Rick was happy that Hotch was willing to keep him, and let him work in such a precise area of work. He went into the field with the team, sometimes for weeks at a time; much like Cleveland.

Marisol didn't show, and Rick was starting to think she had decided not to take the hit, if there was one planned. He relaxed a little too much, and let his guard down. After one case in particular, he walked out of the BAU with Hotch.

"Have a good night sir." Rick said.

"You too. Cases like that always make me appreciate what I have."

"Jack's a sweet kid, I would be thankful for him too." Rick smiled and opened the Chevelle.

Everything happened quickly after a shot rang out and echoed off the buildings. He saw Hotch fall, before a blinding pain erupted on the back of his head.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Stetler slowly came to conciuosness, and felt like he was struggling through thick mud. He could see the light ahead, but couldn't get there. He could hear voices fluxuate and echo, and recognized two of them.

"...Rick, can you hear me?"

"Doctor... Woods." Rick mumbled through the fog. He slowly opened his eyes, but was blinded by a bright white light.

"Open your eyes baby."

"Mmm." Rick groaned as the smell of ammonia reached his nose.

"Come on Rick." Horatio's deep voice rumbled from somewhere to the left. He flexed his fingers, and jumped when a hand touched his face.

"Where the hell am I?" Rick wondered out loud as he looked up onto the white cieling.

"You're in the hospital." Horatio said. Rick moved his weary head and looked at the concerned lieutenant.

"How did I get here?" Rick asked.

"You don't remember?" Alexx asked, her kind face to his right.

"I was shot." Rick said, and thought of Hotch. "Aaron! Where's Aaron?" Rick asked.

"Who is Aaron?" Horatio asked.

"Aaron Hotchner, I watched him get shot. He has a son."

"Rick you weren't shot." Horatio said. "You were hurt during a prison break. A bomb exploded, and you were hit in the head."

"No, I escaped." Rick shook his head, bewildered.

"No you didn't. You have been in a coma." Alexx said. Rick looked at both of them, what had happened?

"How long?" Rick asked, Alexx looked to Horatio.

"About a year and a half." Horatio said. Stetler looked at his emaciated hand, and realized he had lost a lot of weight.

"You have a lot of rehabilitation to go through." Alexx said.

"Why bother? I'll die in prison anyway."

"You're not going back to prison." Horatio said.

"I don't understand."

"A Fed came through the lab, took up your case and cleared your name." Horatio informed him.

"Why?"

"He said that he was watching the theft ring. He didn't want you to rot in jail for something you didn't do."

"Oh." Rick hummed, still confused.

"Horatio, I'm going to get him something to eat." Alexx said before leaving the room.

"What went through your mind this whole time?" Horatio asked.

"It's a very long story. It's like I lived inside my mind for a year and a half. I met people I have never really met, I'm still trying to process all of this."

"You did have brain damage, Rick." He reached back and felt the imperfections along his skull, under thin hair.

"What happens after I get out of the hospital? My house? My car?"

"You can stay with me until you get back on your feet, I'm sure IA would welcome you back."

"What if they don't?"

"You can work in the lab, you are qualified."

"But, what about my injuries?"

"I let Eric come back, didn't I?"

"Yes."

"One more thing, Eric is in jail."

"Why?"

"He framed you."

"I figured as much."

"Yep."

"Why are you here anyway?" Horatio hesitated a moment and played with his sunglasses.

"A few times a week I come here and talk to you."

"Really?"

"I didn't want to leave you with no visitors, and everyone needs someone to talk to. We used to be great friends Rick, and now the only time I got the courage to talk with you was when you were in a coma."

"It's okay Horatio."

"No, it's not okay. We let our jobs get between our friendship." Horatio sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Alexx came in the room with a tray of food.

"That smells good, I just hope it tastes good." Rick smiled at her.

"The soup isn't bad." Alexx said and put the tray in front of him.

"Thank you Alexx."

"No problem sweetie. Horatio, you can stay as long as Rick is okay with it."