Waiting
He paced outside until Elizabeth came back out of the toilets. He saw she'd obviously tried to wipe away tears. He understood she was worried about her daughter. She should never have seen her get shot. He wished he could have spared her from what she'd seen. He also wished he could have spared Emily from being shot and Aaron from being drugged. If only they'd caught the UnSub earlier none of this would have happened.
He sat her down and placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with red eyes. He held her close to him and she broke down in his arms again.
"She's going to make it. She's a fighter, you know she is," he soothed.
She nodded. "She was so brave. She tried to talk him down but he shot her. What happened to him?"
"I don't know if you've heard but there was a man, Jason Novax, going round drugging authority figures to make them do his bidding. Aaron was drugged this morning via his coffee."
She looked up at him shocked. "That's Alan Novax's son! What made him do this? Why?"
"He was a drug addict and Alan had cut off all his money. He wanted to teach his dad a lesson."
"So he used all these people. What a coward! I know Alan he won't let him get away with this. I'll make sure of this."
He nodded and the team soon arrived so Elizabeth pulled away. Even though she wanted to be a better mother and grandmother her reputation as an ambassador was on the line and she didn't want to spark the rumour mill. She highly respected Rossi but she wasn't romantically interested.
Jack and Jessica also arrived with them along with Stella and Oliver. Jack ran up to Rossi and hugged him close while Stella and Oliver did the same with their grandmother. Rossi pulled Jack up next to him while Elizabeth did the same with her grandchildren.
"Is daddy going to be alright?" the twelve year old asked.
"He's a fighter. You know he'll pull through," he answered.
"Did you get the bad guy?"
"Yes, we got the bad guy..." He didn't know how to tell him it had been him that shot his dad. He didn't even know if he should.
"What is it, Uncle Dave?"
"I was the one who shot your dad."
The pre-teenage boy's eyes opened wide in shock and he answered vulnerably, "It was an accident, right?"
"Jack I don't want you to think any less of your father. He's still the best Unit Chief I know but the bad guy drugged him. Your dad took a political gala hostage and shot Auntie Emily. I had to shoot him before he hurt anyone else. It was the last thing I wanted but I had to."
He nodded. "Is he still drugged?"
"No, it's worn off."
"Good."
"Nana, is mummy going to be alright?" Stella and Oliver asked.
"Of course she is. She's a fighter," she smiled smoothing their hair.
Just then they heard footsteps and looked up to see the two surgeons holding their charts.