Tainted (Criminal Minds / One Chicago FanFic)

Chapter 27 (Edited) (Longer Chapter)

Chicago Medical Center Chicago Illinois 

Dr. Rhodes and Dr. Choi ended up rushing Alexa into surgery to repair some of the internal damage caused by the bullet. Will, Jay, Gabby, and Sylvie sat in the waiting room, waiting for any word on Alexa's condition. 

"So I got ahold of her Dad, he's already on a flight here, he should be here in the next half hour," Maggie said informing them. "What happened? I saw her before work," Will asked still wrapping his head around the fact Alexa got shot. "It looked like a home invasion gone wrong, but the shooter didn't even try to take anything," Jay replied not understanding what happened either. 

Jay woke up to Alexa yelling and he was getting up to go investigate when he heard the gunshot go off. "Boden's on his way over with the rest of 51," Gabby said sadly as she walked back from the hall where she stepped away to make a call. 

"Any word on Alexa?" Alexa's Dad asked walking into the waiting room with the rest of the BAU agents. "Nothing since they took her into surgery," Sylvie replied softly. "Jay," Antonio said from the doorway pulling the detective's attention as he walked over. "The shooter, he didn't make it," Antonio told him catching some of the agent's attention including Alexa's Dad. "Do we have an ID on this guy?" Jay asked as Antonio shook his head No. "The shooter as in... the man that shot Alexa?" her Dad said more than asked. "Reid and I can go ID him," Agent Rossi suggested, earning a nod from Hotch. "Can you take us to him?" Agent Rossi asked Antonio who nodded leading them out of the room and down the hall. 

 "How is she? Any update?" Chief Boden asked walking into the room with the rest of Firehouse 51. "No word yet..." Gabby replied. "What happened? How did Alexa get shot" Lieutenant Severide asked looking between Jay and Alexa's Dad. "It looked like a home invasion gone wrong- Hotch, it's him," Rossi said walking back into the room with Reid half an hour after they left. 

 "It's definitely Foyet," Reid added. "Foyet?" Jay asked them confused, "Are you saying you know who the shooter is?" Gabby asked them. "Alexa Hotchner," Dr. Rhodes said appearing in the waiting room. Hotch walked over to him along with Will and the rest of the room. "How is she?" Hotch asked, "The surgery was touch and go. The bullet missed her Arota by a quarter of an inch. We managed to stop the bleeding for now and stabilize her." Dr. Rhodes replied. 

"Is she gonna be okay Connor?" Will asked him, "She's stable right now but she's not out of the woods yet." he replied. "Can I see her?" Hotch asked as Dr. Rhodes nodded, "She's been moved to the ICU, there is a waiting room up there I can bring you up to. Try to limit visitors to 2-3 people at a time..." Dr. Rhodes said before Will led everyone to the waiting room while Hotch and Agent Rossi went with Dr. Rhodes to see Alexa. 

His heart broke when he walked into the hospital room and saw Alexa unconscious. Laying in the hospital bed with a tube coming out of her mouth, and IVs hooked up to her arms. She looked so pale and fragile. The sight brought tears to his eyes, "She's gonna be okay Aaron, she's a fighter," Rossi said squeezing his shoulder. 

Hotch and Rossi sat with Alexa for half an hour before Rossi went back to the waiting room to let JJ and Emily visit Alexa. Everyone spent the rest of the day taking turns sitting with Alexa until visiting hours were over. 51 went back to the station for the night promising to be back in the morning to check on Alexa. Hotch and the rest of the BAU were sitting in Alexa's room well after visiting hours when Will and Jay stopped by pausing in the doorway when they noticed the full room. 

"Is now a bad time?" Jay asked, "Not at all," Hotch replied noticing the vase holding a bouquet of flowers in Will's hands. The ginger set the flowers down on a nearby table, "Earlier when you went to ID the shooter, you knew him?" Jay said more than asked to none of the agents in specific. The agents looked at Hotch who was sitting in a chair next to Alexa's bed, "We did, we've been looking for him for years," Hotch replied. 

"He's a serial killer?" Will said more than asked remembering what Alexa mentioned her dad did as a job. Hotch nodded, "He killed 36 people, and he'd also be classified as a Mass murderer and spree killer," Dr. Reid replied. "He also killed my wife and Alexa's Mom," Hotch replied as he looked at Alexa sadly. "He's the one that...?" Jay said more than asked. Will was just as surprised by what they were told.

4 Days Later...

Hotch hadn't left Alexa's side since she was brought back from surgery. She still hadn't woken up yet which was starting to worry her doctors. Will and 51 checked in on Alexa and her dad throughout the day. The BAU stayed with Hotch grabbing coffee and food so he didn't have to leave the room unless he had to use the bathroom. 

"Why hasn't she woken up yet? it's been almost 3 days?" Morgan asked worry clear in his voice. "Her body's been through a lot of trauma and sleeping is the best and statistically the fastest way to heal after most injuries," Dr. Reid replied. That's when the monitors started screaming and alarms started going off "WE NEED SOME HELP IN HERE" Hotch yelled as a bunch of doctors and nurses rushed into the room and pushed them all out. "She's coding, GET A CRASH CART AND PAGE DR. RHODES" Dr. Choi yelled as he started compressions. "1 mg of Epi," he ordered "Epi's in," a nurse replied. "shocking, clear!" he called before shocking Alexa. 

Her body jolted as a steady beeping returned to the monitors. "Heart rates up but her pressure is tanking," one of the nurses said as Dr. Rhodes ran into the room. "What happened?" he asked. "She started coding, pushed 1mg epi, and shocked at 175 to bring her back," Dr. Choi explained as Dr. Rhodes took his stethoscope and listened to the sound of her heart. 

"I do not like her pressure, One of the sutures must've given. Let's get her back to the OR," Dr. Rhodes as they wheeled Alexa out of the room. "What's going on?" Hotch asked Dr. Rhodes who paused. "One of the sutures gave out and I gotta go in and stop the bleeding again it should be straightforward," He said reassuring Hotch before he followed after the nurses and Alexa. 

After a few hours, Alexa was wheeled back into the room followed by Dr. Rhodes. "How'd it go?" Hotch asked looking at his daughter.  "She handled the surgery really well, we got the bleeding under control, Until she wakes up we can't assess if there are any neurological issues if any at all, " Dr. Rhodes replied. 

2 Days Later...

It was close to 5 PM, Will was sitting in the chair next to Alexa's bed while her dad stepped away to use the bathroom, and grab a coffee and something to eat leaving him Dr. Reid, Agent Prentiss, and Agent Jareau. A soft groan sounded through the room causing them to look towards Alexa. 

Her eyes slowly opened and she almost instantly gagged on the breathing tube down her throat. "I'm gonna get Dr. Rhodes," Will said as Alexa went to pull the tube out of her throat as she gagged again and almost threw up. "Whoa, Hey. Stop. Let me help you before you hurt yourself," Will said causing her to stop and let him take the tube out causing her to gag again. "I'm gonna throw up," Alexa groaned. 

Will grabbed a small bean shaped bowl and handed it to Alexa who instantly started throwing up. "Owww, what the hell," Alexa groaned looking at her shoulder that was wrapped up. "Ms. Hotchner, how are you feeling? I see you took your trach tube out," Dr. Rhodes replied. "I feel like I'm gonna throw up again, and my shoulder hurts like a bitch," Alexa replied honestly as she tried to fight the urge to throw up again. "Babe, you okay?" Will asked as Alexa shook her head no, "i think... I'm gonna be sick," she replied as he passed her the bowl again just as she started throwing up aging to the point she was dry heaving. 

"what's going on?" JJ asked looking at Dr. Rhodes and Will as Hotch and Rossi walked back into the room with Morgan. "I'm not entirely sure, throwing up isn't usually a post-op symptom. I'm gonna run a few tests if you're okay with that Alexa," Dr. Rhodes asked as the ginger continued to dry heave. "God, just.... make it... stop," she cried while throwing up in between words.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So I managed to finish this chapter earlier than I expected. I really hope you like Chapter 27, let me know what you thought in the comments. I'm hoping to have Chapter 28 posted by next weekend (April 27th &28th, 2024). Thank you all for your love and support on this book <3

-Muskokagirl204