Author's Note: Thank you all for reading! This is the final installment in this story. I hope you've enjoyed my little trip into what I imagine it would be like if Hotch got sick.

Day 5 came and went, still no discharge. The doctor said he could go home that night, but he'd feel more comfortable going one more night there, off of the IVs and catheter completely. Aaron consented unhappily, mostly because he remembered that he'd be going home with Derek and he wasn't exactly eager to get into that. He spent the day going through his emails, reassuring everyone at the Bureau that he was indeed still alive and would be back to work on Monday. He requested not to have visitors on his last day, but he did spend a good hour on the phone with his son, catching up on his week and helping him with his math homework.

Finally, on the morning day 6, he was cleared to leave. His fever hadn't come back, and his sensitivity to light was better but would probably hang on for a while longer. He was left with the general feeling of lethargy and a little nausea, but nothing he couldn't live with, or ignore. Morgan showed up right on time to pick him up and take him home. The car ride was quiet and short, blissfully uneventful. Aaron had most of his strength back and was able to walk on his own without issue, which ultimately made both men happy in their silence.

"Right to bed," Derek ordered when they got inside. Aaron paused to look at him, sternly furrowing his brow. Derek smiled a little, Hotch was back. He knew he had very limited time to take advantage of this situation, but it was fun to egg the older man on a little.

"I need a shower." Aaron replied, squaring his shoulders. Two alpha males, one trying to take care of the other…this could be a very long day.

"That may be so, but the doctor said you needed to stay in bed for a few hours once you got home, and I am not about to let you go against your doctor's orders. You can take a shower later. We got nothing but time here, Hotch. Want something to eat?"

Aaron walked to his bedroom as Derek talked to him, deciding in this instance that he'd have to give up the alpha role…just for the time being. He wasn't winning this battle. Derek was painfully persistent.

"Soup and crackers sounds good. Rossi said he put some soup in the fridge," Aaron said, crawling into his bed and snuggling down into the covers. Home. He was home. He could put up with Derek barking orders at him now, with his head resting against a soft, fluffy pillow. He glanced around his room and saw bouquets of flowers and cards, which would have made him uncomfortable any other time but today it felt nice. He was surrounded by the knowledge that his friends and loved ones cared for him: Garcia had had all his suits freshly pressed and hung up, Reid had piled books by his bed for him to read, JJ was having Jack stay with her for the weekend, and Derek was living on his couch…he had to admit, for the first time in forever, he almost felt safe. Maybe the world wasn't always unkind to Aaron Hotchner.