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Knight of the Old Republic Episode II: Redemption	By : hatochiisai Category: 1 through F > Criminal Minds Views: 2738 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds, nor do I make any financial profit off of writing and posting this work.

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Knights of the Old Republic: Episode II

Ahmose Inarus

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, and I most certainly do NOT own Star Wars.

SLASH WARNING!!! H/R

Chapter 23

PLANET: CORUSCANT

LOCATION: JEDI TEMPLE

TIME: NIGHT

The Jedi raced for their speeders, determined to get Reid back to the Temple for medical attention as soon as possible. Hotch climbed into the back of one and Raahn Syr passed him the blood-soaked apprentice. Hotch cradled him in his arms. Reid just rested against him, his eyes lightly closed. His breathing was raspy, and every now and then he would cough, blood spattering his lover’s tunic. Raahn Syr drove like a mad Wookiee, and got them to the Temple in record time.

The Na’Vi Master Healers were already waiting for them when they arrived, quickly taking Reid from Hotch and whisking him away to the Infirmary. The others arrived right behind them, and they all headed after the two Na’Vi. They ran into Erin Strauss, Max Ryan and Noria and Ralko Cereni on their way. Silently, the group entered the infirmary and watched Noria and Ralko and the two Na’Vi work assisted by droids. A few minutes later, the team and the High Council was ushered out, giving the Healers more room to work.

Hotch, however, stayed. He was placed at the head of the bed, and he looked down at Reid. The boy stared back at him, blood dripping from his eyes, nose and mouth. Reid winced slightly, then opened his mouth and tried to speak, but only coughed up more blood.

“Shh. Don’t talk. Use the Bond.” Hotch murmured to him, watching as needles were slid into his veins, delivering emergency transfusions. Hotch knew that Reid was using the Force to stay conscious, but he couldn’t continue to do so for much longer.

“We need to remove his spleen…” Said one of the Na’Vi.

“Let’s do it. Fast.” Ralko said. “Aaron. Try to block him from the pain. We don’t have time for any kind of numbing agent or anesthetic. He’s teetering on the brink.” Hotch nodded and did so, placing his hands on Reid’s chest and focusing. He watched as the scalpel sliced into his lover’s abdomen. Reid blinked rapidly and then winced, but gave no other indication that he was registering the pain.

“Spencer? You doing alright?” Hotch asked.

“C-Council…” Reid wheezed, and Hotch observed a droid move over and jab a large needle into Reid’s now-bare thigh. Reid winced slightly, and the droid injected something. Meanwhile, the Na’Vi had their hands on Reid’s chest and were focusing with the Force, trying to hone in on the additional damage so that they could attempt to repair it.

“What about the Council?” Hotch asked wincing as he saw the surgical droid remove the ruptured spleen and set it into a tray. Noria’s hand was hovering over the incision, using the Force to prevent any bleeding, and she continued to do so as the droid packed Koltos gel into the open wound and then began stitching Reid up again.

“… Have… have to… tell them…” Reid groaned.

“Tell them what?” Hotch asked breathlessly.

“Please… need to… see them.” Reid begged, and after a moment, Hotch looked at Noria Cereni. She looked back at him, then nodded, looking to the droid. The droid moved to the door, and a moment later, the High Council filed in. Raahn Syr pulled over a chair, and Kitata Ree scrambled onto it, looking down at Reid and laying a little paw on his forehead.

“Padawan?” He called, and slowly, Reid opened his eyes.

“… I’m sorry.” He gasped, his voice rough and faint. “Should… have told you from the… beginning…”

“About what?” Kitata Ree asked.

“The… The Nectar.” Reid gasped. “So… telling you… everything now.”

“Everything, Little Brother?” Tarash Virr asked.

“Darth Livion…” Reid gasped, wincing. “I… I’ve been… seeing him. First, in reflections. And then… shadows. But… for the last few days… I see him all the time. Everywhere. And he... follows me a-around… talks to me.”

“Prolonged use of the Nectar can cause hallucinations.” Ralko told him, then frowned and glanced up at his sister. Her look was equally as grim. One of the Na’Vi healers looked up.

“We need to get him into a Koltos Tank.” She said.

“Then do so.” Kitata Ree told her. “When did you last eat, Padawan?”

“… I… I don’t know…” Reid gasped. “… Um… T-Two… three days… ago?”

“Alright. His digestive tract should be empty then.” Noria said. “Let’s get him in.” Hotch could only watch as one of the Na’Vi Healers lifted his lover into her arms and carried him away. Unable to help himself, he followed. He watched as his lover was stripped naked and quickly rinsed down, cleansing his thin body of blood, vomit and Nectar. Reid glanced at him through tired eyes, wincing as a urinary catheter was placed before a pair of shorts was slid onto him to protect his modesty. The IV’s in his wrists were carefully set up, one delivering much needed nutrients to his system, another delivering a refined and modified Koltos agent, to heal him from the inside out. Reid winced at the bite of a needle in his neck, as they set him up for a blood transfusion.

Then a small pair of pinchers were placed onto his nose, holding it shut, and the Na’Vi looked down at Reid.

“Are you ready?” She asked. Reid swallowed, then nodded. She slid a needle into the port on one of his IV’s and injected a clear solution. Hotch moved and took Reid’s hand. Reid clutched the man’s fingers, weakly, and stared him in the eye.

“I’m right here.” Hotch murmured. “And this is where I’ll be when you wake up. Okay?” Reid nodded, bloody tears running down his face. “We’re going to make you better, and then, we’ll fix everything. It’s okay. Everything’s going to be alright.” And he smiled down at the boy, kissing his forehead. “I promise.” Reid blinked up at him and gave him a weak smile, and then his eyes became glassy before they fell closed. Then, Hotch silently stepped back, watching the Healer’s intubate him, covering his mouth with a water-proof cover-mask, and then lifted him, turning and slowly sliding him into the warm Koltos tank. When Hotch joined the Council, they were all standing around the tank, staring up at Reid inside of it.

“Did you know, Aaron?” Gideon asked, softly. “That he was using?”

“… No.” Hotch murmured softly. “But… I was… beginning to suspect.”

“He hid it well.” Master Virr said with a slight nod.

“What is to be done with him?” Hotch asked.

“He can’t be trusted.” Strauss said, frowning and shaking her head.

“Now really, Erin.” Scolded Amna Kao.

“We all know what Nectar does to a person.” Eesa K’Tal said, slowly. “He cannot be held fully responsible. And ultimately, he didn’t place anyone at risk.”

“He disobeyed our order of confinement to the Temple.” Max Ryan pointed out.

“But the only one he hurt was, ultimately, himself.” Master K’Tal argued. “He didn’t want anyone else hurt. He is lost and confused, and he was struggling with something that none of us have ever known. It is not fair of us to judge him over that.”

“I have faith in him.” Master Virr said, firmly.

“As do I.” Master Syr said, surprising almost everyone there. “It is my feeling that once he is recovered and no longer weakened by the influence of that vile substance, we will see the Padawan that we lost two years ago. The one that we have had is but a shadow of himself.”

“Agreed.” Kitata Ree nodded. “Let us allow him to recover. Then we shall see his true nature.”

“Stay with him, Aaron.” Master Virr said. “Give him your strength.”

“Of course.” Hotch said, looking back up at Reid as the team crept in. “I’ll not leave his side.”

And he didn’t. For over a week, Hotch took up residence in the Infirmary, at the base of the towering Koltos Tank. He soothed his lover when nightmares made him thrash in his hibernation, he leant him strength when he felt him get weak, and in the moments that he managed to reach a state of semi-consciousness, he was right there with words and feelings of love and encouragement and protection, lulling the boy back into the healing bliss of his hibernation.

They were frequently visited by members of the Council, especially Gideon and Tarash Virr, though Eesa K’Tal, Raahn Syr and Amna Kao generally stopped in at least once a day. And the team was there more often than not as well.

Day by day, the fluid passing through the urinary catheter contained less blood. But the relief was short lived. While the hibernation had slowed some things down, allowing Reid time to heal, eventually his addiction caught up with him. One week and one day after being put into the tank, withdrawal set in. Reid developed a fever. The next day, the tremors began, and the day after that, Reid was in obvious pain, despite his state of unconsciousness. He would writhe at times, and at others he would curl up into a fetal position. And then the seizures began. They were small at first, but they grew in length and severity. And he began to grow weaker again.

The team spent several hours a day lending him strength and easing his pain through their Bonds that had been re-established. In fact, even unconscious, Reid seemed to be reaching out to them for their comfort and aid. Five days into his withdrawal, the team came to visit and check on Reid first thing in the morning with Masters Gideon, Virr, Syr and K’Tal, Kitata Ree shuffling along with them. Hotch was nowhere in sight at first, but then, they were startled when the man splashed into the Koltos Tank where Reid was. A moment later, Noria and Ralko appeared, walking over to the group.

“What has happened?” Eesa K’Tal asked.

“The Padawan suffers.” Ralko said. “We felt that having his Force Bond Partner in physical contact would help.” And they watched as Hotch, clad only in his lightweight under tunic and trousers, curled his arms around Reid and pulled him close. Reid, who had been restless, tensed for a moment, but then calmed. He relaxed, sagging against the man’s chest and resting his head on his shoulder.

“We asked him to try and initiate contact with him on the level in which they managed when we asked the Padawan to wield the Lightning through Aaron.”

“I see.” Kitata Ree. “An interesting idea. But… Won’t Aaron be in just as much discomfort?” The team look horrified at that.

“He is aware of this. He is willing to take some of the pain to lessen what the Padawan suffers.” Noria said. And then they were silent. They watched as Hotch ran a hand up and down Reid’s back, as he tried to reach him through the Bond…

Spencer.

…

Spencer, come on… it’s okay.

Nnn…

I know, baby… I know you’re hurting. Just focus on me.

…

I’m here with you, Spencer. Now I need you to open up to me.

… A-Aaron…?

Shhh… it’s okay. Don’t try to speak. You’re very weak. Just… open your mind and use the Bond to connect with me.

…

Spencer, stay awake. Just for a few more minutes. Remember our connection when you came back to the Temple? Tried to use the Lightning through me?

… I… yes…

That is what we need. Make us one, Spencer.

I… I can’t… I…

Yes. You can. I know you can. I have faith in you.

… so tired…

No. Not yet, Spencer. First you have to connect us. Hotch said firmly, reaching out to Reid with their Bond. Reid whined slightly, and struggled to open his side of the Bond. But then Hotch’s consciousness flooded in and curled around his own.

Those watching observed as the pair suddenly relaxed and curled around one another, arms holding each other close, resting their heads on each other’s shoulder and neck, cheek to cheek. Even their legs were entwined.

Noria closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. “They did it.” She breathed. “That should help a lot.”

“It’s a risky move… I hope we don’t regret it.” Ralko said.

“What do you mean?” Garcia asked.

“You all I am sure remember how the boy nearly died last time he was coming off of the Nectar.” Ralko began, and Garcia nodded. “He has a better chance of survival, linked to Aaron like he is now… but as closely linked as they are at this moment, should he die, he will take Aaron with him.”

“What?!” Emily blurted. “And you LET them!?”

“Aaron is aware of this.” Noria said, defending her brother. “He is prepared to take the risk.”

“If it was his choice, then there will be no one to fault, whether the outcome is the best, or the worst.” Kitata Ree said, sagely. He put a clawed paw upon the side of the tank, gazing up at the two Jedi within. Then he closed his eyes and bowed his head.

Tarash Virr slowly moved to kneel beside the tiny Charda-Fan.

“… Master?” He called, softly.

“… I sense…” Kitata Ree murmured, frowning slightly.

“Master?” Raahn Syr called, echoing Master Virr. Kitata Ree turned.

“I wish for the Council to meet. Immediately.”

“You have sensed something?” Eesa K’Tal asked.

“I have. Convene Council immediately.” And he scuttled from the room. Raahn Syr and Tarash Virr glanced at each other, then shrugged and followed, Eesa K’Tal, Jason Gideon and Noria and Ralko following.

The team exchanged looks, then went to gather around the tank. They made themselves comfortable and spent their day at its base, Seaver and Garcia studying some Holocrons that they had checked out of the Archives, Rossi and JJ swapping tips on using the Force to affect the minds of others, and Morgan and Emily playing Force Catch with a ball, that being tossing the ball back and forth using only the Force. Silently, they were all monitoring the pair in the Koltos Tank, and whenever they felt something, anything, be it distress, pain or whatever, they would all wordlessly stop what they were doing and closed their eyes, focusing on the pair and reaching out to them with the Force, easing their discomfort and soothing them back into a more restful state.

Ashley Seaver watched all of this. She began to realize that there was more depth to this team than she had ever known… And looking at Hotch and Reid she felt that she was beginning to understand exactly what a Force Bond was, and how deep it could be, especially for it to have spread its reach out to the team in a web of Bonds. Bonds that, in the year she had been with the team, had not spread to her… She knew that it wasn’t that the team hadn’t allowed it to branch out to her… it just… hadn’t happened.

She looked up at the pair in the tank, and wished that there were something that she could do to help them…

Ten more days passed. On the fourth of those, Hotch and Reid were pulled from the Koltos Tank. But neither of them woke from their joint hibernation. They wouldn’t let go of each other, either… That made it quite difficult for the attending Jedi Healers to tend to them, but finally they just lay the pair down on one of the larger beds intended for larger beings, like someone of Master Raahn Syr’s stature. The pair lay in the bed, wrapped up in blankets, and in each other’s arms. Reid’s urinary catheter had been removed, as his state had become a true Jedi Stasis, all bodily functions slowing down dramatically. The Healers were baffled, for the boy had fully healed physically, thanks to the Koltos, so there was no reason for the continued hibernation.

It was Noria and Ralko who suggested that the healing taking place may not be physical, but psychological, and they were positive that Hotch and Reid would not come out of their trance separately, but wholly together.

And they were right. It had been three and a half week since the battle in the warehouse with the Sith Lords, in which the lives of Darth Cenar and Darth Nocturn came to an end. Twenty five days since Spencer Reid had been brought to the Temple, soaked in blood, vomit and Nectar. And finally… Finally… he woke up.

The Council had been in session, when suddenly, Gideon looked up and turned his head. Seeing the man thoroughly distracted, Eesa K’Tal asked, “Master Gideon? What is it?” Tarash Virr trailed off mid sentence at the interruption and all eyes turned to Gideon. The man blinked, then stood.

“Spencer is waking.” He said simply. And the Council rose and left the Spire. They met up with Rossi and Seaver.

“Jason.” Rossi greeted. “You felt it?” Gideon nodded, and the pair moved to walk side by side. Amna Kao gave Seaver a smile and a nod, and the groups headed for the infirmary. The rest of the team was already there, gathered around the large bed where the pair were still curled up in one another’s arms. The Na’Vi Healers were there with young Jedi who were in training to be Healer’s watching the pair.

“Can you feel it now?” Asked one of them, and the students bobbed their heads in unison. “When they wake, you and you take Aaron Hotchner. And you two take the Padawan.”

“Take them where?” Seaver asked, and the Na’Vi smiled at her.

“They are going to be very stiff and sore after their hibernation. We are going to give them a thorough massage to wake up and loosen all of those muscles that are on the verge of atrophy.”

“Oh.”

“They’re waking?” Gideon asked.

“Hotch has been twitching a bit for the last half hour.” JJ said from where she sat running her fingers through Reid’s hair. “And Reid made a little noise about ten minutes ago.” And so everyone settled in, and watched. A few minutes later, they saw the muscles in Hotch’s thigh and buttock twitch under the sheet covering him, and then his fingers twitched as well. His brow furrowed and he turned his head slightly, then sucked in a deep breath, and slowly let it out. And then, his eyes cracked open and slowly slid to half-mast before falling closed again.

“… Aaron?” Rossi called. And Hotch’s eyes opened again. They were glazed and unfocused, but a blinked a few times, and then stared at Reid’s tousled curls, as the boy had his face tucked into the man’s neck. And then, Hotch tightened his grip on the boy.

“… He made it?” He whispered, and slowly looked up. JJ’s smiling face was the first thing he saw, Garcia soon appearing right beside her.

“You both made it.” JJ said with a nod. “He’s going to be okay. He’s waking up too.” And as she said that, Reid sucked in a deep breath, just like Hotch, and let it out again in a soft cooing sigh, curling into the warmth of the body holding him close.

“Spencer?” Gideon called, sitting down and resting a hand on Reid’s shoulder, running it up and down the boy’s arm.

“… Mnh…” Was the response.

“Spencer?” Hotch murmured. “Baby?”

Another sigh was expelled from the boy’s delicate but healed lungs, followed by a soft “… Aa’rn?” Hotch smiled.

“That’s right. I’m here. You’re safe. It’s time to wake up.”

“… Nuh-uh…” Came the groan, and Reid buried his face further into the warm darkness. Chuckles went through the reasonably sized audience. That made Reid tense, and then slowly, he lifted his head. His hooded eyes were tired and bleary, but at the same time were sharp and nervous, as if ready to identify a threat. Instead, he identified the faces of the team, and the High Council. And every face showed happiness and relief. But Reid did not return their smiles. His eyes widened to show distress, and then he bowed his head and tucked his face into Hotch’s neck again with a whimper, curling up as if trying to hide. Hotch ran a hand up and down Reid’s back.

“Shhh… it’s okay. You can’t do this. You cannot be afraid of them. They won’t hurt you, Spencer. You have to face what is to come, no matter what that is.” Then he looked up at the others. “… How long?”

“Twenty five days for the Padawan.” Said one of the Na’Vi. “You went in halfway through that time.” Hotch nodded.

“I’m sorry it took us so long.” He said. “I… Had trouble getting him to wake.”

“Why?” Ralko asked.

“… He was afraid to.”

“Afraid?” Eesa K’Tal asked, sounding baffled.

“… He is afraid to face the Council.” Gideon murmured after a moment.

“Not without reason.” Muttered Max Ryan.

“Oh, hush you!” Amna Kao cried. “Honestly! Why did you have to become such a crotchety old man?! Sometimes I just can’t STAND being around you!” Tarash Virr had to hold back his laughter at her indignant shout, and the startled look of dismay on Max Ryan’s face.

“There is much we will need to discuss with the Padawan.” Kitata Ree said, his tone stern. “But in time. For now, tend to them.” And he turned to look at the Healers. “We will send for the Padawan when he is strong enough.” And he turned and left, the others following.

Finally, only Jason Gideon and Tarash Virr were left of the High Council. They watched as the Healers managed to finally disentangle the Bonded pair and began to give them a thorough check up as the trainee Healers began to give them their massages, bringing blood and warmth back into their muscles. The team sat with Reid when Hotch finally stood and moved to do the necessary bodily functions that had been suspended in his Stasis, and Reid had to be helped to do those, so weak was he.

Then Hotch got to sit and watch while countless tests were done on his Bond Partner, checking to see that everything had healed properly. They did internal scans of his body to check his organs, and ran blood work to make sure everything was functioning properly. They thoroughly inspected his heart and lungs, and were pleased to find that thanks to the Koltos and the Force, all vessels had repaired themselves; his heart murmur was gone. There was a bit of fluid in his lungs, but not enough to concern them. They declared that they would simply monitor the situation, but the MedDroid did give him an antibiotic injection. Then the pair were both fed some warm broth before they were allowed to curl up in bed to sleep again.

And this was their routine for the next several days. Each and every day physical therapy was done, massaging their muscles and getting the pair using them again. Reid’s progress was much slower than Hotch’s, for obvious reasons. Within four days, Hotch was able to be released. It was three times that for Reid. But finally, on the twelfth day, he was released from the Infirmary. And once he was, he and Hotch were both summoned before the High Council…

But only Hotch knew why he had been summoned with the boy. They both knew that Reid was to face judgment for his actions… His use of the Nectar. His keeping it a secret. His breaking the boundaries that the Council had set out for him, that being his confinement to the Temple. And his inability to keep his Dark Side in check…

But Hotch knew that it was also because the Council now knew of their forbidden love affair. And he had no idea what would happen… to either one of them…
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Knight of the Old Republic Episode II: Redemption