Thanks to everyone who's been reading; hope your liking it!

"No, Gabe, don't do this." Kayla said helplessly.

"You don't have a say in this. Get up. Grab the boy. Do it!" he told her.

"It's okay. Do what he says." Hotch told her softly.

Kayla stood with some difficulty and held a hand out to Jack. He took it and moved closer to her, obviously aware that something bad was going on. "Give you dad a hug, Jack." Kayla was trying to choke back tears and she wasn't doing a very good job.

Hotch closed his eyes as Jack wrapped his thin arms around his neck and squeezed tight, wanting nothing more than to be able to hug him back. He pressed his face to Jack's neck and held back tears of his own. "I love you Jack," he whispered.

"I love you too Daddy." He held on to Hotch's neck for a full two minutes before Gabe got tired of waiting. He grabbed Jack's shirt and pulled him back, knocking Kayla to the side when she tried to stop him.

"Hold them, damn it!" he yelled. Gary grabbed Kayla and pulled her back, leaving Jack to the far weaker but still able-bodied Gregory.

"No! Daddy!" Jack yelled.

"Shut up!" Gregory slapped him.

"Leave him alone!" Kayla screamed, trying to break free and get to Jack. Gary kept his hold on her though, grabbing one wrist with each hand and wrapping his arms around her so her arms were crossed over her chest. Still, she struggled. "Jack, close your eyes. Do it Jack!" she told him. He slammed his eyes shut as tight as they would go but he couldn't block out the sound of Gabe's well-aimed kick cracking against Hotch's hip.

The beating went on for about five minutes as Gabe connected his feet to Hotch's body again and again. Hotch was so dazed that it took him a second to realize the kicking had stopped and that Gabe was standing over him with his knife.

"This one's for George," he told Hotch, sliding the knife between his ribs. A yell of pain hitched in Hotch's throat and Jack's eyes flew open in horror. Gabe removed the knife and smeared the blood on Hotch's bare chest for dramatic effect. "How's that feel, Hotch? Does it feel nice? How's the pain?" The questions came rapidly with no opportunity for Hotch to answer. He slid the knife in again, higher this time, and off to the side. Hotch groaned, causing Gabe to grin wildly. "Can you feel the life leaving your body? What does it feel like to die?" He punched Hotch in the jaw. "Answer me!" he punched him again.

"Stop hurting my daddy!" Jack screamed. He stomped on Gregory's left foot as hard as he could and the older man loosened his grasp on the angry child. Jack flew forward and barreled into Gabe.

"Jack, no!" Kayla screamed at him. He drew his little leg back and kicked Gabe in the shin. He must have hit it just right because Gabe's face actually registered pain. He drew his hand back and sent Jack reeling. "Jack!" she yelled again, struggling harder than ever, ignoring Gary's laughter.

Gabe threw his knife to the side and pulled a gun from the waistband of his pants. He leveled it at Jack. "Guess we're going back to our first plan."

Hotch's eyes widened in alarm and he tried to get to his feet. He didn't even come close before the first shot rang out.

The team was mostly silent on the drive to Foyet's. Morgan was behind the wheel, naturally, with Rossi riding shotgun. Emily and JJ were behind them, with poor Reid squeezed in the very back. Garcia was following them in her own car with Andrew riding beside her. Emily's phone was on speaker in the SUV keeping them connected with Garcia and Andrew Jacobsen.

"What's the floor plan?" Morgan asked, already planning their tactical entry.

Emily answered. "The house is L-shaped. There's one long hallway on the left when you walk in; it's a bathroom and 3 bedrooms. The kitchen and the living room are side by side when you first walk in, and the living room gives way to another hallway. There's another bathroom and what a storage closet. That's it."

"Any place they could be keeping them?" Reid asked.

"We searched that entire house." Rossi said, annoyed with himself. "They weren't there."

"We'll find them." JJ assured them all. We have to, she added silently.

"Should we assume Gabe Foyet is acting alone?" Morgan asked next.

Rossi and Emily both shook their heads. "I got a weird vibe from him." Emily said. "I'm betting his father and brother are both in on this with him. He was lying through his teeth. And I missed it," she added bitterly.

"We both missed it." Rossi clarified. "He was convincing. We had no way of knowing." Whether he was trying to convince Emily or himself was unclear, but the words didn't seem to have an effect either way.

"Okay, we'll do it like this." Morgan said. "I'll go in first, with Emily and Reid. We'll take the living room and the hall to the right. Rossi and JJ, you guys take the hall to the left. Clear the rooms and we'll go from there. Mr. Jacobsen?" his eyes flicked to the rearview mirror.

"Yes sir?" Andrew spoke up.

"You need to stay behind the SUV. I can't let you go in."

Andrew didn't protest, even though he wanted to. A Marine took orders, no questions asked. "Yes, sir."

"Garcia, did you call for backup?" Morgan asked her.

"I did. Quantico PD is sending over some units and they've routed two ambulances our way too."

"Thanks Baby Girl," he told her before they lapsed into silence again.

The normally twenty minute drive only took ten and both cars screeched to a halt outside the house. Agents finished strapping on vests and raced toward the house, leaving Garcia and Andrew behind. The man was clearly nervous; he started pacing back and forth immediately.

Garcia placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "I know you want to be in there."

"The thought that Kayla is still alive, that she's coming home…I miss her so much Penelope," he said, still staring at the house.

"I know you do," she said, fighting back tears of her own. When she spoke again, her voice was soft and gentle. "Andrew, you need to prepare yourself. We don't know what Kayla's been through while he's had her."

"Don't you think I know that?" his voice went up an octave. "I have nightmares about what that monster could have been doing to her all this time." He took a steadying breath. "Penelope, what do I do?" He put both hands on the hood of the SUV. "What do I do to help her?" He turned his head to look at her. "What do I do?" His voice was small and desperate, and it didn't match the impressive physicality of the man in the green fatigues.

"Be there for her." Garcia told him simply. "But don't take it personally if she needs space. The hardest thing you're going to have to do is to stay back when they bring her out of that house. But you have to do it, Andrew. If you get too close too fast, she could shut down. Let her decide what she's ready for."

Andrew nodded and took a deep breath. "I'll do whatever it takes." Garcia didn't doubt it for a second.

True to Hotch's prediction, Morgan's foot took the door right off its hinges. Guns raised, the agents streamed into the house. They heard yelling coming from the end of the hall on the right; Morgan, Emily, and Reid headed that way immediately, sending the others in the opposite direction. Then suddenly, Jack's voice rang out.

"Stop hurting my daddy!" Morgan picked up the pace with Emily right next to him matching his every step. They heard a woman's voice scream something, then a man's low voice. They could see an open door at the end of the hall and Emily realized what they'd missed before: there was a hidden room. She heard Rossi and JJ come up behind them just as a shot rang out. Forgetting protocol, the team covered the remaining distance between them and the door at a sprint, practically skidding to a halt.

"FBI, drop your weapons!" Morgan yelled as Emily pushed the door open. Hotch was on the floor, covered in blood. Morgan noted the halting rise and fall of his bare chest with apprehension. Gabe Foyet was standing over him, gun in hand. Kayla was on the floor at his feet, having just propelled herself out of Gary's grasp before barreling toward Gabe's outstretched arm just as he pulled the trigger. His shot had gone wide, missing Jack by almost two feet. Gregory was leaning against a back wall for support but his hand was steady as he drew his weapon from behind his back. Gary too drew a gun, wiping his nose on his sleeve; Kayla had broken it when she wrenched her head back against his face in an effort to get to Jack, who hadn't moved an inch since Gabe had knocked him down.

"Or what?" Gabe asked without turning around.

"Or I swear to God I will empty my clip into your back and then beat you senseless." Morgan told him angrily.

Gabe rocked on his feet and turned around slowly. "Alright agent, no need to get testy."

He held both hands up defensively, still grasping his gun in one hand.

"Put the weapon down Foyet." Emily told him.

"Sweetheart!" Gary chimed in, recognizing her voice. "How nice of you to drop in."

"Put it down. All of you." Emily directed.

"Why?" It was Gregory that spoke now, albeit weakly. "What do we have to lose?" And with that, he opened fire and chaos ensued.

The hall they were in offered no protection from the barrage of bullets that came flying at them. Morgan and Emily, unprotected at the front of the group crouched down and took aim. Jack screamed and retreated to a far corner with his hands over his ears. Kayla rolled onto her stomach and army-crawled across the floor the way Andrew had taught her. She covered Jack's body with her own and pressed her hand against his head, turning her face so she could keep an eye on what was going on.

Gregory went down first as JJ and Rossi's combined firepower hit him. Gary yelled in fury and fired blindly into the clump of agents. Rossi grunted and fell backward as he felt a bullet hit him but noted with relief that his vest caught it. Reid took careful aim and pulled the trigger; blood splattered as Gary crumpled to the floor with a new dime-sized hole in his forehead.

Gabe was the only one left and he was determined not to go down alone. He turned to Hotch and leveled his gun, even as one of Emily's bullets tore through his shoulder just as he pulled the trigger. The force of the bullet spun him around just enough that he missed again and now he was facing Kayla and, even if he couldn't see him, Jack. Kayla was staring up at him in fear and things seemed to happen in slow motion. Gabe grinned madly. "Bye-bye, bitch." He raised his gun and Kayla closed her eyes but the shot never came. Instead Morgan came charging out of the doorway and crashed into Foyet full force. The gun flew out of his hand and clattered across the floor.

"Stay down you son of a bitch." Morgan told him. Gabe flipped over and tried to grab Morgan's neck. Morgan punched him and Gabe's head snapped to the side. "I said stay down." Morgan rolled him over and cuffed his hands behind his back. He dug in Gabe's pockets until he found the keys for the handcuffs and chain binding Hotch. He left Gabe lying semi-conscious in the middle of the floor and went to Hotch's aid. He was quickly joined by Rossi who knelt beside him and took the keys, going to work on the chain around Hotch's neck.

"Hotch? Hotch, can you hear me?" Morgan asked him, for Hotch's eyes were closed.

"Where's Jack?" he asked as the chain fell away.

"He's-" Morgan paused and looked over to the corner. Emily and JJ were helping Kayla sit up and Reid had grabbed Jack, who was clinging to him like a monkey. "He's fine, Hotch. Reid's got him."

"Aaron, can you sit up?" Rossi asked him. Hotch nodded, so Rossi and Morgan grabbed his shoulders and helped him sit up. Rossi quickly freed his hands. "I'll go get a medic."

"I don't need a medic." Hotch told him.

"Hotch, don't even argue." Morgan said.

"Just get me out of here. I need to see Jack." Hotch told them. Morgan and Rossi looked at each other. "If you don't help me up I will get up and walk out of here myself." Hotch told them. Morgan rolled his eyes and sighed at his stubbornness. Nevertheless, he and Rossi slid their arms around Hotch's back and pulled him to his feet. Hotch's bloodstained shirt flapped as they helped him walk out of the room and to the waiting ambulances outside.

Kayla had braced herself for the shot that didn't come so when she heard Gabe get tackled she jumped and opened her eyes. Agent Morgan was on top of him, cuffing his hands behind his back. Still, she didn't move. She saw two female agents coming toward her, one blonde and one brunette, and a tall agent who didn't even look like he was old enough to be out of high school.

"Kayla?" the blonde agent spoke to her softly and helped her sit up. "Are you okay?"

She had trouble finding her voice, so she nodded. She followed the dark-haired agent's look over to where two other agents were attending to Agent Hotchner.

"Emily?" She turned at the sound of Jack's voice and Kayla started putting things together. Jack had told her about Emily before. Emily bent down.

"Jack, are you hurt?" The boy shook his head.

"Where's Daddy?" he asked in a small voice.

"He's okay Jack." Emily told him. "Jack, I want you to go with Spencer, okay? He's going to get you out of here."

Jack nodded and held his arms up. Reid lifted him and Jack wrapped his legs and arms tightly around him. Reid rushed out of the room and was soon followed by Rossi and Morgan, who were holding Hotch up. Emily stared after them before focusing her attention back on Kayla.

"Kayla, where are you hurt?" JJ asked, taking in the woman's bruised face.

"Um." Kayla whispered. "I don't know." She hugged herself tightly. "I'm sorry."

JJ and Emily each grabbed one of her hands. "You're doing fine. We'll take this slow." Emily told her with a smile.

Kayla took a few deep breaths. "Jack's okay?" she verified.

Emily nodded. "He's fine."

"What about Agent Hotchner?"

Emily and JJ shared a look. "He's getting checked out." JJ told her.

Kayla nodded to herself. "What happens now?" she asked, honestly at a loss on how to move forward.

"Can you stand?" JJ asked her. Kayla nodded uncertainly and managed to make it to her feet with JJ and Emily supporting her on each side. She took a step and was pleasantly surprised when she didn't falter.

They worked their way slowly to the front door, passing Morgan as he came back in to grab Gabe. When she saw the front door Kayla's heart sped up; she hadn't been out of this house in almost two years. She squeezed Emily's hand as they drew closer and closed her eyes when she felt the sunlight hit her face. She stepped outside and surveyed the scene in front of her. There were flashing lights everywhere, ambulances and police cars crowded the street. She took a few more steps away from the door and stopped, her breath catching in her throat when she caught sight of a brightly dressed woman standing beside a man in fatigues.

The women stepped to the side as Morgan dragged a now-conscious Foyet out of the house and that's when the scene seemed to erupt. Everyone started yelling and it took Kayla a moment to figure out why.

The man in fatigues had leapt over the front of the SUV and was racing toward Foyet. He reached him in a matter of seconds and punched him in the jaw. Morgan shoved Foyet into the waiting arms to two local officers and put a restraining hand on Andrew's chest. The man was panting hard both out of rage at the man who'd hurt his wife and out of relief at the sight of the woman that had just walked out of the house, mostly of her own accord. Andrew didn't fight as Morgan walked him backward a few steps; Garcia's words ran through his head.

Kayla panicked and shrank back when she saw Andrew coming at her, mistaking the anger in his face for all the anger that had been directed at her for the past one year, ten months, and seventeen days.

"What is he going to think of me?" she asked the agents at her side.

"He never gave up on you." JJ told her truthfully.

"And he refused to be left behind today." Emily added.

"He loves you. You'll get through this." JJ finished off. "Do you need some time? We can have him leave."

Kayla shook her head. "I don't want him to leave. Can I talk to him?" She looked at Emily. "Please?"

"Of course." Emily beckoned to Andrew to come closer and as he did, she and JJ stepped back a bit. "We're right here." She told Kayla.

Andrew approached her slowly, not wanting to appear overly aggressive. He stopped himself from sweeping her up in his arms, instead standing a comfortable distance from her. Her eyes searched his face for any hesitation, any disgust on seeing her like this. His in turn traveled from the bruise on her cheek to the gash on her lip, then down to the bruising on her arms. He had the fleeting thought that he hadn't hit the bastard hard enough.

Tentatively, Kayla reached a shaking hand out to him. He wrapped her tiny hand in his large one and held it gently, taking a few more hesitant steps forward. He raised a hand and cupped her cheek, his thumb lightly tracing the bruising there. Her eyes filled with tears as she moved closer to him.

"I missed you," he whispered hoarsely.

"I missed you too," she told him. "More than you can imagine." She reached her arm up and wrapped it around his neck, wanting nothing more to be in the safest place she could think of: his arms.

Andrew let go of her hand and wrapped his big arms around her tiny waist, holding her lightly. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and took in his scent, the one she'd tried to imagine every night during her captivity. They stood like that for a full five minutes, oblivious to the stares of those around them. Seeing no discomfort, Emily and JJ had stepped away to check on Hotch and Jack.

Hotch was lying on a stretcher outside an ambulance with Jack nestled next to him. Rossi and Reid were next to them on one side with Morgan and a tearful Garcia on the other.

"Are you okay?" Emily asked Hotch as they approached.

"I'm fine." He said but didn't tear his eyes away from the reunion going on in front of him.

"What about you Jack?" Emily asked him, taking in the bruise on his face from where Gabe had hit him.

"I'm fine too!" he smiled broadly and grabbed Emily's hand. They watched Kayla press her forehead against Andrew's.

"Let's get you checked out." Andrew said softly. Kayla nodded her assent but stumbled on her first step.

"Sorry." She apologized out of habit more than anything else.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for." He told her. He moved one arm to her waist and the other behind her knees, scooping her up and holding her close. "Is this okay?" he asked her. "If it's not, just tell me," he said urgently.

"It's okay. There's no place I'd rather be," she told him honestly as she pressed her cheek to his strong chest. The sound of his heartbeat soothed her. He carried her over to a waiting ambulance and gently set her down on an empty stretcher. He climbed in beside her as they closed the ambulance doors and headed for the hospital.

"Agent Hotchner? We need to get going." The paramedics told him. Jack wouldn't let go of Emily's hand, so she climbed into the ambulance with them.

"We'll meet you at the hospital." Rossi told her before the ambulance drove off. Emily nodded once and looked back down at Hotch, who had closed his eyes again.

"Jack, why don't you sit on my lap?" she suggested. "Daddy looks like he could use a little more room there."

Jack obliged and climbed onto her lap. "Is Daddy going to be okay?" he whispered in her ear.

"Yeah Jack, he'll be fine." She wrapped one arm around Jack's waist and slipped her other hand into one of Hotch's. "He'll be fine."