Thanks for the reviews, I'm loving them. Hopefully there aren't too many mistakes. And don't take this the wrong way, but I'm getting a kick out of the fact that you're having trouble figuring out who it is. It makes me feel like I'm actually doing a good job.
JJ receives her fourth phone call since Emily's death.
It had been a particularly rough day for JJ. She had slept through her alarm this morning, been nearly an hour later for work because she had to get Henry ready and off to day-care, spilt coffee on her best skirt, then cornered in her office and interrogated by Morgan as to why she never talked about Emily or her death. She had nearly lost it right there with Hotch and Strauss right outside the door, but managed to order him out calmly, anger evident in her eyes. Hotch had then strongly suggested that she should maybe take some time off, talk to someone if she thought it might help. By the end of the day, Strauss had approved over three weeks of unused sick leave.
Henry was finally asleep: it had taken JJ nearly an hour longer than normal and several stories to try and settle him. In the end it had taken staring at the framed picture of the little boy and Emily, and the rocking chair before he closed his eyes and drifted off. Henry had apparently developed a fascination for photos. The moment he had calmed down, JJ let a tear slip down her face. Emily was gone and she still had some effect on Henry. Even though her son had begun dreaming, JJ was comfortable to simply sit there and cuddle her son, gazing helplessly at the photograph and letting a lone finger follow the brunette's hairline and features. The picture had been taken the day of Henry's second birthday and it was one of JJ's favourite.
They were sitting on the grass in the backyard, both covered in bits of cake, wide and bright smiles pulling at the corners of their mouths. It had started as an innocent tickle fight after singing happy birthday, until Henry's little chubby hand had sunk into nearly half the cake and flung it back onto Emily's face and neck. After the moment of shock had worn off and the smile had temporarily disappeared from the little boys face when he finally realised that it was probably a bad idea to throw cake at a grown-up, Emily had grinned manically and hugged him tight, making sure to cover the child in as much cake as possible.
JJ had snapped it when neither of them were looking, couldn't spot her taking the photo that would probably be used to embarrass Henry when he was older. Henry's bedroom door was half-closed, so that if the doorbell rang or the phone started to ring he wouldn't be disturbed but open enough so that JJ could hear it if need be. The phone began to leave a resounding echo downstairs. Lifting Henry as she pushed out of the rocking chair, the blonde laid her son in his crib and set the photo on the dresser of to the side. She smiled as her finger reached out for one last touch to Emily's face.
She had to run down the stairs to get to the phone and nearly missed her caller. "Hello?" Momentarily out of breath, JJ listened for anything, waiting for the typical response. But this wasn't any typical phone call. "Are you there?"
There was no answer yet again. JJ was content to listen to the silence as if she was having a full blown conversation, and let herself drop onto the three-seater couch.
"He misses you." JJ paused for a moment. "I miss you."
'I miss you more than you know.' Just like the three previous calls, it ended just after the stranger had spoken.
Since announcing to the group that Emily had died during surgery, JJ hadn't cried. She had shed no tears because she knew that one day the brunette would return. Her hope was fading.
For the first time in eight months since announcing to the group that Emily had died during surgery, JJ cried herself to sleep.
Chapter title from the song lyrics of Cry Myself To Sleep by Del Shannon. R&R. Thanks.