A/N: Five words, I hate my job sometimes, it is not easy running a martial arts school-you work it like you own it, but never reap the benefits…sigh…Needless to say, it can suck the life and energy out of you and when it does, your mojo and muse, poof! Disappear…Anyway, I'm back and friggin, flipping, fracking, determined to post an update at least once a week. This chapter was rewritten twice because quite simply I wasn't feeling it. I am now. If you are still with me, enjoy.

Special thank you to all you reviewers out there for the gentle nudges and encouragement. I'm baaaack.

Add to that the original works I'm working on-well crap!

Morgan held Emily's hand until they touched down. She had been wavering in and out of consciousness for the past ten minutes and it was making him anxious. He still had the vest in his possession in case the doctor needed it to understand the extent of the impact and penetration. They took her off the chopper and placed her on a gurney before racing into the trauma center with her. He kept up until they reached the doors. Once they took her back he felt himself sag in relief.

He had promised to keep her safe and he had done his best by making her put the vest on and still he'd failed. JJ was going to kill him when she found out.

Jordan pushed her way through the doors and spotted Morgan sitting on the ground outside.

"Morgan…hey!"

Derek looked up and wiped his eyes.

"How is she?" Jordan sat down next to him and squeezed his knee reassuringly. She pointed at the bandage across his nose. "You're bleeding."

He wiped absently at his nose ignoring the ache there. "She's alive Jordan. I made her wear a vest but it still penetrated, not a lot though…fuck…I screwed up."

"How? You made her wear a vest. You couldn't stop her from going. You did what you could and more."

"Thanks…" he knew he needed to stop kicking himself about it. "Where's JJ?" He looked back at the door she had come through half expecting JJ to come tearing through it.

"Trying to get information on Emily…and hunting you down." Jordan smiled at the startled look he gave her. "Pen is keeping her calm."

"Good, but if its all the same to you, I'll stay out here." The others would be back soon with McIntyre but he wanted some time to breath before dealing the man who shot his partner.

Xxxxxx

Maura left Jane with Korsak while she went in search of JJ. She felt a kinship with JJ that she had never felt with another woman. They were both the Yin to their partner's Yang and both of them had been put through the emotional ringer since they had all met and even before that. They loved their significant others more than life itself but sometimes they needed someone to lean on. Even though she knew JJ had plenty of friends, they couldn't and didn't understand like she could. She knew that on an intellectual and an emotional level.

She found her friend waiting in the same room she herself had been waiting in for hours not to long ago. Penelope was sitting next to trying to stop her from going to the nurse's desk again.

"Jennifer?" she said cautiously

"Maura, this is insane! How could she put herself in that position again? She promised!" All the calm Garcia had managed achieve with her flew out the window. Chest heaving she tried to calm herself down. She and Emily were going to need each other after all this, she knew that but she was scared. One day there wouldn't be a second chance. She looked up at the other woman in the room who understood that. "I can't Maura…" She swallowed the sob that threatened to make itself heard, but Maura saw.

Maura walked over calmly and made her sit down. "Sit!" She waited for the shock on JJ's face to dissipate before continuing. If nothing else, her relationship with Jane had made her much more vocal than she ever would have been.

"Jennifer, she did everything right. Yes she put herself in harm's way again, but it's who she is. You know that. We both do."

"Morgan was supposed to keep her safe Maura…" JJ's whine was unlike her but after all they had been through, perfectly understandable.

Thankfully Vince had briefed her on the specifics of what had happened. "He made her wear a vest JJ and we both know how difficult that must have been in the state she was in."

"Yes but-" whatever she was about to say was interrupted when the doctor came in.

"I believe you are all here with our primary patients?" Once they nodded, he shook his head at them. "You are all the luckiest group of people I've ever met. Ms Prentiss is being attended to currently by Dr Esperanza but she asked for a Jennifer Jareau?"

"That's me!" Jennifer got to her feet and walked over. "Is she awake?"

He nodded, "Awake and complaining. She's in a lot of pain but she insisted on seeing you. We need her to stay calm so here I am." He seem a bit put out about it all but was being as nice as he could.

"Go JJ. Give her our best and tell her I said to stop fighting with the doctor." She gave JJ a gentle push toward the door, "go."

Penelope breathed a sigh of relief and plopped down onto a chair. This had been a hell of a vacation so far.

"Penelope? Are you all right?" Maura took the seat next to her and took her hand. "You're looking just a little stressed."

"Are you kidding?" Penelope was flabbergasted by her comment but then she saw the hint of a smile on Maura's face. "I can't believe you just did that!"

"But you feel better don't you?"

"I do." She shook her head. This was a side of Maura she really hadn't seen before.

"Well then," Maura rose to leave and looked down surprised when Pen stopped her.

"How are you holding up? Is my little cannoli going to be okay?"

"She will be. We will both be fine." Maura knew exactly what Penelope was asking. She was in the same situation that JJ was in. Strangely she was much calmer about it. It had taken almost losing Jane after her confrontation with Rodriguez to accept that Jane was she who she was. Jane called it going "balls to the wall," even when she explained that, Maura still never fully understood, until recently. There was no halfway with Jane. In every instance where Jane had been hurt, Maura had always wondered what could have been done differently, and while there were a couple of instances where a different decision could have been made, Jane had always done it her way. Maura knew that. Being with Jane she had discovered a strength and faith in herself that she didn't have before. She had discovered faith. And she needed that since her life was with Jane.

"You are going to be fine aren't you?" Penelope's amazement at the truth of that statement surprised her.

"JJ and Emily will be fine as well. I have no doubt that they will get through this."

"From your lips to God's ears." Neither had noticed Morgan and Jordan walking in, but Morgan had heard what Maura said.

Without a moment's hesitation, Maura hugged him tightly. She was not surprised at the equal response from him. He was, she was sure, feeling lost, believing he had let his friends down yet again.

Morgan held the tiny woman tightly. She knew how he felt. He could feel it in the strength of her hug. Letting her go he was surprised to be enveloped again, this time by Garcia.

"Hey baby girl…" his voice was filled with relief. This was normal. This is what their time together was about, not hospitals.

"Derek Morgan you need to unload some of that guilt." She slapped him on the arm before being enveloped by Jordan.

"Como siguen querida?" Jordan slipped unconsciously into Spanish making Morgan raise an eyebrow.

"They'll be okay I think…I hope…"

"Since when do you speak Spanish?" Derek looked at his friend in surprise.

"I don't, not really, but I understand plenty now." Garcia gave Jordan a loving smile. Jordan sometimes didn't realize that she had broken into Spanish so Penelope had learned quickly.

"Seriously though, don't change the subject, no guilt trips Derek. None."

"Yes ma'am. Anything on Emily yet?"

"Just that she was basically refusing treatment until she could see JJ." Maura spoke quietly and glanced at her watch. "I'm going to relieve Vince and go sit with Jane. I hope you all don't mind."

"Of course not Maura, give her our love."

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Hotch stood by while the doctor worked on McIntyre. Rossi and Reid had left to check on Emily and the others, completely understanding why he wasn't letting their suspect out of his sight. He already had Kevin working on getting all the information he could on him. McIntyre was surprisingly subdued, eyes darting between Hotch and the open door. He almost wished McIntyre would try something just to give him an excuse.

"Agent Hotcher?" One of the nurses on the floor was walking toward him with a cordless phone.

"Yes ma'am"

"Phone call sir."

Frowning he took the phone and pulled out his cell. The battery was dead.

"This is Hotchner." He wasn't too surprised to hear Erin Strauss on the other line. He was however surprised at the tone in her voice.

"Yes ma'am. No we haven't questioned him yet…Yes…No ma'am, we will be talking to him as of right now, not the locals." He listened as she expressed her dislike with his decision and caught McIntyre watching him. He stepped into the hallway.

"I respectfully disagree ma'am. This man targeted one of my agents and came damn close to killing not just her but half of the folks we came with." He tried desperately to keep the anger and annoyance out of his voice. "Yes ma'am…on my authority…I don't care what it looks like!" Rubbing a hand across his face he tried not to curse at the woman.

"Yes ma'am I hear you…yes I do and I again respectfully disagree. We have the opportunity to finally put all of this to rest and I don't care about the political shit storm that you may be facing!" Chest heaving he disconnected the call. He was going to be suspended, he had absolutely no doubt about it and she wouldn't have a choice but if their plan worked, Emily wouldn't be the only one to have some peace, his whole team would.

Xxxxxxxx

Barry listened as Reid explained to him everything that had gone on since he was taken off the mountain. It seemed like ages ago and while he knew he had only been here for a couple of days he was anxious to leave.

"Have you seen Jane yet?" he asked.

"No, Korsak was in with him when I came to see you. Maura had gone to check on JJ." Reid clasped his hands nervously. This had been the most stressful vacation they had ever had. The beautiful start had wound itself into an ugly finish. He found himself unsure again, unsure of who to comfort, who to be there for, just who to be.

"Hey man, you okay?" Frost had watched Reid disappear into himself for a moment and he couldn't have looked more like a kid.

"I'm fine, I think. I just don't know how to deal with all of this sometimes. I try to act like it doesn't bother me, but it does." Reid pulled at his fingers nervously.

"Of course it does." Frost stifled a yawn. The metered dose of pain meds had kicked in a few minutes ago and he was feeling it. "At least you're still up and about you know? You can still help, I'm stuck here." He ran a hand along the bandage covering his torso. He knew just how lucky he was thanks to Maura and the surgeon who worked on him. He had a long road ahead but he was already feeling more like himself.

Reid got up and patted him on the shoulder. He was grateful the young man he had met a year ago was doing better. He realized that he wasn't ready to lose anyone any time soon.

"I'm going to check on Emily. I'm sure some of the others would like to see you."

"I'd love some company, but…" He yawned again and shook his head a bit. "I may be out of it for a little while though so maybe later?"

"Sure," Reid nodded, "I'll let them know." Even as he left Frost's eyes were already closing. Reid felt a little more centered after all that had happened. He was still having trouble intellectually reconciling all that had happened. The senator's actions made no sense and yet it did. They had profiled the senator during the initial hearings just to fully understand what they were up against and Rossi had been quite firm about it not being over. None of them bought that part of the profile, thinking that his status superseded the man's narcissism and sociopathic tendencies. They had been so wrong.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

JJ watched Emily swat the oxygen mask away before walking into the triage room.

"Emily Prentiss! Let them help you." She walked over carefully with the crutches and leaned them against the wall. "Idiot. What were you thinking?" Kissing her on the forehead she realized her anger was gone. It had disappeared as soon as she saw Emily lying there fighting with the nurse.

"Jennifer…" Emily's voice was breathless and JJ could see what it cost her.

"I don't want to hear I'm sorry. I just want you to let them help you. Please." JJ took one of her hands and nodded to the nurse who quickly put the mask on her.

"Ma'am we need to get her to x-ray." She looked down at her patient who was glaring at her again.

"I'm fine JJ." The mask muffled Emily's voice, but Jennifer heard her.

Knowing Emily, JJ did what she had to and pressed lightly on Emily's abdomen. Emily's groan was answer enough.

"No you're not." JJ nodded to the nurse. "I'll be right here when you get back Em…I promise." She urged the nurse to take her and sat down in the nearest chair. She knew now why Emily wouldn't allow herself to be treated. Emily thought that JJ wouldn't come. That she would be so angry with her that she wouldn't come see her.

"Dammit Emily Prentiss when are you going to trust in how much I love you." She wiped an errant tear from her face and prepared to wait for as long as it took.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

"Well?" Rossi found Hotch standing in the hallway.

"Well what?" Rossi took a step back at the irritation in his voice.

"What crawled up your…oh, let me guess, Erin?" The woman he knew intimately was different from the one that presented itself to the team and Rossi knew that one person she would never really be fond of was Emily Prentiss, which meant that anything having to do with her was always going to fulfill the adage that shit rolls downhill.

"How'd you guess?" The sarcasm dripped from each of Aaron's words.

"You don't rattle easily but Strauss has a way of…" he tried to be delicate, "pushing the hell out of your buttons."

Aaron's rough laugh surprised him, "that's putting it mildly. She wants us to take a step back Dave. Politics."

Rossi nodded knowingly. It was those same politics that had almost gotten them killed before and had in fact been the precursor to Emily's first "death".

"We're not are we?"

"Of course not! Screw the politics. Emily has given more than enough for her country, its time to give her something back." He glanced at the closed door. "As soon as we can speak to McIntyre, I want you and Reid to interview him. I want to know everything he knows about the senator."

"Mind if I sit in?" Korsak tapped him on the shoulder having overheard what he planned. "I have a little bit of experience with interviews."

"Vince I don't know…"

Korsak stood firm, "I know it sounded like I was asking, but I wasn't. I am sitting in on that interview." Arms crossed he stared Hotch down. His people were both in hospital beds having barely survived. There was no way he wasn't going to be a part of this.

"Fine dammit! Rossi, he's your responsibility. I'm going to check on Emily." Fuming he strode off. Korsak was right to ask but it pissed him off to be put on the spot like that. He would have Morgan interview Ortega again to fill in any holes. He needed to find Garcia and borrow her phone. He wanted Kevin to check on a couple of things that were nagging at him. While he was at it he would see if he could get Garcia access to a computer so she could work some of her magic as well.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura checked Jane's dressing and moved to sit but was stopped when Jane grabbed her hand. Her grip was strong and the relief that coursed through Maura made her sag against the bed.

Dark eyes looked up at her, "Maura…" Jane's voice was raspy but stronger than before.

"Shh…remember, no talking." Her words caught in her throat. It had been so close. The wound she had just looked at was seeping a bit but it looked good; the surgeon had done a very good job with the suturing, scarring should be minimal.

"Please…" she whispered. It hurt to talk and it felt like she was swallowing sandpaper. Like her voice wasn't rough enough. But she needed to know what was going on.

"Shh…" Maura settled down on the edge of the hospital bed and ran a hand down Jane's arm. She knew that unless she gave Jane some information, she would continue to defy doctor's orders. "Ortega is here as is the man who hired him."

Maura placed a finger on Jane's mouth before she could say anything and continued. "Emily was shot capturing him." She winced as Jane's grip on her hand tightened sharply. " She should be all right, Morgan had the forethought to make sure she wore a vest when they went to find him."

"What a cluster." Jane's harsh whisper was the last thing Maura was going to let her say. Leaning in she kissed her tenderly.

"Hush…I mean it Jane, no more talking. You need to rest." Jane's raised eyebrow made her smile. "Yes I'll rest too." Making sure that Jane was settled, Maura got herself settled in the reclining chair that was in the room.

Penelope and Jordan found them both asleep not long after.

"See querida, she's fine." Jordan smiled lovingly at her girlfriend. Despite Maura's words to the contrary Penelope had been worried about them both.

"They will be." Pen said echoing Maura's words. "Thank goodness for the little things."

So, longer than usual and setting up what's coming with McIntyre, Emily and Jane. Please feel free to leave your comments. Reviews really are the life's blood of fanfic writers.

Peace!