missing piece, aaron hotchner

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟓: 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠

Hotch's POV

5 days later.

I turn the light off in Jack's room, he had already passed out earlier on the couch, his football game today really taking it out of him. I slowly close his door, then make my way across the hall to Colette's room.

When I bought this house, I didn't know what I was going to do with the empty 3 bedrooms. I ended up turning one into a spare- although it's mostly just Jessica's room now for if she stays the night, one became a playroom for Jack, and the other was just used for storage. Now, the storage room has become Colette's, and the playroom now holds both of their toys. Maybe one day we'll find a better use for it, but for now, it suits just fine.

I peek into Coco's room, she had been upstairs for about 20 minutes now, so I wasn't surprised to find her curled up under the covers. I sneek over to her bed, kneeling beside it and peeling the toy out of her hands. I usually wouldn't care about such things, but this one was an action figure which shot small bullets out of its gun. Call me paranoid, but I didn't trust it not to randomly shoot something at her.

When her hands grabbed outwards, I picked her out a softer toy to replace it, and despite her half-sleeping state, she cuddles the toy up to her face with a satisfied sigh. She was so peaceful when she slept, it made a change from her usual attitude, although, since her realisation with Ada a few days ago, she had been much better behaved.

"Goodnight Coco," I whisper as I slowly stand, placing a kiss on her forehead.

Creeping out of the room, I turn the light off and close the door. It was probably around 9 pm, which was definitely too late for Jack and Colette to be going to sleep, and too early for Ada and me to be going to sleep. But that was what was happening tonight.

I walk back downstairs and to our bedroom, the light was already off, and Ada was in bed. She had felt better over the last 5 days though, she had watched movies with Jack, and played with Coco, she had even helped me cook dinner last night.

I close our door too, walking around to my side of the bed and stripping off my clothes. I grab the first pair of joggers I see and pull them on, then climb into bed, pulling the blanket up and over me.

With my forearm covering my eyes, I attempt to sleep, but it doesn't come. Not after 15 minutes, nor 30. I stay laid there, the darkness from the room should be helping, but instead, it just makes my mind wander.

I think of getting up, until I hear her next to me, "Aaron." Ada whispers, "Are you awake?"

"Yes," I reply. I almost ask are you, but that would be a stupid question.

She doesn't say anything else, but the sheets ruffle as she moves closer to me. I can't see her well, but I can feel her body next to mine. "Are you okay?" I ask, staying still on my back.

"Can you hold me, please?" She questions, voice quiet. I squint to look at her, the outline of her face barely visible. She hadn't wanted to do anything like that since we had come back from the hospital, except for a few hugs. I hadn't minded, I just wanted her to get better, and I didn't want her to push herself by trying to move too fast. But when she asks me like this, asking me outright to hold her, I can't say no.