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Five years ago today my world changed, the life I knew was ripped away at the seams, so much has happened in these five years and I am thankful for each and every day. My life changed for the better when that bomb went off, I know that sounds strange but I can truly say it. Each year me and Jennifer take the short car journey to the cemetery so I can go and pay my respects, she leaves me at the graveside because even now it still hurts, she saved my life and hers was taken so cruelly.
Amy received a commendation for her actions that day she truly would have made a fine agent after everything me and Morgan put her through the extra hours of training, everyone thought we should go easy on her but like me and Morgan said until we are happy that she has had the best training she was not allowed to go into the field without me or Morgan at her side.
The first year I came home was the hardest, I attended the physical therapy three times a week to regain feeling and use of my arms and hands, it hurt so much not being able to hold Jessica and cuddle up with Henry, he never left my side once I was home and me and Jennifer was truly grateful that his nightmares came to an end once I was home. We often would wake in the morning to find him curled up on our bed with his head on my lap. In addition, since I could not feel my legs he never woke me but between his love and the rest of our children, I began to heal more.
And if it wasn't for the strength of my wife I wouldn't be here living my life, she gave me the will and the determination to fight, I did tell her about the strange dream I had in the hospital where I promised Jessop I would fight and wouldn't give up and how could I give up I have so much to live for.
It took a full year for me to gain full use of my legs again and on that day I took my first steps Jennifer was there to see it, and when we returned home the team was there to see it as well, that was also the first time I fully broke down in front of them, though I will admit I fell straight into Morgan's arms when I did.
We are still as close as we were when we were partners; Jennifer and Garcia still say we do not need to go looking for trouble because it always finds us. And it is true we go out to the bar and we get ourselves in trouble,
The scars have faded and I underwent surgery once more to minimize the scaring on my face, now the only parts of my body which show how badly the burns where are my arms and chest, Jennifer is still with the team at the BAU and I could not be more proud of her.
Not long after the accident she also had a bad accident in the field, Morgan tried to blame himself but I had to remind him it wasn't his fault and the injury wasn't that bad, it was though the first time she had gotten shot and it scared her. It was then she stepped down as a profiler and now is back sitting in her office, which is full of files, she is back as the communication officer.
Strauss finally stepped down, leaving Hotch to take her place, which left Morgan to step up and run the team, though he still even now has an active part, though he does not travel with them, and in all honesty, it was better for young Jack, who is turning into a fine young man. He made it into the school soccer team and now travels with them to matches, which we all try to attend work permitting.
We are a family and we have such a strong bond with each other, Rossi is still the loving father figure and god father to our children, though he does tend to spoil them but every year without fail he takes a holiday dragging all of our children away with him. He is now married to a woman who was already close to our hearts and our family. She had been with us so long, she was Rachael's nanny and she still looks after our children now when I have to work away.
Garcia finally got over her fear of marriage and her and Kevin rekindled their relationship, two years later tying the knot, Morgan was so proud when she asked him to walk her down the aisle, they still flirt with each other and she still keeps their spirits up when they are away on a case. She always gives us comfort and brightens us up when we look at the horrors and the sheer chaos that has befallen people. She gave birth two years ago to a beautiful baby girl.
Jennifer's heart and mine sored when she named her, and asked Jennifer to be her godmother, so we now have Catherine Louise, Catherine was her mother's name but Louise was or I should say is JJ's sister's name. Jennifer had tears in her eyes but true to Garcia's form she told us, even though she had never met her that we are family and in our family names and ties to each other should be kept going.
Hotch remarried we all attended the wedding, young Jack did them both so proud and even more proud when Beth became pregnant giving birth to a beautiful baby girl, we all called it the curse of the BAU since there have been more girls born within our team than there has been boys, Jack was given the job of naming her and after a long talk with me and Jennifer we all sat down, and there it was Hailey Maria was born.
Reid is still spouting off more facts and luckily, the new member of the team was able to take my place Blake. She understood him and they could talk for hours over things they had read and they worked closely together so after 12 years Reid finally has a permanent partner in the field. Two years ago, her husband returned home and has been fully discharged from the army. He is now a training officer within the FBI.
Morgan my beloved friend and partner finally grew up and settled down, and again Hotch worried over the whole inter department relationship. Which thank god has now been abolished, Sofia is the younger member of the team and Morgan fell for her the second she walked through the doors, much like the way Jennifer and me fell for each other. After two years of the whole, I do not do relationships he finally relented. However, there is no sign of wedding bells yet.
As for Jennifer and me, well we could not be happier. Declan graduated with honours and is now studying law, which we will admit we would rather him study something else but he is a very bright young man and when we all stood there at his graduation with my dear old friend Tom, it was then I knew the choice I made all those years ago was the right course of action.
After six months of me being home I finally got my loving caring daughter back, she had been fighting so hard with us all, but she relented in the end and she is turning into a stunning young woman and Jennifer and I could not be more proud of her. It took her six months but she admitted to being bullied at school and asked if she could go to boarding school, so she half boards there, she settled in so well, she wants to become a vet thank god she has no dreams of following in our footsteps I doubt Jennifer and I would cope if she told us she wanted to be a profiler.
My little man what can I say, he still follows me around and our bond is stronger than ever, five years ago I know that I made the right choice even before the bomb went off. It truly was the best thing for our family, he is doing well at school he did though have some adjustment problems but he has settled in completely now. He takes after Jennifer; he has me wrapped around his little finger so it is up to her to install the discipline I just do not have the heart to do it.
Jessica she is just a bundle of joy she turned five a few months ago and that was when she informed us she had a boyfriend, well me and Jennifer could help the fits of laughter that fell from our mouths which made her pout for all of five seconds.
And then there is my beautiful wife my strength and also my weakness, we have both been blessed twice more these last five years Jennifer gave birth to the twins three years ago Amy Jane and William John, we have all named our children after people we have loved and lost, our home is filled with laughter and joy and there is not a day that goes by that we aren't thankful for.
Two years after my accident I walked back through the doors of the FBI and became a teacher, training the new recruits, though I still have pain from all the operations I had and the other damage that was caused through the accident I could not be happier or more proud of the people I worked with.
Jennifer and I are so much stronger now we have overcome so much, but we both would not change a thing in our lives. After being so broken we have become truly blessed through our children and our families without their strength and love none of us would have made it this far. There had been so many times I wanted to give up so many times I could not face another day but they all pulled us through. We always have and always will be a family a strong bond that began 14 years ago and keeps growing.