Just as JJ started making her slow walk back to Emily a bright patch of red in the far corner of the graveyard caught her eye. She couldn't resist and turned around to investigate, as she got closer her heart sunk. It wasn't just a patch of red it was a fenced-off area full of bright red headstones. As she reached the gate, she lifted the latch with shaking hands.

There were probably nearly 200 headstones each with nothing more than a name and the lifespan. There was nothing about who the people were or who loved them. If anyone loved them. JJ walked through reading names hoping and praying that she wouldn't recognize any names. Unfortunately, as she walked along, she saw the names of not only friends but family- cousins she never saw.

She saw no headstone older than 15 years, nor someone who lived past 18. This was a graveyard full of children. JJs eyes filled with tears at what this meant, she just hoped everything would be over soon. Her eyes settled on one headstone that read

Ash Jacobs jareau

1996-2006

What! No. that was impossible. Completely impossible. There was only one Jareau family in South Rock, JJs. That meant JJs mom was pregnant when she ran away, she had a brother. She was overwhelmed with grief from someone she never even knew existed. She felt like she had just been given a massive backpack full of bricks.

She slowly made her way back to Emily more aware than ever of her bruises and cuts from her father. Her sadness quickly turned to anger, at her parents for not telling her, for putting that child through what they put her through, and most of all for letting him die.

"You ok," Emily asked seeing the murderous look on JJs face

"fine" JJ answered through gritted teeth "let's just go back to the tavern"

"Nowhere else you want to go"

"Like I said let's just go back"

"Alright let's go"

They followed the same walk back to the tavern in complete silence, the only noise was the town residents. Normally church would be in session, but that had been canceled, which meant nearly every family in town was outside in the sun, luckily it wasn't super-hot.

When they finally got back inside JJ immediately went up to Luke's room, and Emily up to hers. Luke had got back while they were gone and knew as soon as JJ walked in something was wrong.

"What happened," he said standing up to meet the angry JJ.

"She was fucking pregnant!" JJ nearly shouted.

"Who? Roslyn?"

"No! my mother" JJ said plopping down on the bed "when we left in 1996, she was pregnant"

Luke sat down next to her shocked. "Well, where are they now" he had to ask

"His name was ash. They sent him downstairs, till he died last year" JJ said with as much venom as she could muster. Luke knew JJ wasn't okay and desperately wanted to comfort her, but knew it was the wrong time.

……………………….

Later that night the whole team was back, and about to go to bed. JJ got the all-clear to go back to work the next day from Hotch, insisting nothing hurt. That was of course a lie.

After Emily fell asleep you would think JJ might want her beauty sleep for work in the morning. Instead, she did what she had done a few nights ago and left a note for Emily telling her she was fine and would be back.

She grabbed her things and met Luke at the front door. They made their way down the familiar path next to the fence, before coming to the broken streetlamp.

"Do you need help?'' Luke asked. He would normally never ask but she was still very bruised, and her hand was cut up.

"I should be, just um go over first," JJ said slightly unsure.

Luke made the first jump successfully catching the branch and getting over the fence. JJ had a bit of a harder time, she didn't want to hurt herself more, but she did catch the branch and get over the fence. She landed harder than she would have liked and only avoided falling by holding onto Luke.

They continued through the woods, so many came through this way over the years that the path remained pretty clear, but they still had to duck under branches, especially because most people using the path were kids.

As they jumped over the stream they could see The Hut on the other side of the field, the flashing lights as comforting as ever. JJ pulled open the back door since this wasn't a surprise visit. As soon as they were inside, they were greeted by a young boy probably 14 or 15 years old.

"Which one of you is gerbil?" he asked urgently

"Um, that would be me," JJ said. The first time anyone came to The Hut to work they got a nickname and that was JJs

"Come with me aunt Mae and Becca need you," he said to JJ then turned to Luke "And if your sunny they need help at the bar"

As confused as they were they followed the instructions, with Luke heading off to work behind the bar, and JJ following the kid. JJ followed the kid up the back stairs up to the loft. The second she was up the stairs she was swarmed by aunts Mae and Becca, while the kid who hadn't said anything else went back downstairs.

JJ couldn't tell what they were saying but the next thing she knew she was pushed down onto the couch while Aunt Mae inspected her black eye and the cut on her forehead.

"I can't believe this happened!" Aunt Mae exclaimed checking for more injuries which included making JJ take her shirt off so she could see the bruises.

"I can! Why didn't want anyone to do anything!" Aunt Becca practically shouted.

The shouting continued, with JJ desperately trying to understand what they were saying but they were constantly talking over each other, but JJ was pretty sure that there were threats against her parents involved. Suddenly a thought popped into her head.

"Did y'all know I had a brother" she blurted out?

Everyone went quiet and Aunt Mae stopped rubbing cream on JJs bruises- JJ wasn't sure when she started doing that- Aunt Becca looked towards the ground "we did" she said a hint of remorse in her voice

"You knew him didn't you," JJ said voice breaking as she stood from the couch "you knew my brother hell he probably worked here, and you didn't think to tell me" JJ was getting angrier by the second "You let me leave without telling me I would be a big sister!" Aunt Mae opened her mouth to speak but was quickly interrupted by JJ "and don't you even dare say you didn't know she was pregnant- news travels faster than light around here! And you know damn well I would have stayed no matter what it meant for me.

JJ stopped to catch her breath and Aunt Mae took the opportunity to jump in to explain "We did know your mother was pregnant when you left, and he did come to work for us. I'm so sorry we didn't tell you we didn't think it was a good idea at the time. I think both me and your Aunt Becca know that it was a mistake."

JJ looked at Aunt Becca who was nodding agreeing. She didn't have the time nor the strength to be mad at them and chose instead to sitting back down on the couch taking a shaky breath "can you tell him about him please"

"Anything you want gerbil" Aunt Becca said sitting down next to and wrapping an arm around JJ. Aunt Mae sat on her other side holding her hand.

Aunt Becca started speaking "He was a great kid. Hardworking, smart, and I've never seen a kid pack lunches so fast. He once managed to make 40 sandwiches in less them 10 minutes, we're still not sure how he did that. He knew about you, you know"

"Wait what!" JJ said lifting her head off Becca's shoulder.

"Yeah, we decided it would be best, in case he ever got out," Aunt Mae said "we always wanted to meet you, he once told me that if he met you, he would teach you how to pack lunches as fast as him"

"I never was any good at that" JJ said with a light chuckle, remembering all the nights she spent packing lunch orders for the next day. "Thank you for doing your best to keep him safe," JJ said hugging them both. "What do I need to do downstairs"

"You know I think they are I bit short-staffed in the kitchen," Mae said "but you can really do whatever. And I assume you and Luke will be gone when we wake up"

"Yeah, I don't want a repeat of last time and be late for work"

"Well, be sure to come back and please stay safe" Becca said giving JJ one last hug.

"I'll try

JJ headed down the stairs to the kitchen to help, at night The Hut was more or less run by kids. Which probably not very safe, but Aunts Mae and Becca were always upstairs so you could wake them if needed, there were also a few adults working, but only a few.

Around 1 am JJ and Luke left and started walking through the field again towards the wood with their backpacks. Luke asked what Mae and Becca wanted and JJ explained them freaking out, and then told him everything they told her mainly about Ash.

JJ was of course still mad about the whole situation, well situations. Just so much had happened over the span of 3 days and it was all very overwhelming. Luke being there helped but it was still hard until she found out about Ash, she had been holding out hope that they would get through this case without bringing up her past but that was practically impossible.

They got back over the fence and back to the tavern without incident and Luke decided not to go straight back to the tavern, but stop at the same graveyard JJ had been to earlier, JJ didn't go with him because she knew he would want to be alone.

JJ was as quiet as possible walking into the tavern so she didn't wake anyone up. What she wasn't expecting was for hotch to be sitting on the couch in the front room book in hand. He heard the front door open and put his bookmark in and set down his book. "Take a seat"

JJ was suddenly filled with fear, she knew logically hotch would never hurt her, but she was in the mindset that everything was a threat. She took off her backpack and sat on the couch across from hotch, hands shaking, and body tense. Hotch took notice of her body language and was suddenly more concerned than mad.

"I will start by saying I'm not mad and asking if you are hurt at all," he said. When JJ shook her head looking down, he continued. "Where were you, I saw you and Luke leaving a few hours ago and decided to wait on you to come back"

"I was out visiting some people I know," JJ said softly still looking at the ground

"Were you doing anything I should know about"

"No"

"Okay then you don't have to tell me what you were doing, but I need to know if both you and Luke are Okay and safe"

"We are"

"Is there anything else I should know about?" he asked and JJ shook her head. "You can go to bed just know you can tap out of this case at any point"

JJ didn't respond just grabbed her backpack and walked up to her and Emily's room, she once again tried to be as quiet as possible, luckily Emily remained asleep while JJ changed and used the bathroom. JJ climbed into her bed knowing any sleep she got would be filled with nightmares. JJ didn't sleep that night.

……………………….

A/N: well um there's that, I once again don't have notes on this one, so I will aggressively remind you to drink water. *clears throat

DRINK WATER!!!!

YOUR BODY NEEDS HYDRATION!!!!

NO NOT COFFEE

WATER

YOU KNOW LIKE THE STUFF IN THE SWIMMING POOL

DONT DRINK POOL WATER THOUGH

GO ON

GET A GLASS RIGHT NOW

YOU CAN EVEN GET SOME ICE IF YOUR FANCY

SPENCER WOULD NOT HE HAPPY IF HE HEARD YOU WEREN'T DRINK ENOUGH WATER

Y'all Hear that Drink some water

Always if you actually read the authors notes you know what I'm about to say

Reviews are appreciated but not required ;)