Disclaimer: See my profile

Authors Note: So it would seem that I'm a pretty awful person. Or at least I was in a pretty bad mood when I posted that last chapter. PHEW killing everyone does take a lot out of you. However, that was pretty horrible on my part. And considering how many people have given this story a chance, reviewing, favoriting/following, I must deliver a happier more fitting ending. Am I right?

Previously: The plane lurched as a defining scream erupted from the cockpit of the plane. He saw the black smoke begin to file beneath the door.A dream. Something that wasn't real, shouldn't have been. He gazed back to his team, no longer bothering to hind his would loose them, all of them. But this time, it would be for real. So this will begin as the other one, but as the chapter goes on devolve into what I hope you guys will enjoy.

Everything in italics is just a repeat of what was written in chapter nine. If you have already read the last chapter it would be easier to just skip to the new ending.

Please Enjoy.

"It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped."-Tony Robbins

...

Hotch's body shot upright as a scream escaped his coarse lips. His eyes flew open, frantically searching his surroundings. He couldn't settle his beating heart, as it pounded against the inside of his chest threatening to burst free.

His mind began to settle as his eyes adjusted and his gaze met the beam of light that was cascading from a window. An unbroken, blue framed window. His bed room window. He felt around himself, now realizing that his body lay on something soft and comfortable. His bed. His white knuckled fingers clutched the linen tightly.

He released a breath, finally realizing that he had been holding it. The pounding in his chest began to subside. Aloud he said, his voice strange against the quietness, "Hayley?" He looked to his side to see the woman sleeping peacefully beside him. He took a few moments to watch her still form, working to get his mind to comprehend what was happening.

What was going on? Was everything just a dream...

"Team!" Hotch yelled, his mind finally pulling more and more pieces together. What about the team? If he was here then that had to be alive? Maybe...

Hotch ripped the covers away and jumped from the comfort of his bed, his wife moaned softly in her sleep with the sudden movement. He raced down the stairs and grabbed his cell phone that he didn't remember leaving on the table. He hastily flipped it open and dialed the first number on the screen. Rossi. He waited impatiently as the phone rang.

There was a click and a familiar voice answered, "Rossi. Who is this?"

"Rossi!" Hotch cried, his voice high with relief. Pure and utter happiness. "Your alive!"

"Hotch?" Is that you?" He questioned.

"Yeah man, I'm so glad that your okay!" Hotch couldn't seem to control himself. He had never been so relieved in his entire life. If Rossi was alive, then the others had to be as well, right...

"Are you alright? You sound different and your late for work, really late. Is everything okay?"

Hotch took a deep controlling breath, working to prevent another outburst. "Is everyone okay?" He held his breath, waiting for Rossi to respond.

"Yeah everyones fine Hotch, we are all here waiting for you. We got a case. You better get here."

He heard the familiar click as the call ended and let the phone fall from his hands, hitting the carpeted floor with a small thud. He couldn't hold back the tears that were welling in his eyes. He felt the warm salty liquid cascade down his face as he began to cry. But for the first time, in what felt like an eternity he was not mourning death.

Happiness was all he felt.

...

Hotch stepped off the evaluator feeling jovial. He walked from the lift, moving away from the crowd of people that hurled by the metal doors. Walking swiftly, he made his way towards the conference room. His team. His alive and unharmed team.

As he approached he heard the familiar voices of his colleagues, bits of friendly banter, gossip, and laughter escaping through the closed door. He smiled, swiping once again at hie eyes. He took a deep controlling breath, trying to convince himself that everything was okay. They were all fine. His family was alive.

He walked into the room then, pulling the oak door open in a swift movement. He met the faces of his team and couldn't help but feel something flutter inside him. The noise had stopped, they all looked at his still, but...unsteady expression, waiting.

"Hey Hotch," Emily called from the back of the room, gazing curiously at her superior. "Everything alright?" Hotch's attention turned to her. Alive. The beautiful dark haired woman, whom he held dear sat before him, an unaided grin resting on her calm, intelligent countenance.

He felt himself start to give into his emotions once again, but pushed the feelings away. What he had experienced, had not happened. The team was alive, living free of the horror his subconscious had forced him to bare witness. However.

His dream, his nightmare, was not a reality.

"Hotch?" Morgan asked carefully, upon seeing the Unit chiefs expression as well. He raised an eye brow. Still Hotch did not answer, but further gazed around the room. He saw JJ and Rossi perched on the couch, two mugs resting on the small wooden coffee table. He saw Garcia and Morgan sitting close in a friendly but playful way. He saw Emily, the young woman sitting calmly at the conference table.

And he saw Reid.

Reid looked at him, mimicking the others worried expressions. His light hazel eyes shone brightly with love and compassion as he gazed at his colleague with sincere worry.

Hotch didn't know how much time had passed, but it didn't matter. He soaked in the expressions of his team, focusing on each of their most defining features and embracing it. Taking in their essence to remember. He had lost them. In a twisted alter dream reality. And he had gotten them back. He would not lose them again.

Hotch brought himself out of his daze, finally breaking the unknowing silence with kind collected words, "Hey everyone. I apologize for being late. It's' just really great to see you all."

Morgan stepped forward and laughed, "Hotch I know I'm a good time, but man, we saw each other yesterday."

It felt like so much longer...

"I know, but it still is."

[ALTERNATIVE ENGING]

No one said anything for awhile, allowing for the room to fill with an uncomfortable silence. The team stood uncomfortably, eyes low as they waited for their unit chief to do something, anything and stop gawking at the load of them.

Hotch couldn't be happier and he enjoyed this quit bliss with whole content, relishing the ongoing moments that gifted him time with his family.

Still he couldn't understand what was occurring. How was this even possible? It wasn't, was it? He tried to push those questions aside though as well as the memories of the horror he had been through, a horror that he questioned even happened.

He was with his family, and nothing would take this away from him again.

Finally JJ broke the silence. The team, with the exception of Hotch looked at her graciously, "We have a case, and the jet leaves in 10 minutes. We have to get moving."

The statement was more directed to Hotch then anyone else as the others had already been briefed and were waiting on him.

Hotch didn't seem to hear what she had said. A smile played on his lips as his eyes stared blindly in front of him, as if lost in a happy memory.

It seemed like hours before he said, "Let's go."

...

Morgan, JJ, Rossi and Emily were already seated on the jet. It was just Reid and Hotch who had yet to board. Their black SUV pulled up sluggishly and Hotch moved from the driver's seat. Reid from the passenger. The two agents grabbed their bags and began the trek to the plane loading docks. Hotch didn't seem to want to talk, and by no means did Reid want to provoke any conversation, so they made the journey in silence.

They reached the metal stairs that extended from the plane a little while later. Hotch walked up swiftly not taking the time to notice the similarities the jet had to that of his nightmare, if that was even what it had been. He failed to notice the pilots name tag as he passed him, or the elongated sweat stains that extended from under his arms. The creaking of the aircraft as he took carefree steps on it's unsteady floor.

He took a seat.

From outside the plane, Hotch was pulled from his oblivion when a loud noise sounded.

CRASH! A small yelp, followed by a string of curses.

"What the?" Morgan asked, his lips widening into a dopey grin. Emily tried to disguise a smile as a yawn.

Reid. What had he done this time?

Hotch moved from his seat and peered out the door to see the young lanky agent strewn across the metal steps in an unnatural surely painful position. Papers were strewn around his body. Hotch walked down the steps and stopped to where the young agent was not sitting, rubbing his head with the palm of his hand.

"Ohh..." He moaned, grimacing at the pain. It wasn't the first time the genius had taken a fall down a flight of stairs.

"You alright Reid?" Hotch asked, gathering some of the fallen papers. "What happened this time?"

"I, uh, my shoe caught on..." Reid began, but his words were lost on Hotch. The once so oblivious, contented agent's eye's widened as he caught sight of what was written on one of the papers. His heart nearly stopped.

Distantly, Hotch heard the disoriented chatter of Reid as he recounted the events leading to his clumsiness, the team's distant chatter and laughter in the background, the roar of the engines as the plane were prepped for take off. All these noises surrounded him, and yet he heard none of them.

His mind, his attention was focused solely on what he was reading.

These words. No...It couldn't be true. And yet...

Location: Alaska

Hotch had never shrieked louder in his life, "EVERYONE OFF THE PLANE!"

...

I hope this is better. It is not stated but the team do get off the jet and don't die so YAY! I hope everyone who has read, reviewed, followed/faved this story enjoyed the experience over all. I had a great time writing it, especially with much of the support I received. This is the end so come on guys shoot me a review! I would love some feedback! :)