Journey On
Chapter Eleven: Never Alone

Summary: The story of Emily and JJ, from the very beginning.
Chapter Summary: Emily's fifteen, JJ eleven. Need I say more?
Disclaimer: (I have been forgetting to post this.) I don't own Criminal Minds nor anything remotely related to it. (Hey, who heard SB is cancelling?) –cheers- (No offense to anyone who liked it.)
Warnings: Abortion, suicide and language. And mentions of sex, though nothing graphic.
Spoilers: Heavy spoilers for Birthright, 3.11, Demonology, 4.17 and Risky Business, 5.13.

A/N: So, thank you for the reviews and feedback! I was beginning to think you all dropped off the face of the Earth or something. So, this chapter was a bitch to write, pardon my language, so all mistakes are mine and I apologize for the delay. Enjoy! Next chapter however, will skip to Emily's entrance to college and JJ's first year in high school. Four years difference right? I will address the insecurity issues in both JJ and Emily. Will have slight mentions of Matthew's drug problem.

XxX

Location: Rome, Italy
Date: September 19, 1985. 2300 hours.

Laughing, she ran as she was being tugged along by John, arousal and alcohol racing through her veins. And he whirled her around, and kissed her, pressing her up the hard, brick wall of the alleyway they currently were in. Trapped in a heated make-out session, she didn't notice Matthew walk quietly into the same alleyway. John pulled away first, noticing the silent boy in the background. Both were panting lightly.

"Cockblock," she murmured teasingly to Matthew. Her usually pristine black hair was mussed and her lips were swollen. He raised an eyebrow, shooting a skeptical look at John, before he said, "Take care of her, John, or I'm coming after you."

Emily lunged at Matthew, embracing him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered into his ear, tears stinging her eyes. Turning back to John, she accepted the hand he had held out to her, leading her up the steps to his little flat. She waved at Matthew, who was staring at her morosely, a curious expression lighting up his features, but she gave little consideration to the thought after hands started peeling away clothes and naked skin met naked skin.

"Kiss me," she murmured, and he obliged. Even if the circumstances weren't what she'd prefer, and she had a random flashback every few minutes, the sex was still good, regardless.

She just wouldn't know the consequences of her actions until a few months later.

Location: East Allegheny, Pennsylvania.
Date: November 12, 1985. 0800 hours.

"JJ?"

Glancing up from the well-worn note she held in her hand, Jennifer Jareau looked up at the sad blue eyes of her older sister. Scooting over on the bed, JJ asked, "What's up, Jackie?" She knew something was wrong, but she wasn't quite sure what. It was as if her sister was holding on to a secret, something so terrible she would never say, but it seemed like the weight had fallen off her shoulders at the same time too. It was odd.

"There's something I want to give you."

JJ nodded, motioning her sister in her room. She took note of the multiple bruises and cuts decorating her sister's arms, the first time in over five years she had worn a t-shirt. However, that thought was cut short as Jackie handed over a small jewelry box. JJ knew what it was. It was the necklace that her sister loved dearly, the small golden heart their father had given her a year before JJ's birth. Her sister had told her the story many times, trying to relive the times when things were happier and not so dark.

"Jackie, I can't take it. I know you love it." JJ knew it was true, even if she really, really wanted to accept. She always wanted one like that for herself, but her daddy hated her and never gave her a gift. Jackie shook her head, "I want you to have it, okay?

JJ nodded, as Jackie continued, grasping both her small hands. "Listen to me, JJ. I'll always love you, no matter what happens. Even if daddy going all insane on you, or if he beats me because you pissed him off, remember that I love you no matter what. And be strong, JJ, if not for anything or anyone, for me."

JJ hugged her sister, the mini-monologue bringing tears to her eyes. "I love you too, Jackie." She frowned unexpectedly, "Why, though?"

Jackie gave her a sad smile, "You'll see soon enough, JJ, soon enough."

With those mysterious words she left JJ with, that was the last time JJ ever saw her older sister alive.

Location: Rome, Italy
Date: November 12, 1985 2100 hours.

"I've found someone who would do it for you, Em."

Flinching slightly at the sudden noise, Emily looked up into the light hazel eyes of Matthew Benton. "You did?" He nodded, his eyes deadly serious. Her eyes were dead, emotionless and her features carefully schooled into a blank mask. It was the infamous Prentiss mask that he had heard so much about.

"When?" Her voice was hoarse, after yelling at John, who wouldn't accept responsibility, and crying. Matthew had been her rock, but she had noticed a change in him. He seemed almost contemptible of the Church, now that they rejected her so harshly. The Church didn't understand that with the parents as politicians, this would wreck their reputation.

"Tomorrow." Emily froze, her mind taking her back to a November 13 thirteen years ago. November 13 did not seem to be a good day for her. Memories from that day had begun to register in her head, and she remembered the crying, the way Jessica had pushed her father away, drawing his attention to herself. She admired her for that.

She saw how Matthew immediately rushed to her side when he noticed she had gone pale. She shook her head, warding him off, "It's nothing… Just thought it'd be later, you know. And a really terrible thought just registered in my head."

He nodded understandingly, his eyes warm. "I get it, Em. I really do." She smiled at me. He was so supportive, even if he had been raised as Catholic. Premarital sex and abortion aren't really aspects of a Catholic, so he being here, next to her, meant a lot.

Matthew Benton stared at the oddly quiet fifteen year old. "You know I'm not disgusted at you, Em, right?"

At his words, her black-brown eyes filled with tears, and the only thing she could've said to him was, "Thank you." And even that, she thought, wasn't nearly enough to thank him.

Twenty-four hours later, in a hospital gown, curled into a tight ball, trying her best to ignore the pain in her abdomen, she thought about better times, even if associated with the worst events.

"Jennifer?"

The girl in question turned, shooting a brilliant smile and the bed-ridden brunette. "What's up Em?"

Emily nodded at the deck of cards and the chessboard next to her hospital bed. "Take your pick."

The smile turned into a full out grin as the blonde bounced onto the bed, grabbing the deck of cards. "I want to play 'Gin'!" Emily shot her a weird look.

"You're eight and you know how to play 'Gin'?" Jennifer laughed, the pure, innocent sound making her smile.

"Hey, you come hang out in East Allegheny and you'll know how to play gin when you're five. We're the town that's too small for a bowling alley, remember?"

Emily laughed, for the first time in two years.

Memory had Emily Prentiss in its grip, and it wasn't going to let go.

"Have any more interesting stories to tell?" The blonde cocked an eyebrow at the mostly silent girl huddled against the wall.

"How do you do it?" Emily whispered. "How do you sit in a dungeon like this for," she glanced up at the markings on the wall, "twenty seven days and still be smiling, and laughing and talking? Where do you find that spark of happiness, JJ?"

"Well," JJ said, "I guess I try to remember that even if we're stuck here in this 'dark tunnel' there's always the light at the end, and that we'll eventually get there, one way or the other."

Emily managed a wan smile at the blonde, "You're pretty wise for an eight year old girl."

"That tends to happen a lot with home life like mine." JJ thought aloud. Emily narrowed her eyes at the blonde, truly taking in the tan skin, noticing the bruises and cuts. "Your father beats you too, Jennifer?"

"Yeah," the blonde nodded, "but after a while it's not new, and eventually it's kind of numbing, and you don't really feel anything."

Crying out, as the pain in her abdomen rippled, Emily knew what this was.

This was it.

A/N: Sorry, still have exams going on. Will do my best to get the next chapter up. Hope you liked it! Reviewww….

-snores-

~S12