Chapter 2

Prentiss was the first to reach Rossi, lying on his left side, his right leg on top of his left. "Rossi, where are you hit?" As she rolled Rossi to lie flat, Hotch approached and noticed the blood stain too close to Dave's groin on the right side quickly growing. He instinctively grabbed the area.

"Hotch; check," Dave said looking at his long-time partner.

The team could hear through their earpieces Reid excitedly asking for medical. "We have a federal officer down!"

"Shut up Dave and relax." Prentiss moved to hold his head off the floor, gently cradling it in her hands.

"Aaron…"

"Dammit Dave, shut up. I've got you." He looked at Morgan, joining the scene and kneeling at Rossi's feet. "Give me your knife and get his leg slightly elevated."

Morgan moved instinctively, pulling his knife out of his pocket, opening it and handing it to Hotch while grabbing Rossi's leg to put it in his lap. "Get his boot and sock off so we can keep an eye on the blood flow to his foot," Hotch advised. Morgan, along with a SWAT member, quickly did the task.

The rest of the SWAT team cleared the scene around Rossi as JJ joined them. She grabbed his left hand. "Dave listen to Hotch. Just relax; we've got you." She gently rubbed his chest. Hotch took the knife and parted Rossi's Italian made jeans towards the crotch and took a look while holding onto the wounded area. Thank God for being ambidextrous Aaron thought to himself.

"Dave, listen to me. You're all there. You'll be out on the prowl in no time."

"Good; I've got a hot date Friday night."

"I don't know if you'll make that one partner. But we'll get you back out there. Promise. Just shut your mouth and let us help." Rossi took a deep breath and shut his eyes as Reid rolled up with the first EMT.

"That's it Dave," JJ cooed as she rubbed his chest. "Just relax. We've got you. And the EMTs are here."

The EMT moved into place, noticing Hotch's grip on Rossi's inner thigh, just below the groin. "Agent, what have you got?"

"I think a ricochet bullet hit his femoral artery." The EMT looked around at the scene with team assisting their partner and noted the proficiency in their basic first aid. They had handled the scene by the book.

"Agent, you need to let go and let me take a look."

"I won't lose him."

"Agent, he needs to get some blood to his toes. Look at them." Hotch shot a quick glance to Dave's toes turning an ashen white, with the smallest starting to turn blue. The EMT took Morgan's knife and opened the seam of Rossi's jeans wider. "Now Agent." Hotch released his grip to let the EMT look. The second EMT with the equipment rolled up to the scene.

Looking at Hotch, the first EMT said, "Grab it again." Hotch took a strong grip, pressing the artery against the bone again, looking at Rossi's toes gaining some color. Looking at his partner, the EMT said, "We've got a femoral artery bleed. Get Georgetown on the phone," as he grabbed supplies from the kits. The second EMT made contact with the ER at Georgetown Hospital.

As the first EMT grabbed a round of vitals, including Rossi's blood pressure, Hotch continued to talk to him. "Dave, listen to me. You're going to make it. Did you hear that? You're going to Georgetown. That's where Cait works. She knows them all. She'll kick their asses. Just hang on until we get you there."

"If I don't, she'll kick my ass," Rossi said weakly.

"That's right; and you know her as well as I do; you don't mess with my wife. Just hang in there Dave."

"Rossi, listen to Hotch," Morgan said, rubbing his foot, trying to keep the circulation going. "You don't want to mess with Cait."

"Damn, Rossi, that's the last person you want to mess with," Prentiss added, rubbing her hand across his goateed chin.

The first EMT looked at Hotch. "You know him?"

"Yes; he's family."

"Any meds?"

"Lipitor for his cholesterol."

Rossi weakly smiled at the EMT. "I'm Italian."

"Dave, goddammit shut up," Hotch growled. "I'm not going to tell again." The team watched as the EMTs took over, securing Rossi's injury while getting him ready for transport. The second EMT crew quickly moved in with a stretcher and helped the first crew get him onto it.

One of the second crew patted the lead of the first crew on the shoulder. "Your unit is just outside the door, ready to roll."

"Agents, we've got this," the second EMT on the scene said to them.

"I'm riding along with him," Hotch said. The EMT looked at him.

The first EMT looked at his partner. "Don't argue Brad; let's just get moving."

Hotch looked at JJ as they started to leave the building. "I'm on it Hotch. I'll take of it."

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