The Stuggle of Loving You | a. hotchner | ✔

Chapter 14

Class was dismissed, the students filed out of the room. I sat up and went to Hotch's desk waiting for him to gather his things.

"How'd I do?", I asked him. "Very well, I know your potential and I knew you'd exceed my standards."

The whole profiling aspect was something I've been brushing up on the past few weeks. Knowing that as soon as I graduate I'm going straight into the academy. I wasn't concerned with where I'd end up in the FBI, just wanting to be highly ranked.

He grabbed my hand and we started walking to the doors at the front of the hall. "I have a few more classes then I'm heading to the hospital."

"I'll meet you there."

"Oh that reminds me, before we leave can you give me the homework for Chloe." I waited by the doors while he went back to his desk. Shuffling through a few papers, he handed them to me after walking back. "Here you go."

"Thanks", before we went through the doors I grabbed him by his shirt and pressed my lips to his. Catching him off guard but he kissed back, setting his hands on my hips.

We pulled away, "See you later."

Opening the doors, going our separate ways. I made my way to my other classes, all of them being boring lectures. None of them were engaging, nothing about them were captivating. I pushed through, trying to not fall asleep.

I was handed the homework that was due within the next week. There were around four papers each class, with Hotch I had five but at least I enjoyed his.

There were more people in other classes than Hotches, meaning I needed to talk to more people.

When I was finished, I went over to my car and got inside, driving to the hospital. I made a stop getting some food for Hotch and I, maybe Chloe if she woke up when I got there.

I got outside and texted Hotch letting him know where I was.

I walked inside and went to her room, the lights were off and she was still asleep. There was a nurse next to her bed taking her vitals, "Has she woken up yet?" I asked as I sat down in the chair next to her bed.

"She was awake a few hours ago, asking for you." She finished what she was doing and left. I pulled the table that was near her to me. Placing the bag of food down and started eating.

I set up my phone and started watching YouTube. "Is that food?", I heard Chloe say. It made me laugh a bit, "Yeah, want some?"

She sat up, "Hell yeah." I gave her the fries from my bag and I turned the phone so she could watch with me. "Did you get anything else?"

"Yeah, but it's not for you. Those fries were yours."

"Who are they for?", I was going to answer but I noticed Chloe's attention turning towards the door. "Never mind."

My eyes met his and we softly grinned at each other. He came over and sat next to me, "I got you some." He started eating while I talked with Chloe.

"Okay, are you going to tell me what happened or pretend like you aren't in a hospital now." She looked down while she twittled her fingers together. "What's there to tell, I drank too much."

"Chloe, you never let yourself drink that much, ever." She was lying to me, I was going to find out why. Aaron caught on, staying out of our conversation but was watching and listening intently. I had my suspicions but he was going to verify what I already thought.

He finished eating and briefly left the room to throw away the trash.

Chloe watched as he left and turned to me, "There was a group of guys. They had spiked the drinks after you left. I started noticing everyone was slowly falling to the floor. I thought they were just knocking out but then I started getting woozy. I hadn't drank as much as the other people so I didn't pass out--."

Chloe stopped talking the second Aaron walked back inside, I figured where the story was going so I didn't press. Hotch sat back down, putting his hand next to mine. Wrapping his finger with mine, he also didn't want anyone to know that we were seeing each other.

The doctor walked back in the room, "Here are the discharge papers, you're clear to go."

"How are the other students, the ones that were brought in when I was." Chloe asked the doctor before he left. "Some of them didn't make it, ingesting a highly lethal amount of alcohol." He walked out and we were left alone.

I was going to ask Chloe more about it when Aaron wasn't present. I handed her the clipboard and she signed it.

"I'm over this." She said as she stood up changing back into her clothes.

Chloe went into the bathroom, "I'll see you later." I said bye and Hotch pecked my lips before leaving.

"Come on", we got out of the hospital and got into the car. I started it and drove to our apartment, "Continue with the story."

"I wasn't the only one that didn't pass out so they forced some of them to drink more. They came over to me and did things. Not all of them but enough... when they were done they made me drink half a bottle till I faded away. I didn't see their faces so it doesn't matter."

I think I knew who she was talking about, the guys on the couch. The ones that were staring at me when Aiden walked me out of the house. They were students, they went to our school.

I hate to admit it but these things happened occasionally at our college.

When I was a freshman there were multiple sexual assault charges against one of the other male students. He was never convicted of anything, he got away with it because of daddy's money.

It's the sad reality that these things were never taken seriously or even dealt with.

After a few requests we stopped for some dinner. Then we kept driving till we got home, we got out of the car and climbed the stairs. Unlocking the door, I swung my bag on the couch and threw away my trash. "Before you go to bed... here", I handed her the homework that she missed.

"Thanks", she went down the short hallway and into her room, shutting the door. I slumped on the couch, it being too early to fall asleep. I just wanted Hotch with me, to at least hear his voice.

It was right on que. Aaron was calling me, "I'm just letting you know class is canceled tomorrow."

"Oh, why?" I laid down, putting my legs on the top of the cushions. "You remember the case I told you about, the one my team is working on in Washington."

"Yeah."

"They still haven't solved it and my boss is advising me to fly down there and assist. I don't want to go but I don't really have a choice."

"That's fine, do what you need to. Hey, maybe I can help, if you guys need it. And by what you just told me, you do."

He chuckled, "I might have a few questions to ask, a fresh pair of eyes wouldn't be that bad." I stood up, turning off all of the lights.

Heading to my room, I put the phone on speaker and got changed. "What are you doing?", I threw my dirty clothes into the hamper and laid down.

"Packing, you?"

"Laying down", I pulled the blanket up farther covering my body. "You're about to go to bed aren't you?"

"I wasn't tired earlier, I wanted to hear your voice, then you called. I don't know, something about you is just very... boring." I chuckled to myself at the joke.

"Watch it", Hotch said darkly. But he still got a laugh out of it afterwards. "Well, alright I'll let you get some rest."

"Goodnight." I finally got comfortable and my eyelids were getting heavy.

"Goodnight sweetheart." We ended the call.