Subject: CM Fiction Grade level: 6-8

Reid was sitting there for a while; his right broken knee was wrapped up with plaster splint, his crutch beside the chair. He looked at the man lying on the bed, his face was intact, if without the heart monitor, the IV tubes, Hotch looked like just sleeping, a deep, peaceful sleeping. 3 hours out of surgery. He's still in unconscious.

Reid didn't reach Hotch's place because of the car accident. Fortunately, except his right leg knee was broken, he did not get any other serious injury. Looked at his boss, he blamed himself that he could not provide any backup or help when his boss needed. Now, with his broken knee and the crutch, all he could do was sitting in front of his boss's sick bed.

Reid watched the TV news, the image of Hotch lied down lifeless in his own blood pool, one shot, 9 stabs made him sick, but one thing bothered him, why Foyet did not kill him, he had perfect chance, perfect time, if he wanted to finished Hotch, Hotch was already dead. Reid can not get a clue even with his high IQ.

He tried to imagine the scene, the scene that Hotch was attacked and tortured. What was the reaction of Hotch when he saw the evil showed up in his own place, how he has been through all these tortures, 9 stabs after the first shot, did he stared at Foyet, looked into his evil eyes when he was stabbing him each time. Reid was sure of one thing, that Hotch was never a blinker whatever situation he's facing.

But facing the evil, what was his thinking, stood so closed with the death. Maybe he could never know, nobody could imagine what Hotch had really endured there. Behind that serious, emotionless face, behind that strong, brave looking of Hotch, there was also a strong and brave heart beating, but for the people who knew him, there was so much kindness, so much care and compassion in this brave heart, for the innocent people and for his team. And his boss never failed him when he needed him. But he failed his boss when he needed him.

The doctor entered into the room, checked on Hotch.

"I think he will wake up soon, no need to worry." He told Reid,

"Good, thank you Doctor. I think I'd better call my team."

" I can do it for you if you want." The doctor glanced at Reid's broken leg."

"I'm fine, with the crutch, I can go wherever I want. Can I use your phone, I' m not allowed to use the cell here."

"Of course, come with me." Reid took his crutch, followed the doctor out of Hotch's room.

The true reason for Reid was that he did not feel very comfortable to face Hotch alone when he woke up. He knew Hotch would never want to show his vulnerable side, whatever it was his physical pain or psychological frustration, he only wanted to show to his people his strong side as a team leader, he would hate to be weak in front of his team. Reid needs Rossi to be here, to be here with Hotch; maybe Rossi is the only one in the team who had rare occasion to see another side of Hotch.

"It's Reid, he's waking up. I will go to the hospital," Rossi said, he looked at the team; all of them stared on him. "I mean we will go to the hospital. JJ, did you call Haley?"

"I will call her." JJ picked up her cell.

Six of them entered into the room, all of them were in silence for a while. Nobody asked Hotch how he felt. For all of them, the question like this was a humiliation not only for Hotch, but for all of them.

Rossi started, " We will get him, soon or later." Hotch did not say any thing, just nodded silently. " I...I..." Hotch felt his throat dry, he took a breath before he continued, his voice obviously lower than usual, lack of the strength he always had even with low controlled voice. "I don't understand why he kept me alive."

"We will figure it out." Rossid said.

" We have to... we have to move fast, before, before…" he make another pause..." the deep concern appeared on his face, who would be the next that the Reaper would go after him, Morgan, or...

"Rossi, the reporter, Roy..."

"It is too late, he killed him."

Sadly, Hotch closed his eyes,

" Hotch, you know, we can not predicate it, we can not prevent it, just like what happened to you."

"I know."

"He planned the whole game, first you, then he went to Roy, forced him to write down the story and sent to the editor, then killed him."

" Morgan, you have to take precaution." Hotch looked at Morgan,

" Don't worry about me, Hotch, I'm waiting for the son of bitch..."

"Morgan..."

"Hotch," Rossi stopped him, " I will take care of this." Hotch nodded.

"He left Morgan's credential, what did he take, I mean, from my place."

"We don't know, the police did not report anything missing, or it's hard to say, before you can go home to check it out."

" Hi!" Haley appeared in the door with Jack, she looked a little bit uncomfortable with the crowed in the room.

"Daddy!" Jack looked at his dad, seemed a little bit scared.

"Hi! Buddy, come here, give me a kiss." Jack approached to the bed, kissed his dad on his cheek. "Are you okay?" Everyone could see the little boy's concern. Haley immediately regretted that she brought him in.

" I'm okay, don't worry, it's not a big deal. I'm fine. I'll be out of here in a couple of days."

"That's why you could not come to give me your birthday gift by yourself." Jack said.

"What are you talking about, Buddy?"

"This, the gift you friend George gave it to me." Jack showed the box of solder figures to Hotch,

"Thank you daddy, I like them."

Hotch's face changes, suddenly he felt the difficulty to breath, his heart beat rising. Rossi and the other agents were leaving, in order to give some privacy to Hotch and his ex-wife and kid, they all stopped after heard what Jack said, Rossi bent to Jack,

" Jack, tell me, when George gave you this?"

"After lunch." "Rossi took out Foyet's picture from his file, is this man you talked to, is it George?"

"Yes. Is George your friend daddy?"

"No Buddy, George is a very bad guy, he stole the gift I bought for you from my place."

" I'm sorry, Daddy, I shouldn't talk to the bad guy."

" It's okay, Jack, it's not your fault, you don't know he is a bad guy, and now you know."

"JJ, call US marshall." Rossi said to JJ.

" I am already on it."

"Haley, I'm sorry, you can not go home from now."

" What? I don't understand." Haley looked at Rossi, confused.

"Dave, would you please let us to talk a few minutes?"

" Sure, let's give you guys some privacy." Reid called Jack,

" Jack, would you come with me, I'm a magician? I will show you some magic."

"Yeah."

After the others left the room, Hotch took a deep breath, cleaned his throat, " I' m very sorry, Haley, I jeopardize you and Jack's safety. That's linked to the case I worked on, the man who gave Jack my gift is the Boston reaper who stabbed me in my place."

"Oh, my God," Haley hold her mouth with her hands, her eyes filled with terror.

" He sent the gift as a message to me, to tell me my family's life is under his control, I think that's why he didn't kill me, he could kill me in my place, but he kept me alive to see me suffer, let me live everyday wondering if I risk to losing my only son every moment."

" What would I do?" Haley 's voice was shaking.

" I think Rossi and JJ will help arrange a protect custody for you and Jack, now you have to stay here with Jack, waiting the US marshal to transfer you to a safe house."

" But I need to go home to pack."

" No, you can't, it is not safe. Haley, I'm sorry." His voice filled of guilty.

" We can not just go like this, vanished, I have to tell my parents, my sister, my…"

" No, Haley, you can't, if you make phone calls, he can track you."

" My God."

"I'm sorry. Haley!"

" Aaron, there is one thing I want you to know, actually…actually, I'm, I'm seeing someone."

She did not look at him, and saying it with a very low voice. She felt guilty, now it was really not the right moment that she revealed the news.

" I know." He said calmly. She was shocked.

" I…I …I just… I just figure out. Listen, Haley, you are doing nothing wrong, you deserve a better life, I'm very sorry that I did not make you happy as I promised."

"Aaron, listen, you did, you did make me very happy before, for a long time, " she smiled with bitterness,

"Just, you love more your job, you are obsessed by the chasing, chasing the bad guys, pursuing for justice, but when you put one bad guy behind the bar, there is another one and another one, in this world, there are so many of them out there, and I, I just need my husband with me and my son for a peaceful life, I can not spend the days and night to wait for you home, and worry about you, to see you like this, I'm sorry, I just can not take it anymore," Her tears were falling down from her cheek.

" I understand, I'm sorry." Hotch felt his eyes were wet. " I am really sorry to put you through all of these. I didn't…" his heart beat suddenly accelerated, he was exhausted, the conversation took from him all his strength and energy. He gasped, the heart monitor alarm started ringing.

The doctor rushed in to check on him. " Madame, the visit is over, do you mind to go outside?" "Okay, Doctor, take care of him, please!" Haley wept and went out of the room.

Page 7 of 7 Duration: Two classroom Periods