Cruel - Criminal minds enemies to lovers

Uncomfortable conversations

"I-I'm so sorry Athena" Emily said in tearful shock at the story Athena had just finished telling her about Hotch. They were now in the room of the French hospital, Athena was receiving a blood transfusion.

"Shit happens" Athena sighed "it only made me more vengeful and bitter- I guess I didn't have to pretend to be anything other than the monster I was, I gave into it and committed my all to fucking with the team, to taking down him, to taking down the BAU."

"He hurt you that badly?" Emily took her hand.

"I don't blame him, I did straight up lie to him the entire time" Athena shrugged, "it was the 'lawfully' and 'morally' right thing to do- and we all know how lawful and moral Hotch is. Don't tell him this but honestly, he's one of my closest friends now and I'm glad he did what he did. Plus- if he hadn't left me there to die then I wouldn't have gone as hard as I did with tormenting you guys and wouldn't have ended up on this bullshit team which I pretend to hate so much" she smiled.

"No wonder your torments got so intense after that night of almost catching you" Emily chuckled.

"I'm nothing if not a bitter bitch" Athena laughed.

"Yeah you are" a playful teasing voice came from the door that made her smile.

"Hey you- nice bandage, loser. I dislocated my shoulder and broke my forearm and I don't have to have one of them. Imagine having weak bones" Athena teased and held out her hand as Morgan approached her, his arm was in a sling and his cuts had been stitched up.

His hand slid into hers as he smiled down at her. Emily watched the two of them, how they looked at each other, how they held each other- she couldn't help but smile. Hotch may have left Athena alone, confused and terrified of what she didn't know about love but Morgan had put her back together, cared for her with his whole heart and taught her what love was meant to be. Even when they were fighting and hating each other at the beginning, when she was tormenting him, when he was mocking her at work- there was a level of understanding, a level of care, a kind of love that Athena had never been given before- not even by Hotch who in an unknowing way had used her just like every man before Morgan had.

"How are you doing?" Morgan asked, rubbing her hand with his thumb gently.

"Not gonna lie man- pretty shitty" Athena laughed.

"That was a kind of obvious answer, sorry" Morgan chuckled.

"I'll be back in a minute" Emily smiled to Athena as her phone rang and she left the room.

"So..." Athena said after a few moments of awkward silence.

"So?"

"I don't know man, the silence was just a lot" Athena chuckled, Morgan rolled his eyes with a laugh and sat by her on the bed.

"Should we talk about it? I feel like we should talk about it- am I making this weird? This seems like I'm making it weird- I'm rambling now oh god, I'm not a rambler. I'm usually the cool and aloof one" Athena turned to him. She didn't know why she felt guilty about him finding about her and Hotch. She was over it, it only a brief love affair way before her and Morgan that truly didn't mean anything to her now, she had no feelings towards Hotch at all and questioned if she ever really had or if it was just because he was somewhat nice to her- she thought it didn't mean anything to him either until what Bella said. She was worried that Morgan would think more of it or be mad at her for not telling him.

"Not if you don't want to- you don't owe me any explanation" Morgan smiled softly at her which surprised her.

"You sure? You seemed pretty pissed about the whole situation earlier" Athena remembered his face on the stairs as Bella spoke.