Disclaimer: spoilers for the episode The Fifth Man.

Chapter Nine

Charlie just couldn't believe what he was hearing: That there is going to be an attack on the city and one of the most dangerous gangs, The Marquez, are the ones that are behind it.

'Just how much worse is it going to be anyway?' He thought to himself

He was soon about to get his answer when a doctor came over to them with a look that worried everyone present and wondered if something went wrong.

"Doctor? What happened?" Alan asked fearfully

"Both Ryan and Don are alive," the doctor said cautiously, "But the problem is that the drugs they were dosed with turned out to be really strong and both have to be put on a ventilator for now."

Everyone was alarmed, as it meant that the two men were not out of the woods yet and they didn't know what it could mean just yet.

Before the doctor went any further, she asked, "Do you know if Michaels' family is able to make it?"

"I know that his wife and two children are flying in…" Megan said, "And that his parents are flying in from Florida, as well…" Then she had a strange feeling.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because Michaels is having problems with his heart right now, same as Eppes and we aren't sure if Ryan will be able to make it until they get here."

"Why is Don having issues? Is it because…?" Alan asked before stopping short, suspecting that he already knew the answer to that

"Yes, it is because of his previous injuries from both his stabbing a few years ago and other injuries he had during his time as an agent, and we will have to monitor that situation for a while."

Everyone shuddered at the thought they would have to deal with something like this again, as they always feared that there would be more repercussions of Don's stabbing during that raid. He did have a collapse several years ago when he was giving a debriefing to David and a couple other agents, but he was able to quickly recover from that but now they aren't so sure.

"I will say that Don is a strong men, as is Ryan, and they are under the best possible care and that they will pull through this." The doctor said, doing her best to reassure them about the situation.

"Thanks, doc," Alan managed to choke, "Is there anything else that we need to know right now?"

"No, but I will let you know if there is any news." The doctor said

"Thanks," Charlie said, as he was feeling tears coming down his eyes, trying his best to stay strong, "Can we see them?"

"Yes, but they will both in the ICU, so it will have to be one at a time."

Everyone muttered their thanks to the doctor and she gave them other instructions before she had to leave for something else.

"If you guys need anything, someone at reception will help you with that." The doctor added

"Thanks, Doc," Megan said, knowing that Alan, Charlie, Amita, and Robin wouldn't be able to take much more bad news for awhile and she lead them back to the waiting room while Charlie was thinking of all the ways to best make sure that his brother and Ryan Michaels make it.

They agreed that everyone will take a turn of ten minutes with both men, with Charlie going first as Alan wanted to talk to reception to see if Millie has gotten there yet from her meetings, as they were still happening when the nightmare started. Larry arrived a couple minutes earlier and heard about everything the Eppes knew at that point and surprised by his younger friend's actions.

Larry pulled Charlie aside before the younger man went to check on his older brother

"Charles, I want to say that while your actions were a bit reckless, I have to say that it was ultimately the right thing to do to ensure your brother's safety."

"Thanks, Larry," Charlie said warily as he was just glad he didn't have another reprimand for what he did

"Talk to you after my visit?" Larry asked

"Yeah, we need to, as this isn't over yet." Charlie said before going to the ICU

'Because we need to have a plan to deal with these people.' Charlie thought to himself

Author's Note: the part about Don's health was partially inspired by what happen to Hotchner on Criminal Minds, as he collapsed from ruptured injuries he sustained after being stabbed multiple times. I am no expert on medical issues like this, so I am taking some license.