It is two years into the future. Emily Prentiss had finally gotten the promotion to the first female FBI director and she had promoted Jennifer Jareau to the role of BAU Unit Chief. JJ had gotten Agent Kate Callahan to return to the team to fill JJ's vacant role. And Russ "Monty" Montgomery from the IRT had filled in Garcia's vacant role as technical analyst. It was March 14th, nearly the first anniversary of Prentiss and JJ's promotions and an unexpected event happened that changed JJ's life forever. Reid was away at another teaching sabbatical and he was talking to JJ over the phone while JJ was driving home from an out of town case.
Chapter 1: JJ's Unexpected Event
"Well, I'm happy to hear that the whole family was reunited," said Reid. "That sounded like a tough case you had in Texas."
"It was," said JJ. "How long before you're back in Quantico, Spence?"
"I have one more seminar to teach and then I'm on my way home tomorrow morning, JJ," said Reid.
"Good," said JJ. "I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too, JJ," said Reid.
"Oh," said JJ. "I'm home now. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Spence."
"Okay, JJ," said Reid. "Give the family my love."
"I will," laughs JJ. "Bye, Spence."
JJ hung up the call and she pulled her car into the driveway. She exits the car with her go-bag and she went towards the back door anxiously awaiting to spend some much needed time with Will, Henry and Michael. JJ walked in the back door and closed it behind her wondering where her family was.
"Will?" said JJ. "Boys? I'm home! Where is everybody?"
Nobody answered her. JJ put down her go-bag. She thought maybe her family had all just fallen asleep on the living room couch again. She walked through the kitchen and she was shocked to find Will and the boys on the living room couch all tied up, awake, scared and gagged with duct tape. JJ gasped.
"Oh, my God, Babe!" whispered JJ. "Boys!"
Will, Henry and Michael all tried talking to JJ through their duct tape gags. JJ ran over to them and she pulled the duct tape off of Will's mouth.
"Will," cried JJ. "What happened? Have you been hurt?"
"No, just tied up," said Will. "She was already inside the house when I brought the boys home from school!"
"Who?" asks JJ. "Who was in our house?"
Henry and Michael saw somebody coming up behind their mom. They started screaming through their duct tape gags. Will noticed the somebody as well.
"JJ," said Will.
"Oh, I was, Agent Jareau," said a familiar voice behind JJ. "Long time, no see!"
JJ pulled out her gun and turned around to find Izzy Rogers behind her, also holding a gun.
"Izzy Rogers?" said JJ. "You're supposed to be in Kwan-Li-So prison in North Korea!"
"It took me a while," said Izzy. "But I was able to escape! Wow, Jennifer, you've been busy. You're the FBI team leader, now. When I first met you and Will you only had one son, and now you have two. And you two have gotten married as well! But, you two are still living in the same house that I was in before. It was so easy for me to find you and your family again!"
"What do you want?" asks JJ.
"'What do I want?'" asks Izzy. "I lost my boyfriend, Matthew, to your old boss, Agent Hotchner around the same time that you've arrested me. I want you both dead! But, sadly, your Agent Hotchner has fallen off the grid and he's been proven very difficult for me to find, so, I'll have to settle with only you, Jennifer. Now, put down your gun and kick it away from you, or I'll shoot dead your entire family right here, right now!"
Izzy pointed her gun towards Will and the boys. JJ could see that Henry and Michael were terrified. They were both crying loudly.
"Do it!" ordered Izzy.
"Okay," said JJ. "Okay! Just don't hurt them!"
JJ put down her gun and kicked it away from her.
"Good," said Izzy. "Okay, Jen, you have two choices to make. One, you let me shoot you dead, and I'll let the rest of your family go!"
"What?" asked Will.
"You're crazy," said JJ.
"Maybe," said Izzy. "Or, two, because I lost somebody that I loved in 2012, you will lose somebody that you love today! You get to choose who you lose right now!"
"What?" asked JJ.
"Who shall it be, Jen?" asks Izzy. "Your husband, Will?"
Izzy pointed her gun at Will.
"No," whispered JJ.
Izzy continued, "Your oldest boy, Henry?"
Izzy pointed her gun at Henry. Henry nervously shook his head, "No."
"No," said Will.
"No!" yelled JJ.
Izzy continued, "Or, your youngest boy, Michael?"
Izzy pointed her gun at Michael. Michael cried, "No!" through the duct tape gag.
"No! Leave them alone!" yelled Will.
"Kill me instead," said JJ.
"Mom!" muffled Henry through his duct tape gag.
"No," cried Michael through his duct tape gag. "Mommy!"
"Darlin', no," said Will. "Kill me instead."
Henry and Michael both cried, "No!" through their duct tape gags.
JJ said, "Will, no!"
"Will," said Izzy. "The choice is hers, not yours! You would rather die than choose a member of your family?"
"Yes," cried JJ. "I love them all too much to make a choice like that! And, I was the one who arrested you in 2012. You want revenge on me? Then kill me and leave my family alone!"
Will was loosening his duct tape bindings behind his back. Izzy insatiably laughed at JJ's choice. Henry and Michael continued crying, "No, mom!" over and over through their duct tape gags. Izzy pointed her gun right at JJ.
"All right," smiled Izzy. "Any last words, Jennifer?"
"Yes," cried JJ. "Will, I love you all and I've loved our whole time together. I want you to promise me that you won't let the boys forget about their mother. Please, promise me, Will!"
"Go ahead, Will," laughed Izzy. "Promise her!"
"I...I promise, JJ," said Will. "I love you, too!"
"How touching," said Izzy while clicking her gun. "Goodbye, JJ!"
Will was able to untie himself at the same time Izzy was about to fire her gun. He jumped in front of JJ as Izzy fired two shots at JJ, taking both bullets in his chest, saving JJ's life.
Henry and Michael cried, "No! Daddy!" through their duct tape gags.
Will groaned and collapsed on the floor.
"Will!" cried JJ.
"Well," laughs Izzy. "It looks like Will volunteered himself after all, Jen!"
JJ became very angry. Because Izzy was looking down laughing at Will, JJ tackled Izzy making her drop her gun. Izzy and JJ fist fought and kicked each other for around four minutes and then JJ gave Izzy a hard kick in her face. Izzy fell flat on her back and JJ picked up Izzy's gun and fired a bullet right into Izzy's forehead, killing her instantly.
JJ immediately jumped over to Will's side. Henry and Michael were both looking at Will while crying. Will was losing a lot of blood.
"Will," said JJ. "Thank you. But you didn't have to do that. I was prepared to save you all!"
"Yes, I did," said Will. "Babe, did you really think that she would have just let us go after she killed you? You need to have them sweep our house for any planted explosives!"
JJ quickly grabbed her phone and called 911.
JJ said, "This is Agent Jennifer Jareau with the FBI! I need paramedics and bomb squad over at my home address! My husband has been shot! Please hurry!"
Will grabbed JJ's hand.
"It's too late, JJ," said Will.
"No, Will," said JJ. "Don't talk like that. You're going to be okay."
JJ's heart was breaking. She looked at Will's face and she started crying. Will smiled at his family.
"Please," cried JJ. "Please don't talk like that. The boys and I need you!"
"It's okay, Jen," smiled Will. "Knowing that the three of you are safe now, I'm okay with this. I love you all..."
Will lost his grip on JJ's hand as he passed away. Henry and Michael cried through the duct tape gags.
"Will?" whispered JJ. "Babe? Will, no, no, no!"
JJ sobbed hard on Will's shoulder until the police and the ambulance arrived. The squad cops spent the next hour rolling out their crime scene yellow tape around the front of Will and JJ's house. The bomb squad team brought in their bomb sniffing dogs. They were thoroughly searching the whole house for any explosives.
Prentiss and Rossi arrived looking for JJ. They found her sitting in the back of an ambulance getting her battle bruises and cuts looked at by a paramedic.
"JJ," said Prentiss. "Are you all right?"
JJ said numbly, "The...bomb squad is thoroughly checking the house for explosives."
Rossi asked, "Where are Will and the boys, JJ?"
"Uh," said JJ looking to her right. "Henry and Michael are over there with Anderson."
Rossi and Prentiss saw Henry and Michael standing with Agent Anderson.
"Oh, thank God," said Prentiss. "And Will?"
JJ tearfully pointed to a coroner's van to her left side. They were rolling a covered body into the back of it.
"Oh, JJ," said Prentiss. "I'm so sorry!"
Prentiss took JJ into her arms. JJ tearfully leaned on her shoulder.
"Who did this, JJ?" asked Rossi.
"Izzy Rogers," answered JJ. "She...she escaped from Kwan-Li-So prison and she wanted revenge on me for arresting her and for the death of Matthew Downs in 2012. She had Will and the boys tied up in the house while waiting for me to come home. She tried making me choose between her killing me or killing Will or killing one of the boys. I chose myself, but Will untied himself and he jumped in front of me..."
JJ tried holding back her tears without much success. Prentiss put her hands on JJ's shoulders.
"JJ," said Prentiss. "You don't have to say anymore."
"Where is Izzy Rogers now, JJ?" asked Rossi.
"Over there," said JJ.
JJ pointed back at the coroner's van. They were rolling another covered body into the back of it.
"After she shot Will I fought back and I got her gun and I killed her with it," said JJ. "But, it was too late for Will. He died happy because he saved our lives."
"I'm calling Garcia," said Rossi. "You and the boys shouldn't be alone tonight."
"Thank you, Dave," said JJ.
"I'll call Spencer and the others," said Prentiss. "Do you want one of us to wait here with you, JJ?"
"Yes," said JJ. "Emily, please?"
JJ couldn't hold back her tears anymore.
"Okay," said Rossi. "Then I'll call Reid and the others."
JJ cried hard in Prentiss's arms. An hour passed and both Reid and Garcia arrived. Rossi and Prentiss told Reid and Garcia what had happened. Garcia immediately hugged Henry and Michael tearfully. Reid went straight over to JJ.
"JJ, I'm so sorry," said Reid. "What do you want us to do?"
"Uh," said JJ. "I need you and Garcia to help Henry and Michael pack some bags. We can't sleep here tonight. It's still an active crime scene. And the bomb squad's still searching the house for explosives."
"I'll help pack a bag for you, Jayje," said Garcia. "Reid, you help the boys pack. Where are we taking all of you for the night?"
"I don't know," said JJ. "A hotel?"
"JJ," said Reid. "My apartment is always open to the three of you. You can all stay with me tonight."
"Thanks, Spence," said JJ.
Reid and Garcia got JJ and the boys settled in Reid's apartment. Henry and Michael were silently crying. JJ was holding her boys in her arms. Reid tried getting some takeout food for JJ and the boys, but none of them really felt like eating. So, Reid put all of the food away in the fridge until later.
It was getting late, so Reid and Garcia rolled out the extra bed from Reid's sleeper couch for Henry and Michael. All three of them stayed with Henry and Michael until they finally went to sleep. Then Reid and Garcia quietly left the room leaving JJ inside with the boys for another minute.
"I hate this, Spencer," cried Garcia. "I really hate this! Why did this have to happen to our family again? Why Will? We didn't need something like this happening again! Not again!"
Garcia cried on Reid's shoulder. JJ came out walking by them and she sat down at the dining room table and she rested her chin on her knees while thinking.
"I don't know, Garcia," answered Reid. "I wish I did know why."
JJ's cell phone rang and Reid walked over to answer it for JJ.
"This is Dr. Reid," said Reid. "JJ, it's Anderson. They've finished sweeping the house for explosives. Do you want me to listen to the report for you?"
"No," said JJ. "I'll take it."
Reid handed JJ her phone.
"Anderson," said JJ. "What did they say? Yes. Uh huh, I see. Thank you, Anderson. Leave the report on my desk and go on home."
JJ hung up her phone.
"JJ, what did he say?" asked Garcia.
"He said that Will was right," answered JJ. "Izzy wouldn't have just let them go after she had killed me. She had rigged enough explosives to blow up the entire house afterwards. The coroner has found a detonator charge in her pocket. If Will hadn't saved my life, she would have killed my entire family today! I'm a profiler and team leader. Why? Why didn't I see this coming?"
"JJ," said Reid. "You're a mother first and foremost! You've told both of us that many times. Don't blame yourself for this."
Garcia said, "Reid's right. This is Izzy's fault! And you've stopped her for good! You've won the war, JJ!"
"I may have won the war," said JJ. "But Izzy still won the battle. When I was on the phone with you earlier, Spence, all I wanted was to have a peaceful night at home alone with my family. But, explosives or no explosives, Izzy has taken that away from me. We...we can't stay in that house anymore. There are too many memories of Will inside that house, including his murder, now!"
JJ started crying again. Reid and Garcia both went to her side holding her hands. JJ tearfully looked at both of them.
JJ continued, "Henry and Michael won't ever forget what they've seen today for the rest of their lives. There's too much pain inside that house now. I...I can't move us back in there! I can't!"
JJ sobbed hard in Reid and Garcia's arms.
JJ narrated, "There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They are messengers of overwhelming grief and of unspeakable love. - Washington Irving."
Author's note: Thank you to my positive reviewers, Bohogal 1998, saku hyuuga, Spooladio, BookDragon2013, lolyncut and John. I loved all of your love and inspiration from my story. Thank you all. I was still new to fanfiction. I had revised my story because I had four different people complaining either that my separate chapters should be on separate pages, or that I used too many exclamation points. So, I had printed out my entire story's original draft out on paper and then I deleted all except Chapter 1 of my story and I took the time to delete 75% of my exclamation points. I recopied the rest of my chapters on separate pages over the next few days. This isn't the first story that I have revised, but it is my first multi-chapter story. I'm still learning. Thank you for your patience.