Hello my lovelies!
I know you all hated that I left you with a cliffhanger so I wrote this chapter as fast as I could, and I really hope that you guys like it! More to come as soon as I can!
You guys rock! -J
Chapter 10
"Okay everyone continue reading on your own for a moment," Alex's third period teacher told her class when the classroom phone began to ring early on in their lesson that day.
Yawning slightly, Alex continued reading from her text book, feeling a little dazed as her eyes scanned over the words without really reading them as she struggled to focus. Her eyes on her book, the teen missed the worried glance her teacher threw her way before turning to face the wall, not wanting any of the other students to overhear.
"Alexandra," the teacher called after hanging up the phone, the young brunette lifting her head indicating she was listening. "They would like you down at the office," she said. "Bring your things."
"Oh…okay," Alex replied, sharing a confused look with Spencer, who sat next to her, before gathering up her things with a shrug.
Unsure of what she could have possibly done to warrant a trip to the office, Alex slowly made her way down the hallway, wracking her brain for anything she may have done in the last couple days to get herself into trouble. Lost in thought, it wasn't until a flash of bright clothing caught her eye that she realized she had arrived at her destination; immediately stopping in her tracks.
"Penelope?" Alex called, her stomach giving an anxious flip at the sight of her mother's coworker.
"Lex," Garcia replied, turning around to face the teen with a worried look on her face.
"What…who?" Alex asked, her shoulders slumping sadly, knowing that the tech analyst's presence could only mean one thing. "Who?" She repeated, trying to keep her voice even.
"It's your mom sweetie," Garcia replied, the teen's eyes immediately filling with tears, which she refused to let fall. "She's okay, but she's at the hospital."
"What happened?" Alex asked, holding back her tears.
"She uh…she got shot," Garcia replied, unable to lie to the teen, even though she hated to be the one to tell her. "But I swear she's going to be fine. It just hit her shoul…" She explained, stopping in surprise when Alex simply walked past her, headed for the main doors to the school. "Lex?"
"We have to go,' Alex insisted firmly, having heard nothing except the fact that her mother had been shot.
"Lex," Garcia repeated, wanting to remind the teen that she wasn't even wearing her jacket.
"Penelope, we have to go," Alex said, turning around to face the blonde, with big, worried eyes. "Please."
"Let's go," Garcia quickly, replied both seeing and hearing the teen's begging, wrapping an arm around Alex to protect her from the cold, silently wishing she could protect her from much more than that.
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"What do you mean you haven't found him Morgan?" JJ asked sounding irritated as she paced back in forth through the hospital waiting room, not caring that she was eliciting stares from the other people seated there. "He can't have just disappeared."
"Jayje, he bolted through the back of the shed right after he shot Em," Morgan replied through the phone. "I only stopped for a second to make sure she was okay, but when I got out back I couldn't see him anywhere. This property is huge, and it's surrounded by woods that I'm sure he knows like the back of his hand. We're looking everywhere and we will find him, but it might take some time," he explained. "How is she?" He asked, the guilt clearly evident in his voice.
"In surgery," JJ replied, pinching the bridge of her nose as she attempted to fight back the tears that had been threatening to fall since she had gotten the call from Morgan about Emily. "You know I really don't understand what happened. Why was Emily even alone? I thought you guys were supposed to be sticking together?"
"JJ I swear I thought Em was at the barn with me," Morgan replied sadly. "She was supposed to give me 60 seconds and then we were both going in, but she wasn't replying and then when I went in she wasn't there," he explained. "I was already heading to the shed when I heard the shot. But she's gonna be okay Jayje, I mean she was fine when I got there."
"She got shot Morgan," JJ replied, unable to control her snapping tone. "She had passed out before she got here from blood loss and she's in surgery. How is that okay?" She asked. "Not to mention how freaked out Alex is going to be. God knows that kid has been through enough."
"JJ I'm so sorry."
"I…" JJ began, not even sure what to say.
"JJ?" The blonde then heard from across the waiting room, looking up to find Alex standing with Garcia's arm wrapped firmly around her.
"Morgan I have to go, Alex is here," JJ explained, knowing she was being unfair to Morgan, but not having the energy to comfort him at the moment. "Find him Derek."
"We will Jayje," Morgan replied sadly. "We will."
"Lex," JJ called as soon as she hung up the phone, the teen immediately running and falling straight into the blonde's open arms. "It's okay," she whispered, kissing the brunette's head as she felt tears begin to hit her shoulder.
"Is…is s-she okay?" Alex asked tearfully, hugging JJ as tight as she could.
"She's going to be fine," JJ assured her, rubbing a comforting hand up and down the teen's back. "She got hit in the shoulder. Bullet just managed to miss her vest, so she's in surgery," she explained. "She'll probably be in a sling and she'll be out of work for a little bit, but she's going to be fine."
"Did you see her?"
"Just as they wheeled her in," JJ replied, leaning back so she could see the teen's face. "She had lost quite a bit of blood so she wasn't conscious, but she was okay. It's going to be okay," she repeated as tears continued to fall down the young brunette's cheeks. "Come on, let's sit down okay?" She said, leading the teen towards the empty chairs where she had left her purse, as Garcia silently followed. "Thanks for picking her up Pen."
"Anytime Jayje," Garcia replied, taking a seat on Alex's other side and placing a comforting hand on her leg as JJ wrapped an arm around the teen's shoulders.
"Where's the rest of the team?" Alex asked, resting her head on JJ's shoulder and wiping away the tears that continued to fall despite JJ's reassurances that her mother was okay.
"They're still at the scene, finishing up with a few things," JJ replied, not wanting to freak Alex out by telling her that they were still looking for the man that shot her mother. "They'll be here as soon as they can get away."
"Oh okay," Alex said, taking Penelope's hand from her knee and holding it in hers, while JJ placed another kiss against her temple. "How long will the surgery take?"
"I'm not sure sweetie."
"But she'll be okay?" Alex asked, her worry obvious.
"She's going to be just fine baby," JJ quickly assured her, putting away her own worry in order to comfort the teen. "She's going to be fine."
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Waiting had never been one of JJ's strengths. The longer she sat in the waiting room, waiting for someone to come tell her about Emily the more impatient she became; her leg beginning to bounce up and down while she continued to stroke her fingers through Alex's long hair.
Wanting to do something useful, and insisting that JJ needed to keep the baby fed, Garcia had gone off in search of snacks, promising she would search all the vending machines until she found a bag of Cheetos. The rest of the team had yet to arrive, something, which made JJ feel more anxious, knowing that they must still be searching for Isaac Parrilla if they weren't there.
"Jennifer?" Alex called softly, pulling the blonde from her thoughts as she turned to find the teen watching her with wide eyes that were so much like her mother's.
"Yeah Sweetie?"
"What…what would happen if…what if…I mean…" the teen stuttered, struggling to voice her worries. "What if she…"
"Hey," JJ stopped her, understanding what had the teen so anxious. "Lex that's not going to happen," she told her certainly. "Your mom is going to be fine. We're not gonna lose her."
"But what if we did?" Alex asked worriedly. "I mean not today, but a different day. Your job is dangerous. What…what would happen to me?" She asked, as a lone tear made it's way down her cheek, having been thinking about this the entire time they had been waiting.
"Oh honey," JJ replied, wiping away the tear with her thumb. "If you think I would ever let anyone take you away from me you're crazy," she said with a small smile, which Alex attempted to return, before once again resting her head against the blonde's shoulder.
"I'm scared," Alex confessed quietly, as JJ pressed a kiss to her head.
"I know," JJ replied, reaching out and taking the teen's hand. "But you don't need to be. Everything's going to be okay.'
At this the pair fell silent, both taking comfort in each other's presence, as they continued waiting, wishing that time would speed up so they could at least hear that Emily was okay. It was a few minutes later though that a shadow fell across the pair, both looking up to find Stephanie Porter standing in front of them.
"Agent Jareau," Stephanie greeted, looking slightly unsure of herself. "Sorry to bother you."
"Oh no, that's fine," JJ insisted, shaking her head as she stood up. "How's Grace?"
"She's okay," Stephanie replied with a small smile. "I mean she's a little beat up, and she needed some stitches, but thanks to you guys, she's going to be okay," she explained. "I just really wanted to come and thank you."
"Of course," JJ smiled.
"How is Agent Prentiss?" Stephanie then asked.
"She's still in surgery, but she's going to be fine," JJ replied, glancing at Alex, who was still seated, watching the interaction between the two women.
"I know Grace would really like to thank her, when she's up to visitors," Stephanie said, grateful for the woman who had jumped in front of her daughter to prevent her from being shot.
"I'm sure Emily would love to see her," JJ smiled, proud of Emily's actions despite the fear she currently felt.
"Is this your stepdaughter?" Stephanie then asked, gesturing towards Alex who was still watching them.
"Yes, this is Alex," JJ replied, turning towards Alex who smiled at the fact that the blonde had referred to her as her stepdaughter. "Alex is actually…Agent Prentiss…Emily is Alex's mother," she explained.
"Oh," Stephanie replied in understanding, smiling at the blonde before turning her attention to the teen. "Your mother is a hero Alex. She saved my daughter's life," she said. "You should be very proud."
"I am," Alex replied with a small smile. "I'm proud of both of them," she added, making JJ smile.
"Well I will give you two some privacy, but I'll check in with you later," Stephanie then said. "Thank you again Agent Jareau."
"Of course," JJ nodded. "Thank you Stephanie," she said, before retaking her seat next to Alex, immediately wrapping an arm around her. "I love you kid," she whispered, once again kissing her head.
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"Hey look who I found while I was searching for Cheetos," Garcia announced when she finally returned, followed closely by the rest of the team, who immediately moved to greet Alex, who was pulled into a firm hug by Morgan, who was still feeling guilty.
"Has there been any word yet?" Rossi asked, pulling JJ into a hug.
"Not yet, but it can't be much longer now," JJ replied, glancing over to see that Alex was distracted, talking to Reid and Penelope. "How'd it go at the scene? You guys found him right?"
"We found tire tracks leading out from the middle of the woods," Hotch replied quietly, not wanting Alex to overhear. "He must have had a vehicle stashed out there for a quick get away."
"JJ I'm so sorry," Morgan once again apologized, knowing the blonde was understandably upset with him for having separated with Emily in the first place.
"I know," JJ sighed, shaking her head in frustration, knowing it wasn't the team's fault, but unable to prevent herself from being angry with them.
"The locals are still looking, and Garcia's going to do some searches as soon as we hear about Emily," Hotch assured the blonde. "We will find him."
"Right, of course," JJ replied, crossing her arms over her chest.
"What's wrong?" Alex asked, coming over to stand next to the blonde, seeing that she looked upset.
"Nothing Sweetie," JJ insisted, putting an arm around Alex just as a man in blue scrubs made his way into the area, turning his attention to the gathered group.
"Emily Prentiss?"