Authors Note: I do not own Criminal Minds, I simply bring them out to play. I'm not sure where this came from, just basic ideas of the start and a final scene. I write this for pleasure only.

Chapter 1

A warm wind passed down the street as the two agents got out of the sleek black SUV, the mid day sun enough that they had dark shades on as they stepped up to the house quickly checking the front door for the number. A slight nod to each other that this was the house they were looking for. A faint lead they weren't entirely sure would lead to anything on the case but in the early stages of investigation a lead was a lead. Given there early assessment that the unsub or unsubs were devolving far to quickly and there increased violence was only going to get worse, each murder more rage than anything carefully planned. Half the team where chasing up local psychiatric records while Agents Hotchner and Rossi had arrived to talk to possible witnesses. Witnesses that so far had remained quiet and not come forward willingly, which only added to the Agents curiosity and increased there need to talk to the two men.

They'd slipped there standard Assault vests on before they approached the house. The violent nature of the crimes and the unsual behaviour of these two people meant for now at least they were opting to play it safe.

A sharp knock on the door went unanswered for a few minutes, so the second knock at the door was louder, trying to attract the attention of anyone inside. A split second later a crash was faintly heard from inside. Hotch and Rossi looked at each other before both simultaneously drawing there weapons. Hotch stepped back and in one easy well practised movement that Morgan would have been proud of slammed his foot into the door watching it swing open with ease.

"FBI!" Came his shout as he entered the house, scanning the enterance hall with his gun seeing nothing untoward he stepped further in. Safe in the knoweledge that Rossi was only a few steps behind him. He ventured in a few steps further, a well trained eye immediatly assessing the down stairs layout of the house and spotting the stairs leading to the next floor. Without a single word he indicated he was going to search upstairs and Rossi should finish down stairs. A nod from the older agent was the only acknowledgement. It was after all, all that was needed.

As Hotch moved to the stairs he barely got one foot on the bottom step when the shot rang out, echoing around the house in an almost deafening explosion. Rossi dropped to his knee's trying to see where the flash had come from, his weapon raised ready to return fire if the moment presented itself. He glanced over at Hotch who'd been slammed backwards by the bullet, crashing into his vest and sending him to the floor. His hand immediatly drifted to the area that was hit the pain radiating in his side as the vest protected him from any major damage but the impact had certainly hurt leaving him shocked and winded.

Rossi leaned in grabbing the back of his vest and began to drag him out when two more shots came at them causing both men to shift there positions for what little cover they had. Thinking he had a rough idea where the shots where coming from Rossi fired off a few of his own, not hitting anything of note but enough of a warning that it bought him the precious few seconds he needed. Securing a grip on the back of Hotch's vest he dragged the unit chief backwards to the front door, taking the younger man's arm and helping him to his feet. He fired another warning shot into the house before backing them both down the single step and out toward the relative safety of the SUV.

"Shots fired at 102 East Lothian, Agent down, SWAT and EMT requested on scene" He snapped into the radio, a little sterner than he had wanted but the shock of the sudden shoot out still had adrenaline flowing. He leaned his friend against the SUV, which shielded them now from any further actions. "Are you okay?" He scanned Hotch's face for a hint of how he was feeling, not entirely trusting the younger workaholic to be honest. He was fairly convinced Hotch could be at deaths door and still insist he was absolutely fine.

"Winded." He replied slightly breathlessly, pain still evident on his face as he kept his eyes closed, doubled over with his arm across his chest. The admission surprised Rossi, and had him a little concerned that Hotch was feeling bad enough to actually admit it.

"Lets get your vest off, take a look.." He wasn't a medic by any means, but he wanted to see for himself that there was nothing had slippped through the vest. He carefully helped Hotch pull the velcro off the vest and slip it off setting it down in the trunk of the SUV. The hiss of pain from Hotch hadn't gone un-noticed, despite his attempts to hide it. He unfastened a few buttons on his pristine white shirt and pushed it open lifting the white undershirt he wore underneath to get a look at his own chest.

The scars that marked his chest were plain to see, but he didn't mind Rossi seeing them. He was the only of the team that had seen them, even after so long they made Hotch uncomfortable so it was something he kept private unless absolutely necessary. A year earlier during some rare downtime it had become necessary to reveal them to Rossi. During play time with Jack, a stray accidental kick to the ribs had caused some minor discomfort which Rossi had insisted on checking out.

This time as Rossi scanned the area the bullet had hit, the bruising was already forming around the offending area. Making one of the scars seem red, and angry. Worse than Rossi had seen it last time. He frowned not sure if this was normal or not but said nothing not wanting to alarm his friend. "Just take it slow, nice gentle breaths." He offered as Hotch pulled the shirt back down.

Only a few minutes had passed and the area was quiet now, the peace broken by the wailing sirens of SWAT, EMTs and the other BAU agents all speeding onto the street. SWAT immediatly moving to secure the house while Rossi explained to the BAU what had happened, waving the EMTs over as they grabbed there kit from the ambulance.

"Stray bullet hit his vest on the left side, he's bruised but he's winded and seems to be struggling to catch his breath.." He was debating whether to mention the scar, or any of the old wounds to his friend when a shout from JJ caught his attention. He turned in time to see Hotch slip to the floor, arm wrapped even tighter around his chest, breathless gasps clearly a lot more difficult than they had been moments ago. The EMTs rushing straight over kneeling beside the prone agent and with expert hands slipped an oxygen mask on his face.

"Agent where here to help, so just relax." One spoke calmly as he set the stethescope on Hotchs chest, listening carefully to one side and then the other. A muttered apology when the contact caused Hotch to flinch slightly. The EMT frowned as he listened and glanced up at his colleague who was attatching a pulse ox to Hotchs finger scanning the readings already seeing a cause for concern on the numbers flashing up. "Decreased breath sounds on the left side, tenderness over the ribs, possible damage to the lung." By now he was working on fitting an IV line to Hotchs hand trying to keep the man still and calm. Worried team mates now assembled around there boss as they watched the EMTs working.

The lead EMT glancing up at the team his eyes settling on Rossi who he'd spoken to minutes earlier. "We need to take him in. Now." A shocked nod was the only response the EMT got as they carefully transferred Hotch to a stretcher moving fast to the waiting ambulance. "Call ahead, alert Trauma we've got incoming. BP's fallen in the last few minutes. Have OR Standing by." The speed in which they worked, and the calm and controlled way they handled the emergency did nothing to ease Rossi's worry as he climbed into the ambulance taking a seat by his friend.

"He's responsive to pain but nothing else.. Get a move on" Came the order to the other Medic who set off from the scene at speed. Leaving a team of worried faces watching the departed ambulance.