Author's Note: I know I've been missing for a while, but I'm sure none of you really care the reason why ;) Nevertheless, I wanted to finish a lot of the stories I have up right now, because I hate leaving stories unfinished. This story was requested and beta'd by brynnifer, without her, it definitely would not have been written as well. These chapters will be short and each is supposed to be an hour long.

WARNINGS: This story contains discussing the death of minor characters, including a child. If you can't handle that, you should not read this story. I will only talk in the briefest of terms of what happened to JJ, but it is pretty horrific. This story will also contain mentions of rape. There also may be a character death at the end. I'm still not sure, so I will warn you here. If these topics are sensitive to you, please read with caution.

Disclaimer: I do not Criminal Minds or its characters.

11:00 pm

Another bad guy to catch, another case to solve—that was all this was supposed to be.

The case was solved and they were home.

It was time for the team to rejoice in the safe haven away from the monsters.

Instead, it turned into her worst nightmare.

"JJ, have you noticed anyone following you lately?" Hotch asked concerned from his seat beside the hospital bed. "Has anything been different?"

She shook her head in horror, her trembling hand over her mouth in disbelief. "I don't know-how could this have happened?" She swallowed hard, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. "Will," Hotch flinched at how her fiance's name had come out as a giant sob, but allowed her to continue, "he told me I should be more careful. Start locking the doors and-" Her voice trailed off as she unconsciously fingered the large gash in her lip that had only recently stopped bleeding. "What if I forgot to lock the door and that's why—that's how—"

"This isn't your fault JJ." Hotch said gently. He placed his hand comfortingly on her shoulder, "We'll catch the man who did this. I promise."

JJ nodded, and Hotch felt a pang of grief for his friend as she held her head and cried into her hands.

Tonight, Jennifer Jareau had lost everything.

But there was still more to lose.

He couldn't help but feel a pang of familiarity at the imminent threat to a woman he cared about. And last time, he hadn't done enough to protect the woman he loved.

And it had cost Hailey her life.

Standing up quickly, he clutched the note in his hand, promising that he wouldn't let anything happen to the woman in front of him.

He had a little under 24 hours before Jennifer Jareau lost her life.

He would die before he let that happen.