Here is the final installment of Roots. Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, and followed. It means so much to me. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think of the story and the ending! And be sure to keep your eyes out for another story, I currently have one in the works.

Between the six of them there were two concussions, three broken ribs, a broken leg, and too many bruises and cuts to count. And there was the panic attack Penelope had when she got to the hospital.

But none of them were thinking about that when they sat circled in Emily's hospital room.

They had already given their statements to the FBI. Recounted every detail they could remember from the past few weeks. For the first time they told someone outside of the group of six about the letters and the threats.

It had been three days since the explosion. Everyone had been discharged except for Emily and Aaron and they were getting antsy. By now the dull roar in their ears had become a faint ringing.

Evan Prentiss had been arrested. When he saw he was surrounded he pressed the trigger, ignoring the negotiations for a plea bargain that were shouted at him. They had gotten to him before he was able to shoot himself.

The prosecutor had made them all repeat the stories they had given to the FBI. She spent more time with Emily than anyone else. Making her explain the kidnapping and what her dad did. Emily tried not to think about it when she recounted what had happened. She tried to ignore the hint of accusation when people asked why they hadn't called the police sooner.

No one understood except the six of them that sat in the room.

And that was why they were able to sit so comfortably together after everything that had happened. They didn't talk about what had happened, they didn't talk about much at all. They didn't need to.

A knock came from the doorway and they all looked up. Agent Rossi stood there, "is it alright if I come in?"

Emily nodded and the agent entered the room.

He looked at the six of them and couldn't help but smile. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

"Not at all," Aaron said from the chair next to Emily's bed. "Did you need to ask us anything?"

Rossi laughed, "I think you've all been asked enough questions. I came here to tell you a few things. First, don't listen to what the other agents have been saying; you did what you had to do, and you did it pretty damn well."

"Excuse me?" Aaron looked up.

"I've come to learn that taking the right channels and following procedure doesn't always get you where you need to be. And you were right, had you called me two weeks ago with your accusation, I probably wouldn't have believed you." He looked each of them in the eye.

Morgan was absently rubbing his thumb against Reid's hand. Garcia was sharing Emily's bed with her, and they were both sitting up staring at him. Aaron sat near the entrance in a chair, as if blocking the others. And JJ sat on the ground, her back against the wall.

"And second, the FBI needs more people like you. Go to college and give me a call in a few years." He took out a business card and handed it to Aaron. "But until then, try to stay out of trouble."

As Rossi walked down the hall out of the hospital he could still see their stunned faces. He laughed and shook his head. He'd be disappointed if he never got that call.

XXX

They looked around at each other.

"You better not lose that business card, man." Derek grinned at Aaron.

"Don't worry," Aaron tucked it in his wallet, "I'll have it whenever any of you need it."

"So you think he was serious?" JJ asked from the ground.

"We did catch a serial killer," Garcia said.

"And we made sure no one got hurt from that bomb," Spencer added.

"If he wasn't serious, than he should have been," Emily smiled.

"I'm not sure what you're all doing once senior year ends," Hotch started, "but I have a feeling that we won't be apart for too long."

XXX

Aaron was glad he and Emily had finally been discharged from the hospital. It felt like ages since they had just had a normal day, not worrying about a killer or an explosion. He was sitting on a couch in Emily's basement, and she was tucked up next to him.

"You know, I never really asked you what your plans were after high school," Aaron said thoughtfully.

"You first."

"I want to go to law school."

"I didn't know that," Emily looked up at him. His face was serious as he thought.

"I just thought of it, but it feels right. Maybe I'll join the FBI later, I'm not sure. But now it's your turn."

Emily smiled, she brought her hand up to his jaw bone, "I've got my own government plans."

He opened his mouth to ask her a question, but she stopped him.

"We don't need to worry so much about the future right now. We may be going different places and doing different things, but I love you Aaron Hotchner and nothing will stop that." She paused for a moment, "Even if you become a lawyer."

He smiled when he looked into her eyes. Those dark eyes that mesmerized him every time he looked in them. "So you want to do this? Keep dating even when we're far away?"

"Like you said, Aaron; I have a feeling we'll end up in the same place soon enough. And until then, we'll make it work."

Aaron brought his lips against hers, he could still feel the pressure of her warm hand against his face. He didn't want to spend one day without her, but he knew they both had dreams they had pursue. And he didn't doubt for a minute that what Emily had said was true.

For her he could wait.

XXX

JJ was sitting at her kitchen counter, eating a bowl of stale cereal. Her house was dark and empty. She didn't understand how she was feeling. We was supposed to be relieved, happy that Evan Prentiss was caught. Of course she was glad, they weren't in danger anymore, nobody had gotten hurt.

But then why did she feel so sad?

She rested her chin on her palm and stared at the time illuminated from the microwave. They had to go back to school tomorrow, JJ couldn't even remember the last time she sat in a class room. She wasn't looking forward to the questions from everyone else. She wasn't ready to face them alone.

JJ was stirring her spoon in her bowl of milk when the doorbell rang. She ignored it, but moments later it rang again, three times in fast succession.

With a splash JJ dropped the spoon in the bowl and stood up. She walked down the hallway and opened the door.

"Go grab an overnight bag and your stuff for school tomorrow!" Penelope burst out the second the door was opened.

"What?" JJ asked dumbfounded.

"Did you really think I was going to let you spend tonight alone?" Garcia asked as if the answer was obvious.

JJ faltered, but Garcia forced her back as she stepped into the house.

"I'll just wait here, you go get your stuff." She gave JJ a nudge toward the stairs.

"Uh, okay." JJ turned and ran up the stairs. She returned a few minutes later with her backpack and a small duffel bag.

"What are we doing?" JJ asked when she was sitting in Garcia's car.

"Well, first we have to pick up snacks, and then we're going over to Em's. Aaron should have left by now, so we're having our first official girls night!" Garcia spoke fast with excitement, "And this one won't involve any serial killers."

JJ just leaned back in her seat and tried to take it all in.

"I figured we needed to do something fun after everything that has happened, and with us starting school tomorrow and everything."

"That sounds great Pen, it really does."

Suddenly that emptiness that JJ had been feeling was gone. She looked over and Garcia who was watching the road. And then she smiled.

XXX

Derek sat on a hard chair in the lobby of the hospital. After spending two days in the hospital being treated for the concussion and broken ribs he had gotten during the beating by the football players and the explosion, all he wanted to do was get out. He wanted to run as far as he could from the place.

But he was there for Spencer, so he could wait. Derek pulled out a book from his bag. It was a Kurt Vonnegut book Emily had given to him the day prior. He was just starting the third chapter when Spencer walked back into the lobby.

Derek took one look at his face, dropped his book back into his bag, and stood up. Morgan opened his mouth to speak but Reid stopped him.

"I need to get out of here," Spencer said, looking at the ground.

Derek nodded, tucking Spencer's smaller hand in his. They walked out the front door together and the sun nearly blinded them.

"Where to?" Derek asked.

"Can we just walk for a bit?"

Derek led them down the path that led through the hospital grounds. Other people were out on the nice day. The path was filled with people walking alone, couples, and others being pushed in wheelchairs.

After walking in silence Spencer spoke while looking away, "my birthday was last week."

Derek almost stopped walking, he had forgotten, hadn't so much as wished him a happy birthday. "I'm so sorry I forgot Spencer."

Reid shook his head, "It doesn't matter, there were more important things happening."

Derek didn't know what to say. He looked over at Spencer, but Reid kept looking away. He wanted to pull him close, make him stop hurting, but he also didn't want to push him.

"I turned 18," Spencer nearly whispered.

They stopped walking and Derek turned to face him. He didn't understand the significance, why muttering those words appeared so hard for him.

"She wanted to go home," the words were barely audible, "she begged me to bring her home."

Derek finally got it. He took a step toward Spencer and looked him in the eyes. "Don't you do that. Your mom needs help, this will be good for her."

Spencer looked up, his eyes wet, "what kind of son leaves his mom?"

"The kind who knows what is best. I know this is hard for both of you, but you are getting your mom the help she needs. You're the smartest person I know Spencer, I don't doubt you."

There was a moment of silence. "Did you know that schizophrenia is genetic?"

Derek reached up his hand and rested the tips of his fingers on Spencers jaw, "well then it's a good thing you've got me, isn't it?"

"You can walk away," Spencer looked back at the ground, "we're both going to college in a few months, if you walk away now I won't blame you."

Derek used his hand to raise Spencer's face until he was looking at him, "don't make me take back what I said about you being the smartest person I know. I may not know everything, I may not be able to read 20,000 words a minute, and I may not have an eidetic memory, but I know that I love you. I let you down once, and I will never do it again. If you don't want to stay with me, that's one thing, but I am in this for the long haul."

A tear slipped down Spencer's face as Derek spoke. "I love you too."

"Then come on Pretty boy, lets go start planning out all those doctorates you're going to get."

Spencer let a small smile escape as Derek put his arm around his waist and pulled him close. He had never felt so safe in his life, so secure.

XXX

And one by one, as the years passed and they grew older, Aaron began to receive phone calls. Each time they asked the same question and he took out his wallet where he still kept the business card. And when it was finally Aaron's turn to make the call, he walked into his office, surrounded by a team of his friends.

Six teenagers walked into the woods.

And out of the woods they found their friends, their future, and themselves.