A/N: March 18 marks the tenth anniversary of my abduction. This is a very, very difficult time of year for me, so my stories might not be updated as often; they might become darker.. just FYI. Thank you all for your support and reviews. Enjoy:
You do not need a calendar to know precisely how long it's been since you first got that dreaded phone call. You have it down to the minute; it has been exactly two weeks, eight hours, and thirty seven minutes since Hotch called you about the seizure that started this nightmare.
It has been longer since you you last saw your wife open her beautiful eyes, heard her laugh, or held her as she hugged back.
It has been a long time; and you want nothing more than to have all of that back.
"Good morning, baby." You can't help but smile as you take your familiar seat by her side. "I spoke with Amelia and she said you are doing great! She is really proud of you- we all are." You reach over and grab the brush from the bedside table before you begin gently running it through her hair. "Don't worry, JJ. I am making sure they are washing your hair." You joke, remembering how much JJ would obsess about her hair being tidy. "It looks gorgeous."
You spend the next hour talking to her about every topic; the weather, Henry, the team, football. Anything and everything that you can think of comes up; except the one thing you cannot voice yet.
The fact that your wife has cancer. You do not want to give her anything that may prevent her from ever opening her eyes again; so you have instituted a positive only approach when speaking to JJ. The only thing she hears from you, will be positive.
"I was talking with Dr. Greer the other day and she was telling me how she had met you before. Do you remember her, JJ?" You smile thinking about what Dr. Greer had told you. "It was a few years ago, apparently she had started dating this man who she had met dated for about a year when he finally popped the question. She was so excited." You tell her. "She loved him, JJ, she trusted him with every ounce of her soul. Then, suddenly, he got violent, hit her over the head with a shovel. When she woke up, she was locked in a basement. He refused to let her go; she was there for four days. She was ready to give up, JJ. When that door opened, and she saw you walk down the stairs. She said she knew that in that moment, she would be okay." You pause. "Apparently, her husband was standing behind her the entire time. He shot at you and Dr. Greer was certain you had been hit; but she didn't know what an incredible shot you are. You dropped him cold, JJ." You feel your heart swell with pride as you remember the story; "You saved her life."
It's another few hours when you decide to go downstairs for lunch; the nurses have kicked you out, saying they needed to bathe JJ. It is when you get back, that you drop your coffee and rush to JJ's room, seeing the amount of staff piled inside. Immediately, you presume the worst.
"JJ!" You push past the staff; and as you look at them you realize it isn't so much the nurses but a team of doctors. "Who the hell are you?" You demand.
Dr. Greer steps forward. "Will, they are interns, we were just doing our rounds." She offers an explanation and you feel your anger growing.
You shake your head as your look back at JJ. "No, she isn't some sort of science project. You don't get to just come in and look at her,"
"Will.." Dr. Greer ushers the interns out, respecting your decision.
"No! She is dying and you bring in students to invade her privacy.." Your anger grows to an unbelievable magnitude, especially when you see Dr. Greer push past you.
But when you turn to yell at her, everything melts away. Dr. Greer is at JJ's side, her pen light is out and she is shining it in JJ's eyes. "JJ, my name is Dr. Greer, we are here." And you can barely see it, but it is there. JJ's hand is moving.
"Is she?" You whisper.
Dr. Greer nods. "She is." You swear you see tears in her eyes. "It'll be a while still, but JJ is starting to come back to you."