I am sorry for the gap between updates. I have so much school work right now it's crazy. But a HUGE thank you to you all, because this story now has over 200 reviews. WOW! Thank you so much! So thank you for staying with me! You guys rock!

25

The night was dragging on. JJ sat solemnly in the chair next to Emily's bed. She refused to move, even for a bathroom break, just in case that was the moment that Emily woke up.

JJ had long sent the others to their homes. They all needed rest and there was no sense in them all feeling tired because they had futilely attempted to sleep in a hospital waiting room.

As JJ let out another yawn, she felt herself succumbing to the feeling of exhaustion. It had been a while, so it appeared as though she would be able to take a quick nap. Even just 20 minutes to rest her eyes. And with one last glance in Emily's direction, she did just that.

JJ was in the middle of a meadow, filled with tall grass and flowers, when she heard a whimper. She turned around and looked where she had come from and saw the sky turning grey, ready to lash out at the landscape. A ring of trees were starting to close in on her as the whimpers got louder and louder until-

She woke up.

Momentarily stunned she looked around and realised where she was. As she saw Emily pulling the covers up, she realised that she was in the throes of a nightmare.

Reaching out she touched Emily's arm, only making her recoil even more. JJ knew she needed to get her out of her nightmare and make her realise that she was completely safe. JJ held onto Emily's shoulders as tightly as she could and continued to shake her until she started stirring. The incoherent babbles stopped and Emily was in the middle of a stare off with JJ, who was whispering calming comments.

Unfocused eyes began to make sense of her surroundings and once again the embarrassment returned.

"Emily, you don't have to be embarrassed."

'How does she always know?'

"Emily, if you looked at any one on this team, you'd know that they have nightmares too. If you asked, they'd – we'd – tell you that that was true. But we have each other to count on. To rely on. Don't be afraid to make the most of it."

With tears streaming down her face, she looked at JJ with eyes that exuded pain and suffering. "I- I just, I can't…"

"You can't what Em?"

"I can't m-m-make sense of it all. And I want to sleep. But he comes back."

"Oh Em, he isn't coming back. He is going to be going to jail, and as far as this team is concerned, he is going to be spending a long, long time there."

"I know. Just…"

"Just what?"

"Nothing."

"Okay Em. That's good for now. But you need rest, you are exhausted."

Emily stiffened at that sentence. And she subconsciously began to scratch at her skin. To rub it. Almost as though she was trying to rub away all the memories sleep brought her, before they had a chance to arrive.

And that was when JJ made a make or break decision.

"Move over Emily."

"W-what?"

"When you sleep he comes back. Well, I am going to be right here the whole time. Now move your butt Prentiss, I'm tired too."

Emily couldn't help but to give a small smile at that. She sat up as far as she could and was about move over as when a shot of pain went through her torso. She cowered in response to the pain, and JJ was immediately at her aid.

"I'm fine." She ground out.

"Emily…" JJ said in her motherly tone. Which was reciprocated by a frustrated growl.

"I can do it myself."

Waiting a minute, JJ watched Emily intensely and then moved to the other side of the bed. There, she placed her arms under Emily's and helped move the protesting agent to the right side of the bed.

JJ moved back around the bed and sat on the side, kicking her shoes off.

"Come on Em. When was the last time that you fully rested?" JJ gave her a bit of time to think. But when no answer came, she answered for her. "It was a while ago wasn't it? So please don't burn yourself out. If you want, I can get the doctor to give you meds to hel-"

"NO. No meds. I hate meds."

"Well then you at least need to try to get some sleep. Come on…" JJ said as she leant back, arms open, welcoming Emily into a safety that she hadn't felt for days.

Emily looked hesitant. Whether that was due to her not wanting to look weak, or because she was afraid at the thought of sleep; she could not answer. However, she fought the internal struggle and welcomed JJ's warm embrace. The safety she felt was immense as soon as she was fully relaxed.

When JJ saw Emily was ready, she covered them with the blankets. JJ reached up behind Emily, which gave her a small fright, only to be replaced with a groan as she realised what JJ was doing.

She took the oxygen mask and slid it over Emily's face, pushing the metal part across her nose closed.

"JJ…"

"Doctor's orders, now go to sleep." JJ told her in a soft voice, before flicking off the lamp which she had earlier turned on.

JJ waited. She just sat there. Listening to Emily breathing. Waiting for signs that sleep had overcome her exhausted body. Time ticked and finally, the last ounces of rigidity were gone and JJ knew Emily was finally resting.

JJ herself was about to get a bit of sleep when she saw the orange and yellow streaks beginning to paint across Emily's hospital wall.

It was morning.

Now the work truly started.

JJ was relishing in the fact that she was able to give this comfort to one of her best friends. Not that long ago she thought that she may never see her again. And as such, she continued to listen to the rhythmic and soothing sound of Emily's breaths.

JJ wasn't sure how long she had to wait until the BAU team assembled at the window. She waved them in, knowing full well that Emily, at the present moment was not about to wake up.

Morgan kept his distance. All the men did, just in case she was to wake up unexpectedly, but more so Morgan. Garcia however came to occupy the seat beside the bed that JJ had vacated.

After a while, they settled in, sitting down and quietly chatting.

After a few hours Emily started to stir and that was the moment that their breaths hitched.

As she came to, she had the feeling of warmth enveloping her, and she immediately thought she was back there. Refusing to open her eyes she made herself think before she started to panic. Then she remembered the guys and JJ. And Derek. Oh god, Derek. He had been so hurt.

Eyelids fluttering, she turned away from the harsh light. As her eyes adjusted and she noticed the mask still in place. Looking up at JJ, she raised her good hand and pulled the mask off.

JJ was about to say something when she looked at the others.

Profiler side in play, she noted that the men sat at a far distance, watching how she reacted. And she also noted that Derek was the farthest. She was definitely going to have to make that right.

Derek's mind was abuzz when he saw her starting to wake. What was going to happen? Would she freak again? Who knew. But as the situation played out, it didn't appear to go too badly. She just stared at him. A furrow of her brow, and then she looked like she was about to say something, though she cut herself off before she could.

Looking at everyone one last time, she felt as though she had compartmentalised the event that had preceded her hospital visit to the best of her ability and decided that it was time to move on.

So that's what she did.

She moved on the only way she knew how.

"When can I go home?"

The agents were stunned by this. She went from a wreck to okay within 12 hours. That is not possible. Even for Emily Prentiss, that is not possible.

Before anyone was even able to react a nurse walked into the room, indicating that everyone else should vacate so that Emily wouldn't have to share any information that was said in confidence between the two of them unwillingly.

As they were about to stand, they caught it. That look. That same look. And they knew then for certain that Emily Prentiss was not okay. Just hiding in her shell.

Her reaction as the male nurse walked into the room was almost immediate. Hotch was luckily able to intercept the man and take him outside for a quick word. Unfortunately, it had been neglected to be added to her notes that Emily was only to have female staff surrounding her. That said, the man was very apologetic, and would send in the next female nurse he could wrangle.

Hotch walked back into the room and noticed it was eerily quiet.

With one glance at Emily, he knew that she knew that they were all waiting for her to make the first move. That any chance at an 'I'm fine' façade had been ruined. Instead she sat, just staring hollowly at the space the nurse had occupied.

As the group tediously sat, they waited in silence for a new nurse who arrived about fifteen minutes later.

She got the male members of the team out and was about to do the same with the females when Emily asked if they could stay.

JJ vacated her spot, standing beside Garcia and watched on as the nurse completed her tasks.

Once they were done, she informed Emily that the doctor would come by to talk to her as soon as possible now that she could comprehend what she was saying.

She nodded but also asked "can I have a shower?"

The nurse reviewed her notes. "We'll have to get your cuts and burns covered up, but I don't see why not."

Emily nodded and asked the girls to pull the curtain so that she could start, in privacy, what would be her feeble attempts at the bathroom.

After they had completed her request, she started to turn herself so that her legs dangled off the edge of the bed. In slow movements she moved to the edge before planting her feet on the ground.

The next bits were what worried the brunette's friends.

Slowly, she pushed off the bed, allowing her feet to take more and more weight. She was doing it, but at the same time she could feel her legs shaking. She was strong though. She'd work through it. Only, she couldn't. As her knees began to give way, the concerned duo pounced, catching her under the arms, stopping the imminent fall.

She was slightly shocked, but relaxed almost immediately.

"Come on Em, let us help you."

"I can do it myself."

"Can you? Can you really? It is either this or a wheelchair." Penelope threatened.

Emily looked and saw the rare fire in Penelope's eyes that only had thick red and yellow flames when she was truly at her height of concern for someone that she loved.

"Fine. I guess this then."

Slowly, little by little, one step at a time, they made it to the bathroom. It was easy to tell that Emily was exhausted, and they made her sit down on the seat in their so they could 'search for towels'. But Emily knew better.

The towels were found and Garcia was at the shower. She turned it on, using her hand to adjust it to the right temperature so as not to hurt Emily further. As she was doing this the nurse entered the already small bathroom with clear strips to cover her wounds.

JJ was moving towards Emily, almost towering over her as she sat helplessly in the chair. The water, the steam it was all coming back to her. No. No, she needed out. She couldn't do this now. Maybe later, but not now.

Spooked she leaped up and out of the chair heading out to her room. Her legs, true to their weakened state collapsed out from under her. The only thing near was a table which she tried to lean on with her injured arm which only made things worse. Instead, she took the whole table down with her.

The three women ran out as the cry of pain and the sound of a thud was heard.

Prentiss started swearing and the men outside started asking what was wrong. Penelope went to pacify them as the nurse and JJ tried to help Emily up. But she was exhausted, and was almost complete dead weight.

"Hold on, I'll go and get one of the male nurses."

"No!" JJ stopped her. Then she looked at Emily. "Is it okay if Hotch helps? It's him or someone you don't know, but you can't do it yourself, and we need someone else."

Emily contemplated this for a moment. "I, uh… I… yeah, okay."

"Great." The nurse made her way out and then both her and Hotch made their way back into the room.

Hotch bent down, giving his agent the once over and said to her calmly "I hear you've had a bit of a run in with the ground?"

She looked at him uncertainly and then replied "Ha. You're hilarious Hotch." With the tiniest hint of amusement possible.

"On three Prentiss. One, two, three…"

With one swift lift he had her up and was headed towards the bed. She couldn't help but think that this knight in shining armour routine would usually be Derek's to play out. And she couldn't help but feel guilty for the fact that he was hurt and therefore not able to carry out any heroic duties in the near future.

Carefully laying her on the bed, he made sure to avoid touching any injuries that he could help. She was thankful for it.

"Hotch, you guys have work right?"

He couldn't help but wonder how she knew that, even in her state. It was possible, after all, that they had the day off.

"We only have files that can be handed in late if necessary-"

"It's not necessary. You and the rest of the guys go, I'll be fine." JJ was about to agree, when Emily turned and looked sharply at her. "But you, you must look worse than I do. Go home and sleep."

Both were caught off guard by her strong tone and were glad to hear the resilience in her voice.

"Okay. JJ, go home and sleep, that is an order. But Emily someone is staying with you at all times, you know that right? We are here with you through everything."

Emily looks up. "I know that Hotch. And thanks."

"Okay we'll all head off now, but I'll send in-"

"Morgan." She cut him off. "You'll send in Morgan."

Ooh they are finally going to get to talk. Please tell me what you think. ( :

ALSO I am updating this chapter everyday, because I am aware that it keeps posting as one big paragraph. It is not me, but the site and I don't know what to do to fix it. I will keep trying otherwise I am sorry for the inconvenience and probably won't update again until I can sort it. Sorry.