Chapter 47: With Friends Like These

A/N: If you've read the original story from my old account, you'll notice some inconsistencies in this chapter. When I go back to edit that story, a new version will be added to this account and will clear up those inconsistencies.

Also, thanks again to Southunlady! These reviews make me so happy... which sounds weird after you've said the last chapter was heart-wrenching, but you get what I mean.

JJ stepped through the elevator doors, swiping the card she was given and pressing the button to the secure floor, standing back to let the doors close. She watched the numbers climb as the elevator moved up, and she thought about what to say to Emily.

Emily had been in a coma for a few days after her surgery, giving her body time to heal. A week later, the CIA had moved her to Walter Reed, where she was to keep recuperating until she was approved to fly. After Emily was moved to Bethesda, JJ had been able to visit her at least once a day. Even though Hotch had been allowed to visit Emily in Boston, Bethesda was a little more secure and JJ's was the only name on that list, and only because she was with State and had a little more pull. So it had all been on JJ to keep Emily company after she'd woken up, and JJ had been working hard to keep Emily's spirits up.

Between her visits to Emily, and spending time with her own family, JJ had been working hard to get a decent plan in place for her. Stepping out of the elevator, JJ rolled her eyes. Getting the plan together for Emily was proving to be a mammoth task, dealing with the red tape, but she had tugged at one last string, reaching out to Clyde Easter for help. JJ was grateful that the conversation hadn't been as difficult as she thought it would be, and now they had a plan… and a plane.

JJ wasn't due to head back to the sand for another couple of weeks and was hoping to get Emily to her next location herself, without involving anyone else. It would take her a little longer to get the rest of what Emily would need, but that could wait until they at least got Emily out of the States, safe and sound.

JJ turned the final corner and nodded at the security guard standing outside Emily's room. She held up her ID and he stepped aside to let her through. As JJ pushed the door open, she smiled and shook her head, finding Emily sitting on the edge of the bed, trying to stand up.

"What are you doing?" JJ asked, a tone in her voice as she dropped her bag on the visitor's chair, "You're meant to be resting."

"I'm fine, Jayje," Emily retorted, "I've been doing nothing but resting for days… I need to move!"

JJ held out her shoulder for Emily to lean on, and as she stood for the first time in a week, her legs began to buckle and she fell back onto the bed, clutching at her stomach.

"Are you ok?" JJ asked frantically, "Do I need to get the doctor?"

Emily sighed and shook her head, "No… it's just a bit of pain," she replied, "I told them to stop the meds."

"Emily," JJ sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her friend. She shook her head at Emily's stubbornness, and imagining how that conversation had gone with her doctors.

Emily reached over and picked up JJ's hand, "It's fine… they make my brain fuzzy and I need to help you guys figure out where Doyle is."

JJ shook her head, "You need to take time to heal," she urged, "And in the meantime, we've got your exfiltration plan ready. You won't be in the hospital for much longer."

"Really?" Emily asked, looking up expectantly, "What's the plan?"

JJ let out a sigh, "You need to be here for at least another week, until the doctors give you the all-clear," she explained, "I've worked out the details with Clyde to get you to Paris… and you'll stay there until we can find Doyle and take him out."

Emily frowned, "I'm not going to run away to hide in Paris while you guys do the work to find Doyle. I did this. He's only out there because of me."

JJ shook her head, "None of us want to lose you again, Emily. We can't risk it," she replied, "You have done your part. Trust us to take care of this last part."

Emily shook her head, "You know I'm not going to give up… even if I need to drag myself back to DC when you're not here to babysit me."

JJ huffed and nodded, squeezing Emily's hand, "Sure Em. Cause being worried about you putting yourself at risk again is really going to help me to focus on my work..." she paused and looked intently at her friend, "I'm serious. You need to leave this to us."

Emily looked over at JJ, tears in her eyes, "Can you at least tell me one thing?" she asked, waiting for JJ to nod, "Is he ok?"

JJ smiled sadly and nodded, "He's ok. He's out of town, so I haven't seen him much but I know he misses you and… he's angry," she replied, shaking her head at Emily's sniff, "Not with you. He's angry with Doyle. He's angry that you got hurt…" she huffed and looked up at Emily, "I think he's a little angry at me too, because I get to see you and he doesn't."

Emily nodded, reaching up to wipe her nose with a tissue as she huffed, "Like he could ever be angry with you, Jayje. You know you're his favourite."

JJ chuckled, "Well… maybe his second favourite," she replied, squeezing Emily's hand.

Emily smiled and nodded, "Where's he gone? Do they have a case?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

JJ nodded, "They're in Portland," she replied, "Not sure when they'll be back but..." she paused and looked up at Emily, tucking her hair behind her ear, "Can I pass on a message to him? Anything you need to say?"

Emily shook her head, "Not like this," she said softly, knowing that there were a hundred things to say, but she wasn't going to have JJ carry those messages. Those words needed to come from Emily herself. And while Emily was planning on writing those words in a letter, she would prefer to say them to him in person. However the current circumstances wouldn't exactly allow that, so she'd have to be satisfied with the letter.

"Ok… well, I think we need to talk about the plan," JJ said brightly, sitting up straight, "Clyde mentioned that you probably had some resources we could use to get you set up… at least at first."

Emily nodded, reaching over to the bedside table and picking up a notepad that she'd been using to note down the information JJ would need. The address of the warehouse, code to get in, code to the SCIF, and details about where to find the passports and other necessities.

"Here's the information," Emily started, handing the notepad to JJ, "The passport you'll need to bring me is for Sarah Miller," she paused while JJ read the paper, "You'll need to memorise this, and then destroy it."

JJ nodded, "Of course," she replied, "Is there anything else I need to get from this address? Or from your apartment?"

Emily nodded, "The keys to my apartment are in the SCIF at the warehouse. I'll write a list of things, if you can get them from my apartment, that would be really helpful," she explained, "Also, there's one other person who needs to know. He has to know, Jayje, but I can't tell you why. And his details are in a file in the top drawer of my desk in the SCIF."

JJ frowned, "Ok," she replied, "What's his name?"

"Tom Kohler."

JJ walked up to the keypad by the garage door of the warehouse and keyed in the code that Emily had given her. She held her breath for a moment and was relieved when the door started to open. She returned to her car and drove it into the warehouse, turning it off and walking back over to press the button, closing the door behind her.

JJ turned to survey the warehouse, impressed at Emily's set-up. First things first, JJ made her way up the stairs and into the SCIF, locking her things in the box outside and using Emily's access code to unlock the room. Once she was safe inside, she huffed. This set-up was legitimate, from the computers and pin board, to the filing cabinets filled with Emily's insurance policies.

Emily had instructed JJ where to find the various items she would need to start her new life, including the passport for Sarah Miller, a bag of cash, and the wig. Emily had been clear about which one and JJ had laughed in response, but now she could see why Emily had been so clear on her description. There were at least five wigs sitting on a wall in the SCIF. JJ assumed they were necessary to the other identities that Emily went under, depending on the situation.

JJ spied a box in the corner and walked over to pick it up. She huffed when she realised it was the same kind of cardboard archive box that Emily had been carrying when they had first met. Brown with black strips and a matching lid. As JJ packed the box with the items Emily had requested, she thought back to that moment, all those years ago.

Once the passport, cash, and wig were all packed in the box, JJ turned to find Emily's keys. She had told JJ that they'd be in the top drawer of the desk in the corner. As JJ approached the desk, she saw a photo frame sitting to the right of the computer screen and she raised her eyebrows, reaching down to pick up the frame and study the photo.

JJ didn't think she'd ever seen Hotch smiling like he was in this photo and it made her heart hurt at the thought of Hotch and Emily being kept apart like this. She sniffed, looking at Hotch's face smiling up at the camera while Emily lay with her head on his stomach, cuddling Jack into her side while they slept. Hotch's spare hand was resting on Emily's hair and she had a content look on her face.

It was just a moment, captured in time, but it obviously meant enough to Emily that she had kept it with her.

JJ took a deep breath to hold back her tears as she realised… this was Emily's family.

Looking down at the box, JJ thought she should find a way to get the photo back to Emily. She didn't need to take the frame, so she unclipped the back and slid the image out from behind the glass, tucking it in with the other objects in the archive box.

Glancing back up at the desk as she put the empty frame back, JJ realised there was a second photo, on the far side of, and somewhat obscured by, the computer monitor. The photo was relatively recent, based on Emily's haircut, and JJ decided that this photo had to come too. She repeated her efforts, unclipping the back of the frame and removing the photo from behind the glass, sliding the image into the box with the other.

JJ went back to the task at hand, finding Emily's apartment keys and Tom Kohler's contact details, throwing them into the box as well.

Before she stepped back through the doors, JJ took one last look around the SCIF, wondering if she should use this as a base of operations for her own investigation into Doyle. Baltimore was an easy drive from DC, so next time she was back in town, she could spend a few hours going through Emily's files on him and see if she could find a lead.

JJ nodded and stepped out of the SCIF, making sure it was locked before she grabbed her belongings from the lock-box and headed back downstairs, ready for one last stop by Emily's apartment before she headed back to Bethesda.

"Sounds like it's time for you to be the blackbird and flip the script," Emily said softly, watching JJ nod as she came to an important realisation.

JJ shook her head, "Ok… that's enough of that," she remarked brightly, "So what's on your mind?" she asked, reaching over to squeeze Emily's hand.

Emily bit her lip and shrugged, glancing at JJ and then dropping her head, "Nothing."

"Emily," JJ urged, running her thumb over her friend's hand, "Tell me."

"No," Emily replied, shaking her head, "It's too morbid."

"What is it?" JJ asked, "Come on… you just helped me with my situation. What's going on?"

Emily puffed out a breath of air, "How was it?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at JJ's confused face, "My funeral?"

JJ sighed, looking down at their joined hands and raising her eyebrows, "There were lots of people there. But I have a feeling there's one… or three… people in particular that you're wondering about."

Emily nodded, "Did you speak to them… my parents?" she asked, her voice shaking at the thought of what her parents were going through. Putting aside their very different approaches to life, Emily loved her parents, and she could only imagine the pain they were in right now, and the anger they would feel when this was all over.

If it was ever over.

JJ nodded, "Your mother and I spent some time together after the funeral," she explained, "And Hotch spoke with your dad." JJ bit her lip, wondering if she should share the details of the conversation that she'd heard between the two men, but she decided against it. It was enough pain for Emily to know how much Hotch blamed himself. She didn't need to know how hurt her parents were… any more than she was already assuming.

Emily sighed, standing from the seat and walking over to where her purse was sitting on another chair. With her back turned to JJ, Emily took the items she needed out of the purse and turned back to sit back down. Emily held the envelopes out to JJ and waited as she read the names she had written neatly on the paper.

JJ studied the names and felt tears welling in her eyes, "I… " she dropped her head and reached up to wipe away a tear that had escaped onto her cheek. When she looked up at Emily again, she sniffed and nodded, "Ok." It was a big thing for Emily to ask, but JJ knew that she had no other choice.

A letter for Simon and Elizabeth.

A letter for Hotch.

As JJ's eyes scanned the name on the third envelope, she looked up at Emily and wrinkled her brow.

"Zac?"

Emily swallowed over the lump in her throat and nodded. She took a deep breath in, holding it as she closed her eyes and let the breath out slowly. When she opened her eyes again, Emily smiled sadly, "Zac is my son."

JJ blinked quickly, her mind racing at those four words. "He's your son?" she asked, confusion and disbelief dripping in her voice. She couldn't believe it. She needed to repeat the words in her mind until the idea of Emily having an adult son no longer sounded like something out of science fiction.

JJ frowned and shook her head, "Wait… does Hotch know?" she asked, wondering how deep this secret was. She knew Emily considered Hotch someone she could trust, and she had told him so many things she'd never told JJ. But surely, Hotch would have mentioned him at some point during the Doyle investigation, given that he had been targeting families.

Emily shook her head, "No, he doesn't. It's… complicated," she explained, "But Zac is my son, and I hate to think of what he's going through right now," she sighed and dropped her head, tears falling freely from her eyes as she contemplated how to ask JJ for this favour. She looked up and sniffed, "I need you to get that letter to him. I tried to explain it to him what happened, without telling him everything. But hopefully it should be enough."

Emily sighed, knowing that the letter wouldn't be enough, but also knowing that she couldn't tell him any more than she had written in those pages. There was so much more to say, but it would have to wait until this was all over, until she was home, and she could tell him the entire story from start to finish.

Rolling her eyes, Emily realised she had no idea when that would happen, but she had hope that there would come a time when Ian Doyle was no longer a risk to her… or her family.

JJ nodded, looking down at the three letters in her hand. She had so many questions, but she knew that Emily was exhausted. It could wait.

This time, JJ stood and reached into her small duffel bag, taking out a large envelope before she returned to the seat. She held out the envelope with a smile.

"Since we're exchanging things," she said softly.

Emily opened the envelope and reached inside, furrowing her brow as her fingers touched the card. She pulled out the two small pieces of card and bit her lip, tears immediately welling in her eyes. The first photo was from their day at the park, and as she ran her thumb over his face, she could feel his fingers in her hair. Emily switched the photos and gasped, covering her mouth with her hand and letting out a cry.

It was a photo from Zac's graduation, only a few months ago. They all looked so happy, Zac in his robe and mortarboard, surrounded by Emily and her parents.

"After what you just told me, which… I have so many questions," JJ remarked, her eyes growing wide as she shook her head, "That photo makes so much sense."

Emily huffed, "This was just last December. That trip I took to LA, when I couldn't make it to drinks with you and Garcia."

JJ nodded, "So many things are making sense now… is it too nosy of me to ask you a few questions?"

Emily chuckled and shrugged, looking back down at the photos, running her eyes over her family… all five of them, "You can ask…" she paused and huffed, "… but I might not answer."

JJ looked down at Henry, sitting on her hip, and tickled his belly with her finger, eliciting giggles from the little guy. She looked over to Will and reached out her spare hand to grip his as they walked along the path.

It was a sunny day and JJ was glad to be back in DC with her boys, after a stressful few weeks back in the camp. She was still recovering from an attack on the team's convoy, but time at home with Henry and Will was definitely helping her body and soul to heal.

"I think I see them," Will said, gesturing with their joined hands to their friends waiting on a picnic blanket set up on the wide lawn of the park.

JJ followed Will's gaze and smiled, letting go of his hand and holding her own up for a wave.

Hotch squeezed Jack's shoulder, "They're here buddy, book away," he said softly, reaching over to take the book out of Jack's hand and putting it back next to their backpack. Hotch stood from the blanket, standing next to Jack and waving back at JJ and her family. He was glad to see them, but the picnic was bittersweet, Hotch's mind taking him back to their first picnic as a group of families, and his heart ached at Emily's absence.

"Hey you guys," JJ said, watching Hotch and Will shake hands, before she stepped forward to give Jack a hug, "I'm glad we could do this," she added softly as she stepped back.

Hotch smiled and nodded, "Us too," he replied, turning to Jack as JJ stooped down to put Henry on the ground, "Jack, buddy, you remember Henry right?"

Jack nodded and walked over to Henry, taking him by the hand and leading him over to the picnic blanket. After the boys sat down, Jack handed Henry a couple of cars, and the boys started running the cars over the blanket.

Hotch gestured for the others to sit and they settled onto the blanket. He watched as JJ reached over to squeeze Will's knee, and for the thousandth time that day, Hotch felt his heart hurting at Emily's absence. She would be leaning into his side, or tipping her head on his shoulder, making him feel like he was the luckiest man in the world for having her by his side.

JJ caught Hotch's eye and offered him a small smile, "How are you guys doing?" she asked, studying Hotch's face. He looked tired, which was no surprise, but it was more than that. JJ had pretty much confirmed that Hotch and Emily were more than just friends, but his current state really clinched it. JJ hated the thought of Hotch being in so much pain, but she could at least be thankful that it would only be temporary. They would find Doyle, they would bring Emily home, and maybe then, the two most independent people in their little BAU family could finally find happiness.

Hotch shrugged, "We're ok," he replied, smiling at JJ, "The team still misses you…" throwing up his hands, "It was just a comment."

Will stepped in with his own comment before JJ could reply, "Please, Hotch… take her back. Maybe then she'll actually make it home for dinner a couple of times a week."

JJ bit her lip and shook her head, swatting at Will's leg affectionately, "Give me a break. I'm back now, right?"

"Right," Will added, reaching over to wrap his arm around JJ's shoulder.

"No!" Jack squealed, grabbing the two toys back from Henry, after he'd taken them out of Hotch's backpack.

"Jack!" Hotch said sternly, moving over to where the boys were sitting, "We don't grab buddy."

"But Daddy, Henry tried to take these, and they're not his to play with," Jack said, tears quickly coming to his eyes.

Hotch looked down at the toys that Jack was referring to, and he sighed, dropping his head to his chest and warding off the tears. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He was usually fine, but JJ and Will together had been reminding him of Emily and he was already fraying at the edges.

"I'm sorry," JJ said quickly, as Henry dropped into her lap, "Henry, we ask before we play with someone else's toys, remember?" she looked up at Hotch with an apologetic look, "Sorry Hotch."

Hotch looked up and shook his head, "No… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let him bring them, but he won't go anywhere without those toys anymore."

JJ wrinkled her brow, looking at the toys in question, wondering where they came from. They weren't toys from any current children's obsession and they looked old and worn.

"Oh wow," Will remarked, "Hey Jack, do you think I could take a look at those?" he asked.

Jack nodded and stood from where he was sitting, walking over and plonking down into Will's lap, "You can look, but I have to hold them."

Will chuckled and nodded, "Sure thing… I haven't seen toys like this in ages… where did you get these?" he asked, looking up at Hotch, but before Hotch could answer, Jack spoke up.

"They're from Emily's!"

JJ looked over at Hotch, watching his face carefully. He had no idea that Emily had a son, but the toys that Jack was showing to Will had most definitely been Zac's at one point in time, and for her to give them to Jack showed just how close Emily had grown to the Hotchner boys.

Hotch smiled sadly and nodded, "That's right buddy," he added, shrugging at JJ's stare and mistaking it for curiosity, "Emily kept them at her apartment for Jack to play with when he spent time there, and she wanted him to have them."

JJ nodded, glancing over to Will and tipping her head, "I might talk to Hotch for a bit… are you ok with the boys?" she asked.

Will nodded, leaning over to place a gentle kiss on JJ's cheek, "Sure thing darlin," he replied, looking to the boys, "How about we kick that soccer ball around?"

As the boys jumped up from the picnic blanket and took off with Will to kick the ball around on the grass, JJ turned to Hotch.

"How was Portland?" JJ asked, deciding to start with a less confronting topic of conversation. Work was something they shared in common, so it felt like a safe place to start.

Hotch shrugged, "I shot a kid," he replied, shaking his head, "But I'm worried about Reid."

JJ wrinkled her brow, "What's going on?" she asked, knowing that Reid wasn't coping with Emily's death, to the point that it was tempting to just tell him and get it over with. She was terrified about the consequences of keeping this secret, but there was nothing they could do about it.

Hotch sighed, "He always talked to Emily, and I feel like he isn't coping. No one else on the team knows how to reach him like she did."

JJ nodded, "He's been visiting us," she explained, looking up at Will and Henry, "And... well... I'm worried too."

Hotch nodded, "I guess all we can do is keep an eye on him and make sure he knows that we're here for him."

JJ nodded, looking back at the boys and huffing as Henry tried to pick up the ball. It was almost as big as him and when he tried to run with it, he tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground. Will helped him up from the ground, and watched over the boys while Jack dusted off his little friend, before they went back to their game.

"I'm sorry about Jack yelling at Henry," Hotch said, dropping his head. He looked back up to watch Jack kick the ball back to Will, smiling wide when it went up in the air. Hotch turned to JJ, "He has a thing about the toys. And about Emily's shirt."

"Emily's shirt?" JJ asked, wrinkling her brow.

Hotch huffed and shrugged, "Emily was babysitting Jack one night and he got sick on her. She didn't care, but she did need to borrow one of my shirts while she washed hers. Jack didn't want to give it back when he realised, and then... well... he's kind of kept it for himself."

"Does he know what happened?" JJ asked, feeling like Hotch's disclosure required a follow-up, but not having the heart to remind him of what... or who... he was missing. That would just be cruel.

Hotch nodded, picking some lint from his jeans, "I've told him that Emily is an angel, like Haley," he explained, "I had to tell him something, since Emily had been such a big part of ou… his life."

JJ bit her lip, "I'm so sorry that you have to go through this, Aaron," she said softly, reaching over to squeeze his arm, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Hotch shook his head, "We need to find Doyle, but that's taking more time than I had hoped," he explained, looking back to JJ and offering a sad smile, "But you guys inviting us today helps."

JJ sighed and nodded, reaching over to pick up the bag that Will had carried for her, holding it in her hands while she thought of what to tell Hotch. She looked up at him with a sad smile and held out the bag, watching his face.

"What's this?" Hotch asked, looking into the bag and seeing a bottle and an envelope. He reached into the bag and took the bottle by the neck, pulling it out and huffing as he read the label. He shook his head and looked back up at JJ, wondering if she knew its origins. It was the bottle of whiskey that Sean had given Emily when she'd moved into her new apartment, the apartment where Hotch and Jack had spent many a night, playing games, watching movies, baking cookies.

Hotch rested the bottle against his leg then turned his attention back to the envelope, running his finger over his name. His name in Emily's handwriting. He let out a sigh and looked up at JJ, tears in his eyes.

"Is she safe?" he asked, begging for even the smallest piece of information that would let him know that the woman he loved was safe.

JJ nodded, reaching out a hand to squeeze Hotch's, "She's safe."

Hotch pursed his lips tight and nodded, picking up the empty bag and returning its contents, knowing that he would need to plan the right time to drink the whiskey and read the letter… and in that order. He placed the bag gently by his backpack and turned back to JJ.

JJ smiled softly, tipping her head towards the others, "Care to go and show those boys how it's done?"