Disclaimer: I don't own the shows portrayed in this fanfic.

I should have said this before. I am very, very sorry I took so long getting this and the last chapter out. The muses changed. Into muses for other shows. They haven't changed back. I clobbered a Chuck and White Collar muse together and hope it'll stay together to get this out.

So, if you see a Neal or a receives a glare from the other person …. nevermind.

Veronica took lead. "Logan, Dick, take their service weapons. Logan, back of us. Dick, secure Cassidy. Follow me." She took off the safety on her gun and heard them do the same. One thing about Neptune, most if not all knew about holding and firing a gun.

She took the farthest stairs and walked them down. She had memorized the route from the room to the parking structure. Her car was close to the stairs and she could get them out before whoever was after them could get to them. Nurses and doctors were running around them; no one tried to stop them as they made their way to the underground garage. It was severely dark, with emergency lights not giving enough to make their way around.

"Flashlight, anyone?" she muttered. Both answered negatively, so she pulled out her cell and manipulated it to stay lit while she crept along to find her car. Logan had followed her example by pulling out his phone to lit the way for the others while Dick kept both hands on the gun. Cassidy kept shooting looks into the shadows as they walked along.

She passed by a familiar van when gunshots started ringing out. Everyone ducked and ran between the van and its adjoining car. There were a few more shots and one hit the car just above Veronicas head, showering sparks. She tried shooting twice at the direction and didn't hit the person. She took off the light on her cell, Logan followed suit.

No one did anything for a couple of minutes. Veronica saw shadows a few times and pointed that way. They disappeared before she had them in better sights. She fished out her keys and handed them to Dick. She whispered, "Get Cassidy out of here. I'm driving a Ford Taurus, silver. Keep going down the aisle, it's down there." Dick nodded and kept a hold of Cassidy while they moved quickly down.

Logan noticed a shadow over to his right and he motioned to her what he was planning to do. She nodded and slowly moved the other way, flanking the brothers as they headed to her car. There were two shots in the direction that Logan had went, but she didn't hear any cries of pain. She decided on a distraction. "You can't run forever, Goodman," she yelled, moving behind a pillar from gunshots.

"You underestimate me, Veronica," a voice to her back left answered back. She looked quickly, but the lights weren't shining that way and she couldn't see anyone.

"We know about your connections to the gangs. The FBI isn't going to be the only one on your case," she shouted back.

"And I don't think many gangs are going to be so willing to work with a child molester once that gets out," Logan fired off. She chanced a look. There was one shadow standing fifteen feet away to her right. Logan didn't sound as close, and the other two should have made it to the car by now, so she shot at the shadow. A grunt of pain and it falling told her she hit her target, but she moved in case they tried to shoot back.

"You would be surprised about what money will make people ignore," Goodman taunted, "I was helping them get their merchandise into the country." She looked for shadows and saw two just about where her car was. There was another shadow just feet from the first two. Veronica couldn't take a shot without proof it wasn't Logan.

"How can you help them now? The police know about you. Can't fake another death," Logan threw out, "Even if you could, people would be suspicious around Neptune. Not to mention other port towns."

Goodman decided to end the little debate. The night vision goggles that he was wearing gave him an edge in taking out the three unneeded persons and grabbing the last one. He could kill Cassidy here, but he had become attached. Dangerous yes, but it was something he could deal with, having the right connections. Cassidy was one he cherished, and he'll be dead before he gave him up willingly.

Dick was shielding him between the cars and his own body. Not wanting any unnecessary drama, knocking him out with a tranquilizer and quickly covering Cassidy with a gun and a gloved hand over the mouth were more than enough. "Walk with me, Cass," he uttered, pulling him up and holding him beside his body.

He made it about halfway to a van waiting for him before Logan stepped out with his gun pointed at Goodman. Cassidy slightly shifted from beside to in front, with the arm moving to place him in a very slight chokehold, just to hold. "It's over, Woody," he proclaimed, leveling the gun at his head.

He moved the gun to rest against Cassidys head. The silent threat hung in the air until a sound broke the silence. Two cars were driving in the garage close to the three. The headlights blinded Goodman, who threw up his non-gun hand to take off the goggles. The agents piled out of one head while two deputies and Keith flew out of the other one. Cassidy was pulled away by Logan, who quickly walked him over to the sheriffs car. "Keith," he nodded.

"Logan," he returned, pointing his gun straight at the man in front of him. "Anybody else that is working with Goodman, come out now with your hands up."

"I shot one," Veronica reported, coming out from behind her pillar with her hands up. She moved quickly before seeing Dick lying on the ground. A quick detour and she was pulling out the dart and checking vitals. "Heartbeat's strong. Breathing is normal," she added.

"A couple of doctors are staying around for patients that aren't in critical need of powered equipment. We can get him checked out," Keith mentioned walking over while his deputies handcuffed the man and headed for the other suspect. He, along with Morgan, helped support Dick over to the stairs. The other agents ran a quick search with Hotch motioned to Veronica.

He's angry, very angry. She thought as he opened his mouth. He questioned, "Why did you use two civilians to help escort and protect the victim?"

"The guards were dead. To go ahead by myself would have been suicidal and Goodman would have been able to kidnap him again. I took the best action that would have been necessary for the optimal success of getting the victim out alive."

Hotch didn't like the answer. Examining all the possible ways that she could have protected Cassidy, he realized her point. With the power knocked out to the hospital, security alarms wouldn't have worked and it wouldn't take that long to get through a locked and possibly blocked door. His superiors wouldn't like it, but he saw it as the only possible course for what they were given. "There will be a hearing on what happened. In the meantime, you won't have a gun and you're confined to desk duty," he lamented.

Veronica unclipped her sidearm and quickly checked the safety. She then looked for an evidence back before placing her gun in it and presenting it. He raised an eyebrow. "Well, it is evidence now," she replied. JJ and Prentiss both smirked while Reid looked to be close to laughter. Rossi looked over in Hotchs direction when his face started quirking a smile as well.

CM VM CM VM CM VM CM VM CM VM

The house they were in front of had streamers, balloons, and a sign that read 'Mac's Birthday party this way' with an arrow pointing at the house. Veronica was the one to knock, waiting for the door to open. Logan shuffled behind her. Dick was fidgeting with his jacket and Cassidy was standing behind him, holding the present they had bought.

"Sure this is a good idea?" Dick asked, again. He wasn't sure that Mac wanted to see the three of them.

"Positive," she replied. She had her hand up to knock again when the door opened. Mac stood with a lemonade in one hand and held the door with the other. "Hi, Mac."

"Veronica," she cheered, grabbing her in a one armed hug, before noticing the people behind her. "Your plus two?"

"Three?" Veronica moved inside with Logan, who muttered a hi. Dick awkwardly hugged him before moving out of the way to show Cassidy, who was holding her present. "Cas?"

"Hi, Mac," he muttered, moving forward, "So I hear you have a fiancee now?"

Okay, I declare it ended here. It's over, it's finished. And my muses agree, one just headed over to a plot bunny I thought up at one point. The other is thinking about joining him or forcing me to finish the comment fic I had started on.

Again, I am very, very sorry. If I could only genetically combine a few other plot bunnies for stories I have forgotten.