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When Hotch returned to the hospital from dropping Jack off with Jessica, he found Reid and Garcia in Henry's room. The boy had been moved from Pediatric ICU to the Children's ward. The room was a smaller and he shared it with another little girl who slept with her leg in a cast at the opposite end of the room.

Reid sat next to Henry in a very uncomfortable plastic chair reading from a story book. Garcia sat knitting away on a blanket in shades of orange and yellow. She was working it into a starburst pattern and somehow it didn't clash with the decorations in the room.

"That night," Reid was reading. "Santa almost called off Christmas because of the storm and fog. ' Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight.' He asked the small reindeer with a glowing red nose."

Hotch stood quietly listening to the story until it was done and Reid looked up to see him there. "Oh, hi Hotch."

"Where's JJ and Will?"

"We kicked them out with the help of Henry's doctor." Garcia said as she finished another row. "They needed the rest. They'll be back in a few hours. We promised to stay with Henry."

If not for all the instruments keeping track of his vital signs, Hotch could almost believe that the boy was sleeping.

"I can't stay very long. Jessica and the rest of the family are gathering for dinner in a couple of hours."

"Do what you have to do." Garcia said. "JJ and Will know you're thinking of them. They understand that it's Christmas. Reid and I are perfectly content to stand vigil for the little guy." She gave Henry an affectionate look, but Hotch saw the pain in her eyes.

"Where's Kevin?" He asked her

Reid suddenly became interested in the monitors keeping track of Henry's vital signs. Garcia kept her eyes on her project. "He had tickets to go home. I was supposed to go with him. We had an argument, but I don't want to talk about it."

Hotch nodded. "Did you do all this?" He changed the subject and gestured to the little two foot tall tree on a rolling table next to Henry's bed.

It was decorated with colorful ornaments in hues of red, green, blue and gold. Some of the ornaments were etched in white to resemble snowflakes, while others were etched in star patterns. There was a bit of gold tinsel wrapped around the little tree and a few red and white lights, they weren't on at the moment. Someone had placed an identical tree on the little girls table.

He noticed that there were fake pine bows hung on the walls with red and gold ribbons, and more of Santa and his elves. One large cutout on the wall opposite Henry was of Santa and sleigh with nine tiny reindeer including Rudolph and his red nose.

It would have been cheery if Hotch didn't smell a little of the astringent cleansers that always seemed to be in use in a hospital and the smell of fear in the children's ward because many of the kids were seriously ill or even dying and that had an odor all it's own.

Daylight poured into the room from the only window at the south end of the room. Sunlight didn't go with the somber atmosphere, Hotch thought. Even though there was snow on the ground, and Christmas was in the air, being here and knowing that it could have been Jack turned his heart cold. The thought of losing his precious little boy just two years after losing Haley was unfathomable. He wouldn't survive it. He silently thanked God that his little boy was healthy and happy.

"Hotch?"

He glanced over at Reid's all too perceptive expression. Sometimes the younger profiler had a maturity and innocence that baffled Hotch.

"I was just thinking that - well," He gestured to Henry. "I was just thinking this isn't the place I'd pick for Henry to spend Christmas."

He could see that Reid had caught his change of tone and again, Reid's perception unnerved him. Reid didn't comment only turned his eyes to his godson and reached out a hesitant hand to touch the boy's fingers.

Perhaps one day this gentle man might be a father and Hotch thought he'd make a damn good parent. This made him smile a little.

"You got anymore stories," Garcia asked in the silence.

"Um, yeah, JJ I found another book in the bookstore before we came back this morning."

"Well don't keep us in suspense." Hotch ordered. "Let's hear it."

Morgan found Emily and Rossi in the family waiting room. They were engaged in a quiet conversation that he didn't want to interrupt. Emily looked up first and motioned him over.

"Have you heard anything." He asked.

"No, JJ and Will finally went home to get some rest. Reid and Garcia are staying with for now." Rossi said.

Morgan took a chair and sighed stretching out his legs. "I admit that I didn't sleep at all last night."

"We were just talking about that." Rossi said. "It's like this year the hits just keep coming."

Morgan nodded his eyes on a painting over Emily's head that depicted gentle rolling hills of green grass, trees and a flock of sheep. It was so real it looked like you could step right in and enjoy the sunlight and the blue sky with lazy, wispy clouds.

"I just called the airlines again. I thought I could get a flight out, but there's nothing. I don't know if that's good or bad. I really want to see my mom and sisters, but I don't want to leave JJ here."

"It doesn't feel like Christmas Eve." Emily said.

The men nodded their heads. "It felt like it yesterday before this and now, as much as we're hurting, I can't imagine what JJ or Will is going through right now. Why did this have to happen now?"

"It's strange that something like this makes you realize what's important." Rossi said.

"I wish we didn't have to learn that lesson this way." Emily countered. "We should know it without these kinds of near tragedies."

"As far as we advance in medical science, the arts, technology and everything that makes our lives easier and more fulfilling, we never seem to improve our basic natures." Rossi said glumly.

"We're light years ahead of Cro-Magnon or Neanderthal Man," Morgan said. "I believe we'll keep improving."

Rossi smiled. "I hope you're right. In any case, now is the time for a philosophical discussion. Let's send all our good thoughts to Henry, JJ and Will."

"If I had a glass, I'd drink to that." Emily said.

He found her were he thought he would, in Henry's room. She was making his bed, even though Will knew it had been done before they'd left on their ill fated skating trip.

"Cher, what are you doing?"

He reached out for her and she yanked away, going to the other side of the bed and bending down to shove the edge of the top sheet under the mattress. "Henry needs clean sheets. I was going to door some sheets today before we had dinner for everyone - oh no, I forgot about the turkey."

She made as if to rush out of Henry's room when Will grabbed her. "Don't," He soothed holding tight when she tried to worm out of his arms. "Don't baby…"

She burst into another storm of tears crying so hard and for so long he thought he'd have to take her back to the hospital as a patient. He pulled her over to the bed, sat down and lifted her into his arms and onto his lap like a child. She curled into him and burrowed her head into his shoulder. "Oh my God Will, what do we do if he never wakes up?"

He rubbed her back in big soothing circles. "Do you know what I believe Jenny?"

She shook her head, her sobs dying down to hitches in her chest. She didn't break down often, but when she did it was always with the force of a storm on the sea.

"I think - no, I believe, we're going to get a Christmas miracle and Henry will be just fine. He'll open his eyes and ask if Santa came."

JJ let out a laugh. "I hope you're right. I just can't stand the waiting."

"I know," He kissed the top of her head. "Why don't we take all the food we bought for the party and drop it off at the local shelter before we head back to the hospital."

She leaned away and beamed at him. "You are truly brilliant."

"I know," He said again and she slapped his shoulder. "We'll say it's a donation from Henry."

She kissed him long and hard. "How did I get someone so understanding?" She asked when she finally let him breathe."

"Oh ma cher, you're just lucky I suppose."

She smacked him again, and he set her on her feet. She put her hands on her hips. "You're wrinkling the bed sheets."

He stood up lazily stretching like a cat. "I'll help you make it and then I want you to sleep for at least an hour before we go back." He ordered.

"But Will -"

"Spencer and Penelope are there with him and so are the others. He'll be fine and they will call us the second something changes."

She nodded. "You win, let's get this bed made and promise to sleep."

He helped her drag up the comforter and thought he'd let her sleep for two hours. She'd be mad, but at least she'd have a little color back in her cheeks.