Saving Agent Hotchner | 1

43. Sick day

Aaron couldn't lie. He had missed the sound of a baby crying. To him, it was normal. And, with his life and job, all he wanted was a little bit of normal.

He had spent the last 2 months being by Y/N's side. As soon as Y/N reached full term in her pregnancy, Aaron basically insisted that he would be with her. He wasn't around much when Haley was pregnant, and he wasn't going to be that way with Y/N. He also insisted staying with her during her first month post-birth. He quite enjoyed being woken up at 2 AM - but not by Penelope or JJ with a case, but with a crying baby who wanted to be fed, or changed, or both.

Every night, Aaron and Y/N would rotate baby duty. One night, Y/N would get up and soothe their daughter. The next night, Aaron would get up and soothe their daughter.

At 2:35 AM, Y/N was woken up by the sound of Avery crying in the nursery. She got out of bed, sleepily made her way to Avery's crib and lifted the crying one-month-old into her arms. She rocked Avery, fed Avery and tried putting her back to bed, but she had no success. She felt Avery's forehead with the back of her hand and exhaled when she felt her little girl's head warming up. Grabbing an ear thermometer, Y/N took Avery's temperature and shook her head, seeing how high it was. For the next few hours, Y/N did everything in her power to soothe the crying baby. Aaron even woke up at 4 AM when he had noticed that his wife hadn't returned to bed.

"Fever." Y/N whispered as Avery fed for the 2nd time.

"Looks like you're staying home a little while longer." Aaron exhaled, placing a kiss on Y/N's forehead. Y/N had hoped to return to work either that day, or in the following days, but apparently that wasn't going to happen. With a sick baby, everyone in the house was bound to end up sick.

Y/N gave Avery some baby-safe medicine before putting her to sleep. At 7 AM, she walked into the kitchen to see Aaron giving some breakfast to Jack, who shook his head, pushing the bowl away.

"You're not feeling well either?" Y/N felt Jack's forehead, immediately feeling the heat.

"My head hurts." Jack whined.

"Alright. Get back to bed, sweetheart. Your sister isn't doing so well either." Y/N guided Jack back to his room.

Walking back to the kitchen, Y/N exhaled.

"How are you feeling, Y/N? Surely a kid and a baby who don't feel well will pass something on." Aaron warned.

"I'm fine, for now. I'm just gonna focus on taking care of Jack and Avery. If and when I end up sick, I can deal with that mess when I get to it." Y/N chuckled, placing a kiss on Aaron's cheek, watching as he walked toward the front door to head to work.

———

After a day of paperwork, Aaron returned home looking a bit upset. Y/N noticed this. She got Avery and Jack to bed, both taking some medicine. As soon as they were asleep, Y/N returned downstairs and watched as Aaron got off the phone with someone.

"Hey, you're looking gloomy. What's wrong? Is everything okay at work?" Y/N wrapped her arms around her husband's waist, concerned.

"Strauss informed me today that I'll be going to Pakistan to be apart of an investigative task force. I don't have a choice." Aaron revealed.

"You're going to Pakistan? I- I don't understand." Y/N furrowed her eyebrows.

"Ever since you were in your second trimester of pregnancy, Strauss has been trying to find any reason - big or small - to take me or you away from the team. Emily's death gave her that reason." Aaron exhaled.

"Does she not understand that you have a wife, a son and a month old baby who need you?" Y/N got more upset.

"I tried to object, but she already made up her mind. Technically it's not fully her choice. The brass suggested the change and Strauss agreed." Aaron shook his head.

"How long will you be gone for?" Y/N asked.

"It's supposed to be temporary, but from how Strauss described it, the change is indefinite." Aaron wrapped Y/N in a hug, trying to comfort himself and her.

"W- When do you leave?" Y/N asked.

"Tomorrow night." Aaron exhaled.

"So soon?" Y/N felt a few tears roll down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry. I'll do everything I can to get back sooner." Aaron reassured her.

"Avery's a month old. She probably won't remember when she's older." Y/N tried to joke, but couldn't muster up a smile.

———

Aaron spent his last day in the U.S. with Y/N, Jack and Avery. The kids were sick, so they couldn't do much, but Aaron just enjoyed being a parent, knowing that he wouldn't be around as a father for a while. Y/N put the kids to bed before watching as Aaron unlocked the front door.

"I'm gonna miss you, so much." Y/N admitted.

"I'm gonna miss you too. All of you. I'll call as much as I can. I want lots of photos and videos of Jack and Avery. I want to be updated as much as possible." Aaron asked, earning a kiss of confirmation from Y/N.

"I love you." She muttered against his lips.

"I love you too." He replied before leaving the house, Y/N locking the door behind him. The moment the front door was shut and locked, she started sobbing.

She sobbed for a good 5 minutes before she could hear Avery crying. She walked upstairs and lifted Avery out of her crib, bringing her to the master bedroom. They laid on the bed and Avery fell asleep in her mother's arms, her tiny fingers gripping onto Y/N's shirt. Jack joined them 2 minutes later, having endured a nightmare.

"I miss dad." Jack exhaled.

"I miss him too. But he'll be home as soon as he can." Y/N reassured her son, who nodded, beginning to fall asleep next to his baby sister and mother.