Bellicose
A Criminal Minds Story
At first there was nothing. She saw nothing and she felt nothing. It was just dark, dark and empty. Her body and her soul was just floating, simply floating. It didn't last long though, as a steady sound of something beating sounded tearing through her abyss of silence. It was her heart, she figured. Shortly after she started to feel an immense pain streak through her entire being before calming to a dull ache.
Then she heard the beeping of a monitor that she assumed to be her own. Assuming she was in the hospital she sighed with great relief in the fact that she was still alive. It was relief short felt though as the rushing sound of voices shouting flooded her ears. In an attempt to cover them she tried to lift her hands, but found herself unable to do so.
The yelling continued, but became more clear and the voices became familiar.
"Hotch! She was going to let her die. And heck, she still might die and you're telling me that I can't know what was so important that Emily couldn't share it!"
Emily inhaled sharply as she recognized Morgan's voice and slowly came to an understanding of what he was talking about. The last few days of her life hitting her with full force.
She had given up on JJ.
" Morgan. I'm sorry, but it is still classified information."
Emily could hear that her boss was defending her, but it didn't take much for her to detect the hint of disappointment in his voice.
"Then how did JJ know?"
Emily's senses perked slightly as she strained to hear more clearly. It was a question that she wanted to the answer to also.
"RDM told her. We were their backup should things go wrong."
Emily gasped slightly as her heart began racing faster, while her mind went to the small journal that was secretly hidden somewhere that only she knew of.
"Morgan, you should get back to your room," Hotch declared.
Emily winced slightly as the instructive tone that would make even the toughest of agents follow his order.
"Not until I speak to her," Morgan demanded, his tone bearing no mercy and no fear.
"It's no use now. She hasn't woken yet and when she does she will be in a lot of pain."
The moment he said that, Emily felt it. Excruciating level 10 pain enveloped her body, but she kept still.
"She's in pretty rough shape you know, JJ is. Doctors aren't sure if she'll make it through the night."
It was then that any pain she felt was thrown out the window and the emptiness returned. Emily didn't believe it, JJ had to live. She had to. Hearing Hotch sit down beside her she felt a tear slip through her eye.
"Emily?" Hotch asked concerned as he leaned in closer to his agent.
"It is my fault Hotch. I would have let her die," Emily whispered before she opened her eyes.
Hotch didn't know what to say. He simply picked up the the little toy elephant that had been sitting on the dresser beside Emily and held it gently in his palm. Emily eyed it suspiciously before looking back at Hotch.
"Henry gave this to her two months ago," Hotch spoke fondly as his finger ran over the initials carved on the plastic toy's side, "Henry had said that he wanted Mommy to have a piece of him no matter how far she went. And she's never gone anywhere without it since."
Emily lowered her gaze, "How bad is it?"
"Pretty bad. She's in ICU, she has severe lung damage and a terrible concussion, she broke several ribs. And there is an infection spreading throughout her body and attacking all major systems."
Ignoring the intense pain EMily began to reach for the many wires that connected her to the machines that surrounded her. She sat up too quickly and the entire room started to sway. The monitor to her right began to beep faster and louder.
"I have to see her," She shouted, swiping away at Hotch's hands as they attempted to calm her. Several nurses ran in to restrain her and against her better judgement Emily kicked and punched her arms and legs striking the air at a wild and uncontrollable pace.
All she knew is that she had to see JJ.
She couldn't lose JJ.
But suddenly she felt her arms and legs fall to the side and the pain start to fade and suddenly everything was dark and she fell unconscious.
Agent Aaron Hotchner held a rag to his now bleeding nose as he stepped out of the room. Mostly so that he could gather his emotions. He had two agents in serious condition, one giving him a right good punch to the nose to see the other who might not ever wake up. To follow that three other agents were on an overnight watch at the hospital due to the enormity of their own injuries.
His team was quite literally falling apart.
And if any of them died, Aaron wasn't sure he could put them back together again. Hearing a sniffling sound around the corner, Hotch walked towards it only to see his one agent that was not hospitalized sitting on a waiting chair. A large polka-dot handkerchief crumpled in her palm. Her normally bright colors seemed faded and pale.
"I thought you were with Morgan," Hotch asked in an almost loving tone as he sat beside her.
"He kicked me out," Garcia choked, "I tried to go see Jay- but they wouldn't let me. At least not until Will and Henry arriveā¦.What happened to your nose."
"Emily. She caught it dead on in her fight to go see JJ too."
Garcia chuckled slightly before giving Hotch a serious look, "I'm not sure I can lose her Hotch. I don't think I could handle it. We're family. We're family."
Reaching one arm he pulled Garcia close as she tried not to break down into his chest. He couldn't be more proud of the way she handled herself today. Staying calm, and strong, and focused. He just hoped he could do the same.
At the front entrance to the hospital, a man and his son raced inside. William LaMontagne gripped Henry's hand tightly as he flew to the front desk.
"Jennifer Jareau. She's an FBI agent, I was told she was in ICU," Will stammered his eyes were blood-shot and wild.
"Second floor. Talk to the desk up there and they will give you a code and let you in," she smiled happily handing him the small piece of paper with the room number scribbled hastily on it.
"We go see Mommy?" His five year old boy asked a brightly colored picture squished between his fingers.
"Yeah Little Man. We're going to see Mommy."
As they reached the second floor, Will prepared himself as he exited the elevator door to see his wife.
"Aunt Pen!" He heard his son yell as he let go of daddy's hand to run to his aunt, "Look Aunt Pen, I drew Mommy a picture."
As he listened to the hopeful tone of his son, Will prayed the the simple hope that stemmed from his child would be a reality and Mommy would walk out of the hospital and continue to beat the bad guys.
Just as the picture showed.
What do you think? Will JJ live? Will JJ die? Sorry that took so long to post, but please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions or criticisms. And thank you all for your continuing support and for all of the reviews. They really do mean a lot. A whole lot.
Thanks!
-HCB
