Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing. Feel free to read and review, but please don't copy.

Previously on Criminal Minds- "Be right back, Short Stuff" he vowed. Borrowed cell phone in hand, Morgan shoved open the driver's side door and stumbled out of the truck to get help.

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Rossi stepped off the staircase and headed for the living room. He needed to get a head start on supper so it would be ready when the holiday shoppers made it home. He also wanted to make a quick call to check on the trio. He had a sinking feeling that something was wrong; very wrong. And even though Dave was sure the worry came from being separated from Reid, he had to make sure. He wasn't going to be able to relax until he did. Resisting the urge to speed up his pace, Rossi slowly strolled into the dining room. He smiled at the couple wrapping presents. "So, this is where the two of you ran off to." He commented.

Will grinned. "Yeah, we figured we'd get as much of the wrapping done as we could while Henry was occupied." He explained.

"You learn very quickly to take advantage of every opportunity you're given." JJ said. "Otherwise you'll be stuck wrapping and putting together toys most of Christmas Eve night. Then you'll be half asleep the next morning and you won't be able to really enjoy the Christmas morning merriment."

"I can imagine. I'd offer to help but I've got a supper to plan."" Dave stated though his expression said the opposite.

"That's okay. We actually have a good time wrapping everything up." Will assured him. "It's kind of fun once you get the hang of it."

Dave nodded. "I'll leave you to it then." He said. Walking as quickly as he dared, the worried older man made his way into the kitchen. He went over to the counter and took a seat on one of the stools before pulling out his cell and flipping it open. Knowing Morgan would be driving, Rossi punched speed dial five. He listened to Prentiss' phone ring and ring. When it finally transferred him to voice mail, he left a brief message and then ended the call. Concern mounting, Dave hurriedly called Morgan's cell. He growled as he got the same response. He thought about trying Spencer's cell but changed his mind when he recalled seeing it on top of the television before he'd come upstairs. Slamming his cell shut, Dave jumped off the stool and rushed over to the key rack hanging by the garage door. He yanked a dusty set of keys off it and started for the foyer to get his coat. Dave knew he could be overreacting. He knew they could just be going through one of the many dead zones on the road. But his gut was telling him that wasn't the case. And after decades of profiling, Dave had learned to pay attention to that feeling.

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Spencer shivered as he sat on the console of the swiftly cooling truck. Pulling the blanket more tightly around himself, he looked at his unconscious friend. He wanted nothing more than for her to wake up and snuggle him into her side as she assured him that everything would be alright. But Emily's eyes remained closed. The little boy scooted closer to her. He didn't snuggle into her for fear of injuring her worse than she already was. Instead he leaned against her seat. Reaching down, Reid gently placed his tiny hand on top of Prentiss' limp one. "Peas wate up, Em'ly. I'm tawed(scared) and, and I don't know wh-what to do." The frightened youngster whispered. "Mowgan went out to tall fow help and he hasn't tome bat yet. And, and…" Sniffling, Spencer swiped at the tears rolling down his cheeks, yelping as he accidently used his hurt arm. His crying intensified as the already throbbing pain doubled. The sobbing caused his headache to increase which only made the little boy cry harder. Reid squished his security toy to his chest oblivious of the metal cutting into his skin. Blinking sleepily, he stared at his friend's face, willing her to wake. The blinking grew slower and slower as the shock and his injuries began to take their toll. Spencer struggled to hold onto consciousness but he just didn't have the strength. With a slurred, "Sowwy Em'ly", the tiny boy closed his eyes and let the darkness claim him.

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Morgan cursed as he stumbled over something buried under all the snow. Grabbing onto a nearby tree branch, he barely managed to keep himself from face planting again. The freezing profiler waited until he had his balance back and then pushed off the tree and began his trek once more. Kicking some of the powdery stuff, Derek grumbled as he trudged through the thick layer of snow. He'd had to go further away from the truck than he thought to get enough of a signal to call for help. And the snow being up past his ankles had made for a long and arduous hike. Thankfully his journey was almost over. He could vaguely make out the tail end of the Jeep through the veil of ever falling snow. He just had a little further to go and then he'd be in the nice, warm vehicle with his friends. Spencer was probably freaking ou…his thoughts cut off as he tripped over a tree stump and slammed into the ground. Growling, Morgan pushed himself back up, slapped the snow off his jacket and pants and set out again; shuffling his feet this time in the hopes it would prevent another frigid dunking. Much to his relief, the trick worked. He made it to the truck without any more incidents. Smiling, Derek pried open the driver's door and hurriedly climbed inside. He slammed the door shut and turned to check on his friends. "Man, it feels good in here! Hey Pretty Boy, think you could share that blanket with me?" he asked. He frowned when the youngster didn't move. "Pretty Boy?" he repeated. Grasping the child's chin, he carefully turned Reid's head, gasping at the closed eyes and slack features. "No, no, no! Come on kid! Don't do this to me! We had a deal!" he cried. Gently snuggling the little boy into his side, Derek prayed for their rescuers to get there soon. They were running out of time.

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Dave sat in the plastic chair from Hell as he awaited word on his family. He'd been sitting there since he'd had pulled in right behind the ambulance. He was actually a little surprised he'd been in good enough shape to drive. He'd almost had a heart attack when he come upon the accident scene. Seeing the flashing lights of the police cars and ambulances, he'd immediately known his friends were the ones in trouble. And he'd been right. Rossi had pulled over to the side of the road and got out just as they were bringing the first of the gurneys out of the woods. Seeing Prentiss's still body, he'd sprinted over to the EMT's, knocking a couple of police out of the way in the process. He managed to get to her side as they were preparing to lift her into the back of an ambulance. Finding her bloody but conscious, the senior agent let out a relieved breath. He'd spoken to her briefly before allowing the medics to load her up and drive away. His attention had turned back to the woods then. It had only taken one glimpse of the next gurney being guarded by a none too steady Morgan to send him into action. Rossi was across the road and beside his friends before he even thought of moving. The sight of their littlest family member unconscious and bleeding broke his heart. He'd taken a tiny hand in his and escorted the group to the waiting ambulance. After ordering a hard headed Morgan onto a second gurney, Dave had reluctantly released his hold on Spencer and allowed the paramedics to drive away. He'd then had a brief discussion with the lead officer before hopping back into his own truck and setting out for the hospital. That had been over an hour ago and he had yet to be informed of any of the three profilers' conditions. Numerous visits to the nursing station had done nothing but irritate the staff there. The short tempered women had told him repeatedly that they would tell him as soon as they knew anything. Ultimately it had taken a threat to call security to get the anxious man to leave the nursing staff alone. And so he sat waiting. Rossi hated waiting especially waiting for word on a loved one. He still remembered when his son was born how they…

"Rossi!" a deep voice boomed. "Any news?"

Looking up into Morgan's worried face, the older man shook his head. "I haven't heard anything yet." he replied, running a critical eye over his bandaged friend. "What about you? What did the doctor say?"

Morgan shrugged, grimacing as the movement pulled on some of his stitches. "Besides, I'm a gorgeous hunk of man?" he teased. "Not much. A slight concussion, a few bruised ribs, and a couple cuts and bruises. Nothing I can't handle." He glanced around the waiting room, frowning at what or more specifically who he didn't see. "Where are the others? Why aren't they here?"

"They're on their way. I had the officer in charge of the accident send a car for them." Dave informed the younger man.

"What? Why?" Derek inquired.

"Because both of the other trucks were disabled" Rossi explained. "All four tires of Will and Aaron's vehicles are flat. Someone purposely let the air out of them."

"They what? But why would…" Morgan shouted, breaking off as the answer suddenly hit him. "They wanted us to take the Jeep. The bastards wanted to make sure we would be in the Jeep."

Dave scowled. "The accident was no accident, was it?" he questioned.

Derek shook his head. "No. Whoever flattened the tires cut the brake line on my truck as well. And I'm betting they set up some kind of device to blow out one of my tires after so long. Probably caused the black ice, too." he answered. Turning around, he punched the wall. "Dammit!"

"Calm down Morgan" Rossi sternly ordered. "Getting angry and punching walls will only get us kicked out of here."

Derek visibly deflated. Sighing, he ran a weary hand over his head. "I should have seen it. I'm a trained FBI agent. I should have seen the flat tires and realized it was a trap." He grumbled. "Then Emily and Spencer wouldn't…"

"Stop right there. None of this is your fault." Dave adamantly stated. "Understand?"

"But if I'd just…"

"Second guessing yourself won't do you any good son. Trust me." Rossi softly said. "Bad things happen. It's just a part of the circle of life."

Morgan looked up at that. "You start singing and I'm gonna pretend I don't know you." He joked.

Dave snapped his fingers. "Dang! And I was all ready to serenade you." He tossed back, laughing at the horrified expression those words brought to the younger man's face.

"Ok ewwww!" Derek said, sticking out his tongue. "That's an image I did not need stuck in my head, especially after that hotel prank of yours."

"I don't know what…"

The sound of shoes squeaking on the linoleum floor put an end to their conversation. Hearing the footsteps getting closer, the men stood and looked towards the waiting room door. The familiar face of the man that waltzed into the room caused their jaws to drop.

"I wondered when y'all would make an appearance."

AN- Anybody guess who just walked in?

To anyone wondering why it was Rossi and not daddy, there is a reason. I'm not very happy with him right now. He managed to destroy a story I loved; a story I checked my email for several times a day. He'll be back just as soon as I can hear his name without getting angry.