Hello!
So I'm really sorry about the fact that this story has been off to such a slow start! As I've said before I work, a lot. Add on the fact that I've been sick all weekend, I've had a really hard time sitting down to write! I will do my best to update at least once a week and if I have time I will definitely do more than that! Please stick with me!
Hope you enjoy! -J
Chapter 3
After Emily had hung up with JJ she had rejoined Alex and Spencer in the family room; a smile on her face as she took her seat and asked if it was her turn. Though her mother appeared to look content, Alex could still tell that something was bothering the older brunette from the worry that still resided in her eyes. Knowing Emily wouldn't discuss the issue though, especially with Spencer there, Alex had chosen to ignore it, continuing on with the game as normal, eventually convincing the other two to play The Game of Life after she finally went bankrupt.
Feeling slightly drowsy from the pain medication she was still taking, Emily had eventually excused herself to go to bed; Alex and Spencer heading up to Alex's room to watch a movie, where they eventually fell asleep.
Opening her eyes the next morning, Alex came face to face with Spencer who lay facing her, her eyes wide open as she began to giggle at the look of surprise written on Alex's face.
"Have you just been laying there staring at me all morning?" Alex laughed, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"I actually only just woke up," Spencer replied with a laugh. "Just rolled over to see if you were awake and your eyes popped open."
"Suuuure," Alex teased. "That's what they all say."
"Shut up," Spencer laughed, shoving her friend's shoulder, Alex rolling on to her back as she continued to laugh, Spencer doing the same, shaking her head at her friend's antics. "You think your mom's awake?"
"Probably," Alex sighed. "Even though she needs the extra sleep. Knowing her she's probably trying to lift weights or something equally ridiculous," she said, half joking, half serious. "And JJ will kill me if she hurts herself before she's back."
"Oh yeah right. JJ loves you way too much for that," Spencer laughed, Alex smiling her agreement. "Do you think her and your mom will ever get married?" The teen asked, turning her head towards her friend.
"I hope so," Alex replied with a dreamy smile on her face. "I mean I know that we're all living together already anyways, and JJ asked my mom to raise the baby with her, but I want them to get married too. I want there to be a wedding and I want JJ to…" She began, suddenly cutting herself off, her face reddening slightly.
"You want JJ to what?" Spencer asked, furrowing her eyebrow in confusion.
"I just…" Alex began again, sighing. "I just kind of hoped that maybe if they got married, then JJ would adopt me," she admitted, avoiding Spencer's eye. "I mean I know it doesn't really change anything but I just…I…"
"You don't have to explain," Spencer interrupted, reaching out and giving her friend's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I know how much you love JJ. It makes sense that you would want her to be your mom too."
"She already is though," Alex said shaking her head. "I just…I want it to be official I guess," she shrugged.
"I'm sure that's something JJ wants too," Spencer assured her. "Your mom too."
"Yeah," Alex sighed, leaning her head to rest on Spencer's shoulder. "You should hang out here today," she suggested. "I know you still have homework but we can both work on that. The company would be nice."
"Sure," Spencer smiled. "But first come on," she said, sitting up and pulling at Alex's hand. "I'm starving. We can make your mom waffles."
"Deal," Alex laughed, allowing her friend to pull her out of bed and lead her by the hand.
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With several interviews set up for that morning, the team was at the precinct earlier than normal; the clock barely striking 8am as they gathered in the conference room to get their orders from Hotch, coffee cups in hand.
"Our interviewees should be here any time now," Hotch began when everyone was seated. "We need to find any connections between our victims that we can. I know Garcia has come up blank so far, but maybe the families can give us some better insight," he explained. "JJ, Morgan and I will handle the families, while Rossi and Reid talk to our witnesses. We'll meet back here after and see what we have. Hopefully we find something before this guy strikes again."
"And when will that be?" JJ asked, nervously glancing at the clock, while the rest of the team turned their attention to Reid, figuring the young genius would have the most accurate answer.
"It's hard to say," Reid eventually replied. "I mean we have 4 people dead in 2 separate shootings, which were less than a week apart. Technically we don't have enough to predict when or where he'll strike next, but given the short amount of time between the two shootings I think we need to be prepared for it to be anytime now."
"Great," JJ replied sarcastically.
"Look I know that things don't look very promising right now," Hotch said. "Which is why these interviews are of utmost importance. There's a connection here somewhere and we'll find it. Don't get discouraged."
"We've definitely found our unsub with less," Rossi agreed.
"It looks like the families are starting to roll in," Morgan said, nodding his head towards the station entrance where a group of people were walking in, all looking rather lost.
"Alright Morgan, JJ you two go," Hotch said. "I'll join you in a minute," he said, JJ and Morgan immediately standing from their seats and heading out of the room.
"You really think we're going to find something?" Rossi asked when the two Agents left.
"I think we have to," Hotch sighed, hoping this day gave them something to work with.
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Heading towards the group waiting at the door, JJ and Morgan introduced themselves before directing the various families into different interview rooms, needing to talk to them all separately. After receiving quick instructions from Hotch, JJ headed into one of the rooms, where the family of Melanie Richards; a 32-year-old newlywed, was waiting.
Glancing at her file once more, JJ took a deep breath before entering the room. "Mr. Richards," the blonde greeted as she walked in, finding the young man sitting next to an older couple. "Mr. and Mrs. Valor," she also greeted Melanie's parents. "I'm so sorry for your loss," she said as she took a seat across from them. "I know that you're going through an incredibly difficult time, but I was hoping that I could ask you all a few questions about Melanie."
"We talked to the cops after the shooting," Melanie's father replied, sounding agitated. "Why do we have to do this again? Shouldn't you all be out there looking for the guy that did this?" He demanded, his wife placing a comforting hand on his leg.
"Mr. Valor, I'm very sorry," JJ quickly apologized. "I know how frustrating this must be, but we're doing everything we can to find your daughter's killer. My team is working incredibly hard to find any connection to discover why this happened to your daughter, but we need your help," she said. "I could really use your cooperation."
"What do you need to know?" Mrs. Valor asked, her hand reaching for her husband's.
"Why don't you start out by telling me a little about Melanie?" JJ asked. "She was a lawyer right?"
"Mel was always smart," Mrs. Valor. "I think she decided when she was 15 that she would be a lawyer. She wanted to help people who really needed it, and that's what she's always done at her job. I don't even know how many cases she's taken pro-bono. She loved her job and she was good at it."
"Did she ever have any problems at work?" JJ asked. "Any cases where one of her clients may have been unhappy with the outcome? Or any threats of any kind?"
"Never," Mr. Valor replied, shaking his head. "Melanie was well respected," he said. "Sure she stepped on a few toes here and there, but it was never an issue."
"Mr. Richards you and Melanie were married just last year, correct?" She asked, turning her attention to the man, who had yet to say a word; his face clearly stricken with grief.
"We've been together for nearly 9 years," Patrick Richards answered. "We met when Mel was in Law School. We've been engaged for over 4 years. We were going to get married right away, but then Mel got her job, and she wanted to make a name for herself there."
"And Melanie never mentioned any threats at work to you?" JJ asked again, thinking that Melanie was probably more likely to tell her husband about problems at work than her parents. "Absolutely no enemies that you can think of?"
"No," Patrick shook his head. "Everybody loved Melanie. She would have told me if there were any problems like that."
"Alright," JJ nodded. "Now Melanie was shot in a relatively busy area, during the noon hour. Was it normal for her to be in that area at that time?"
"Her law firm is located just across the street from where she was shot," Patrick replied sadly. "She liked to have lunch at this little café across the street. Sometimes I would meet her there."
"Did she do this every day?"
"About 2 or 3 times a week," Patrick explained. "But I think she would usually head down for a coffee on her lunch regardless, unless she was really busy."
"Okay," JJ nodded, feeling slightly frustrated, not hearing anything that the team could really use to help them find their unsub.
"Agent Jareau," Patrick called, interrupting the blonde's train of thought, as she raised her head to meet the man's eyes. "My wife meant everything to me. We were…we were talking about starting a family. She really wanted to be a mom," he explained, his eyes falling on JJ's pregnant belly. "Now she'll never get that chance. I need to know who did this to her," he said emotionally, JJ taking a deep breath in order to control her own emotions.
"We're going to do everything we can," the media liaison replied, her voice cracking slightly, suddenly unable to control her own emotions, seeing how heartbroken Patrick was. "I'm…I'm sorry can you just…can you excuse me for a moment?" She asked, standing up and quickly leaving the room, knowing it would be unprofessional if she lost her cool in front of a victim's family.
Needing a moment alone in order to calm down, JJ quickly headed into the break room, closing the door behind her, leaning against the door to catch her breath, not noticing the other presence in the room.
"JJ?" Will's voice called, surprising the blonde who jumped, placing a hand on her stomach. "Sorry," he quickly apologized, before noticing the saddened look on the blonde's face. "Are you okay?"
"Oh…yeah sorry," the blonde quickly scrambled, wishing she had run into anyone else; pinching the bridge of her nose to quell off the headache she could feel beginning to form. "I didn't realize anyone was in here," she said, turning around in order to leave again.
"JJ wait," Will called, stopping the blonde in her tracks. "I was just leaving," he said in his thick accent, moving closer to JJ who still had one hand on the door handle. "But are you okay? Really?" He asked again.
"I'm…" JJ began, stopping herself before she told a lie. "I just needed a minute," she sighed. "Talking with the families is just…"
"Hard?" Will finished for her, as she nodded her agreement. "I don't think it's something anyone can ever get used to."
"It's just not fair," JJ said, shaking her head in frustration as she moved away from the door so she could go sit down, Will making no move to leave. "I mean these people had their whole lives ahead of them until some wackjob just decides to shoot them and take it all away," she said. "Just like that four lives are taken away and we're no closer to finding this guy, which means more people are going to die and it…it just…it sucks!" She exclaimed.
"Whoa, whoa JJ, just calm down okay," Will said, moving to kneel down in front JJ, tentatively placing a comforting hand on her knee. "I know it's frustrating but, you can't let it get to you like this," he said. "I mean it can't be good for that little guy," he said, gesturing to her stomach, JJ immediately placing her hand there, suddenly feeling slightly uncomfortable. "We're gonna find this guy," Will assured her, removing his hand from her knee as he noticed the change in the blonde's demeanor, but remaining knelt in front of her.
"I just wish we could do that before he hurta anyone else…before he destroys someone else's family," JJ told him sadly, as Will nodded solemnly in agreement.
"JJ…" the Southern Detective began, interrupted by the door swinging open and Morgan rushing in; the Agent pausing for a moment to take in the sight of the two people in the room.
"There's been another shooting," Morgan eventually told them. "It's bad. Hotch wants you taking calls," he told JJ. "LaMontagne you better come with us."
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"I don't understand how you watch this," Emily said with a laugh later that night, running her hand through Alex's hair as the teen lay with her head in her mother's lap; the pair having spent the last hour together on the couch. "I mean these people are just awful."
"I find them fascinating," Alex giggled, her attention still on the screen. "I mean there's so many of them and they're basically famous for being famous," she said. "Plus they do the most ridiculous things. I could literally watch this for hours."
"Well I'll allow you one more episode after this," Emily said. "I draw the line at 4."
"Okay deal," Alex laughed, as Emily continued playing with her hair. "You know as much as I wish you didn't get shot, it's kind of nice having you home like this."
"It's nice being here," Emily agreed with a smile. "I mean as hard as it is for me to be away from work I like that I'm getting extra time with you," she said. "Even if you do make me watch these crappy shows."
"Oh please I've seen you watching the E network when I'm not around," Alex shot back, rolling onto her back so she could see her mother's face. "You might as well stop pretending that you hate this stuff."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Emily replied, trying her best to keep a straight face, avoiding looking Alex in the eye.
"You're a terrible liar," Alex said with a laugh, shaking her head as she rolled back onto her side so she could see the TV again. "But I'll let it go since you're letting me watch this."
"Good idea," Emily laughed, ruffling the teen's hair, the pair falling silent as their focus remained on the television; enjoying the relaxing time together.
With her hand still running through her daughter's hair, Emily began to drift off, her head leaning back against the sofa awkwardly as her eyes fell shut, just starting to fall asleep when her cell began to ring.
"That's probably JJ," Emily groaned unable to reach her phone that was sitting on the coffee table since one of her arms was still strapped into a sling and Alex's head still rested on her lap. "You want to grab it?"
"I'll talk to her during the commercial," Alex replied, grabbing Emily's phone and handing it back to the older brunette.
"Hey Honey," Emily greeted as soon as she pressed the talk button on her phone.
"Hi Sweetie," JJ's voice came through the phone, sounding exhausted. "How're you doing?"
"Oh I'm good, just watching some terrible TV with the kid," Emily replied, laughing as Alex pinched her leg. "How are you? You sound tired."
"It's been a really long day," JJ sighed, still feeling the emotional drain of the case as she plopped down on her hotel bed. "There was another shooting today. 4 more victims," she sighed. "It was absolute chaos at the precinct all day and the guys were at the scene trying to take statements and search for clues for hours. We still don't have much, but Hotch sent me back to the hotel to get some rest."
"The guys are still working?" Emily asked, knowing the answer.
"Yeah they wanted to go over a few more things," JJ replied tiredly.
"Are you okay?" Emily asked, hearing the strain in the blonde's voice.
"Yeah I just…this case is hard," JJ replied sadly. "I mean I had to interview one of the victim's families today and her and her husband hadn't even been married for a year yet," she explained. "They were young. They had plans. They wanted kids," she said. "They were supposed to have so much more time together and it was just taken from them. Just like that. I don't know what I would do if that ever….I couldn't handle it."
"Hey," Emily quickly intervened. "Don't talk like that. I'm fine," she said, Alex turning and giving her a worried look. "Nothing's going to happen to me baby. I'm fine and we're going to get a very long time together okay?" She said. "I know this case is hard but you guys are going to figure it out. It'll be okay."
"I know," JJ sighed. "But I think I really needed to hear that from you," she admitted.
"And is that all that's bothering you? I mean everything's okay with…everything else?" She asked, unable to ask about Will with Alex sitting with her.
"Y-yeah," JJ replied, unsure of how to explain her talk with Will that day. "I mean there hasn't really been enough time to deal with that yet."
"Okay," Emily replied, noticing that the television was now playing a commercial and Alex was watching her expectantly. "Hey, Lex wants to talk to you, but if you need to talk at any point, I'm here okay?"
"I know Baby, thank you," JJ replied, a smile evident in her voice. "I love you."
"I love you too Jennifer," Emily smiled. "Stay safe sweetheart."
