Chapter four.

Completely exhausted, JJ was just pleased to finally be back at home. Hotch was out in the field, and the conversation in Garcia's office had taken its toll. It had then been made worse when Garcia had tracked JJ down asking if she was okay, and JJ having to tell her it was just a blip and she was fine, and Garcia should go back to work. Once back home, JJ had gone up to check on Henry, who had helped anchor her back to some solid ground. She had also said goodbye to her Aunt, who was now also working in the area, and often popped across to help her with Henry when she was working. Finally, with the house to herself, she sat down on the sofa, rested her head back and closed her eyes, before tears could actually fall. Letting out a breath, within seconds, her mind wandered to the first night Emily had turned up.

"So, what do you want from me?"

"A good start is somewhere I can sleep just for tonight." Emily admitted.

"That one is easy enough. The spare bed is always made up." JJ answered. As she spoke, she suddenly realized how tired Emily was looking. The signs were subtle, Emily was so good at not showing too much emotion, but JJ knew it was a deep seated tiredness, the sort that seeped in to your bones, and could make it feel as if everything was running through treacle.

"Look, lets leave the really serious stuff for now. You can stay for tonight, and as long as you want to." JJ added.

"Thanks." Emily smiled, "But I dare not stay more than one night. My movements could be picked up at any moment, and the less time I'm here, the better for you."

"Okay." JJ said slowly as she gave it some thought, not liking what Emily was saying. "How about a compromise, you stay just tonight and tomorrow. Will that be okay?"

Emily was thinking about it all, and was about to reply when JJ jumped in again.

"Please, think about it. You know they are working surveillance of some sort on you. You're already taking some counter measures. Now, I might not have worked out in the field like you have, but I do know that the chances of them finding you here are no worse for 48 hours than just 24."
"Believe me, Doyle has an extensive network. In this instance, the statistics do not go in my favour. The only way I can do this is to keep moving, and more importantly, you've got a young child in the house. There is absolutely no way I'm going to put you all in danger. It's easier for me... Because, apart from Sergio, who I know you'll look after, it is just me."

Even though Emily said what she did as flatly as possible, JJ could see just how much that sentence had hurt Emily. She felt her stomach tighten, knowing how much her friend right now needed her, but the situation meant she was going to be alone for a lot of what was about to come.

"Okay, but please just do this one thing for me. Let me help in any way I can. You'll need some sort of backup out there." JJ said.

"Thanks, it means a lot." Emily admitted with a smile, "But you have to promise me one thing in return. The others are not to know, under any circumstances. I can't have their blood on my hands."

JJ just nodded, hating that she was about to be lying to not just former colleagues, but people who had become her friends, but recognizing it was the only way they could go, for now at least.

"So, how are we going to go about this?" JJ looked across at Emily, trying to work out what was going to happen.

"I need to disappear." Emily didn't hesitate in her reply.

"That's extreme isn't it?" JJ was shocked at what Emily had just said, and didn't try to hide it.

"Doyle has made one mistake. He has come on to my territory, and I intend to fight him, but I can only do that part alone. It means I have to disappear, go back underground and work at getting angles that are not going to be following the law at times. You have to understand, there can only be two outcomes from this. Either I kill Doyle..."

"Or?" JJ prompted Emily to finish, knowing she was already dreading the reply.

"He kills me."

"Jesus, there surely has to be another way to go about this?" JJ looked shocked, "Can't we use the CIA to help here?"

"I've already been in contact with the old team. Doyle..." Emily faltered slightly, "he has killed members already, and I know I'm going to be the end game kill because of our history. The CIA are not going to be able to catch him, because they don't know him like I do. I know his weak points, where he is vulnerable. Don't take this the wrong way, but if I can't catch him, no-one can."

JJ didn't doubt that Emily believed what she was saying with every fibre of her body, but she still couldn't get her head around the conversation. She could also sense there was something Emily wasn't telling her.

"And?" JJ asked.

"Part of what I'm about to tell you something no-one else knows." Emily began to chew a fingernail, realized what she was doing and stopped. "When our assignment had finished, the file went to Interpol. They sent it back because they wanted more information. I couldn't give it to them. Doyle had a son called Declan, and I knew they would use him as a pawn against Doyle. I couldn't let that happen, so I killed him."

"You did what!" JJ was so shocked; she didn't realize she had raised her voice.

"Let me finish, please." Emily pleaded.
Taking a deep breath, JJ nodded, drinking her wine down and filling her glass up, this time not even attempting to stop her hand shaking as she did so.