A/N: Hmmmm...

Susannah: Ok, just a few things to explain. I can see why you would think that JJ shouldn't be tussling with Will and Henry. But, I read this in Bethany Hamilton's book. The body uses pain as a danger alert system. For small cuts and scratches, we feel pain because sometimes we don't know we've cut ourselves. The pain is to warn us that there is danger. With major injuries, like losing an arm to a shark, you don't feel pain because the body shuts down anything in the area of the injury that could cause pain, which is the nerves. You don't feel the pain because obviously danger has passed, you know what's happened. That pain would be felt slightly in the hospital, but once the wound was closed, it would get less and less. Right up to it not hurting at all by the time the doctor removes the dressing. As for weak from blood loss, JJ was on a transfusion for the first week in hospital, and the second week, she would've been lying around, just building up energy.

I know this is long, but this is the last thing I have to say. Bethany Hamilton was bouncing around while she was in the hospital. She would take balloons into the hallway and run around bouncing them off her head. JJ got home from the hospital (where she spent two weeks in bed), and spent the first few days sitting beside Will on the beach while everyone else was mucking around (end of Chapter 4).

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.

"We've cancelled the earlier flights and extended our stay, at your request, and also because Strauss has instructed to take some major time off. Another team's going to take care of our workload," Morgan told JJ, who beamed at him.

"JJ...you told us in the hospital that you just wanted to go home...why the sudden change of mind?" Hotch asked.

"Well...I've been thinking...and I think I want to get back in the water," JJ said slowly. Everyone exchanged glances, obviously surprised.

"Are you sure?" Will drawled.

"Yeah. I mean, I'm no Bethany Hamilton, but I want to give it a go," JJ replied defiantly. Morgan and Emily grinned, high fiving each other.

xxx

Will, Hotch, Garcia, Spencer, and Rossi stood in the shallow water, with Henry on Will's shoulders. They watched as Morgan paddled alongside JJ, who was paddling determinedly with her one arm.

"I can pull you out," he offered. JJ shook her head, never tearing her eyes from where the waves were forming.

"I can do it," she said, focus and determination evident in her voice. She was on a long board, which would give her more stability in the water, and mean she could focus less on balance and getting into the wave, and focus more on pushing up with one arm.

JJ turned the board, paddling quickly into the wave. Shifting her arm, she grabbed the right rail and tried to push up. The board slipped out from underneath her, plunging her into the water. Will groaned softly as he watched.

"You ok?" Morgan asked, paddling up alongside JJ as she climbed back onto her board.

"Uh huh. Fine," she replied simply.

Emily caught the wave ahead of JJ. Despite only having been surfing for a short while, she was easily getting the hang of it, and was getting better with every wave.

JJ pushed herself into the wave following Emily, grabbing the rail again. Only this time the outcome was slightly worse. The board flew out to the left as JJ fell backwards into the water. The board jerked upwards before landing on top of the water again. JJ came up, coughing as she brushed her hair out of her eyes.

"Put your hand in the middle of the board! Then it won't overbalance!" Morgan yelled out encouragingly from where he was standing with the others, watching.

JJ did what he said. After a few more failed attempts at standing up, she was about ready to get out of the water, when she saw a perfect wave headed in her direction. Turning the board towards the beach, she paddled with determination, eager to get it this time. As the wave came up behind her, she dropped her forearm across the middle of the board, braced her shoulder, and somehow managed to swing her legs underneath her. Before she knew it, she was standing, and everyone on the beach was screaming and cheering.

"YEAH!" Morgan yelled, hugging Emily, who was cheering and jumping up and down with excitement. Even Henry was clapping and yelling at the top of his lungs. JJ, who looked the happiest she had in days, fell off the board backwards, making a 'Go for it' sign with her fingers as she fell into the water.

"Oh my god! She did it!" Emily cried, hugging Morgan again. JJ came running up to them, laughing when she was enveloped in a group hug by her friends.

"That was awesome!" Morgan exclaimed, hugging her tightly. Will lifted Henry down, and then wrapped his arms around her, smiling proudly.

"That felt so good!" JJ told them, laughing. They grabbed the boards, and headed back up to the beach house they had rented (as they hadn't booked the hotel rooms for any longer), chattering excitedly.

xxx

Morgan's phone rang during an overly excited game of cards. He put the phone to his ear, and almost immediately, his grin dropped.

"Will," he said simply. Will looked up, and just by reading Morgan's expression, knew exactly what was going on.

xxx

JJ walked behind Morgan and Will, Emily and Hotch at her sides. Will had clearly protested her tagging along, but she was determined to come with.

Morgan was carrying the board under his arm. It was the first time since the attack that JJ had seen the board. It had a huge bite chunk taken out of the left side, and there was a small amount of blood staining the white inside of the board.

They made their way down to the beach, in the darkness of the night. The group standing on the beach parted to allow them through. It was at that moment that JJ saw, for the first time, the suspected 16 foot monster that had almost killed her. It was hanging by its tail from a large crane, water...and blood...dripping from its open mouth. JJ's stomach rolled as she watched Will kneel down by its jaws, and slip the board in between its teeth. A silence hung in the air before one of the Hawaiian men stepped forward.

"It's a perfect fit, man," he said softly, sadness flooding through his voice. JJ suddenly felt increasingly ill. That was the shark that had taken her arm. Turning around, she sprinted back up to the beach house, her hand clamped tightly over her mouth.

xxx

Emily hurried through the back sliding door, heading straight for the bathroom in search of JJ. The guys were still down on the beach, as Will had been overcome by a wave of emotion, and needed a moment to regain himself before returning to the house. Garcia and Spencer were sitting in the front room with Henry, completely oblivious to what was going on.

Walking quickly down the hallway, Emily stopped outside the bathroom door. She could hear JJ retching violently, and after a minute, stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Without a word, she sank down beside JJ, who had collapsed against the wall, tears streaming down her face.

"I never thought it would be that hard to see...with my own eyes," she choked, turning to look at Emily.

"JJ, you've been on a traumatic, emotional rollercoaster in the past couple of weeks. You were brave to come with us to see it. But you didn't have to be. You showed us all how courageous you were when you were attacked," Emily said reassuringly, putting her arm around JJ's shoulders.

"It's finally sunk in. At first, I just thought it was a horrible nightmare, and that at any minute, I would wake up with two arms. Seeing the...shark...has made it clear, and it's sunk in," JJ explained softly, forcing herself to spit the word shark out. Nausea overcame her again, and she rounded for the toilet, throwing up again. Emily kept a firm, comforting grip on both of JJ's shoulders, waiting for the vomiting to subside.

xxx

JJ dragged herself into the kitchen, finding everyone else already awake, concocting various recipes for breakfast.

"Morning!" Morgan called jovially from the opposite side of the kitchen, a teasing smile on his face. JJ glared at him before sitting on one of the bar stools.

"Someone's in a bad mood," Rossi joked.

"I had a horrible night," JJ moaned, putting her arm on the counter, and dropping her head to her forearm.

"Care to share?" Emily asked as she blended various fruits into a smoothie.

"Nightmares. Nausea. Will's snoring," JJ relayed. Will looked shocked while everyone else cracked up laughing.

"Come on cher, I'm not that bad...am I?" he asked, which only made them laugh harder. JJ shrugged, lifting her face to rest her chin on her arm. She couldn't stop thinking about the most prominent nightmare from the early hours of the morning.

JJ lay on her board, alone in the ocean. It was the middle of the day, and the sun was beating down on her back. She glanced to her left, and saw a dark shape gliding towards her in the water. Her heart pounding furiously, she tried to paddle away, but upon her first attempt, realised that her left arm was gone. The shark hadn't even gotten to her yet! There was no blood, just a gaping wound. JJ could feel the tears of fear running down her face as she tried to paddle with her right arm. And without warning, the shark's jaws clamped down on her, pulling her under the water, pulling her to her death. She screamed as the salt water filled her lungs, preventing her from even having a chance.

"JJ. JJ. JJ. JJ. JJ," Morgan taunted. JJ snapped out of her thoughts.

"What?"

"Off with the fairies?" he teased. JJ sighed.

"More like with the sharks," she muttered.

"Huh?" Morgan asked, confused.

"Never mind," JJ said quickly, getting off the stool and heading for the fridge. Time to eat before anyone started asking about the nightmares.

A/N: Really short, with a long AN, but I'm sorry.

Please review!

SQ215 xxx