A/N I obviously started to write this fic before I watched 'Risky Business'. Now I can't quite decide whether to carry on regardless and pretend it never happened or to write the events of the episode into my story. I think I can make both options work out. Any preferences?

Chapter 4

Despite having gone to bed at 11pm, Derek Morgan was still wide awake and restless at 3 o'clock the next morning. Given the job he did he was used to not sleeping enough, but that was generally because he was up and working. He was most definitely not used to lying in bed tossing and turning like this, meaning he was getting beyond frustrated. He knew why he wasn't sleeping. He was worried sick about JJ; the fact that she hadn't pressed charges against her father last night told him more than he wanted to know about her childhood. As well as being worried, he was furious at how the man had treated both JJ and himself.

Quickly realising that he wasn't anywhere near sleeping, he decided to get up and go down to the gym that he had been pleased to see when he had arrived at the hotel earlier. He dressed in the dark, not wanting to wake Reid, and made his way down to the main desk where he asked the night porter for the keys to the gym.

"No need" the porter said. "Do you FBI agents not sleep?"

"What do you mean?" Morgan asked, confused.

"Agent Jareau is already working out" the porter replied, checking his watch. "Has been for nearly 2 ½ hours now."

Morgan thanked the man, seriously hoping that JJ hadn't actually been working out for 2 ½ hours and that she had merely been looking for somewhere to be alone. He knew her well enough to know that she tended to take things to the extreme, especially when she was upset. If she had genuinely been working out for that amount of time, given that she had barely eaten the day before, she would be near to collapse by now.

His fears were immediately realised when he walked into the gym and saw JJ in the corner of the room where she appeared to be attempting to beat the stuffing out of a punch bag. He didn't know how long she had been at this, but he could see that she was pushing her body beyond its normal limits. She was panting heavily and her hair was plastered to her head with the sweat which was pouring out of her. Whilst not doubting that her punches had held some major force when she had started, he could see that she was barely making contact with the bag now.

As he watched she stopped punching and leant into the bag before her body gave out and she collapsed to her knees. He quickly ran over, kneeling beside her.

"JJ, what are doing to yourself?" he chided softly. "Can you stand up?"

JJ nodded, not able to talk as she tried to catch her breath. Morgan put an arm around her shoulders and helped her to stand before leading her over to a bench at the back of the room. He gently lowered her down on the bench and sat down next to her, keeping a supportive arm around her back.

"Tell me you haven't been doing that the whole time you've been down here" he said, worried at the unnatural pallor of JJ's face, a stark contrast to the angry looking bruise on her cheek.

JJ shook her head. "I started on the treadmill" she said, still panting slightly.

As JJ tiredly leant forward and rested her head in her hands, Morgan walked over to the side of the room to collect a cup of water. On the way back he checked the stats still being displayed on the treadmill.

"Shit girl" he exclaimed, passing her the water. "You ran like 12 miles in an hour and a half. Are you trying to kill yourself?"

"I couldn't sleep" JJ explained. "I was so ... angry. I just needed to work off some of the frustration ... I guess I took it a bit far."

"A bit far?" Morgan questioned incredulously. "You're going to be in agony tomorrow!"

JJ shrugged helplessly. "It helps me to think" she said simply.

"What did you need to think about?" he asked gently.

JJ sighed quietly. "Emily thinks I should press charges" she said, indicating the bruise on her cheek.

Morgan didn't say anything, secretly wondering why JJ wouldn't want to press charges, but not wanting to upset her.

"I know what you're thinking" JJ said, "but it's not as simple as it sounds."

"I'm sure it's not" Morgan replied reassuringly. "Why don't you tell me why? A problem shared..."

"When I was 14 I did report him for ... hitting me" JJ explained. "He beat my Mom so badly she could barely stand up straight. He made it perfectly clear that she would suffer if I went to the police again."

Morgan's mind was working fast as he registered what his friend was telling him. Even without any detail, it nearly killed him to think of what JJ had gone through as a teenager.

"You can't hold yourself responsible for your Mom's safety Jayje" he said, rubbing her back. "She could leave if she wanted to."

"You make it sound so simple" JJ scoffed angrily, shrugging away from him.

"I'm sorry" he said. "I didn't mean to trivialise it. I know it's not that easy, but he's not going to stop hurting her if someone doesn't show him that he can't get away with it."

"Do you think I haven't tried?" JJ said bitterly. "If I thought reporting him would end this I would have done it years ago, but he's good. He'd get away with it and she'd take him back. She always takes him back. He'd kill her Derek ... I know he would."

She was crying now, so he pulled her into a hug.

"I've tried to convince her to leave" JJ sobbed, "But she says she loves him."

He let her cry as he sat thinking; trying ... and failing ... to find a way to help her.

"Emily thinks that I might be able to convince her if I speak to her face-to-face" JJ continued, slightly calmer now, "but I'd need to have him arrested so that I could get her away from him."

"Do you think it will work?" he asked hopefully.

JJ shrugged. "I'm starting to think that it's worth a try" she said. "I can't let things carry on like this anymore."

"That sounds like a decision to me" Morgan said. Then, as JJ nodded, "Now, how about we get you upstairs so you can get some sleep?"

JJ nodded, looking exhausted. She stood up stiffly, having to lean on him quite heavily.

"You need to take a hot shower before you sleep" Morgan warned, "or you literally won't be able to move tomorrow."

"I don't want to wake Emily" she protested weakly, the events of the day clearly catching up with her again.

"I'm sure she won't mind" Morgan reassured her, helping her out of the gym and into the elevator.

When the elevator reached their floor they silently made their way towards JJ's room. Morgan took her key card from her and quietly opened the door, helping her inside. He turned the light on, not wanting to wake Emily, but realising that he would need her help. JJ immediately went over to her bed and lay down, closing her eyes.

"Nuh uh baby girl" he said, kneeling by the bed. "You need to have a shower."

"What the hell is going on?" he heard Emily ask sleepily. "JJ? What happened?"

Coming round quickly (something he had always envied her for) Emily came and stood beside him as he tried to keep JJ awake.

"She's overdone it in the gym" Morgan explained quickly. "We need to get her in the shower before she goes to sleep. She'll seize up otherwise."

Not asking any questions, Emily stood up and walked into the bathroom. He heard her turn on the shower before she came back into the room.

"JJ" she said firmly. "You need to get out of those clothes and into the shower."

JJ groaned and whined in reply, but didn't move.

"If you don't get those clothes off" Emily threatened, "I'll take them off for you."

Morgan had to stifle a laugh when he saw JJ's eyes open wide in horror before she sat up and reluctantly began to undo her shoes.

"I think that this is where I take my leave" he said, sidling to the door and opening it.

"Derek" he heard JJ say as he went to step out. He turned to look at her. "Thanks" she said softly.

"No problem" he said before quietly closing the door behind him.