The Impending Storm: Criminal Minds (Mostly Hotch/JJ, a little of everyone else)

[Lexi]

Looooooooooooooooooooove it!

Someday I swear I'll learn how to quote little bits but till then, I'll bravely push on.

"JJ...I dod't feel good..." Aaron trailed off, trembling, before taking a tissue from his pocket and sneezing into it. "HHHNKSG't! TSSCH! Kkknsg!" The sneezes took a lot out of him, and he stumbled. JJ barely held him up.

OH GURL. You hit my favourite fetish buttons there. iI just melt when people weakly say they dont feel good!

Sick!Hotch is my favourite thing like ever. I love this fic so much

I sit here like a freak hitting the refresh button calmly await your updates

Ps. I tots didnt figure out how to quote like one line, can one do that cause i just quoted the whole thing n then you backspace

[darkness-is-the-light]

Looooooooooooooooooooove it!

Someday I swear I'll learn how to quote little bits but till then, I'll bravely push on.

"JJ...I dod't feel good..." Aaron trailed off, trembling, before taking a tissue from his pocket and sneezing into it. "HHHNKSG't! TSSCH! Kkknsg!" The sneezes took a lot out of him, and he stumbled. JJ barely held him up.

OH GURL. You hit my favourite fetish buttons there. iI just melt when people weakly say they dont feel good!

Sick!Hotch is my favourite thing like ever. I love this fic so much

I sit here like a freak hitting the refresh button calmly await your updates

Ps. I tots didnt figure out how to quote like one line, can one do that cause i just quoted the whole thing n then you backspace

All you have to do is right click and drag on the quote you like, then click selective quote on the bottom. That's all.

[Lexi]

Looooooooooooooooooooove it!

Someday I swear I'll learn how to quote little bits but till then, I'll bravely push on.

"JJ...I dod't feel good..." Aaron trailed off, trembling, before taking a tissue from his pocket and sneezing into it. "HHHNKSG't! TSSCH! Kkknsg!" The sneezes took a lot out of him, and he stumbled. JJ barely held him up.

OH GURL. You hit my favourite fetish buttons there. iI just melt when people weakly say they dont feel good!

Sick!Hotch is my favourite thing like ever. I love this fic so much

I sit here like a freak hitting the refresh button calmly await your updates

Ps. I tots didnt figure out how to quote like one line, can one do that cause i just quoted the whole thing n then you backspace

All you have to do is right click and drag on the quote you like, then click selective quote on the bottom. That's all.

WELL DAMN. Someone just revolutionized my life. Seriously, no sarcasm, thank you!!!

[jezebel215]

since I can't quote the whole story I'll just add that I love it and want it to continue. I'd even love to brain storm ideas (if that appeals to you at all) but otherwise I simply wait with rapt attention, waiting for the storm.

since it's awesome.

< also, my first post with emoji's :-) >

[ToothTen]

Um. Well... Er, this has to be at least my five hundredth time reading through what you have so far, and I am still struggling to come up with a coherent reply. This is exactly what I look for in a story, and Hotch has to be my number one targ- I mean character for sneeze+H/C fics. I figured it wasn't socially acceptable to quote the entire story thus far, so just know that it is all lovely. I am going to go back into my corner to dream about perfect cold-ridden Hotch and sweet care taking JJ now. Can't wait for more (and sorry for not commenting earlier :$ )

[24Me]

Thank you all so much for the support and comments and patience! I am extremely busy and have not had time to write much, but the show I'm in ends this weekend, and I'll finally rediscover what free time is. I'll have an update up ASAP!!!!

[24Me]

Thank you to everyone who has been reading this, commenting on it, and patiently waiting. We are one part away from caretaking goodness! I'm sorry if the next part is innacurate-I'm fifteen, I've never seen the show, and all my research came from Google. It's mostly fluff, but there is quite a bit of sneezing! Enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------

JJ ran a hand through her hair in frustration for the billionth time. The case was going nowhere, and she was ruing it. No one could find Victor Smith, and he wasn't at his residence, so all the B.A.U. could do was wait. There was talk of putting out an APB, or staking out his home. They had to tread carefully, though-Garcia had done some digging into Smith's past, and had determined that he had a history of mental illness and explosive, violent outbursts. Currently, JJ was waiting for Mrs. Caitlin Smith-Rodriguez to fly in, so they could question her on her husband's whereabouts and health.

She had done a good job of taking Hotch's work in addition to her own over the course of the afternoon. So far, she had spoken to twelve reporters, seven police officers, and two out-of-town next of kin. Rossi and the rest of the team had gone for a quick dinner break, but JJ had simply gulped a cup of coffee and grabbed a bagel from the break room.

"Good evednidng, Agednt Jareau."

Hotch's stuffy voice made her spin around. She struggled to hide her anxiety and horror over his appearance, but from the look that flitted across his glazed eyes, she could tell she hadn't hidden it very well.

Aaron was very pale, sans two splotches of color on his cheekbones and a reddened nose, with darkened shadows and heavy bags decorating his eyes. His eyes themselves were glazed and reddened, and a faint sheen of sweat beaded his brow. He'd obviously taken a large amount of time to freshen up: his hair was combed and still damp, and he had the look of someone who was trying to make himself look as healthy as possible. The wrinkles in his suit and the slight swaying caused by the exertion of standing gave him away, though.

"Good evening to you, too, Sir."

She said, her hand darting to her collarbone. JJ wasn't quite sure why Aaron was being so formal with her-surely they'd worked together long enough to call each other Hotch and JJ? Normally they did, anyway! The blonde woman quickly shifted a stack of paperwork-meant for Aaron, but she'd taken it to ease his workload-underneath a pile of her own papers.

--------------

Hotch took a deep, but inaudible breath, and tried his best not to sink into the chair like he wanted to. He was feeling awful-the simple act of walking from his car to the front of the building had left him exhausted, and with a cold layer of sweat across his brow and back-not to mention chilled from the air outside. He couldn't get warm, and he just wanted to be back at the hotel. Holding his body stiffly to keep from shivering too badly, he grabbed a case file and plunged in.

-------------------

JJ hated this feeling of tension in between herself and Hotch-especially now that he was sick, and really needing to let someone in. She could feel the heat radiating off of him, and his sniffles, nose blowing, and shivering just made her feel so....anxious! Out of respect for his privacy, she ignored it, though, and continued working.

Maybe half an hour later, she looked up at a sudden, urgent sound. She saw Hotch pinching his nose through his handkerchief, obviously in the middle of a sneezing fit.

"Hhhgnttx!"

"Bless you."

She murmured, in concern.

"Tha-HAHggxt! Thadk youuu-GNTX!"

"Bless you."

"Hhngxt! Thadk-NXGT! Hhngxt! Tha-huh-hih-GGNT! Thad-CSHoo! Huh-shoo!"

He had given up on trying to thank JJ, instead caving to the horrible illness-induced tickle in his nose.

"God bless you, Hotch!"

JJ cried in concern after his ninth sneeze. A desperate inhale was all that greeted her.

"Hhhhpsh! Sorry-hhhpsh! Ngggtsh! I'b sohhchsh!"

As the fit continued, Aaron tried to apologize. JJ quickly put a hand on his shoulder as he drew in a gasping breath after another failed attempt to apologize.

"Don't worry, just breathe."

Another volley of miserably ticklish sneezes was all that answered her.

"HHHNKSG't! Hhhfnsg! Hhh...hhgnsh! Nnnnngshoo! Hh..hhh...hhh'PSH'uh!"

Hotch's body jerked with the effort of containing each sneeze, then positively rocked as the last one tore out of him.

"God bless you, Hotch!"

JJ exclaimed, everything about her radiating anxiety. He didn't respond right away, other than to nod his thanks. His employee frowned at how much that fit had seemed to take out of him, and she wished that she could take care of him.

"Thadk you."

He finally responded, sounding congested and mortified. A soft sniff told JJ that he needed to blow his nose, so she stood and quickly left the room to give him some privacy.

------------

Aaron winced as he blew his nose, as a result of the awful pressure in his sinuses, and rubbed his forehead to try to alleviate the pain at least a little. He felt an incredible gratitude to JJ for giving him some space, and for respecting him enough to keep his dignity intact. The thick blow did nothing to relieve the congestion, though, and he almost wished someone were there to take care of him.

He couldn't believe how much worse he was feeling with every passing minute, and strongly suspected that this was no longer a cold. Hotch was too tired, and too sad, though, to do anything about it. With a soft sigh, he tried to keep working on the case. Hopefully, they could solve it soon.

-------------

JJ hurried to the break room, and poured a mug of coffee for her boss. She hoped he would let himself be sick for a little while while she was out of the room, because he was obviously miserable but putting on a front for her sake.

She waited in the break room for several minutes, fidgeting anxiously, to give Hotch some time to clean himself up, but it killed her. All she wanted to do was give him a hug, sit him down, and make all his grief and pain go away. Obviously, that could not happen, and she wasn't even sure he was at the point where he was ready to be helped.

Finally, she was able to carry the steaming mug, back to the conference room. Aaron was sitting with his head cupped between his hands, staring blankly down at a file. JJ bit her lip, feeling unhappy and awkward. With an almost inaudible sigh, she set the mug in front of him.

Hotch jumped at the click of the porcelain, showing JJ that he hadn't noticed her come in.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

She said, her voice soft and gentle. Aaron shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose, either due to emotion, or a sneeze.

"Ndo problemb."

He rasped, his voice congested and hoarse. Aaron cleared his throat softly, which sparked a fit of coughing that he covered with a cupped hand. Each cough was wet, rattling, and congested, and JJ winced at the chesty sound. She fidgeted for about thirty seconds, wondering if she should do something. Then Aaron drew in a wheezy breath, and continued coughing.

JJ quickly got up and filled a cup with water from the cooler in the corner, before pressing it gently into Aaron's free hand. He looked at her blearily before bringing it up and attempting to take a sip in between coughs. She rubbed his back gently but firmly.

"Shhh, shh, it's okay."

The blonde soothed, as Hotch jerked his head upright at her touch. He eventually managed to halt the fit, which had left his throat raw and tender.

JJ looked at him with genuine fear in her eyes, in addition to tender concern that made Aaron's eyes water.

"Hotch, are you alright?"

The man in question only nodded-he didn't trust his voice-before taking another sip of the cold water. He was miserable, his throat was on fire, and he wanted nothing more than to go home and rest.

"I've never heard you cough like that before-do you need to see a doctor?"

Hotch tried to speak, but all that came out was a dry croak. He cleared his throat and tried again. His voice was faint, gravelly, and an octave deeper than normal, but it worked.

"Ndo, it's just a little cold."

His employee crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes-surprising, as it was more of a Prentiss than a JJ move.

"It is not a 'little cold'."

She retorted. Aaron rolled his eyes.

"It is if I...if I...hgnsh!"

He bit back the desperate sneeze as much as he possibly could, which popped his ears and made his head ache furiously.

"It is if I say it is."

Aaron finished with a cough.

"Hotch, you have a fever, you're shivering, you can't go two minutes without coughing or sneezing or something, and you look like death. It is NOT a little cold!"

JJ cried.

"You dodn't kndow what is goidng odn idn mby body!"

Aaron thundered, completely losing patience with her. JJ's eyes widened in shock, then the expression turned to one of intense pain and hurt. She opened her mouth to speak, but Aaron wasn't done.

"I keep tellindg you I'mb finde, but you wond't leave mbe alodne! You have dno idea what I'mb goidng through and what I've beedn goidng through for mbondths, but you act like you do!"

JJ tried to respond.

"Hotch, I do-I lost-"

"I listended to sombodne kill mby wife! Does that mbeand adnythidng to you?"

"Of course, all I've been trying to do is help-"

"All you've dodne is mbake thidngs worse!"

A heavy silence suddenly descended, and Hotch realized that he had just pole-vaulted over the line.

--------------------

JJ tried desperately to stop the tears from falling as she pressed a hand to her mouth. They made everything watery and blurry, and she blinked rapidly as she began to gather her papers into her arms. Several dropped onto the table, and she tried to brush away the ones on her cheeks as she moved to the door.

-------------------

Hotch hated himself, he really did, as he watched the tears begin to streak JJ's fair skin. He stood up, unsure of what else to do, and had to sit right back down as a wave of dizziness crested over him. Thankfully, JJ didn't seem to notice.

"JJ...I'm sorry-"

He began, looking at his employee's retreating back.

"Don't be."

The blonde started to turn the handle. Suddenly, she spun around and looked him straight in the eye.

"If you don't want to open up to me, admit that you're sick to me, let yourself be weak with me, then don't. But you need to talk to someone, because I'll be damned if I sit and watch someone I call a friend-someone I care about as much as I care about you-"

Her voice cracked, and she turned her head to the side for a moment before continuing, her tone anguished and worried and as close to angry as Hotch had ever heard her. Her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke again.

"-But I will be damned if I sit here and watch you suffer without doing anything. Let someone in, Aaron."

With that, JJ pulled open the door and stepped out, tears pouring down her cheeks. She didn't even notice that Rossi was standing right there until she bumped into him.

"God, I'm sorry Dave, I just..."

She trailed off at the look on his face.

"Bella, it's okay. What Aaron said to you, not so much."

JJ gave him a shocked look, which turned to burning humiliation. She leaned against the wall, drained, with tears still splashing down her cheeks.

"Oh no...how much did you hear?"

Her question was soft and tentative, like she didn't want to know the answer. A muscle in Rossi's jaw jumped.

"Enough to be very...irked."

His voice was steady, as always, but with a harsher edge to it.

"Rossi...do I really...um...make things...worse?"

JJ stammered, brushing away her tears only to have more fall. Rossi quickly took out his handkerchief and wiped at the tears rolling down his friend's face.

"No, Bella, you make things so much better. He's in a bad place right now, but he'll be okay. Now, you go calm down, then go talk to Caitlin. I'll handle Aaron."

He turned on his heel, leaving the starched white linen in JJ's hands, before entering the conference room, where he stood and observed his friend quietly.

Aaron looked dreadful, and was clearly very upset. He was shaking badly. Rossi had little sympathy, though, and tore into his friend in a measured but steely tone.

"If that had been anyone else, you would have lost a good friend's trust."

"I know."

Aaron whispered, his bovid thick with congestion and emotion.

"It's okay to grieve, but you can not take it out on her like that."

"I know."

He said again, more quietly this time. Rossi shook his head, frustration barely leaking through his normally calm and collected exterior.

"No, no, you do not. Aaron, I am asking you as a friend to sit the damn case out."

"Ndo."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because I cadn hadndle it-hahhNGXT! KNGSH! Hhgntn!..."

Aaron's body rocked with a fit of sneezes, interspersed with wretched-sounding coughs. He was aware that Rossi was helping him into a chair, and giving him a cup of water. When the coughing died down, the younger man hung his head.

"Thadk you."

He whispered, all the fight gone. The Italian nodded, and felt Aaron's forehead from where he was kneeling on the ground beside the chair.

"Your fever's up. Take some Ibuprofen, and take a break. I need to check on Jayje."

Rossi strode out after tossing a bottle of pills to his friend. Aaron stared blankly down at them. He wasn't sure what to do anymore, and he didn't know how long he could keep fighting this...the mixture of his cold and grief.

-----------------------------------------------------------

criticism is welcome and appreciated!

[darkness-is-the-light]

This is really great! You should have seen me when I saw your update, I was literally fangirling hard. Please continue!

[silentdreamer789]

This is so awesome. And I can't believe you've never seen the show! You'd never guess from your writing

[matilda3948]

This is wonderful!! I was so excited to see an update. Your writing is really fantastic.

[jezebel215]

i could read this forever and then read it again

[ToothTen]

Wow. I am afraid I may have just died. This story is so perfect, and the most recent installment was just what I was craving. I am a sucker for Hotch/JJ, and as much as I want him to let her in and get to the care taking bit, I can't deny how, erm, attractive I find sick, angsty Hotch, especially when JJ is there to comfort him...

I don't know whether to thank you for this gem or curse at you for making it that much harder to get my work done tonight

[SneezyRae]

Aaawww Hotch. You never want anyone to see underneath your unwrinkled stoic mask. Just let JJ take care of you.

Absolutely loving this. You capture their characters so well. No nonsense Rossi is my fav

[24Me]

@Sophie83540 Thank you so much! I love your writing , so I'm really honored!

@silentdreamer789 You have no idea how much that means! Thank you!

@matilda3948. Omigosh omigosh omigosh thank you! I LOVE your CM fics-I literally just stood up and danced when I saw your comment!!!!!

@jezebel215 Thabk you so much for your continued support and kind words! You are amazing, and I adore your stories!

@ToothTen I know, right? Sick Hotch and care-y JJ? Sigh....you have no idea how happy your comment made me! Feel free to do either!

@SneezyRach. Thank you so much! I try to stay in character, but it can be hard.

In conclusion, I love you all for commenting and making my day!

Edited May 24, 2014 by 24Me

[RipleyToo]

I hope you can continue!

[ibsosdeezy]

@24me, this story is literally my favourite ever. I've been checking every day for an update!! Please please please continue. If you aren't planning on it, do you think you could let me continue it? I'd do my best to go in whatever direction you'd like. But I really hope you update, you write it so well <3

[24Me]

@ibsosdeezy Thank you so much! You have no idea how much it means! I'm sorry the update is taking FOREVER-I'm halfway done with the next installment. I had a horrible case of writer's block, coupled with finals, and didn't get much of anything done besides studying these last few weeks. I am planning on continuing, but if that changes, I'll be sure to let you know! Thank you so much for the offer! Thank you, thank you, thank you-your comment just inspired me to work even harder on getting an update up! I'll have it up as soon as possible!

[ToothTen]

You've got another anxious fan here!! I don't want to pressure you, but I am excited for the next installment

[24Me]

Hi, guys. I'm sorry that I haven't updated in awhile, but I had some really bad writers block. I decided to fast-forward to when they have already caught the Unsub, , instead of the moments leading up to it. Thank you so much for your support-truly, it means the world! I apologize for the length, but I wanted to post something! More will be up shortly-another installment will be up on or before July 1st. As always, feel free to comment/critique, and enjoy!

Note: Much fluffy/angsty stuff ahead!

------------------------------------------

JJ shivered, and tugged the straps of her bulletproof vest a little tighter in the freezing winter air. It was bitterly cold in the woods, even with her warm jacket, scarf, and gloves. The snow beginning to fall didn't help, and neither did the fact that she had fallen over roots and branches at least three times.

The evening had been a whirlwind of activity after questioning Caitlin. Rossi had interrogated her for several hours, then released her, only for Reid to discover that it was Caitlin herself, not her ex-husband, who was the serial killer. Within an hour, the team had tracked her to an abandoned house, arrested her, and sent her with an FBI escort to a federal prison. Now, the BAU just had to secure the scene.

"Hhhngsh!"

A half-stifled, heavily muffled, congested squeak of a sneeze caught JJ's attention. She stiffened, fighting every urge to look over at her unit chief. He was fading rapidly after being out in the cold for over an hour, and his coughs and sneezes had become increasingly frequent as time wore on. Still, as worried as JJ was, she definitely was smarting from the sting of his words, and wasn't ready for the possibility that Hotch would throw more at her.

"Hhh...hhgsh! Hhgsnht! Ccchxngt!"

A desperate sounding triple caused JJ to look over before she could stop herself. Immediately, she was glad that she had. Aaron was swaying heavily, his face pale and covered in a sheen of sweat. Quickly, the blonde moved to his side, and took hold of her friend's arm.

"Whoa, easy there." She soothed, helping him to sit on a stump a foot or so to his left. JJ knelt in the snow beside it, and placed a comforting hand on this leg. "Deep breaths, Aaron."

A rattling, wheezy cough was all that greeted her when he followed her suggestion. JJ rubbed his back and bicep maternally, not taking her worried eyes off his face as her friend coughed into his gloves hand, his whole body spasming. When at last he managed to take a decent breath, JJ tried to crack a joke.

"Well, um, scratch that!"

Her boss managed a weak smile-hardly more than a pained grimace-before his expression collapsed and he turned to the side, suppressing several sneezes before one tore at his throat.

"Aahh...hhngsg! Hhgsht! Hhgsgt! Hppshuhoo!"

They seemed to sap any strength that her boss still possessed, and he let out a few weak coughs before placing his head in his hands.

JJ frowned, anxiety gnawing at her stomach and her anger towards him gone. Hotch was rapidly worsening-being out in the cold was doing his exhausted body no favors.

"Hotch, you shouldn't be out here."

She finally broke the silence when he began shivering so hard that his teeth clicked together. Aaron shook his head, and attempted to stand. Immediately, he sank back onto the stump as a wave of dizziness hit him. JJ took off her scarf and looped it around his neck, then took her hat off and placed it over his, before finally trading Will's warm gloves for her boss' soaked ones. When he looked at her with confusion, JJ gave him a short explanation.

"You need to get warm."

Her friend nodded, then shivered violently as the wind that had been threatening them all night picked up. JJ herself was frozen to the core, and kneeling in the snow with nothing but her coat to protect her from the elements was starting to take it's toll on her. She couldn't imagine being out here with a fever.

------------------------------------------

Hotch felt worse than he could remember feeling in a long time. His head was pounding, he was freezing and far too hot at the same time, his whole body ached, his throat hurt, there was a congested tickle in his sinuses, dizziness was threatening to overwhelm him, and he was too tired to do anything. Not to mention the fact that he was sneezing every three minutes, and starting to become nauseated.

"Hhfnsh! Smnnmghsgh! Hhssgh! Hahh..hhrshngh! Nngsht-ngghsht! Ahhh...heh-chuh! Chuh!"

A fit of soft, restrained sneezes pitched him forward, and Hotch was once again grateful for the steadying hand of his friend and co-worker. He was so miserable that he couldn't even think straight anymore.

JJ's hand moved to his forehead, and he flinched away from the cold touch. Aaron heard her sigh.

"Oh, Hotch. Will you please let me take you to the hotel?" Aaron paused, considering, then nodded. He was done fighting.

------------------------

JJ helped her boss stand, aware that she was taking a lot of his weight, and paused to let him get his bearings and balance before she moved. The change in elevation and obviously upset Hotch's sinuses, because he pulled a crumpled handkercheif from his pocket, pressed it to his ticklish nose, and rocked with several sneezes that JJ barely held him upright through.

"Hhgnshoo! Hhsshuh! Tschuh! HHHNKSG't!"

"Bless you, sir."

JJ said softly, keeping her arms wrapped firmly about him as he recovered from the fit. This submissive, woozy, extremely out-of-it Hotch was worrying her-this attitude was completely out of character for him. Hotch nodded.

"Thadk you."

His voice was heavily congested and extremely hoarse, and it made JJ wince slightly.

The pair made their way slowly to the car, pausing if Aaron needed to cough or got dizzy-which, in all honestly, was every few yards. It took almost ten minutes to reach the van, and by the time they did, both Hotch and JJ were panting with exertion and exhausted. The blonde eased her friend into the passenger seat, then blasted the heat and aimed the vents at her sick boss. Unfortunately, going from breathing in cold air to hot triggered a sneezing fit.

"Hhgnsht! Hhngshoo! Hhkshuh! Hhh...HAHKSHT! Hihh'TSCHoo! NXGTchuh! Hhh...hhh...hhhpshoo! Aatsch! Hhh'ngh'shuh! Uhhhh..."

JJ watched helplessly as Aaron pulled out his handkerchief just in time to catch a fit of wet and desperate-sounding sneezes. They weren't loud, just strong-each one bent him over, almost in half. When the fit ended, he waited for a moment before blowing his nose and leaning back in the seat, the handkerchief still loosely held in his right hand.

"God bless you, Aaron!"

She murmured. He nodded his thanks, too drained to muster a response for the time being.

Before pulling out, JJ sent a quick test to Rossi.

I'm taking Hotch back to the hotel-he's in bad shape. I'll be back in an hour.

She waited for him to reply-no use trying to text on the road. Less than a minute later, an oh-so-Dave reply came back.

Good-he looks like shit. Don't come back-we're good here. He needs you more than the crime scene does-it's basic stuff.

Thanks, Dave. I'll stay with him.

Keep me posted. Let me know if you need anything.

Will do!

Once the conversation had ended, JJ tucked her phone away and began driving back to the hotel, sneaking anxious glances at Hotch every few minutes.

------------------------------------------

Aaron wasn't aware of a whole lot on the drive back. He felt weak and feverish and dizzy, and very, very out of it. His head was aching, his nose was running, and his chest felt tight and thick with mucous. He passed most of the ride in a light doze, only occasionally aware of where he was. It wasn't until he opened his eyes right as a traffic light turned green that he remembered why he had kept his eyes closed in the first place.

Immediately, the niggling tickle in the back of his sinuses peaked, causing him to scramble for his handkerchief while he sneezed into his elbow.

"Hhhrmph! Hhhtsgch! Hhngshhh! Uhh...hih...hnnngschoo! Tssch! Hcckshoo!"

After the sixth sneeze, he felt something soft-his handkerchief-being pressed into his hand. Through teary eyes, he saw JJ giving him a concerned look.

"Ble-"

"Hhansch! Hh'TSCHoo! Hhhpsh! Hhh...hhh...hhhHNGCHoo! Tschoo! Hhpshoo! Huh...huhh...hhhgsnxh! Nngshoo! HUHSHoo!-"

As the fit continued, Hotch was vaguely aware that the car had stopped, and someone-probably JJ-was rubbing his back with one hand and resting their other on his arm to steady him. It was comforting, and if he had had the breath to thank her, he would have. As it was, the fit wasn't letting up, and it was all Aaron could do to keep up with it.

"Aatsch! Hhsnghshooo! Tschoo! Hhhh...hhh...hhhpshoo! Tschoo! Tsch! Hahh...tsch-tsch-tschoo! Hgnsh-tsch-hhpshuh! Hhh'TSCH'shuh!"

He released a final desperate sneeze into the now-damp, white cloth, before leaning heavily against the window as he panted to catch his breath.

After a moment of shocked silence, JJ's worried voice reminded Aaron that he wasn't alone.

"Oh, God bless you, Aaron, times 28!"

He let out a short, breathless chuckle that made him cough a few chesty, deep hacks.

"You coudted mby sdeezes?"

The heavy congestion punctuating his syllables prompted him to blow his nose, triggering another wracking cough. He felt JJ's hand rubbing circles on his back. When the coughing subsided, he looked at her with amusement and exhaustion. She blushed.

"Sorry...I was afraid I'd have to call the paramedics, and I figured they would want to know why you passed out."

It was then Hotch realized she had pulled over by a mile marker, and had her phone in her hand. His stomach twisted as he realized that, yet again, he had upset her, and he felt tears spring to his eyes. He quickly shut his lids and turned his face to the window in an effort to hide them, but, of course, it didn't fool JJ.

He heard her sigh, and then felt a cool hand on his cheek, which damp with tears and perspiration from his fever and sneezing fit. Her thumb gently wiped a tear from beneath his left eye before she spoke.

"Oh, Aaron...I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you..."

Her words were distorted slightly by a tremor.

"It's dothidg..."

Hotch tried to pull himself together, but the tears fell a little faster. He couldn't stop a hoarse sob from escaping before he brought a fist to his mouth to try to compose himself.

"Hotch..."

"Please...just give mbe a mbidute..."

He begged, trying to get her to take her hand off his face. If he could just get himself together, he could figure out how to fix this. It worked, but not in the way he wanted it to.

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Thank you again for your patience!

[darkness-is-the-light]

Aww... I feel bad for gushing about Hotch being sad and all, but I can't hide it. You're doing so amazing with this story! I absolutely can't wait for the next part!

[24Me]

Thank you so much, Sophie! I'll have it up ASAP!

[ToothTen]

Oh sweet baby Jesus swimming in a pool of cherry jello, I literally just died!! Good lord Hotch! I read the new bit, then went back and read everything else, and I am currently struggling to form this semi-coherent response. Thank you for continuing, and I wish I wasn't on my phone so I could put in some very descriptive emojis to tell you exactly how I am feeling.

Wow.

[jezebel215]

THIS IS INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!

[SneezyRae]

Can't breathe. My heart is breaking for poor hotch and poor JJ. This is absolutely incredible. Please please please stop tugging at my heartstrings. I don't think I can take much more angst.

I am absolutely loving this more than words can describe

[24Me]

Oh sweet baby Jesus swimming in a pool of cherry jello, I literally just died!! Good lord Hotch! I read the new bit, then went back and read everything else, and I am currently struggling to form this semi-coherent response. Thank you for continuing, and I wish I wasn't on my phone so I could put in some very descriptive emojis to tell you exactly how I am feeling.

Wow.

Thank you so much! You are so welcome-I'm sorry that it took forever to get up!

THIS IS INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!

This means so much-I adore your CM fics!

Can't breathe. My heart is breaking for poor hotch and poor JJ. This is absolutely incredible. Please please please stop tugging at my heartstrings. I don't think I can take much more angst.

I am absolutely loving this more than words can describe

I'm so happy you like this! Unfortunately, more angst is yet to come!

Thank you for the patience, and I hope this part isn't TOO crappy. I was kind of rushing to get it written and posted so I could get to the NEXT part. I am so weird.

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"Fine."

JJ replied, unable to keep the hurt out of her voice as she retracted her hands and climbed out of the van. She rested her back against the door, and looked up at the sky. It was very blurry, and she blinked to clear her vision. Immediately, she felt hot tears begin to streak down her face.

Logically, she knew that Aaron was just dealing with a lot between his cold and grief, and that that was why he was so touchy. His superhero complex was preventing him from breaking down in front of her, and JJ understood that.

She also knew that one of the reasons his words were getting to her as much as they were was that she had only slept about twelve cumulative hours in the last forty-eight. Her body was exhausted, and the case had been brutal. Between worrying about Hotch and having nightmares about Haley, JJ was starting to feel more than a little frazzled herself. Hotch voicing her worst fears hadn't helped anything.

So, because of all their combined problems, JJ was standing outside a car in the middle of the night, in the middle of the winter, and Hotch was inside said car, trying to regain his composure as a fever, exhaustion, and grief took a toll on him. She really wished he trusted her enough to let her comfort him, but wishing wouldn't change the fact that she was freezing.

It was almost twenty minutes before Hotch rapped softly on the window, making JJ jump as she quickly wiped her tears away and prayed that her mascara hadn't run down to her cheeks. He signaled that it was okay for her to rejoin him, so she didn't think twice before climbing in and holding her trembling hands in front of the heater.

------------------------------------------

Aaron felt extremely guilty when he noticed how badly JJ was shivering as she sat in the driver's seat, avoiding eye contact and conversation. He hadn't intended to have her get out of the car-just to have her remove her hand so he could turn away-or to hurt her feelings, and he had failed on both accounts. Even in the dim light, it was obvious that she, too, had been crying. Without a word, she put the van in gear and started driving to the hotel again.

After five minutes in the heavy silence-punctuated only by his sniffles and coughs, and the decreasing chattering of her teeth-he couldn't take it any longer.

"JJ, I'mb so sorry."

His voice was low and raspy and incredibly hoarse, and the words made him wince a bit. She shook her head, obviously hurting, and tried to pretend like she was fine.

"It's okay."

The silence returned. It was JJ who broke it after another thirty seconds. "I understand that everything looks bad right now, but I promise that it gets easier eventually. You might not believe me now, but someday, it will start to hurt a little less."

Her words both comforted and saddened him, and Hotch felt tears spring to his eyes again.

"Thadk you, JJ."

She gave him a sad smile, and took one hand off the steering wheel to pat his leg.

"Anytime, Aaron."

------------------------------------------

JJ drove the remaining twenty minutes to the hotel in silence, still shooting her boss increasingly frequent anxious glances at every opportunity. She couldn't tell if he was asleep in the dark, but his eyes were closed and he was lying very still. When his breathing evened, JJ let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. She felt like she was walking on eggshells around Hotch lately-one mistep and one or both of them wound up broken and hurting.

Pulling into the parking garage, JJ felt herself begin to frown at the large distance from the elevator all the available spots where. After circling twice, she admitted defeat, and pulled into the closest one possible. She decided to wake Hotch before turning off the car-the longer he stayed warm, the better.

In the dim orange light from one of the lamps close to the car, Hotch looked like a ghost. His skin was tinged gray, and covered with a sheen of sweat. So far, he hadn't been hit by a hot flash-just fever induced chills. Reluctantly, JJ reached out and shook his shoulder. After a moment, he bolted upright, eyes wild, before his face collapsed and a sneezing fit shook his body.

"Hehh...hhh...heh-NGT! Hhhngt! Hngxt! Uhh...hihh...hhgnsht! Hhgst! KXNT! Huhh...hih...huh...HGNTshuh! HhhgNXTuh! NGXTshoo! Uhhhn...huh...hih...hhGSHoo! NGHshoo! TSCHoo! Uhh...hih...huh...hhh...hhh-hhh-HHH'TSCH'oo!-NGSSHoo!-TSCHHHuh!"

JJ watched helplessly as Aaron sneezed desperately into his handkerchief, snapping into it with such force that his upper body bent over with each explosion. His hands were steepled with the cloth spread over them, and his eyes stayed closed throughout the entire fit. JJ had the feeling that this was something Hotch was used to dealing with when he had a cold. Ever observant, she couldn't help but notice a pattern to the fits.

Hotch would take a few soft, shaky inhales, then sneeze three times before letting out a little gasp. He would get a second or two of reprieve, then build up again and repeat the process. In the beginning, his sneezes managed to be nearly silent, but as the fit progressed, they would become less and less subdued as his body focused on getting rid of that horrible itch. After a few rounds of this, Aaron would sneeze a desperate-sounding triple before letting a pained breath. Just because there was a pattern, didn't mean JJ stopped worrying, though.

"Bless you."

She murmured, concerned. Aaron nodded his thanks, leaning back in the seat with his eyes shut as he massaged his aching temples. JJ gave him a moment to get his breath back before suggesting they head inside. Once he had agreed, she cut the engine, climbed out, and shouldered both their bags before helping Hotch out of the van.

Immediately, he swayed and stumbled sideways into the wall, which he proceeded to half slide, half fall down. JJ was by his side in an instant.

"Oh my God! Aaron..."

Her voice was frantic, and she wasn't sure what to do about it. Should she call Rossi? The hotel? An ambulance? Hotch tried to muster the energy to give her a reassuring smile, but it came out as a grimace as his body was wracked by a shiver.

"I'b ogay-jusdt godt really dizzy for a mbombendt."

His stuffy voice and chattering teeth did little to reassure his partner, however more lucid he sounded, and he tried to hold back a coughing fit but failed miserably. JJ winced at the sound of her boss hacking up a lung, and he shuddered when he had to spit into his handkerchief. "Ugh. I apologize, JJ. I kndow I'mb combbpledtley disgusdtiddg righdt dnow."

JJ shook her head, feeling his with a frozen hand and realizing there was no way to check his temp when she was shaking with cold right now, too.

"Aaron, you are ill, not disgusting. Do you think you can stand?"

She asked after a moment. Hotch nodded, then shrugged, his cheeks reddening with embarrassment.

"I...uh...I ndeed sombe helbp."

His partner's stomach clenched-her boss was sounding worse with every passing minute, and if he was readily admitting weakness, he was in horrible shape. Still, she nodded, and looped an arm around his waist after he draped one of his around her shoulders. Leaning on the wall and JJ, Hotch managed to get to his feet without collapsing, although he did sway heavily.

"You good?" She asked quietly. Aaron removed his hand from the wall slowly, then nodded ever so slightly, coughing a few times into his fist. Sweat was visible on his ashy skin, and he was beginning to feel nauseated. The sooner he got inside and into bed, the better.

Together, they managed the walk to the elevator, with JJ supporting much of Hotch's weight. They were both breathing heavily by the time they got there. Hotch coughed, and finally used his hoarse voice.

"JJ? I dneed dto restd for a mbombendt."

He leaned against the wall, still supported by JJ. She stumbled a bit as even more of his weight rested on her, then tightened her grip. Truth be told, she needed a rest as well. As much as she wanted to help her friend, he was tall and well muscled, and she was having a difficult time keeping them both upright.

Still, one look at Aaron's face steeled her resolve. He was really struggling, his breath coming in ragged gasps and sweat beading along his hairline even in the freezing night air. After a few minutes, Aaron nodded that he was ready to take the elevator. That was when they noticed the out of order sign.

"Dabbidt."

Hotch cursed quietly, then directed a steam of hoarse, barking coughs into the back of his hand. JJ looked at him with pity.

"We'll take it slow."

And they did. Every half flight of stairs, the pair paused for a moment to catch their breaths. Hotch would often have a coughing fit, and several times, came very close to toppling over. It took nearly twenty minutes, but they somehow made it into the lobby.

With wobbly legs, JJ steered Hotch to the nearest chair. He immediately collapsed into it, cradling his head in his hands, his breath coming in hoarse, wheezy gasps. JJ herself was breathing hard, trembling with exertion, and shaking badly with cold, even in the warm air.

"Hhhgsh! Hhnfhsh! Hhhtsd! Hhh'tsch! Hhngshoo! Hhh'tsch! Uhh...HSHoo! Tschoo! TSCHoo! Hhh...HGNHSH-TSCH-SHOO!"

Another temperature-induced sneezing fit left Hotch coughing tiredly into his handkerchief, his exhausted body shaking with exertion and illness.

"Are you alright, sir?"

A bellhop had come over to Hotch and JJ, and was giving the ill man a look of concern, disgust, and trepidation. Hotch nodded.

"A bidt undder the weather."

He answered once the fit stopped, his voice thick with congestion and beginning to sound incredibly painful. The bellhop winced.

"I take it you're Mr. Hotchner and Ms. Jereau?"

JJ shot the man a suspicious glance.

"How'd you know that?"

The bellhop smiled slightly.

"A Mr. David Rossi called ahead, and told us to expect you. He said that Mr. Hotchner was ill, and likely would be in bad shape once he got here. I see he wasn't exaggerating." The bellhop mused as an afterthought. JJ nodded and said "No, he was not" at the same time that Hotch said "oh, idt's dnod thadt bad". Aaron managed a weak smile, but it was obvious that he was fading.

With the help of Andy, the bellhop, JJ managed to get Hotch and their bags up to the room. Her boss all but collapsed on the bed, his face flushed and eyes shut, while JJ tipped the bellhop as fast as possible and assured him that they would be alright. As soon as he had left, she handed Aaron two Aspirin and a bottle of water. He gave her a confused look.

"You're burning up. Take something, then I'll get your temp after you've changed into something more comfortable than a suit."

He looked at her through half lidded eyes, but did as he was told. When his shaking hands fumbled to undo his tie and unbutton his shirt, JJ swiftly pushed them out of the way and helped.

"I'b cold."

Hotch slurred, shivering. JJ nodded.

"You've got a fever, but I promise you'll feel better once you're in sweats."

She passed him a pair of sweatpants, a long sleeved t-shirt, and a sweatshirt from his go bag. JJ was alarmed at how much she had to do to help him with the shirts, and blushed when she had to help with his pants, but there was no way she would let him stay in dress pants while he fought the flu, or whatever the heck this bug was.

Aaron was half asleep when JJ stuck the thermometer under his tongue, but he didn't fight her. Her heart was beating quickly as she waited for it to beep-what if it was over 103.5, her cutoff for the ER-at least for Henry. Could she really get him downstairs, or would she have to call 9-1-1? When it beeped, she looked at it with a feeling of trepidation. 102.8.

"Issbad?"

Aaron slurred. JJ frowned.

"Definitely not good, but it's not as bad as I thought it was. You need to get some rest, though."

She went into the bathroom and retrieved a box of tissues, a glass of cool water, and a washcloth. Before sitting down in the chair she had tugged to the side of his bed, JJ turned the lights off and sent a text to Rossi, letting him know that she was in Hotch's room and that her phone would be off. Then, she sat down next to Aaron, and put the damp cloth on his forehead. She had a feeling it would be a long night.