Time stops.
When a loved one might die, everything is tuned out. JJ's world melts around her, the voices of her team drowning out. The clock on the wall is all she can hear, the boom of the secondhand shattering her ears. The world blurs, collapsing in on itself. Her mind is empty, and all she feels is a deep pain, an abyss, in her heart.
JJ's mind takes her back to the first time she had feelings for Emily. She and Will had gotten into a huge fight. He was angry at her for not wanting to marry him. He insisted that their baby needed married parents, but JJ kept saying no. For some reason, Will thought yelling at her might change her mind.
JJ left the house, slamming the door on her boyfriend, and went to where she always goes in times of stress: work. She sat at her desk, rifling through the cases, when Emily knocked on the door.
All she did was ask if JJ was okay, and JJ broke down. She cried. She never cried in front of people, never. But Emily was different. Emily felt safe. Emily felt okay. She knew that Emily would never judge her or hurt her. And she didn't. She wrapped her arms around JJ, placing her blonde hair on her shoulder. She stroked JJ's hair and whispered comforting words into her ear. JJ felt safety, warmth, and happiness sparkle in her stomach.
I should have just left him then.
JJ snaps back.
JJ stands up and throws her palms on the table, and the team instantly whip their heads to her. She takes a shuddering breath, then makes eye contact with Reid.
"We need to stop. Just take a deep breath. Let's pretend she's someone else. What do we do first?"
Hotch looks at JJ and nods. Reid presses his lips together. Everyone takes a moment, just one, to try to push Emily out of their minds and act like it's any other case. JJ glances at Garcia and watches tears spill down her cheeks.
"JJ, Reid," Hotch says, "Go to Emily's apartment and look for the signs of abduction. Garcia, figure out where this text came from."
Hotch continues while JJ and Reid walk briskly out of the building. JJ jumps into the driver's seat, her fingers trembling. She tries to push the terrifying thoughts out of her mind, those that wonder if Emily will survive. What if I never get to tell her? I can't lose her. JJ shakes her head and puts the car in drive. She and Reid travel to the abduction site. Emily's apartment.
Emily's apartment is exactly how JJ remembers it. Everything in its proper place, no sign of struggle. The forensic team brushes lamps and takes hair samples, but JJ knows it will be to no avail. They take samples from dishes, the same ones JJ used when she stayed with Emily. They take fibers from the couch where they sat the night Emily took her there, drunk. JJ's mind flutters with memories, hoping she can come back here again under better circumstances.
"We can't find any signs of abduction," one of the team says. "We think she went willingly."
"She didn't go willingly," JJ snarls, and walks into Emily's bedroom.
Emily's room, where her bed lies, is the one room JJ hasn't seen. She has only slept in the guest room. Emily's dresser is perfectly clean, no signs of dust. The lamps aren't broken, nothing is turned over. Once again, no sign of a struggle. The bed isn't made, the blanket folded roughly in half, leaving an empty space on the right side.
"That's odd," Reid notes, "If you were leaving your bed, would you move the blanket that much?"
"Emily always makes her bed," JJ whispers. She walks carefully around the bed and looks at the empty space where Emily must have been sleeping. The crevices in the sheets create a picture in her mind of Emily sleeping soundly in front of her. Her dark hair falling over her face. Her gentle, yet strong hands wrapped around herself.
JJ turns to the night table and her eyes lock onto a tiny droplet of clear liquid. But JJ knows it's not water. "Guys! I got something in here," she calls, and directs the forensics team to the droplet.
JJ and Reid leave the room and wander into the pristine guest room to check for any other signs. Everything is clean and perfect, as Emily always is. JJ briefly looks at the dresser and thinks of the note Emily had left for her that morning. That note currently resides on her own dresser at home amongst knickknacks and keepsakes. At the time, she didn't know why she kept it. But now, her feelings for Emily are clear.
JJ doesn't notice anything amiss and starts to leave the room, but Reid touches her elbow gently. JJ whips around to him.
"I just wanted to know if you're okay," Reid says.
"Okay? None of us are okay, Spence. Emily's been kidnapped."
Reid stammers. "I-I know that, but it's different for you. You and Emily, you have something together, right? I mean, it's not hard to tell that you're in love-"
"What?" JJ bites the word. "Does everyone think I'm in love with Emily?"
"No, it's not something I profiled. You're my friend, Jennifer. I notice things."
JJ softens. She takes a deep breath and takes Spencer's hands in hers. She looks up into his eyes and gives him a sad smile.
"I'll be okay, Spence. Because we're going to find her."
