Work Relations || Aaron Hotchner

Chapter 25

A month after our reunion, the differences were clear. Aaron was more open and was finally talking to me about his feelings. He is a tough nut to crack but once you cross those walls of his, you see that he is more emotional than anyone think. I am really happy that he feels like he can show me his sensitive side even if it took him almost two years and a bomb to realize it.

Today we got called in really early and handed to the airport almost immediately. The files were already waiting for us on the jet and Penelope was also waiting behind her screen. "Three victims over the last month. The first victim was 35-year-old Jenny Fallon, she was beaten and stabbed to death. Her husband found her a few hours after her death because he went to a football game with his friends. And before you ask, yes his alibi checks out. The second victims was 32-year-old Nicky Doug, she was also stabbed to death at her own home, she was discovered by her husband who was at a business trip the following day of her death, his alibi checks out also. Both victims were stabbed 8 times. And last night 30-year-old Tory Hindi was found, again, in her house. She was stabbed 8 times but she is still alive. She is currently at a medical induced coma because she is not a good shape. And here is where the plot thickens, she wasn't found by her husband Michael Hindi, the man who she is legally married with but she was found by her boyfriend" she says
"And where was her husband?" JJ asks
"He was at work still, the security cameras confirm that. The boyfriend though he said that he was at the home because Tory invited him but there were no calls or messages found from yesterday that confirm that. He is still at the local PD for questioning" she says
"Could maybe someone deleted them?" I ask
"I'm already looking it up" she says
"JJ, Morgan and David go to the crime scene, Jessie and Reid go to the M.E. and also see if there any chance Tory will be able to wake up soon. Emily and I will head to the local PD" Hotch says
"Ok" I say while yawning
"Is there a problem?" he asks
"No, I'm just a little tired lately" I say
"Aaron, you should let the girl sleep at night" David says
"Ha!" I chuckle loudly on purpose. Aaron looks at him trying to hide his smile
"Focus on the case Dave" he says.

After Spence and I went to the M.E., we also talked to Tory's doctor and then headed to the local PD. But on our way out of the hospital, I stopped walking causing him to stop too. "Did you feel--" I start saying but he interrupts me
"Like we're being watched?" he asks
"Exactly. While we were talking to Tory's doctor" I say. We run back in the hospital and more specifically to Tory's room. As soon as we turned the last corner, a person from the other side of the hallway, who was wearing black clothes and a hood, turned around and started running away. "You stay here" I say to Spence and I run after the guy.

The hospital's hallways were crowded so it was hard for both us to keep our speed. He was pushing people out of his way and I was able to avoid them and get closer to him. He turned to another hallway that wasn't so crowded but I was still close to him. When I was close enough, I jumped on him knocking him on the drowned. He managed to hit me in the face with his elbow but I grabbed it and put handcuffs on him.

My phone rings. I stand on top of the guy and I take my phone out of my pocket. It's Spence. "I got him" I say still breathing heavily from the running and also a bit dizzy from the hit "But he doesn't really seem like a fighter. He is a really skinny guy, probably on drugs. I don't think that he killed them" I say
"I know, we are dealing with two unsubs. I think I just saw from the window of Tory's room his partner leave but I couldn't get his plates" he says
"He was the distraction for us" I say
"I'll have Garcia pull out surveillance video" he says and hungs up.

Then the guards came but my phone rings again.
"Grey" I say answering
"Got the M.E. reports?" Hotch asks
"Call Reid. I'm sending you a gift" I say and I hung up. I give the guy to the guards and they take him out. I go back to the room to find Reid.
"Are you ok?" he asks taking the phone away from his mouth
"Yeah, I just got a hit. They are getting him to the PD now. Did Hotch call you?" I ask
"I'm talking with him right now. Go get it checked out. I'll stay here" he says
"I'm fine. It's just a cut" I say
"Do you want me to tell Hotch?" he asks. I roll my eyes and I turn to leave.

They gave me a whole neuro evaluation and I got the paper that cleared me out to go back to work. I return to Reid who was standing outside Tory's room. "Ok doctor?" I ask him showing the paper
"Yes. The guy that you caught, his name is Elijah Berni and he is probably the partner who was driving to all the crime scenes but he hasn't said anything yet" he says
"Not surprising. What did the doctor say about Tory?" I say
"She is probably going to wake up in the next 2 to 5 hours. Hotch said to stay here and keep an eye on her" he says
"Ok" I say and I sit down with him.

"Does Hotch know?" he asks smiling
"Know what?" I ask
"You're pregnant, right?" he says
"What? No, I'm not pregnant" I say
"Are you sure?" he asks
"Pretty sure, yeah. Why did you think that I am pregnant?" I ask
"On our way from the car in the hospital, there was a guy selling hotdogs and when we were passing from him, you complaint about the smell being too strong and touched your stomach. You mentioned in the plane that you've been tired lately and I think that this last week was the second time that you missed your menstruation" he says
"Wait. First, why do you know when I should have my period?" I ask
"I know all the menstrual cycles of the females' in the BAU. Because I see you almost every day, I can notice it in the way you're walking that slightly changes" he explains.

"No. No, I'm not" I say taking my phone out of my pocket. I open my period calendar and I see that he's actually right.
"The last time was a two days before Emily came back, right?" he asks
"Yeah..." I whisper still looking at my phone. "That day Hotch also came back from Pakistan and I also missed my period when we were separated for the following month. How didn't I notice this?" I ask.

He gets up and goes to the nurses' station. My phone starts ringing and Aaron's name appears in my screen. I take a deep breath and I answer. "Yes?"
"We found the unsub in the cameras footage from the hospital but we couldn't catch his face. He walked by Tory's room while you were talking to the doctor but he left as soon as he saw your badges and came was coming back when you were leaving. Any news on Tory?" he asks
"We are waiting for her to wake up" I say
"Call me when she wakes up" he says
"I will" I say
"And how are you? Reid said that you got a pretty good hit" he says
"Yeah, I'm fine. He made me have a full neuro exam" I say
"Good" he says.
"I love you" I say out of nowhere. We did act as a couple most times when we are working
"Love you too" he says
"Bye" I say and I hung up as I see Spence coming back.
"In case you want to be sure" he says handing me a pregnancy test
"Thank you" I say looking at it.