Jet Lag

Chapter 8: Garcia, Oh Sweet Garcia

"Hypothermic?" The doctor anger seeping down his words. "You thought he was hypothermic?"

The doctor throws blankets off of his patient. "Off! Get these off!" The rescuers stand confused. "He's got infections! He's got a fever!" He pushes the intercom and continues his rage-filled shouting," I need ice packs and an insulating blanket!"

The EMTs are understanding and helping to pull the heated IV from their patient's arm. 

"How could you be so careless?" The doctor's words are anything but professional. His calm, emotionally devoid voice is anything but either those things. "Stop staring at me and get the hell out of my O.R.!"

***

"You're bleeding." Reid points a shaky hand to Morgan's red forehead. In his own mind the statement had sounded profound in knowledge but coming out of his mouth it sounded loopy as if a five-year-old had uttered the sentence before falling into his bed and falling asleep before his head even hits the pillow. 

"Yeah," Morgan answers taking a hand to wipe away the blood that threatens to fall into his eye. "How's Hotch doing?" He turns from his attacher for only a moment to lock eyes with Emily.

Emily decides to spare them the grueling details on how not fine he is and instead lies through her teeth," he's been worse." The brings to life the dire of the situation. She saw him after Foyett inflicted his damage and it is safe to say that now, laying in her arms breathing shallowly and unconscious, is somehow worse. 

Rossi puffs from where he is. His entire life is just falling around him. It is all just going to hell in a handbasket. 

"Wh-"

"Shh!" Reid is standing up on his scrawny legs. 

"Reid-" Once again Reid cuts Morgan off. "Can you hear it?" There is this goofy lop-sided grin on Reid's face that makes him look like a ten-year-old boy. "Garcia is gonna save us!"

Emily hears it, the soft persistent humming of a machine.  She shakes at Hotch's shoulder. "Aaron." It feels odd to say his given name but it is the only thing that seems right. 

His eyes peel open and he joins the others in staring off into the direction of the droning. "Took 'em long enough," he mumbles his voice breaking through the syllables. 

"Wouldn't have taken as long if you were out there," Morgan scuffs looking over at his pale boss. "You wouldn't have slept until you got us all in, which would have had Garcia scared out of her out mind that you would have gotten yourself hurt, and thus we would have been out of this hella day ago."

Emily smiles for Hotch and answers," true but I bet Garcia has an entire snowmobile packed with freshly baked cookies that she would not have had time to bake if he had been there."

Rossi groans from his spot where he had lazily thrown himself into the snow," I want coffee." He throws his head back and lets out a belly laugh that has tears springing to his eyes," you know, I bet she'll have those little canteens she got us-" he erupts in laughter again and cannot go on.

Reid smiles," mine's Green Lantern."

"Wonder Woman," Emily says remembering fondly of the little canteen that seats perched on her desk. 

"I got Batman," Rossi chuckles," think she's making fun of my permanent bachelor status?" Rossi's little joke sends several soft chuckles from the somber group.

"Captain America," Hotch whispers, adding himself to their little conversation. He can picture Jack's excited face and exclamation when he first opened Garcia's gift. "Daddy it's Captain America!"