This is a one shot for AWChic! I hope everyone enjoys and if you like Reid and stories focused on family and getting through the rough times together You'll love AWChic's stories because they are awesome!
Happy Reading!
What happens to Henry actually happened to a little girl in Oklahoma.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Criminal Minds and it's characters
Note: Emily has adopted Declan.
It was an extremely special day for the BAU family. Emily had flown in from London with Declan and was now enjoying an exciting day at the park, with the team and their families, including Blake whom she was getting know very well.
Meanwhile Declan, Jack, and Henry were riding bikes around the bike path. They wouldn't go too far out of sight, before circling back around.
The adults were all sitting in their lawn chairs, making a semi-circle around Will's grill that he had brought. The smell of burgers and charcol filtered through their noses, increasing the hunger in their already starving stomachs.
There was one person though that didn't seem to pay attention and that was Hotch. Since Emily had come back he had become quite taken with her, even though she had only been there for two days. He wasn't sure if it was the smile and friendly hug she gave him when she arrived at the airport or if it was her interaction with Declan and Jack or maybe it was combination of both. He looked at her differently, not as an agent or a subordinate but as a woman capable of showing love and affection. These thoughts puzzled Hotch into a blank stare.
"Hotch, Hotch!" Rossi said trying to get his attention.
"Earth to Hotch!" JJ said laughing, when finally he snapped out of his thoughts.
"Yeah, sorry what is it?" He said.
The team let out a few giggles. "What were you thinking about man?" Morgan said.
"A case." Hotch said stoically hoping it sounded believable.
Suddenly Emily noticed the paper plates starting to blow away. She stood up quickly and ruffled Hotch's hair before going to the plates, "Don't you ever take a break?" She said jokingly and started picking up the plates.
"Here let me help you." Hotch offered, because he just wanted to be next to Emily. He longed to know more about her and read more into what he was feeling.
"He just avoided the question." Reid said.
"Yeah I hear that's a sign." JJ said.
"Me too." Blake said, joining in with her team.
"What?" Hotch said, innocently.
"You know what this means." Rossi stated.
"Yep." Morgan said.
"Tragic." Emily said trying to hold in a laugh.
Garcia watched and was ready to join in when the rest of the team moved.
Hotch looked around and saw what they were about to do, "Oh no you don't!" Hotch took off running.
Emily was quick to grab him, slowing him down then the rest of the team reached him, picking him up by his limbs and threw him into the lake. Of course it was only like three feet of water, but he wasn't going down without a victim and he pulled Emily in with him. Emily squealed with excitement.
When Hotch came up everyone was laughing, "Okay I get the point, and you're all fired."
"Promises, promises." Garcia said.
The team just laughed and walked back towards the grill where Will was telling everyone lunch was ready.
Hotch got to his feet and saw Emily struggling to get to hers, "Here let me help."
"I'm good." She said.
She always has to be so independent. Hotch thought then yet, that was one of the things that attracted him to her.
He waited for her to stand up and when she did, she took a good look at him and laughed out loud.
Her laugh was contagious and he couldn't help but laugh with her. What they did was pretty funny. He stuck out his arm and said, "So what do you say we go eat some lunch?"
She linked her arm with his, "That sounds like a lovely idea."
Emily gave a quick side glance at him; he does look all cute soaking wet. The thought came then it passed, focusing on the food they were getting ready to eat.
When they arrived back at their lawn chairs, JJ was trying to call in Henry.
Will was dishing out the hamburgers and said, "He's fine Jayje, let him play."
"He needs to eat." JJ said very motherly.
"And he will." Will said giving her a kiss on the forehead while at the same time putting a hamburger down on her bun. JJ gave in and took a big juicy bite of her hamburger.
The adults enjoyed a nice lunch together while the kids continued to play.
Blake was asking about Emily's job and everyone was eager to hear about how it was going. They had got so caught up in conversation they didn't notice the change in weather, until a strong breeze blew by carrying away their left over hamburgers, scattering them all over the ground.
"There goes Henry's lunch." JJ said.
"I'll make some more." Will said trying to re-assure her.
The women were quick to catch stuff and start packing it away. Abruptly it had become noticeably darker and the wind had become constant.
"It looks like a storm's blowing in." Reid stated looking up at the darkening sky.
"I could have told you that, Genius." Morgan said.
"Ha, ha very funny." Reid said back.
Emily looked to where the boys had been riding and didn't see them. She didn't want to seem panicked thinking they could have gone to the restroom, "Where are the boys?" She said calmly.
Blake looked up from gathering the burgers and said, "I just saw them a few moments ago."
JJ felt her heart beat a little faster and when she looked in the direction of where they were riding, she barely saw a hint of their bikes. The only word she could think to say was, "Henry!"
The wind picked up even more, scattering their trash and blowing a few limbs out of the trees, but now no one seemed to notice.
Hotch felt his stomach flip, he couldn't be gone, not Jack, not Henry and not Declan, he thought as his eyes went to Emily who had a look of terror on her face. It was evident to all of them, what could happen to children, they had saw it too many times and knew the statistics and now they wondered if this had happened to their own.
"Henry!" Will called cupping his hands around his mouth.
"Henry!" JJ called quickly after him.
"Declan!" Emily called.
"Jack!" Hotch called behind them.
Branches were blowing down around them, and the truck door shut loudly against the wind, where they were piling in their picnic supplies. The lawn chairs they were sitting in started to blow over and then there came a mist of rain.
The team looked at one another with horrified faces. Then suddenly they started running in the direction of the bikes. Hearts were racing and tears were being forced back and just before they got to the bikes they were all stopped by a park ranger, "You need to get to cover! A tornado is headed straight for us!"
"No! We can't! Our kids!" JJ exclaimed as the tears started rolling down her cheeks. Will pulled her in to him.
"They're gone! We don't know where there at!" Emily said, almost yelling over the wind. Emily felt an arm touch the small of her back.
"Please! We have to find them!" Hotch said.
Then Emily realized it was Hotch who had made the gesture. She looked at Hotch's face and JJ's realizing that she too had that same feeling and she wasn't about to lose Declan.
The Park Ranger finally said, "Okay someone come with me!" Morgan jumped in the passenger seat. "I'll get on the radio and have our staff see if they can see them anywhere! But please get to shelter! We can't have 6 adults dead as well as missing kids! If there here we'll find them! Go now! Get to shelter!"
The team looked at the empty bikes lying on the bike path and then back at each other. Rossi looked in the distance and saw the clouds swirling and moving like a pot of boiling water, "Let's go!" He said, trying to pull the team into together pushing them towards the bathroom.
Blake had an idea and said, "Come on!" leading them to the restrooms.
Without thinking about it Hotch wrapped his arm around Emily's waist and started running with her at his side. Will did the same with JJ and Reid was catching up to Blake. Rossi brought up the rear with Garcia.
Reid shouted back, "Considering the rotation of the clouds and the direction in which it's moving, our safest place is on the men's side!"
The team didn't question but followed Blake and Reid inside. When they were inside everything was still. The wind didn't blow their hair and everyone was deathly quiet. They didn't know what to say and no one had any words of comfort. A moment after they stood there waiting when abruptly stuff started pounding against the side of the building. The team hunkered down next to the walls and in corners.
Will held on to JJ as her tears became cries for her son. Her pain was breaking their hearts.
Hotch protected Emily with his body. He, himself was overcome with extreme agony for his son. He wanted to scream and he wanted to break down and cry, he couldn't lose Jack and before his emotions came flooding out he looked to Emily.
Emily was beneath him, on her knees, staring into the concrete floor. He saw her push one side of her hair, behind her ears and noticed the tears streaming down her face. She wasn't full out crying like JJ but she was unable to hold them back. Hotch couldn't remember a time he saw her cry and now that he had, he wanted to make it go away.
Suddenly the building began to shake and the window shattered sending flying shards of glass all over the room. The noise was deafening, as if a freight train was rolling right on top of them. Debris flew into the bathroom and the tiny specks of mud and rain stung as it splattered their faces.
Garcia screamed when she saw one of the walls coming down on top of them. Rossi covered her head and braced for impact. The wall was quick to fall, covering Rossi, Garcia, Will and JJ leaving the other four agents exposed to the elements.
Something popped in Hotch's ear and he put one hand up to it, and felt the blood drain out. Emily felt herself being pulled away so she grabbed hold of Hotch tighter and held on with everything she had.
Blake and Reid were just inside one of the stalls. There they held on to each other and gave one another a glance of desperation, with a look of dread showing no hope that they would make it out alive then…it stopped.
It was still, eerily still. Slowly Hotch and Emily looked up, able to see the sky and twisted tree trunks outside. They looked to each other and embraced in the fact they were still alive.
"Were alive!" Garcia said from underneath the wall.
Observing the damage, the wall had collapsed onto the sink creating an almost tent like structure protecting them.
Blake and Reid smiled to one another, hugged and went to help their friends.
Rossi, Garcia, JJ and Will climbed easily out from under the wall. Finally they all just stood there in the rubble, looking out at the devastation before them. What glimmer of hope they had at finding the boys, before the storm, was now gone.
Hotch felt a tear trace down his cheek. Memories of Hayley and Foyet's attack on his family, was more present now than it had been in a long time. Then he was afraid of losing Jack and now he felt he had lost him. An empty hollowness started to consume him. He tried to hold back the tears but he couldn't and just as they started to flow he felt two arms wrap around him tightly. He looked down and saw Emily burying her face into his chest. He embraced her and together they stood comforting one another.
Out of the blue, amongst the sadness Rossi said, "Do you hear that?"
Blake and Reid took a few steps closer to Rossi while everyone else tried to dry up their tears.
"I hear it! I hear it!" Reid said listening more intently.
"Me too!" Garcia exclaimed.
"It's coming from that direction." Blake pointed to where their bikes were previously laying.
The team took off running and as they got closer JJ knew exactly who it was, "Henry! Henry!" She shouted. Her heart felt as if it would explode with emotion. They could hear him, but they couldn't see him.
"Mommy!" They heard him say.
Reid looked up and saw him in a tree, nestled tightly in between its thick branches. "There he is! Somebody hoist me up!" Blake and Will each gave him a foot hold, hoisting him a few feet, enough for Henry to crawl in his arms. Reid then gladly handed him to his mother.
"It blew me away mommy! I'm scared!" Henry said crying.
JJ cried into him and felt Will wrap his arms around her, "We love you little man." Will said with tears coming to his eyes.
JJ was at a loss for words until she looked to her friends who still had not found Jack or Declan. With concern for their safety as well she looked at Henry and said, "Baby, where is Jack and Declan? Were they with you?"
Henry shook his head yes. "We chased a frog, the wind was fast!"
JJ kissed his forehead, "I know it was fast baby, but you're okay. Can you tell mommy where you chased the frog? Aunt Em and Uncle Hotch need to know where Jack and Declan are."
Henry pointed in the direction of where they were.
"Good baby." JJ said pulling him back into her. The team took off and JJ told Will to go with them. "We'll be alright, Help them find Jack and Declan." JJ held tightly to Henry as she watched her family running into the woods, hoping and praying they would find them.
The team hollered their names, echoing through the forest. They received no response and then there was Blake who saw something. "Over here!" She shouted. Everyone came running.
"Declan!" Emily said running up to his body. He looked almost lifeless as a tree lay across his leg.
"He has a pulse!" Blake said, assuring Emily he was alive.
Emily leaned down at his face cupping it in her hands, "Declan, honey? Can you hear me?" Emily watched as his eyes fluttered open, "Oh thank you, thank you." She said relieved, looking towards the sky.
"Mommy?"
"I'm here Declan." Emily said kissing his cheek. "Honey, I know your hurt and we will get you help but can you tell us where Jack is?"
"I told him to keep running when the tree fell." Declan had a hard time finding the strength to raise his hand, but when he did he pointed straight in front of him, "He ran that way." which led away from all the destruction the tornado had caused.
"I'll stay here." Blake said.
Emily gave Hotch a hopeful smile and he was off. Garcia, Will, Rossi and Reid ran covering the woods and hollering his name. Garcia was closest to the road when she saw the park ranger coming back through and Morgan hopped out with Jack in his arms. "We found him wondering the side of the road." Morgan said.
"Oh my little Jackers! Let's get you back to daddy!" Garcia said taking him in her arms, showering him with a few kisses and a gentle embrace. "Hotch! He's here, we've got him!"
Hotch couldn't run fast enough. Jack reached out for Hotch when he was in an arm's length and Hotch couldn't help but cry when he felt the life of his child, back in his arms again. "Hey buddy. Are you okay?" Hotch asked frantically looking him over with the help of Rossi and Will.
"I'm scared daddy." Jack said falling back onto his shoulder, wrapping his arms around Hotch's neck.
"I know buddy, but your safe now. Daddy's got you."
At the hospital the children were checked out thoroughly from head to toe. Jack and Henry came away with a clean bill of health while Declan had to get a cast for his broken leg. Hotch had a busted ear drum that would soon heal, but in the end everyone was safe and sound.
A few more months past, Emily went back to London with Declan and the rest of the team got back to normal.
The weather changed, growing colder. Leaves turned vibrant colors of red and yellow. It was November and Rossi had planned a huge Thanksgiving dinner with the help of his family, of course.
Morgan was in the living room trying to enjoy a game of football in between Reid's critiques and analysis of all the plays. Hotch and Will were playing a little football on the lawn with Henry and Jack. The girls were in the kitchen, with Rossi, getting everything ready and just before they pulled out the turkey there was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it!" Garcia said glad to retreat from Rossi's manics about having everything perfect. When she opened the door she squealed, "I thought you said you couldn't make it!" She said embracing Emily.
"And miss all this, no way!" Emily said smiling.
"Where's Jack and Henry?" Declan asked excitedly.
"Playing ball out back. Why don't you go tell them dinner is almost ready?" Garcia asked sweetly placing a kiss on his forehead.
"Sure Auntie G." Declan said running off out back.
Meanwhile Emily was greeted with a warming comfort that she had missed since her last visit. Now that she was here again she realized that there was no way she could go back and secretly she had decided to stay, but was waiting for the right moment to tell everyone, little did she know Declan was already spilling his guts outside.
Emily had made it to the kitchen and the first face she saw was that of Hotch coming in the back door. Their eyes connected and she knew he knew. The past few weeks they had established a relationship by Skype, Facebook and good ole fashioned letters. Hotch ran over to her, he picked her up and twirled her around. Her arrival had been quite a suprise and now that he knew she was staying it made things even better!
"What is that all about?" Blake said.
"You two aren't? You are!" JJ said.
Just then Jack came running through the door, "She's staying she's not going back to London!" Jack ran over and jumped up into Emily's arms and Emily gladly received him for their relationship had grown as well.
Rossi smiled and looked out at his family, their family and said, "This is what I call a Thanksgiving."
I hope everyone liked! Yeah I ended it on a Holiday but I thought it was appropriate!
