I don't own any of the CM characters; can only wish that I did.

Chapter 5

REVISED SURGERY DEADLINE: 3 HOURS

All was quiet inside the safe house apartment. The deck of cards had been put back into its sleeve, guns returned to holsters. Undercover Officer Pete Tubbs was curled up on the couch asleep, sunglasses over his eyes. Derek had figured that he wouldn't be able to rest so he had volunteered to take the first solo shift.

Morgan was calling upon all of his years of training in an attempt to keep his cool; it was not his strong point but he knew that he needed to be alert and focussed. Despite Hotch's worsening condition, Reid had pointed out in a recent phone conversation that an earlier surgery might just work in their favour. Dr. Barton could have completed the operation before Foyet tried to make good on any of his threats.

Regardless of this theory, Rossi was still convinced that Foyet would come to Morgan first. And Derek was tired of waiting. In an attempt to make himself feel better, he dialled the number of Garcia's cell phone.

"Hi my lovely." came a subdued voice.

Derek frowned. "Baby girl, you disappoint me. No witty comment?"

"Sorry... I guess I'm just not up for fun right now." replied the depressed-sounding technical analyst.

"It's okay Garcia, I'm not really either. I was just hoping you could cheer me up. What's going on over there? How's everyone holding up?"

"We're trying to be strong... Emily is just back from the Barton's; JJ has taken her place. She says the family is very nice and all seemed quiet when she left. We haven't heard from Rossi for awhile, which we're taking to mean as there being no change in Hotch's condition. We just sent Reid out to get some food. The boy genius was driving us crazy with his gloomy stats on survival rates for surgeries like the one that Hotch needs..."

Morgan shook his head. Unfortunately, statistics were Reid's forte and when he was stressed he tended to quote them even more than usual. Poor kid. He sighed. They all needed the ordeal to be over and to have a positive outcome. The case in Canada had severely affected each team member; Hotch's being shot had only added to their fatigue and worry. Tensions were extreme and it was only a matter of time before one of them broke.

"You tell everyone to hang in there, okay Sweetness?"

"Be careful Derek. I can't lose you too..."

"Penelope, Hotch is gonna make it! You're not going to lose anyone!"

"I know... I just..."

"Don't even go there!" ordered Morgan. "We're gonna catch this asshole and the doc is gonna get out that damn bullet!"

He could sense Garcia's attempt at a smile over the connection.

"I know. Just please hurry."

Morgan closed his cell phone and placed it on the table in front of him. He would like nothing better than to hurry but it seemed that Foyet had other ideas. He was starting to feel overwhelmed by his desperation. Taking a deep breath, Derek ran his hands over his bald head and tried to pull himself together.

***

Agent Jareau sat alone in the Barton's living-room, keeping up reconnaissance on the front of the house. She felt alert, adrenaline pumping through her body. She also felt as though time was running out for the Unit Chief and she was furious. By attacking Hotch, he had attacked the entire BAU and she was taking it very personally. She thought of Jack and her own son Henry. The media liaison couldn't imagine either boy growing up without their fathers. She resisted the temptation to check in with Will; she needed to ensure Jeffrey Barton's safety first and foremost and hope the rest of events went according to plan.

JJ was so absorbed in watching the street that she didn't see or hear him enter the room until he was standing almost directly in front of her.

"Agent Jareau?" said a soft male voice.

JJ jumped. "Jeffrey!" she exclaimed, "You startled me!"

The teen looked abashed. "Sorry..."

The agent saw that he was troubled. "It's okay. How are you doing?"

Jeffrey shrugged noncommittally.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

The doctor's son hesitated for a minute then sat down in a chair opposite her. He looked down at his shoes, his hands clenched tightly together.

"I uh... I'm a bit scared..." he mumbled.

"It's perfectly normal and okay to be scared." JJ said sympathetically. "But you're safe here. There are lots of undercover officers inside the house and scattered all over the neighbourhood. And we're very confident that the suspect will go for Agent Morgan and Officer Tubbs."

Jeffrey nodded slowly. "I feel weird too. I mean, all this just for me? Don't you have to be famous and stuff to have SWAT outside your house?"

JJ smiled. "Nope, no fame required."

"But why all the fuss? My dad said I had to do whatever you said because he'd been threatened. I don't get it... he's a doctor and saves lives. Why does this guy want to scare us? And what does it have to do with me?"

The blond agent sighed. "I think you should ask your dad..."

"Please Agent Jareau, I'm 16 and I can take it."

"It's not up to me, Jeff. You really need to hear it from your parents."

The teenager frowned but didn't argue. Instead, he asked, "Your boss is one of my dad's patients, right?"

JJ nodded, her eyes sweeping the front of the house.

"Tell me about him."

It seemed an odd question from someone who didn't know the delicate situation and about Foyet's threat. JJ studied the youngster. He was smart; he was already starting to put the pieces together. She sighed. She may as well answer the question.

"Agent Hotchner is one of the best profilers I've ever worked with. He's a great leader and most of the time, a really good boss."

Jeffrey grinned. "Yeah, my boss last summer was kinda like that... cool most of the time but he could also be a jerk. Does he have kids?"

"A son. Jack is about 5 years old now..." JJ sounded slightly sad and Jeff picked up on it.

"What aren't you saying?" he asked.

JJ kicked herself. This kid would make a good profiler. "Well... our boss is a patient because he was shot. He's in really bad shape Jeff. I guess I'm thinking of what will happen if he doesn't make it... Jack growing up without his father."

"Can't my dad do something?"

"They're trying to give Hotch time to get stronger and then operate."

"Oh. I'm sorry... Was 'Hotch'... was your boss shot while on duty?"

"Um, no he was at home."

"He's the FBI guy from the news! They say the cops don't know who did it... But you guys know don't you?"

"Yeah. It was a man that we had captured awhile ago but who had escaped. He holds a grudge against Hotch because our boss won't give him what he wants."

"What does he want?"

"Power and continued freedom. But Aaron Hotchner never makes deals with murderers. He's always trying to do the right thing. He's extremely passionate about it and I admire him... he'll never take the easy road, only the right one. He'd die for those beliefs..." JJ's voice trailed off and she rapidly blinked back tears before looking out the window once again.

The younger Barton digested these words. It was clear that this agent thought a lot of her boss. It was also apparent he was a good guy. Jeffrey wanted him to survive. Normally he didn't care about adults and only half paid attention to the rare occasions when his father shared details about his patients, but this was different. Something in the way Agent Jareau had looked as she talked about 'Hotch'...

Suddenly, the final pieces of the puzzle slotted into place and Jeffrey understood: his father was being threatened because the killer didn't want the FBI agent to survive. It made him feel sick. It wasn't fair on his dad, the Fed or his kid! Before he could say anything, however, the phone rang.

"Jeff honey, could you get that please?" called Sarah Barton from the kitchen.

"Okay mom." Jeff rose from his chair and picked up the handset. "Hello?.. Hi dad... Yeah, she's right here..." he glanced over at JJ. "But dad, I need to talk to you first..."

JJ watched the teen's face. She hadn't missed the compassion that had appeared when they discussed Hotch, nor the mix of anger and determination that was there now. She listened curiously as he continued.

"Dad, please just listen to me okay? I want you to operate on Agent Hotchner... No, they didn't tell me, I figured it out. I'm not stupid you know!.. Dad, I'm totally fine! We've got the entire SWAT team out here!"

The blond agent was impressed. Although Jeff's voice betrayed his fear he had obviously inherited the surgeon's strong moral and belief systems.

"...No dad, I DO understand! I'm 16, not a child! Agent Hotchner has a kid... I can't imagine not having you around when I was growing up. This kid deserves the same... AND the Agent seems a really good guy...

"Please... please save him... I'll be fine..." He lowered his voice, "... You have to do the right thing, even if it's the harder choice... Please dad, do the right thing..."

JJ smiled slightly. This young man had matured well beyond his years. She hoped that Dr. Barton would get the message.

***

Dr. Barton sat in his office staring blankly at his hands, hands that were used to working miracles and saving lives. He had just gotten off the phone with Jeffrey and was incredibly proud of his son. But despite Jeff's words, Nigel still felt trapped. If he operated on the injured FBI agent, he risked the life of his only child. On the other hand, if he didn't perform the surgery then the realistic chance of Aaron Hotchner surviving was very small. He knew the agent was a good man and that he had a son of his own. The doctor's choice might have been easier had it been otherwise.

He was running out of time; he needed to make up his mind and fast. In the last half hour there had been an acceleration in the agent's decline. His oxygen saturation levels had demonstrated a rapid and significant drop. The surgeon suspected that the bullet had shifted and was impinging on one of Hotchner's coronary arteries. Already an operating room was being prepared and the patient had been moved to a 'Pre-Op' area.

The doctor looked at his hands more closely. They seemed sure and steady, in complete opposition to how he was feeling inside. His son's words rang once again through his head,

'"Please... please save him... even if it's the harder choice... Please dad, do the right thing..."'

His thoughts were interrupted by the loud buzz of his pager. Nigel jumped involuntarily and looked at the number.

Time was up. The agent's heart was exhibiting frequent arrhythmias and his breathing had become exceedingly short and laboured even with the ventilator. There could be no more delay.

Dr. Barton looked at the framed picture of Jeffrey sitting on the desk... and made his choice.

***

Even had he been conscious, Hotch wouldn't have been able to find any words to convey the immense amount of pain he was in. But he had made his choice and he wouldn't go back on his decision. And yet a big part of him wondered how much longer before the battle would end? He was fighting, if that was the correct word, trying with his entire being to cling to life. He supposed he was still alive; surely he wouldn't be able to have these thoughts otherwise?

He thought of his brother, the tough years they had endured together, their turbulent relationship...

He thought of Haley, their beautiful creation in Jack, their good times, their divorce...

He thought of Jack, his world and the prime motivator in his job. He remembered the first time he'd held his son, so innocent. He remembered the times he hadn't been there...

He thought of his team, each one with his/her strengths and weaknesses, yet each one like family to him. He knew he didn't praise them enough, didn't tell them how he felt often enough...

'Come on Aaron, you have to keep going! You can't waste energy on regrets!'

As he chastised himself for his negativity, he sensed a sudden change. Something was happening to him. The pain had somehow managed to increase, an unrelenting, intensely crushing pain in his chest that was accompanied by a feeling of suffocation.

'This is it Aaron, the last stand.

Jack, please know that I love you and that I'm trying...'

***