I'm going to say sorry for this before I even start, but I need to write something because of the shooting in Parkland, Florida two days ago. I've been out of school due to sickness when this happened and watched the live feed as it came in at about fifteen after two where I live. So in short this is written in memoriam for those who lost their lives and those whose lives are forever changed.
One should never outlive their child but life is not a fair about that type of thing.
Aaron Hotchner had faced that first hand before when his wife was killed by a serial killer. He'd consoled many after they lost their own children, but he never thought that he would lose his son when he was only thirteen years old.
It was ten minutes before his middle school let out for the day and he was making his way over when on the radio that police were headed to the middle school that Jack attended. He pulled over as his phone started to vibrate.
He pulled it out and answered it. "Aaron have you heard about what happened at Jack's school?" It was Jack's aunt Jessica she was frantic.
"Yes, what have you heard?" His knuckles were turning white as he gripped his cell.
"Only that the FBI, SWAT, and local police have been called in. That several shots were fired and they do not know how many kids were injured."
Hotch pulled back onto the road to try and make it to the school. He was still about ten minutes away.
"Do you know where they want the parents?"
"North of the school at the parking lot that's on the other side of the sports fields."
Hotch directs his car around a few blocks so that he would stay out of the polices way. He can see the black government vehicles parked not far from the school. He wondered if his old team was there or not. He reached the parking lot and pulled into a spot
The kids that they had gotten out were sitting in the football stands and started to look for Jack.
He could see many of the parents frantically looking and asking the police if they had seen their children, but he knew that in a situation like this no officer could remember who they had seen.
As it seemed that the last group of children had made it to the fields and Jack still was not amongst them he started to get worried. He turned to the closest first responder, pulled out a photo taken the month prior and showed it to him asking if he had seen him.
"I am sorry, but I have not seen him. You might try and see if one of the ones coming out of the school have."
Hotch nods and makes his way to the tent not far from the school where they were taking down names.
"Hotch!" His name is yelled from behind him.
Hotch turned to see both Emily Prentiss and Jennifer Jareau running up to him.
"Have either of you seen Jack?" He was hoping that they had seen him alive.
JJ grabbed his arm and pulled him to the side. "Jack was shot… I.. I tried to save him...but I was too late." JJ watched as the man that she knew as the strong unit chef fell to his knees and started to cry.
JJ wraps his arms around him and then pulls him to his feet to lead him to the ambulance that held his son. She had asked that it wait until she came back to leave.
"Is he the teen's father?" the medic asks. JJ nods as she pulls back the sheet covering Jack's face. Tears ran anew down Hotchner's face.
The medic allowed him to get into the ambulance and they drove off.
The funeral for Jack was beautiful and the entirety of the team, both old and new was there.
Most of them were having the same thought, 'Would Hotchner be the next to be buried? Would he lie next to his son within the year?'
