Criminal Minds Oneshots

Aaron Hotchner- The Choice is Yours Part 2

Sirens blared around him, but Hotch couldn't hear them, all he could hear was that gunshot, over and over again as it taunted him. He shot y/n once in the chest and then fired at the wall a couple times, hoping beyond hope she'd be okay.

That was when Morgan and Rossi came rushing in, followed by Reid, Emily, and JJ. The whole team here...but how? They arrested Tom and the other guys while Hotch knelt down to y/n and cradled her in his arms, "please be o-okay please," he whispered. The paramedics came to take her to the hospital. There was still hope.

But he couldn't join her, not yet. He picked up the gun lying on the floor and pointed it at Tom, firing without hesitation. Nobody tried to stop him as he kept firing until he was sure Tom was dead. They knew he needed to do this. Then he held onto Jack for dear life, almost like if he let go he'd be gone too.

Rossi drove him to the hospital, and the rest of the team was there in the waiting room. He still could barley focus on the sounds around him, only hearing that single gunshot that made it to y/n's chest, the one that could be killing her right this very moment.

"Hey Morgan," Hotch tried to sound like he wasn't completely destroyed, "how'd you know? To come find me."

"Y/n got ahold of me from her phone before Hatchett took it. We had to work out where she was at for ourselves, that's why it...god this is all my fault! I should have been there sooner," he shook his head and faced the wall, pressing both hands against it.

"This isn't your fault, you came. You'll be the reason she survives this...if she survives this," no, he couldn't think like that. He wasn't going to gain false hope that she'd be okay, but he certainly wasn't going to start thinking about if...if she...he just couldn't.

Time slowed so much that he was starting to lose his mind. Shouldn't they have told him by now what's up? Surely they would tell him as soon as they knew something. Did he really need to flash his badge at them and demand answers? Because it was about to happen.

Jack had fallen asleep in a chair next to his uncle Rossi. Hotch denied that anyone take him home, he needed Jack to stay with him.

Finally after what felt like hours a nurse came up to him and told him everything she knew. Y/n would be okay. She would live. Hotch felt the relief he had been waiting to feel. He finally felt like he was able to breathe, and hear clearly, the gunshots less loud in his head, although still present.

Hotch was allowed to go see her, although she wasn't awake yet. He walked in the room and exhaled the breath he was holding in when he saw her, hurt but alive. He kissed her forehead  and touched her cheek lightly, "everything's going to be okay, I love you so much," he whispered while laying his head against y/n's. He sat down in the chair next to her bed and took her hand. He promised himself, and her, that he'd stay up until she woke up, but the night had taken a toll on him. He fell asleep within ten minutes of fighting it off.

***

He didn't know how long he slept, but what woke him was the movement in his hand, he was confused for a moment before registering that it was y/n's hand moving in his own. His eyes traveled over to hers, they were open, and she was smiling at him, how could she be smiling after everything? But what surprised him the most was that he too had a smile on his face. He felt pure joy that he was looking into y/n's beautiful eyes again, and that he'd be able to for a long time, hopefully for the rest of his life.

"You're alive," he whispered, squeezing her hand just barely in case it would hurt her in any way.

"I'm alive, I guess I just couldn't stand the thought of never getting to see your beautiful smile ever again, it is so rare," she smiled and touched his cheek with her free hand, earning her another smile from him.

"You know that's not true, I smile all the time at home, it's just when I'm at work."

"Yes but you're always at work," she reminded him.

"Well I'll work on smiling more for you, anything for you," he whispered before bringing his lips down to her hand, "I do have a question for you."

"Shoot- ah wait, bad time to be saying that. What's up?"

Hotch fiddled nervously with this hands, "uh, will you...marry me?"

"I'm sorry...what? Did you just propose?"

"Yeah, I mean no- sorta. I have the ring in my drawer at home so it's not as official but god
y/n I want to marry you so badly," he whispered.

Y/n smiled at him and kissed his forehead, "of course I'll marry you Aaron."

Hotch grinned her and leaned over to peck her lips before hearing footsteps. One heavier than the other. His hand fell to the place where he'd normally have his gun, but remembered that he didn't have it on him. He relaxed his hand when he saw it was only Rossi with Jack. Jack was holding his hand but instantly let go and ran over to y/n's bed, "are you okay y/n? Uncle Dave told me you were sleeping and that you got a little hurt. Why did daddy hurt you?"

Y/n let go of Hotch's hand and scooted over a little, that must have been Hotch's cue, he lifted Jack up and set him gently on the bed with y/n. "Your daddy had to or the bad men would have hurt you. And you know your daddy would never let them hurt you yeah?"

Jack nodded, "so he wasn't hurting you on purpose?"

"No sweetheart, he would never do that. Your daddy is so brave. Go and tell him how brave he is," she kissed Jacks forehead.

Jack stood up on the bed and wrapped his arms around Hotch's shoulders, "you're so brave daddy," he smiled while resting his head on his shoulder.

"Aw thank you buddy, I'm glad you think that," he kissed Jacks cheek and picked him up, holding him close, "you know who's also brave?"

"Who?" Jack asked curiously.

"You are of course!"

"Noooo!" Jack giggled, "I'm not brave."

"Sure you are buddy, you're so brave," he set Jack down.

Jack hurried over to Rossi, "am I brave uncle Dave?"

Rossi chuckled, "the bravest, c'mon let's go get you a snack from the vending machine," he walked over to y/n and kissed her forehead, "I'm glad you're okay, Aaron would have been devastated." He took Jacks hand and left the room.

"I just want to hold you right now," he whispered to y/n.

"I think that's pushing it a little, this bed is pretty damn small," she chuckled.

"Alright well as soon as you can get out of it I'll take you home and never let you go."

"Mmm what about for work?"

"Can wait."

"Well you'll get fired," she smirked.

"Don't care," he smiled back.

"I love you."

"I love you more sweetheart."

Y/n fell asleep after about an hour. Hotch held her hand again, and with his other hand he stroked her cheek. "Thank you for keeping her safe," he whispered, he didn't know who exactly he was thanking, but he needed to say it, because he could have lost her tonight. Instead she was here, asleep but very much alive. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, "thank you for staying with me y/n."