Chapter 6: I'm Searching for the Words Inside my Head

Aria slowly woke up to the sound of soft tapping. Her head was still throbbing and the noise wasn't really helping. She turned her head slightly to the left to see Izzy sitting in a nearby chair, head down and tapping her foot on the wooden floor.

"You know, that's not really helping with my headache." She said with a grin.

Izzy's head immediately shot up. She smiled.

"It's about time you woke up, Sleeping Beauty." She said with a grin of her own. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Okay, I guess." She frowned. "How long have I been out?" She asked.

"About... Ten minutes or so." She replied after checking her watch.

She nodded then frowned. "What happened?" Aria asked.

"You fainted. Well, first you threw up your breakfast then you fainted. If you weren't running a fever, I'd swear you were hung-over." She joked.

"Cute." She replied with a smirk. "I think I'll leave the under-age drinking to you." She said with a raised eyebrow while trying to sit up.

Izzy laughed. "Wait, let me help you." She said as she helped Aria into a sitting position as gently as she could. Aria groaned then grabbed her head.

"If this is how it feels to be hung over, I'm never drinking. Ever."

Izzy laughed as the school nurse came back into the room.

"Good. You're awake." She smiled at Aria then checked her pulse and temperature. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

Aria shrugged. "Except for the headache, I feel fine."

"You're still running a fever. I called your mom a few minutes ago. She should be here soon." Aria nodded.

"Drink this. You need to stay hydrated." She said as she passed Aria a bottle of water. She took a few sips then placed the bottle next to her.

"You should lie down." She said to Aria, then placed a cool cloth on her forehead. "And you..." She pointed to Izzy. "...need to get back to class. I can handle it from here." She said, sternly.

Izzy shot her an annoyed look. "Fine. I'm going." She turned her attention back to Aria. "I'll call you later, okay?" She nodded. Izzy got up and slowly made her way to the door.

"Hey, Izzy?" She turned around. "Thanks." She said with a smile. "And tell Danny for me too."

She nodded. "I will. Just get better soon, okay?" She said.

"I'll try my best. Thanks again." She returned the smile, nodded then left.

Aria laid back down on the bed with the cloth on her forehead and closed her eyes.

"You have very good friends, Miss Marano." The nurse remarked. Aria opened her eyes to look at her. "They wouldn't leave, even after I told them you would be fine."

Aria smiled. "Yeah. That sounds about right. I'm lucky to have them." She nodded.

Nurse Natalie Jonas was a petite blonde with shoulder length hair and looked like she was in her early thirties. Aria had heard that she was stern but friendly and so far she had witnessed both. She also seemed genuinely concerned and even tolerated her hovering friends. It was kind of hard not to like her.

"Especially Mr Evans. " The nurse told her. Aria frowned.

"Poor boy was worried sick. He's the one that carried you till here. He wouldn't let anyone else do it."

"I didn't know." Aria said softly.

She smiled. "Well, you were unconscious so, I think you'll be forgiven for not remembering."

Aria nodded. "Try to get some rest while you wait for your mom."

She was just about to do that when a wave of nausea hit her yet again and she quickly got up and ran towards the bathroom across from her. She emptied whatever food she still had left until there was nothing in her stomach. She heard footsteps then felt a hand on her back and assumed it was Nurse Jonas until she heard the familiar voice.

"Easy Aria." The voice said while rubbing her back in a comforting manner.

"Mom?" Aria asked confused. Her head was spinning and she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Yeah, baby. It's me." Aimee smiled softly. "Come on." She said while helping her up.

After grabbing Aria's bag and throwing it over her shoulder, they left the nurses office. Aimee had her arm around her daughter's waist to support her as they walked through the empty school hallway to the car. She helped Aria into the passenger seat and buckled her in. She was strangely quiet but Aimee figured it was because she was sick and probably didn't feel like talking.

They drove in silence for the first few minutes. Aria was staring blankly out the window, which was partially open. The fresh air made her feel less nauseous. Eventually, Aimee spoke up.

"So, are you going to tell me what's going on with you?" She asked.

Aria turned slightly to her left to look at her mother, then looked back out the window.

"Nothing's going on with me, Mom. I got sick and you're making it seem like it's somehow my fault."

"I didn't say it was your fault Aria. I just wish you'd talk to me." She said, looking at Aria. When she didn't reply, she turned her gaze back onto the road ahead.

She sighed. "Look, Aria. I know you hate me after what I did, and I don't blame you, but you're sick and I really don't want to fight with you right now. So, can we leave the arguments until after you're better?" She pleaded.

Aria didn't say anything, just gave a small nod. Aimee turned her attention back to the road and the car was silent again.

"I don't hate you, Mom." Aria said suddenly, still looking out the window. She then turned her gaze to her mother. " I could never hate you, even after what you did. I should but I can't. Regardless, you're still my mom and I love you." She paused. "And I know you love me too." She added softly.

Aimee smiled. "You're right, I do. So very much." She frowned. "Why did it take you getting sick, to tell me that?" She asked curiously.

Aria shrugged. "Maybe it's the fever." She half joked. "Honestly, I don't know." She said, then leaned back against the head rest with her eyes closed. Aimee reached over and placed the back of her hand on Aria's forehead.

"You're still warm. I need to get you to the doctor."

"Says the doctor." Aria replied with her eyes still closed. They came to a standstill at a red light.

"Aria, I'm serious."

"Mom, it's probably nothing. I'm sure I'll be fine in a couple hours. I'd rather spend the day at home, in my own bed than at the hospital. Please Mom." She begged.

The light turned green and Aimee was forced to turn her attention back onto the road. She sighed, thinking over what Aria had just said and continued driving. She'd never seen her daughter this sick before in a long time and she was worried. The doctor in her told her to get Aria to the emergency room.

But the mother in her was so glad that her daughter was talking to her again that she didn't want to risk messing that up.

So, she decided to make a deal.

"Fine. I'll take you home. But on one condition." She paused. "Actually two" She continued.

"Name it." Aria told her.

"We first stop at the pharmacy so I can get you something for the nausea and headache, and an antibiotic."

"Okay. And the second one?"

"If your fever gets worse or you pass out again, I'm taking you to the ER. No arguments."

Aria sighed, closed her eyes then nodded. "Fine." She said, leaning the side of her head against the cold window and eventually dozing off.

After a quick stop at the pharmacy, they were on their way home. Aria had fallen asleep again and when they arrived, Aimee hated that she had to wake her up.

"Aria." She said, while gently shaking her. "We're home."

Aria slowly opened her eyes and managed to open the car door and get out before Aimee made her way around the car. Together they walked towards the front door and was greeted by Luciana before they reached it.

She frowned "What has happened, cara. Is everything alright?" She asked concerned as they made their way into the house.

Aimee helped Aria get comfortable on one of the sofas in the living room before explaining to Luciana what had happened.

"That's terrible, cara. Povore bambina." She said. "Is there anything I can do?" She asked sincerely.

"Can you make her something to eat, per favore? She needs to take her meds but not on an empty stomach."

"Of course."

"Grazie. I just need to make a quick phone call. I'll be in the study." She nodded.

Once Aimee was in the study, she pulled out her phone and dialled her boss's number. After three rings, he picked up.

"Chief Vasquez." He answered.

"Hi Chief. It's Marano."

"What can I do for you? I'm assuming it's about your daughter."

"Partially. I just wanted to know if it would be okay if I took the rest of the day off. Aria has a high fever but doesn't want me to take her to see a doctor, so I have to keep an eye on that. According to her, it's a waste of time because I'm a doctor.

He chuckled. "The kid has a point. I don't mind you taking the day off. The ER's been pretty quiet this morning so it's no problem. Do you know what's wrong with her?" He asked.

"It's probably a stomach bug or virus. I ruled out food poisoning because we all ate the same thing and she's the only one that's sick."

"I see. What are her other symptoms, besides the fever?" He asked.

"She threw up a couple times and passed out after the first time. Then there's the nausea, dizziness, fatigue and headache. It fits for a stomach bug. What do you think?" She asked him.

"I think you might be right. But if her fever gets worse, you need to bring her in. It could be something more serious."

"I know. I already told her that. Thanks Chief. I promise I'll pull a double shift to make up for it."

"That won't be necessary, Aimee. As I said, it's been a slow morning. Just take care of your girl. I'll call if there's an emergency, and that's a big if." He told her.

"Okay. Thanks again. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye." She greeted then hung up.

*Dear.

*Poor baby.

*Please.

Aimee re-entered the living room to find Aria sitting up, staring at the untouched cheese and tomato sandwich which was placed on the table in front of her. A glass of water was placed next to it, along with the medication she had to take. Luciana came in and stood next to her.

"She says she's not hungry. Maybe, you can get her to eat. Ho provato ma non ha voluto." She told her.

"It's okay. Mi si prenderà cura di esso. Grazie per averci provato." She said with a small smile. Luciana nodded then left.

She made her way over to Aria and sat down next to her.

"You have to eat something, tesoro." She said.

"I can't. Ho paura, mamma." She admitted.

Aimee frowned. "Why, baby?" She asked, moving closer to her daughter.

"If I eat something, I'll throw up again." She sighed.

"If you don't eat something, you can't take the anti-nausea meds and you'll throw up anyway."

Aria considered her mother's words. She had a point. But she still couldn't bring herself to eat.

"You don't have to eat everything. Just a few bites will be enough."

Aria nodded. "Okay." She picked up one slice and bit off a small piece, then chewed slowly. She swallowed carefully. When nothing happened, she took a few more bites and managed to finish the one slice. Aimee smiled.

"Good. Now take these." She said while handing Aria the tablets and glass of water. "And get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

"Is it okay if I move to my room?" She asked after she took her meds.

"Of course. Do you need help getting up the stairs?"

"No, I think I can manage." She said.

Aimee nodded. "Okay. I'll be up in a minute to check on you.

"Okay." She slowly got up from the sofa and made her way to the stairs.

*I tried but she refused.

*I'll take care of it. Thank you for trying.

*Sweetheart.

*I'm scared, Mom.

About a minute later, Aria reached her bedroom. She was exhausted and the walk up the stairs had tired her out. Without much thought, she climbed into bed, not even bothering to take off her shoes and jacket. She curled up onto her side, clutching a small pillow. It didn't take her long to fall asleep.

Aimee watched as Aria slowly made her way up the stairs to her bedroom. She hated seeing her usually lively daughter so exhausted and withdrawn. With a soft sigh, she made her way to her bedroom at the back of the house in the guest cottage, where she and her fiance, Daniel, stayed.

She quickly changed out of her scrubs into sweats, then made her way back to Aria's room. She knocked softly then entered to find Aria peacefully asleep, curled up onto her side.

She gently eased Aria out of her jacket, then took her Converse sneakers off. She grabbed a blanket at the foot of the bed and threw it over her sleeping daughter. Aimee placed a soft kiss to Aria's forehead, then covered it with a wet cloth hoping it would help bring her fever down.

"Please get better soon, my sweet girl. Ti amo." She whispered.

She checked her temperature again. It had gone down a degree or two, but it was still high. She sat next to her daughter for a few more minutes, just watching the steady rise and fall of her chest.

*I love you.

Later that day, Aria slowly opened her eyes and gave it a minute to adjust to the dim light in the room. Her head was pounding and it took her a few seconds to realize where she was. She turned her head slightly to look at the clock on her bedside table.

14:05pm. Had she really slept for over 3 hours? It didn't feel like it. She still felt exhausted.

Slowly, she sat up in bed. Feeling dizzy and nauseous, she swung her legs over to the side of the bed, grabbed her stomach and took a few deep breaths hoping it would help.

But before she could lie back down, the nausea came back suddenly and she ran towards her bathroom. She just managed to lift the toilet seat before throwing up yet again. She kept going until there was nothing left in her stomach. It left her lightheaded and she felt as if she was about pass out again. She sat on the cold tiled floor with her back against the bathtub, tears slipping down her cheeks. Her whole body ached and it hurt whenever she had to throw up and the fact that her stomach was empty didn't make it any easier.

God, when is this going to end? She wondered.

Aimee entered her daughter's room carrying a tray with a bowl of chicken noodle soup, a glass of water and Aria's meds.

Finding the room empty, she frowned before placing the tray on the beside table.

"Aria?" She called while looking around the room.

When she didn't get an answer, she walked into the adjoining bathroom and found her daughter on the floor, looking paler than before.

"Hey." She said softly, kneeling in front of her daughter while gently tilting her head so she was at eye level with her.

"You threw up again, didn't you?" She asked as she brushed a lock of hair away from her daughter's forehead. Aria nodded, looked away then wiped away the tears that had spilled from her eyes.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I wish you didn't have to feel like this."

Aria sniffed. "Do you know what's wrong with me?" She asked softly.

"Your symptoms point to a stomach flu or virus." She answered.

Aria nodded. "How long is this supposed to last?

"It could be 24 hours, maybe a couple days. I can't say for sure."

"Oh." She said softly as she tried to stand up. Aimee then helped her back into her room and into bed.

"Luciana made you some soup." She said with a lighter tone. "Chicken noodle, your favourite."

"I'm not hungry." She said.

"Aria, you need to eat. You can't take your meds on an empty stomach. You know that. " Aimee explained again.

"I know, it's just..." She started but was interrupted by a soft buzzing sound in the room. "That's my phone. Can you get it for me please? Backpack, front pocket" She said.

Aimee nodded. "Yeah of course, just please eat something, tesoro." She said as she handed Aria the tray with the soup.

With a soft sigh she finally gave in. "Fine." She said, then started blowing on the warm soup.

Aimee scratched around in Aria's bag until she found her cellphone. She looked back to see Aria stirring the soup but making no move to eat from it.

"Tell you what..." She started. "If you eat at least, half of that bowl, I'll give you your phone." She said with a smirk.

Aria narrowed her eyes. "Blackmail Mom? Really?"

"If it gets you to eat then why not?" She replied.

Aria smiled. "Okay. You win. This time." She said with a grin.

"That's my girl." She said, then kissed Aria on the cheek.

After eating almost half of the soup in the bowl, Aimee handed her the water and pills then placed the bowl on the table. She then handed Aria her phone.

"Don't spend to much time on that. You need your rest."

"I know. I won't." She replied then checked to see she had two messages and one missed call.

"Everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah. Just Danny and Izzy checking on me." She said with a small smile.

After texting them back, saying she had a stomach bug and that they shouldn't visit yet, she placed her phone next to her and shifted around in bed until she was comfortable. She fell asleep a few minutes later.

The rest of the day consisted of Aria either spending time on the bathroom floor after throwing up or sleeping off the exhaustion.

After returning to bed from the bathroom for probably the fifth time that day, she heard her phone vibrating again. Checking the time, she noticed it was after 5pm. She unlocked her phone, to check the message, figuring it was probably Izzy, Danny or one of her other friends wanting to find out how she was doing.

Her heart nearly stopped when she read the text message:

Leaving work soon. Hope everything's okay for tonight. I'll pick you up in an hour.

-Aaron

"Crap." She said to her herself. She was suppose to have dinner and go to a movie with Aaron tonight. How could I forget? She thought. In all the chaos of getting sick and the effects of the meds she was taken, she had completely forgotten about their plans. What am I going to do now?

She was still staring at her phone when Aimee walked in. She frowned then sat down in front of her daughter.

"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly.

Aria shook her head. "I need to tell you something. But you have to promise me that you won't get mad."

"Okay. I promise. What is it?" She asked confused. Aria took a deep breath, then continued.

"I kinda had plans for tonight..." Aimee frowned. "...with Aaron. She ended.

"I see. Let me guess, dinner and movie, right?" She said.

Now it was Aria's turn to frown. "Yeah. How did you know?" she asked.

"I may have overheard the last part of your conversation the other night while you were on the phone."

"So, you knew?"

She nodded. "I just didn't know when you planned on going."

"You're not mad?" She asked.

"Of course not. Why would I be mad?" Aria shrugged.

"Look Aria, I made a promise to you and Aaron that I wouldn't stand in the way of your relationship. And I meant it. So, if you want to spend time with him and get to know him, I won't stop you. Do you understand?"

Aria nodded. "I do. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm not mad. I just wish you would've given me a heads up." She smiled. "Is there something else?"

She nodded. "Can you call him, for me? Tell him that I can't go out tonight but don't tell him I'm sick."

Aimee frowned. "I'll call him to cancel but if he asks why, I'm not gonna lie to him. I've done that enough, don't you think?"

Aria sighed. "You're right. Mi dispiace. I shouldn't have asked you to do that."

She lightly touched her daughter's cheek. "It's okay. Get some rest. I'll make that phone call." She said then kissed her on the forehead.

*I'm sorry.

Aimee left Aria's room and headed for the study. She grabbed her cellphone from the table in the foyer and searched for his number.

Why would Aria tell me not to say she was sick? Surely, he has a right to know. She thought.

Shutting the door, she moved further onto the room and dialed his number. It rang several times before he answered.

"Hotchner." She paused.

"Hi Aaron. It's Aimee." She said softly.

Something's wrong. He thought.

"Aimee? What's wrong? Is it Aria?" He asked, slightly panicked.

"Calm down. Everything's fine. I'm just calling to let you know that Aria can't make it tonight." She told him, slightly annoyed.

He frowned. "What? I thought you said it was okay for me to spend time with her." He told her.

She sighed. "Okay. That didn't come out right. Aria asked me to call you to cancel tonight."

"Why?" He asked.

"She got sick today at school. Looks like a stomach virus. That's why she can't go out." She explained. "I'm sorry if I made it sound like I didn't want her to go. Truth is, she only told me about it a few minutes ago."

"It's fine. I'm sorry for assuming you wouldn't, even after you made that promise. How is she?" He asked.

"She's doing okay, considering. I can tell she's pretty pissed that she can't go out with you tonight."

He smiled. "Tell her not to worry about it. Would it be okay if I still came over tonight?"

Aimee hesitated. "Uhm, I don't know Aaron. Aria isn't really up for any visitors right now. She's exhausted and sleeping a lot. Plus the meds she's taking makes her drowsy. She won't exactly be good company."

"I understand that. I still want to see her." Hearing no reply, he continued. "I won't stay long, I just need to see her."

She sighed. "Okay. Well, if she kicks you out, don't say I didn't warn you." She said with a grin.

He smiled. "I'll keep that in mind. I should be there in the next half hour or so. Do you need me to get her anything?" He asked.

"Uh, no. I think she's good."

"Okay. I guess I'll see you later then. Thanks for calling me."

"Of course. See you soon, Aaron."

"Goodbye Aimee."

Ending the call, she made her way back up to Aria's room. She's going to kill me, she thought while walking up the stairs.

Aaron stood at his desk, staring at the phone in his hand. He had been looking forward to their dinner and movie date since they had made the plans a few days ago. Now it looked as if those plans were about to change. Either way, he'd still get to see her.

He placed his phone on his desk, then proceeded to pack up his briefcase. As he was doing that, he heard a knock at the door.

It was Rossi.

"Heading out?" He asked when he saw the unit chief was packing up.

He nodded. "Yeah. You?"

"That's actually why I came up here. Morgan suggested we all go out for a drink. You in? First round's on me." He added.

"Thanks but I think I'll just head home. It's been a long day." He said, leaving out the fact that he already had plans.

Rossi nodded, half convinced. "Is everything okay with you, Aaron?" He asked.

"Everything's fine. Why wouldn't it be?" He answered defensively.

From the shocked look on Dave's face, Hotch realised that he had raised his voice, unintentionally. He ran a hand over his tired face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell." He said.

Dave nodded. "I know something's up. You've been acting strange this past couple weeks. So, are you going to tell me what's going on with you?"

Hotch sighed. Should he just tell Dave about Aria? He needed to talk to someone about it. But not at that moment.

"I can't get into it right now. I have to go." He said while grabbing his briefcase, phone and keys then waited for Dave to leave.

"Fine. But this conversation isn't over. I'll be here when you're ready to talk." Aaron nodded without saying another word as they both left the office.

The rest of the team was gathered in the bullpen around Reid's desk, deciding where they would go for a drink when Hotch and Rossi exited Hotch's office. Rossi said goodbye to Aaron as he quickly left the bullpen through the side door and headed for the elevators. The team had confused looks on their faces as Rossi made his way over to them.

"Hotch not joining us?"" Morgan asked.

Rossi shook his head. "He just wanted to get home and call it a night. It's been a long week." He said, hoping they wouldn't ask any further questions. Whatever was going on with Hotch seemed personal and Rossi was pretty sure he wanted to keep it private until he was ready to share. Luckily, they seemed satisfied with his answer as they all nodded and continued with their conversation. They finally settled on a bar downtown that they went to frequently, then headed for the elevators.

Aaron headed for the elevators, slipping past the team before they could ask questions. Dave would tell them that he wasn't up for a drink and wanted to get home.

As he drove, he wondered if he should go straight to the manor or first go home. He decided on the former. He could check in with Jack, who was spending the weekend with his aunt Jessica and his grandparents, after he saw Aria. He nodded to himself, then made his way over to the Marano Manor.

Aimee walked back into Aria's room to find her sitting up with her back against the headrest and knees pulled up to her chest, idly flipping through the channels on the TV opposite her. She looked up as Aimee came into view.

"How did it go?" She asked hesitantly as she put the TV on mute.

"Good." She said.

Aria frowned. "That's it? What did he say?" She asked.

Aimee sat down in front of her on the bed. She took a breath before continuing.

"He said that he understood and that you shouldn't worry about not being able to go out with him tonight." She paused as Aria nodded.

"He also asked why you wanted to cancel and I had to tell him what was wrong." She said slowly, expecting Aria to lash out. When that didn't happen, she decided to continue.

"He also asked if it was okay if he still came over tonight and I told him it was. He'll be here in 30 minutes."

"What?!" She yelled. "Mom, I told you to cancel, not invite him over. I don't want him to see me like this."

Now it makes sense. She thought.

"Is that what this is about?" Aria shrugged. "Honey, he's your father. He's not gonna care about how you look. He just wants to see if you're okay. He wants to see you." She said, emphasizing the 'you'.

"But I'm all sweaty and gross." She pouted.

Aimee smiled. She couldn't help but think how adorable Aria looked. It reminded her of when she was little.

"Sweetheart, you're sick. I think you'll be forgiven. And stop pouting. It was cute when you were six. Now it's just weird." She said with a smile.

Aria laughed. "Gee thanks, Mom." She sighed. "Can I at least take a shower before he gets here?"

Aimee nodded. "Sure. But make it a quick one. I don't want you falling and hitting your head, if you get dizzy again."

"I'll be fine, Mom. Can you grab me some sweats and a t-shirt please?" She asked, walking into the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later, Aria walked out of the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed in grey and pink sweats and a white t-shirt. She felt a bit better after the relatively quick shower but still felt slightly nauseous. And the fact that Aaron was on his way over did nothing to settle her stomach.

She sat down on her bed and glanced at the clock. It had been nearly an hour since she had last thrown up and she was hoping it would stay that way while Aaron was there.

She was still sitting on her bed, staring out in front of her at nothing in particular when her mom entered the room again.

"Hey. I made you some tea. Chamomile." She said then placed it on the bedside table. Aria eyed it, wondering if it was safe to drink.

"It's okay. It'll help settle your stomach." She continued, as if reading her daughter's mind.

She nodded. "Thanks Mom." She said with a slight smile.

"You okay? You didn't throw up again, did you?" She asked concerned.

She shook her head. "No, I'm okay." She answered while looking down.

Aimee sat down next to her daughter, watching Aria stare at her hands in her lap, intertwining her fingers.

"You're nervous." She stated simply.

Aria sighed. "Yeah." She said softly, refusing to look at her mother.

"Why?" She asked.

Aria shrugged. "I have no idea."

She moved closer to Aria, then wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "It'll be fine." She said as she placed a kiss to her temple. Aria laid her head on her mother's shoulder. They sat in silence for a few minutes, until they heard the doorbell ring.

"That's probably him. I'll be right back." She said as she reluctantly let go of her daughter and stood up.

Aria nodded, feeling nauseous all over again. As soon as her mom left the room, she ran towards the bathroom and threw up the half a bowl of soup she managed to eat earlier.

As Aimee made her way down to the foyer just as Luciana let Aaron in.

"Hi." She said.

"Hi." He replied.

She quickly introduced Aaron to Luciana who politely shook his hand while raising a curious eyebrow at Aimee. She gave her an 'I'll explain later' look which seemed to satisfy the nosey housekeeper. For now at least. Aaron watched the exchange with an amused look but pretended not to notice anything.

"If you need anything else, I will be in my suite until Jean-Luc picks me up at seven." She said to Aimee who nodded. Aaron waited until she was out of ear shot to ask who Jean-Luc was.

"Her son." She replied. "He's also an old friend of mine. He's taking her on a short vacation with the family for the weekend." She continued. He nodded.

"So, where's Aria?" He asked.

"She's upstairs." She motioned with her head then walked towards the staircase.

As she passed the table in the foyer, she heard her pager vibrate. Frowning, she grabbed it as they made their way up the stairs.

"Crap." She muttered as she checked her pager.

"What's wrong?" He asked as they reached the top of the stairs.

She sighed "I have to go in to work. There's been an accident on the freeway. Four-car pile up. All hands on deck. Sounds pretty bad. At least 15 people involved. Multiple injuries. The ER's gonna be a nightmare." She groaned. He grimaced.

"God, I do not need this right now. I took the day off to keep an eye on Aria. Now I have to go back in. My parents are out for the night. I still haven't gotten her fever down to normal and she needs to be monitored." She continued.

"I could stay with her tonight." He suggested.

She stared at him for a minute. "You don't have to do that." She told him.

He shook his head. "No, but I want to. It's more logical for me to stay. You need to go to work and I don't have anywhere else to be." He told her.

She bit her lip. He had a point. "Are you sure?" She asked. "Cause she's pretty cranky when she's sick."

He smiled. "Yes. I'm sure. Besides, I have a six year old. I can handle a sick kid. Or in this case a sick teenager." She raised an eyebrow at him, but finally gave in.

"Okay. Fine. But if she gets worse, you call me." He nodded.

They entered Aria's room to find it empty. Aimee walked over to the closed bathroom and knocked once before she opened the door halfway. Aaron stayed a few steps behind her.

"Aria?" She said as she walked in.

Aaron wanted to walk in there with her but he didn't want to crowd Aria. He watched Aimee walk in and close the door slightly. He winced when he heard Aria throw up and he felt bad because he couldn't do anything to stop it. He looked around the room, hoping it would somehow distract him.

The room was exactly how he had pictured it. It suited her personality perfectly. It was decorated in soft pinks, blues and purples but wasn't too girly. Her desk in the right hand corner of the room formed an L-shape and was neatly organised. Above it was a collage of pictures, photos, drawings and letters, decorated with a silver outlining. There was a section with a school time table as well as a schedule for the week and weekend practices. Upcoming assignments and assessments were also displayed.

A tall bookcase was next to her desk, displaying her love of dance and drama. There were books on different types of dancing, popular plays, mostly done by Shakespeare, and other teen fiction including Nancy Drew Mysteries and Sabrina the Teenage Witch series. There were also a few mystery thrillers and horrors. He smiled, remembering when she told him how much she loved watching horror movies.

He walked further into the room. A flat screen TV hung from the wall opposite her bed. Posters were spread out above it, as well as around the rest of the room of her favorite singers and bands. Most were of five boys, who he guessed was One Direction. He smiled. Okay maybe she is a little obsessed with them. He thought.

His eyes drifted further across the spacious room with wooden flooring. They fell on the window seat to the right hand side of her bed. It was big enough for two people and overlooked the city. The view was pretty amazing.

Shifting his eyes to the opposite side of the room, he noticed two floor length mirrors. He frowned. Why would she need two big mirrors if she already had one next to her dressing table? He wondered and made a mental note to ask her about it.

Another thing he noticed was the small trophies, medals and certificates from various dance competitions and academic achievements that occupied the far corner in her room. She really was a talented kid.

The next thing he noticed had totally surprised him. Apparently, she also had a shoe addiction. The section between the mirrors and TV contained a ridiculous amount of different pairs of shoes displayed on built-in shelves against the wall. He smirked. Like mother, like daughter. He thought, remembering how crazy Aimee was about her shoes.

He walked back over to the window seat and stared out while he waited for the mother and daughter to exit the bathroom.

"Oh, sweetheart." Aimee said as she saw Aria on her knees, leaning over the toilet and emptying her stomach yet again. She gently rubbed her back and waited till she was done. She really needed to get to work but wanted to make sure Aria was okay first. Aria wanted to say something but Aimee stopped her.

"Shh, it's okay. Just let it out." She said, soothingly.

A few minutes later, Aria slowly got up from the floor and made her way over to the basin. She rinsed out her mouth and splashed water on her pale-looking face. God, I look terrible. She thought while looking in the mirror above. I look like crap and he's gonna see me like this. That made her want to curl into a corner and never leave the bathroom.

She dried her face and sat on the edge of the bathtub. Aimee sat next to her, figuring out how she was going to tell her sick daughter that she had to go back to work and leave her.

"Aria..." She started. Aria looked up at her. She frowned.

"What is it, Mom?" She asked, nervously.

"I..." She started to say but was cut off when her pager vibrated again. She sighed then checked it.

"You have to go to work." Aria stated.

She nodded. "Yeah. There was a really bad accident on the freeway. They need all available help. I'm sorry, tesoro."

She shook her head. "It's okay, Mom." She stood up and walked towards the door then paused. She turned back towards her mother and bit her bottom lip.

"Is he in there?" She asked softly.

Aimee nodded. She walked towards her then slipped her arm around her daughter's waist. "It'll be okay." She whispered as she moved Aria towards her room and out of the bathroom.

That's when she saw him. Standing in front of her window seat, gazing out the large window. Arms folded over his chest, deep in thought. Aimee felt Aria tense slightly, when she saw him.

He didn't notice them at first, until he felt like he was being watched. He turned slightly to his left, then he saw her. She was pale and her eyes were glossy and red, like she had been crying. Her hair hung in loose curls and her cheeks were flushed. She had an arm around her stomach which probably hurt from all the throwing up.

"Hi." He said with a faint smile.

"Hi." She said softly as she locked her eyes with his. She quickly looked away, then made her way over to her bed and sat down.

The room remained quiet for a few seconds before Aimee spoke up as she checked her pager.

"Okay. I really have to go now." She said, mostly to Aria. "Aaron offered to stay with you tonight so you won't be here alone. Remember, you need to take your meds again in about two hours and then again tomorrow morning, after you had something to eat. So, get some rest in the meantime." Aria nodded.

"I'll probably only be back in the morning..." She trailed off as she brushed a few strands of hair off Aria's sweaty forehead. "I should stay. I can't leave you like this." She said, sadly, placing her palm on Aria's cheek.

"Mom, I'll be fine. Prometto. Go." She gestured towards the door. "Andare salvare alcune vite." She said with a small smile.

"You haven't said that in a while." Aimee replied.

"I know. Now, will you please get out of here." She said with a grin.

"Alright, alright. I'm going." She placed a kiss on Aria's forehead, then turned her attention towards Aaron.

"You sure about this?" She asked again.

"Yes. I'm sure." He nodded as he walked towards the bed.

She sighed. "Okay. I love you."

"I love you too. Now go." She playfully shoved her mother away.

"You're welcome to make use of the guest room down the hall, if you want." She said turning to Aaron, as he walked her out of the room. "There's plenty of food in the fridge, so feel free to help yourself. And make sure Aria eats before she takes her meds. She'll insist that she's not hungry but she can't take those on an empty stomach..." She rambled.

He smiled. "Aimee." She stopped taking and looked at him. "Calm down, okay. We'll be fine." He assured her.

Her eyes flicked from Aaron to Aria, who was watching them with a curious expression on her face, before she reluctantly said goodbye and left.

"I'm tugging at my hair, I'm pulling at my clothes, I'm trying to keep my cool, I know it shows, I'm staring at my feet, My cheeks are turning red, I'm searching for the words inside my head, I'm feeling nervous, Trying to be so perfect, Cause I know you're worth it..." Avril Lavigne - Things I'll Never Say