Chapter 3
"What do you want to know?" Emily heard JJ ask.
"I think, before we talk about anything else, I need to check your hand out" Morgan stated firmly. Emily was glad that he had taken control of the situation.
"What are you going to do?" JJ asked cautiously.
"I'll just clean it up and check you haven't broken anything" he answered. "It'll hurt like hell, but I'm guessing you don't want to go to the hospital and I have, unfortunately, got plenty of experience with this kind of injury."
He had already collected a first aid kit and a bowl of water from the kitchen area. He gently took hold of JJ's hand and began cleaning the blood away. Emily saw JJ flinch with each gentle touch, so did her best to distract her friend.
"How frequently have you spoken to Polly since the case was closed Jayje?" she asked.
"It depends" JJ replied, still wincing. "When the case was first closed, both Brooke and Polly really struggled – naturally. Judy called me first because she was worried. Brooke and her father left town almost immediately and Polly had completely shut herself off. I went to see them when I was visiting my aunt one weekend. I spoke to Polly and managed to draw her out a bit. I left her my number and she started calling me. At first she was calling at least 2 or 3 times a week, but that dropped off when she started college...God Morgan, what the hell are you doing?"
"I'm sorry Jayje" Morgan replied, not letting go of her hand. Emily could see that JJ was in alot of pain and leant in to see what he was doing. He was gently probing each knuckle with his thumb. "I'm just trying to see if you've broken anything."
"And?" JJ ground out.
Morgan finished what he was doing before replying; "You haven't broken your hand, but I'm pretty sure you've broken your index finger just below the second knuckle."
"Damn it" exclaimed JJ. "Does that mean I need to see a doctor?"
"Not unless you really want to" replied Morgan. "They wouldn't do anything other than strap it to the next finger, which I can do here anyway."
JJ looked relieved and held her hand out for Morgan to strap it up.
"Has Polly been OK since she started at college?" probed Emily, eager to keep JJ talking.
"It's been up and down" JJ replied. "At first she was doing really well, but then the court case started and both she and Brooke had to give evidence – that was about 18 months ago. Brooke took a fatal overdose just after he was found guilty and Polly has threatened it a number of times since. But she seemed to be so much better recently. I saw her at college two months ago and she was really happy and settled. She said she knew where she was going in life and finally felt that she had begun to move forward. I haven't spoken to her since – I assumed she was OK. Maybe if I'd called her sooner..."
Emily could see that JJ was blaming herself and was beginning to panic again. She took hold of JJ's left hand and looked her in the eyes.
"You couldn't possibly have known" she told her friend. "She would have called you if she had wanted to speak – you know that. In all honesty, you are probably the only reason she didn't kill herself when Brooke did. You have more than likely saved her life dozens of times in the last 3 years. Something has obviously happened recently to push her over the edge – something which you had no control over – and this time she didn't want to be talked out of it. She had made up her mind and there was nothing you could have done. You can't blame yourself JJ, you just can't."
"Then why did she call me tonight?" asked JJ passionately. "Surely that means that she wanted me to talk her down."
"Not necessarily JJ" Reid interrupted nervously. "She clearly called you because she trusted you, but it doesn't sound as if she gave you an opportunity to talk her down. My guess is that there was something else she trusted you to do. What did she say to you?"
JJ looked thoughtful. Emily could see that Reid's reassuring words were getting through to her and she was much calmer when she answered.
"I couldn't hear her at first," she answered, "because she was crying so hard. The first thing I heard was 'tell my mum I love her and I'm sorry – I just can't take this anymore'. After that she told me where she was and just kept repeating that she was going to jump and that she was sorry."
"She clearly didn't want to be stopped this time Jayje" Garcia said soothingly. "What she wanted was for you to be there for her mother. She trusts you to look after Judy and to pass on her last message. That's why she called you – not because she wanted to be talked out of it."
"In that case," JJ said, "I need to get ready to drive to Pittsburgh tomorrow so that I can speak to Judy."
"What about Henry?" Garcia queried. "I can have him for the weekend if you want."
JJ stood up and hugged her friend. "That would be amazing Garcia. Are you sure you don't have other plans?"
"Of course I'm sure Jayje" said Garcia. "I love spending time with him."
"In that case, I'll go home now and get some sleep" JJ planned. "Will is returning Henry in the morning. I'll bring him over to you by 10ish and then get on the road."
"That's perfect" said Garcia.
"Do you want some company for the trip?" Emily asked. "I really don't want you to have to do this on your own."
"You don't have to do that Em" said JJ, clearly touched by the offer.
"I know I don't" replied Emily simply. "I want to."
"Thanks Em" JJ said tearfully. "You guys have been fantastic. I don't know how to thank you."
"You don't need to baby-girl" said Morgan. "We're family, right?"
JJ hugged them all, before making her way down to the parking garage to collect her car before making her way home.
