When the team arrived the next day they listened outside the door for a minute.
"Soren stop I'm not an invalid." Franki told him. But you're not left-handed either. Just bare with me a bit and we can get this over with. You have to eat the broth. Soren told her. "It's disgusting taste like cardboard." She told him.
"Eat this and when I get you home I'll make you anything you ask for within reason." Soren told her.
"At least add some salt to it." She said.
Hotch pushed open the door to see Soren spooning feeding Franki. She looked just a bit better. Her skin wasn't that gray pale it had been but just pale. Franki had suffered three burns, two cracked ribs, and a dislocated right shoulder. They removed the burnt skin because if had grown infected and was to far gone for an antibiotic. She would make a full recovery besides the scars she already had from Evan.
"Morning everyone." Soren greeted them and he sent yet another spoonful Franki's way. She waved at them using her good arm. "Hello." Franki told them. Another spoonful.
"He's trying to kill me really. This is like chewing on a cardboard box." She grumbled. You'll survive it today it today. Come on just a few more." Soren coaxed her into eating a bit more before the nurse came in with Franki's pain killers for a ribs and shoulder.
"Burns, broken ribs and dislocated shoulder. Looks like you're already on the mend." Rossi said as he stepped into the room.
"What have I told you about listening to doors?" Franki said. At this chance Soren slipped the spoon in her mouth. "Glad you're alright." Emily told her.
"Thought we'd have to go find a new drinking buddy for girl's night." JJ joked.
"Knew you wouldn't let that guy get the best of you." Morgan said.
Reid stood in the corner looking quiet. He was the one who was originally meant to go with Franki but had found some other job that anyone could have done to do. "Spencer." Franki looked over at Reid who refused to meet her gaze. "Reid look at me." Franki ordered. Brown eyes met brown. Franki smiled at him.
"I'm fine Reid. Not going anywhere anytime soon. If you really thought I was going to let him take my life without a fight I should get up and kick your skinny little ass. Now are you going to keep standing there pouting or are you going to come hug me? No? Then it looks like I'm getting out of this bed." Franki started to keep true to her work and threw the covers back.
"Don't. "Reid said coming over to hug Franki careful of her shoulder and ribs. "Doesn't mean that I wasn't going to get up." Franki told him as she forced herself up from the bed and Soren appeared at her side as he helped her into the bathroom. Franki forced herself out after doing her business. Soren met her at the door and helped her back into bed.
Everyone talked as the young agent drifted off to sleep not long after. Franki was released two weeks later and left in the care of Soren. Franki stayed home for a good deal of her time. Hotch didn't even let her have video access to the cases. She was on strike leave not allowed to even come visit. Which was a major bummer for her. When she got back to work she couldn't wait to get on a case. Back to work and ready to action.
~.o0o.~
TEN YEARS LATEREveryone sat around the bullpen happy for once. Laughing chatting and talking. "Gonna miss you around her old man." Franki told Dave.
"It's not like your never gonna see me again." Dave told her.
"Uncle Dave!" Nick squeaked running to hug the graying Italian. "Hey buddy." Dave patted the boy on the head. "Hi Mommy." The boy smiled at Franki.
"Hi baby. Go find your Aunt Penny she has something for you." Franki told her son. The boy nodded and ran off to find his aunt.
Franki and Soren got married two years after she was kidnapped Garcia and Kevin had married six months before then. A year later Franki went on maternity leave after finding out she was two months pregnant while on a case after nearly suffering a miscarriage. Her eldest Garrett was seven. Her middle child a little boy was now four named Silas and her youngest at two was girl who they named Margo.
Garcia and Kevin had a pair of twins a boy and a girl named Lia and Liam. They were now five. Morgan had a little boy with his long time girlfriend. He kept her at long term girlfriend status with a ring on her finger so that if he ever did die on the job she wouldn't feel obligated to staying single like his mother had after his father's passing.
Hotch was dating again but hadn't remarried. Jack had grown into a fine young man and he knew just how to work the famous Aaron Hotchner glare. Reid was married but no kids same for Emily. Well she had one on the way. She was four months and showing. She claims it to be her first and last kid. We'll see about that. JJ and Will got married and had a little girl, which completed their little family. No one had seen the man beam brighter then on the day of Hannah's birth.
Dave was about to go on tour for his latest book. Victims of the BAU Dave had asked everyone their permission before mentioning their names. Heck before he even started writing. No one knew how the members of the teams suffered. He covered everyone on the team and a few members from other teams who were truly considered victims.
Here you will read about the people I have had the pleasure of working with. We help people have closure and try to keep others safe. But we are victims ourselves in our own rights. Doctor Spencer Reid a true and honest genius with the IQ, PhDs, and memory. To my knowledge before I rejoined the team he was kidnapped and subjected to drug use against his will and nearly dug his own grave.
Aaron Hotchner suffered at the hands of one man a man named Foyet. Who had stabbed him repeatedly and left him at the hospital. But to get of the man he first lost his wife and nearly his son. Since then He and his son have a better father-son relationship now. Jack is proud to speak of his father and once even dressed as his father for Halloween. Hotch will be looking into retiring soon and taking up a new profession. What he plans on choosing I haven't a clue.
Franki Pantino joined the team after my return. Her second day on the job she met my office door. Franki had suffered at the hands of her ex-boyfriend before she came to the BAU. She hid dozens of scars under ace bandages that she kept wrapped around her torso under her clothes. It wasn't until a team building trip did we finally see how much damage the man had caused her and did she tell us why she feared falling in love. That's changed now.
Derek Morgan was forced to face a past he had locked away and wanted to forget but was forced to remember it and confront it. He has since then put a bit of it behind him and moves forward to help others. These are just a few of the victims. Not to mention the nightmares we have. Some cases stay with you forever. The cries of children calling for their dead parents. The cries of mothers and Father's because you were too late or you didn't make the right call. The suffering is far greater then what I have let on so far. (A/N: just a little snippet)
"Hey baby." Soren leaned down to kiss Franki's cheek. "Mommy." Margo reached for the woman.
"Hello kitten." Dave smiled at Margo and she giggled. "You'll be seeing me on a regular basis kids can't get enough of Uncle Dave." Rossi said taking the little girl from Franki. A song started playing and Soren pulled Franki onto the floor and everyone else seemed to join in. Jack was dancing with Garcia.
Nothing like an old fashioned tune to get you moving. Silas picked JJ's little girl for his dance partner she was his age. Margo was in Dave's arms still giggling all the way. Lia found Morgan's song to dance with and Liam was dancing with Hannah. There was nothing better then dancing with your family listening to the song "Right back where we started from" by Maxine Nightingale.
Dave was going to retire and soon so would Hotch. Age was catching up with him as well.
"Ooh, and it's alright and it's coming on You give me your love (give me your love) Ooh, you know it's alright and it's coming on
We gotta get right back to where we started from
Love is good, love can be strong
We gotta get right back to where we started from
I just can't stay away, no
I know you are the only one
We gotta get right back to where we started from
Love is good, love can be strong
We gotta get right back to where we started from."
Everyone was going to miss having Dave on the team. But they were still going to keep in contact with him. Nothing was going to stop them just because one person had gone. If wasn't as if he had died he was merely taking his age into consideration and retiring for good this time. Now he could be a good Uncle and watch his nieces and nephews or go hunting with his new dog. Well not really new but it still wasn't Munchi.
Everyone would remember this song. Tying it to a happy moment. There was nothing better. Dave could leave on a happy note. Franki sat on the side with Soren watching the others around the room. "So are you going to write a book like Dave when you retire?" Soren teased. "No." she playfully hit him in the shoulder.
Life was good then it sucked then it got pretty good again. For everything she saw and did on the job it made the nightmares were worth it. There were a few that hit home for her though. Like when the team was after a kidnapper who took children to try a build the perfect family. They came home late after that case and as soon as Franki walked through the door she went to check on all her children watching them sleep and petting their heads.
She hadn't thought of Evan and the night he appeared in her house since, well she couldn't remember the last time she had a dream about Evan coming to take everything away from her. "Mommy come dance with me." Garrett ran up to his mother pulling her hands until she was standing to go dance with him.
"Yup everything is defiantly worth it." Franki smiled.
"What was that Mommy?" Garrett asked.
"Nothing sweetie." She swung the child into her arms and started dancing along with the song.
A/N: this ended sooner then I thought. Darn it all. Next one will be far better. Review please.