38

JJ handed Emily some toilet paper so that she was able to wipe her face and clean herself up.

"Em are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Emily, you can say that but you clearly aren't. Maybe coming back to work this quick wasn't such a good idea."

"JJ don't go there. I need to be here. I just…"

JJ waited for Emily to continue but she didn't. "You just what Em?"

Looking down at her hands she fumbled with them for a while and then she slowly turned to look at her friend.

"I just can't stand to be at home right now. It's so… lonely. I just… need to keep my mind busy."

JJ's heart was aching. Yes, she was definitely going to be taking some time off and so was Emily.

"Come on Em. You look exhausted. I'm going to take you back to the hotel so you can sleep and then depending on where we are later we will go from there."

Emily looked at her, confounded. She didn't want to go back. She wasn't weak and she did not want anyone to think that, but she couldn't face people yet. And she was exhausted. She really did want to just go to bed. So for once in her life she just nodded, agreeing.

JJ was flabbergasted. She had honestly been expecting a fight. So to see Emily just go with it told JJ so that she Emily really wasn't herself.

"Okay. Do you want to come with me and get your stuff?"

Emily blanched. She was embarrassed. She didn't want to go anywhere near that room.

JJ saw her reaction. "It's okay Em. I'll get your stuff and grab the keys to an SUV and then I'll drive you back."

As JJ arrived back in the conference room all chatting ceased, and every eye was on her.

"Is she okay?" Hotch asked tentatively.

"She's um, she's… I told her that I was taking her back to the hotel and she didn't complain. So I guess that tells you."

The men in the room looked at each other. Emily was certainly not herself and it worried them to no end.

"I am going to take her back to the hotel and then I'll come back. I said that I'd pick her up later, but I am just grabbing her stuff and a set of keys."

"Okay Jayje. We got it here. Make sure she knows that she can take her time. It's her first case back, and I don't want her overdoing it." Hotch told JJ.

"Will do. But Hotch, can I talk to you really quick out here?"

Moving out into the hallway Hatch turned to face her.

"What's the matter JJ?"

"Emily. I want to take a week off after this case and I am telling you that Emily needs to as well. I plan to spend time with her and talk through things that are still bothering her. She is struggling Hotch. But she has tried to work it out by herself and it didn't work."

"I see. Well if you think that she needs that then I trust your judgement. But you can be the one to tell her because I don't think that she'll like it coming from me."

JJ noticed Emily heading out the door toward the vehicles and quickly caught up with her.

When they were on the road JJ figured it was the best time to talk. She was alone with Emily, and Emily couldn't avoid the situation even if she tried.

"Em?"

"Yeah JJ?"

"Hotch said to ta-"

"As long as I need. I know. He has been conveying that message without saying it from the moment that I got back. Everyone has. I'll do what's best. I just have to figure out what that is."

"I think that is what he means. Don't feel pressured to be here. Take the time to figure it all out – if you want to. But…" JJ looked guiltily at Emily as they were sat at a red light.

The eye contact caught Emily's attention. "What did you do JJ?"

"Well, I talked to Hotch. Now, as a friend concerned for the well-being of another friend I can do this. Especially with the trial coming up."

"I don't want to talk about the trial. I don't want to think about it. Now spit it out JJ."

"I talked to Hotch and after this case we – you and me – are taking some time off."

"JJ."

"No Emily let me finish. We are taking some time off and we are going to watch movies, eat pizza and catch up. We are going to talk, and you are going to get the necessary things off your chest. It won't be easy, but tough. Life isn't easy. We will talk about him, about the trial and about how all that makes you feel. And we will come up with a way to help you cope having to go to court. We are taking a week off to start with and that is not negotiable."

Emily sat flabbergasted. She hadn't expected that level of preparation from JJ.

"I…"

"Just say okay."

"I… okay…"

"Good. Now we are here, do you want me to walk you up?"

"No, I'll be fine."

"Okay, well go and get some sleep. I'll come back and get you later."

"See you soon JJ."

Emily headed upstairs and went to her room. She knew the reason that she was sharing with JJ. They were all being overprotective but trying to go under the radar about it. But she wasn't dumb. And she was sure that they knew that. Feeling gross after having lost her breakfast to the precinct toilet, she grabbed one of her large t-shirts and simply put that on rather than a new set of clothes.

Feeling tired she flopped on the bed and closed her eyes, willing herself to fall asleep but have no trace of a nightmare.

The team worked perilously throughout the afternoon and into the beginning of the evening. They received a tip and caught the killer within hours because of that anonymous tip.

After having packed up at the precinct, they headed to the hotel to have some downtime before heading home on the plane that evening.

Walking out of the elevator they headed to their respective rooms and were going to pack up their things. However as they passed Emily and JJ's room they heard worrisome noises coming from through the door.

Quickly JJ drew her gun, alerting the others to follow her lead. She quietly swiped her access card through the door slot trying to prepare herself. But what she was met with she found upsetting on a whole new level.

Emily was lying on the bed, tossing and turning. She was in the midst of a nightmare. JJ put her gun back and made her way over to Emily. Looking back at her team in the door way she told them that they could go, because she was sure Emily wouldn't want them to see her like that. But the look on their faces told her that they had seen enough to know Emily's frame of mind. It wasn't fantastic.

JJ moved next to Emily. She was scratching her legs and pulling at the sheets whimpering and trying to get away from an invisible threat.

She started to wake Emily up and was met with resistance.

"Emily. Emily! Wake up. Please wake up!"

Gasping as she woke she threw herself forward with tears in her eyes, heavy breathing.

"Emily, you are okay. It's me. It's JJ."

She continued heavy breathing and her hands wandered over her legs where she had been scratching.

JJ followed Emily's eye line.

"Crap. Oh Emily. You drew blood. Wait here, I'll get the first aid kit."

JJ looked at Emily. "Is it okay if I put gauze on your legs sweetie?"

Emily was still gasping for her breath but nodded as she wiped her eyes.

JJ started with the tape and the gauze. She couldn't help but notice the bruises on Emily's thighs even though they were fading well.

"Honey, is that what it's like when you fall asleep all the time?"

"I… I guess yeah. But not bad enough to draw blood."

"Okay sweetie we are done. We are heading back home in two hours because we managed to close the case."

"Oh, okay."

"I'll grab you some clothes to change and then I'll pack up our stuff so we can meet the team downstairs."

"Okay."

I am sorry it took so long to update. I am at uni and having to study is not conducive with having time to write. It sucks. I'll update again ASAP. Please let me know what you think. : )