Chapter 8. I've been pretty busy lately so sorry for the slow updates. Thanks for the reviews so far, keep 'em coming and feel free to check out some of my other work :)

"Spence!" JJ was the first to reach his side, since she was closet to him when Prots had shot. She checked for a pulse as Hotch and Morgan raced across the room. Rossi was crouched beside Prots, his own hands covered in blood. Emily was stripping off her sweatshirt to use on Prots' own wounds.

"Reid, come on," Hotch frowned as he knelt next to the young man.

"Dammit kid, stay with me now. Don't you do this," Morgan ordered, pressing his hands against the open wounds. JJ stripped off her jacket and offered it to Morgan. He balled it up and pressed it as tightly as he could against the two holes, bleed seeping through the fabric.

"Where the hell is the ambulance?" Hotch looked at Rossi.

"I don't know! They are on their way. Prots is still hanging in there- I'd love for him to make it so we can charge his sorry ass," Rossi frowned.

Spencer Reid heard it all, but it all seemed so far away. Like he was listening to a echoey recording. He wanted to answer them, wanted to say he would be fine, but he couldn't seem to make his body move. It felt like someone had stuck a hot brand right through his ribs. He couldn't seem to breath, couldn't make his body work.

"Come on Spence," He felt another pair of hands on his chest as Hotch began compressions.

"Clear out," A EMT rushed through the door, following by two others. "We need you to move!"

"Spence," a younger voice whimpered. "Wake up," He felt a small hand on his face.

Spencer sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes flying open. Morgan crouched next to him, his shirt and hands covered in blood. JJ blew a strand of her out of her face as she grabbed Henry, pulled him away from the bloody mess as the EMT's approached. He groaned, wishing the room would stop spinning.

"Thank God," Hotch let out a sigh of relief as he backed away.

"Kid, I'm going to kick your ass," Morgan frowned.

"Stay with us," JJ demanded, holding his gaze. He managed a weak nod, searching the room for Henry. He found the little boy and smiled weakly, earning a wide grin in return.

"Let's get him on the gurney." A paramedic shouted and he felt himself being lifted into the air.

"I'll ride with him," JJ said quickly.

"We'll take Henry and meet you guys there," Emily picked her nephew up as Rossi helped the other EMT load Prots onto a second gurney.

Spencer was jolted as he was loaded into the back of the ambulance and he closed his eyes again. He heard the doors slam and the sirens roar to life and his head began to spin again as his vision faded. When would the pain stop?
. . . . . .

JJ sat slumped over the arm of a recliner, Henry curled up against her side. His breathing was slow and even, his blond hair falling over his closed eyes. JJ kept waking up, her gaze drifting to a sleeping Spencer then back to her sleeping son. Spencer had passed out in the ambulance and had yet to wake up, despite going through surgery.

Thankfully, the bullet had pierced a rib and nothing else. It had fractured it, but it had also stopped it from doing more damage. After removing the bullet in surgery and patching him up, they said he should be fine. So now JJ was waiting for him to wake up. The rest of the team was in the waiting room, pacing and waiting as well. Hotch was on the phone with Jessica, trying to make sure Jack had a place to stay for the night. Morgan and Prentiss were sharing snacks from the vending machine while Rossi paced.

Prots had went into surgery and was still there; they were not sure he would make it. Every agent in the room that night had been trained to shoot to kill and that is what they had done. Prots ended up with a bullet in his lung and one lodged just below his heart. Removing them was proving to be difficult and they weren't sure he would make it through the surgery. The thought made JJ angry; she hated when cases played out like this. Death was an escape from the punishment they should have to pay.

"Mommy?" Henry whispered, blinking a few times as he yawned.

"Hey there sugar," she brushed the hair off his forehead. "You sleep ok?"

"Uh huh." He yawned, rubbing his blue eyes. The doctors had checked him out, then deemed him perfectly fine. The little boy didn't seemed shaken in the least bit. He had told Hotch he knew his mommy would find him. That had made JJ's day, aside from Spencer not dying, knowing her son had such faith in her. "When's Spencer gonna wake up?" He frowned, looking at his best friend.

"I don't know. He got hurt pretty bad." She sighed. He had taken that bullet for them. The other would have hit him in the chest if he didn't have his vest on. But some how one had managed to wedge between the sides of the vest, burying itself in his ribs.

"He got shooted?"

"Yes, he got shot."

"Is he gonna live?" Henry began to sound panicked.

"Yeah honey, he is going to live. Are you hungry?"

"Uh huh," he said sleepily, rubbing his eyes again.

"Alright. Come here." She hated to leave Spencer's side, but Henry also needed to be taken care of.

JJ picked the boy up, sitting him on her hip before heading towards the waiting room. He wrapped his arms around her neck, lying his head on her shoulder. When she entered the living room five sets of eyes landed on her and she shook her head, letting them know Spencer was still out of it.

"Hey there big guy. Finally decide to wake up?" Morgan smiled at his nephew, ruffling the boy's hair as he took him from JJ.

"I bet you're hungry," Emily grinned. "Guess what I have?"

"I dunno."

"Here," She smiled, handing JJ the happy meal. "We got it a few minutes ago. Hotch figured he would be waking up soon enough."

"Thanks," She shot them a grateful smile.

"Chicken," the boy said gleefully as Morgan sat him down beside a lounge table, opening up the food for him. He ate quickly and quietly, not fussing or whining; JJ knew he was tired and he tended to get cranky, but today he was being exceptionally calm.

"You all finished?" Hotch asked as Henry stuck his trash back inside the both.

"Uh huh!"

"I'll clean this up," Emily smiled at JJ. "You both look like you're ready to go back to sleep."

"Thanks," She said gratefully, picking Henry back up. "Come on big guy."

They returned to Spencer's room to find him still asleep. He had shifted, his arm now lying across his stomach. Henry sighed, turning to look at JJ. "Can I sleep with him?"

"You have to be very still, ok?"

"Kay." He crawled onto the bed, eyes going wide when it made a noise. JJ smiled, nodding for him to continue. He crawled over to Spencer, curling against his side, his eye lids already sagging. JJ draped an extra blanket over them, kissing Henry's forehead. The little boy grinned before closing his eyes, his hand curling around Spencer's.

JJ grinned at the sight, getting the last blanket and wrapping it around her own shoulders before settling back into her chair. She closed her eyes, a smile on her face. Maybe, just maybe, things would be ok.

. . . . . .

Spencer's eyelids felt like lead. He heard soft snoring beside him and he forced his eyes open, blinking a few times as his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room. An IV was in his arm and a oxygen tube was making his nose itch. He smiled, finally noticing Henry. The little boy was curled around his arm, looking up at him with wide blue eyes.

"You woke up," Henry whispered.

"Yeah, I woke up," he managed. His voice was hoarse from lack of use and sleep. "Are you ok?" He asked, brushing the hair off Henry's forehead.

"Uh huh! Are you ok?" He titled his head.

"I'm fine."

"Mommy's sleeping," he whispered, yawning himself.

"Then let's let her sleep, ok? She had a long day too."

"I know," he giggled softly. "Guess what?"

"What?" Spencer smiled at him, ignoring the pain in his side.

"I love you," he grinned, copying what his mother had told him so many times before.

Spencer managed a slight chuckle, reaching over to ruffle his hair. "I love you too, but you're a dork."

"Hey," He wrinkled his nose, grinning.

"You know, I have to agree with him," came a soft voice from the right. Spencer turned to find JJ smiling at them, her hand propping up her head. "Hey there."

"Hey," He smiled.

JJ got up, going to sit beside him. He laced his hand through hers with a grin, thankful she had stayed. "Did we wake you up?"

"No," She smiled. "I've been awake for a while now. Feeling ok?"

"I feel like I got shot."

"Very funny," she glared at him lightly.

"I'm fine, JJ." He chuckled. "How long have you been up here?"

"Since they brought you in. So a day."

"Wow. When can I go home?"

"Not sure. They removed the bullet and patched you up. Cracked a rib."

"That would explain why it's hard to talk."

"Don't strain yourself," she frowned, running a hand over his cropped curls.

"I won't," he yawned. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," she assured him. "Why'd you do it?"

"Do you really have to ask?"

"No," She sighed. "I still feel responsible. You're always getting hurt because of me. I'm like your bad luck charm."

"There is no such thing as bad luck. A random occurrence of events could happen to any person at any given time. Do you know how many times salt shakes are knocked over a day?"

"No Spence, I don't," She laughed before kissing him. He blushed, but kissed her back with a grin.

"Ewy," Henry covered his eyes.

"I'm with the little guy," Morgan propped his frame against the door.

"How are you feeling?" Rossi asked.

"Like he got shot," JJ rolled her eyes before he could answer.

"Kid," Morgan chuckled, "You scared the crap out of us."

"Just keeping you on your toes," Spencer retorted with a grin.

"Right," Emily rolled her eyes. "I ought to kick your butt."

"JJ will protect me."

"Not likely. If you weren't hurt, I'd be kicking your butt. You scared me half to death."

"That's not possible."

"Can it, smart ass," Morgan chuckled.

"We'll check on you tomorrow. Rest," Hotch patted his shoulder before leaving, Emily on his heels.

Spencer grinned, knowing things would be alright.

. . . . . . . .

A few days later

"Still stuck on Christmas?" Spencer teased JJ as he caught her humming The First Noel. She rolled her eyes, sticking her tongue out at him.

"What if I am?" She asked, propping her hands on her hips.

"I don't know," He chuckled, leaning his crutches against the counter and reaching for a glass.

He would be on crutches for a few weeks more weeks before the doctor cleared him to walk again. The doctors didn't want him putting too much weight on his ribs while the fracture healed, so he had to have another way to transfer his weight. To JJ"s horror, he was getting far too good at using them; No one should have to be on crutches long enough to learn tricks.

"Daddy," Henry grinned, racing into the room.

"Hey buddy," Spencer chuckled. The boy hadn't called him Spencer again since that day in the hospital. It didn't but him one bit and it was a plus to see JJ smiling all the time.

"I tooked a bath," Henry beamed at them.

"Took, you took a bath," JJ corrected with a laugh, ruffling his damp hair. Henry had been wanting a haircut, so JJ had finally given him one the night before. It was now short and resembled Spencer's,much to the boys glee.

"Uh huh! And I put my dirty clothes up," he turned to grin at his mother.

"That's my boy," she laughed. "Where Hank?"

"Asleep by the fireplace."

"Ok. Well, are you hungry?" JJ sat him on the counter with a smile.

"Yeah," he wrinkled his nose. "Can I have a cookie?"

"Not until you eat," Spencer chuckled. "Because then you wouldn't be saving the best for last."

"Right!" He grinned again.

"Let's see, you can have a sandwich or a hot pocket. We really need to go to the store," JJ frowned as she thought about what little food they had left. Things had been crazy since Spencer had been released from the hospital. Prots had survived the operation, which was bittersweet for the team. He was now recovering behind bars, where he would stay for the rest of his life; not only had he kidnapped a child, he had assaulted a Federal Officer. JJ had been given a week off afterwards, but then it was back to work. Cases had been pouring in one after another and thankfully Strauss demanded that Spencer stay home for at least two weeks before returning; that meant Henry had someone to stay with him. To JJ's relief her son acted like nothing had ever happened. Henry was as happy and outgoing as ever.

"I know. We are out of pickles," Spencer chuckled, pulling the last one from the jar and wrapping a paper towel around it.

"Hey,that was mine," she laughed, stealing a bite before smirking at him. Spencer shook his head, smiling.

"I'm so offended," he teased.

"So?" She grinned.

"Mommy, hungry!"

"Hold on you little scamp," she tickled his sides. "You never did tell me what you want."

"Lemme go," he giggled as she tickled him.

"So what's it going to be," JJ turned him loose..

"Hot pocket!"

"Ok then," JJ laughed. "Want anything?" She turned towards Spencer.

"Nah, me and my pickle are good," he said slyly. She rolled her eyes, tossing a wad of paper at him.

"Sicko."

"Oh please," he chuckled. "Better be nice to me or I might leave you standing at the altar," he teased.

"Sure you would," she grinned before hugging him. "Morgan would kill you."

"I'd have to kill myself," he smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too," she reached up to kiss him before snatching the rest of his pickle and stepping out of his reach.

"Pickle thief." Spencer crossed his arms, mocking a frown.

"You know it." JJ tossed over her shoulder as she opened the freezer, pulling a box of hot pockets out. She tossed one on a plate before sticking it in the microwave, setting the time. She turned to look at the two people she loved the most before leaving the room. If someone would have told her a few years ago that she would end up with Spencer and have an amazing son, she would have laughed at them. Now she was just grateful she had made the decisions she had; they had lead her straight to this.