A/N: Here's next chapter. I hope you all like it!

Special thanks to Sophia0665, jenny crum, Kimd33, K8e1, Christiangirl and Snowbeardolphin!

I don't own criminal minds!

Chapter 36: Security

The team and the SWAT team were gathered around the cars about fifteen minutes later. Hotch was already wearing his kevlar vest as the rest of the team was putting them on. He was standing in front of the group of people. They didn't have much time to wait. JJ and Tom had been on their own for fifteen minutes and the odds weren't exactly in their favor.

''We're going to split up into four groups.'' he began hastily. ''Morgan, take two SWAT agents with you and go to the east side.'' he said and they quickly left them and moved towards the eastside of the abandoned lot. ''Reid do the same and check out west side. Rossi take two agents to the north side. Prentiss and I will move up.'' he said simply.

He pulled out his gun and watched everyone leave before he gave the clear sign to Prentiss. When he did, they immediately sprinted forward and ran past the two buildings the rest of the team was checking out. His gun was drawn and pointed ahead of him as they strategically moved across the lot.

Hotch stopped when he heard two gunshots ringing through the air. It didn't sound like they were far away from where the shots originated from, so he looked at Emily and gave her the sign to move along. The darkness made it extremely hard to see anything so they had to trust their instincts.

''We have a male, identified as Joel Austen, in custody.'' Hotch heard Rossi say over the intercom. ''He said there are three more men present.''

''Over here!'' Emily whispered when Hotch was still focused on the words he heard Rossi say. ''It's a cellphone.''

''Yeah, it probably belongs to Tom Murphy. We're in the right place.'' Hotch said and then he suddenly noticed a shadowy figure behind Emily, so he gave her the sign to duck. ''Get down now!'' he yelled frantically and he shot his gun twice before the unknown male stumbled backwards and fell onto the ground. Hotch sprinted towards him and took the gun. He handed it to Emily and checked for a pulse, but he was already dead. ''Two more to go!''

''Another one is down!'' Emily signaled over the com.

Hotch was already moving ahead, the panic running through his body. There was still no sign of JJ or her uncle. He had no idea if they were even alive and that thought nearly crippled him. He couldn't think about JJ not being alive. He just couldn't. So he pictured her beautiful smile and told himself he was going to see it any moment. But with each step he took, his hopes got smashed. They were nowhere and the teams had checked out most of the buildings. There was no sign of JJ or the two missing men they were after.

It was in that exact moment that Hotch heard an all too familiar scream coming up just a few feet ahead of them. He ran towards the screams without checking on Emily or looking at his surroundings. His concern for JJ took over all of his logic and his iron control was gone. ''JJ! JJ?'' he yelled.

JJ was standing straight up with a gun pointed against her head as her uncle lay on the ground with blood coming from wounds on his head. Hall had beaten him up badly and she knew it was her turn now. But she wasn't going down without a fight. She gazed back into his eyes as she felt the eyes of Murray on her. Those two were the perfect team. One dominant and overly arrogant and the other sadistic and a trained killer. ''You won't make it out of here alive!'' JJ whispered, her voice filled with hatred. ''The FBI is already here.'' she went on and before she could say another word, shots were fired and Murray was gunned down. But Anthony Hall managed to run away, and JJ wasn't about to let him. She saw Hotch running towards her, but she couldn't wait. She picked the gun up from the ground and sprinted in the direction Anthony disappeared with Hotch following her quickly.

He saw Tom on the ground and stopped for one moment to check on him. His breathing was heavy but he was live. ''Prentiss, stay with him.'' he ordered. He was about to run off when Emily stopped him.

''What are you doing, Hotch?'' she asked.

''JJ is going after Anthony Hall and we both know she can't get him on her own. I am going after her.'' he said quickly, his breathing calm and steady. He ran, knowing his life and sanity depended on it and when more gunshots sounded in the air, he ran even harder. It was as if they were in a combat zone and he was fighting for his life. He was fighting for his life. JJ was his life. He didn't know if he could live another moment without her.

And realizing that, the air left his body when he saw she was kneeled on the ground with a gun pressed against the back of her head. Hall was laughing and joking about Griffen's death. Hotch didn't walk any closer, knowing he was going to need the advantage of surprise. He wouldn't be able to save JJ any other way.

JJ was kneeled on the ground, waiting for the shot to ring. Waiting to die. There was no way out for her. This was it. She was dying, and in that moment she had a flash of her precious family. A normal night on the couch with Griffen and Lucy, just having fun and feeling love. Those were truly the best nights of her life, knowing she could never be loved and love more than she did in those moments. After Griffen's death, she had secretly been hoping she could find it with Hotch. That they would share those moments and spend the rest of their lives away from the madness that had shaped her life. But it wasn't happening. The cold barrel against her head was the proof. ''If you kill me, you won't get away with it. Not this time!'' she promised him. ''He won't stop hunting you until you're dead.'' JJ spoke out, knowing Hotch. She knew his determination and she knew he wouldn't stop hunting the man that would be responsible for her death. ''So, that's my gift to you, you son of a bitch!''

JJ closed her eyes. She was ready. She had nothing left to say. This was it. She expected the shot any moment, and then it came. She was shocked when she realized it wasn't fired at her. So she jumped up and turned around and saw the one and only Aaron Hotchner, standing over the body of her worst nightmare. He had been shot in the head and his body was lifeless, but in that moment JJ didn't care about that, which surprised her. She had been wanting revenge for Griffen for so long that she expected it to mean much more. So instead of looking at the dead man, she ran towards Hotch and jumped into his arms, holding onto him for dear life. She would never let go if she didn't have to. It was over. The people who had killed her family were arrested, maybe even dead.

Hotch put his arms around JJ's waist and pulled her closer. He kissed the top of her head several times. ''Thank god, you're okay.'' he whispered. ''This was close, JJ.''

She pulled back and returned his wide smile. ''I am okay. We're here. I am here. We are both alive.'' she whispered. It was all that mattered in that moment. They were together, alive and healthy, ready for the future.