Jet Lag

Chapter 7: Delirium

Movies do this thing where they slow the motion. The adrenaline is coursing. The snow, rain, or whatever emitoinal thing, is falling along the scene. You watch as the camera pans out and captures your hero wounded. The damsel begging and crying for him. He normally prospers. Sometimes he dies.

"Bastard." Ah. Ha. Ha. Ha. Staying Alive. Staying Alive. "Selfish dick." We're staying alive. We're staying alive. "Come on you stupid prick." Ah. Ha. Ha. Ha. Staying Alive. "You're killing me." Ah. Ha. H-

"Stop!"

Rossi moves away as Emily pulls Hotch over by his shoulder on to his side.

Emily mumbles to him, rubbing his shoulder to try and spur some reaction out of him.

"Dammit!" Rossi stands up and kicks at the tree closest to them. "Fucking snow!" He falls down beside the tree and cradles his head. "Son of a bitch. Stupid fuck-"

Garcia

"I saw them!" The man in charge of the rescue unit reminds her of Hotch. Yet, a better twist. A Hotch with a drunk Rossi twist. A lovely man who is a stubborn asshole.

"I don't doubt that you saw them," he assures her gently. He's younger than Hotch and Rossi, he might be pushing 34. "I do, however, know that I can do nothing to help your friends once the sun goes down." The man, he has a name but God she can't think of anything except the odd ways he holds his eyebrows, tries to talk again but Garcia cuts him off.

"No, I don't think you understand." There are tears in her eyes that are making the man's odd eyebrows disappear. "They're my family. They're all I have. They're out there cold, wet, and they know that I'm gonna come and save them. I'm gonna save them because they save everyone else!" She furiously wipes away a tear," and I'm tired of them always getting hurt." She collects herself with an unsteady voice," so we're gonna go out there and we're gonna save them."

The man takes in a deep breath and turns away from the woman who has made his last couple days a living hell. "I want Andy on the sled. Mark, Jacob, and Lane I want lanterns and all first aids looked over again. Then on I want you on sleds. Now, lets go." When they don't start moving he shouts," did I stutter? Come on people!"

The man turns back to Garcia," we'll find them."

Garcia nods," you bet your ass we will."

JJ

"No, you don't understand."

A week straight from hell. Children did this to her. Her loving, adorable, shit head excuse of children. Then Garcia called.

"Ma'am," the man's thick French accent is getting on her very last nerve. "I understand-"

Oh God... I'm pulling this card. "Listen, sir, I've spent the last month on maternity leave. Today I got a call from a friend, a fellow federal agent whom I work with, to find out the men and women I call my family, have gone off the grid. They were in a jet crash."

The man puts down the phone and points her in the direction of the gate.

"Thank you."

JJ (Present)

"Excuse me?" With each passing moment, she is growing more and more agitated. "Do you happen to know where Penelope Garcia is?"

The man who she had been attempting to asks just keeps walking.

She rolls her eyes and turns to the next person," sir-" That woman walks away too. "Okay! SOMEONE, PLEASE HELP ME!"

Now with everyone's attention on her, she clears her throat. "I need to find-"

"JJ!"

JJ turns around a tear-stained Garcia is staring back at her," I'm so glad you're here."

Garcia meets her in the middle and they pull one another into a tight hug.

"They're gone, JJ." Garcia sniffles and wipes her eyes. "They're out there in the cold. Hurt. I can't even help them."

A man, whom JJ has never seen before, steps up behind them," you're giving up on me now, kid?"

JJ squints at the man, he reminds her vaguely of... Rossi?

Garcia sniffles and shakes her head," no, sir."

The man nods," good." The man sticks his hand out to JJ," that must make you one of the others."

JJ shakes his hand and the man pulls back and turns," I want a jacket and supplies over here for Mrs..." The man turns back around waiting for JJ to give him a name.

"Jennifer."

"Supplies and a jacket for Jennifer. We're rolling out in ten!"

The Others:

Before Rossi's fist can connect a second time a single shot is fired into the air.

"Stop."

There's blood running down his face, into his eyebrows, under his nose, and to his lips. "Stop," Morgan repeats. His hands' tremor, his legs buckling, his eyes falling shut.

"J-Jack."

The attention leaves the altercation and goes to the two brunettes.

"Hotch," Emily is using all her strength to keep her Unit Chief down. "Jack's gone. Jack's not even here. He's safe." She pulls his chest against her own chest, successfully pinning his arms," you're okay."

There's a fever burning in his eyes and delirium in his mouth.

"-gotta get Reid out," he insists. He doesn't fight her. "Get him out, Prentiss." Her last name stings the air. Prentiss. "Please," he begs. "Get him out." He meets her gaze," please, Emily. Save Reid."

She knows that he's delirious and that he doesn't know that Reid is right beside them. Alive. Yet, she still fills like she's hurting him.

She uses an arm to reach up to his face. She wipes his sweat-soaked hair from his forehead. "It's okay. Reid's okay."

He stirs only a little in her arms and she's surprised to feel him lean into her hand.

"Em-Emily?"

She holds her hand to his face and rocks," I'm right here."

He mumbles something so softly that she can't hear it but then he clears his throat and thanks her. "Thank you."

She nods away her tears," always."

This time, to himself, he smiles," yeah. Always."

Y'all once this rescue comes in there's 'bout to be a hell of a lot of Hotchniss. You are not even ready.

Also, I've got 50 followers. Shout out to you guys!!

And finally "UnderCover Love" will updated very soon!!
-S.H.