Hello again! I have been working on this one-shot for a while, and I've finally finished it! This takes place during episode 7x18 "Foundation" and is a Morgan/JJ friendship fanfic. I'm still stuck on my other story, The Past is Never Forgotten, so please feel free to give me some pointers! Special thanks to all who have reviewed any of my stories! I'm new to this, so bear with me!
Morgan and JJ walked slowly down the hospital corridor. They were discussing Angel's mother, and how he would react to seeing her again. When they arrived at his room, he was sitting on the edge of his bed facing away from them, slouched over.
They both hurried into the room. Angel was trying to slit his wrists with a piece of plastic. Morgan ran forward and grabbed Angel, pulling the makeshift razor away from his wrist. He held on tight to Angel, trying to calm him. "It's okay, Angel. You're okay. JJ, get a towel." He told her.
JJ grabbed the plastic that was still near Angel and threw it away. She looked around and grabbed a medical cloth off of the table next to her. She pressed it against Angel's wrist, trying to stop the bleeding. As she did, the world faded away and she was thrown back into one of the memories that she'd hoped to forget.
Eleven year old Jennifer Jareau jolted awake. She sat up and glanced over at the clock. 3:00 A.M. She wondered what had woken her up. She was so tired and wanted to go back to sleep, but her mouth was so dry.
Not wanting to go all the way downstairs, JJ decided to get a glass of water from the bathroom down the hall. She slipped out of bed and tiptoed into the hallway, not wanting to wake anyone.
Finally arriving at the bathroom door, JJ was surprised to find light spilling out from underneath it. JJ knocked softly, wondering who was in there.
She was surprised when the door pushed open as she touched it. "Hello?" She called softly. She was met with the hoarse whisper of her sister. "Jenny, don't come in here. Go back to bed." Rosaline pleaded, not wanting her little sister to see her like this.
JJ, as always, didn't listen, and pushed the door open fully. She gasped when she saw Rosaline sitting in the bathtub, blood pouring out of the slashes in her wrists.
Tears slipped down her face as JJ ran to her sister's side. She clasped her tiny hands around Roz's wrists, trying to slow the bleeding. It was no use, though. The blood was coming out too fast. "Mom! Dad!" She screamed, hoping that her parents would wake up. Jennifer couldn't hold back her sobs as she watched the life slip out of her sister's eyes. The blood flow from Rosaline's wrists had slowed, and Roz looked sadly at her little sister. "I'm sorry Jenny." She said, taking her last breath as her eyes closed.
It was only a couple of seconds later when JJ and Rosaline's parents came rushing into the bathroom. Sandy cried out at the sight of her oldest daughter bleeding out in the bathtub, with JJ holding her wrists.
Micheal immediately ran for the house phone and called 911. In the bathroom, JJ continued to sob and hold her sister's wrists, even though she knew she was gone. "Rosaline! Roz! Wake up! Please! Roz!" JJ screamed through her tears, shaking her sister's lifeless body. It was no use though. Rosaline was already gone.
Sandy wept alongside the bathtub as she tried to comfort her sobbing child. JJ just pushed her away, refusing to leave her sister's side.
When the paramedics arrived, Micheal had to pry JJ away from her sister. After uselessly trying to get free of his grasp, she stopped fighting and sagged in her father's arms. He held her tight against his chest and carried her downstairs.
He sat down on the couch with her body still wrapped around him. She was shaking in his arms and he could do nothing to comfort her. She was inconsolable. So, Micheal just sat there and cried with his youngest child, maybe now his only child.
Minutes later, JJ lifted her head and looked at her dad. "Why?" She whispered brokenly. Micheal didn't have an answer for her because he didn't know either.
It was just after the paramedics had come back down looking defeated when JJ noticed her hands. They were dark red with Roz's bloods. It had dried on, leaving an almost glove-like texture.
She gasped and clawed at her hands, desperately trying to get it off. When that didn't work, she jumped out of her father's arms and ran to the kitchen sink to wash it off.
Even after all traces of the blood was gone, Jennifer could still see it. She scratched at her skin, trying to remove the blood that was no longer there.
By now, Sandy was downstairs after having directed the coroner to Rosaline's body. She didn't want to leave her but she knew her youngest daughter needed her more at the moment.
Sandy found Micheal and JJ in the kitchen and gasped at the sight. Micheal was holding JJ by the wrists so that she couldn't scratch her hands. JJ eyes were wild with grief and panic. "Dad! Let me go! I have to get it off!" She yelled at her father.
Micheal didn't dare let go. JJ had already scratched at her skin so much that it was starting to bleed. He looked to Sandy for help. She tried to get JJ to stop fighting, but nothing was working. They didn't want JJ to hurt herself more, so they had to make a decision.
Fresh tears filled both parents' eyes as Micheal called the paramedic over. "We need to sedate her. She keeps trying to scratch at her hands, and we don't want her to hurt herself more." He said, his voice cracking.
The medic, seeing the condition the child's hands were in, left immediately and came back with a syringe.
JJ panicked at the sight of the needle. She was terrified of needles. She tried to back away, but her dad had a tight grip on her. "Dad! Mom! Help me!" She yelled desperately, only to be met with the despair-filled faces of her parents. They weren't helping her. They were letting this happen.
JJ struggled even more as the needle got closer. Her dad pulled her arm down, exposing the veins in the crook of her elbow. The medic knelt down and pushed the needle into JJ's skin, being extremely careful since the child was thrashing around so much. JJ whimpered and fought to keep her eyes open and she got drowsier and drowsier. When she could no longer stay awake, JJ closed her eyes and drifted away.
JJ was jolted back to the present by the staff rushing into the room. She moved to the side, and a nurse resumed the pressure on Angel's wrist. Morgan stepped away as they sedated Angel.
He felt his heart break for the kid who had been through so much that it would make him want to kill himself. They were practically pushed out of the room by a nurse.
Morgan looked over at JJ. Her face was devoid of color, and her eyes were dull compared to their normal ocean-like color. She seemed to be staring at nothing. "JJ?" He said softly. When she didn't respond, Morgan touched her arm lightly.
JJ jumped at the feeling of Morgan's hand on her arm. She looked up into his worry-filled gaze. She was about to say something when a feeling of nausea rose within her. Without a word, JJ turned and sprinted for the nearest bathroom, which happened to be a few doors down.
Morgan quickly ran after JJ. He followed her into the bathroom, completely ignoring the women who were gawking at him for being in the women's bathroom.
JJ barely made it the stall in time to throw up everything she had eaten today. She felt a pair of hands hold her hair back. When she was done, she leaned against the stall door, panting.
Morgan let go of her hair and knelt next to JJ. "Are you okay?" he asked softly. JJ looked like hell and he was wondering if she was sick.
JJ rolled her head towards him. "Yeah, I'm fine. I don't know what come over me." When she made a move to stand, Morgan gently grabbed her arm and helped her up. "Thanks." She said softly.
"Can you go wait in the waiting room? I need to be alone for a second." JJ asked Morgan. "Are you sure?" he asked her, eyeing her pale face.
When JJ nodded, he cautiously left the bathroom and made his way to the waiting room. He didn't want to leave JJ alone but there was nothing her could do if she told him to leave.
In the bathroom, JJ bent over and splashed some water on her face. She tried to rinse her mouth out as best she could. Leaning over the sink, JJ looked up into the mirror. She looked horrible. There was hair sticking to her head by the sweat covering her face, and her eyes were puffy.
JJ fixed her makeup and hair. She stepped back and took a deep breath. You can do this JJ. Angel will make it. He isn't Rosaline. She told herself. JJ took one last look in the mirror before leaving the bathroom to find Morgan.
He was right where she had told him to go, the waiting room. He stood up when he saw her. "You sure you're okay?" Morgan asked her worriedly. JJ looked up at him. "Yeah." She said.
Morgan wanted to argue, but he knew now wasn't the time or place. "Alright. I'm going to go outside and call Hotch to tell him what happened. You stay here and wait for any news. If anyone tells you anything, call me okay?" He told her.
JJ nodded, relieved that he had dropped the subject for now. "Of course." Morgan turned and briskly walked down the hallway. He wanted to get back to the waiting room as soon as possible.
When he finally exited the hospital, Morgan pulled out his phone and called Hotch. He picked up after a couple of rings.
Hotch felt his phone vibrating and checked the number. It was Morgan. He gathered the rest of the team around.
"Hey Morgan you're on speaker. Is Angel talking yet?" Hotch asked him. "Hotch, we have a problem. A little while ago, JJ and I walked in on Angel trying to kill himself." Morgan said sadly.
The team gasped. Hotch sighed. "Is he okay?" he asked. Morgan sighed. "We don't know. JJ tried to stop the bleeding, but the nurses pushed us out of the room before we could find out anything."
"Well this definitely changes things. Without Angel, what do we have left?" Rossi said, wondering how this case was going to turn out.
"I think we caught him pretty early on, but I don't know. Hopefully, he'll pull through. We just found his mother." Morgan said.
Hotch, however, was focused on something else. "Morgan, how is JJ?" He was the only one who knew about her sister committing suicide and he didn't know how this would affect her.
Morgan sighed. "Honestly, Hotch? I don't know. After the nurses pushed us out of the room, she ran to the bathroom and threw up. That's not like her Hotch. She's never been nauseated by the sight of blood, or any of the things we see. She said she's fine, but I don't believe her.
The team was shocked at this revelation. They were all worried about JJ. Hotch just closed his eyes. If JJ was anything like him, then she probably had a flashback. He needed her on this case, though, and he knew she would get herself together. "Alright, Morgan. Let me know when you get news on Angel, and keep an eye on JJ. Try to get her to talk to you." With that, Hotch hung up.
The team all stared at Hotch. They got the feeling that he knew more than they did. However, they were on a case, so they needed to stay focused. With one last glance at Hotch, everyone got back to work.
JJ was still in the waiting room when Morgan returned. He got the feeling that Hotch knew something that he wasn't telling. Either way, he wanted JJ to open up to him. Something was bothering her.
Morgan walked over to her and sat down. She didn't even notice him until he settled into the chair next to him. "You want to tell me what that was back there?" he asked her gently.
JJ turned to look at him. She really didn't want to talk to him about it, but she had spent years holding it in, and it was time to bring her walls down for a little bit. And there was no one she trusted more than Derek Morgan. She glanced around the waiting room; they were alone.
JJ met Morgan's eyes briefly before looking back down. She felt the tears sting her eyes as she tried not to cry. Morgan, seeing JJ's internal struggle, tilted her chin up. "Hey, hey. Look at me. You know you can tell me anything." He said softly.
JJ met his eyes and looked away briefly before taking a deep breath. "Did you know that I had a sister?" She asked him.
Morgan shook his head. He was surprised; JJ never mentioned having a sister. He thought back for a second. JJ said that she had a sister. He closed his eyes for a second. He knew where this was going.
JJ saw Morgan's realization and continued. "Her name was Rosaline. She was six years older than me, but I didn't care. She was my idol and I adored her." JJ sniffed, thinking back to her childhood and all the times Rosaline had come to her rescue.
"One day when I was eleven, I woke up around 3:00 a.m. I didn't know what had woken me, but I was thirsty, so I went to get a drink from the bathroom. When I tried to open the door, I heard Roz telling me not to go in, but I didn't listen." A lone tear fell from JJ's eye when she looked up at Morgan. "Every day since then I wish that I had listened, that I hadn't gone in that room."
Morgan's heart broke at the sight of JJ crying. It was something so rare and he had never witnessed it before. Wordlessly, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
JJ leaned into Morgan. Right now, he was her strength, and she needed him. "She was laying the bathtub, in a puddle of her own blood. She had slit her wrists with our father's razor." JJ choked out. "I tried, I tried so hard to stop the bleeding, but I couldn't. My father had to pry me away from her body because I wouldn't let go of her wrists. And when he brought me downstairs, I tried to wash the blood off. But no matter how much I tried, it still stained my hands. Physically, it was gone. But in my mind, I could still see it coating my hands." JJ looked away for a second before turning back to Morgan. "My parents had to have the medics sedate me because I had scratched my hands so much that they were bleeding. And when I woke up in the hospital, I didn't remember anything at first. My parents had to tell me that my only sister was dead." Now, JJ wasn't trying to stop her tears. She leaned her head against Morgan's shoulder and closed her eyes, as if trying to block the memory.
Morgan was at a loss for words. He knew this story wouldn't end well but he never would've imagined JJ's sister killing herself. JJ's reaction earlier made sense now. "So, earlier, with Angel? That was why you threw up?" He asked softly.
JJ nodded. "I had a flashback. When I was pressing that towel to his wrists, it was like I was holding Roz's wrists again. It's something I'll never forget." She said, wiping her face.
Morgan nodded; he understood completely. He looked at JJ's tear-streaked face and exhausted eyes. The bags under them were much more prominent. "You should try to get some sleep while we're waiting. It'll probably be a while before anyone tells us anything." He told her.
JJ wanted to argue, but she was so tired. Instead, she nodded and laid her head on Morgan's shoulder, closing her eyes. Within seconds, she was asleep.
Forty five minutes passed before the doctor came out. She recognized Morgan from earlier and made her way over to him. Both agents were sleeping in the chairs. Agent Jareau's head was on the other's shoulder. Agent Morgan's head laid gently on top of Agent Jareau's. Even in sleep they both looked so exhausted that she didn't want to wake them. However, it was her job to inform people of her patient's status.
Morgan woke to the feeling of a warm hand on his shoulder. He lifted his head to see Dr. Jarocki standing in front of him. He tried to sit up, but then he saw JJ on his shoulder. She still had dark shadows beneath her eyes and he desperately wanted to let her sleep, but he knew he had to wake her. So, he reached over with his free hand and rested it on cheek. "JJ, it's time to wake up." He said softly.
JJ jerked awake at the feeling of a warm hand on her cheek. She looked up to see Morgan and the doctor looking at her. She lifter her neck of off Morgan's shoulder, wincing at its soreness. She wiped the bleariness out of her eyes and sat up. "Do you have news on Angel?" she asked the doctor in a hoarse, sleep filled voice.
Dr. Jarocki smiled. "Angel is going to be just fine. The cuts he made were deep, but you caught it early enough that he didn't lose too much blood. You can see him now if you'd like."
Morgan wore a relieved smile. He looked over at JJ, who was now wide awake. Her face mirrored his own, and she had unshed tears in her eyes. "Thank you Doctor." Morgan said.
Dr. Jarocki smiled and nodded before turning and walking away so she could tend to her other patients. Morgan and JJ stood up, and she turned to look at him. "He's going to be okay." She whispered softly.
Morgan smiled and nodded. "He is, JJ. He is." Morgan wrapped his arms around her waist in a tight hug. JJ held onto his neck, and this time the tears she was shedding were ones of joy, not sorrow.
They stood hugging for a little while longer before JJ finally let go. Morgan didn't mind; he knew that JJ needed it, and he was happy to provide.
Together, they walked down the hospital corridor slowly. Both got the feeling of déja vu. JJ shuddered at the thought of their last trip to Angel's room.
When they reached the door, Morgan opened it slowly and was surprised to see Angel awake. "Hey kid. How're you feeling?"
They conversed for some time. Morgan told angel the story behind the coin he gave him and he also told him about Carl Burford.
Earlier on, JJ had stepped out, sensing that they had needed to be alone. Outside the room, she called Garcia for an update. There wasn't any new leads, so right now Angel was their only chance.
Deciding to relay the news to Morgan, JJ softly opened the door. She overheard Morgan telling Angel about Burford and her heart broke. She wasn't the only one with demons, not by a long shot.
She walked up to Derek and gave him an update. To both their surprise, Angel verbally consented to helping them. Previously, he hadn't talked at all. But now, this type of progress lifted JJ and Morgan's spirits.
It was something they both needed.
After three more endless hours of working, the team finally caught the unsub. He was a sick bastard, taking children and locking them up for his own pleasure. His own daughter had to find out that her father was a serial killer.
As for Angel, he was reunited with his mother. She was relieved to see him, as he was her. Seeing the moment between mother and son brought tears to Morgan and JJ's eyes. It was something to remind them why they did their jobs. No one knew how long it would take Angel to overcome his years of trauma. He would never truly heal.
But one thing they did know for sure is that he would never let go of that coin.
Hours later, after the team had flown back to the BAU, Morgan and JJ gathered their things and starting walking out together. On their way down the hallway, JJ stopped Morgan.
"I can't help but think of little Morgan, all alone." She said, her mind running back to the conversation he had with Angel.
Morgan sighed. "JJ, I'm here because of what that man did to me." JJ nodded. "I know, I'm just…sorry." Morgan gave her a small smile and they walked out together, both their minds in a different time.
After all, those past experiences are the foundation that their futures were built upon.
And they're pretty sturdy.