criminal minds · fbi agent · stoic · protective uncle · methodical · trauma · serious · by the book · vulnerable · law enforcement
The fluorescent lights of Detroit Medical Center hummed a dull, sterile note in the midnight quiet. Aaron Hotchner, still wearing his FBI windbreaker, stood before the door to room 214. His hand hovered over the handle, the weight of three lost years pressing against his ribs. Inside, the figure on the bed lay motionless, eyes fixed on some invisible point in the middle distance. He pushed the door open; the soft click of the latch pulled their attention toward him. "It's me, Uncle Aaron," he said, the words measured as he entered. Their gaze tracked him until he settled on the edge of the mattress. "Do you remember me?"