AN-I know, this story is different. Some of you may be anxiously waiting to figure out what's going on, and I have PURPOSEFULLY tried to keep it confusing. However, if you are REALLY confused, drop me a review or a PM and ask me. Here's the questions that it comes down to, is JJ really crazy? Is the BAU made up in her mind? Or is something else going on? If so, what?
Thanks to everybody that's reviewed, I'm glad you like the story, because it's one of my favorites.
"Hey Beth." Dr. Laura Painter asked as she opened her friend's door. "Can I see you for a sec?"
"Sure." Dr. Bethany Douglas said with her usual callousness.
"Are you still seeing that guy?" Laura inquired immediately, noticing the large bouquet of flowers on Beth's desk.
"Yeah I am. Things are moving right along." Beth deflected. "What can I do for you?"
"Did you hear Daniel is taking the Jareau girl off of her meds? I was just wondering your opinion because Leo seems to be encouraging him and it just seems like the wrong thing." Laura informed, appealing to the one person who always told her what she wanted to hear.
"The medications that are helping her step out of the delusions?" Beth said abruptly, using a tone in her voice that Laura had never heard before.
"I know, it seems that she's developed an adverse reaction to them, and I couldn't help but notice that she's made marked improvement since she's arrived here, it just seems like such a bad move." Laura admitted.
Beth's stunned expression registered with Laura for only a moment before the other woman spoke again, "Well Laura, you are an Associate Director of this hospital. You could override Daniel's decision, but only if you really think it's best for the patient."
"True." Laura's pride at having her ego slightly stroked caused her to miss entirely Beth's relieved expression at her agreement. "But what if Leo gets involved? Daniel's like his little pet, its disgusting."
"I mean, it is your job to protect our patients and I don't want to see this woman lose her way because Daniel thinks he's making history. I know this sounds like I'm doubting Daniel's intentions, which you know I would never do, but I just can't help but think that maybe he's chasing after glory some how." Beth said, hiding the ice in her tone.
"You're right, I do need to look out for all of our patients." Laura mused, a slight smirk on her face.
Beth couldn't hide her own grateful smile at the knowledge that Laura was in control of the situation. Deciding to enlist her colleague further, she added, "You know, I also have noticed how Ms. Jareau continues to provoke other patients. I think she needs to be monitored more closely."
"What do you mean?" Laura asked quickly.
"Ever since Daniel took her off the sedatives, I've noticed how caustic she has become. I am certain that she is a danger to herself and those around her, I just think she needs to be supervised more closely."
"Like restrained?" Laura queried, "we hardly do that anymore unless the patient is a real immediate danger to themselves."
"Oh, I know that." Beth dismissed, "I just hope that Daniel hasn't grown so attached to her as to believe her delusions or to not protect her from herself if the time comes." Beth replied quickly.
"So, do you think I need to be sitting in on his sessions with her? I mean, for her own protection." Laura asked, semi-excitedly. This case could be career-making for the right doctor, and Daniel Parker was definitely not the right doctor.
"Well, I'm sure it couldn't hurt. You'd just need to get around Leo's overprotective tendencies for his wonder-kin." Beth said, full of anger towards the young doctor that was making such great strides in the psychiatric world.
"Maybe I'll wait until she at least lashes out. I would hate to disrupt her treatment if it is in fact, working." Laura mused, knowing that she couldn't infringe unless it was in the best interest of the patient. As much as she wanted to get involved, she knew she shouldn't.
"Whatever you think is best." Beth said, masking her disappointment.
"Good morning, JJ." Daniel said, the preferred nickname rolling off his tongue. Normally not one to indulge his patients, he couldn't help but beam with pride at the marked improvement the blonde had been making. He had shared his view on how her delusions contributed to her own separate distinctions of her own psyche, and though she hadn't said anything, he could tell she was beginning to question her own conviction in her story.
"Morning Dr. Parker." JJ said with a light smile. Ever since being taken off of the sedatives, she was feeling her mind to be much clearer.
"How are you feeling today?" He asked, his voice full of concern. He was sure hoping that he had done the right thing by taking her off of the sedatives. He was looking out for her best interest, he just hoped that he was acting in it.
"Good as ever." JJ shrugged, unsure of how to explain herself. She was starting to find that happiness and despair had a thin line between them, and if you never crossed it, you never knew how you were doing.
JJ squirmed beneath his glare as he remained silent, prodding her to continue. "But, Dr. Parker, I do have a question for you."
"Go ahead." He stated.
"I've been thinking a lot about our last session." She admitted as he tried to contain his surge of pride at her admission. "Do you really think I made them all up?" She asked quietly, the meek question would have broken his heart if he hadn't known that her progress was continuing in leaps and bounds. Questioning her delusions, doubting their reality, that was a major step.
"I do." He said, watching as she struggled to peace together whether or not she agreed with him. "I know we haven't talked about everyone you work with, but we didn't discuss it in full detail did we?" He asked as she shook her head sadly in response.
"We talked last time about what Elle would represent to you. Right?" JJ nodded silently as Daniel continued.
"Well this Agent Rossi could be your drive for success, but also your willingness to step on others in order to get what you want. This is a very basic need, some refer to this as the id, desiring only the things you want and not caring who falls in your path to success. This Jason Gideon, however represented your desire for the welfare of others, constantly being detached from the other aspects of this pseudo family."He emphasized the last two words so that she would not mistakenly believe that he was encouraging her delusions.
"But what about Hotch, or Emily?" JJ queried. Silently soaking in the information.
"We talked about this, but Aaron Hotchner would represent your desire for a family life, true loyalty that was unquestioned, but the inability to keep that life intact. Diverting your feelings of failure for not having your own family, and not seeing your own family in years, Aaron Hotchner represents that part of your subconscious that can't reconcile that fact, though it deeply wants to. Emily Prentiss is the sophistication that you wish you had in your own life, but also exhibits the awkwardness in interpersonal relationships created from joining a tight group. The part of you that feels like an outsider, like you don't belong, but that you are meant for greater things than you are currently achieving is Emily Prentiss." He stated as she sat there silently. He knew Jennifer Jareau well enough to know that she was soaking in this new revelation, and that in the quiet moments she had alone, she would likely analyze and view his theory from as many viewpoints as she could. Try as she might to refute the truth, he knew she eventually would come to it as well.
After allowing her a moment to contemplate his analysis, he prodded further. Although Jennifer had made great strides, there was still a long way to go. "Why don't you tell me about Derek Morgan?" He suggested after looking at his notes. After revealing each of the names of those she professed to work with, they had systematically discussed each one. In the beginning, he had attempted to delve into those aspects of her subconscious that he could tell were most precious to her. Finding his inquiries futile, they had systematically moved from the outside in, all the while knowing that true progress wouldn't start until they could talk about the most treasured delusions.
"Derek..." JJ mused, smiling slightly, "is like the brother I never wanted but always had."
"But you don't have any brothers." Daniel pointed out, before reproving himself slightly. He struggled to not correct her every time she referred to her fractured state as reality, and sometimes he slipped.
"I do." JJ insisted, not nearly as strongly as she used to. "Two brothers, David and Ben."
"Ok." Daniel dismissed without argument. "Go on."
"He was the typical stud.Every girl would throw themselves at him, and while he would always pretend to be a player, deep down, he was a really good guy." JJ explained. It didn't escape Daniel's attention that JJ had begun to refer to those she supposedly "had contact with" in the past tense. He noted this new development in her progression. In discussing those members that had left the "BAU", it wasn't really an issue, but now she was talking about her fantasies as though they were in the past. This was a good development.
Daniel fluttered around his desk, tidying up loose ends before he went home to his wife and kids for the weekend. The last hour at work on a Friday afternoon always pained him, as he was eager to find his way home but he still had his responsibilities. Finally realizing that he had nothing left to do, he sat down in his desk, waiting for the last moments of his workday to pass him by.
He didn't know what got into him, whether it was shear curiosity or a deeper knowledge of the truth but he suddenly was pricked by the strangest urge. He knew that Jennifer's delusions were false, but he couldn't stop himself from finding his favorite search engine and typing the name Derek Morgan.
Instantly there were several links provided, clicking on the first, he saw a picture of a smug looking black man with the caption that read "Chicago Man Solves Twenty Year Old Crime", scrolling down, he tried to soak in some knowledge of this true to life man.
Chicago's own Derek Morgan, an Agent with the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation found the killer to the murder of a 13 year old boy....
Growing even more curious, he typed in another name. Jennifer Jareau. Just as he clicked enter, a loud knock came on the door before it opened.
"Dr. Parker, there's been a disturbance." An orderly announced. "Your patient, the blonde one, she attacked Dr. Douglas."
"What? But JJ's delusions usually lead her to a more passive route..." Daniel reasoned.
"All I know is that Douglas has a fat lip and blondie is threatening to show her a new one. She said something about wanting her son back." The orderly informed, shrugging his shoulders as Daniel got up from his desk and began to walk to JJ's room. "We had to sedate her, trying to calm her down, but she was still livid, so Dr. Douglas ordered full restraints until you could talk to her."
"How long ago was this?" Daniel asked angrily.
"About an hour ago." The orderly admitted sheepishly, knowing that policy dictated that Dr. Parker should have been informed immediately, "but she made us clean up the mess blondie made when she began throwing things around the eating area before I could come get you."
"JJ, what is going on with you?" He muttered under his breath, starting to think that maybe something far darker was going on. Though he wasn't sure what it was, he knew he was going to find out.
AN 2--So...there you have it, and now you may wait in anticipation for the next chapter!