Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds
Rating: T
Author's Note: I know it was mean to end the last chapter with such a cliffhanger, but I couldn't help myself. I know it's short, but I wanted to give all my amazing reviewers a treat for suffering through my cliffhanger. Enjoy this next chapter, and please review with thoughts and ideas!
JJ's eyes widened as she looked at the man in the seat next to her. Quickly, she moved to check his pulse as a detective removed the pistol from his limp hand. Emily was by her side in seconds, pulling her from the seat as local cops swarmed the deceased father. JJ took deep breaths and relied heavily on Emily to keep her standing. Ushering her wife to the bathroom, Emily caught Hotch's stern gaze as he nodded outside. Lifting JJ easily onto the counter, Emily wet a towel and started wiping the blood from the blonde's paling face. When her face was clean, JJ stared dejectedly into her wife's dark eyes. She rested her forehead against Emily's shoulder and welcomed the comfort of Emily's strong arms wrapped around her torso. Emily rubbed her back soothingly and placed a gentle kiss to the blonde's hairline.
"You're not hurt, right, Jen?" JJ shook her head and glanced down at her blood-soaked shirt. Instinctively, her fingers wrapped around the locket she wore on her necklace. The locket once belonged to JJ's older sister, who committed suicide when JJ was 11. The locket had been her sister's way of saying goodbye, and JJ never took it off. Feeling the warm blood cover her face and clothes, JJ was transported back to those dark times as she dealt with her sister's death. "Okay, I'm going to go get your go-bag, so you can put on a clean shirt. I'll be right back." Emily kissed JJ's forehead again and gave the blonde's hand a comforting squeeze.
Taking a deep, steeling breath, JJ walked into the open police station. Emily walked closely behind her, offering comfort and support with her presence, as professionalism was still the key despite years of marriage and children. Entering the room designated for the team, JJ closed the door and leaned against it, drawing strength from its solid wood frame. Reid offered her a small smile while Morgan passed her a cup of coffee, which she greedily accepted and inhaled. Hotch waited for her to take her seat while Rossi watched her carefully.
"We have another body, but this time, the unsub was caught on tape. Garcia has the film running through facial recognition and clarity programs. Hopefully, we will have an ID soon. The media under control?" Hotch directed his question to the blonde liaison knowing she wanted to stay busy so she wouldn't have time to think about the suicide of a victim's father.
"For now, I'm not sure how much longer the level of knowledge will be acceptable."
"Well, schedule a press conference and release the new information about the unsub with the profiler another time. Discuss the latest victim and that we are following leads. That should hold them off for the time being," Hotch instructed. "Rossi, Prentiss, and Morgan, check out the latest crime scene. Reid, finish the geographical map, if Garcia is unable to pull anything from the film we're going to be relying solely on your map and the profile." Before leaving the room, Emily leaned down and caressed JJ's shoulder and whispered a quick "I love you" before following her partner out of the station. Taking a deep breath, she pulled out her laptop and started working on the latest press release, amending the previous one to suit the new information. She finished the task at hand and looked up at Hotch.
"Pardon me, I'm going to take a walk." Grabbing a bottle of water on her way out, she exited from a backdoor away from the media sharks and walked along a dusty trail. As she wandered she noticed the town change with each step. Quaint houses unaware of the dangers around them popped up like wildflowers during spring. She smiled in spite of the day's turn of events. Finding her way to a park, she stopped and sat down at a discolored picnic table. Searching for her cell, she called her father.
"Daddy," she mumbled into the phone.
"Hey pumpkin. How's the case?"
"We may have gotten a lead. Hopefully, the case will be over soon."
"You sound tired. Rough day?"
"Yeah," she confirmed, taking a gulp from the water bottle. "A victim's father shot himself in front of me. I keep thinking about Sarah; I mean I think about her everyday, but this is different." On the end of the line, Nate was silent listening to his daughter reminisce about her late sister and his eldest daughter.
"She was something else, wasn't she pumpkin?"
"Yeah, I miss her, Daddy."
"I know. We all do. She would be so proud of you, you know?"
"Thanks, Daddy."
"I love you, Jenny. Now, go save the world so you and your gorgeous wife can come home to your brood of teenagers."
"Bye Daddy. Tell them all I say hi."
As she walked back to the station, she felt a wave of fortifying comfort. I can do this. I'm not alone, she mentally reminded herself. It became her mantra for the day until she could relax in Emily's comforting embrace and release the demons that tormented her memory.