JJ shook her head as she attached the second alligator clip to the bandage that covered the deep cut on her upper arm. Will hadn't meant to cut her, she had startled him while he was cutting an almost dead limb off the tree outside Henry's room. At least, that was what she kept telling herself. The anger in his eyes had been too frightening to consider any other possibility.
Sighing, she pulled on her blouse, buttoning it quickly before heading down to the kitchen. Will and Henry were gone already, and she shook her head as she grabbed her keys off the hook, missing her son incredibly. JJ stopped in at her favorite coffee shop and picked up her usual before heading in to work. Hotch was there already, as was Erin, and she gravitated to the woman's office naturally.
"Good morning, JJ. What can I do for you?" she asked as JJ closed the door behind her, sipping at the coffee.
"Will cut me last night," she replied once she'd swallowed. "I don't think he meant to do it on purpose, I really don't, but…"
"It hurt. Did you get it taken care of?"
JJ grimaced. "Not professionally. It didn't look that bad, so I just slapped an ace bandage over it."
Erin harrumphed at her. "Let me see it."
"What? No! I'd have to take off my blouse, and I am not about to sit in your office half-naked!" she protested, clutching the neckline of her shirt closer together.
"You don't have anything I haven't seen before, I'm used to taking care of my children's scrapes and bruises, this will be nothing, I promise." Reluctantly, she nodded, unbuttoning the blouse and slipping her right arm from the sleeve. Erin reached out and plucked off the clips, unwinding the bandage quickly. "Jennifer, you need to go see a doctor and get this taken care of. It looks like it's infected already."
"It doesn't hurt that badly, Erin. I'm sure…"
"No." The steel in her voice startled JJ and she blinked several times. "If you were to get an infection, we would have to sit you out of going into the field. You don't want that, do you?"
"No," she replied in a small voice. "I guess I should probably see if my doctor has an opening today, then." Erin whipped out her cellphone, handing it to her. "I have to call now?"
"Yes." Her tone brooked no arguing and JJ nodded, swallowing lightly.
"Fine." She quickly dialed her doctor's office and waited for the receptionist to pick up. "Hi, this is Jennifer Jareau. I need to schedule an appointment for today, please."
"And what seems to be the problem?"
"I got a bad cut on my arm, and my friend seems to think that it's infected. I'm not allowed to go out in the field until I have it looked at. Could Dr. Rannels possibly squeeze me in?"
On the other end of the line, she could hear the woman typing away. "Well, it looks like we did have a cancellation for 9:45. Can you get here by then?"
JJ looked up at Erin, noticing the deep concern in her eyes, the way she was frowning slightly, and bobbed her head. "Yes, I'll have my friend drive me. Somehow, I think she'll have more of a lead foot than I would have."
"Wonderful. I'll let Dr. Rannels know about the change. See you shortly."
She ended the call and handed the phone back to Erin. "Looks like you're stuck with me this morning, Erin."
"And that is perfectly all right. Just let me grab my purse and jacket and I'll be ready to go." JJ nodded and they stood. While she fixed her blouse, Erin got her things together and then they were headed out the door. "Helen, Agent Jareau and I have an appointment to get to. We should be back in a few hours, please hold all my calls until then."
"Yes, Erin." She smiled at her assistant before placing her hand on JJ's back, gently guiding her over to the elevators. Hotch met them coming out and he looked at them in concern.
"I have to go to the doctor. Erin is insisting that I get this silly little cut checked out. I think she's afraid I'll have to get my arm amputated and then you wouldn't have my sharp shooting skills available anymore."
Erin shook her head as she stepped into the elevator. "It's not a small cut, Aaron."
"I figured as much. Take care of her, Erin."
"I'm trying to." There was more to those words than either let on, and JJ knew that they had talked about her privately, given the look they both shot at her. She felt her lips purse as she stepped into the elevator, a sharp burning in her chest. "All right, tell me why you're mad."
She couldn't hide the shock on her face as she looked at Erin. "How did you know…?"
"My children have taught me the fine art of reading facial expressions. Now, tell me what's wrong."
"You talked about me to Hotch! I thought we were going to keep that private, Erin."
The woman tilted her head to the side as she held out her arm in clear invitation. JJ was hesitant about stepping into the shelter of her presence, but finally, she came close, letting her close that arm around her waist, holding her tightly. "I have not told him anything that you told me, Jen. I keep my confidences. However, he did ask about why you were in my office the other day, and I told him it was a personal matter. When he asked if it was Will, I said nothing, and he interpreted my silence to mean yes."
"Oh." JJ turned her face into Erin's shoulder, letting herself begin to cry. "What else did he say?"
"He asked me to watch after you, since it wouldn't look seemly if he did so. He cares about you, JJ, and you are lucky to find that in a, in a friend. I would never have made it sober this long if it hadn't been for David."
There was a long span of silence, as JJ wasn't sure what to say at that moment. She was unused to Erin being so open with her, and yet, here she was, telling her things she had never expected. "But you and David are more than friends," she finally replied, hoping she didn't sound as dejected as she felt.
"Now. But we were friends first, this time around. I needed a friend, those first months home from rehab." The arm around her waist tightened a little, and JJ nodded as she sighed delicately. "I know that's not exactly what you wanted to hear, but I hope it gives you hope."
"A little, yes. Why are you so intent on making sure I'm okay? I have friends who would just as easily step into this role." She regretted the words the instant they slipped from her mouth, desperately wishing she could call them back.
Erin stepped back from her, looking into her eyes. "I just couldn't stand back and watch you be slowly destroyed by what he was doing to you. You weren't going to tell anyone, you were going to bear that burden alone."
To her shame, Erin began to cry a little, too, and JJ reached up, brushing those bitter tears off her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm just in a peevish mood today. And I sound like Reid now. Guess I've been spending too much time around him."
Erin let out a short laugh as she rummaged in her purse, pulling out tissues for each of them. "I understand peevish, I really do." She wiped her cheeks free of tears and sighed deeply. "One day, I hope that you will trust me enough not to question my motivations. I know that will take time, though."
JJ nodded, reaching out for Erin's hand and clasping it tightly as the elevator doors opened on the parking garage. She only hoped that this appointment would be over soon, and that she could return to work before the end of the day.