Title: The Poison Apple
Author: innocent choir girl Is a past offender after the BAU team?
Category: General
Genres: Angst, Crime, Drama, Hurt/Comfort,
Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, Emily Prentiss, Derek Morgan, Jennifer Jareau, Spencer Reid, Penelope Garcia
Rating: PG-13
Chapter Three - "Shock"
Author's Note: since is EviL, it does not like my asterisks that I normally use for phone conversations, so that's what the (( )) are for!
January 12, 2008
Duluth Police Department
Duluth, Minnesota
Hotch pulled his cell phone from his pocket and pressed it to his ear, "Hotchner." He listened carefully and then turned a worried gaze to JJ. "We'll be there shortly, Morgan," Hotch spoke up. He was a bit reluctant about JJ, but he felt better to take her rather than leave her behind.
"What's going on?" JJ asked immediately once Hotch was off the phone.
"They think they may have found the latest victim," Hotch told her. "Let's bring the photo for comparison," Hotch prompted. They were all tired and it wasn't the fact that he didn't think JJ could do her job, but rather that he knew she wasn't feeling well. He was trying to look out for her as subtlety as possible, but he was receiving a look that told him that she might be catching on. When she merely nodded and retrieved the folder with the picture of the latest victim, he felt a bit relieved. He didn't want to discuss or argue with JJ that it was clear that she was not alright.
They headed out to the scene in silence. Hotch would turn his head every few minutes just to check on JJ. To his luck, he hadn't had her catch on and stare right back at him. "Let's pick up coffee and breakfast for the team on the way back," he spoke up. "I don't think any of us had dinner. We'll need the energy to continue with this investigation with clear heads."
JJ merely nodded in agreement as she tightened her grip around her stomach. She didn't want to eat anything. She hadn't felt any better and her stomach just continued to bother her. She was turned sideways towards the window in the seat, so that Hotch wouldn't catch onto her manner. Once the case was over, they'd have time to sleep and for her to get over whatever flu bug she had caught.
January 12, 2008
Crime Scene
Duluth, Minnesota
When they arrived on scene, he noticed that JJ wasn't walking with the quickness that was in his step. JJ was normally the one who was speeding around trying to get so much done in such a small amount of time. It was just so unlike her. He let it be, thought, as he moved forward to where the others were waiting.
The world seemed to spin to JJ as she slowly followed Hotch. Her head pounded as the world seemed to slow down around her. She reached out with a hand to find something to steady herself on, but merely only found air. She pulled her arm back to her side quickly and instead headed a bit quickly, well as her body would allow, for the rest of the team.
"You found it just as it is?" Hotch questioned the bystander who had discovered the remains. The unsub was escalating. They wouldn't have as much time between victims now.
"Yes."
Hotch merely nodded and then looked to the local police officer, letting him know that it was okay for the bystander to be escorted away. He waited until they were out of range before he opened his mouth in order to address his team. A soft thud got the team's attention. The form of their crumpled media liaison on the concrete just feet from the mutilated form that had just been discovered took priority.
The dead could wait.
"JJ!" Morgan shouted as he hurried past the stunned others and down to her side. His fingers immediately searching for a pulse.
"It was probably just the sight," one of the local officers spoke up. "It's quite understandable."
"Wake up, JJ," Morgan said concerned as he shook her a bit. He was careful, but the fact that she wasn't responding was scaring the hell out of him.
Hotch was already calling for an ambulance when Morgan looked over to him. They all knew that JJ wasn't one to faint at the sight of blood or mutilated bodies. She was the one who picked the cases and looked at all the photographic evidence before they did. No, this was something completely different. JJ had seemed sick...something was definitely wrong. "Prentiss, you should ride along to the hospital," Hotch spoke up. They could do JJ no good all crowded around waiting for answers and for her to wake up. There was a dangerous unsub out there and they needed to find him.
January 12, 2008
Crime Scene
Duluth, Minnesota
It had been difficult for Morgan to focus on the case after JJ had been taken away in the ambulance. The big question of: what's wrong with her: bounced through his head as he desperately tried to focus. He was sure he wasn't the only one struggling, everyone seemed somewhat off.
"Prentiss will call as soon as she knows anything," Hotch reminded the group as they continued to work the scene.
Rossi turned, so that he was facing Hotch, but his back was to the others on the team. He made sure the others couldn't hear him before he spoke up, "What do you think?"
"The unsub is definitely escalating," Hotch spoke up keeping with the case.
"That's not what I meant," Rossi said. He'd been the one on the team that had been the one who had been forced to become a member of the team. Part of that involved being concerned about other members of the team. Times had certainly changed.
"JJ's going to be fine. She's probably got some bug or possibly exhausted," Hotch said. It was what he had to believe. When Rossi didn't say anything in response, he shrugged, "We're all workaholics. I think that JJ and Garcia are the only ones who haven't had a vacation in a long span of time. Exhaustion wouldn't be surprising."
He just nodded, "Maybe we should let the case go—"
"No," Hotch said quickly and firmly, "We finish the case." He paused before adding, "JJ would want it that way. We catch the unsub and then go home…just like we always do."
January 12, 2008
En route
Duluth, Minnesota
They'd given the profile to the local police and they'd set off to investigate a person the police said they'd considered as a suspect and the profile fit. As they drove, his cell phone broke through the deafening silence. "Hotchner," he answered, not looking at the caller ID in order to keep his eyes on the road. With the phone pressed against his ear, the voice of Emily Prentiss was a welcomed relief.
((Hey Hotch. They've finally brought JJ into a room here. They're going to keep her overnight.))
"Did they find out what's wrong? Does she have the flu?" Hotch questioned.
"What did the doctor say?" Reid said moving forward in his seat in the back wanting to know what was going on.
Morgan wanted to know as well, but pulled Reid back. "Let the man talk to Prentiss," Morgan told the younger man. He wasn't only worried about JJ, but now currently missing that he normally drove the other vehicle with Prentiss.
((The doctor's running tests, but he said it could be appendicitis.))
"Doesn't that involve surgery?" Hotch asked.
"Hold on!" Morgan spoke up, not liking what he was hearing from the one sided phone conversation.
"Let him talk to her," Rossi spoke up. "We'll be filled in, in a few minutes."
((It would involve removing her appendix. He said he'd know more tomorrow.))
"How's she holding up?" Hotch questioned.
((She's still unconscious.))
"And the doctor's not concerned?"
((Doesn't seem to be.))
"Alright," Hotch said not knowing what else he could ask. "Keep us updated."
((Alright.))
Once Hotch got off the phone, he was met by the waiting looks from the members of his team. "The doctor isn't sure what exactly is going on," Hotch reported. "She could have the flu or possibly appendicitis."
"But she's going to be okay?" Morgan asked.
Hotch tried to sound as sure of JJ's soon to be better health. "I'm sure she's going to be just fine. She's being kept overnight for observation."
"Appendicitis is a fairly common condition and is routinely treated," Reid started, but was stopped by Morgan.
"I don't care how common a thing it is," Morgan argued. "It could be something different or else the doctor would have already done what they needed to do."
"Morgan's right," Rossi spoke up. "If the doctors were sure or even if it was something else that was serious."
"They do know she's FBI," Hotch added. "I'm sure that puts some kind of weight on her side."
"We should have made her go to the doctor sooner," Morgan said dwelling on it.
Hotch was sure that it was Morgan's feeling of helplessness screaming. He felt that way too, he just didn't feel it nawing at him. No, he'd balled it up and pushed it to the back of his mind, somewhere behind the case. "She would have resisted and just told us she was fine. A doctor can't do anything if his patient doesn't cooperate."
"Hotch is right," Reid jumped in. "A doctor would want to know symptoms, what medication the patient is currently on, timeline…"
"She's going to be fine," Hotch told them. His tone was that there was no more continuing conversations. JJ would be fine. That was the end of it until they KNEW more.
TBC…