Red
Nothing could've warned me about what was going to happen. First, I saw red as the breath was ripped away from me then all I saw was black. I can still feel the pain of each of his blows to my body except for the darkness forbidding me from seeing.
As he finally stops, the colour changes. No longer is black consuming me but a faint white, getting brighter as it reaches the middle of my view. It seems to be calling me but not knowing what is past the light, I turn my back and go back into the darkness.
Beeping. That's all I hear at first. The beeping is continuous, getting faster and faster as I listen. Then I hear voices. They are shouting and getting louder, I try and understand what's being said but it's still just darkness. That's all I can handle.
The darkness leaves me again as I return to the light, this time is begging me to come.
"Its better here for you, you won't be broken. Please join us. Please."
I want to go, pain is slowly starting to return to me and I don't want to find out why there's so much of it. I turn my back to the light and darkness comes back.
Pain. So much pain is surrounding my body. I can't figure out where the pain is coming from. This is killing me and nothing is stopping the pain from spreading. There's pounding in my head and I see Red.
Red like my blood pooling underneath my body. Red like my hair, stained from the beating he gave me. Red like the lipstick I chose, now smudged all over my lips.
I see red and the pain gets worse. I saw red and finally the light left me, knowing I wasn't going to join them yet.
It was bright but it wasn't the light. I slowly open my eyes a little bit and the brightness hits me. I quickly shut them again and go to rub my eyes. My arms won't move. I try again and still they won't.
Am I paralysed? Why can't I move my arms?
My heart starts racing and the beeping picks up again. I hear the door open and someone come to my side.
"Hello sweetie, you're in safe hands. Can you breathe for me? Nice slow breaths"
I try and follow her instructions but why can't I move my arms? I go to take a deep breath but realise something is helping me breathe. That's when I realise the big tube in my mouth.
My eyes open suddenly and I look around desperately. Slowly adjusting to the light, my eyes focus on a woman standing by my side, looking very concerned.
"calm sweetie, I need you to calm down so your heart rate will go down. That's the machine going crazy. Nice deep breaths. I can see if I can get Doctor Mitchell to remove the tube because I can see your uncomfortable with it in. how does that sound?"
I try and nod my head but I have a neck brace on. I can't move my neck, breathe on my own or move my limbs.
What happened to me?
Aaron Hotchner walked into the bullpen from his office and saw all but one of his agents. On a normal day, he would see Derek Morgan and Spencer Reid doing "science magic" by Reid's desk or Morgan slipping his files into Reid's piles. Emily Prentiss would be making coffee for herself, Penelope and Reid. JJ would be hanging outside Penelope's office, joking around and gossiping, waiting for Emily to come back. David Rossi would be in his office,
This morning was different. He saw Morgan and Reid huddled around Emily's desk, Penelope running down the stairs with a laptop she keeps on hand, David walking towards him.
"Aaron, JJ isn't here."
Hotch looked at Rossi and just saw panic. This wasn't like his agent, she would normally call if she was running late or not coming in.
"Where could she be?"
Rossi cleared his throat, glancing down at the team underneath.
"Reid tried calling her this morning, due to the subway not running on time and wanted to see if she could pick him up. Her phone went to voicemail and he called Emily instead, he thought she was still sleeping. Emily said she went on a date last night. She met up with someone she met recently after the break up with Will. Penelope is trying to find out who it was. She's in JJ's social media to see new friends and any track to see where she went."
Hotch rubbed his hands over his face. JJ had been through a lot in the past three months. She went from being engaged to Will to suffering a messy break up after catching him cheating with someone he worked with. He moved back to New Orleans with his mistress. She tried to put it behind her but it was tough seeing that Will had left some of his things throughout the house they shared.
Penelope walked up the stairs and stood near the two men.
"I told JJ to tell me the name of the guy, she wouldn't cause she didn't want me to do a background check on him beforehand. Where could she be?"
"Okay, Morgan and Rossi go to JJ's house. Emily can give you the spare key and security code. Emily and I will start calling hospitals and local law enforcement to see if she was brought in or found. Penelope, you continue trying to find any links between JJ and last night, Reid you can help her."
Everyone stood up and grabbed what they needed.
Morgan got the key from Emily, who was writing down the codes. Rossi got keys to an SUV. Reid grabbed his coffee and followed Penelope into her lair and Hotch walked into his office and grabbed his phone.
"Hey hotch, there's nothing here, the bed wasn't slept in and her work clothes from yesterday are still in the hamper. JJ wasn't home from maybe 6 last night because she left at 5. Dave and I will keep looking but don't think we'll get anything from here"
Hotch hung up the phone just as Penelope rushed in.
"Hotch! There was a friend request from a Luke Mitchell three days ago, I looked into his background and social media and he seems okay. Graduated in a teaching degree 4 years ago and works at a local high school. There's not a lot in his personal life. Recent girlfriend was 5 months ago and nothing bad between them. I would still recommend going to see him though. He may have been the last one to see JJ."
"okay thanks Garcia, if you can send his address and work address to Morgan, he and Rossi can pay him a visit.