The Flight

Time to Heal

The team's excitement grows greater the closer they get to Quantico. They sit and talk amongst each other when the pilots give them the heads up that they are about fifteen minutes out. 

They all look out their windows as familiar sights come into view and the thought of being home again becomes a reality. 

"I think Pete was planning to drop the others off and then take Kate to the hospital. Is that okay?" Dean asks as the sight of Quantico comes into view.

Hotch nods, "it would be faster that way, thank you."

"No problem," replies Dean, "we are going to be landing here in a minute."

After a minute of getting lower and lower, the two helicopters finally land on the ground.

Everyone quickly gets out onto the landing pad and break into a small cheer before several agents run through the doors, wondering who had just landed.

Before they met with confused federal agents for the unplanned and not radioed in landing, the director, along with Kevin and Agent Anderson, walk through the doors and meet them. 

"Oh thank God you all made it back safely," Kevin says as he shakes their hands and hugs Garcia.

"Wait, where's Kate?" Anderson asks after greeting the rest of the team.

"She was injured during the crash. She was going to get flown to the hospital after they dropped us off," Rossi replies.

"Well get going! We'll radio you in and meet you there," the director orders as they all scramble and an agent runs to the tower to call in the helicopter.

"Aaron, would you please go with them?" the director asks. Hotch nods and hops into the helicopter with Pete waiting.

The blades start to spin again and they lift off, Aaron looking down at his tired team.

When they reach the hospital's landing pad, there is already an emergency team waiting for them.

The crew carefully takes Kate out of the helicopter and puts her on a stretcher and run her inside.

Hotch tries to run along beside them, wanting to stay by Kate's side, but a nurse stops him at the door to the surgery room.

"I am with her. She is a member of the FBI and I should be able to stay with her," Hotch says quickly and impatiently to the nurse.

"I'm sorry hun. We should take a look at you anyways, you seem a little beat up," she replies in a calm voice.

Hotch had tried to block out the pain coming from his head and his arm, trying to protect and lead his team.

He nods and lets the nurse lead him into another room where she unwraps his arm and takes a careful look at it.

"Does this hurt?" she asks as she lifts his arm.

Pain tingles through his arm and Hotch nods slightly, trying to remain calm and together.

"Well, I don't think it's broken but the bone is bruised and it's sprained badly but I don't think we'll have to put you in a cast, a brace for a month or so should do the job."

The nurse walks out of the room to retrieve a brace and place a prescription for his head. Hotch walks out of his room and walks down the hall, running into the team.

"How's Kate?" Reid and Garcia stand, asking at the same time.

"I don't know. That's why I came down here to ask the front desk. They separated us as they wheeled her into surgery."