a/n: hi guys. Sorry it took me sooo long to update. I had the spring concert at school which I was writing a shit ton of music for and rehearsing with orchestras, and bands, and choral groups. haha. But now I'm done… the next mountain we have to climb over is finals…BUT i'm basically screwed for that anyways, so w/e. Hopefully I'll finish up this story before i go on another hiatus :) so hope you enjoy. review please cuz they make me really happy. and all the constructive criticism helps me write so thanks!

"One…two…three…" Ian said. While he pulled his trigger aimed at Riley, she pulled hers and shot him in the stomach, and Hotch, and Derek put two bullets each through his chest, and Emily put one through his head. Ian's bullet hit Riley in the top of her left shoulder. She heard Declan scream from downstairs, praying that he was safe, and the FBI agents around her were yelling.

"Riley!" JJ cried, running towards Riley.

"Shit," Derek muttered, as he too ran to help Riley. Hotch jogged past them and over to Ian and took his pulse.

"Dead," he murmured. Riley sat up gingerly, trying hard to ignore the pain.

"Riley, Riles, you need to sit," Derek began, trying to hold her back.

"Stop," Riley told Derek, trying to break free of his grasp. JJ supported back as she sat up, and began to put pressure on the bleeding.

"We need a medic," JJ yelled, "Derek go!" JJ yelled at him and he took off in search of one, "You're gonna be okay, honey," JJ murmured.

"Mom?" Riley asked, when she saw her mother staring at Ian's dead body. Suddenly, men in uniforms were rushing on to the scene speaking Italian. They loaded Riley onto a stretcher.

"I'll go with her," Emily began, but Riley stopped her.

"No. Go find Declan. I sent him away when I was with Ian, so that he wouldn't see anything. He's probably scared," Riley said.

"I'll go with her, Em. She'll be ok," JJ assured Emily. Emily wanted to argue, she wanted to be with her daughter, but she knew it was better to listen at that point. Emily was afraid Riley hated her, so she knew it was better for JJ to go along. JJ followed the stretcher out of the room, leaving Emily with the Spencer, Hotch and Rossi.

"Mom?" Declan called.

"Stay there, baby," Emily called. She didn't want Declan to see Ian dead, "I'm coming." She stood next to Ian's body, and a single tear fell.

"Goodbye," she whispered, her hands subconsciously moving their way down to her pregnant belly.

"Emily," Hotch said, reaching out a hand to put on her shoulder. She coldly ripped away from his touch. Ignoring the eyes she felt watching her, she wiped her eyes and left to find Declan. She walked down the hallway, and saw him sitting on the steps.

"Hey," she murmured as she sat down next to him.

"Is Riley ok?" he asked.

"I think she will be. She's going to the hospital," Emily explained.

"Where's dad?" he asked quietly.

"Honey…" Emily began, but did not know what to say.

"Is he…dead?" Declan asked. Emily was quiet for a moment.

"Yeah, buddy," she said sadly. Declan cried quietly for a moment, leaning his head into the crook of Emily's neck and Emily let a few rogue tears fall herself.

"Did you ever really love him?" Declan asked, his brows furrowed with concern.

"What makes you think I didn't?" Emily asked.

"Well, he was mean to Riley…." Declan whispered, "And she's your daughter…so why would you love someone that was mean to her?" It was a profound and recondite thought, and it was coming from an eight year old boy.

"What?" Emily asked, shocked that Declan had known.

"He used to say mean things to her when you weren't there…and I saw him hit her once," Declan whispered.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Emily asked.

"I didn't know if he would do that to you…or me…or if he knew I knew…if he would kill us all…or something," He whispered sheepishly.

"I'm so sorry, buddy," Emily whispered back, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"Why?" He asked, wiping his eyes.

"Because you shouldn't have had to be afraid of your own father," Emily said shaking her head, as she let go of Declan, "And you especially shouldn't have had to pretend that you weren't."

"It's ok, though, because it's over," Declan told her. Once again, he was handling things better than she was. She gathered him in a warm embrace again.

"Can we go see Riley?" He asked.

"Yeah, buddy, let's go," She said. She stood up carefully, and took Declan's hand, and they went out to find the rest of her team.

.oOo.

"Sophie O'Donnell?" The doctor asked. JJ didn't move for a moment, but then remembered Riley saying that Sophie was her cover name.

"Yes?" JJ said standing up quickly. He looked down at his file.

"We removed the bullet from her shoulder, and were able to stop the bleeding. We stitched her up, and bandaged her shoulder, and put her in a sling. She'll be in some pain, but we're giving her medication to dull it for now," The doctor explained.

"Thank you," JJ said gratefully.

"I need to go take care of some more of her files, but a nurse will be out here in a few minutes to assist you," He said swiftly.

"Thank you, sir," JJ said again. He nodded and walked away. She pulled out her cell phone.

"Hotchner," Aaron answered.

"Hotch, it's JJ. Riley's gonna be ok. She's stitched up and all set. Where's Emily?" JJ asked.

"She's with Declan. They're on their way to you now," Aaron said. A young woman was approaching JJ with a clip board.

"Great thanks, Hotch, I gotta go, the nurse is here," JJ said and she hung up.

"Are you Sophie's mother?" The nurse asked.

"Her aunt. Her mother is on her way," JJ explained.

"Of course, Miss…" she began.

"Jareau. Can I see her now?" JJ begged.

"Right this way," The young nurse said with a smile. JJ followed her nervously down the hallway. They reached a room at the end of the hall.

"She's a little groggy…go easy on her, okay?" The nurse said.

"Of course. Thank you," JJ said quietly. She entered her slowly.

"Riles?" She murmured.

"JJ," Riley said with a smile, her eyes lighting up.

"How are you feeling?" She asked. She made her way over to the side of the bed, and Riley moved her feet so JJ could sit.

"I'm tired. And I miss my mom," Riley admitted.

"I know you do. She's on her way here," JJ said.

"Is Ian dead?" Riley asked.

"Yeah….they shot him," JJ said.

"Who?" Riley needed to know

"Well, your bullet…Derek shot him, Hotch shot him and your mom did too," JJ explained.

"My mom?" Riley asked surprised.

"Shot him right between the eyes right as he was shooting you. It was the gun shot that killed him. Derek and Hotch's were extras," JJ explained.

"Oh my god," Riley murmured.

"She's on her way here with Declan now," JJ explained.

"Is my mom ok?" Riley asked.

"She wasn't hurt," JJ assured her.

"No, no…I mean…like emotionally," Riley explained, "Even if she says she didn't, she really did love Ian…and she killed him."

"I think she'll be ok, because she saved you," JJ explained. As if on cue, Declan and Emily walked into her room.

"Hi, Emily," JJ said to Emily.

"Hi," Emily said, with a small smile.

"I'll let you guys talk. I'm gonna go get us some coffee," JJ said.

"Wait, I wanna go with you, too. I just want to say hi to Riley," Declan told her. He gave Riley a gentle hug.

"You ok?" Riley asked.

"I didn't get shot," He said with a shrug.

"I know," Riley said.

"You ok?" He asked her.

"I got shot," she said with a shrug.

"I know," He replied with a smile.

"I'm sorry you were there for it all…." Riley said quietly.

"I'm sorry you had to do it," He said quietly. He stood there and held Riley's hand for a minute.

"Go with JJ," Riley said, ruffling his hair, "I'll see you later."

"Bye, Riley," he waved, and left with JJ.

When they were gone, Emily approached Riley's bed tentatively. She stood a few inches away from the bed, not wanting to get too close to Riley too soon. She wasn't sure how angry her daughter was, or how hurt or afraid she was.

"Hi Riley," Emily whispered.

"Hi," she said quietly, not able to meet her mother's eye.

"How are you feeling?" Emily asked.

"Fine," she said with a shrug.

Emily finally was able to look Riley in the eyes. Riley saw the tears forming in her mother's eyes. She kissed Riley's forehead.

"I'm so sorry for everything," Emily whispered, "I was supposed to protect you."

"You did, though. I'm not dead am I?" Riley asked, with a bitter, painful laugh.

"He hurt you so much, and it was all my fault," Emily murmured, "I had a plan, you know. I just wanted him to trust me. I figured… sleeping with him, getting things back to normal, he would believe that I wanted this all. And when his guard was down…I was going to take you and Declan away, and bring us home. But I realized the only way I could do that was if he was dead," Emily said through tears.

"Mom," Riley began, but Emily cut her off.

"Let me finish," Emily pleaded. Riley nodded. "When I told him I was pregnant…he said he loved me, and I knew i had gotten him. But then I told him that I loved him…and I meant it Riles. And I was so scared. So a few days later when he was asleep, I took one of his guns, and I brought it to our room, and I was going to kill him, but…" Emily stopped, as a few more tears fell, "I couldn't pull the trigger. I couldn't do it. And I'm so sorry," Emily said again.

"You loved him… that was all real," Riley murmured.

"I never meant for you to get hurt," Emily explained.

"God I was so angry at you. But I felt so terrible for being angry, because I figured that it was all fake and that you had a plan!" Riley screamed. Her heart monitor started beeping faster.

"I did Riley! I did at first!" Emily exclaimed.

"Yeah at first! But then you fucked it all up!" Riley shouted. Her heart monitor was going nuts. The nurse ran in and saw Emily and Riley with tear stained faces.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave," She told Emily quickly in Italian as another nurse rushed in, pushing Emily out of the way.

"Deep breaths Riley," The nurse told Riley in Italian.

"You have to calm down," The other nurse said. Emily exited the room as the nurses calmed Riley down.

.oOo.

Emily stood outside the hospital room, leaning on the wall. She wiped the tears from her eyes. JJ sat Declan on the couch in the waiting room. The rest of the team had arrived and was sitting with him. JJ made her way down the hall to Emily.]

"Hi," Emily whispered. JJ handed her the cup of coffee.

"Hi…" JJ said. There was silence between the two for a minute.

"I'm sorry," JJ said.

"Why?" Emily asked surprised.

"Because I swore I would protect her with my life…and look what happened," JJ said sadly.

"That wasn't fair of me to ask you to do that," Emily said, "You shouldn't have had to promise me that."

"Yes it was…If it was Henry I would have asked you to the same," JJ said sadly.

Emily moved her hands to her stomach, "This shouldn't have happened. I should have protected Riley. Instead I fucked up her life and everyone else's," Emily said sadly.

"No you didn't. You killed the one man you loved to protect your daughter. In my book, that's far from a fuck up," JJ told her. They stood there together in a quiet silence.

"I love you, Emily. No matter what happened. And she does, too," JJ said, giving Emily a hug. Emily wrapped her arms tighter around JJ, not wanting to let go.

"I missed you," Emily mumbled, her face buried in JJ's shoulder.

"I missed you, too," JJ said.

"Thank you for taking care of her…and for uh, killing me," she said with a chuckle, and then added seriously, "I know it wasn't easy keeping a secret that big from the team," Emily said, "And I owe you everything for that."

"You don't owe me anything," JJ said shaking her head.

.oOo.

Peter walked to Riley's house to see police everywhere.

"What the hell happened?" Peter asked the tall man with dark hair and the FBI swat vest, clearly an American, "Where's the girl that lives here?"

"Who are you?" he asked furrowing his brow.

"I'm her boyfriend. Who are you?" Peter asked.

"You're Peter?" the man asked.

"Yeah," Peter said cautiously.

"I'm Agent Hotchner," the man began.

"Hotch?" Peter asked unsure.

"Yes. Riley is in the hospital. Doyle shot her," Hotch explained.

"Where's that son of a bitch? I'll kill him," Peter began angrily.

"Her mother beat you to it," Hotch said shrugging.

"Is she ok?" Peter asked.

"From what Agent Jareau tells me, she will be. Emily and Declan are there with her now," Hotch explained.

"Can I see her?" Peter asked. Hotch nodded.

"Thank you," Peter said, shaking Hotch's hand quickly. With that, Peter took off for his house to get John to take him to the hospital.

.oOo.

"Riley," the nurse said quietly. Riley's eyes fluttered open at the sound of her name, "There's someone here to see you." Riley opened her eyes wider and saw Peter leaning against the door.

"Peter," she murmured. He ran to her side and kissed her gently.

"Jesus," he muttered, "You ok?"

"Yeah…" she said with a shrug, "I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad you're alright," He said, rubbing his thumb in circles on her hand, "John's here, too."

"Do you think now would be a bad time to meet him?" Riley asked.

"I don't think so…but do you think your mom might want to be here when that happens?" Peter asked.

"Probably…will you go get them?" Riley asked, sitting up gingerly.

"You sure?" Peter asked.

"Yeah," Riley murmured.

"Alright then," he said. He squeezed her hand, and then went out in search of Emily and John.

Emily had her head rested on JJ's lap, and JJ's was running her fingers through her hair. Declan was playing with Hotch and Rossi, and Reid and Derek were comforting Garcia.

"Uhm Agent Prentiss," Peter said after a minute. Emily sat up, and straightened herself out.

"Peter?" Emily asked surprised.

"Riley…wants to see you," He said quietly.

"Oh, of course," Emily said nodding. She stood and walked into Riley's room.

"Hi, babe…Peter said you wanted to see me?" Emily asked.

"Yeah…" Riley said with a nod. Then Peter said, "Riley…should I bring him in?"

"Yeah, Peter," Riley nodded. Peter led John into the room.

"Emily Prentiss?" John asked surprised.

"John, wow…it's been years," Emily murmured.

"Fifteen…And I see you're back at it again," he said motioning towards her stomach. Emily gave him an irritated smirk.

"That I am," Emily said with a shrug.

"You look beautiful," he murmured.

"You look the same," she said.

"And how's that?" John asked cockily, with a smirk.

"Like a bastard that left me pregnant," Emily said with a shrug.

Riley bit her lip at her mother's comment, and Peter grimaced.

"Well I see hard feelings are still in the air," He said holding up his hands. Emily rolled her eyes.

"So why am I here?" John asked Peter.

"Because," Riley cut in, "I'm your daughter." Emily and Peter moved so John could see Riley.

"Sure are…you look just like her," John murmured, "What happened to you?" "I got shot," Riley said as if it was a common occurrence.

"Classic. Only Emily Prentiss would have a daughter who handled guns and serial killers," he said with a chuckle.

"I don't know what I saw in you," Emily muttered, more to herself, but John heard.

"Whatever it was, you saw it twice, sweet heart," he said with wink. Emily rolled her eyes once more, clearly not impressed.

"Look, kid," John said, seriously, after a moment.

"It's Riley," Riley pointed out.

"Sorry. Look, Riley," he began, "Whatever issues we," he said motioning to himself and Emily, "have- we can workout, if you want me in your life. Because, I want be in yours," he said. Emily looked pained at his statement, like she wanted to cry out, but she held it in.

Riley looked to her mother, who in response said, "Do whatever feels right to you, honey. How I feel shouldn't affect the relationship with your..father," she choked out.

"I think that you lost your chance to be in my life, when you left my mother, pregnant and alone. It was nice meeting you, but all you and I have in common is a little bit of DNA," Riley said with a shrug.

"Hey, that's fine. I didn't think you'd want anything to do with me," John said, putting his ands up in defeat.

"How come?" Riley asked, with a raised brow.

"'Cause, kid, I told you. You are just like her. I'm not saying whether that's good or bad. But you are," he said with a shrug, "I'll leave you all to do what you have to do. Peter you coming? I'm you're ride," John asked, calmly.

"Yeah, I'm coming," Peter said with a sigh, "Can we just have a minute alone, me and Riley?" He asked.

"Yeah sure, kid," John said. He put his hand on Emily's shoulder as they were walking out.

"Don't fucking touch me. I just shot my boyfriend. What makes you think I won't shoot you, too?" she threatened in a hushed voice as they left. Though she was teasing, there was a bit of truth in every joke.

"So let's talk," Riley said, biting her lip.

"You're cleared to leave. Are you leaving?" He asked.

"For home…or for America?" Riley asked.

"America," Peter said.

"Most likely," Riley said sadly.

"Okay," Peter said. He was quiet.

"That's all you have to say?" Riley asked surprised.

"I just don't know what else to say. I can't tell you not to go. I can't tell you that there's anything better for you here than there is there. Your family's there. Your friends. It's ok, though," he said with a shrug. They sat in silence.

"You know this wasn't meant to be a vacation fling," Riley said, breaking the silence.

"I know," he said with a nod, "Keep in touch, ok?" he asked.

"Yeah… you too," she murmured.

"I'm gonna head out," he said.

"Sure," she said. He kissed her gently.

"See you around, Riley," he whispered. With that, he walked out of the room, and out of her life. Yet another person, gone. She watched as Peter and John trudged down the hospital hallway, and around the corner. When they were gone, Emily returned.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I guess," Riley said with a shrug. Emily climbed into the bed with Riley, and held her tightly, as Riley cried. After a little while, Emily realized that Riley had fallen asleep. Emily dozed off too, and for the first time, they both felt safe, sleeping.

an: we're not done! not yet! more chapters to come! so review! and i'll update soon! :