Chapter 14

I am slightly unsure of this chapter. Hopefully it's turned out okay though

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year. Remember don't drink and drive. Have fun, be careful and stay safe.

"Seriously, how long does it take to make someone comfortable?" JJ finally says expressing what each of them are thinking.

"It's only been twenty minutes JJ" Hotch says as he looks at her.

"Well it's the longest twenty minutes that I've ever known" JJ mutters slightly.

Rossi chuckles slightly "I see patience isn't a standard thing anymore"

"It has been five hours since we got here" Morgan muttered.

"Five hours of sitting here waiting. And even now all they have really told us that they are making her comfortable." JJ grumbled as the door opened slightly.

"If you'd all like to follow me, you can see Miss Prentiss for a few minutes but she needs her rest right now"

The team nodded as the younger agents stood up they followed the nurse up the small corridor, it was so quite even as they passed the doors which led on to other wards. It was only a small hospital and for the size of the town it was no surprise that it was so empty.

"I'll come back shortly" the nurse said as she opened the door to Emily's room.

The small room housed a couple of chairs, a small bathroom area to the left hand side. The green blanket rested over Emily's body, the colour matched the chairs. The machines beeped at the side of her, the whooshing sound of the ventilator seemed to echo in the small room. The heart monitor beeped steadily, there were two bags hung up both leading into her hand. One bag was to rehydrate her and the other they guessed were antibiotics. Cotton type bandages covered most of her arms, thick tape held the cannula in place. Wires protruded from beneath the blanket attached to the heart monitor. Which even the state Hotch had found her in wasn't at all surprising.

"What are you going to say to ambassador?" Rossi asked as they stood near the door way.

"I will tell her the truth, I can't not tell her Dave" Hotch said as he looked on. "It's not like she will be out in a day or so. All that matters right now is that Emily is safe, the rest I will deal with" Rossi nodded slightly.

"I can't see those two going back to the hotel to get some rest, can you?" Rossi asked as he looked at JJ who was now sat next to the bed holding her hand, while Garcia sat at the other side just in front of the machines. Morgan stood at the end of the bed with Reid.

"The waiting room will be fine for now. I doubt any of them want to be away for long." Hotch said softly.

"What about you?" Hotch coughed slightly.

"I am going to go back to the station and then to the crime scene." Rossi frowned slightly.

"The station I can understand but the crime scene?" Rossi asked slightly confused.

"I want to make sure" Hotch paused slightly. "I will explain afterwards,"

Rossi nodded slightly normally he could read Hotch, he could normally understand why. Although right now he couldn't.

"Guys we need to let her get some rest" Hotch said softly, they had been in the room over twenty minutes and he knew it was only a matter of time before the nurse came in and kicked them out.

The team grumbled slightly not one of them wanted to leave Emily. "Come on" Rossi said as he motioned the younger agents to the door, he placed his lips onto Emily's brow. "You rest up kiddo" he had always had a soft spot for Emily, but now as he looked at her his heart broke slightly.

The once strong minded and stubborn profiler was now laid in a hospital bed fighting for her life. Closing the door behind softly they began to walk the short journey to the waiting room.

"There's a small restaurant across the road, my treat" Rossi said. "We can't do anything else here tonight. The nurses have Hotch's number but we all need to eat" he said firmly to which he heard slight groaning and soft mutters coming from the younger agents but they followed him and Hotch outside and headed towards the restaurant.

"I'll be in shortly" Hotch said as he pulled his phone out. Rossi placed his hand on his shoulder as he whispered good luck before heading inside.

"May I speak to Ambassador Prentiss please?"

"She is in a meeting at the moment my I take a message" her voice sounded slightly young as she spoke.

"I need to speak to her regarding her daughter Emily Prentiss. Please ask her to come to the phone." Hotch said firmly.

"Who are you?" the young woman seemed taken aback from the tone in his voice.

"SSA Aaron Hotchner Unit Chief, she will know who I am" Hotch said.

"Agent Hotchner? I am in a very important meeting right now can it wait" the ambassador said firmly.

"Sorry to disturb you Ambassador, Agent Prentiss is in hospital in intensive care."

"How bad?" She asked her voice seemed to now lack the firmness it had held moments ago.

"Internal bleeding, punctured lung, broken ribs" he could hear the sharpe intake of breath as he spoke.

"Have you been in touch with Stacy? If not I'd like to make that phone call myself."

Hotch froze slightly. "Ma'am Stacy passed away while in Europe a month ago" again the call went silent he could hear slight muttering and a few curse words being said.

"I will be on the first flight in the morning,"

"I will meet you at the airport and drive you to the hospital" Hotch said softly.

"Thank you Agent Hotchner, if anything changes please call me"

"I will" Hotch said as she cut the call before heading into the restaurant to join the rest of the team.