Resident Evil 6: Rampage

by Titanium Gold

An old friend of Agent Helena Harper is assigned to the FBI, and is tasked by its Director with one goal: backup at Tall Oaks, where the Raccoon City Incident will be fully revealed by the US President. As the city is attacked, both agents survive and escape - reconnecting with FBI Agent Jennifer Jareau, fresh from a changed life. What changes will ensue with the BAU in the fight?

7. 6 - Prep, Chinese Fireball, Battle Fury

A/N: China bound we go - and with an extra couple players in the game, while a lot of things don't change much, some small things do - and some of the big stuff that changes is... a real doozy. You'll see some of the changes in the next few chapters; starting with this one… where a familiar Roads Series character or three makes an appearance, along with a few compatriots. (Thanks to Whatif-ifonly for the idea on how to use the characters in question.)

To those concerned about the lengthy gap between updates - I apologize. Real life is a bitch at present, for reasons many and varied, but no matter what, I vow to finish what I began - starting with this fic. Thankfully certain real-world events, episode 200, and Jennifer Love Hewitt's casting in Criminal Minds brought some inspiration back; I hope you enjoy the results.

See all prior chapters for appropriate disclaimers; props to those who get the tongue-in-cheek references to a couple characters' real-life actors/motion-capture artists. Enjoy the gratuitous references to "200" and Season 10 at the end, and please offer feedback.

It tells me if I'm doing this right.

---

Resident Evil 6: Rampage

CHAPTER 6: PREPARATIONS, CHINESE FIREBALL, BATTLE FURY

"I want all departments at battle stations and ready in ten minutes. Either we're going down... or they are." - James T. Kirk, "Star Trek (2009)"

"What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal." - Albert Pine

"Friends don't let friends act crazy alone." - Unknown

---

The core, recently reassembled, was fractured once more with Deborah's cryogenic suspension... and for Carter Myers, who had just reunited with his lost love after twelve years of blood, sweat, struggle and tears (culminating in the loss of his father/mentor) that was the limit breaker. For Jennifer Jareau, who had regained old family in the form of the Harper sisters and Carter himself, Deborah's loss - however temporary - coupled with Frank Myers' death was a limit breaker as well... and for her, it was also yet another renewed opportunity.

In her original lifetime ('canon', as Spencer Reid of all people jokingly dubbed it) JJ had never known Carter's cousin Wes Johnson as anything more than a high school acquaintance; she'd never known Carter or Frank Myers at all, and while she couldn't do anything to help Wes - the man who in this lifetime was a good friend who had gone on to become an FBI agent himself - or Frank, she could back up the remaining Myers in her life - the young boy from those days who had helped her the most... the boy who had become a man too quickly; the man who was now her BAU teammate, her official team partner, and her brother in every way bar blood itself.

After all, she owed that young boy. She owed her partner - and just as Carter had done, Jennifer Jareau Reid had made a promise; one she could not, would not break. With that fact in mind, Carter, JJ, Helena and Leon had made a quick stop in Quantico... to prepare for the battle of their lives.

None of them could have known just how taxing that battle would become, who they would encounter along the way - or in some cases, just what would begin to change...

---

(FBI Armory, June 30th, 2013, 1200 AM Eastern Daylight Time)

'Well, I suppose a few hours' sleep is better than none at all... especially compared to Hotch.'

Carter grimaced, pinching the bridge of his nose with one hand as he stowed ammo clips in the pockets of his battle vest with the other. It had turned out that (accounting for time zone differences) once everything was said and done and the group had returned to Quantico, it had been only 10 PM in Virginia; the exhaustion on Hotch's part - on the whole team's part, really - had been because of a very long work week during Carter's absence, culminating in a day full of paperwork, consults, and little rest when he'd called them for extraction.

'Note to self - team up with Morgan; have him take command of the team while I babysit Jack, Avery and Seth for a few days after all this crap; let Hotch and Prentiss take a vacation for awhile. Or better yet, talk to Chief Gideon... get the whole team some downtime.' Carter smiled, 'I owe them all big-time for this.'

After returning to Quantico and getting reacquainted with his three-bedroom condo, Carter set up a series of air beds in two of the bedrooms for Ashley, Zoe, Helena and Leon - with Helena eventually sneaking into Carter's room and sharing his bed (to the wry amusement of the others) to ward off both their nightmares; to purge the pain of loss from her system as best she could in the company of the one person left alive and unfrozen that she cared for most; to draw strength from that same person, knowing full well he was drawing strength from her presence as well.

Oddly enough, despite the years apart sharing a bed didn't feel any weirder to either of them than it had after their third sleepover together; even as they held each other, Helena's long, dexterous fingers traced soothing patterns on Carter's back while Carter's calloused, battle-hardened hands caressed her spine, sending signals of peace and contentment to her brain... to them, as they fell into a fitful sleep, holding each other felt completely natural even after all the years spent struggling to reunite.

(They couldn't have known that JJ and Spencer were having an equally fitful sleep in their home, as JJ mentally prepared for a fight her husband couldn't physically join her in.)

Later on, the Agents woke from their brief rest... and after getting changed into a new survival outfit consisting of a maroon leather bulletproof flight jacket, a jet black t-shirt with red trim, grey cargo pants, a clean Kevlar battle vest with matching web belt, and reinforced, waterproof black fingerless leather gloves and combat boots, Carter said his goodbyes to Ashley and Zoe with plenty of tears and smiles from all three Agents (as the young survivor realized once and for all that it wasn't just JJ who believed in him) before, with Gideon and Fickler's approval, accessing an FBI Armory with JJ at his side.

At the same time, Leon and Helena had accessed another armory in secret thanks to Fickler and Hunnigan's assistance, as well as a change of clothes that Carter had yet to see.

In the present, Carter was loading his Sig Sauer handguns, a Bureau-issue Remington 870 shotgun and a Desert Eagle magnum he'd found in the Tall Oaks catacombs, stocking up on appropriate ammo for each gun as best he could before loading a fresh clip into his Glock 26, checking over his knives, and adding Streamlight attachments to both his Sig Sauer guns; JJ, meanwhile, was donning a plain black Kevlar vest and matching web belt both identical in design and function to Carter's (a gift from the survivalist for the coming fight) over her navy blue work shirt and black cargo pants. Afterwards, she began loading the compartments on her new vest and belt with as much handgun, magnum, and machine gun ammo as she could carry amidst the pre-portioned supplies already in their compartments. The BAU's newest Supervisory Special Agent and former Media Liaison was using her bureau-issue weapons (a single Glock 26 and an MP-5 sub-machine gun) for the coming mission, as well as a combat knife gifted to her by Leon and a Smith & Wesson revolver of Reid's.

"This way," Reid had explained to JJ and Carter during a brief (and unplanned) stop at the Reid residence, "I'll be with you out there too - in a manner of speaking. The whole team will, really, but this... this is just ours."

At JJ's objections, claiming Reid needed the revolver for himself, the genius profiler pulled a Glock 17 from the gun safe - the same weapon he'd used during his humble BAU beginnings - explaining he'd use that handgun while JJ and company were away. JJ blinked in surprise, aware that Reid had used the Glock 17 in the past - but surprisingly unaware that Reid had kept the weapon in the intervening time period.

Carter, on the other hand, reacted the only way he could in that moment - he nodded towards Reid in thanks, expressing immeasurable gratitude as the partners-in-brains locked eyes and shared a look of understanding; as much as Reid wanted to back up his wife and her old friend in body, even the crack-shot, genius autodidact with an IQ of 187, an eidetic memory and a 20,000 word-per-minute reading speed couldn't be in two places at once. He had a job to do - and in JJ's absence, he'd have to take care of Henry, Chloe and Joshua (his and JJ's children) as well. In body, Reid would have to count on Carter to back JJ like she backed up them both... but this way, JJ could fight beside Carter anyway, with Reid and the team right there with them in spirit. After Carter - more knowledgeable in spiritual matters than his more scientific quasi-counterpart - explained that to JJ, he turned away to allow the husband and wife to have a moment.

Meanwhile, with their weapons loaded, holstered and safetied, Carter threw on his jacket over the vest and inwardly prayed it would all be enough. The weight from the jacket, the vest and his other gear didn't even equal a quarter of the weight Carter had carried in Tall Oaks, which would help his mobility; government insurance was covering the loss of his SUV and first bag of survival gear, and JJ was backing him and Helena to the hilt just as she had years before... but Deborah's cryo-induced absence soured the situation, as did Frank's death.

"Carter?" JJ asked, "You ok?"

"I don't have a good feeling about this, JJ," Carter grimaced.

"Me neither," JJ replied, "We're going straight into hell, Carter; Deborah and Frank should be right here with us... but I told you before, I won't leave you or Helena. Neither you nor the Harpers left me behind of your own free will when I was in trouble; I owe you the same now."

"I can't speak for Helena - or even Deborah," Carter softly retorted, "But dad would think the same as I do... you don't owe me anything, JJ, and you never did. In the course of keeping you from burnout in East Allegheny, we helped each other a lot as I recall - just like we've helped each other a lot over the years, no matter how far apart we were."

"Yeah..." JJ smiled tiredly, "We have, haven't we? You reminded me to have fun once in awhile; that Katie... she'd never have wanted me to mourn forever. You helped me treat soccer as the game it was meant to be as well as a way out of small-town America. You've challenged everyone on the team to be better than they are, to see the positive side of what we do... but no one more than me."

"And you reminded me exactly what I was fighting for: Helena, Deborah, dad, myself, the team once I let them in... and after that mess, you too. Now I'm fighting for them, you, and pretty much the whole goddamn Bureau - and that, Pennsylvania, is forever." Carter grinned, "Without that I'd be dead by now - but now thanks in part to you, I've been part of the best family I've ever known for over a year... and I don't think I'll ever leave completely. Not bad for a couple friends several years apart in age."

"Not bad indeed," JJ smiled nostalgically, "Hopefully the information you, Helena and Leon gave me will hold up out there."

"It will," Carter's smile at that moment transformed, becoming more feral; the smile of a fighter who knew and relished the challenge ahead, "And if it doesn't, we've got stronger weaponry than Leon, Helena and I had in Tall Oaks; furthermore, the three of us are creative geniuses. Their talents - our talents - will help with anything else that comes our way."

"When did you develop a creative streak?" JJ teased as the duo exited the armory, "I don't remember you having that twelve years ago."

"Survival requires creativity, JJ," Carter chuckled, "First lesson dad ever taught me. The second one - which I'll tell you right now - is the same as we exercise in the FBI; sometimes we have to shoot first. Against B. there's no other way - even if they look human, they're not. These aren't UnSubs we're going to be dealing with in China, or even ordinary people anymore - they're B. , designed to kill."

"In those situations we've got to defend ourselves first, right?" JJ confirmed. Carter nodded.

"The four of us might be going into battle beside the BSAA, but we can't count on them for full-time help - only each other. Simmons has to be stopped... before his actions wreck anymore lives."

"I understand," JJ nodded, her expression switching to all-business.

"And JJ..." Carter placed a hand on his old friend's shoulder, smiling tightly in gratitude as he felt the taut, lean muscle that only came about from years of constant training, "Thank you. As much as Deborah and Helena, you're helping a lot - you and the others... just like you always have."

"We can't save humanity without holding onto what makes us human, right?" JJ asked - to Carter's surprise as his jaw went slack.

"How-?"

"Spence introduced me to a little sci-fi over the years since I met him," JJ smiled, "Most of it went over my head at first, but now I get some of what drew you two to Star Trek and Doctor Who, at least. Don't give up, Carter," JJ added, "We'll beat him - by any means necessary."

"Not any means, JJ - most, yes, but not all," the younger Agent replied seriously, "There's no point stopping the bastard if we become like him in the process; I learned that as a consequence of my mother's actions. She dishonored herself, her military background and our entire family by letting herself become a screeching psycho like her mother before her; she did it again when she abandoned dad and I. I won't dishonor you, dad, the team and the Bureau like that, and I especially won't get revenge if it costs me the life of another loved one. Don't go channeling your husband out there, okay JJ? You, the Harpers, Leon and the team... you keep yourselves safe no matter what happens to me or anyone else, because you're all what make me human. Losing any of that..."

JJ smiled softly in understanding, throwing an arm over her friend's shoulder and squeezing gently as Carter's response trailed off - knowing that for all the changes her old friend had gone through in the years he'd been apart from her and the Harper sisters, he was still the same at the core. Carter Myers was still a soldier at heart, still a fighter who loved and protected his remaining family with everything he had... because all of the drama and distance aside, they were a part of him, part of his heart and soul - and losing a part of one's own soul really hurts.

JJ understood that; after all, in her original lifetime she'd not only lost her sister, but also lost a chance with Spencer Reid - without even realizing that loss until it was too late.

"Harper's a lucky woman," the former soccer star mused wryly as she gripped Carter in a one-armed hug, "With such a strong guy in her life... strong in body, mind and heart, just like Spence."

"It's no wonder he and I get along so well. We have the same character and the same taste in women... but when you say Harper, are you talking about Deborah or Helena?" Carter deadpanned, raising an eyebrow. With a playful smirk, JJ remained silent as she squeezed Carter's shoulders again, pulled back and exited the armory - leaving Carter more flummoxed than ever regarding his closest female friends as he followed her through the doors.

---

"Hello there, stranger," Helena smiled wryly at Carter, admiring his new outfit as he and JJ entered the air base side-by-side. Helena herself took up position at Carter's other side as Leon silently watched all their backs, the four eventually making a perfect diamond. (Ironically, they ended up matching color schemes as well in a sense; Helena's open burgundy vest and black hip holsters over white tank top serving as a near-match to Carter's flight jacket, t-shirt and vest even as Leon's blue dress shirt and black waistcoat matched JJ's own dark blue work shirt and black vest. All four Agents also wore fingerless black gloves made of leather and Kevlar.)

The fastest government flight the BAU and the DSO had been able to get the four Agents-turned-bioterrorism fighters onto while still allowing for prep time and some rest was at 3 AM eastern standard time. In order to accelerate that departure further, the group had arrived an hour earlier than protocol required.

However, any hopes of a silent departure for JJ and company were dashed when they noticed the small BAU entourage waiting for them; Rossi, Reid, Emily and Elle, all dressed for work. JJ's lips quirked in amusement before settling into a soft smile, knowing her family wouldn't be anywhere else; Leon raised an eyebrow, while Helena's expression was one of pure shock; Carter scrubbed a hand over his face, smothering the groan that longed to escape his throat - especially as he noticed a striking similarity between Helena and Elle's outfits.

"Should've known you'd be here..." The young agent grumbled, grimacing as JJ stepped on his foot.

'Dammit, forgot I suggested steel-toed shoes...!'

"You're kidding, right?" Prentiss retorted calmly, "Garcia would roast us all alive if we just let you leave - again, and especially without saying goodbye."

"I know," Carter sighed, "But you - and Garcia, and the team - know I've got to do this, Emily."

"And I've got to go with them," JJ added, "I owe Carter too much to abandon him."

"We know, chica; of all of us, you have the right - you've known him longest and owe him the most out of anyone on this team," Elle added, "We're not here to stop you; just to see you off. The others would be here too, but they're catching some sleep... with our luck there'll be a lot of work to do in your absences."

"No wonder Zoe and Ashley were already up." Carter mused, "They must be wondering if they still have what it takes."

"Then we won't keep you long," Leon nodded, "Believe me, I might have only been a cop for one day, but I know the value of getting work done."

"We all do," Helena added.

"The BAU is important," Reid interjected, "But so are the four of you. To not see you off and focus solely on work would make us soulless machines."

"And the last thing this team lacks is soul power, right doc?" Carter chuckled, "Thanks, guys... for this, for everything - I mean that. Give our regards to the others, okay? And tell Zoe and Ashley... they'll be okay. If a soldier's son with a psychology and criminology degree can do this job long-term, so can they."

"We will. When you return - you will return - and you have an opportunity, there will be glasses of single-malt scotch for all four of you," Rossi nodded, "Believe me; you're probably going to need them."

"Thank you, sir," Leon nodded back; Helena and JJ threw Rossi smiles of appreciation as Carter threw the older Agent a stealthy thumbs-up - which the Italian Catholic returned with gusto, knowing that while Carter didn't drink much beyond special occasions and the occasional happy hour, he was a big, big fan of scotch when the situation demanded it... like his father had been before him.

'Frank, you'd be proud of him...' Rossi mused, half-consciously recalling his time in the Marine Corps post-Vietnam with the stern soldier that was USMC Master Sergeant Frank Myers; those memories got Rossi thinking that it was time to tell more stories to Carter and his friends when they returned from China.

"I've got a few contacts among the BSAA's higher-ups," Emily revealed, "They couldn't tell me much more than you explained last night, but they do have teams in China - including Chris Redfield and his Alpha Team. It's hell out there, though; Waiyip's already totally infected. Be careful."

"Always, Buttercup," Carter smiled, "Either we're going down..."

"Or he is." Helena finished firmly, gripping Carter's hand and interlocking their fingers. Feeling the grit of Helena's gloves, Carter smiled, as did the others; they all knew who the elder Harper sibling referred to, and the BAU had faith that their friends and allies would defeat him.

As the young profiler's eyes took a sidelong glance at his old friend's outfit, his inner survivalist cheered in pride - the tank top, burgundy vest and tan cargo pants being extremely practical for the coming challenge... and then he noticed the small patch of bare midriff and the chocolate-colored knee-high boots, and couldn't stop a tired grin from crossing his lips. Helena smiled as she saw Carter checking out her outfit... and raised an eyebrow as she saw his eyes drift downward.

"Easy, cowboy," she murmured, "You're dating my sister, remember?"

"Hey, smartass," Carter shot back softly, "I was just admiring your outfit; it's just your style. Fashionable, practical, perfectly suited for work and combat alike. Dad would be proud... hell, Garcia could take lessons from you."

"Don't let her hear you say that, Carter," Elle interjected wryly, hearing the banter between her two newest friends, "Much as Garcia respects Helena already, she'll kick your ass."

"That or ask where to get her own outfit - or at least the boots," Helena teased back; the tech analyst's 'overzealous' shopping habits and 'flamboyant' fashion sense (in comparison to Helena's fashionable and practical style and relatively normal shopping habits) had, in the brief time they'd met, been a playful bone of contention between Garcia and the former CIA Agent.

"Remind me to run when she asks that question," Reid added wryly.

"Why?" Carter asked.

"So you and I aren't stuck carrying the bags, man! The girls can all tell you - Garcia's a shopping fiend!" Reid replied; the group as a whole chuckled softly - except for Leon, who let a smirk flash over his face.

"As much as we'd all love to stay and chat," the senior DSO Agent interrupted, "We've got to move."

"Understood," Rossi nodded, the BAU's Senior Field Agent extending a hand towards his DSO counterpart, "You four take care of each other out there."

"We will," Leon nodded, shaking the ex-Marine's hand firmly, "Gotta bring your star rookies back in one piece, after all."

"JJ," Carter deadpanned, "Please don't step on Leon's foot - I think he kinda wants to walk once we land."

"I didn't stomp that hard," the Pennsylvania Petite retorted playfully, to askance looks from Elle, Helena and Leon, a raised eyebrow each from Rossi and Prentiss, a sarcastic smirk from Carter - and a badly suppressed laugh from Spencer Reid. The next thing Carter knew, JJ was kissing Reid like it'd be her last chance, Prentiss and Helena were shaking hands, and Elle was gripping Carter himself in a bear hug as Rossi looked on, ever the faux-stoic parental figure.

Not that the team was fooled by that stoicism, of course... they all knew each other too well.

"Hey," Carter snarked, "Damn, Greenaway Lantern, you're getting strong - that actually hurts a bit. What's up?"

"You know you're like a brother to all of us, right? Well, except for Ashley and Zoe... I think they've got one hell of a crush on you." Elle replied, sorrow warring with amusement as she saw Reid and Prentiss switch hugging partners out of the corner of her eye.

"Of course," Carter shot back, "But if they do have a crush on me, they'll be waiting a long time; they're my sisters, now and always, and the rest of you are my family too... some of - most of - the only family I have left. But that doesn't change the fact that I love you all, Elle... and that's for life."

"And we love you too, Carter," Elle nodded soberly.

"Can you look like we're gonna come back alive, then?" the young FBI Agent snarked good-naturedly, "'Cause we are, you know. Zombies and monsters couldn't stop us in Tall Oaks; Simmons and the C-Virus won't either. I want the four of us to be fighting the bad guys out there knowing our family's safe and happy, not drowning in sorrows 'cause we're twelve time zones away- urk!"

"See you in a couple days, little brother," Elle replied confidently, tightening the bear hug. Carter smiled as he returned the favor.

"We'll be back on American soil before you know it, big sister - with evidence to prove Simmons' guilt and clear our names."

"We're counting on it, son," Rossi smiled at the young Agent as Elle let go of him and moved towards Helena, the two Agents double-taking as they realized in that moment the similarities in their style and fashion sense. The two men noticed the interaction (complete with Elle pulling Helena into a hug) and smirked before Rossi gave his own speech.

"Good luck out there," Rossi added, "you four stay alive, ok? You've got a lot at stake, and a lot of people counting on your return; more people than you know."

'Dad... Deborah... the kids; the team...' Carter mused - the memories of his late father, his old instructors, his BAU family and his beloved bringing conflicted feelings... love and pain alike. And then the young soldier recalled who caused the incident that killed his father and put Deborah in the situation that brought forth the latter emotions; angry, fiery determination trumped everything in Carter's heart as a result.

"We will," Carter promised, "We will, Rossi. As long as Deborah's alive you'd better believe we'll all fight to the bitter end, no matter what."

"And we'll be here for backup if you need it. Just call if that time comes, ok? We'll crash the BAU jet into China ourselves if need be." Emily asked, fiddling with her nails as she smiled faintly at her youngest teammate; someone she considered an unofficial fourth son (after Jack, Declan and Seth; fifth child if you included daughter Avery).

"Hey," Carter smiled back, "E, Garcia will keep you informed if backup is required - especially on that kinda scale - but I promise, we'll call if we need you. Love you, guys."

And with a final exchange of smiles and hugs, the groups split - four by four... as the BAU headed to their next case while Leon, Helena, Carter and JJ headed to China, via the fastest available government transport.

---

(Ten hours later)

"We just entered Chinese airspace," Helena reported, returning from the lavatory to sit beside JJ in the plane.

"Good," Leon smiled. Carter threw a subtle thumbs-up and a smile at Helena before looking towards the blonde FBI Agent beside her.

"Ready, Bubbles?"

"To back you up?" JJ smirked, teasing her old friend even as she realized the playful spirit of the nickname he'd given her.

"No," Carter teased back, recalling the conversation she was referencing, "To keep us safe, you crazy little badass - of course to back us up!"

"I prefer to think of it as the three of us standing side-by-side in battle after twelve years of reunification efforts," Helena interjected with a tired smile, "Although... Leon, Carter - I do have one question."

"What is it, Helena?" Leon asked, "You're holding up well, but this looks like something you've kept inside for awhile."

"It is, actually... back at Tall Oaks, why didn't you turn me in?" Helena asked Leon, to the shock of the group, "You and Carter could've cleared your names."

"By sacrificing you - my best friend!?" Carter growled softly, "No way in hell, Helena; that's not our style. Period."

"It wouldn't have stopped Simmons anyway," Leon added calmly, "Besides which, JJ and Deborah would've killed us themselves if we did that, and Carter here loves you - we can all tell. Turning you in to save our own skins would break him completely... and you're starting to grow on me a little too."

Helena smiled faintly at both men in gratitude before placing a hand on JJ's shoulder; the blonde was looking at her oldest remaining female friend in horror.

"Don't worry," the brunette explained softly, "I'm not going anywhere yet... but I did assist in the attack. When this is over, I've got to take responsibility."

"Responsibility for what?" JJ ground out, her expression hardening, "Those monsters extorted you, Helena - they didn't give you a choice! The crime is theirs, not yours!"

"Maybe," Helena shrugged noncommittally, "But I still helped them... Deborah's on ice because of me, to a point - I've got to take responsibility for it."

"Don't you dare feel guilty for what happened, Helena," Carter rumbled, "If you can't believe your friends on this, who can you believe? JJ's only saying the same thing Deborah did before, and they're right; what happened to you, your part in this, it's not your fault - you were manipulated by a master. We all get that. Deborah's going to be okay, and the government will see the truth about us; we'll beat Simmons and make it happen."

"How can you be sure, Carter?" Helena asked cynically.

"First, because I believe in the four of us. For the average Joe and Jane, the BAU and fighting BOWs both fell under myth, legend and miracle work once upon a time; hell, they're still regarded with skepticism by the masses even now," Carter replied, "And second... I've seen miracles happen before. Remember how I mentioned I had a friend during training who was infected in Raccoon?"

Carter continued as Helena nodded.

"She's fully recovered from her infection, with the help of her late biological parents and a few good friends - that's why I know Deborah's gonna be okay; because she's got us. My friend from Raccoon is also a full-fledged government agent now; we managed to jury-rig her phone after Academy graduation, so it'd send data streams to me regarding her missions. That way we could keep in touch if she was ever captured or needed backup. The last streams I got from her said that some guy named Jake was critical to bringing the C-Virus threat to an end... but that was six months ago. Last night, my phone received one more data stream - saying she and Jake are in China. I'm hoping we'll find them alive in this crap."

For some odd reason, Leon's expression turned haunted at that admission.

"Your friend," he asked, "What's her name?"

"Sherry Birkin... wait a sec..." Carter groaned, "How did I not realize it?"

"What is it?" JJ's eyes narrowed in thought as Carter lightly banged his forehead with his fist.

"Sherry Birkin's the name of one of the Raccoon City survivors," Carter grimaced, "She was almost eleven years old when all that shit went down... not much older than me - but she was right in the middle of it, just like dad! Leon was one of the ones who rescued her; she even mentioned him and Claire by name to me once!"

"You think she and this Jake guy are in danger?" Helena asked.

"I don't doubt it," Carter sighed, "Even in training she always had a knack for getting into trouble. She's one of the toughest women I've ever known, though, and one of the strongest Agents I've ever met... I'm more than confident she can hold her own."

"She'll have to," Leon grimaced as he looked out the window and saw some of the residual chaos in Waiyip, "In a place like this."

Suddenly, the plane shook and the ceiling lights flickered violently; after a moment of waiting for an explanation from the pilots or crew over the intercoms (and receiving none), the four Agents decided to check on the situation themselves.

What they found, though, made the situation that much clearer; dead bodies in the cockpit, and a second Lepotitsa hatching from the pilot's cocooned corpse, proved to the group that the C-Virus was everywhere.

"You don't suppose that thing can fly a plane, do you?" Leon snarked as the four pointed their handguns at the monster. Carter scowled at the realization that beating Lepotitsa wouldn't be so easy a second time.

"Can't beat it the easy way... so let's feed it."

"What?" JJ threw a sidelong glance at her old friend.

"Let's give this monster a belly full of lead." Leon growled.

"And a pool of its own blood to drown in - got it," JJ nodded.

"Open fire!" Helena barked.

Then the monster charged, and the fight began.

"Hunnigan, Garcia," Leon reported as he shot the mutant three times, dodging its arms afterwards as it attempted to grab him, "We've got a problem - a big one."

"The pilot has mutated into another Lepotitsa; it's the same monster we encountered back at the Cathedral," Carter added for Garcia's benefit, shooting Lepotitsa in the back with his shotgun as JJ and Helena flanked him, firing their handguns at the monster. Spurts of gas leaked from the bullet holes, spitting only a few centimeters, but otherwise the blasts - and the gas - had as little an effect as the first fight.

"Alright," Hunnigan replied, "Hold on; we're looking something up."

"Stay alive out there!" Garcia added.

"JJ, watch for its gas - don't breathe it in directly, and especially don't let it grab you!" Carter advised his old friend, who nodded as she almost flew back into the fray.

However, the four couldn't beat Lepotitsa the easy way this time; explosives and grenades ran the risk of destroying the plane, and thus could not be used anymore than hand-to-hand, which was rendered suicidal by the gas Lepotitsa generated.

All the Agents could do was, as Leon had suggested, fill the monster with lead. Unfortunately, they lost the opportunity to do so as Lepotitsa shoved JJ back (after she fired her Glock point-blank into its face), screeched at the group, bashed its way into an overhead ventilation shaft and disappeared.

"Damn it!" Leon grimaced.

"It couldn't have gone far," Helena mused, "We're on a plane, for heaven's sake."

Carter, meanwhile, scavenged the little magnum ammo available in the room and - after dividing it between himself, JJ and Helena (who had picked up a Desert Eagle of her own from the body of a fallen crewman) - moved towards a nearby flashing screen.

"Okay, question one; does anyone know how to fly this thing?" the young FBI Agent asked, "We're still down a pilot - and if we're gonna keep these people safe, we've got to get Lepotitsa out of here."

"Lepo-what?" JJ gasped, completely stabilizing her adrenaline rush with a slow, deep breath.

"The monster we just fought off," Helena replied. JJ nodded.

"The only way to eject anything at this point is to open the cargo hatch," the blonde beauty grimaced, "That's usually a bad idea with planes; destabilizes the whole thing."

"Unless we've got a pilot onboard who can keep the plane stable after depressurization," Leon explained as he stood by Carter and checked the screen in detail, "Looks like this bird took some damage anyway... we might have a rough landing."

"Agents, do you read?" Hunnigan asked.

"We copy, Hunnigan - what's up?" JJ asked.

"There's something wrong with the pressure bulkhead," Hunnigan reported, "Get to the tail of the plane - find out what's wrong!"

"I'll stand ready to fly the plane when it destabilizes," Leon offered, "Helena - cover me?"

"You got it," the elder Harper sister nodded.

"That leaves us to calm the passengers and stop this bastard," Carter smiled grimly, "Just another day at the office. You ready, JJ?"

"Always."

"Carter, I..." Helena gulped, reaching out with her right hand towards her oldest friends, "Be careful, ok?"

"We'll do our best, H," Carter smiled, gripping Helena's hand firmly before he shifted his grip, softly caressing Helena's bare right arm from wrist to elbow and back with the pads of his fingers as the pair's eyes locked.

"Be back before you know it."

With that, the FBI duo turned and exited the cockpit; Helena stood and watched for a moment, a distraught expression on her face before she regained control. Leon placed a hand on her shoulder, having witnessed the whole event.

"He'll be okay, you know. They both will."

"I know," Helena sighed, "But... I just got them back... I just got him back, Leon."

Leon squeezed Helena's shoulder in comfort and nodded in complete understanding; he and Claire had felt similarly about each other after their reconnection post-Harvardville, eight years earlier - seven years after they'd parted ways post-Raccoon City.

"You love him, don't you?" the DSO Senior Field Agent asked as Helena sat down in the co-pilot seat.

"He's with Deborah, Leon, and I'm wanted for treason; it doesn't matter," Helena retorted flatly, even as her bare arm tingled from where Carter's fingers had touched it.

"Helena..." Leon grimaced.

'I always get stuck with the stubborn ones...' the ex-cop mused, 'First Claire and now her...'

"You should tell him anyway."

"But he's with Deborah," Helena replied forcefully, "And even if he wasn't, he's got JJ backing him to the hilt-"

"She's one of his best friends - but still just a friend, Helena. Everyone in the BAU is that and more to him - but in his eyes, none of them compare to you." Leon calmly explained, "You're his Claire Redfield."

"Well, Seaver and Hawkes were all over him back in Quantico-"

"They're practically his sisters too, Helena, and he hadn't seen them in over a year."

"-and how can I measure up to any of them?" Helena lamented, "I'm the 'CIA Problem Child' - the Agent nobody wants to really deal with... because I keep fucking up."

"Nobody but the government's most respected Agents and the FBI's star BAU team, you mean," Leon replied, infusing a little heat into his voice, "Not to mention your sister and Carter... you've grown on all of us, you know that? If you love Carter, then tell him; I can guarantee you he won't bail even if he doesn't feel the same - and just so you know, I think he does love you."

"What?" Helena gaped.

"He's treated you and Deborah identically, Helena. Down in the catacombs after we found her, he was keeping you both safe all by himself until we hit the water; I barely fired a shot in comparison, especially after Deborah got back on her feet and borrowed his extra gun. Think about it," Leon noted, "He spent twelve years training to be the best he could be, in order to find you both again... and he's not going to walk away now that he has. You're stuck with Carter, his team, and me - no matter what... and romantic or not, you'll always have his love."

"Leon... thank you," Helena smiled faintly at her partner - her friend. As the plane shook with turbulence, forcing Leon to keep it as stable as best he could, the older Agent nodded.

"You can thank me by talking to him about this when we're done this mission," Leon replied, "Even if your sister is his girlfriend right now, you all need to get this resolved... because it's obvious you and Carter aren't just friends, Helena. You're both so much more than that - but you've got to identify just what that is before you can move forward."

Helena wordlessly nodded... and then held on as the plane lurched sharply to the right despite Leon's best efforts. Cries of pain and a uniquely toned bout of loud cursing ensued in the background as the plane righted itself - causing Helena to grin faintly.

"Looks like they got it."

"We did," Carter grimaced, smashing a zombie's face in with his foot as he and JJ returned to the cockpit, climbing the small set of stairs to get there, "Damn near flew out of the plane with the bastard, and took a tumble into starboard coming back, but- GYAH!"

Carter was cut off as he and JJ rolled back down the stairs due to the plane lurching - again. JJ gracefully rolled back to her feet and elbowed away a zombie as she stood; to his annoyance, Carter rolled into a wall head first, landing face-down in an uncharacteristic lack of grace.

"No more for me, thanks; I'm driving..." the survivalist groaned, shaking his head and grabbing his gun - and a nearby serpent-themed flash drive - while he pushed himself to his feet.

"Carter!" Helena called, "You okay down there?"

"I'm good, Helena! Fortunately I keep my brain cells numbered for just such emergencies," the young FBI Agent continued as he trudged back up the stairs.

"Guess Nick Fury was right - diving in head-first is diving in brains-last."

"Dammit, Myers," Leon groaned, "Enough with the non sequiturs!"

"He's okay," Helena smirked, "He's got a hard head."

"And a really bad habit of joking around in battle," JJ chuckled, "Frank didn't train that out of you?"

"No way; dad didn't even try!" Carter grinned, "We've got to keep the smiles high somehow. Anyway, we got Lepotitsa out of the plane - damn near flew out of the plane with the bastard, but we got it... not before it infected the passengers and crew, though. Had to shoot them all down on the way back, and there's still more coming somehow."

All smiles dropped at that admission.

"Damn..." Leon grimaced.

"Agents, do you read me?" Hunnigan asked, "The plane's destabilizing because of the pressure change! Leon, keep hold of the controls!"

"I was afraid of that," Leon groaned, "Fine, I'll fly - you three do something about the infected!"

"We've got you covered, old man," Carter replied, a feral smirk on his face as he exchanged his guns for his knives. Helena and JJ shared a grin, the brunette unsheathing her Hydra shotgun from across her back as JJ locked and loaded her Baby Glock; the confidence exuded by their friend gave them confidence in turn.

Leon, on the other hand, shot Carter a dark look - he was only 36, damn it; that was not old! - before returning to flying the plane. As Hunnigan gave the DSO founder instructions on regaining flight control, Carter, JJ and Helena were practically human tornadoes - where the three of them weren't firing their guns, Carter slashed and stabbed with his knives; JJ lashed out with punches, kicks and pistol whips; Helena kicked, twirled, spun and rolled around zombies to blast entire groups of hostiles with her Hydra, reloading at her best possible speed afterwards.

As the horde died down, a cry came through the comms that gave the three fighters pause.

"Pull the throttle, Leon - pull up!" Hunnigan screamed.

"Peaches, Tough Guy, H - strap yourselves in!" Garcia added, "You'll be in Lanshiang any minute, but even with Agent Kennedy's help that plane's not landing safely!"

"C'mon...!" Leon grimaced, pulling back on the throttle as hard as he could, "Pull up...!"

"Guys, strap in!" Carter called, pulling back from the vanishing fight and sheathing his knives, "We're landing a little roughly here!"

As Helena sprinted towards the co-pilot's seat once more and strapped herself in, Carter and JJ strapped into chairs meant for other crew; the zombie horde they'd been fighting dissolved into organic goo, which in turn evaporated into nothing as the hatch to the cockpit shut one final time.

'Deborah...' JJ's jaw clenched as she and Carter held on for the ride of their lives. Helena, meanwhile, bit back a curse, protecting her head while leaning towards the console in front of her - as the plane began a rapid descent despite Leon's best efforts...

...and then as the plane slammed into the ground, started crashing into buildings and tearing itself apart, the four Agents shook in their chairs - and with a final series of explosions and impacts everything went white.

---

"Ow…" Carter grimaced as he opened his eyes, his body aching all over as he took stock of his surroundings… a bedroom he hadn't seen since he was five years old and Social Services had loomed, threatening to separate him from his father in the wake of his mother's disappearance.

"Carter? Son - are you ok?" a familiar voice asked from behind the door at the opposite end of the room. Searching his memories, Carter's eyes widened as he remembered his first true encounter with JJ had been in this house - through the man who had almost become his foster father.

"Come on in, sir," Carter replied after looking himself over, "I'm decent - I'm ok."

"Enough with the 'sir' stuff," Henry Jareau Sr. rolled his eyes as he pushed the old wooden door open, "If you don't consider me a second father figure after all this time and everything you and JJ have been through…"

"No... that's not it at all, Henry," Carter objected, shocked at seeing his unofficial big sister's father, "It's just… I thought you died years ago!"

"I did." JJ's father confirmed.

"Then this is the afterlife," Carter deduced flatly.

"In a sense," Henry Jareau Sr. nodded, "Your physical body's still on that plane wreck; you and your friends are all still alive and in one piece. You were knocked out, though, so we just thought we'd check in."

"'We'? Where's Dad?" Carter blinked.

"He couldn't make it for this part," Henry frowned, "Some bureaucratic crap or another from the higher-ups… so in his absence we decided to step in."

"'We' again...?" Carter asked, "I know about you, Jane and Katie, but who else…?"

"My grandson, Jason," Henry nodded towards the door, "He gave up a chance to be with his twin brother, their parents and the family they created... in order to change everything for the better, in as far a reach of the multiverse as he can grasp."

"What?" Carter gaped, as much at the described action as at the current situation.

"I'll let him explain," Henry nodded, "Let's move, Carter. Don't worry; you'll see Frank soon."

"Aye, sir," Carter replied absently as he took the hand of his second father, and both men exited the room... Carter's childhood bedroom.

---

"Katie?" JJ groaned, blinking away the spots in her vision as the outline of her older sister appeared before her, in the bedroom JJ called home as a child.

"For being the good girl," the older blonde teased as she gripped JJ's hand, "You're certainly being one hell of a rebel. Dropping everything for your best friends?"

"For our family, Katie," JJ retorted calmly, "The Harpers have been our sisters - however unofficial - for a long time, even before you died; Carter was almost officially our foster brother - he may as well be my brother now - and Spence is... well, he's Spence. If there's a threat against them and I can help fight it, I've got to - you'd be with me if you could and you know it."

"I know, JJ... I remember; you're right," Katie murmured, "Carter was the only one besides you and our family who never lost faith in me."

"In both of us," JJ confirmed, "Now I'm repaying that faith."

"By diving head-first into chaos?" Katie asked skeptically as she and JJ stood up.

"By backing up the only man we both call brother - and who I know you loved as more." JJ retorted, "Carter discouraged me coming with him, Helena and Leon, but-"

"The famed Jareau stubbornness won them over again, huh?" Katie grinned.

"He still has that soft spot for us, Katie... he hasn't forgotten you." JJ revealed as the sisters exited the bedroom.

"Never could, either." a low voice replied as Katie was tackled in a hug by a black and maroon blur.

"You crazy fool," Katie smiled as she wrapped her arms around her former crush, "Don't stop fighting, ok?"

"As long as you don't forget I'll always love you, Katie. Remember, we're family; the light of our souls, the connection we've made - that is eternal, in life or death. I might move on, but in my eyes... you're always gonna be someone special." Carter's lips twitched upwards before the group turned to business.

"Why are we here?" Carter asked.

"You're here," a new voice replied, "Because we're delivering a warning."

The Jareau clan and Carter turned to see an oddly stoic Helena and Leon... escorted by none other than Jason Reid.

"Derek C. Simmons isn't the only threat you'll be facing," JJ's guardian angel revealed, "The files you found on your journey mentioned Neo-Umbrella; their founder is a scientist named Carla Radames, who - through memory adaptation and C-Virus manipulation - has been turned into a twisted clone of Frank's friend, Ada."

"Blue dress, red scarf, dresses like a slut and acts like a bitch while looking like Ada the whole time?" Carter asked bluntly.

"Yes." Jason nodded.

"One of the last communications I got from Sherry warned me about an enemy fitting that description; she never got a name..." Carter mused, "if she's Ada's clone then she's dangerous."

"She is," Henry nodded, "for more than just that fact alone. She wants to destroy the world that Simmons created."

"But didn't The Family basically create modern society?" Leon asked, "if this Carla destroys that..."

"Then civilization as you know it will cease to exist," Katie confirmed, "And billions of people will die."

"Then we've got to go back," Leon replied, "Stop them at all costs."

"You won't be alone," Henry smiled, "there are others who are fighting Carla as well; family of yours, Leon, who knew Frank and I in the past. Join them in that fight whenever you can, stop Simmons, and we'll see you when it's over... one way or another."

"Personally, though, I bet you'll win." a new voice interjected... new to Leon, at least, as Helena, JJ and Carter all darted towards Frank Myers - and the aged yet fit, clean-cut yet rugged, black-yet-white soldier fell with laughter under the combined weight of three people he considered his children.

"Dad...!" Carter gulped past the lump in his throat as he fought back tears, "Dad... I've missed you!"

"We've all missed you," JJ added, making no effort to hide her tears, "Damn it, Frank, we were so close...!"

"To me joining you, right beside my son. I know, JJ... I know." Frank murmured, hugging the younger woman tightly, "but it was my time, even if we didn't want it to be."

"No," Helena replied tightly, "no... it wasn't your time. What happened to you was a mistake - one that I made!"

"A mistake made to save your sister," Frank replied calmly, "who is my daughter every bit as much as you and JJ."

"Dad?" Carter gaped, having never heard his father speak so candidly about matters of family in public.

"If my life is the price for hers, I'm glad Deborah survived where I didn't - though I have one sole regret," Frank added, "and that's the fact I can't fight beside you in body now. Go back and fight, guys... do it for me - for all of us; for our family. You'll all win, with a little help, as long as you don't give up - as long as you believe."

As Leon listened in the background, he was surprised by a hand - well-worn, calloused, lined with scars and age - coming down on his shoulder.

"Frank's right, Leon," Adam Benford, the late U.S. President, nodded towards the group before looking the seasoned agent in the eye, "it was our time - and if it keeps you all alive longer, I don't regret going out as I did; on the contrary, I'm glad it was you who laid me to rest."

"But if I'd only been quicker-!" Leon objected.

"Then you and Helena would've been infected too," Adam retorted, "I forgive you both for being human, Leon... but you've got to go back; end this mess. Work with the Behavioral Analysis Unit and the BSAA - stop Simmons and his minions, this Carla included... do it for me."

"For all of us." Frank added.

"We will," Helena nodded firmly.

"We will." Carter affirmed through a taut, determined jaw.

"I gave up a chance with mom," Jason revealed, "so madness like what Carla is creating could be prevented. In one universe, Deborah dies, which leads to the slow destruction of every bond here; BAU Team One is never the same again... and eventually dies out. In another universe, Simmons wins a fight against you - and Carla destroys the world anyway, despite all the best efforts of everyone here and on that Earth. It... isn't a pretty picture."

The haunted expression on the young angel's face made the group cringe.

"We won't let it happen that way again, Jason," JJ vowed as she and Helena got to their feet, "not here."

"Thanks, mom," Jason smiled. Katie and Henry Sr. smiled beside him.

"And don't forget," Katie added, "we're here if you need us. All of us."

"We'll remember, Katie," Carter grinned.

"And we won't stop fighting until we've taken our last breaths." Leon added.

With that, the quartet of agents shielded their eyes as the world went white...

---

"Ugh..." Helena grimaced as she shook her head, "Did anyone get the number of that building that we hit?"

'I think it was the Ace of Spades, H,' Garcia deadpanned, sighing in relief.

"That was a rhetorical question, Blossom," Carter groaned, ignoring Garcia's scowl, "Damn, I don't think I'll ever look at the BAU jet the same way after this... what a mess. We're lucky we're not mortally injured."

"Or worse," JJ groaned, "Man, that landing... ugh. Leon - you all right?"

"I'll live," Leon grimaced as he unbuckled from his seat, grateful that the chairs didn't break up with the rest of the plane, "Though believe me - I'm tempted to steal a Lethal Weapon quote or two right now."

"Let's just get out of this slag heap; get our bearings," Helena nodded towards an opening in the hull, where a pile of debris created a rudimentary exit. After gathering supplies and ammo (while pondering the 'vision' they'd just experienced) the four carefully navigated the debris, wincing all the way... and then they encountered a surprise.

"Leon? Carter!"

The two men turned at the sound of their names - and encountered the shock of their lives. Two people, one male (wearing black jeans and a loose black v-neck long-sleeved tee) and one female (wearing a modern-day answer to a Japanese schoolgirl outfit with trousers instead of a skirt), both very familiar to Carter and Leon.

"Sherry?" Leon breathed.

"Sherry Birkin, as I live and breathe!" Carter laughed as the younger blonde Agent sprinted forward, tackling him in a hug, "For being MIA six months you look as beautiful as you ever have - where the devil have you been?"

"Taken hostage," Sherry explained grimly, "By Neo-Umbrella. Jake and I both were... it took this long to find a way out and contact my superiors."

Carter nodded, good humor giving way to the full battlefield seriousness he'd been trained in.

"Well, it's good to see you survived, old friend; I'm sorry you had to go through that experimental bullshit a second time... when this is over, we'll find a way to back you up again."

The FBI Special Agent then let go of his old friend and extended his hand towards her battle partner.

"I'm Special Agent Carter Myers, FBI," Carter introduced himself, "You've already met DSO Agent Leon Kennedy, and the ladies are our friends, Secret Service Agent Helena Harper and FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer Jareau - call her JJ if you want t live."

"Jake Muller, ex-mercenary," the man himself replied, shaking Carter's hand firmly before nodding respectfully at the others, "You guys know Sherry?"

"Leon helped her in Raccoon City fifteen years ago - and Sherry and I trained together during my Academy days," Carter smiled, "She's one of the best friends I've got from that time... she saved my life once. Then again, I saved hers twice; maybe we can finally call it square after this."

"Sounds just like her," Jake chuckled softly, sharing a grin with the young Special Agent before Leon took back the conversation.

"So what are you two doing here?" the ex-RPD officer asked.

"I'm on protective detail," Sherry explained, nodding towards Jake.

"She became a full-fledged Agent the same time I did," Carter confirmed, "First big assignment, huh kiddo?"

Sherry smiled wryly at her old friend - the one person who treated her like a kid sister (despite her being two years Carter's senior) during training instead of basically ignoring her.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"We're tracking the man behind all this," Leon explained, "Chief Security Advisor Simmons."

"What?!" Sherry gaped, "There must be some sort of mistake - I report to Simmons!"

"He's your supervisor?" Leon growled, his expression hardening.

"We're on our way to meet with him right now." Sherry replied.

"Where is he?" Leon ground out. Upon noticing that the older man was about to lose his temper completely, Carter marshalled all the strength, control and diplomatic skill he could - and after throwing a 'back off!' glare at Leon, stepped in front of the ex-cop.

"Sherry, listen," the junior DSO Agent's closest friend near her age interjected calmly, "I know he's your supervisor, and I understand you want to protect your guardian... but Simmons has created a giant nightmare. The C-Virus you're trying to find an antibody to? It was created by rogue elements of an ancient organization called The Family - an organization that he heads. And you remember I told you about Deborah, right? She's Helena's sister... and she's on ice because of them - she almost died because of them... and dad and the President really are dead because of them. Tall Oaks, the President, dad... Simmons' actions condemned over seventy thousand people to oblivion; we barely escaped Tall Oaks and contacted my team before the place went the way of Raccoon City."

"The President's dead...? A-and your father?" Sherry looked to her friend with wide eyes. Carter nodded grimly, causing her eyes to well with tears; Frank Myers, for all his intimidating stature and battle-hardened toughness, had treated her like another daughter on the rare occasions they'd met - and had survived Raccoon City, Harvardville and countless other disasters alongside the likes of David Rossi and Chris Redfield.

'If he fell...' Sherry's thoughts trailed off as Carter continued his speech.

"We've got to take Simmons in, to see that justice is served - and we need your help to do it. Will you help us?"

Sherry's look of indecisiveness spurred both Carter and Jake to act.

"Sherry, please," Carter added, taking a step forward, "We need to know-"

"Hey!" Jake barked, pushing the survivalist back a few paces - an impressive feat, given Carter's superior muscle mass. As Sherry pulled Jake back in turn, she didn't fail to notice Helena and JJ both place a hand on their holstered handguns... or the flash of hurt that flared up in the eyes of the man who'd befriended them all. Sherry tried to catch his eye, an apologetic gleam in her own - she failed, as Carter's expression hardened completely and he turned away. With that, she and Jake had a quiet conversation... as Helena pulled Carter into a tight hug and JJ placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, both women knowing all too well the pain he was feeling.

"She'll come around, Carter," Helena murmured, "I did after our first big argument. Remember?"

Carter bit back mirthless laughter as he recalled the first argument he'd had with Helena - the day they met, after Deborah introduced them and watched Carter defeat Helena in an impromptu spar. After the rush had ended, Helena had apologized for trying to fight dirty (she'd attempted to knee him in the groin after yielding the fight) - which Carter had laughingly accepted, promising to introduce her and Deborah to his father so they could all learn how to really fight, dirty or otherwise.

'I've got to hope Sherry won't sacrifice our friendship for her guardian... I've got to believe in her now, just like I believed in Helena then.'

"Thanks, H," Carter smiled weakly.

Helena smiled softly, ghosting her lips over the corner of Carter's mouth before looking up, behind Sherry and Jake... and receiving the shock of her life as she saw what looked like a massive humanoid holding up a jet engine.

"Look out!" she cried.

As the humanoid (Ustanak, as the Agents would later learn it was called) threw the engine, Leon reached for Sherry only to find Jake had dove away from the massive projectile with her in his arms. JJ and Leon ducked, as Helena was covered by Carter - who'd copied Jake's move almost flawlessly, diving away from JJ.

"Guys," JJ cried as she stood up, noticing the same thing Helena had, "The plane!"

Looking up, the group gaped in shock - Ustanak was easily seven feet tall, 100% muscle... and partially cybernetic, the Agents noted, seeing that the B.O.W.'s left arm was all machine, currently taking the form of a massive claw.

"Not him again!?" Jake groaned as the group lined up - six gun-wielders, ready to take on another in a long line of bio-organic weapons.

"Friend of yours?" Leon asked.

"More like an ex-girlfriend," Jake grumbled, "Bastard doesn't know when to quit."

As Ustanak jumped to the ground, the six bioterrorism fighters raised their weapons, aiming at the monster.

"Welcome to the club," Leon snarked.

"We have fine furry friends and cookies; need some membership cards, though," Carter deadpanned from Leon's other side. Jake raised an eyebrow, throwing a sidelong glance at both men. Sherry raised an eyebrow at Helena and JJ, receiving wry grins in return.

"You get used to it." Leon rumbled, referring both to the sarcasm and the amount of implacable enemies that had pursued him in battle. Jake and Sherry nodded before turning their attention back towards Ustanak... and seconds later, the battle began.

---

As the five government agents (and one ex-mercenary) fought in yet another pitched battle against a B.O.W., Penelope Garcia cursed the fact she was but a simple tech analyst... for a simple tech analyst could do nothing to help her newest brother and sister-in-arms in what looked to be a very tough fight. If the two women sitting with Garcia felt anything like she did, they certainly hid it well.

"Don't think like that, PG," Emily chided the normally sassy hacker as the trio of Agents in the 'Bedazzled Batcave' observed the fight through cameras attached to their friends' earpieces, and a spy satellite Garcia had hacked to aid Hunnigan and track their teammates, "They'll make it."

"How do you know?" Garcia asked shakily, "How can you know?"

"We know," Zoe replied from Garcia's other side, "Because Carter is the son of legendary USMC Captain Frank Myers - Frank trained Carter himself over the last 20 years and served with Rossi in the Marine Corps, if you'll recall the stories that Rossi and Carter have told us. It took nearly fifty years in the Corps and a bioterrorism attack while his guard was downfor Frank to fall - and Carter's even stronger now than his dad was at his prime. He won't be defeated, Garcia; he will not die - not now. Not to that monster, not to some virus, not to anything that these Neo-Umbrella bastards have to throw at him and the others. He's too strong and has got too much to live for."

"Besides, JJ's with him," Emily smiled, "She's FBI, just like us - something I know a lot of us forget at times - and she saved the future for all of us over the years, remember?"

"Yeah," Garcia swallowed, grimacing as she tasted something bitter in the back of her throat, "I remember... But we're past the point where she knows the future; we passed that point years ago."

"Maybe," Zoe replied, her and Ashley having been filled in on JJ's biggest secret when Carter joined the BAU, "But haven't she and Reid both proven over that entire timeframe that enough willpower and preparation can work miracles? Look," the auburn-haired Agent nodded towards the screen showing battle footage via the hacked spy satellite, "She's got Reid's gun, and that monster's not touching her no matter what it does; in a way it's fighting seven people, not six... and it's fighting two teams, not just one."

"How...?" Garcia gaped as JJ made an extremely agile shot with her MP-5 to free a struggling Helena, who the monster had taken captive as a shield. The tech analyst's eyes widened as Carter covered Helena while she reloaded and recovered, the duo and JJ attacking the enemy with a flurry of knives, bullets, fists and feet afterwards.

"JJ and Carter," Emily grinned, "In spirit, they've got Agent Kennedy, Agent Birkin and that Jake guy, Helena, the whole BAU, Frank Myers, and Deborah with them... that strength of spirit gives them the will to keep on going; makes them almost invincible in this kind of fight."

"They wouldn't have that strength without us, would they?" Garcia breathed.

"No," Emily replied, "They wouldn't. Not completely, anyway."

"That's why we've got to trust them," Zoe reaffirmed, "JJ saved all three of us and the rest of the team from as much unnecessary pain as she could - she made our lives better, saved some of us from death, gave some of us a future here where none existed in 'canon'; in this timeline - years before there was even a BAU as we know it now - Carter made her life better, saving her future as he saved her from burnout. Now they're both trying to stop a madman who's worse than any UnSub bar the international terrorists the BAU has dealt with. JJ accomplished her goal, and we all solved those cases and won those challenges; they can do the same now."

"Don't worry, Garcia!" Leon grunted over the comms, "We're all where we need to be - never doubt that!"

"Leon?" Garcia gulped, "You heard all that?"

"We all did." the ex-cop confirmed.

"Have faith, Pen," JJ grimaced as she dodged the monster's charge with agility her teammates had never seen before, "We can do this - but you have to trust us; you have to believe in us!"

"We do believe in you, JJ," Emily replied, "Always have, always will."

"You told me once, Batgirl - when things seemed at their bleakest for me, right after I joined the Unit and dad went MIA for six months - that in the darkness, as long as we're part of this team we are never alone!" Carter growled, "You said that if a team member's lost in the shadows then the rest are there, waving flashlights and candles and calling us home - was that a lie or not!?"

"No way!" Garcia ground out, "Carter, I'd never lie to you - not like that! None of us would, not after politics and deception nearly destroyed this team before!"

"We're all here, Carter," Zoe added, "No matter what... you're our brother, remember? We're all family; we all love you and JJ so much! We'll be here for you for life, just like you are for us."

"Then keep those flashlights and candles handy, guys!" Carter retorted, "'Cause damn, do we need some sweetness and light in this shit heap!"

As the comms went silent once more while the battle intensified, shivers went down the spines of the three women within Garcia's lair... there was an odd sense of déjà vu in the air that they couldn't place. Emily and Garcia in particular felt lumps clog their throats and their eyes burn with unshed tears; for Emily an unexplainable longing to be with her lost teammates ached in her heart, while Garcia wished her husband would just call her already.

Zoe, meanwhile, didn't even try to hide her tears, hiccupping through her sobs as she recalled the hug she'd shared with Carter not even two days before... and longing for another one.

When the screen flared white moments later, a tower in the area falling on top of the B.O.W. and creating a bright explosion, the three women cheered - their teammates and allies in China had triumphed relatively unscathed, though Agent Birkin and her companion had been separated from the others... not, however, before the younger blonde had told them where to go next.

"The Kwun Leng building in Koocheng, huh?" JJ mused, "Garcia, it's JJ - can you and Hunnigan pull up maps of the area for us?"

"It won't show hostile presence, JJ," Emily warned, "It's a map - not radar."

"It won't have to be radar, Prentiss," Leon replied, "Carter and I have both been in enough hot zones that our instincts will suffice, and Helena's no slouch herself."

"Which is nothing compared to JJ," Helena teased, "Her battle instincts have been hardened steel ever since we played soccer together."

"Good enough for us," Garcia nodded, typing quickly on a keyboard, "Carter, JJ - map's on the way. Leon, Helena - Hunnigan's sending your copies."

"Thanks, guys," JJ smiled, "You'd better not just be watching us, Pen."

"Oh, no," Garcia smirked, "Most of the others are on a case, and my Chocolate God hasn't called yet - so the ladies and I have Tetris running too."

Leon stumbled in surprise; JJ and Helena both raised an eyebrow each as they glanced at each other; Carter choked back a laugh.

"You're killing me here, Blossom!"

"Tough Guy, I keep telling you and my Chocolate Thunder," Garcia smirked, "Don't hate the player - hate the game."

"Okay, player," Carter chortled, "Our bad. So we cut through the market up ahead?"

"That's right," Garcia confirmed, with Hunnigan backing up her confirmation a moment later.

"Be careful, guys," Emily added as she checked the satellite footage, "That market looks like it's been locked down; perfect spot for a trap."

"Why am I suddenly recalling old movie dialogue?" Carter groaned.

"Because you're a brainiac and a survival nut?" Helena teased, stifling a laugh behind one hand as Carter smirked at her.

"Nobody's ever complained before, Helena - least of all you."

"Never will, either." the Secret Service Agent smiled fondly.

"Save the flirting for later, guys," JJ grinned, "We've got a market to clear out."

"Well, shit..." Zoe grimaced a few minutes later as the office-bound Agents continued observing the situation their teammates were in, "That is just nasty."

"No kidding," Emily gulped, "I thought I'd seen a lot, but... damn."

Garcia was silent; as the Agents in China had hit a brick wall in the form of a tri-locked door, and subsequently found a B.O.W. called Rasklapanje, according to the files received from Carter, the tech analyst was fighting the urge to gag... yet she couldn't look away from her screen as Rasklapanje appeared from within slabs of meat - in pieces, no less - and assembled itself into a faceless humanoid form right before her friends' eyes.

"Well, that's different," Leon grimaced.

"The residents here must've locked down the street to keep this monster out," JJ theorized, raising Reid's revolver, "I wonder..."

JJ fired a shot - which split Rasklapanje in two at the waist - and then the two halves reconnected flawlessly, the B.O.W.'s "face" looking towards JJ with what would've been a glare if it had eyes... or a face at all.

"Well, that was productive," Helena grimaced as the Agents fell back, referring to the maps Garcia and Hunnigan had sent them for guidance.

"That thing's called Rasklapanje, if I remember the info correctly," Garcia asked, quickly typing on a keyboard nearby as she pulled up some files from the database of flash drives Carter had salvaged, "Try heat," the quirky tech analyst suggested, "The files you gave me say that's its weakness."

"Garcia, I like a good barbeque as much as the next man, but... ah, hell with it. Burn these bastards or burn ammo; keeping ammo takes priority." Carter conceded, grabbing an incendiary grenade in each hand and passing both to JJ, before grabbing two more, passing them to Helena and holding his last grenade in hand.

"Find those keys," Carter ordered, "And watch for anymore flash drives; I'll hold this bastard off and meet you at the door."

"Carter," Prentiss groaned, "Dammit, why must you be the hero?"

"Best survival rating in my class, Buttercup," Carter replied as his incendiary grenade reduced the monster's exoskeleton to ashes, allowing Carter to shred the parasite within to pieces with his knives, "You know that. Three keys, three people to spare - Helena and Leon have a good dynamic already, and JJ's already got the first key."

"We'll keep each other safe as we grab the second key," JJ replied, grabbing an unattached arm of another Rasklapanje as it flew past her, shoving it in a pot of boiling soup nearby while Carter cussed up a storm under his breath, "Count on it, Emily. We want to come back alive as much as you want us back."

"We're gonna need some serious decon when this is over, though," Carter grimaced as he dodged another flying piece of Rasklapanje, "CDC-level, easily."

"No different from any other outbreak," Leon replied as he gave Helena a boost over a large gap in the rooftops to help her reach the third key, "CDC and I are practically best friends, especially after my little trek into the Eastern Slav Republic last year."

"Something tells me they'll be getting to know the BAU again after this shit too," Carter grimaced.

"More than they already do, anyway," JJ added, "The strains of Anthrax we've encountered since the Raccoon City Incident and Amerithrax almost equal the amount of B.O.W. outbreaks since then; CDC's met us at every turn."

"I know," Leon nodded, "I've read the files. Your team does good work - they'd make great DSO Agents."

"Yeah, except one problem," Carter chuckled, "We're all ridiculously loyal to the Bureau, each other and Chief Gideon; we'd never leave the Unit, Leon... or at least, never split apart."

"Aw, too bad." the older man deadpanned.

"Hey," JJ teased, "We can still work together now; this isn't over yet."

"And when this is over," Helena smiled, "Who's to say the BAU and the DSO won't work together again anyway? Our purposes are... very similar."

"We will," Carter replied firmly, "And you'll be right there with us delivering profiles to detain the enemy, Helena - you and Deborah both."

"Got that right," Zoe added from Garcia's lair, "And we'll welcome you with open arms - this team could use some more girl power."

"Oh, like six women aren't enough right now?" Carter joked.

"Hey," Emily shot back, "The male-female ratio's been six to six including old teammates ever since you joined; before that us girls were always outnumbered two to one. Time the guys felt the burn."

"Amen to that, sister!" Helena grinned; Carter groaned softly.

"We're doomed," the BAU's youngest Agent deadpanned.

"So doomed," Leon added sardonically with a dry grin, to playful - if devious - laughter from the Tech Goddess and her 'minions'.

The whole time, the four Agents had been collecting keys and a couple flash drives while dodging multiple Rasklapanje as best they could, working their way back through the maze that the market had been transformed into and meeting up back at the tri-locked door.

"I hate regeneration..." Carter groaned, "At least when Sherry isn't the one doing it!"

"At least they're weak against fire," Zoe mused, "Be glad you kept that set of grenades."

"Yeah, that's the good news," JJ replied, "Bad news is we only had the five; the rest we've found so far were standards and flash bangs."

"Lovely," Emily grimaced.

"Well, let's keep going," Leon replied as the locks opened, allowing him to push the door open, "We've got an enemy to catch."

However, as the Agents stepped through, guns raised as JJ and Carter kicked the door shut again to forcibly reset the locks, Zoe and Emily's eyes both narrowed (Garcia was doing work for the team) as they saw a vent lid fall at the opposite side of the room.

"Careful, guys," Emily warned.

"Prentiss?" Leon blinked, stopping in his tracks as Carter signalled the ladies to stop.

"Something else is in there," Zoe added, "and I don't think it's a survivor."

"Got it," Carter replied, "We'll be carefu- nine o'clock, JJ!"

The survivalist's shouted warning had come just in time - for one last Rasklapanje had appeared and moved towards the Pennsylvania Petite and Helena. Yet as Helena dodged to the side, instead of doing the same (or being shoved into a meat grinder's fan by the humanoid B.O.W.) JJ fought back as Rasklapanje pushed her, her back hitting the edge of the machine as JJ's arms were straining to keep the monster's 'mouth' from devouring her - or its arms from pushing her into the grinder and turning her into human sausages. All the while, her partners surrounded JJ and the B.O.W., trying to get a clear shot that didn't involve hitting the former athlete.

After a minute of struggling - that to the Agents felt closer to five minutes - JJ finally found a good angle to strike, as Rasklapanje opened its 'mouth' and moved to attack.

"You want to... kiss something, buddy... feel free to... go ahead..." JJ grunted, pushing her terror aside as the B.O.W. pulled back slightly for its final attack, leaving an opening for JJ to exploit as she managed to shove a leg in place of her left arm.

"But it won't-!"

With a hip shot from Reid's revolver, JJ forced Rasklapanje back a pace.

"Be-!"

A thrust kick forced the B.O.W. back another pace, letting JJ get another breath as her opponent tried to get back in range.

"ME!"

As Rasklapanje moved forward, JJ sidestepped - and with a textbook roundhouse kick to its back, the FBI Supervisory Special Agent sent the monster flying... and falling right into the meat grinder. After the grinding stopped, Carter looked at his old friend in pride and admiration, knowing in the depths of his soul that which he'd just seen proof of seconds ago: the strength that Jennifer Jareau Reid possessed was indescribable. Helena grinned at her unofficial second sister with pure pride in her heart - while the beautiful tomboy had always known her former partner-in-sports was tough emotionally, it was nice to see JJ still had her old physical strength too.

Leon, for all his skills, looked at JJ with newfound respect.

"That..." JJ exhaled slowly, calming her rapidly beating heart, "was too close."

"Yeah," Helena deadpanned, "That monster almost shredded your ponytail, JJ."

"And your head," Carter smiled faintly - though it came out as a tight grimace, "Way to go, Bubbles."

"If the BAU ever gets tired of you, the DSO could use a good hand-to-hand instructor," Leon teased.

Cheeks flushed a rosy pink from the exertion and the compliments, JJ responded in kind.

"I'll pass on the message to Morgan, then."

Helena and JJ shared a smirk as Leon and Carter fought the urge to facepalm.

"Okay, you win that one," Carter groaned, "Now let's keep moving - we've got an enemy to destroy."

Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple - as JJ, Leon and Carter later found out first-hand after moving through the door ahead.

An encounter with Carla Radames, a doppelgänger of their erstwhile ally Ada Wong, forced a slight detour - and after hearing rifle fire directed in Carla's general direction, the group decided to investigate the situation. It was discovered, however, thanks in no small part to the vision the deceased Jareau family had sent the group (as well as Carter and JJ's profiling skills) that the woman wearing a blue dress and red scarf was not Ada, for all the similarities she shared with her... and the four government Agents weren't alone. At the end of all the laser traps, minefields, smoke and mirrors Leon and Carter charged ahead at top speed upon hearing a familiar voice, JJ and Helena keeping pace with them stride for stride as best they could even as they were teased about being 'take-charge kinda girls'.

As Leon had a brawl with a friend of his, BSAA Captain Chris Redfield, Carter jumped into the brawl briefly - before he noticed the Ada-knockoff, used Chris' shoulder as a springboard and nailed 'Ada' to the wall with a single punch, holding his Sig Sauer to her face and pinning her to the wall with one leg, the other knee set to hit her groin. JJ and Helena worked with the Captain's teammate, Agent Piers Nivans, to cover Carter during his impromptu interrogation... which quickly became personal as Leon and Chris stalemated in their fight, handguns pointed at each other.

"The real Ada Wong," Carter growled, his left hand gripping the Sig Sauer as his dominant arm pinned Carla to the wall by her neck, "Was my father's friend. She saved his life in Raccoon City just as he saved hers, and she helped his legacy further by aiding me in Tall Oaks yesterday. For all her espionage and all the unknowns about her, Ada dressed respectfully and treated us all with that same respect - you, on the other hand, dress like a slut, act like a bitch and have done nothing but sow disdain and destruction! Captain Redfield's original squad, his new team, Europe, China... where else, 'Ada'? Where else are you planning to unleash hell!? Tell me, now - and identify yourself, with your real name! Maybe then you'll live to see sunrise."

"Live?" Chris growled, "As what, some key witness? She's the one who did all this!"

"It wasn't just her," Leon retorted, "It was Simmons - the National Security Advisor!"

"I LOST ALL MY MEN BECAUSE OF HER!" Chris roared.

"And we lost over seventy thousand people, including the President, because of Simmons!" Leon countered.

"You'll never know for sure what comes next, Myers - any of it," the mysterious lookalike to Ada taunted, "But soon, the dead will flood the streets."

"What?" JJ's eyes narrowed as she adjusted her aim, drawing her Glock as well - and pointing both guns at Carla over Carter's shoulders.

"Déjà vu, Agents," Ada's clone smirked coldly, "Raccoon Revisited."

"She's working for Neo-Umbrella," Redfield growled, "you know what that means?"

"We do." Leon, Carter and JJ nodded, Helena silently watching Carter and JJ's backs with her handgun.

"And you're still going to protect this woman!?" Redfield asked, throwing Leon a sharp look.

"I am." Leon nodded sombrely.

"No!" Carter barked at Leon, "The real Ada, yes - but not this cheap clone!" The young agent turned back to the woman in the revealing blue dress, red scarf and knee-high boots.

"Who are you? Tell me now, or you'll be short a brain to even think with!"

"If you think your threats scare me, you big, bad wannabe soldier," Carla taunted, "You're wrong... but then again, you won't live long enough for any of it to matter. None of you will."

And suddenly, unseen to all until the last possible second, a flash-bang grenade went off... and Carter and JJ were down, ears ringing and eyesight momentarily useless, even as the rest of the group managed to shield their eyes somewhat.

---

"Freeze!"

The cry - and the sound of rifle fire - cut through the high-pitched whine piercing JJ's ears; as her sight cleared up, she raised an arm at the figure just finishing soaring through the air - and fired two shots.

The bang of her Glock firing not only shocked Carter back to full awareness - the shots also hit Ada's doppelganger in the leg, causing her to grimace in surprised pain upon landing... and take three minor hits from Piers' gunfire as a result before limping out of a side door.

"Captain, hold on!" Carter barked, seeing Helena sprint after Piers out of the corner of his eye.

"He's gonna kill her!" Helena objected as JJ stopped her going any further.

"Chris, wait!" Leon added, grabbing the former soldier by the arm as Carter blocked his path physically, "we all want the same thing here."

Looking ahead at the path his battle partner had taken in pursuit of Ada's clone, Chris nodded, his anger evaporating into determination.

"Alright," Redfield relaxed before looking Carter in the eye, "I don't know if you're right about this Ada being a clone of the real one, but who or whatever she is - the BSAA will handle her. You take care of Simmons."

"Yes, sir," Carter nodded, "Good luck... bring that witch to justice for all of us - and for our friends at home."

"I will," Chris confirmed, "And good luck to you, Myers; you and your friends stay with Leon. I'll see you when this is over - we'll talk more then."

JJ and Helena nodded. After bumping fists with Leon like a teenager and shaking Carter's hand like the solid soldier both men were, Chris walked off - only to stop as Leon called him one last time.

"I know you'll do the right thing."

Chris threw the group a warm smile before walking away - and this time, no one stopped him.

"Are you sure we can rely on him?" Helena asked cautiously.

"He's been in this as long as I have," Leon replied, "I trust him."

"Frank did too, back in the day - when Umbrella was first found out by the S.T.A.R.S., and they did everything they could to shut the corporation down, Frank and my dad both helped where they could; so did Kate Callahan and her father, back before her Bureau days," JJ added, recalling one of the last pieces of information she'd gotten from the Myers family before things went sour all those years ago, "If Chris needs help now... well, that's more than enough in my books."

"Then let's leave Cap to his chase," Carter replied firmly, "and handle ours."

As JJ holstered her husband's revolver and followed behind the group with Glock in hand, her eyes caught the doorway Agents Redfield and Nivans had gone through in their pursuit of 'Ada'. Helena noticed JJ's temporary diversion, and squeezed her shoulder in support.

"They'll be ok, JJ," Helena smiled faintly, "BSAA's good at what they do... and I know Piers; he'll keep Captain Redfield alive."

"'Piers', huh?" JJ grinned, "Something I should tell Carter?"

"Besides the fact Carter heard your conversation and already knows about Piers Nivans, Helena's best friend while I was away?" the young soldier teased over the comms, making both women jump, "Don't worry, JJ - I trust Helena every bit as much as I trust you... and it's not like she and Deborah didn't have a life while we were apart."

The expression of guilt that flashed over Helena's face for an instant made JJ pause as she filed the occurrence away for future perusal.

'Whatever's going on with you, Harper,' JJ mused, 'We're getting to the bottom of it sooner or later.'

---

"Hey, how was I supposed to know Carter wouldn't ditch me after everything was over?" Helena complained, "Even if only in my own books at the time, I'd assisted in the attack on the President! And it's like I said before... Carter... he'd changed."

"We all did," JJ nodded, "You, me, Deborah, Kate and the team... we all grew and changed and evolved into who we are now, but in all the ways that mattered we never split apart. Our friendships have fractured, the bonds we've shared with our friends and teammates have splintered and been reformed over and over again... but they've never died, no matter what we've gone through."

"Those friendships kept Piers alive when all hope seemed lost," Deborah recalled, "If not for that he'd be six feet under right now."

"Instead he gets to leave hospital in six days," Helena conceded, "Point taken... I should've had more faith in Piers."

"In all your friends," JJ grinned tiredly, "I don't recall much of the torture from when Hastings and Askari had me captive a couple months back... but I do remember being drugged; I remember that when any of your faces showed up in those damn hallucinations, I fought back - and when Spence's face was used once..."

"They must've been real unhappy when you broke through that illusion," Deborah grinned, "You knew it wasn't us?"

"You'd never ask me to give up," JJ nodded, "None of you would ever ask me to give up on my country, on you, or on myself."

"And you'd never have given up Integrity's codes of your own will." Helena mused.

"That's right," JJ confirmed, "In my heart, I know you've all got my back even in the most classified of missions. You should know, Helena... Carter's got yours, more than he ever had mine during that rescue."

"He ran like a man possessed just to catch up, though; I remember that gunfight," Helena mused, "We all came to your location once we deduced it was Cramer Industries; Hotch and Prentiss went for your location, Carter led Deborah and I on one end of the warehouse; Reid, Morgan and Seaver with Hawkes, Rossi and Blake in tri-teams in other sections; we ran into opposition, saw Hastings and JJ head to the roof during our running gunfight... and then Carter just lost it. Asked us all for covering fire; damn near got himself killed - I know for a fact his vest got hit twice by enemy fire even as he killed any enemy in his way... yet he stayed standing; still helped you once he got to the roof - fought Hastings off, saved your blonde butt from even coming close to that ledge even as Hastings fell to his doom; held on as Cruz was sent to hospital, made sure you wouldn't break down..."

"And then broke himself from the pain," JJ frowned, "I remember that too. His uncle would be real proud; in service to his closest friends... almost everything was damaged after those shots."

"Damaged - not dead. Better a temporarily broken body than having to attend your funeral at this age, Jareau," Carter retorted firmly as he exited the kitchen, setting plates of lasagna on the living room table, "I have fought and would fight with worse injuries than that to protect my family - and bum ribs suck, by the way!"

"They tend to when shards of broken bone pierce your lungs because of kamikaze stunts, Myers," JJ replied, "Yeah, you and Emily helped me, saved me from falling to my death and helped keep Integrity safe... but none of us know how you held on so long after it happened - those ribs should've left you in agony after you helped pull me up!"

"Strong constitution," Carter smiled as he sat down and placed a hand on JJ's shoulder, "Iron will... and a tremendous sense of duty. My sister was in trouble, held hostage by the enemy; I had to have her back until the bitter end, no matter how much my body demanded to shut down. It'd be an insult to all of us... to our family, guys, to do any different; I don't regret the effort nor the consequences."

The three women smiled at the young Agent, before starting on dinner... and then resuming their perusal through the diary.

---

A/N: And hopefully, with spare time and energy having returned to my life, I'm back. To those concerned with my absence, I apologize; 2013 ended with a disastrous bang, and 2014 had... a hell of a start to it. The results had my life bottom out briefly to the point the muse took a vacation from the melancholia - but a degree of stability, and a degree of happiness has returned. To those who remain after over a year's absence - my thanks for your patience. To those who have stumbled into this adventure, welcome aboard - sit back and enjoy the ride.

It promises to be fun.