This second chapter is building up to the crime. I have tried to tone down the actual crime because I believe that the less something is mentioned, the better the imagination is at envisioning- which makes for a more powerful story. Please feel free to leave a review or PM. Thank you.

Believe Again

Inserting her key into the lock, JJ opened the door and stepped inside her apartment. Looking around, she called out, "Rebecca? Are you here?"

An auburn haired teen ducked her head around the corner. "Ms. Jareau, you're home early."

Setting her purse and coat on the table, JJ kicked off her shoes. Taking off her service weapon, she placed it in the drawer of the desk against the far wall. "Is Henry still awake?"

"No. I just put him down about twenty minutes ago." Coming out into the main room, Rebecca was drying her hands on a paper towel. "I thought you were going out tonight."

"I was, but I had to work late."

"Oh." Throwing the paper into the trash can, Rebecca looked at JJ. "I fed Henry a light supper, then I gave him a bath. I hope you don't mind. He was tired, so I just let him fall asleep."

Reaching into her purse, JJ extracted her wallet. Pulling out a few dollars, she handed them over. "Thank you so much. I hope this covers everything."

Looking at the bills in her hand, Rebecca blushed. "Oh, this is too much. I only got here two hours ago." She tried to hand the money back.

JJ shook her head. "No. Keep it."

"Are you sure?" The young lady looked doubtful.

"Yes. You went thru the trouble of taking care of Henry; it's the least I can do."

"Okay. Well, thanks." Slipping her coat on, Rebecca grabbed her back pack. "If you need me again, let me know. I'll be studying for finals, so I will have my weekends free."

"Thank you Rebecca."

"Bye Ms. Jareau."

"Bye." JJ listened for the door to close. Sitting down on the chair, she buried her face in her hands and sighed. Her day had been long…longer than she had anticipated. The dinner she hope to get was gone. And Will was going to bed someone to spite her. How in the world had her life spun so far out of control?

"Maybe I should have stayed at work and finished those reports for Strauss. At least she would have appreciated my hard work," JJ muttered to the empty room. Thank God it was Friday and she could sleep in tomorrow. She needed a drink.

Sighing, she stood up and walked to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she took out a soda, popped the top, and took a long sip. She needed a bath. She needed to relax. She needed to get rid of all the stress of a long week and crappy evening. A long hot, bubble bath should do the trick.

Heading out of the room, she stopped. The reports! Damn it! Grabbing her purse, she extracted her phone and dialed. In her hurry to leave work and meet with Will, she had forgotten to get the confirmation numbers on the filed reports. Hopefully Garcia would still be in her lair and send that information to her phone.

"You have reached the queen of all knowledge good and bad," greeted Penelope Garcia. "State your business."

"Hi PG."

"Oh my lovely little blonde buttercup! To what do I owe the honour of this late night phone call?"

"Are you still at work?"

"No where else on earth I would rather be."

"Unless Morgan was free," JJ teased.

Garcia smiled and twirled her pen. "Oh, my delightful Dove chocolate bar had a hot date tonight with some floozy who will probably break his heart by morning."

"And you'll be there to pick up the pieces?"

"Of course….after I wipe her blackberry and cell phone clean."

"Ah." JJ nodded. Garcia was the one person no one with even a universal remote in their possession wanted to mess with. Thank God she had made the computer tech Henry's godmother.

"I need you to do me a favour."

"Name it and it shall be yours."

"I finished those reports for Strauss tonight and filed them, but I didn't stick around for the confirmation numbers. Could you send those to my blackberry so I can have them by tomorrow morning?"

"Oh my fair beauty, you can have anything you want…especially if you agree to let me baby-sit that wonderful godson of mine."

JJ laughed. "You may have him. I plan on spending the whole weekend in the tub soaking myself into peaceful oblivion."

"Oh!" Garcia squealed in delight. "Give me just a minute to transfer that number to you. Honey, what's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" JJ sipped her soda.

"I think I know you better than anyone and I don't like that tone in your voice." Garcia's fingers flew over her keyboard while she listened to her best friend's problems. "Are you out with Will tonight?"

JJ looked down on the dining room table and saw something green peeking at her from under some papers. Pulling it out, she realized it was Rebecca's cell phone.

"Hey, PG, can I call you back? I have to…" A knock on the door interrupted her. "Hold on. I think that's the sitter."

"Cheating on me already?" Garcia teased.

"Oh no, Henry is still all yours this weekend." Walking to the door, JJ flung it open. "Rebecca, you forgot your cell…" JJ stopped in mid-sentence as she realized that it wasn't Rebecca on the other side. "I'm sorry; I think you have the wrong house."

"JJ?" Garcia called out. "Are you okay? What's going on?"

"Don't make a sound and no one will get hurt," the stranger demanded darkly and entered the room. Closing the door behind him, he threw the deadbolt. "Are you alone?"

"Who are you? What do you want?" JJ asked, as she set her phone on the table. She needed to get to her service weapon. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she tried to estimate the distance from where she was to her purse.

"I want your money and your credit cards and I won't hurt you."

"I'll give it to you, just put the knife away." Stalling for time, JJ handed over her wallet. "That's all I have; you can go now." All of her FBI training came back as she tried to remain calm and reason with the burglar. Memorize his features, JJ ordered herself. His eyes, his voice…okay think. What would Rossi do to talk himself out of this? How would he negotiate his way out of a possible volatile situation with a baby in the next room? Think JJ! Think like Rossi would!

Rifling thru the wallet, the UNSUB took out the money and credit cards. Shoving it in his pockets, he threw the wallet at JJ.

Before JJ could think, he slapped her hard across the face knocking her to the ground. Hitting the hard wood floor, she felt the air expel from her lungs. Winded and stunned, she tried to get her senses back when she felt the intruder land on top of her.

Frantically, JJ tried to fight back. This isn't happening. Fight him JJ! Fight him! Oh God! Pen is on the phone. Call for help Pen! Oh God! JJ do something! Don't let him win! Think of Henry! Think of Henry!

Garcia stared at the computer screen and considered interrupting JJ when she heard the encounter then the frantic struggle on the other end of the line. "JJ? Are you okay?" She asked hesitantly. Listening carefully, she tried to make out something to help her determine what was happening.

"JJ, are you there? Talk to me! JJ, answer me!" Garcia felt her hysteria begin to bubble. Keep it together Penelope! Keep it together! Keep JJ on the line. Call Hotch! Her thoughts racing, her hands trembling, she tried to focus on the moment and not what was happening on the other end of the line.

With one ear tuned into the situation with JJ, Garcia quickly dragged her mouse to the cell numbers of her team. If anyone knew what to do, it would be the BAU chief.

Waiting for the call to Hotch to connect, Garcia tried to keep from becoming hysterical as the frenetic sound of fighting came over the line. Then she heard the scream.