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It’s a normal Friday night. Haley’s decided to skip the football game, telling Aaron at school that she’d rather go see a movie or something. Blanket ideas of seeing one another all weekend roll around her head, she dreams about it as she sits on her bed, writing in her diary, stolen hymns of how she’ll marry him one day.
Aaron leaves his house after dinner, fiddling with his car keys as he told his father he’d be back by the morning. Dad doesn’t move an inch. Doesn’t look Aaron in the eye and can’t make out the sentence slipping off his son’s lips. He’s gone, going out with his little girlfriend that he despised, happily letting him leave.
He’s anxious the entire drive over, looking out his back window more times than he could count, certain it was Dad whenever a car pulled up behind him, riding his ass as he drove the speed limit, finally having something to live for.
He parks on the sidewalk, leaving the driveway for her father, smiling when he see’s the light on in her bedroom window, hoping she got his signal as he flashed his headlights momentarily.
Haley saw the streams of light streaming across her walls as Aaron turned off his car, quietly slamming the door and walking around back, careful not to ruin the flowers her mother had recently planted. Red tulips, something Haley had picked out, an eternal reminder of their never-ending love.
Haley sat her diary down, gently folding it over as she stopped her stream of consciousness, running towards the window as she heard Aaron’s footsteps below. The ladder was hidden, stolen from her father’s shed and by the tree. Aaron knew all of this, heard her rehearsed plan three times before stealing a kiss, promising he’d be fine on the ladder.
Haley, he learns early on, is a worrier. Worries about everything. Has a brain that never short circuits and constantly wears her down. Aaron saves her. Reminds her that she’s enough and that one day soon, they’ll run away together and never look back.
He waves as she opened the window, peering out as she held onto the bottom, carefully smiling as he looked up. “You okay, baby?” Aaron asked, genuinely curious as he grabbed the ladder from behind the tree. He always asked. Always made sure she was okay, stopping in a random parking lot so she could cry before going back home, having to pretend she was strong, swearing she’d leave parents when her parents asked them to break it off.
“Dad’s mad.” She whispered, red stained cheeks under her eyelids. “Wants us to stop seeing one another. He keeps saying you’re a bad influence on me, Aaron.”
He shook his head, pushing the ladder against the siding as she held the top of it, just incase as her boyfriend game to climb upwards. “He’s scared you’re going to get pregnant.” Aaron says, firmly, always the voice of reason.
Haley nodded skittishly, “He asked when my last period was. I tried to tell him we haven’t really even had sex…. but he doesn’t believe me.”
Aaron doesn’t have to think. “Two weeks ago.” Because he had to go out and buy her tampons, sneaking a candy bar in there as he cradled her close, waiting for her heating pad to warm up. “We’re being careful, Haley.” Aaron smiled, climbing closer as she watched him ideally. “It’s okay if he doesn’t believe us.”
“You sure you’ll be okay?”
“I’ve been on ladders before.”
“But the wind, Aaron.” Haley leaned out the window, unable to reach his hand as he looked up at her, shaking his head. “I feel like it shouldn’t be this windy.”
He rolled his eyes, nothing but a brisk breeze as the door slammed behind him. Haley’s pupils widened, deer in the headlights as she looked behind her. “What are you doing?” Roy questioned, hands on his hips and enough anger to wipe out an entire town. He stepped closer as Haley’s tongue ran dry, spotting Aaron halfway up the ladder, redirecting all his fury to him. “What is he doing here, Haley?” Roy jerked her away from the ladder, peering out the window as Aaron panted, two steps away from climbing inside.
“We weren’t doing anything bad, daddy…” Haley’s out of breath, spiraling out as she tried to steady her heart rate. “Aaron and I just wanted to go see that new movie. Mom said it was okay.”
“But I didn’t.” Roy countered as Aaron remained still. “He’s not welcome here, Haley.” He turns to face her, “I told you to stop talking to him.”
Tears ran down her cheeks as she shook her head. Aaron was all she had. “Daddy. He’s my boyfriend. I love him…”
“You’re seventeen, Haley. You don’t even know what love is.”
She did, more than most adults. She knew Aaron was her soulmate and the only person that could make her happy. “I’m going to marry him one day, Dad.”
Roy actually laughed at that, turning back to the window as he tried to close it. Aaron was at the type, fighting for his life as he watched Haley cry behind him. “No, you aren’t. I won’t allow it.”
“You don’t have to.” His daughter countered, hysterically sobbing now. “When I’m an adult, you’ll have no control over me. Aaron and I will run away. Leave Virginia behind and never look back.”
“Do you hear yourself, Haley?” His voice was different, his jaw tensed and he took a long glance at her before moving closer. “You sound ridiculous. Aaron’s nothing but trouble.”
She stood her ground, not listening to any of his lies. “I love him. He loves me. He takes such good care of me.”
“No, he doesn’t, Haley. He’s brainwashing you!” His voice was raised, hollering now. “He doesn’t love you! He’s using you.” Roy moved, inching a punch against her left arm, so furious that she’d think someone like Aaron Hotchner could love him. “You’re not seeing him again. That’s an order.” She knows if she keeps it up, he’ll get the belt, slapping her wrists until she admits she’s a sinner.
“Daddy.” Haley rubbed at her arms, no longer in control as her face scrunched at the pain. “That hurt…” It knocked the wind out of her as Aaron watched in fury.
“Don’t touch her.” He hollered, halfway in the window as Roy laughed. He looks over at Aaron, how he’s struggling to hold onto the windowsill, “You have no right to touch her. I could call the police—“ He should, Aaron thinks. Tell them everything her parents have been doing to her over the past decade. The same issues he has at his own home.
Roy can’t stand the sound of his voice, gently pulling his hands away as Aaron fell backwards. Haley gasped as she heard his body hit the grass, winching in pain as Roy slammed the window shut, pushing his daughter back as she tried to move back towards the window. “You won’t see him again.” Roy cleared his throat, threatening Haley. “Do I make myself clear?”
“Daddy, you — you hurt him.” She pushed him aside, feeling his tight chokehold on her arm as she yelled. “Aaron?”
He coughed, putting his hand up in surrender, hoarsely. “I’m okay, sweetheart.”
Haley shook her head, furious as she moved Roy out of the way, running down the stairs as she grabbed her car keys. Her dad didn’t follow after her, closed her bedroom down and pretended like nothing had happened, typical.
She brushed through the front door, slipping on her shoes as she ran to the backyard, finding Aaron planted in the grass as she cried, kneeling as she sank into the dirt. “Baby.” She gently caressed his cheek, making sure he still had a pulse as he blinked up at her.
“Honey.” Aaron countered. Voice thick with anger as he reached for her.
“Are you okay? Can you move?”
“Just my rib.” He murmured, trying to sit up as the pain in his neck intensified. “I’m okay. Did he hurt you?”
Haley let out a frustrated breath, in love with his kindness. “Aaron. He just pushed you out of fucking window, and you’re asking if I’m okay?”
“Saw him hit you.” The ember in his voice was back as he sat up, feeling Haley’s hands on his back, firm, guiding in him up. Tears welled in his eyes. “Does he do that a lot?” Haley paled. She hadn’t like talking about it. Knew Aaron was going through the same thing, but on a catatonic level. “I’m going to hurt him.” Aaron said, coughing up a lung as she helped him stand. “No one gets to hurt my Haley.”
“I can handle it.”
That made it worse. Aaron shook his head as she guided him to her car. “You shouldn’t have to.” He cried. Not for the pain in his side, but for the hole forming in his heart. “I won’t ever let anyone hurt you. Ever.”
Haley smirked at that, a small leer that barely held together, not believable in the slightest as she lowered him into the passenger seat, fastening his seat belt as she kissed the top of his head. Aaron moved his seat forward, arms extending for a hug as he pulled her in for a hug. “I love you.” Aaron says, after pulling away, loving the taste of her chapstick on his lips afterwards. “Thank you, Haley.”
“I love you more.” She replied, closing the car door as she walked around. Aaron watched her every move, scared her father would come back around for another round. He doesn’t. Haley opens the drivers side and hops in. Aaron reaches for her hand anxiously, intertwining their fingers as she buckled up.
“You’re going to make an amazing wife one day.”
Haley blushed, twisting her body as she looked out her rearview mirror. “I can’t wait to call you my husband.”
“Haley Hotchner.” Aaron said, smiling a little as she looked over her shoulder, dried tears crinkled on both their cheeks. “I love that.”
“I love you.”
It’s never-ending. Aaron resides her loved her more as she drives, anxious the entire way as he asked for her to pull over, swearing he’s capable of doing it himself. She laughs at that, a real one as she shook her head, wondering if he’d always take care of her like this.