Welcome back everyone. I know you have been waiting all week for the next chapter. I could prattle on and on but I would just end up annoying you. So I shall be quiet and let you enjoy. And I want to give a big shout to all those who follow and review. Thanks again. Now on the main event.

Hotch stood to one side and watched as the team settled uncomfortably in the waiting room outside the surgical unit. Their faces betrayed their thoughts. All were thinking about what had happened in this very room five months ago. Here it was where they learned of their friend's supposed death. Now they were back sitting in the same seats, staring at the same bland walls, hoping that Emily will be all right so they wouldn't have to mourn for her a second time. He let his thoughts wander back to the last couple of hours.

The paramedics had come clattering down the stairs with their gear a few minutes after Emily had passed out. One had made a beeline to her while the other had moved toward Doyle. Rossi had cut him off and pointed out his flaw in his priorities. The man then joined his partner. Morgan by then had moved to Emily's other side, his hand still holding hers.

With the precision of years of working together the two men had set about readying their patient for transport. While one had run an IV, the other had applied pressure bandages to the front and back of the injured shoulder. With Morgan's help the medics had eased Emily onto her side to slip the backboard under her. Once they had her strapped down and ready to move Hotch had stepped in and asked what hospital they were taking her to. The senior paramedic said it would be the local one. Hotch had shook his head and said that Emily would be transported to Bethesda. The medic had started to argue when Hotch had thrust his credentials in the man's face and said in a threatening voice that she is going to Bethesda. The paramedic agreed.

Morgan, true to his word, had never let go of Emily's hand. He had held the IV while the men had carried her up the stairs and out to the waiting ambulance. Much to the consternation of the paramedic riding in the back he had sat by her side all the way to the hospital. Just as Emily had predicted the staff didn't let him enter the operating room. Only then and with great reluctance Morgan had let go of his partner and friend. Now he sat, elbows on knees, staring forlornly at the door Emily had been whisked away through.

Hotch snapped out of his reverie when a nurse, clad in surgical scrubs and carrying a clipboard, entered the room through the automatic door that Morgan was watching. The team as one sat straighter in their chairs.

The nurse seeing the anxious looks being cast her way quickly said, "Everything is fine. Miss Prentiss is being prepped for surgery as we speak. We had to take a few shoulder x-rays first. I actually need to speak to," she glanced at the clipboard, "a Jennifer Jareau?"

"That's me." JJ said, standing and walking over to the nurse.

The nurse removed two pieces of paper attached to the board. "When you gave us Miss Prentiss' Medical POA and Living Will, you mistakenly gave us the same documents for a Lee Atwater."

"It wasn't a mistake. Agent Prentiss was a patient here five months ago under that name. I wanted you to have complete access to her full medical records."

The nurse's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline. "I see. We'll pull it up but in the mean time are you aware of any allergies?"

JJ answered immediately. "None though she did have a bad reaction to a certain pain killer." She pulled out her phone. "I can't remember the name but I have it right here."

The nurse jotted it down. "What did the medication do?"

"It made Emily sick to her stomach."

"I'll make sure she doesn't get it," the nurse said and left.

Reid looked at JJ with a slightly puzzled look. "You were really with Emily back then?"

JJ frowned. "Of course I was. Did you think I was lying?"

He looked away and shrugged. "You tell me. Haven't you been lying to us for months?"

Garcia surged to her feet. "This is not the time or place for this," she hissed, glaring at Reid. She pointed a trembling finger at the door. "That's our friend in that room and there is a possibility she might die. You should be thinking about Emily and not trying to pick a stupid fight with JJ. Grow up, Reid."

That said, Penelope flopped back down into her chair and tried not to cry. Morgan laid a comforting arm around her shoulders. Reid had the sense to look guilty while JJ chose to sit as from the young genius as possible. The waiting room settled into an uneasy silence.

Three long hours passed and everyone was getting antsy. No one had come out to give them a progress report. JJ was about to get up and chase down someone when the doors swung open and an older, blonde woman emerged. She glanced between JJ and Penelope.

"Jennifer Jareau?"

"I'm her," JJ said, starting to rise but the doctor gestured for her to remain seated. "Whatever you have to say can be said in front of them." She nodded to the rest of the team. "They're Emily's family."

The doctor settled into an unoccupied chair. "I'm Captain Sarah Barrett. I'm Miss Prentiss' doctor and surgeon and I personally wanted to let you know that she came through surgery with flying colors. She's in post-op right now."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and the tension in the room eased.

Doctor Barrett continued. "We have repaired the damage and if the shoulder heals correctly she shouldn't need any further surgeries on it. We'll have to wait and see. The bullet caused a lot of damage since it was fired at close range. It broke the collarbone on the way in, clipped the shoulder blade on the way out and tore everything up in the middle."

"When can we see her?" Penelope asked.

"Not for a couple of hours I'm afraid. After Miss Prentiss comes out of post-op we'll tend to her other injuries. We need to do a CT scan and take x-rays of her chest, hand and hip. From our initial examination she has sustained one, possibly two concussions, a broken hand and wrist, badly bruised hip and several cracked and broken ribs. Also it seems she had aggravated an older injury that we stitched back up while she was under."

Rossi spoke up. "How long are you planning on keeping her?"

"Two weeks or less. It all depends on how well Miss Prentiss bounces back from the concussions and the surgery."

"You will inform us when Emily is situated in her room?" Hotch asked.

"Of course," the Doctor agreed. "But be prepared that she's not going to be much company. With the combination of the concussion, exhaustion and the pain meds, Miss Prentiss is probably going to sleep pretty solidly for the next couple of days. This is a good thing." She added, seeing the worried looks crossing their faces. "The more rest she gets the quicker she will heal. Now I'm not saying that she won't wake up. She will from time to time and you'll have some short conversations with her that she won't remember later before nodding off again. Any other questions?" She looked around.

"Not at this time, Doctor," Hotch said and offered her his hand. "Thank you for taking good care of her."

Doctor Barrett shook his hand. "I didn't do anything special. Miss Prentiss is one tough cookie."

Hotch smiled. "That she is."

"Well," Penelope said after the doctor had departed. "Looks like we need to set up a schedule."

"A schedule?" Reid asked confused. "For what?"

"For sitting with our Raven Warrior of course. We are not going to let Emily wake up by herself." Garcia whipped out her phone. "Lets see. There are six of us so we can break the day down into four-hour shifts. I'll take the first one since it was my idea."

"Do we get a say in which shift we get?" Morgan asked in amusement.

Garcia winked. "None. And since you asked you get the one right after me. Four to eight. Reid can be next, followed by Rossi, then Hotch and finally JJ." She looked to Hotch and JJ. "I put you two last because you need to go home and see your boys."

Rossi smirked. "Looks like we have everything covered."

"Baby Girl, you do know that your shift is going to be longer than four hours since Emily isn't in her room yet." Morgan pointed out.

"I know," she said brightly. "While I wait I'm going to do some shopping in the gift shop. Hospital rooms are so drab. I need to pick up a few things to liven up the room." Garcia shouldered her oversize purse and headed for the elevator.

Hotch jerked his head at the tech's departing back. "Morgan, go with her and try to keep it tasteful. We don't want Prentiss to wake up and think she has died and gone to decorator hell."

"I'm on it," he said and dashed off after Garcia.

It was then that Hotch realized he was still holding on to the stuffed animal. Since it technically belonged to Emily, he must have planned on returning it to her here. But seeing how dirty it was, he would have to clean it first.

Still looking at the panda, he said, "Rossi needs a bath."

Reid cocked his head to one side and looked Dave over from top to bottom. "He does? He looks rather clean to me."

Rossi rolled his eyes. "Not me, the stuffed animal. I don't know what possessed Emily to let Jack name it after me."

JJ smiled. "I think its kind of sweet." Rossi stared daggers at her and she continued unfazed. "Hotch, let me take Rossi Jr. home." She earned another glare. "I'm very good a cleaning stuffed animals."

Reid continued to study Rossi as Hotch gladly handed over Rossi Jr. to JJ's capable hands. "You know, I can see the resemblance. You both have hair on your faces."

Dave let out an exasperated sigh. "I look nothing like that raccoon."

"I believe it is a red panda," Reid corrected.

"Whatever."

It was after midnight when Hotch got home. After leaving the hospital he had gone back to scene to make sure it was being properly processed. Then he went to the BAU to fill out all the necessary paperwork and then spent countless hours in meetings with Strauss and the Director defending his decisions. In the end it was the Director who was satisfied with how the case went down and had dismissed him. No disciplinary action was taken and the case was officially closed.

Hotch slipped into the apartment as quietly as possible trying not to disturb Jessica and Jack. After resetting the alarm, he tossed his keys on the near by table and moved over to the couch. He sank down with a sigh and leaned his head back figuring he could catch a couple hours of sleep before heading back to the hospital for his shift.

"Aaron? Is that you?"

He looked over his shoulder to see Jessica coming down the hall tying the sash of her robe. "Yes."

"Thought so." Jessica took a seat next to him and ran her fingers through her sleep-mussed hair. "How is Agent Prentiss?"

"Better. She'll be out of commission for awhile but the doctor assured us she will make a full recovery."

"Good. I would like to thank this woman who saved my nephew. Do you think she would mind if I paid her a visit?"

Hotch smiled. "I'm sure Emily would like that. I'm certain a some point in the next two weeks she is going to be sick of seeing the team and would welcome a new face."

Jessica laughed.

Hotch grew sober. "How's Jack?"

She sighed and looked back at the bedrooms. "Hopefully asleep. I had a tough time getting him to settle down. He's very worried about Agent Prentiss."

Hotch started to rise. "I'll go check on him."

Jessica reached out to stop him. "Before you do, can you tell me what he was covered in? It took over two hours in the tub to get him clean."

"Coal dust," he answered chuckling.

"Coal dust?" she repeated in disbelief.

"Yes. Emily got Jack out through an old coal chute."

"And she stayed behind and took a beating to protect him."

"She did."

"I definitely have to meet her."

Hotch cracked open the door to Jack's bedroom and peeked in. In the glow of the nightlight his son laid with his back toward him. Smiling he backed up and started to close the door when Jack stirred. He rolled over, sat up and rubbed his sleepy eyes.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Buddy?" he asked, stepping into the room.

"Is Em'ly with you?"

"No, she isn't. Emily's still at the hospital." Hotch explained as he sat on the bed next to his son. "Remember Aunt Jessica told you that earlier."

"Oh." Jack's face fell with disappointment. "I figura that when Em'ly was done there she would come home with you."

"I'm sorry, Buddy. Emily is going to be staying in the hospital for a while."

"Can we go see her?"

"Not tonight. It's late and Emily is sleeping. I'll take you in a few days when she is up to having visitors," Hotch said.

Jack crossed his arms and pouted. "I wanna go now."

"Jack," Hotch warned.

"She's dead, isn't she?" Jack suddenly cried out. "Mr. Doyle killed her just like George killed Mommy."

Hotch looked at his son in shock. "Whoa, Jack buddy. Emily isn't dead. She's in the hospital like I said."

Tears started to trickle down his cheeks. "Is too! That's why you won't let me see her."

Hotch pulled him into a hug and said softly. "Okay, okay. Don't cry. I'll take you to see Emily."

Rossi was leaning against the doorframe watching Emily sleep when he heard footsteps coming down the corridor. He turned around and raised an eyebrow in surprise when he saw Hotch with Jack in his arms.

"What brings you two here at 1:30 in the morning?" he asked.

"Someone wouldn't go to sleep until he was sure Emily was okay." Hotch discretely nodded at his son.

"I see," Rossi said. "I think I'll head down to the cafeteria and get a fresh cup of coffee."

"Thanks, Dave."

Hotch stepped into the room dimly lit by the light bar over the head of the bed. He settled in the chair that was pulled up to the side of Emily's bed and moved Jack to his lap. He wrapped his arms around his son and said softly in his ear.

"See, I told you Emily wasn't dead. She's just asleep. Feel better, Buddy?"

"Yeah," Jack agreed and leaned back against his father's broad chest. Together father and son watched their friend sleep.

Hotch let his eyes slide over her slumbering form, mentally checking off her visible injuries. He took in the bandage over her left eye covering the stitched up gash from the tire iron, the bruised and cut left cheek, the scraped nose and what was soon to be two spectacular black eyes. He moved his gaze down to the injured shoulder, taking in the bandages wrapped around it and the upper arm that were not covered by the hospital gown. Her arm was cradled in a navy blue sling that was strapped to her chest to the keep the arm immobilized. Just poking out of the sling were two splinted fingers and the top of the broken hand secured in a heavy brace.

Jack tapped his father's arm and then pointed. "What's that?"

Hotch looked to where he was pointing. "That is a heart monitor. It's keeping track of Emily's heartbeat. Every beep you hear is one beat of her heart."

"Cool," Jack whispered and leaned forward to watch the line bounce up and down for several minutes.

"What's in the bags?" he asked next, pointing to the IV stand.

"Umm…probably antibiotics and pain medication."

"Aunti-boy-tocs?" Jack scrunched up his face as he tried to wrap his tongue around the big word.

"Yes," Hotch chuckled. "They help prevent infections. They're just like the salve I put on your cuts only in liquid form."

"Does it taste bad?"

"You don't drink it. See those tubes hanging off the bottom of the bags?" Jack nodded. "It drips out of the bag, down the tube and into a vein in Emily's arm." He gestured to the hookup by her elbow.

Jack gave off a little shudder. "Does it hurt?"

"Not at all."

"What's that thing on her arm?"

Hotch couldn't help but laugh to himself at his son's inquisitiveness at 1:30 in the morning. "That is a sling. It's going to keep Emily from moving her arm until her broken collarbone has healed. That is the bone right here," he said and ran a finger over Jack's.

" Oh, okay."

He twisted around to look at his father. "Where's Rossi?"

"He went to the cafeteria to get some coffee."

"Not Uncle Dave," Jack said rolling his eyes. "Em'ly's red panda."

God, this is getting confusing, Hotch thought. Soon I won't know who I am talking about. "Aunt JJ took him home to give him a bath. He was pretty dirty and I didn't think you would want to give him to Emily that way."

"No," Jack agreed and looked sadly at her. "Mr. Doyle hurt Em'ly real bad, didn't he?"

"He did. But Emily is tough. She be up and about before you know it."

"Cool. She said she would go to the zoo with me."

"That's great. You'll have to wait until she is feeling up to it though," Hotch cautioned.

"I know."

Out of the corner of his eye, Hotch spied Rossi stopping in the doorway. "Jack, I want to talk with Uncle Dave. Can you wait here for me?"

"Can I sit next to Em'ly on the bed?" He asked hopefully.

"Only if you promise to be real quiet and not wake her," he gently admonished his son.

"I promise."

"Alright," Hotch said and gently placed him on the bed. "I'll be just outside the door. Okay?"

Jack nodded and watched his father join Uncle Dave. The two men stepped away and turned their backs to the door. Jack looked at Emily and then back out the door. Both men were engrossed in their conversation. Jack made up his mind. Inching up the bed, he squeezed between Emily's arm that was lying on the bed and cuddled up against her side. With a contented sigh Jack fell instantly asleep. Slowly Emily's arm came up and embraced his sleeping form. She exhaled slowly and sank into a more relaxed sleep.

Hotch joined Rossi outside Emily's hospital room. "How is she doing?" he inquired of the older man.

"Good. Just as the doctor had predicted Emily has been sleeping pretty soundly. Since I been here she hasn't waken but according to Garcia and Reid she did wake up once briefly during their shifts.

"Did she say anything?"

"They both said she asked if Jack was safe and when they had said yes, she went back to sleep."

"Did Emily stir while Morgan was there?"

"Oh, yes. She did." Rossi answered with a trace of humor in his voice.

Hotch tilted his head frowning slightly. "What happened?"

"Well," he drawled. "When Emily came to Doctor Barrett and a nurse were there. The good doctor ran her through a cognitive test. You know the standard questions: What's your name, where were you born, who is the current president. It went smoothly until the doctor asked Emily what Morgan's name was."

Hotch's eyebrows rose in curiosity. "What did she say?"

"According to Morgan, now remember I got this second hand, Emily had looked at him with a groggy, sly smile." Rossi paused for dramatic effect.

"Go on," Hotch urged.

"She said he was Garcia's Chocolate God of Thunder and then nodded off," Rossi said, trying to keep a straight face and failed miserably.

Hotch hooted with laughter. "She didn't."

Rossi smiled. "She did. The funny part is that Morgan had to admit that Emily was right when the doctor asked if she should be concerned because of that answer."

"She inadvertently burned him."

"Yup. It's a shame that Emily won't remember it."

Mischief glinted in Hotch's eyes. "We may have to remind her."

Rossi winked back. "We just might." He glanced at his watch. "It's way past two. Maybe you should grab Jack and head for home. He has to be tired by now."

"Good idea," Hotch agreed.

As both men turned to go back into Emily's room, Rossi suggested, "Hotch, why don't I take your shift? By the time you got home and Jack situated, you'll have to turn around and come right back here."

"You sure?"

"Positive. I'm already here and you look like you haven't gotten any sleep yet."

"I haven't," Hotch admitted. "Thanks, Dave. I really appreciate this."

Rossi shrugged. "No problem. By the time all of this is over, the only one in the bunch who is going to be well rested is Emily."

"Most definitely."

The men entered the room and stopped short, taking in the scene before them. Jack curled up next to Emily who had her arm around him. Both were sound asleep.

"You do know that this experience has created a bond between them?" Rossi asked.

"I know."

"And that Jack will want to see Emily more often."

"Yes, he will."

"What are you going to do?"

Hotch shrugged. "Play it by ear for now. I'll talk it over with Emily when she's up to it. I'm sure we can work something out. Besides once he knows she is going to be around, his desire to see her may fade over time."

"If she stays," Dave said quietly.

"What?"

"After all she has been through this past year, she may feel that she needs to move on. I wouldn't blame her if she did. Would you?"

"No. But for now Emily is here with us," Hotch said and moved over to the side of the bed. He gently moved her arm so he could pick up his son.

Emily stirred when the warmth at her side faded. Frowning she rolled her head to the left and opened her eyes half way.

"No," she protested weakly and tried to tighten her hold on Jack.

Realizing that Emily was confusing him with Doyle, he leaned down until he was in her line of sight and softly said, "Emily, it's okay. It's just me. Hotch."

Her eyes opened a little wider. "Hotch?" she whispered.

"Yes. I was simply going to take Jack home and put him to bed. It's way past his bedtime. Is that alright with you?"

"Yeah." Emily let go and Hotch carefully lifted the slumbering Jack off the bed.

"Why don't you go back to sleep?" he urged.

"Kay," she slurred, eyelids already drooping.

"Rossi is here if you need anything," he reassured her.

"My panda?" she asked a little more brightly.

"Umm…no. Dave."

"Oh," she said in disappointment and fell back asleep.

Rossi looked at Hotch who had his sleeping son cradled against his shoulder.

"Gee, I feel so loved."

Wow! Would you look at that. I didn't end on a cliffhanger. At first I figured something must be wrong with me but I took my temperature and I'm normal. Well that depends on who you talk to. Now don't forget to tune in next week to see what I have up my sleeve besides my arm. See you then.