Going Home

This is my first fan fiction and first time ever writing one of my fantasy stories. I would love to hear your opinions and look forward to working further on the story.

I do not own or have connection with the "Criminal Minds" program or its characters.

Awakenings

Rossi, Morgan and Reid returned to the station to discuss their findings with Hotch and JJ. Garcia is on by video computer uplink

Morgan: "There's not much there Hotch, but from what I could see, the unsub took each child separately and to different parts of the meadow in the same vehicle. Baby Girl what did you find about the tire tracks."

Garcia: "Thought you would never ask my chocolate Adonis. The tracks appear to be from a Goodyear wrangler sr-a tire with a size of p235/70r15, it is common on many Chevrolet trucks and SUVs. But that's the closest I can to narrowing the type of vehicle it was. The area is riddled with these types of vehicles."

Hotch: "Try to narrow it down to the area around the meadow, the unsub might not have traveled too far from his home place. Anything else, we have found."

Rossi: "Well since the area is very isolated yet visible from the road, the unsub might have placed the victims down and left, but come back to watch them die."

Reid: "Yes, we know that pedophiles and most child abductors like to do that."

Hotch: "None of the children were sexually molested and so far there is no indication that they were abducted. Did you find anything about the identities of the children yet Garcia?"

Garcia: "No, so far I have found no mention of any abductions or missing children reports. It is as if these children never existed. There is no mention in birth records or anything else in the county or state.

Hotch: "Check nationally and contact the bureau for missing and exploited children, they may have a record or information. What else do we know?"

JJ: "Do we know if the children are siblings?"

Hotch: "Siblings?"

JJ: "Yeah, there does seem to be some similarities between them all. Dark hair, different ages, the noses are similar; they all have a cleft in the chin."

Hotch: "That might be a possibility; I'll ask Kathy if any DNA samples were taken and can be compared to a database."

JJ: "Kathy?"

Hotch: "Dr. Moore, she is the person caring for the child and has consulted with the police on the other children. If there are any DNA or blood samples she would know how to find them. Garcia, keep checking on finding the children in any type of database and finding the right vehicles around the area. Rossi and JJ, why don't you take pictures of the living child, canvass the area and see if someone recognizes him? Morgan and Reid go around and ask the people in the area if they have seen any unfamiliar trucks or even familiar ones that they may have seen on the days the children were found. I'm going back to hospital and check with Prentiss about the boy and talk to Dr. Moore about any samples she may have. Let's find out what is happening here."

Back at hospital, Prentiss is sitting by child holding hand when she feels a flutter. She looks at his face and sees the eyelids attempting to open. Pressing the call button for the nurse she continues to stay by the child. The nurse enters the room.

Prentiss: "Get Dr. Moore, the child is waking up." The nurse leaves to find the doctor.

Meanwhile, Hotch has entered the hospital and was walking to the room with the boy. He meets Kathy in the hall as she was also heading to the room.

Kathy: "What did your team discover about the child and your 'unsub'?"

Hotch: "Well, they found tire tracks at each of the areas in the meadow. We are searching for trucks in the area; we don't think he lives far from the area, so we are concentrating on searching the neighborhood to check if anybody might have seen the truck around the days the children were discovered. There hasn't been anything found on their identities yet. We think they might be related."

Kathy: "Related? How would you think that?"

Hotch: "Well, they have similarities in their faces. We need more information on that. I was hoping you could help."

Kathy: "Anything, Galahad. What do you need?"

Hotch: "DNA or blood samples that can be compared."

Kathy: "I'll talk to the coroner; he might have some on the dead children. Dr. Hendrickson probably took some blood from the living child. I am going there now and have called him."

Hotch: "Why?"

Kathy: "Emily told the nurse that she thinks he is waking up. She probably has been trying to call you, but the hospital has a no cell phone policy and there is cell phone dampening all around the interior of the hospital. You can't get a signal in or out."

Hotch looks at his phone and sees the no signal message. Kathy puts her hand on Aaron's arm, they stop walking. Gravely and with trepidation she looks at him.

Hotch: "No."

Kathy: "She's dying; there isn't much time for her. It would mean so much if you came to see her and showed her pictures of her grandson. It's the only one she's likely to ever have."

Hotch: "No."

Kathy: "You know there are times you are like your father, stubborn. Aren't you a little old to be intimidated by an old lady."

Hotch: "I'm not intimidated. "

Kathy: "Well, at least you didn't say that you're not stubborn, just scared." She enters the child's room. "Hello Dr. Hendrickson has the child woken." She looks at the bed and sees the blue eyes of the boy. "Well, hello young man, you have given us quite a scare, it is nice to meet you. I'm Dr. Moore."

Dr. Hendrickson: "I was just about to examine him, you want to stay and consult with me. Ms. Prentiss is staying as well; he has taken a liking to her."

Kathy: "Well, of course he has, she's a pretty lady." Winking at the boy, she smiles and says "Do you like pretty girls, she probably smells nice." The boy smiles and shyly nods his head.

Hotch enters the room at this point, he seems to have gotten over his irritation with what Kathy said and has gotten himself under control. He notices that the child is awake and goes to stand by Prentiss. The boy looks at Hotch with trepidation and tries to sink back into the bed. Kathy notices this.

Kathy: "Aaron, would you please leave the room." She looks almost like she was pleading him to do so.

Hotch looks at the bed and sees the boy trying to get away from him.

Hotch: "I'll be in the hall." He walks out of the room.

Kathy: "its okay, he's gone. What is your name?"

Child: "Wayne."

Kathy: "It is good to meet you Wayne, do you have a second name that people would say behind the name of Wayne?"

Wayne: "Colby."

Kathy: "Thank you Wayne Colby. I will be right back, be good for Dr. Hendrickson."

In the hallway, Hotch is pacing up and down, wondering why the child would react that way to him as well as still irritated that Kathy said he was scared of his mother. There was no need to be scared of her; she can't do anything to him. He was an adult for goodness sake, not a child.

Kathy comes out and watches him for a minute. It is as if she could read his mind.

Kathy: "Are you sure you are not still a child," Hotch looks at her. "When it comes to your mother, you always seem to become that little boy again. You know the one. Aaron, she can't hurt you. She can barely take care of herself, let alone do anything to you. Besides, I will go with you. I have always tried to be there and looked out for you when I could. You are still my Galahad, the purest, sweetest soul around. You always stood up for the underdog, protected the weaker and ever the hero to those who needed a hero. The only person who ever scared you was your mother. I understand why but isn't it time to go beyond the fear."

Hotch: "I face the most evil and worst of stalkers and serial killers every day. I have seen the most horrendous things. I have been choked, almost blown up, shot at; actually shot and a great deal other things that hurt and I have seen them scar my team and many other people. But they don't matter, because I know I can get through them, I will survive. I look at pictures of dead and mutilated and am angry that it happens to them, but I know there will always be more. Another case, another tortured individual and I want to catch the people who do these things to others. To make sure that closure is made for the families. But you are right, I can't face my mother, I always thought that she could still hurt me, no matter how old I got. I don't want to see her ever and I don't care if she is dying. Good riddance to her." He walks down the hall and gets into the elevator.

Kathy stands there in mild shock as this man walks away. Although, she never believed that she could help Aaron with his demons any more. The man that just walked away still had to face the demons, in order to fully love again. But can she help him. She talks to so many people who have been victimized by those very people he profiles and finds. She didn't really think his mother was that bad, but then she wasn't the one being hurt.

She walks down the hall and enters the elevator to go to the first floor to find Aaron. On the ground floor, she notices him standing outside and talking on his cell phone. She walks out to him and places her hand on his backside. He turns and looks at her; there was no anger or irritation in his eyes. She shyly smiles at him. He slowly smiles back.

Kathy: "The child said his name was Wayne Colby."

Hotch: "Well, why didn't you tell me upstairs." He finishes his call and calls Garcia.

Garcia: "You have reached the office of the goddess of all knowledge, how may I help you?"

Hotch: "Garcia, I have a name, the child said it was Wayne Colby. Check it all around about the full name and maybe just as a first and middle name."

Garcia: "Okay, give me a bit and I will find all I can. Bye." They both hang up.

Kathy: "Are you over your anger? I am sorry I didn't mean to make you angry. That's the last thing I would want for you. You are still my Galahad and my favorite friend."

Hotch: "As my Scarlet always said 'I'll think about it tomorrow after all tomorrow is another day'. I could never stay angry with you. You are my rock and one of the reasons I can do what I do. I was always able to just write you and get it all off my chest. You listened, never judged and always encouraged. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Kathy: "You could never hurt me. You hurt yourself more than me, always believing that you weren't good enough, big enough, old enough or able to do anything that you wanted to do. I know she made you feel that way, but you are wrong. Because you are quite capable and are good, big, old (she says that with a big smile), and strong enough to do what needs to be done. Look into that and believe that. You talk about all the people that you helped and gave closure to, that you helped to live and survive the bad things that happened to them. Maybe it's time to for you to have closure.