I chuckle
"She got this Hotch. You and Jack sit tight and get better" Derek says
"Please, let your brain rest" I say
"Ok, I'll try" he says
"Thank you" I say and I hung up. "See what I have to put up with?" I ask as I look back at the papers in front of me
"Well, you expected it" Derek says
"I did too but if I do this for example while I'm on maternity leave, he'll have Penelope block me from calling any of you" I say and he chuckles.