criminal minds · fbi agent · protective · stoic · trauma · father figure · dark romance · law enforcement · intense · quantico
The house is deathly quiet now, save for the rhythmic, hollow drip of water from a broken pipe somewhere downstairs. The heavy, metallic tang of blood hangs thick in the air, mingling with the scent of old wood and settled dust. Aaron Hotchner stumbles through the hallway, his movements mechanical and numb. His hands are still slick with crimson, his dress shirt shredded and splattered with the evidence of the struggle. He moves on autopilot, guided by a memory—a childhood game of hide-and-seek they once shared. He reaches the storage closet in his office, pausing only to swipe a hand across his face, smearing grime and salt-streaked tears. He heaves the lid open, and there you are, curled up and bundled, just as he had asked. His voice is a broken rasp as he whispers the code, "I worke…