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The only way to describe what is happening over your mic, is chaos. You cannot remember how many times, or many have ordered Garcia to call for an ambulance. How many times JJ's name has been shouted, or cried.
The entire hotel is swarming with activity, everyone frantically searching. Not for Jacobs this time, they are trying to find one of their own and they know time is running out. If it hasn't already. It's a thought you don't want to consider, but you have a horrible, sinking feeling that your next call to Garcia will be to ask for the medical examiner.
JJ isn't responding to any calls over the mic, and you have not heard her breath since that gun shot. So, you allow yourself to consider a few possibilities as you continue your desperate search.
One, is that the mic cannot reach down wherever she is, and she simply cannot hear you.
Two is that JJ is alive and unconscious, or conscious but unable to talk.
Three is that Jacobs took her with him.
And the fourth, the fourth is the one you do not want to think on, yet, you know it's the most likely. That JJ has died, and the thought is unbearable.
But she is your charge and regardless of what has happened, you will bring her home.
You had sent her to the pool and basement areas, so naturally, that is where the focus of the search is. You are about to command everyone to sweep the hotel when you nearly slip in something, and you close your eyes because you know what it is.
You look down and see the blood and something else, and you know you will come back to it later because now, now you have a blood trail and you follow it.
"HOTCH!" You hear Morgan scream and take off towards the sound of his voice. "Hotch, in the pool!" He directs you and you run faster then you have in a long time.
"Is she breathing?" You huff over the mic, knowing JJ had been found.
"Hotch, get the medics here now." Morgan says, not answering your question. "She needs them now."
"They're coming, Morgan," You reassure as you enter the pool area.
"Morgan." You jump in next to him and stop. Hell is not the word to describe what you are seeing, Morgan is leaning over JJ, his hands soaked in her blood as he keeps his fingers on her pulse and his other hand pressed firmly to her side. You see a pool of blood oozing from underneath his fingertips. The familiar red substance is pooling from JJ's side but that is not what has your attention.
Next to Morgan, is Reid his hands are placed firmly on JJ's head, near her temple. Blood is trickling out from underneath his fingertips and his entire body is shaking. Tyran has been long forgotten, right now, you need to save her life.
"Garcia, how far out are they?" You speak.
"Two minutes.." Her voice is shakey.
"Garcia, she doesn't have two minutes."
You sink down beside the two men and gingerly remove Reid's fingers and place your hands on the spot.
"Boss," Garcia's voices comes. "The.. they need to know her injures."
You swallow. "She has been shot in the head, and has a wound in the side." You hang your head as you say the words. "There is no exit wound for the bullet."
Nothing else is said, the room is quite as everyone sits next to you, to her. Her immediate team has surrounded her, SWAT surrounds you all protectively.
And you can hear a pin drop as you sit next to your gravely injured agent with your hand to her skull and hoping and praying that somehow, someway, she can survive this.
As a lawyer, law still runs deep within your blood. And although you may not be practicing at the moment, you are thinking of every way you can sue the paramedics for taking their sweet damn time to get to JJ. You are not sure what part of "Federal agent down, gunshot wound to the head, stab wound to the side, and unconscious" justified not running lights and sirens, but apparently, that is what is happening.
"Garcia!" You lose it, and even though you know it is not her fault. "Hack their damn systems and get the nearest ambulance here NOW!" You demand.
"Sir," You can almost see the tears in her eyes, "They are so close.." She whimpers and you clench your teeth. You owe her an apology later, later when JJ is not dying in your arms.
You look down at JJ, and gently, carefully, brush a strand of hair away from her eyes, careful not to move her in any way. "Hold on JJ," You whisper to her. You want to make sure, that God forbid she does die in your arms, that the last thing she feels is a familiar, kind touch, that she hears a comforting voice.
The last thing you want is for the last thing for her to have felt is fear.
"Jayje," You look up at Morgan, he knows what you are doing. "We're here girl, keeping fighting." He urges and strokes her pale cheek with a bloodied hand.
Together, you, Reid, Rossi, Morgan and Kate speak to her, hold her, let her know you are there, reassure her that she is safe.
Except she is not, and you watch in horror, as Morgan's fingers begin to move, slowly at first but soon, frantically. "JJ!" He shouts and repositions himself. "Hotch, I.. I can't find her pulse."
You swear to yourself and then slowly, carefully, help roll JJ onto her back, knowing what you have to do next. You rip off her vest as Reid presses his lips to hers, while Morgan begins pounding on her chest. Your cringe as you hear her ribs break but know it is for the best.
You have lost count how many rounds of CPR have been done by the time the medics finally rush in, and as you sit back on your knees and watch as they take over- you allow your mind to fully realize what is happening. That JJ might not make it out of this building..
The thought is sicking, and you feel your composure evaporating as you watch the medics work.
"Sir?" Your eyes shoot up as you see them speaking with Morgan, "We're here, but need you to continue doing CPR, can you do that?" They ask and you see Morgan nodd, sweat dripping down his face as he continue to pump on her chest.
He then turns to you and asks questions are you not sure you can answer right then. "How long has CPR been going?"
You open your mouth but find that nothing comes out, you cannot speak as you watch CPR continue. "I.."
"About three minutes," SWAT, its one of the SWAT officers, the commander. He is stepping up for you, knowing that somehow, you are very close to losing it. "Lost the pulse about three minutes ago." He further explains and you nod your head in gratitude.
You feel as if you are watching yourself, watching JJ and the medics. Watching as Morgan's strong arms pound on her chest, as the medics work as one and begin life saving procedures. One goes to her head and and opens her mouth with one hand, while a instrument and tube are in the other. You watch as he slips the tube down her throat carefully but skillfully before attaching a bag to the end of the tube- they intubated her. Your agent, JJ, is now intubated and is still requiring CPR.
The other medic, has focused himself on JJ's side, the bleeding wound near her chest. His stethoscope presses to JJ's chest and suddenly he mutters something to his partner before turning back to his kit and grabbing a tube. You don't know what was said, but you know it's bad as the medic simply shoves the tube into the horrific wound. You hear gagging and retching but don't bother to turn around, you need to be strong for JJ.
So much is happening that you are not sure where to focus your attention, and when more paramedics arrive, you know without a doubt that JJ is very gravely injured.
It's when they stick pads to her chest and grab the defibrillator, that you take a deep breath and whisper into your mic.
"Garcia." Your voice is calm, although on the inside, you are ready to scream.
"S.. sir?" Her voice is shaking.
"Call Emily." You bow your head as your watch JJ's body jump again from the defibrillator.
"Is JJ.."
"No." You tell her, cutting her off. "But I want Emily here when we arrest the bastard who did this."
"We got her.." You look up as you see the medics looking at a monitor. "It's weak, but we have her. Let's go."
You follow them out the door but stop when you see the helicopter, they are flying her to the hospital. Fuck. How the hell did you miss that; that a medevac chopper had been called in?
"Sir, are you coming?" One turns back to you and motions for you to follow. You stop and turn to your team, watching as Kate confronts Morgan who is kneeling on the ground, breathing heavily. His job is done, he did CPR for an incredible amount of time, and because of him, JJ is still alive.
It's Rossi who, with one look, pushes you to go with her. They have it, your team can handle this- right now, JJ needs you more than anyone.
As you climb into the chopper and take a seat, you catch a glimpse of something- a crowd has formed, and media trucks are racing towards the perimeter, no doubt the helicopters have already arrived.
"Garcia," Again, you speak into your mic. "Get the news out of here."
There is no reply, but you know she heard you, and right then, right now, you turn and focus on what is most important. Saving JJ's life.
