Criminal Minds x Reader

Healing Hands [A.H]

Cold air and a hollow ache were all you could feel as you lay on the unforgiving pavement, your body heavy and unresponsive. The acrid scent of smoke filled your nostrils, mingling with the metallic tang of blood that coated your tongue. Your mind was a foggy haze of confusion and pain, your thoughts scattered like ashes in the wind.

Somewhere in the mist, you could hear the faint sound of voices, distant and distorted as if coming from another world. But amidst the chaos, one voice cut through the clamor like a beacon of light in the darkness. "Shh, it's all gonna be okay. I'm stroking your hair, can you feel it?"

You strained to focus, to make sense of the surroundings, and through the haze, you saw him. Aaron. His face was twisted in pain but his eyes were filled with a fierce sweetness.

He was injured, you could see that much. You tried to raise your arm so you could touch him, but your body wasn't yours to control anymore.

You tried to respond, to reassure him that you were still there, still sensing, but all that emerged was a choked sob, the words caught in your throat like shards of glass. I can always feel your gentle touch on me you wanted to say. Now hold my hand, please, I'm scared.

And he understood, taking your hand in his as memory spoke volumes more than words ever could.

You stood in the sterile hospital room, your gaze fixed on the figure lying in the bed before you. His face was drawn with pain, lines etched deep into his features, yet there was a sense of vulnerability in his eyes that he only let show when he was alone with you.

"I've got a friend who is guarding the door. A good friend" you said softly, your voice barely above a whisper.

You gestured towards the door where Dave stood watch, a silent sentinel keeping the outside world at bay. Dave, the one person who knew Aaron better than anyone else, the one person who could see through his facade so carefully constructed.

"And since no one is going to be coming in, I'm- I'm now going to climb into bed with you, and I'm going to stroke your hair" you stated, your hand trembling slightly as you placed it open on your chest. "Because that's what I like to have done for me when I'm hurt"

The words hung in the air between you two, heavy with unspoken emotions and uncharted territory. You could feel Aaron's gaze on you, his eyes boring into yours with a mixture of uncertainty and longing. But he said nothing as you approached him.

With a hesitant breath, you climbed into bed beside him, your movements slow and cautious as if afraid to shatter the fragile moment that hung between the two of you. You gently began to caress him and felt a wave of tenderness wash over you. Your relationship was new, every little gesture was a constant worry that could break it.

He closed his eyes, a sigh escaping his lips as he leaned into your touch, his defenses crumbling in the face of your affection. You stayed there that night and kept soothing away the pain and the fear that was haunting him, whispering words of comfort and reassurance, promising to be there for him, no matter what the future held.

As your mind came back from the memory, you felt Aaron's gentle touch on your hair again, the familiar gesture a long promise between you two, a reminder that even amid the chaos, you were not alone.

"You'll be fine. We'll be fine" he murmured softly, his voice thick with emotion.

But you could hear the uncertainty in his words, the fear that lingered beneath the surface. Still, you took solace in him, in the reassurance that no matter what would have happened, you would have faced it together.

Tears mingled with blood on your face as you lay there, and with what little strength you had left, you squeezed his hand, your fingers trembling against his. He looked down at where they were intertwined, a flicker of pain crossing his features before he turned to scream for help. "Where's the ambulance!" he shouted into the street, his voice echoing against the silence.

But you were too tired, too drained to focus on anything anymore. "Aaron" you called out to him, your voice barely a whisper.

He turned back to you, his eyes filled with desperation. "Shh, I'm here. Don't talk" he pleaded, gently cupping your cheek.

You blinked a few times, trying to focus your eyes on his face, trying to imprint the image of him in your mind for what you knew would have been the last time.

And then, with a final exhale, you closed your eyes, the weight of exhaustion dragging you down into the depths of darkness. You could still feel Aaron's presence beside you, but his touch was almost imperceptible.

A sense of peace suddenly washed over you as you smiled up at him choking out your last words, knowing that even in death, your love would endure. "Let me go, honey. Let me go"