Authors Note: Thank you for all the great reviews. I keep forgetting to say that this takes place sometime in the middle of the fourth session before Amplification (Episode 24).

Chapter 4

Quarantine

The ride to the hospital was more uncomfortable than it had been back in the CT office. Matt, who was driving the large SUV, didn't say a word to either of the men in the car. And when Morgan or Hotch tried to say something, even to each other, he would give them a hard and long glare that even made Hotch wry. This was a lot more than just him being ticked off about this happening in his town. What else was going on was a mystery, however, even to the experienced profilers.

When they finally made it to the hospital Morgan was surprised to find that he was actually relieved. It felt wrong to feel so while standing in front of a building that hundreds of people were dieing in. Not to mention talking to those people wasn't going to be fun at all, but Morgan couldn't image it being worse than the fifteen minute car ride.

Before the three could even enter the hospital they were forced into a large white tent surrounded by men (and women) wearing large, white containment suits. Making the three feel like they were being swarmed by hundreds of angry ghosts. After a quick check to make sure none of them were showing any of the virus symptoms, which would be hard to miss, they were given their own suits and finally allowed to enter the hospital.

Hospitals are sad and desolate on a normal day, and today it was ten times worse. The normally active front lobby was completely empty and silent. Not even the dozen agents', beyond the front door, noise found their way into entrée way. It felt like a ghost town. All the death that had happened in the hospital over only the last day was thick in the air. So thick that you could almost taste it and smell it in the to sterol smell even though the quarantine sick rooms were several floors above them.

Everyone that didn't need to be there had been evacuated. Only so many doctors and nurses remained in the building to care for the sick and dieing. The patients to sick to move had been transferred to another hospital had been moved as far away from the quarantined zone as physically possible. The few doctors and nurses assigned to stay with them were to wear face masks and gloves at all times, even when not seeing a patient. (There wasn't enough full body containment suites for them to have any.)

The three agents slowly made there way to the elevator. The sound of their padded foot steps echoing through out the building like dieing heart beats. The sound of the elevator dinging open was so loud in the dead silence that it seemed it could have woken the dead.

Though the severity of what was going on seemed to be shown by the little of the building they had already seen the worst of it was still yet to come. Nothing could have prepared them from what they were about to see next. The pain and death that the floor contained. Even the profilers that had seen the worst of man kind and what they could do had no idea what a real disaster was like. And this was only one hospital of it. The second one, though not quite as bad, was just as tragic. This was wear the first victim had been taken and later died. Where the second, and third died. Where they were up to fifteen deaths, as the other hospital had yet to see one. But one could only image how long that could hold. Even in the ever optimist eyes you had to wonder if it was even possible to find a cure before it was to late for so many others. How many would die? How long did they have?

As of yet they had no real time line on the virus. It seemed to take effect to different victims differently. The first man to have died, Brett Hyll, died after only six hours of supposed exposure. While twenty year old Michael Lee who had been to the same move as Hyll had held on for nearly twelve hours, just hours before the BAU team had made it to New York. It seemed to attack men faster than women. And the older you were the fast you would die. But in the case of seventy-one year old Jasper Trahile they suspected he had been one of the first infected sixteen hours ago and he was still alive, barely, but still alive.

The tension that had formed between the three men from the short minutes ago that they meet quickly disappeared when the doors slide open. Even though the slightly fogged plastic barrier inches from the elevator door they could see just had bad this was. Blurry figures of suited men and women hastily walking by. Sounds of coughing, beeping, and even in the distance the sound of someone flat lining. The smell of blood was thick in the air and it made all three men, no matter how strong they thought they were, want to throw up.

Hotch, Morgan, and Matt just stood in front of the plastic door, afraid to venture into hell. Every muscle in their body's became tense in fear for not only the patients dieing before them. But for their team members either out in the field or even in the safety of the FBI, for how could anyone be safe?

Morgan and Hotch worried about Emily and Rossi off to the movie theatre, where it all began, the heart of the storm. Then there was Reid who always seemed to end up in trouble no matter what he did. JJ with her new family to think about. And then there was Garcia. Morgan didn't know what he would do with out her. Why did she had to come with them? Why could she had stayed safe at home?

Matt worried about Kate, the reckless women didn't care about her life and what if she didn't realize the danger she would be putting everyone else in? And Krys, the girl wasn't really one to care about herself, she would give her life in an instant to save someone else even if the person that needed to saving more was her. Not to mention she hadn't sleep since the night before the outbreak. which had been nearly 36 hours ago. Then there was Chez. Deep in the bit of his stomach he knew that he cared for her most of all.

Morgan being the first one to gain the strength to move approached the door. He was going to go in there and figure this out, if only to protect his baby doll. The move forced the other two men to continue through the plastic door as well.

What was on the other side was even worse yet. (Even if they couldn't have imagined it so.) The sound was almost ear piercing in compare to the deathly silence. Every person not in a bed was incased in a suite. Patients lay in beds behind glass walls hooked to so many machines that they could move. Several were coughing, blood smeared across their chins. Some even had blood coming out of their eyes and nose. There was moaning, and cries of agony. Doctors and nurses shouted across the hall at each other, calling codes and medicine needed. Hotch couldn't help but think that they most likely didn't have enough for everyone.

As soon as the entered a doctor came up to them. He tried to smile at the new comers, give them a formal greeting, after all there needed to be a little joy and hoe here, but ended up failing. Throwing away his attempt he said, "You must be the agents." They had been called the moment the SUV pulled into the parking lot. If there was any hope it was them. They were supposed to be the best, as rumor went though no one actually knew who they were the details being lost in the chaos.

"Yes, Agents Hotchner, Morgan, and Grimaldi." Hotch said though everything past "yes" was lost to the doctor. There was no time to remember names, or titles. There was work to be done for both agent and doctor. Which Hotch understood very well, thus he got straight to the point. "We would like to talk to Jasper Trahile. Is he still lucid?"

"In and out." The doctor answered already starting to walk. As they got further and further into the chaos they started to lose more and more of what reality was. Hotch couldn't see how a doctor could continually work in this environment with out going crazy. They had only been there a minute and he could already feel his head spinning. He felt like he couldn't breath. He needed air, real air, not the still being filtered in to him. He was ready to do theses interviews as fast as he could in order to get out of the hell hole they had fallen into.

The group soon stopped in front of a glass door. The patient inside the room was coughing, blood staining the white blanket on top of him. He looked like he had to be a hundred years old. His face was pale and every bone could be seen. He looked in pain, yet there was something in his eye. Some sort of glissom of hope. It almost seemed unreal. No one could look in so much pain yet still have hope. The man had to be near death. The vomit bucket sat next to the bed on the night stand. You could clearly see the fresh ruby red blood floating in stomach vile (As he had eaten nothing in the last day to throw up).

"We don't think he'll make it much longer." The doctor said sadness deep in his voice. Yet it was still plan. No sign of pain in saying. He had seen so many people die today that the feeling was starting to leave him. In truth, though, the man would be better off dead. At least then he wouldn't have to suffer. He had been giving Morphine for the pain, yet there wasn't enough to help him, others needed it more. Not that more would really help. His insides were literally liquefying, one of the most pain full and long deaths there was.

Nodding Hotch entered the room followed by Morgan and Matt. At first it seemed that Mr. Trahile didn't see them. Hotch feared that they might have caught him in a less lucid state. Or maybe that would be good. He shouldn't have to relive what had happened again. But then Jasper's eyes fell on to the three suited men. A small smile crossed his face. "Hello." he said his voice raspy and weak.

"Mr. Trahile…." Matt said before his voice failed him. He had never seen someone in such a state. Even through all the terrorist attacks he had seen over the years, this man was the worst off. From closer you could see the blood stain in his hair by his ears, and the slight pink color under his eyes and nose from where the blood had been wiped away and hadn't started to fall yet.

"Where with the FBI." Hotch continued for Matt. He know that Matt was struggling to deal with this, they all were. And by no means would he ever hold this against the other agent. They all had their moments, and Hotch was quickly reaching his though he was refusing to let it show.

"FBI." The old man repeated as if amazed that he would be talking to them. As if this situation wasn't as bad as it was. He was just a high school teacher after all, he never in his life thought he would even see an FBI agent let alone talk to one. "What did the doctor say?" He suddenly asked after a pause taking everyone by surprise. Their masked faces must have shown their shock of the question because he added, "Don't worry, I know I'm going to die." He actually seemed happy by the thought. "I'll be with Mary-Ann again."

Mary-Ann had been with him at the movies. She had started to show symptoms of the virus before her husband. It wasn't until they were at the hospital that Jasper start to feel sick as well. Only seven hours after being infected did she die. (She didn't have great health before that.)

"He said, Sir," Morgan answered knowing that he couldn't lie to him. Yet still, even though he seemed to want to die, not comfortable telling him that he was going to die. "that you don't have long." Morgan's heart skipped a beat at his own words. Yet Jasper smiled. His eyes closed for a moment, thinking about Mary-Ann and finally having peace again. Then he opened them to look at Morgan.

"Thank you." He chimed. Morgan had no idea why he should be thanked. Was it because he had actually told him the truth. He was going to ask, afraid that Mr. Trahile might be a little confused, or delusional. But they had no time and Hotch spook before he had a chance.

"Mr. Trahile, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you what happened." He said his eyes focused on the frail body. Jasper didn't seem at all bothered by the question. He actually seemed to be happy that someone was talking to him. The nurses and doctors couldn't have much time for chit-chat.

Jasper Trahile started his story as if it was another story he would have told his grandchildren.

Jasper and Mary-Ann left their small suburb house around seven in the afternoon. They had been planning this night for a long time. It was their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Fifty years of happiness. Mary-Ann had been fifteen when she married the slightly older Jasper, at twenty-one, all those years ago after only knowing the man for a few weeks. As it turned out the sudden marriage turned out to be the best decision they ever made.

The had just finished eating a large dinner, by old people standards, and were planning to go and see the knew French movie playing at a small theatre near Broadway. The theatre was small, only holding about forty people, and it wasn't even near full. The faces of the others around him had been lost in Jasper's memory.

The movie had only gone on for twenty minutes, a very splendid twenty minutes. Even though Jasper couldn't speak French like his wife. And couldn't see the subtitles to read. But Mary-Ann seemed to be having the time of her life, laughing, and awing and oh-ing. Some times she would ask Jasper if he could believe that, or other strenuous comments that really made no sense to the husband. He was just happy to see she was happy.

Her health had been failing lately. She had trouble breathing, and refused to carry around an oxygen tank saying that if God wanted her to die then she would die happily. Though Jasper believed much of the same things as Mary-Ann he was ferrous that she would want to die, want to live him. He couldn't imagine his life with out her. And cursed her for not trying to live as long as she could with him.

It had been twenty minutes into the movie when Jasper first felt the water drops on his head. He looked up not seeming anything, and figured that it had to be some lousy kid playing a joke on them. He wasn't going to let that ruin their night. Five minutes passed, the water drops having stopping several minutes before, when someone higher in the auditorium shouted at someone to stop that Jasper smiled, knowing what the matter was, but still not going to comment on it, Mary-Ann seemed to happy.

When the drops started up again, fast this time, Mary-Ann started to feel them. Realization filled her lively blue eyes. "Do you want to go?" She asked knowing that the prank must have been going on for a long time and had be annoying Jasper.

"No. No." He answered and turned his attention back to the screen even though his back was pretty much completely wet now. There wasn't much time to contemplate whether it was the right decision or not because almost seconds later the sprinkler system came on pouring water all over those in the theatre.

Soaking wet the two decided that there was no more reason to stay. Upset that someone had ruined Mary-Ann's perfect night they left. Mary-Ann tried to insist that nothing had been ruined and that she was just happy to be with him. Still unconvinced Jasper took her home and tried to make it up to her by watching a movie on TV and voicing over it with words he thought sounded French, making it seem more funny than serious like the last movie had been. But the two still found the night fun.

That was until around ten o'clock when Mary-Ann got out of bed and throw-up. Jasper didn't need anything else to know that something was wrong with her. He quickly took her to the hospital in which he now lay dieing in. In the ER he was told that she just had the flu, and there was nothing to worry about. It wasn't until they found blood in her vomit that they started to think something was wrong. And of course they didn't even connect it to Brett Hyll who had been emitted into the ER only forty-five minutes before they were.

Soon Jasper started to show the same symptoms as his wife, and the doctors emitted him into the hospital as well. They were set up in the same room and up twelve at night there were several more cases of the virus. The doctors started to connect this with something bigger than they could have ever thought. At one in the morning Hyll had died. The doctors told Jasper, but not Mary-Ann who was in and out of consciousness. They suspected that on the same time line the two couldn't live much longer.

As it turned out Mary-Ann died a little over an hour later. Before she went she smiled up at Jasper and said, "I'm ready. Don't worry. I'm not scared." Jasper was though. But as she got closer and closer to death and the smile never left her face, and he started to realize what she had meant all those years. It wasn't about when you die, or how. It was about who you died with. And she was happy. And even though Jasper would later die alone, he felt ju7st as happy as she was. Because she was still there, with him in spirit. And once he died as well they would be together again, this time for eternity. He didn't care it he survived the virus and lived ten more years, he knew some day he would be joining Mary-Ann when the time was right.

A few hours after Mary-Ann's death the hospital evacuated and moved everyone with the Virus into quarantine. And that was were Jasper had been. Ready for what ever God throw at him. If he was going to die then he was okay with that.

Jasper's story shocked everyone. No one said a word after it was finished. A man that had gone through so much was still happy. Happier than Hotch had ever been since Haley left him. How could this be? How could he not be scared of death. Morgan the bravest guy on the team was terrified of death. How could he not be mourning the loss of his wife. Matt had lost his sister years ago, and he still cried for her.

The silence went on for several minutes. Then it was broken by the steady beep of a flat line. Every eye glanced at Jasper who wasn't moving. And like his wife he didn't look scared. He had died with a smile on his face.

Though he was happy the FBI agents could help but feel heavy with sadness of the old man. Someone who didn't deserve to die the way that he had. If Mr. Trahile would have been a live they were sure that he would have told him that "he was happy, and was ready die. He wasn't afraid."

They turned from the room as nurses flooded into it to try and revive the man that everyone knew wasn't coming back. They still had several other people to interview. They only hoped that those wouldn't end in death like the last had.