Disclaimer- I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters thereof.
A/N- Emotional story, at least to me. No romance intended, just friendship.
Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner crouched behind a wooden box in a warehouse in Los Angeles. He peeked around the corner, and pulled back as a bullet whizzed by his head. "Elle," he whispered into his radio.
"Yeah, I'm here," Elle Greenaway's voice sounded through his headset. Her voice was calm, as always.
"Can you get around the back?" Another bullet slammed into the wall behind him.
"Can you give me cover?"
"Go, Elle." A new voice sounded through the headset. Derek Morgan thrived on this kind of adrenaline. "We got you."
"Okay."
"On my signal," Hotch tensed his body, ready to spring. "NOW!"
He fired three times. He heard Morgan's weapon firing faster and faster. Hotch shook his head. Morgan wasn't a loose cannon, but he was excitable.
Hotch pulled back behind the wooden box as two more bullets whizzed by his head. "Are you in position?" he asked.
"Yeah. What now?" Elle asked breathlessly.
"Do you have a bead on him?"
There was a pause over the line. He assumed Elle was cautiously looking around the corner. "Roger that."
"Take him. Take him now."
Hotch waited behind the box. "FREEZE!" he heard Elle shout. "Drop the weapon. Drop it!" He heard the clatter of a gun being dropped on the cement floor.
Hotch cautiously stood. He could see Jerry McThurne standing with his hands in the air. Elle was behind him. Hotch kept his weapon trained on the man. Morgan stood on the other side of Elle, his gun covering her movements.
Then the unthinkable happened. McThurne moved quickly. He whipped around and pushed Elle into Morgan. The two agents tumbled to the floor. He grabbed his weapon off the floor and wheeled around to face Hotch.
Hotch couldn't move. He couldn't raise his weapon. And then the shot fired. Hotch felt a searing pain rip through his body. He crumpled to the floor, his weapon falling next to him. He heard another gunshot, but it sounded so far away.
The room began fading to black. He could see Elle and Morgan bending over him. He felt Elle's hand slip behind his head. "Oh my God, Hotch!" she whispered, but her voice sounded distant.
The blackness moved in as he heard Morgan yelling for an ambulance. "Hang on, Hotch," he heard Elle whisper. Then his sight grew dark.
Gideon burst through the door at the hospital, nurses scrambling to get out of his way. Elle and Morgan were already there. Elle's face was weary and worried. Her brown eyes had lost the spark that was normally there. Morgan had his arm around his friend, trying to console her. They looked up as Gideon marched toward them. "Where is he?"
"In surgery," Morgan's voice sounded exhausted.
"Any word?"
Elle fought to hold back tears. "The doctor said it was touch and go." She sighed. "They think he has a good chance, but…" She didn't finish her thought. She didn't need to.
Gideon sank down into the seat next to Elle. He put his head in his hands. "Where's Reid and J.J.?" he asked, not looking up.
"They skipped dinner, so they were hungry. They went to the cafeteria," Morgan answered.
Gideon said nothing.
Elle and Morgan watched him. "Are you okay, Gideon?" Elle asked, putting her hand on his back.
Gideon sighed. "I should call Haley."
Elle put her arm around him. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Gideon nodded. Elle didn't look convinced. "I'm going to… find a pay phone."
Elle and Morgan glanced at each other. "He's really worried," Elle observed.
"So are you," Morgan rubbed Elle's back. "So are we all."
Elle looked up to see Reid and J.J. coming toward them. "Any word on Hotch?" J.J. asked, her blue eyes showing her worry.
Morgan shook his head.
Reid sat opposite Elle. "It's so hard…" Reid didn't finish. The other agents knew that the young genius and the weathered agent had a special relationship. Hotch was one of Reid's closest friends since they had been held hostage in a hospital not too far from the one where Hotch was now clinging to life.
Elle reached across the small aisle and grabbed his hand. "He'll be okay." She squeezed his thin hand, and the corners of his lips turned up slightly.
Gideon flopped into the seat next to Reid. "She'll be on the next flight out."
The team fell into silence. They couldn't find the words to say. Somehow being together seemed to console them.
Three hours later, the BAU team was sprawled out across the waiting room. Elle leaned on Morgan's shoulder, and they were both sound asleep. J.J. had fallen asleep on Reid's shoulder. He flipped through one of his many books, not really paying attention what he was reading.
Gideon stood at the window across the room, staring at the lights of the city. Hotch was his closest friend at the BAU, always reliable, always calm. The only time Gideon had ever seen him almost lose it was when Elle was held hostage by a schizophrenic on her way to Dallas. Everyone had almost lost it that day. Hotch was the one person he could count on in a crisis, and now…
Gideon glanced at Reid. So young, so unsure of himself, the baby of the team. The boy was brilliant, but a little naive. He was socially inept, without a doubt. But Gideon felt something different with him. If ever he wanted a son, Reid would be it. He may not be the greatest agent, but he often came through with his insight and quick learning.
He looked over at J.J., sleeping fitfully on Reid's shoulder. She was the newest member of the team, but he knew she looked up to him. She had trouble finding her place on the team, with the others so involved in the action. But she was ready to do any job he asked her to.
Morgan let out a loud snore at that time. Gideon shook his head. Derek was so self-confident. He truly believed he could do anything. At times it was a little annoying, but Derek could always come through for the team.
Elle was next. She was strong, tough. She was cool in a crisis, and Gideon could count on her to do anything. But beneath the tough exterior was a completely different Elle. He had seen that side of her briefly when she told him about the rape. It explained a lot about the way she was, always wanting to put every unsub away for the rest of his life. There was that time she called him 'Dad.' He had told her to never do it again, but secretly he liked it. She was important to him...like all his agents were. Especially Hotch.
Elle stirred and lifted her head off Morgan's shoulder. He didn't move. She stood and stretched. She spotted Gideon standing at the window and went over to him. "Gideon?" she asked, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Are you all right?"
Gideon didn't answer.
She slipped her hand into his. Gideon glanced at her.
"I know, Gideon. I'm worried about him too."
Gideon looked into her brown eyes. They were weary with physical and emotional exhaustion.
"Gideon?" Her voice broke through his thoughts.
He squeezed her hand. "Sorry."
Elle was about to say something when the doctor walked into the room. "Hotchner?"
Reid nudged Morgan with his foot. Morgan stirred and caught sight of the doctor.
The five agents swarmed him. "How is he, doctor?" Gideon asked.
The doctor rubbed his eyes. "He'll make it."
The BAU team breathed a sigh of relief.
"He can leave in three days, but he'll need to have his personal doctor take a look at it. He's a lucky man. The bullet just missed his heart, and nicked his pulmonary artery. But he's strong and in shape. He'll pull through just fine."
"When can we see him?" Reid asked.
"Twenty minutes." The doctor smiled wearily and disappeared around a corner.
Gideon sank into the nearest seat.
J.J. sat next to him, concerned. "Are you okay?" she asked.
A tear rolled down Gideon's cheek.
J.J. hugged him, tears flowing freely. Elle and Reid embraced, and then Morgan hugged them both. Hotch would make it. Hotch would make it.
"Do not protect yourself by a fence, but rather by your friends"- Czech proverb.