(Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter.

I hope this is out on time. Thanks to all the support on this story so far.

I'm hoping to have faster updates and new stories after may 8th because I'm finished with uni... FOREVER!

Anyway, Enjoy!

"Mr Rossi-" The doctor grinned. "Your son is doing very well."

The team let out a collectively held breath as the doctor continued. "I'll admit the bullet was tricky to remove since it was lodged in his collarbone but the wound itself is looking good."

"You scared me there," Rossi said and he chuckled, looking at the doctor with relief. The doctor returned it with a proud smile.

"Well, Mr. Rossi, you have an intimidating look about you," he said and he laughed softly. "I figured you'd be angry at any news a surgeon delivered would be bad."

"It's not ideal," Rossi muttered and he snaked a hand behind his head before pulling it back and shrugging. "As long as my boy is okay then that's all I care about."

The doctor nodded eagerly and he looked down at his charts. "He's doing very well. He was talking when I left him. In good hands, of course," he added quickly with a lop-sided grin. Rossi nodded. "The collarbone is broken but that's to be expected. I'd like to keep him overnight just for observation but he should be good to leave in the morning."

"Can I see him?"

The doctor checked his chart again, pursing his lips together before looking up and inspecting the team. "Two of you," he said and he smiled nervously. "Rules are strict around here so I have to insist on just two but I can take you there now."

Rossi looked around at his team none of whom wanted to back down on visitor rights, although Luke did look away awkwardly, knowing the others were desperate to see Spencer. Dave's eyes landed on Aaron. He was looking down at his hands which were clenched in front of him. He sighed and reached over to place a hand on the old agent's shoulder and Aaron looked up.

"Come on," Rossi said, motioning him over. "You can help my son explain exactly what happened today." He grinned at Aaron who stepped forward quickly, feeling no less guilty than before.

Rossi followed the doctor eagerly, keeping in step behind him until they got to a room. The doctor peered through the window. Rossi craned his neck to try get a glimpse past the doctor and into the room.

"Ah," the doctor said, stepping back with a jovial skip. "He's awake."

Rossi stepped in his place to look through the window. He could see his son sat up in a hospital bed and that was all he needed to push past the doctor to get to the door.

Aaron stayed back, letting the doctor in first, offering him an apologetic look for Rossi's brashness.

Rossi startled a nurse when he barged into the room. She grabbed hold of the tray she'd been busy with and glared at Dave.

"Sir you-"

"He's authorised, Alex," the doctor said quickly, hurrying into the room after Rossi.

"Spencer."

Dave walked around the bed and stood before his son who was looking around groggily. His arm was tied up in a sling with a thick piece of gauze taped against his shoulder, poking out from behind the sleeve of his gown. "Oh, kiddo," Rossi muttered and he put his hand on Spencer's cheek, pulling the young man's attention to his dad. "Hey, bambino."

"Papa," Spencer said, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked up, his eyes squinting and blinking up tiredly at his father.

"Hey, kid, what have you gotten yourself into?" Dave chuckled as he leaned closer, looking over his son and inspecting him for other injuries. Spencer tried to smile but his mouth only half turned up in a lopsided smile.

"Hey," Spencer mumbled and Dave met his eyes again.

"You're gonna feel this tomorrow," he said with a soft laugh as he pushed Spencer's hair back from his face.

"A'hn," Spencer mumbled, his eyes roving slowly around the room.

"He's fine," Dave said and he motioned Aaron closer. "See, he's fine. You saved him, kiddo. You did that."

Spencer found Aaron and he sagged a little in relief. Aaron smiled at him. "You did good, buddy," he said.

Spencer's eyes moved lazily back to his father and he twisted onto his side. "Dad?"

"I'm here, Spencer."

Spencer's eyes closed slowly and then opened again. "Why... you're here?"

"I'm here for you, kiddo. You got yourself shot."

Spencer frowned, closing his eyes again and opening them a little slower than before. "Mmmkay."

"Go to sleep."

"Bu-"

Rossi put his hand against Spencer's warm cheek and he ran his thumb against his closing eyelids. "Sleep, kiddo."

Dave sat close to his son, watching as he slowly fell back into sleep.

"Have you forgiven me?" Aaron asked as he looked over the bed at his old friend. Dave didn't look up at him, watching his son instead.

"I would never put Spencer in harms way but this is his job now, Dave."

"I know."

"So we can't protect Spencer all the time, especially now I'm leav-"

Dave held up his hand, effectively cutting Aaron off. "I understand, Aaron," he said and he finally looked away from his son. "And I don't hold this against you."

Aaron looked back at Dave, sharing a smile with him.

They sat in pleasant silence, listening to Spencer's soft breathing while he slept.

Aaron was nearly nodding off himself when there was a knock at the door. Spencer's doctor poked his head through the door. He saw his patient sleeping and stepped in quietly.

He smiled at Aaron and saw that Dave was too focused on his son to even notice the new presence in the room.

"Okay, gents, visiting hours are up." Dave looked up sharply and the doctors smile became sheepish. "We do have rules."

Aaron stood up, walking around the bed and closer to where the doctor was stood awkwardly. "I'll leave," he said. "But let his dad stay."

Aaron glanced at Spencer and then nodded at Dave. He walked back to him and patted his back.

The doctor sighed but he nodded in surrender. "Alright," he said, stepping aside to let Aaron by. "You can stay for a few more hours, Mr Rossi but then I must insist you go and get some sleep."

The doctor waited for Rossi to look at him and the old agent nodded slowly.

"Good, he needs you," the doctor said and he looked over at Spencer who was still sleeping on his side.

Once the doctor had left and the door shut Dave pulled his chair closer to Spencer's bed and he sat back, watching his son's back rise and fall with each gentle breath.

Dave settled into his chair, his gaze fixed and entirely focused on his young son.

Spencer was up early the next day, long before visiting hours. He ate his stale hospital tray breakfast and tried to keep it down. The nurse came back for the tray and Spencer asked nicely for his clothes. As he waited he shifted uncomfortably, his arm starting to pulse painfully. He adjusted the sling, trying to take the pressure off his shoulder.

When he got the bag of his effects and he pulled it open the heavy smell of blood hit him, forcing him to hold the bag away from himself to take out his things. He pulled out his shirt slowly and he saw how soiled it was with blood. Spencer made a face and tossed it to the floor since it smelled so bad. He wiped his fingers off on his legs, the shirt having been a little damp with his blood. His pants weren't much better, they were crinkled and littered with darker spots where blood had dried.

He took out his gun, shoes, and phone and discarded the bag with the clothes on the floor.

He looked down at himself and sighed. He'd have to wear something from the lost and found. Or wear one of the team's FBI coats which always seemed too big on him.

Spencer was about to look through his phone when the door to his room opened. He looked up, expecting to see one of the nurses coming to check his IV but instead his father stepped inside.

Spencer couldn't help the beaming smile that came to his face when Dave walked through the door, a bag in his hand.

Dave turned to look at his son and he smiled back, going over to Spencer's side and looking him up and down.

"You look better, kiddo," he said, moving closer to kiss the young man's forehead. As he did his foot stepped on something crunchy and, before leaning toward his son, he looked down to see blood-dried clothes.

Spencer followed his gaze and he cringed.

"Sorry, papa," he whispered and he chuckled to himself at the endearing term he'd let slip. "I thought I could wear what I came in with," he said and he sighed, looking back to see Dave poking the shirt with his boot, his face twisted in disgust. "I'll throw them away, dad, I just couldn't have them so close to me."

Dave nodded in understanding and he looked away from the clothes, pressing a kiss to both of Spencer's cheeks as the young man blushed and pulled away.

"You have nothing to worry about, bambino," Rossi said and he lifted the bag he'd been holding and dropped it on the bed. "I bring clothes. Clean ones."

Spencers eyebrows rose and he looked over the bag to see clothes with tags on folded neatly at the bottom of the bag.

"I should have brought some from home," Dave said admittedly as Spencer reached into the bag with his good arm.

"Thanks, dad. You should have got the team to bring my go-bag over though."

Dave made a face and shrugged. "I figured you're always in need of new clothes."

"Why? What's wrong with what I wear?"

Rossi chuckled nervously and took a step away from the bed. "Nothing, kiddo, I just think the clothes I get you are... what's the word...?"

"Expensive?" Spencer said with a snort.

"Tasteful," Dave said and he continued before Spencer could argue, though his mouth was open and his eyebrows set in a frown. "Get changed and I can take you home. And if you need help, papa is here," he said in high voice that had Spencer throwing the clothes bag at him weakly.

Rossi did help Spencer change, thought only after Spencer nearly fell over doing it himself. He then forced his son to sit in the wheelchair which he steered, heading for the exit.

Spencer took a deep breath once out in the sunshine. He closed his eyes and let the fresh air breeze over him. When he opened his eyes again, feeling somewhat refreshed, he saw that his dad was steering him toward a car.

Spencer looked at the car ahead of him and then he looked up at his father.

"That's not one of our rentals," he said and Rossi shook his head, smiling as he did.

"You're not allowed to fly."

"What? Why?" Spencer turned himself around forcefully to give Rossi a questioning look.

Rossi leaned down and grabbed the arms of the wheelchair.

"Not my rules, kiddo. The doctors. So we're going to take a road trip home."

Rossi started to push the chair toward the car as Spencer dropped his head and groaned.

"Don't you want to spend time with your old man?" Rossi asked with a smirk and Spencer glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

"Not when you play your music," he mumbled and he smirked as Rossi's grin fell.

"It's a rental, Spencer. It won't have my music," Rossi said as he frowned. "You love my music, don't you?"

"Oh uh..." Spencer sat up and smiled awkwardly at his father. "Yep," he said a little too quickly.

Rossi shook his head and chuckled to himself. "You know," he said, putting his head low and close to Spencer's ear. "Garcia showed me how to connect my phone to cars like these."

He parked the wheelchair and walked around it to see Spencer eying him. He pulled out his phone and wiggled it in front of Spencer. "I have all the classics on here!"

They were half an hour into the trip when Rossi got a phone call. Spencer had not long before laid his head against the window so when the phone next to him started ringing loudly he jolted upright and knocked his sling against the door, forcing out a painful gasp. He winced groggily and looked over at his father.

"I have it connected to the car... I just... I click this don't I?" Rossi pointed to a button on the control board. He reached out and fiddled with the button. The car music got louder and Dave glanced at his son with a sheepish smile.

"That one," Spencer mumbled, pointing across the screen. "Then accept the call on the screen."

"Thanks, kiddo." Rossi did as Spencer instructed and he glanced back at the road as the call connected.

Spencer leaned back against the window, trying to settle down again when a high-pitched girly voice came on over the car speakers, filling the whole car with the sound of the squeaky voice.

"David?"

"Charity." Dave glanced across at Spencer who lifted his head and frowned.

"Are you coming home or what?"

"We're on our way now," Dave said.

"Oh," the voice said and then it became much more charming. "Oh, well I'll be here to welcome you."

Spencer sat up, scowling at his father who licked his lips. "Will you?" he asked, chuckling nervously when he met Spencer's glare.

"Yes, baby! Of course. Besides, you missed our date last night."

Spencer raised an eyebrow at the car screen and then looked at his dad who was smiling awkwardly. 'Really,' Spencer mouthed and Rossi snorted.

"Baby?" Charity's voice filled the car again and Dave and Spencer sat up in their seats as if they'd been reprimanded.

"I heard you. I'll see you at home." Dave glanced at the phone and then back at the road. "Spencer's coming home for a few days."

"Why?"

Spencer leaned back and rolled his eyes at Charity's snappy question.

"He was shot, Charity. I want to take care of my son."

"Okay... is he with you now?"

"Yes."

Dave and Spencer exchanged a look before Charity chimed in again. "Hi, Spencer."

Spencer shook his head at Rossi who motioned to the phone. After an awkward moment Spencer mumbled a 'hi' back.

"Yea, he's excited to meet you," Dave said, looking across at Spencer who shook his head again.

"Me too! Okay well, I'll see you soon, baby!"

"We'll be a couple more hours yet."

"I know! Love you, bye-"

Charity hung up the phone, leaving Rossi and Spencer in silence before the music came back on.

Dave sunk back into the drivers seat with a pleasant smile on his face. Spencer glanced over before looking back at his window and wondering what in the hell his father saw in Charity.

"Isn't that great, son?"

Spencer looked back at his dad who grinned in his direction.

"Huh?"

"Charity. You get to meet her," Dave said, looking between Spencer and the road and beaming.

"I'm sure she's pleasant," Spencer said slowly, biting the words out and turning his look of disdain toward the window.

Rossi didn't seem to notice. He looked back at the road with a smile and sighed.

Thanks for reading.

This was a bit longer than normal. Charity is going to have a... lovely part in the next chapter :) or maybe not

Please leave a review, it always helps me out when I lose motivation.

See you next week! Stay safe.