A bit short but I believe you'll enjoy the gift at the end! (:

Chapter XXXVI

"Em, please sit down. You're making us dizzy." JJ gestured to the seat beside her. The brunette turned and stopped picking at her nails long enough to do as she asked.

"Sorry." She mumbled. "I just want to know what is taking so long."

"I'm sure everything's fine." Rossi placed a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder and squeezed. She smiled in return. Hotch's hand made its way to hers and took it in its grasp. Entwining their fingers, the couple shared a concerned look for the girl a few doors away. Just as Aaron sensed Emily's muscles relax, a familiar figure made his way into the waiting room. The moment Doctor Figueroa entered the room, Hotch felt his blood pressure rise. The young doctor made his way to the group and Emily was no sooner brought out of her seat than the time it took to get her into it.

"Agents I-"

"How is she?" Emily interrupted before the doctor had a chance to breathe. Figueroa smiled warmly and raised his hand.

"Fine, our Jane Doe is doing quite fine." Emily exhaled the weight of the world off her shoulders along with the rest of the BAU. "I gave her something to wake her up so we can see how she's-"

"What room?" Hotch asked, knowing that Emily would've interrupted the doctor once more.

"398." Figueroa pointed to the hallway behind the group and smiled to himself as he watched them practically sprint towards their destination.

They stood at the door to Room 398 for several minutes before Emily reached out a hand and turned the knob. The room that greeted them was nothing like the one they had just left. Although the shades were drawn so as not to blind Mackenzie, the room lacked the nasty smell of the previous one. There were-thankfully- less wires and machines around the girl and even a bouquet of flowers on the nightstand; orchids. The patient herself did not, however, look as well kept as the room. Mackenzie's normally pale skin had gone down two or three shades, leaving her ready to compete against a piece of paper. Her breathing was slightly labored causing her chest to rise and fall more rapidly than it should and Emily could hear the faint sound of hyperventilating. The bullet must have nicked a lung as well as the other organs, she thought. Blankets were piled on top of the girl and made her look impossibly smaller than usual. The only comforting thing was the steady beeping of her heart monitor. Emily glanced at the faces of her team, questioning them in silence. Each one of them gave her a look that said 'go' and she had no choice but to comply. She took a step towards the bed and couldn't help but think that Mackenzie might not want to see her. This was, after all, her fault. If Emily had done her job, then Mackenzie would've been in a safe house protected by three federal agents at all times. She swallowed hard and dragged a chair over to the girl's side. Wincing at the sound it made as she moved it across the room, Emily sat and waited for her to wake up. From the corner of her eye she saw JJ ushering the rest of the team out and shot the woman an appreciative glace. For the next half hour, Emily remained perfectly still as she watched the ragged rise and fall of Mackenzie's chest and patiently waited for her to awaken. She didn't know when but sometime during the course of her visit, Emily had placed her hand on top of Mackenzie's. She wanted her to know that she could wake up; that nothing sinister was waiting for her on the side of consciousness. Just as she was about to lean back and close her eyes, Emily felt the slightest tug against her hand. She leaned forward and noticed the tiniest change in Mackenzie's breathing.

"Mackenzie?" she whispered softly, afraid of startling the girl. "It's-it's Emily. You're safe now." Mackenzie's hand moved and wrapped itself around one of Emily's fingers. The girl squeezed faintly as she tried to inhale a deep breath. Regretting it immediately, she resorted to a frown, confused as to why she was in pain. Emily continued to coo the girl until her lips parted slightly and soft groan escaped and her head lolled to the side. "Come on, open your eyes. Everything is alright, I promise."

"Em'ly?" Mackenzie's raspy voice called as she started to awaken fully.

"Yea, it's me. Just open your eyes." Emily took her hand firmly and held onto it for dear life. Tears stung at her eyes but she didn't bother to swipe them away. Her other hand was too busy smoothing the hair away from Mackenzie's eyes. Before she knew it, those eyes fluttered and opened into slights. "There you go."

"Where-"

"You're in a hospital." Emily explained softly as she continued to caress the girl's face. Mackenzie blinked slowly as if trying to comprehend the information. "Everything's alright though. You're alright."

"Him?" the girl asked; her washed out green eyes staring straight into Emily. The older woman swallowed hard.

"You don't have to worry about him. He can't hurt anyone anymore." She wasn't sure whether or not to tell her that Hail was in fact, still alive. This way, Mackenzie at least knew she wasn't lying. Taking the news for face value, Mackenzie seemed to deflate and finally relax against the mattress. "Just rest now okay? We can talk later."

"Mhm." Mackenzie agreed as a soft smile spread on her lips. Emily smiled back as several tears dropped onto the sheets. "Em'ly?"

"Sleep now Mackenzie. I'll be here when you wake up." Emily promised herself but Mackenzie seemed to have more to say. Emily leaned closer and waited as she licked her lips and tried desperately to keep her eyes open for a second long.

"Ana." She breathed. "My name…is Ana Valerious."

For those of you who caught me: yes, I did steal the name from the movie Van Helsing with Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale. I'm sorry, who doesn't want to be Kate Beckinsale? Exactly, no one :P