A/N: Homework and finals were awful! The blackout caused everything to get crunched together. But I survived. Unfortunately, this update is way behind schedule. I'm worried I might have lost readers due to the complications with my academic life. I hope you guys are lurking out there somewhere and enjoying this.
Chapter 7- Darkest Hour
June 24th, 1997.
Chicago, IL.
Johnny was flipping through the channels when he passed a news station.
"Go back," said Marie.
He went back to the news station.
"Police are saying that possible foul play by the same suspect responsible for the bombings of several restaurants in the South Side is what led to the explosion of the South Side Mall earlier this afternoon. Several people are still trapped in the building and the number of fatalities is unknown at this time…"
Johnny turned off the TV and exchanged a look with his wife.
They both knew that Katherine and Angie had been at the mall.
"What are we going to do?" Marie whispered.
"We won't be able to get down there, too much traffic," said Johnny. "We'll have to call Olivia."
They sat on the couch and hugged, scared for their daughter-in-law and granddaughter.
Johnny then went to the kitchen and dialed a number. He knew David should have done this after Michael died, but he knew his son never would've had the heart to do it.
CRIMINAL MINDS
Cape Cod, MA.
For the past few days, something had felt off to Olivia Rossi. She wasn't sure what it was, but the only times she had had feelings like this were when her family was in trouble.
That was when her phone rang. She frowned. She and her partner had decided to take their children on vacation. Only her parents knew that. What could have happened for them to call?
Shaking, she picked up the phone.
"Dad? What is it?" said Olivia.
"Michael is dead, Katherine and Angela are in trouble," said Johnny. "You need to come to Chicago as soon as possible."
"Where's David?" said Olivia. "I want to speak to him."
"He's trying to help Katherine and Angela," said Johnny. "Please fly down here. Your mother needs you."
"Okay. I'll be on the next flight out," said Olivia.
Her hands shook as she ended the call.
"We need to get back to Boston, and I have to go to Chicago. Michael's dead, and I have a bad feeling that's only the beginning," said Olivia.
CRIMINAL MINDS
Chicago, IL.
Throughout his career at the BAU, Rossi had stared down the worst of humanity and been in more deadly situations than he cared to count. Not once had he been scared.
The only time he had been scared was this case. It had been too close to his family in the city. Now his brother and sister-in-law were dead. Angie didn't appear to be moving… was she gone, too?
He heard a small cough. It was Angie.
"Angie? Can you hear me?" said Rossi.
She slowly opened her eyes and gasped.
"Uncle David?" said Angie. "You shouldn't be down here…"
"I used to be a marine," said Rossi. "I wasn't trained to sit around and be patient."
Angie attempted to laugh but began coughing again.
"I'm gonna get you out of here, but you gotta take it easy alright?" said Rossi.
"Okay," said Angie. "My arm and my leg hurt."
He looked and noticed one of her legs appeared to be broken.
"I think they're broken," said Rossi.
"Being impatient… that why Mom doesn't like you? She doesn't understand…" said Angie. "You… your job is important…"
"So are you," said Rossi.
Angie smiled. Rossi heard someone shouting and realized it was Gibbs.
"We're down here!" Rossi yelled. "Tell Bobby!"
He could hear Gibbs fussing with the two-way.
That was when he saw the look on Angie's face. It was one of extreme pain.
"Is it your arm or your leg?" said Rossi.
"It – it's everything," said Angie. "Uncle David?"
"Yeah?" said Rossi.
"Will you stay with me?" said Angie.
"I'm not going anywhere Cara Mia," said Rossi.
CRIMINAL MINDS
Bobby had gotten Gibbs' call over the two-way. He found a pair of paramedics, Kurt and Cynthia, who he knew were crazy enough to attempt to get someone out of a collapsed building. They had done it before a few years ago to save a child, and Bobby knew he could get them to do it again.
He didn't even have to finish telling them about Angie before the three of them were going into the hole Bobby had seen Rossi and Gibbs go into earlier.
CRIMINAL MINDS
He wasn't sure how long it had been since he'd gotten down there. An hour, maybe two at the most.
He noticed that Angie's breathing had become very shallow. It scared him.
"It doesn't hurt anymore," Angie whispered.
"What are you talking about?" said Rossi.
"I'm not in pain anymore," Angie whispered.
Rossi heard crackling on his two-way. It was Bobby.
"Uncle David? I'm tired…," Angie whispered. "I – I need to rest."
"Not right now Angie," said Rossi. "You need to stay awake."
"Okay," Angie whispered.
"Bobby just said on the two-way that the paramedics are coming," said Rossi. "We'll be out of here soon."
She began coughing again. This time the coughing was so bad her whole body shook until the coughing subsided.
"I miss Dad," Angie whispered.
"I miss him too," said Rossi.
"Will… will he… be waiting… in heaven… for me?" Angie whispered.
"Don't talk like that," said Rossi. "You're only eleven, Angela. You know what happens in four weeks?"
"My birthday," Angie whispered.
"I already bought your present," said Rossi.
"What is it?" said Angie.
"It's supposed to be a surprise," said Rossi.
"Okay," Angie whispered.
Rossi heard a noise. It was footsteps and Gibbs' voice, and they appeared to be getting closer.
"Bobby's here with the cavalry!" Gibbs yelled.
"You hear that, Angie?" said Rossi. "We're gonna get you out."
She looked at her uncle and smiled.
CRIMINAL MINDS
Olivia grabbed her suitcase off the luggage carousel and ran to the nearest payphone she could find. Her plane had just landed and she needed to call a cab. When that was finished she called her parents.
"Dad?" said Olivia.
"Olivia?" said Johnny.
"I'm in Chicago. I just got off the plane. What's going on?" said Olivia.
"We don't know. Katherine and Angela were shopping at the South Side Mall. It exploded. I don't know if they're dead or alive. Marie and I can't get a hold of David, either," said Johnny.
"Christ! I called a cab, I'll be there soon!" said Olivia.
"Are Juliet and the kids with you?" said Johnny.
"No, I wanted to figure out what was going on first," said Olivia. "I'll send them tickets when we know something."
They ended the call and Olivia called Juliet.
"What's going on Luvie?" said Juliet.
"I don't know. Katherine and Angie might be… I don't want to think about it, Jules. I just can't," said Olivia. "I'll call you later."
They ended the call and Olivia walked outside just as her cab pulled up. After giving the driver directions, she headed to the house her brother Michael had once occupied while alive, and into a world of uncertainty.
CRIMINAL MINDS
They had gotten Angie out of the elevator shaft, but it hadn't been easy.
Now Kurt and Cynthia were strapping Angie to a backboard and trying to stabilize her so they could get her out of the collapsed mall and into an ambulance. An oxygen mask covered her nose and mouth and an IV had been inserted in her right arm.
CRIMINAL MINDS
She was aware that they were lifting her through a hole.
She knew she was out when she saw the sky.
CRIMINAL MINDS
It was chaos when they got to an ambulance. Gibbs and Bobby stayed outside but Rossi jumped into the back with Angie. Cynthia splinted Angie's left arm and right leg then wrapped bandages around Angie's head as Kurt sped off.
CRIMINAL MINDS
"Where's he taking us?" said Rossi.
"Children's Memorial Hospital," said Cynthia.
Angie moaned in pain as she looked around the ambulance.
"You've been very brave, Angie. Just gotta hang in there a little longer," said Rossi. "We're almost there."
"Veronica… Nick…," Angie whispered.
His heart sank at the thought of his sister's children. Veronica and Nick were more like Angie's siblings than her cousins. Nick was only five. Would he even grasp what was going on?
"I'll tell them what's going on," said Rossi. "I'm sure your grandparents already told Aunt Olivia."
CRIMINAL MINDS
"I don't believe this!" said Olivia.
"Calm down," said Johnny. "You'll upset your mother."
"She doesn't know anything! Neither do I!" said Olivia. "For all we know David is dead too! When did he even call last?"
"He hasn't. He left for the precinct this morning," said Johnny.
"I'm going down to the mall. See if I can find him," said Olivia.
"No!" said Marie. "You'll die!"
"Would that have bothered you 23 years ago?" said Olivia.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" said Marie.
"You know damn well what it means. You both do!" said Olivia.
"It took us time to adjust," said Johnny. "We're sorry."
"What the hell am I supposed to tell my kids? Veronica is too smart for her own good. If they're all dead I won't be able to keep it from her. Nick won't even know what's going on," said Olivia. "I want to protect my babies from this and I can't."
She left. She needed to know what was going on.
CRIMINAL MINDS
The ambulance pulled up to Children's Memorial. The paramedics jumped out and wheeled Angie into the emergency room. Rossi followed.
"What do we have?" said a doctor.
"11-year-old female, was trapped in an elevator when the South Side Mall blew," said Kurt.
Everyone was grim. They knew the place had been bombed, but they were trying not to cause a panic. They had a critically injured girl to take care of.
"On my count," said the doctor. "One. Two. Three."
CRIMINAL MINDS
Olivia Rossi was used to chaos. Her life had been full of it when she was younger and coming to terms with who she was and what she wanted out of life.
This wasn't chaos. This was a tragedy, and no one knew it yet.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the arguing of three men. She could recognize Gibbs and Bobby, but not the third man. As she got closer she realized they were arguing about David.
"I called you so he wouldn't go down there!" the third man yelled.
"Damnit, Probie! What did you think he was gonna do, let her die?" Gibbs yelled.
"What's done is done, okay?" said Bobby. "They probably took her to Chicago Memorial. Let's go there first."
"That's a children's hospital, right?" said Olivia. "What's going on? Katherine? Angela? David? Tell me everything, starting with the identity of 'Probie'."
"He's Aaron Hotchner, he's with the BAU. Dave brought him," said Gibbs. "Agent Hotchner, this is Olivia Rossi. She's David's older sister."
"Katherine is dead. The suspect we're looking for killed her," said Hotch.
"No!" said Olivia.
"Angela was caught in the bombing, and she was being transported to a hospital last I saw," said Hotch.
"How bad?" said Olivia.
Hotch didn't answer at first.
"I'm a doctor, Agent Hotchner. I saw the bodies when I arrived, I'm sure it's bad. Just tell me," said Olivia.
"She was trapped in an elevator when the building went down," said Hotch.
Olivia blinked several times to keep the tears in her eyes from running down her face. She knew the injuries Angie had sustained were probably severe at best, fatal at worst.
"No. Not Angela," Olivia whispered.
"Your brother pulled a Rambo and went down there," said Hotch.
"Did he hurt himself?" said Olivia.
"No," said Bobby. "He went in the ambulance with Angie. Children's Memorial Hospital."
"Of course he did it," said Olivia. "My brother might talk a big game about how the BAU is his only purpose in life, but my children, and Angela… he'd drop everything if he thought they were in trouble. When I was in trouble, David and Michael were always there for me. They could've turned their backs on me but they didn't. They always accepted me and I'll never forget it."
The four of them took off for Children;s Memorial, unsure of what they would find when they arrived.
CRIMINAL MINDS
Rossi was pacing outside one of the triage rooms when heard people running. It was Gibbs, Bobby, Hotch… and Olivia. His sister had flown in from Boston.
"How…?" said Rossi.
"Mom and Dad called," said Olivia. "How's Angie?"
"They've been trying to stabilize her so they can operate on her," said Rossi. "I got no clue what all those terms are they kept saying. All I can tell is that she looks scared."
"Just go in. If someone objects signal for me and I'll give them hell," said Olivia.
Rossi went inside. He tried not to look at everything Angie was hooked up to. He worried he'd either lose his breakfast or control of his emotions.
He couldn't do that. Not now. He had to be strong for her.
"Are you David Rossi?" said a nurse.
"Yeah," said Rossi.
"She's been asking for you," said the nurse. "Dr. Harlow will explain everything after we bring her to the OR, but we'll let you have a few minutes."
"Uncle David?" Angie whispered.
"I had to give the doctors room to work but I'm here now," said Rossi.
"I'm glad," said Angie. "Is Aunt Olivia outside? I thought I saw her."
"Yeah she's here," said Rossi. "You want to see her too?"
"Just you," Angie whispered. "I wanted to tell you something."
"Okay. What is it?" said Rossi.
"Don't tell Mom, she'll get mad," said Angie. "Promise?"
"I promise," said Rossi.
"You and Dad… were the reason I – I wanted to go into law enforcement," Angie whispered.
Why was she talking in past tense? Was it because Michael was dead or was she slipping away right in front of him? The thought of it made Rossi sick.
"You'll have a chance when you're older if you still want to," said Rossi.
"You won't be mad if I do it?" said Angie.
"No. If it's what you want I'll support your decision every step of the way," said Rossi.
"You're the best, Uncle David," said Angie. "I – I love you. Be careful."
Her eyes closed.
Seconds later David Rossi heard a noise more frightening than anything he had ever heard in his life.
It was Angie's heart monitor, and the line was flat…
Three cliffies in a row. I think that's a record for me, writing this fandom is bringing out some angsty parts of my muse I didn't know existed. But I'm on winter break, with nothing to distract me from this story. So I plan to post chapter 8 very soon, as I've had some bad news recently and writing is a great distraction from such sadness.