Hello! I apologize for any confusion with the chapters, fanfiction was having some problems with not sending out email alerts when stories were updated. It doesn't appear that an alert was sent out for chapter 18 or chapter 19 (the first time), so I reposted chapter 19 last night and an alert was sent out! If you haven't read chapters 18 or 19 I would recommend you go back and read those before reading this chapter. Feel free to message me if you have any questions!

I do not own Criminal Minds

JJ paced back and forth in the hospital waiting room. She had been there for over forty minutes, waiting to hear something. Anything. She had ridden in the ambulance. They had given Emily IV fluids and oxygen. And when JJ had told them about her sprained ankle they cut away her pant leg. But it wasn't sprained. Instead there was a gash down her thigh. Her skin was bright red.

It looked bad.

And when they had gotten to the hospital Emily was rushed away and JJ was left standing there. She stared at the swinging doors. She stood there until she found herself in the waiting room.

And the whole time Emily had been unconscious. Her breaths were short and quick. Her soft skin paler than usual.

And JJ couldn't keep herself from thinking about that night all those years ago. Emily bleeding on the cement floor. At the hospital. In Paris.

"JJ?"

She stopped and turned, hoping to see a doctor, but saw that it was Derek. She must have called him, but didn't remember doing so.

"What's going on?" He asked as he walked over to her, "I got your call, but I don't understand."

She stood frozen in her place, looking at him. Then suddenly tears came to her eyes.

"Woah, woah," Derek said as he put his arms around her, "it's okay, come here." He held her close while she cried.

Finally JJ sniffed and pulled away from him.

"Is it Emily?" Derek asked, his eyes full of concern.

JJ nodded, "I don't know what happened," she said, "Emily called me while I was at work and told me to come back, and I got there and she was on the floor and then she was unconscious. And I called an ambulance and her breathing was so shallow and her leg, it doesn't look good–"

"Slow down," Derek stopped JJ as her words began to tumble together, "is she going to be okay?"

"I don't know, they made me wait here and I haven't heard anything since."

"Okay," Derek said, "you sit down and I'll go see if I can find anything out."

JJ collapsed into a hard chair and sat there helplessly as Derek found someone to talk to.

Derek came back a few minutes later with a look of defeat, "they couldn't tell me anything," he said sitting down next to JJ. "Do you want me to call the rest of the team?"

JJ thought about it before shaking her head, "they'll just worry and there's nothing they can do right now."

Derek nodded. "Do you need anything?"

"I need her to be okay," JJ whispered.

Derek took her hand.

XXX

They had been sitting in that same position, hand in hand with JJ leaning against Derek's shoulder, for what felt like hours when a doctor walked into the waiting room. She had short dark hair and red glasses.

"Emily Prentiss?"

JJ nearly jumped to her feet, "is she okay?"

"Emily is out of surgery, the wound on her leg was infected and we needed to clean it. However, the infection has spread to her whole body."

"Is she okay?" JJ repeated.

"She's off anesthetics, but she hasn't woken yet," the doctor explained.

"Is that normal?" JJ asked. "Why isn't she awake?"

"Right now Emily's body is fighting the infection. We are giving her antibiotics and supportive care, but her body is under a great deal of stress. We don't know when she will wake up, all that we can do right now is help her body."

"But she will wake up, right?" JJ whispered. Derek took her hand.

"We did not catch this infection early," she said, "it has spread quite a bit, so there is no way to know exactly what will happen."

JJ was clenching Derek's hand without noticing it, "can I see her? I want to see her."

The doctor considered the request and then nodded, "I cannot guarantee that she will wake up soon, but I see no harm in you staying with her. Let me show you to her room."

JJ and Derek followed the woman, still hand in hand.

They stood in the doorway. JJ stared at Emily. She was lying in the hospital bed. There were IVs in her arms and oxygen going to her nose. She was still pale, so pale. Her leg was wrapped in thick white gauze and it was elevated on the bed. Her eyes were closed.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" Derek asked, his voice quiet.

"I–" JJ hesitated, "just, can I have a minute?"

"I'll be in the hall," he said, "should I call the team now?"

JJ nodded and then released his hand. She walked into the room, she could hear Emily's short and rapid breaths and her pounding heart was displayed on the monitor. JJ took her hand, taking great care not to pull at the IV.

"Emily," she whispered, "oh, Emily."

She could hear Derek's low voice out in the hallway.

Emily's eyes were closed, but her face was twisted in pain.

"I wish I could make this better," JJ whispered, "I wish I could make all of your pain go away. I'm so sorry that I can't. But please come back. Please. I'm not going anywhere, Em. I'm going to be right here in this room until you wake up. Please. Please wake up, Emily. Please."

XXX

JJ didn't move her eyes from Emily when she heard the door open and Derek walk in. She tried not to think about how short and shallow Emily's breaths were. She tried not to cry or scream or throw something at the wall. She tried not to imagine Emily never waking up.

"Hey JJ," Derek said, "Penelope's here. She brought you some clothes."

JJ saw the duffel bag out of the corner of her eye when Derek set it on the floor beside her.

XXX

JJ could hear Hotch and Rossi talking in the hall. Hotch's low and gravelly voice seemed almost soothing at the moment.

XXX

Spencer's feet crossed back and forth across the corner of JJ's field of vision as he paced beside her.

XXX

Tara sat down next to her. She was talking. JJ didn't register the words.