The FBI Files:
A Personal Touch
A dying man needs to die, as a sleepy man needs to sleep, and there comes a time when it is wrong, as well as useless, to resist.
–Stewart Alsop
American Columnist (1914-1974)
-xXxXxXx-
'Any idea why she called us here?' Derek Morgan asked his friends 'JJ I mean'
'Nope; not a clue' Emily Prentiss shrugged, and shook her dark hair out of her equally dark eyes.
'I'm sure all will be revealed when JJ arrives' Aaron 'Hotch' Hotchner assured them, never looking up from the paperwork which he was reading through.
Just as silence fell over the conference room that the team sat in, Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau dashed into the room; pink cheeked and slightly out of breath. She flashed a brilliant smile at her team; her best friends.
'Hi guys' she said cheerfully, pushing a lone strand of blonde hair behind her eyes.
'Hey JJ' Spencer Reid waved from his seat across the room.
JJ looked at him; despite their difficult past together Reid had certainly risen to the challenge and became very trusting of her. For that JJ was extremely thankful.
JJ's gaze fell on Morgan, who was watching her intently with his arms folded. Another one of the people who had risen to the challenge of trusting her. Even though Morgan resented what had happened between her and Reid, he had been willing to give her the benefit of the doubt; even though he had to be convinced by Reid.
Penelope Garcia was seated in front of Morgan, a smile fixed on her cherry red lips. JJ liked Garcia; the only thing that really bugged her was the fact that her friend was totally oblivious to Morgan's feelings towards her. Today Penny had added a frangipani behind her ear and was wearing bright pink eye shadow.
Hotch was watching her from under his lashes. JJ laughed inwardly; he was so bad at hiding his emotions. He was curious about what was going on but wasn't going to show it. Her surly boss was worried.
Emily; her best friend. She had stuck by JJ through thick and thin, no matter what. Her and Emily were so different; dark hair and blonde. But JJ knew that was why they were friends.
Finally David Rossi, who was sitting next to Hotch, a coffee cup clasped in his hands. He had become a father figure to JJ and was already to listen to her. JJ half suspected that Dave had become the team's personal psych.
I'm really going to miss them, JJ thought.
As she thought it, her smile disappeared and was replaced with a look of sadness. She turned away for a moment, trying to compose herself. Rossi's, quick off the mark as usual, forehead creased with worry. However he wasn't quick enough.
'JJ darling, what's going on?' Garcia asked.
JJ turned to face them, now pale faced and shaky. She collapsed into the nearest chair, and put her head in her hands. For a while no one said anything, they just watched JJ. She seemed to be struggling for words but when she did speak; her voice was strong and confident.
'I'm leaving the FBI, for good'
Reid and Garcia gasped and stared at their friend. Morgan's hands were immediately around Garcia's shoulders. Rossi would have dropped his coffee cup had it not been on the table so he merely widened his eyes. Hotch layered his paperwork to give JJ a piercing stare, trying to read her mind, searching for a reason why. Emily hung her head, trying to hold back the tears that had suddenly threatened to fall.
'I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!' JJ cried, stress taking over quickly. Her hands were shaking and she looked like she might cry.
'JJ honey, it's fine' Garcia said, but JJ knew the truth.
It wasn't fine. Garcia was just trying to make her feel better. They were upset and shocked, and JJ knew it.
'Why?' Hotch wanted to know.
'After seeing those kids and what she did to them, I'm scared about the type of mother I'm becoming to my child. The type that's never there for them, the type that thinks she knows her child and doesn't, the type that could get her child hurt. I don't want to be that person, it'll kill me' JJ cried, abandoning all effort to keep the tears away.
Rossi leapt to his feet and walked over to JJ, placing an arm around her shoulders, like a father would do to his daughter. He gave her a squeeze.
'It's okay JJ, we understand' he said, giving her a smile.
'If it feels like it's what you have to do then-' Morgan trailed off.
'Go for it' Reid assured her.
'See JJ. Even though you are leaving we still care' Rossi said giving her shoulders another squeeze.
JJ smiled through her tears and shook her head. She ran a hand through her hair and smiled at them.
'I'm moving as well' she said, waiting for their reactions.
For the first time Emily spoke up. 'Where?'
'New York, I'm sorry. It's the only place Will could get a job' she whispered.
'Oh'
'Em, I'm sorry' JJ said, staring at her best friend trying to decipher how she felt.
'JJ its fine. Sure I'm gonna miss you but it's your life and that means you decide how to run it' Emily said and managed a brave smile.
'Thank you' JJ whispered and clung to Rossi.
'JJ!' Garcia wailed and leapt out of her seat and ran to hug her friend.
JJ laughed through her tears and the others crowded around saying goodbye. Hotch stood a bit back, giving JJ a bit of space. He also needed a moment to think. JJ was leaving. She was leaving. Going, never coming back. Hotch wondered for a moment what the team was going to do without her.
He knew of course that work wise that problem was easily fixed, but personally? That was a whole new ball game. He had seen Emily's expression and Reid's. They were going to miss her, and badly.
-xXxXxXx-
'Hotch, you need a replacement ASAP' Director Strauss said.
Hotch frowned as he stood in her office. JJ had flown out only hours before and the Director already wanted to replace her. When he voiced this, the Director got angry.
'You listen to me. I understand that she was important to you but you can not go back into the field without another agent on your team. I forbid it' she hissed.
'Director what do you want me to say to my team. Prentiss and Reid are probably emotional case baskets at the moment' Hotch snapped.
'That is your concern not mine'
'Then Agent Jordan will be the best replacement'
'Agent Jordan is unavailable' the Director said.
'And why is that?' Hotch asked, trying to remain calm.
'She has been assigned to another team; you will have to find your own replacement'
-xXxXxXx-
'I'm going to miss her Derek' Garcia mumbled into Morgan's shirt, whom she had been hugging.
'I know baby girl, me too' he said, running a hand through her blonde hair.
Garcia opened her mouth to say something else but was interrupted when Derek's phone went off. Morgan released her and grabbed his phone, mouthing an apology to Garcia.
'Agent Morgan'
As Garcia watched Morgan's face went from neutral to worry.
'Whoa, whoa Sarah. Easy there, slow down I can't understand a word you're saying'
Sarah? Garcia thought. Probably his latest girlfriend. He was a womanizer, that's for sure. But despite the fact that she knew his ways, she couldn't help but like him. His broad shoulders that clenched when he hugged her, his angelic voice that sent shivers up her spine when he called his 'baby girl' and his gorgeous, deep brown eyes that twinkled when he laughed.
'What?! Okay I'm coming to pick you up. Hold tight sweetness' Morgan said and hung up.
'Derek? What's the matter? DEREK?!' Garcia shouted.
Morgan however paid no attention and dashed out the door.
'Men' Garcia muttered.
-xXxXxXx-
She was screaming, flailing under his hands. Her blonde hair now streaked with her blood was lank and disgusting. He squeezed tighter on her throat, grinning as her feeble attempts at escape weakened and weakened.
Then she was gone. Time to dispose of her. What was her name? Jessica…
Pretty name, but she was not pretty. Not anymore. She wasn't his anymore.
Which road this time? he wondered.
She was the third woman he had disposed of. The third woman to answer him. But he had got tired of her, he needed a new pet. A new toy. He examined the map above the doorframe depicting DC's roads. He placed a finger on the map, unnerved by the coolness of the surface. He smiled widely, that was the perfect place.
Gently he lifted her now broken, lifeless body and carried her out to the truck.
-xXxXxXx-
Rossi stared out of his office window and sighed deeply. He watched a plane flew through the sky. JJ would be in New York soon, never to return to work. The team would never her clear, joyous laughter fill the halls, or her calm, rational voice calming them down.
As much as he didn't want to believe that she was gone, Rossi knew she was. He was going to miss her, a lot. At first he had been angry, angry that she was leaving the team. But then sadness had claimed him, as well as guilt. Emily was right, it was JJ's life and that meant her decisions. He had no power over her decisions.
The warm summer sun beat down mercilessly on his back when he turned away. Rossi sighed and sat down in his desk chair, switching on the computer as he did so. Despite the shock announcement he still had work to do. Whilst it was booting up he wondered how the others would take JJ's departure.
Emily would pretend that everything was fine, when it was not. She would bottle up her emotions and not tell anyone how she felt. But eventually she would crack, and all her emotion would come pouring out. Rossi hope he was around so he could help her out.
Reid would also bottle his emotions up but unlike Emily he would let out his emotions when he was alone. The same was true for Garcia and Hotch.
Morgan was a difficult one to asses. Rossi hazarded a guess that he would let his anger and sadness out by physical activity, like jogging or using his punching bag.
And himself? Well since he knew himself better than anyone, he would write down how he felt then tear it up. That would be the safest bet.
We're going to miss you JJ, Rossi thought.
To Be Continued . . .
A/N:
I do not own Criminal Minds :-(
Trust me if I did I would put lots of people together like Morgan and Garcia! XD
Please Review!