An: And here we go with the final chapter of this segment!

For a Father's Love, Part 5

Five days after the incident, Hotch and Reid wake.

Everyone instantly becomes aware of it. Within five minutes of waking, the entire family descends on the hospital, including the kids. Hotch and Reid were moved into the same room a day ago, so the entire family crowds around their beds, watching. Henry stays close to JJ, Jack standing on the other side gripping his hand. Jane and Frankie stick close to Rossi, waiting to see what will happen to their adoptive family.

Reid blinks at the ceiling and reaches out, touching everyone's minds. Morgan almost drops to his knees at the sheer relief that floods him, feeling that familiar soul once again connect to his own. Hotch is quick to follow suit, and Rossi steps forward to stand beside the bed of the man he calls his brother. He looks down at Hotch and smiles.

"How are you feeling?" he asks quietly.

Hotch licks his lips. "My head hurts."

"Welcome to my world." Reid's words are as raspy as Hotch's, but the dry response makes the team laugh. Morgan walks over and adjusts the bed so Reid can sit up and look at them. The youngest agent's eyes find Hotch first. He flashes him a shy smile before turning his attention to the rest of the group. "I didn't know hospitals had rooms this big."

"I'm pretty sure they built this room with us in mind, boy wonder." Garcia says, voice thick, and that's all it takes to break the group. Reid and Hotch find themselves surrounded, physically and mentally, by their team. Jack climbs onto Hotch's bed and presses against his father's side, tucked in so close only the agent can tell he's shaking. Jane stands just behind him, one hand on Jack's back and the other gripping Hotch's wrist. He smiles at her.

Frankie and Henry have invaded Reid's bed, curling up on either side of him while the others fuss over the two injured agents.

Jane watches the events and smiles to herself. Looks like things are back to normal. she tells Jack. The boy nods against Hotch's shoulder.

Sort of. There's still something I have to do first. he says. Jane glances over at Reid, who for once seems to be oblivious to the conversation. She smiles.

Just don't break the man, okay?

Jack sends her the impression of a smile. I won't. Probably.

/-/

It takes another two days for Hotch and Reid to be released from the hospital. The nurses are calling their recovery a miracle. The doctors just don't know what to make of it. Hotch doesn't care – his team is safe, the children are home, and he really wants out of this hospital room. He blames that last part on Reid. The kid's utter hatred of hospitals rubbed off on him at some point.

"I don't need a wheelchair, I can walk just fine – "

"Kid, just humor the nurse and sit in the damn chair, okay?"

"But Morgan – "

"Don't make me carry you."

" . . . You would, too." Reid pouts as he finally gives up and sits in the wheelchair the hospital is insisting he use to get out to the car. Hotch chuckles as he takes position in his own chair. Rossi and Morgan just exchange exasperated looks as they wheel the others out of the hospital and to the car. Reid grins at the sight. Freedom!

Morgan laughs aloud. You were asleep most of the time!

I don't care, I hate hospitals. They pile into the car and take off for home, Rossi driving, Morgan in the passenger seat, and Hotch and Reid in the back. Hotch frowns.

"Where are the others?"

"Oh, we convinced them to stay at the mansion. I figured you'd answer some questions if you didn't feel cornered." Rossi says. Hotch and Reid exchange looks. Rossi glances at them in the rearview mirror. He knows they're confused – ever since they woke up, they've been back inside his mind like they never left. "What happened in the basement?"

Now Reid is afraid. "What do you mean?"

"You were hurt." Morgan says softly. "But Hotch went down with you. That's never happened before."

"And you didn't just go." Rossi continues. "We couldn't sense either of you, at all, until you woke up. It was like when Hotch fell, but worse."

Reid is silently shaking his head. He remembers those horrifying moments when Hotch was just gone, and he cannot imagine being that way for three days. "I – I don't remember – "

"You were hurt." Hotch says softly. "I don't know how, but I knew that he wasn't going to come back. And I refused to let him go."

The youngest stares at him, eyes wide. "You fed me your energy so I would heal." Hotch nods. "That could have killed you."

"Well, facing a serial killer alone could have killed you, so we're even." Hotch says dryly.

"That's twisted." Reid protests.

Morgan laughs quietly. "Nothing about this is anything but twisted, Reid." he mutters. "I mean, you two were gone. Do you have any idea how terrifying that was?"

Reid glances at Hotch before staring at his lap. "Some."

"Regardless, you took a severe blow to the head." Rossi cuts across the conversation. There's no need to make the kid feel guilty about something he couldn't control. "How are you feeling, Reid?"

"Normal." Reid says, catching the hint. "So far, at any rate. I guess I healed completely."

"You'll let us know if that changes, right?" Hotch asks. Reid nods. "Good. Now let's just get home. See if the crime scene guys managed to clean up all the blood from the basement."

"Ugh." Morgan grunts. "Don't remind me. Looked like a slaughterhouse down there."

The conversation devolves into mundane things. Reid leans against Hotch and closes his eyes. He can faintly hear Morgan say something snarky before he falls asleep.

/-/

Back at the hospital, Dr. David Rhyme examines the charts of his two latest patients, the FBI agents that just walked out of a hospital from injuries that should have put them in a morgue. He remembers hearing from one of his doctor friends a few states away about an agent who survived a 20 foot drop. Now he wonders if the two cases are related.

He leans back in his office and stares at the MRIs. There are some abnormalities, to be sure, but nothing that couldn't be explained by severe head trauma. If there is truly nothing remarkable about these people, then those abnormalities should be gone by now.

But if they aren't –

He sets the files down on his desk and sighs. These men are special, to be sure. Maybe the entire team is. He just has to figure out a way to go about proving it.

This is going to be difficult.

/-/

AN: Ta-da! Last chapter, another segment down! And crap is about to get real for our favorite FBI agents. I'm thinking the next part I'll put up will be the second in the Children of the Darkness saga, focusing on the kids. Then I'll pick back up with this one.

So until that time, I remain yours truly,

Shadowblade-tara