So I am totally sick and found out I am needing surgery pretty quick.. like within the next two weeks. Nothing serious- but it is something that needs to be addressed. The good news is that will give me time to write more as I will be off work for at least four days :)

This chapter is short because I am hopped up on meds, but I did my best :) Again, I cannot thank you all enough for the reviews I get. I know I am not exactly a talented author, but love seeing every single review!

Enjoy!

It's Christmas day, a white Christmas in Dallas, Texas. The news is abuzz with Texans absolutely amazed at two inches of snow on the ground. It's nothing special to me, I have had countless "White Christmas'" but I guess to someone who has never had one, it is pretty magical.

A small, artificial Christmas tree is situated in the corner of JJ's room. It is filled with ornaments and has numerous presents underneath it. Her son and his classmates have colored cards and pictures that now litter the wall. Pictures of her team and family are surrounding her, some are taped to the ceiling, others are in frames and placed all around her.

And then there is Rookie. Her son's "most favoritest" bear, and he is currently tucked underneath her arm. Henry came and saw her earlier this morning and brought his bear for his mom in hopes it would help her "not be scared." It was the first time I ever laid eyes on her nuclear family, Will and Henry. Will held his boy's hand as they entered the room, Agent Rossi escorting them silently.

Will had leaned down and gently explained to Henry why his mom was sleeping; that her body was trying to heal. The small boy had nodded and let go of his father's hand before gently crawling into his mom's bed. He somehow made it without yanking any tubes, and fell asleep next to JJ. During those few hours, I watched as JJ's vitals stabilized a bit more; her heart rate came down to a safe number, her blood pressure rose. All because her little boy snuggled up to her.

That was a few hours ago, Blake had come in and offered to take Henry and Will out to eat. It took a lot of encouragement and finally her insistence that visiting hours were over for the time being. While I doubt nobody would have forced the small family out of the room, nobody doubted that JJ would prefer that Henry spend Christmas being a kid- and Agent Rossi had arranged for that to happen.

The hotel the two were staying had been offered to make Henry's hotel room a winter wonderland, and the hotel did not fail to deliver. Toys piled up from the ground all the way around, it was a child's dream. On the bed was a gift for Will, JJ's badge had been wrapped and sealed. The note asked for him to personally give it back to JJ when she woke up.

Agent Morgan is currently with JJ, watching her carefully for any movement. He nearly jumps out of his chair when the monitor beeps signaling a slight increase in her heart rate. The staff has reassured him that they are carefully monitoring every vital, but he is still so cautious.

I am too, at any second I know JJ can be at my side, but for right now she seems to be okay. There has been no change in her condition since her arrival here three days before; and it seems to be an okay thing. As long as she isn't heading in the wrong direction, I will continue to wait.

And wait is all I can do.

It's nearly midnight when I watch the nurse come in and check JJ's vitals, then her temperature. She rushes out and come back in with a young doctor. I hardly hear them but the doctor sounds worried and immediately order blood to be drawn to check for infection.

I hear the word "septic" thrown out later and cringe, that does not sound good. And then, just when I relax a little bit, I notice something I do not wish to see.

JJ, her body is surrounded by a gold glow. Nobody can see it but me and I know what it means.

"Not tonight, JJ," I plead to her as monitors began screaming and the Code Team rushes in. "Not tonight. Not on Christmas." I turn my head as the paddles are pressed to her chest and her body jumps in response to the electricity. Not tonight, not on Christmas.