"Now, blondie, I'll try go easy on you today but I don't make any promises," Derek smirked as he wrapped his knuckles.

"Don't bother, Morgan. You know I could take you with my eyes closed," JJ said with a weak smile as she roughly gathered her hair in a ponytail.

Derek laughed in good nature, as they made their way to the sparring mat. It had become a weekly routine after they had finished work on a Tuesday – lest they were away on a case – for them to meet to practice sparring. It had come in handy on more than a few occasions while apprehending suspects, as rarely did they ever come quietly. At first it had been for her benefit, as being rather small she lacked the strength to get away with basic self-defence training against large, sometimes behemoth UnSubs. As she progressed – particularly after re-joining the team after her stint with the pentagon – she became more adept and they were soon on an equal footing. If anything, JJ occasionally had the upper hand with her ability to use Morgan's size against him.

"Right then – usual practice?"

"Yep, and I swear to god, Morgan, if you try to tickle me again, I will-"

"Yeah, yeah – as long as you stay away from my chocolate temple of manliness"

"Okay, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that"

They shared a quick chuckle before getting down to business. They nodded once and touched knuckles before assuming their position. As dramatic as it may sound, inside that ring they were not partners, or colleagues, or even friends. They were opponents with the simple task of grounding the other as quickly and efficiently as possible.

They circled for a few moments before any action ensued. JJ, not one to hold back inside the ring, landed the first punch. Morgan easily blocked it and aimed a timely jab at her abdomen, but she moved just in time to avoid it. They carried on like this for a while, with basic movements and tactical attacks.

Morgan soon got bored and used JJ's next move against her. Upon extending her arm towards his face, she dropped her other arm slightly. Morgan aimed a timely jab at her head, and in her recoil another couple at her head and abdomen. Quick on her feet, JJ took a step out to get out of range, reset, and retaliate.

She dropped her head slightly to exhale and supress the shock and, despite the cushioning, slight pain. However when she looked up again, she didn't see Morgan. In his place was Tivon Askari.

Everything had changed in a single heartbeat. The mat became solid concrete, splashed with water from her drowning. Askari looked at her hungrily, eager to break her.

But hadn't he already broken her?

Yes, he had. And it had taken nearly a full year for her to put herself back together.

She wouldn't let him do it again.

JJ lunged at him in a flurry of punches. Her muscles burned, no longer fuelled by glucose but by pure rage. It was life or death. She wasn't restrained this time – she wouldn't give him the opportunity to hurt her. She punched and kicked as hard as she could for a few moments before he gathered himself. She had dropped her arm completely, and was free to attack. He landed several punches at her face and one at her abdomen. Upon contact with her abdomen, the electric current surged through her again. Igniting every nerve on fire – burning from within. It was a pain like no other – agony radiated from the point of contact on her abdomen to every nerve ending in her body. She let out a cry of pain and crumpled to the floor. Askari faltered for a moment, watching on in pleasure.

Pushing the pain aside, she sprung up and resumed her attack. Technique was forgotten – no longer was she aiming tactical assaults, but was simply lashing out at each and every part of his body she could find. Her muscles cried for respite, but she could not give it to them.

He pushed her back and laughed, telling her to keep her strength. She lunged at him again, screaming for her lost baby, but he made contact with her torso, sending another wave of excruciating pain through her body. It hurt – oh god it hurt. JJ fell back with the force of his touch and in recoil of the electrocution. She scrambled up, but the adrenaline coursing through her veins told her that fighting was useless and that she must run. So she ran to the door – knowing that it was locked and that the set of keys hanging from Askari's belt was the only way out, but also knowing that there was no other option.

She sprinted, stumbling every other step on her way to the door. She turned her head to see Askari gaining on her – arms open to envelope her back into a world of torture. She stumbled once more and her instincts forced her arms out to cushion her fall but instead they grappled onto something else. Her head whipped around, loose hairs sticking to the sweat on her forehead. Was it her team? Coming to save her? No. She was holding onto Hastings. With another scream she pushed away from his filthy, groping hands and tried to run past him.

As she ran she felt warm, salty tears mingle with the sweat on her face. She let out a strangled cry – no longer adamant not to show any weakness. If she could only get to that door…

In her desperation to escape, her feet did not stop pounding the concrete floor until she collided with the door. She struggled with the doorknob, but it would not budge. Within seconds she could feel Askari on top of her, enveloping her in his huge arms. One hand covered her mouth and she instinctively started choking on the pungent chemicals he was feeding her. More tears leaked from her eyes, and a terrified sound emerged from her smothered mouth.

He removed the cloth and she gasped for air, still struggling between the door and the large body of Askari.

"Just kill me then! Like you killed my baby! You bastard!"

He shifted his body until she was pressed flush against his torso, his arms wrapped around her – almost like a hug. She had ran out of adrenaline, out of hope, out of fight. She fell into his arms like a ragdoll – ready to accept her fate.

"JJ!"

He was shouting her name. The name that her friends and family called her. Not her captor, her torturer, the murderer of her unborn child – he did not get to call her that – but she could not stop him.

"JJ" he voiced again, his voice more hushed.

"JJ, it's me. Derek," concern etched his voice.

Was this another ploy? Was this something to do with the drugs he gave her?

"JJ, you're safe. It's Derek Morgan – you're friend"

Another sob wracked her body, but the man who held her was doing so very gently now.

"JJ, can you hear me? It's Derek. I need you to look at me and see that it's only me, and I'm not going to hurt you, ok? You're safe."

She opened her eyes that she did not realised she had clenched shut in terror. JJ shifted slightly so she could look into the eyes of her friend and colleague, Derek Morgan.

Her breathing slowed gently, but the tears continued to fall.

"Derek- He- Aska- Askari. I saw him- And Hastings. He was-" JJ stammered incoherently.

"I know, you're safe now. He's gone," Morgan soothed.

They sat like that for a while, in silence. JJ tried to compose herself, but she felt shame and humiliation rush through her. She had tried so hard to keep it all under wraps, to not let it affect her job and her relationships – but she had failed. Just like she had failed to protect her team, to protect Nadia and her daughter, to protect her baby. She wiped the stray tears that remained on her face and replaced her distraught façade with a calm and neutral one. She had been so weak – she vowed that she would not let that weakness show again.

With her calm, controlled, and stoic demeanour in place, JJ stood up. She stepped around Morgan, refusing to meet his concerned stare, and strode into the female changing room. It wasn't until she punched a locker in anger she realised the damage she had done to her knuckles. They were red raw and burning. She also noticed bruising starting to appear around her eye and shoulder from her collision with the door. Deciding to shower at home so that she could leave as quickly as possible and avoid Morgan, she gathered her stuff as fast as she could and turned to leave.

A/N- This is just a one-shot for now, but I could possibly be persuaded to continue if it's well received. If you have any criticism (constructive please) or comments on this then please review to let me know! I hope I didn't want to make JJ's character too weak here but I'm not sure if I did or not. I hate it when she's portrayed as a silly, weak and emotional character. I mean - I know all characters have emotions but I don't think she gets enough credit for controlling them and for her strength. Anyway, please R&R and let me know if this is something that should be continued! Thanks