Hey folks I'm back. Thanks for hanging with me while life, work, ect.. get in the way of me updating like I want to. Hope you enjoy! Don't forget to review!

Chapter 10

No Matter What

"Thanks for coming with me Derek." Emily said as they drove to Will and JJ's place Friday evening.

"Hey it's all good, Emily." Derek said flashing his one hundred watt smile from the driver seat of his SUV. "I wanted to check on our girl anyway."

He steered his Jeep onto their friends' street. Coming to a stop in front of their townhouse, he turned Emily after killing the engine. He looked at the burnette with a hint of concern in his eyes.

"What's up with the face, Emily?"

"It's nothing." Emily smiled so he would know she was being genuine. "I've just been worried about JJ. Especially with us all being back to work, and being away on a case."

"We all talked to JJ when we were out on this last case. It doesn't take a profiler to see that she's most likely having a rough time."

"Will says she has her ups and downs." They climbed out of Derek's SUV and made their way up the walkway to the front door.

"We already know she's going to have to go through some sort of counseling." Derek said matter of fact tone. "We just need to let her know that we have her back no matter what." He knocked lightly on the door.

A few seconds later Will answered the door with Henry in tow.

"Uncle Derek! Aunt Emily!" Henry cried with excitement.

"Hey guys come on in." Will greeted them.

"Henry what's up little man?" Derek asked scooping the toddler off the ground and into his arms.

"You come to visit mommy?" he asked.

"Yes sir." Derek answered him.

"Thanks for letting us stop over Will." Prentiss said as they made their way through the foyer and into the living room to JJ.

"It's no problem." Will said. "She's sick of looking at my face 24/7."

"Yeah right!" Emily exclaimed laughing. They rounded the corner to see JJ was resting comfortably on the couch.

"Hey guys!" JJ greeted her friends and teammates. "You guys really didn't have to stop out here after a long week at work."

"JJ we had to come and check on you dear!" Emily exclaimed.

"Yeah how are you feeling JJ?" Morgan sat down in a chair opposite her. His brown eyes were full of concern. Henry jumped from Derek's arms and ran off to his room.

JJ looked over at Will who looked back at her without saying anything. He hoped she would be straight with her friends and co-workers, and tell them exactly how she was doing. He knew they would understand. After an awkward silence JJ finally answered Derek's question.

"I'm healing up okay." She told him and Emily truthfully.

Emily regarded her friend. "That's great, but what about the other stuff?"

JJ sighed, knowing they wanted to know more than just how her gunshot wound was healing. They were the best profilers she knew, and she couldn't keep much from them.

"The other stuff…" she began, trailing off. "It's day to day." She began to play with a thread from the blanket that covered her.

"Talk to us JJ." Derek prodded gently looking briefly at Will.

"Some days are harder than others guys." Will sat down beside her on the couch and took her hand. She squeezed his hand in hers and continued speaking.

"I know I'm going to have to go through some sort of counseling before I can be out in the field with you. Maybe even before I come back fulltime. "

"JJ you're doing so well." Emily remarked. "It's not a surprise you're having symptoms of PTSD."

"I just wanna go to sleep one day, and not relive all of this. Maybe wake up one morning and be passed it."

Now it was Will's turn to interject. "JJ it's gonna take some time darling."

"He right baby girl. We're all here for you, and work will still be there when you're ready to come back."

JJ smiled at Morgan. "I know, and you guys have all been great."

JJ was relieved when the conversation shifted to Henry who came down from his room with a few toys to show Emily and Derek. Then they caught up on the latest work gossip. JJ felt her body beginning to give her that warning it always did at night. That it was tired and ready for pain meds. Everyone else seemed to sense this as well. Emily and Derek rose up out of their chairs.

"We should get going." Emily said to Will and JJ.

Morgan kneeled down to say goodbye to Henry. "Hey buddy thanks for showing us your cool toys!"

"You play with them next time." Henry told him.

"It's a deal little man." Everyone laughed at the two of them.

"JJ Pen will be checking in tomorrow. She and Kevin were talking about making a lasagna or something." Emily said before heading to the door.

"Sounds good." JJ replied.

Will walked Emily and Derek to the door. "Thanks for coming over." He ran a hand through his dark hair. "It's not easy for her to talk about what happened."

"Hey man it's no problem." Morgan clapped Will on his shoulder as they stepped through the door into outside.

"We love JJ. We just wanna see her back to her normal self."

The young detective said goodnight and went back into the house where JJ was sitting with Henry on the couch.

"Hey little man it's just about time for bed."

"You make sure mommy gets tucked in, right daddy!"

"I sure will! Give your momma a kiss goodnight."

Henry kissed his mom on the cheek and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Night mommy. You'll feel better in the morning." He gathered his blanket and favorite stuff dog, and Will scooped him up in his arms.

"Goodnight sweetheart. I love you!" JJ said.

"JJ I'll tuck him in then come down and help you."

"Will I can make it up the stairs and into our room. I promise." She added when he looked skeptical.

JJ slowly pulled herself up off the couch to prove it to him. "See."

Will shook his head and headed to Henry's room to put him to bed. He called back to her over his shoulder. "Just take it slow, and be careful!"

"I will detective."

Will tucked Henry into bed and read him their favorite story. Once he snuggled down in his blankets, and could barely keep his eyes open, Will made sure the nightlight was on and quietly closed the door.

Will caught up to JJ just as she was reaching the top of the short staircase. JJ was doing really well getting around the house over the last few days. He had to hand it to her! The woman was tough! He reached out to take her hand.

"JJ you really are doing great." He walked with her to their bedroom and helped her ease down on the bed.

"It's because I have you and Henry here. I don't know what I would do without you."

"That's the other way around cher. I for one would be lost without you." He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Lay back and try to get some sleep awhile." He told her. "It's been a long day, and you need your rest."

JJ smiled and curled up on her right side facing Will as he laid back and clicked on the tv in their room. He looked down at her dozing off as he flipped through the channels. It did her good to talk to her friends from work tonight. He was glad she was able to at least tell them that she had her ups and downs. He knew in their line of work that they would expect it. He also knew that they would be there for her no matter what.

Will woke up when he felt a sudden poke to his leg. "What the…?" he wondered aloud. He looked over to see JJ moving in her sleep. "JJ.."

She twisted her body, as her face seemed to register an extreme amount of pain. She was having another nightmare. He touched her arm gently, and she let out a moan. "No…" she whimpered.

Will was scared so he shook her ever so gently. "JJ wake up darling." She just moaned again and moved her head from side to side. "JJ you're having a bad dream."

All of the sudden JJ shot upright, eyes wide open. Doing this caused a sharp pain to radiate through her chest and abdomen, and cried out. Hot tears immediately pricked behind her eyes, and she tried to catch her breath. Will wanted to help her, but he didn't want to make her pain worse by touching her.

"JJ, honey, shhh…" He tried to sooth her. She was trembling, and tears now ran down her cheeks as the pain and the dream took over. "JJ it was just a nightmare. I'm right here."

"Will…" she could barely form a sentence the pain was so bad. "Help me…"

"Jay I'm right here." He reached over to his nightstand and clicked on the small lamp. "Let me get you your pain meds. I think they're on your table right there." He stretched over her and picked up her bottle of tablets. He saw she already had water sitting there as well. First though, he needed to get her calmed down.

"Will it hurts so bad.." JJ felt like she was seeing stars. The movement in her sleep along with jolting awake really pulled at her insides. She clung onto Will's shirt, and cried. He wrapped his arms around her gently.

"Shh… It's alright." He stroked her hair and felt her tears come through his t-shirt. "It was just a dream. You're with me, and you're going to be fine." He listened for her breathing to even out before continuing. "Can you swallow a pain pill JJ?"

She nodded her head, and he handed her a pill then water. She took the pill, but she was still shaky. Will took the glass out of her hands and placed it back on his nightstand.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"For what?"

"I just can't stop thinking about it." A shiver ran through body. It was so strong Will could see it. It broke his heart.

"JJ you never have to apologize for any of this." He told her firmly but gently. "Okay? None of it."

Will leaned back against the pillows on the bed with his girlfriend in his arms. He made a mental note to call Hotch as soon as he got the chance tomorrow. JJ would have to see someone soon now. He just hoped they could get through the weekend without her breaking completely. She was strong, but the lack of sleep every night because of the nightmares weren't doing anything but keeping from healing the way she should be. She was being torn apart from the inside out, and it scared him more every day.

He looked down at JJ and saw that her eyes were open and seems to be staring into nothing. He stroked her hair and back, but didn't say anything. Finally it was her that spoke.

"Do you think I made a mistake leaving the Pentagon last year, and rejoining the BAU?"

"No I don't JJ." He told her simply.

"Why not?" She never lifted her head off of his chest to look at him. "I never would've got shot if I stayed."

Will pulled her away from his body as gently as he could so he could look her in the eyes before saying what he needed to say. He had to be sure she heard every word.

"Jennifer listen to me, please." She lifted her eyes to his face, so he continued. "You weren't happy when you worked for the Pentagon. I could see that. You went back to doing something that you loved! You help so many people. You and the rest of your team."

"I know but…"

Will stopped her mid-sentence. "No buts, JJ. No regrets either. I don't have any, and I don't want you to."

JJ nodded as tears came to her eyes. She felt like she could never fully express how grateful she was to have Will. And Henry. She just wanted the nightmares to stop, and have things go back to normal. She leaned on Will again, and he reached up to turn off the bedside lamp.

"I don't wanna close my eyes Will." She whispered.

"I understand honey, but just know that if you do close your eyes, I'm going to be the one that's here okay."

Will held JJ in the darkness of their bedroom. They must have stayed like that four hours. Only when Will felt JJ's body completely relax, and her breathing become even did he allow himself to close his eyes. He said a silent prayer, hoping that some higher power would hear him, and help comfort JJ. They had the weekend ahead of them, and miles to go before she would be whole again. Will drifted off to sleep with his angel in his arms.

Okay guys I know that was short, but I have an idea for the next chapter, and I want to put pen to paper before it fades. I hope you enjoyed, and don't forget to read and review! Thanks to all of you who have already. It means the world to me!