Chapter nine

Already feeling rotten through lack of sleep and worry about Emily, JJ rushed through the maze of corridors wondering just how much more she could cope with. She could hear the commotion well before she actually got there having had a frantic phone call from Garcia who had seen it beginning to unfold on the internal CCTV monitors. Fortunately it sounded as if security already had it under control, and it was obviously a shouting match going on rather than anything else. Finally and a little out of breath, JJ rounded the corner to see the fracas for herself.

Slowing down to a walk and trying to bring her breathing under control, she solemnly went over to the group all standing in the corridor heading out towards the main entrance.

"Morgan, what the hell are you up to?" she said in a very low warning tone, making everyone stop dead and listen to what she had to say.

"He..." Morgan glared at the man in front of him, who JJ recognized as being called Steve, "Said that Emily was dead because she was asking for trouble by her actions."

JJ sighed, knowing this wasn't what she needed to be dealing with. She looked across at Steve.

"Is that true?" She questioned.

"Yeah." Steve said, sounding defensive. "If she didn't do..."

"Enough." JJ's eyes narrowed, and her irises reflected the sound of her voice which had gone icy cold, and Steve knew he was better off shutting right up than saying anything more.

"Morgan, get back to your desk, we'll talk about this later. Steve, I suggest you get out of here, and don't..." JJ dropped her voice to an even lower warning tone. "you ever say something about an agent who you know nothing about again or you will have more than the wrath of Morgan to deal with but the whole of BAU with me heading the line. Do I make myself clear."

Steve simply cleared his throat, nodded and walked off. Morgan looked across at her.

"Sorry." Was all he said before he turned and went back towards the office.

Nodding, JJ turned and started to make her way back to her own room, "Bloody testosterone I do not need this! Not today!" JJ grumbled as she went.

Later, she walked out looking down at the bull pen, saw Morgan and gestured to him to her office. Morgan got up slowly, hearing a faint "Good luck" from Reid as he went.

"Just what the bloody hell do you think you were playing at Morgan." JJ didn't even give him a chance to properly close her door before she launched in to him.

He stood there, looking even more embarrassed than she thought possible, but by now her anger was at full throttle.

"It's about Emily, I just can't deal with it. She effectively died in my arms. I was the last person she ever saw, and I can't get it out of my head." He eventually admitted, sinking down on the chair. "What if I had got there even 30 seconds earlier..." His voice trailed off.

"You know you can't think like this, and that it is no excuse." JJ countered, "You need to get a grip on this Derek. Hotch has already spoken to you about it when he first talked to everyone, and this isn't going to help you're case when Strauss hears about it. And mark my words, she is going to hear about this."

Morgan looked up, suddenly realizing what JJ was saying to him, and was shocked because it hadn't even crossed his mind.

"I didn't think..."

"Yeah, we know about you and not thinking. The next time, engage brain before you set off." JJ softened her tone, before perching on the edge of her desk. "I know this has been hard, and we're all dealing with it in different ways, but with Hotch away on assignment, Rossi on holiday and me being left in charge, I'm making it compulsory that you get further psych evaluation."

"What?" Morgan looked up, anger bubbling again.

"I don't want to do this, but I need to have something to fight Strauss with. I can guarantee she is going to question if you're fit for duty, and this is the only way I know of negating that argument. This isn't a take it or leave it offer."

"Fine." Morgans reply was curt and without another word got up from his chair, and stalked out of the office. JJ sighed, sat back down and brought her hands up to her head, before leaning down and resting on the desk.

"Emily," she mumbled. "What have we done?"

As dusk was descending, JJ walked towards the bedroom door, please that this time, it all sounded a lot calmer than it had done of late.

"Hotch". JJ said as way of greeting as she entered the room.

"She's sleeping." Hotch said quietly as he stood up from his position at Emily's bedside, "Lets go over here to talk."

They both moved across to a desk and a couple of chairs tucked away in a corner of the room.

"How is she?" JJ queried.

"Physically, better, with no obvious complications, which the doctor is pleased about but her temper is still taut." Hotch admitted.

"Why am I not surprised." JJ brought a file out of her bag as she spoke, which she placed on the desk and opened up.

"I've managed to clear one identity for Emily." JJ then pulled a driving licence, passport and other documents out, "I'm pretty certain we can get other ID's generated without raising suspicion when she is out in the field, but I know this ID is clean, there is no way it can be tracked back to her, unlike any older CIA covers she had, and will get her out of the country."

"Good." Hotch sounded pleased. "I've also spoken to the Ambassador about securing funding... "

"You spoke to my Mother?"

JJ jumped at Emily's raised voice. She and Hotch then both twisted around in the chairs to face her.

"Yes, we have." Hotch said calmly, which seemed to incense Emily further.

"Hello, I'm here. No one thought to check with me first. I'm still alive..." Emily halted for a second, "for fucks sake." The last bit sounded more like something she was saying to herself.

"We know that," And JJ again marvelled at his calm persona as Hotch replied and stood up, "and we are trying to keep you alive, so I took the decision to talk to your mother in confidence. I know you will argue this, but unlike even the deepest undercover operations, even the deny at all stage sort of operation like you were involved with previously, this one can't be sanctioned financially at any level. You're mothers involvement has solved that problem and gives you and us a freedom we would not have had, and will allow us to get Doyle."

"You had no right." Emily's anger remained unabated.

"Oh god, not you as well." JJ's own temper finally snapped. "I've had enough of petulant children today, Morgan was bad enough earlier, you're insufferable."

Hotch raised an eyebrow at the mention of Morgan but knew now wasn't the time to ask.

JJ's outburst shocked Emily enough for her own temper to dissipate, and Hotch knew it was okay to broach the subject again.

"I know you want to get out of here, and I know you want to face this head on. We all do Emily, but please, allow me to do my job."

Looking suitably sorry, Emily just nodded. Taking it as her acceptance of the situation. Hotch turned back to JJ.

"Leave the file in the desk drawer so I can read it all tomorrow. And I want a full report on Morgan."

Without waiting for a reply, Hotch walked out of the room and headed home.