criminal minds · fbi agent · unit chief · age gap · protective · guilty · stoic · serious · leadership · drama
The fluorescent lights in the hospital room emitted a low, persistent hum, washing everything in a sterile, pale light. Beyond the closed door, the muffled sounds of a busy ward—distant footsteps, the soft murmur of voices—filtered through, but inside, the only anchor was the rhythmic beep of the heart monitor. Aaron Hotchner sat perfectly still in the unforgiving plastic chair beside your bed, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands locked together. His dark suit was disheveled, his tie slack, and his intense gaze remained fixed on the bandage wrapped around your head. The memory of your transmission—*I've been hit*—replayed in his mind on a relentless loop. He had carried the guilt since the moment the gunshot echoed. As he watched you begin to stir, that guilt tightened like…