Sorry for the long wait, I had a pretty hectic week. I had the chapter written, just no time to post it! I want to thank everyone who is supporting this story in their various ways, and you should know I appreciate it so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and what would be the best Christmas present? A review :)

I do not own Criminal Minds

JJ walked into English the next day and saw that Emily wasn't there.
"Ms. Young, was Emily at school at all today?" JJ asked urgently.
She scanned her attendance chart and shook her head. "Her first hour teacher also marked her absent. You'll just need to work on the project alone and get together with her outside of school."
But that's not what JJ was worried about. She couldn't keep those last few words out of her mind.
JJ left the room and pulled out her cell phone ignoring whatever it was Ms. Young was saying to her.
Emily's cell phone went straight to voicemail and JJ's heart dropped. She didn't know exactly what was going on, but she knew it was bad.
She turned to Ms. Young. "I forgot something at my locker. I need to go get it."
But instead, she went straight out the front doors and to her car.
XXX

Emily dialed the helpline again and listened as a woman name Victoria answered, but Emily said nothing. She looked at the bottle of pills in her other hand and contemplated her choices. She knew her dad could kill her. Whether it was with his own hands or not, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that she could no longer live like this.

Wouldn't it just be better for her to do it herself?

XXX

JJ knew the way to Emily's house. Ever since she was a little kid people would point out the house. It was the biggest one in the neighborhood, and now everyone was talking about how the 'precious little ambassador's daughter' lives there. Except their tones were filled with mocking jealousy. She pulled into the driveway to the huge house and ran outside. She rang the doorbell and it was opened by an older woman.

"Hello." She greeted.

"Hi. Is Emily there?" JJ asked quickly trying to look inside.

"Emily didn't feel well so she is upstairs resting. Is there something I can help you with?" Delilah asked.

"This is really important," JJ stressed, "Please, just let me in."

Delilah looked around and finally sighed. Emily never had friends around much, and it would be nice for her to see one. "She is upstairs, the door and the very end of the hallway."

JJ stepped inside the house and immediately understood Emily's hatred for it. There were no personal touches that would make it feel like a home. Instead it was cold and dark.

When she got to the door at the end of the hallway she hesitated before she turned the doorknob. She thought about knocking, but eventually just opened it slowly. The door squeaked as it opened and when JJ walked in she saw Emily tensed up in the corner of her room. JJ's eyes instantly went to the bottle of pills in her friends hands. She ran over and ripped them out of Emily's tight grip. The prescription was for Elizabeth Prentiss, and was for painkillers. JJ shook the bottle and felt relief flood her when she felt it was mostly full.

"Give those back to me!" Emily reached her hand out.

"No." JJ said sternly and quickly threw them out of the room.

Emily's eyes were red rimmed and tears were threatening to spill over. "JJ, give them back, and just leave! I don't want you here."

"I don't care." JJ looked at Emily. "I'm not leaving."

Emily got up and tried to leave the room, but JJ grabbed her. Emily struggled out of JJ's grip, but was unsuccessful. JJ pulled her into a tight hug, and eventually Emily crumbled in her friends grasp. Tears poured out of Emily's eyes and she gripped onto JJ as a final lifeline. Emily's knees went weak and JJ helped her to the ground. She was going to have her sit on the bed, but Emily refused.

"Emily…" JJ whispered, tears coming to her own eyes.

"I want to die!" Emily cried.

"No, Emily, don't say that, please don't say that." JJ pleaded.

"You don't understand," Emily whispered.

"Then make me understand. But what I know now is I can't let you die. I- when I…" JJ trailed off and looked over to her broken friend. She took a deep breath and searched for courage she knew she didn't posses. "Emily when I met you I felt something I have never felt before. If you don't feel the same way that's okay, but I need you to know. If you die you will be taking away the only person I think I have ever truly loved."

Tears spilled down Emily's cheeks as she turned to JJ. "What?"

"I- I get… I-" JJ stuttered. "I understand if you don't feel the same way, but I need you to know. When I was little my sister killed herself. I'll never understand why, but I know I can't let another person I love do that. Emily, I'm in love with you."

Emily couldn't help but widen her eyes. She was stuck on those words JJ had said. "You love me?"

JJ nodded slowly, she was waiting to be turned down. She was waiting for the hurt in those words she expected. She waited to hear, 'I never want to see you again', or, 'you sick person'. She thought she was ready for anything, but then the unexpected came.

She felt arms wrap around her neck and warm lips touch her cheek. Emily looked at her through tear filled eyes. She let out the smallest smile and whispered."I feel the same way."

JJ could feel a weight in her chest lift and felt her heart soar. She pulled Emily closer to her and pulled in the scent of her hair.

"Why?" JJ asked and she ran her fingers through Emily's silky hair.

Emily opened her mouth to answer when that familiar squeaking came again. Emily jumped up just in time for her father to walk in.

"What are you doing home?" She asked in a low voice.

He ignored the question and looked around. "I see you have a friend Emily." He smiled that same smile that made her sick to her stomach. He took a step closer to where JJ was sitting on the ground.

"Dad," Emily warned, but he continued to walk closer to her.

Before Emily knew what she was doing she had thrown her weight against her father and pushed him onto her bed.

"Run JJ, please run!" Emily shouted.

Suddenly JJ understood everything. She jumped up and giving one last glance to her friend she ran. But she didn't go far. JJ ran across the hall and into the bathroom.

With shaking hands she pulled out her cell phone and dialed 911.

"911 what's your emergency?" A man's voice asked.

"Please," She gasped. "He's going to hurt her, he has before, and I don't know what to do!"

"Ma'am please calm down. Where are you?"

JJ thought back to when she walked into the house and told him the address she had read on the house.

"We are sending someone now, but please stay on the phone with me."

"No." JJ hung up the phone and shoved it in her pocket, and ran back into Emily's bedroom. She saw her dad had pinned her to the bed now.

Emily looked over and her terrified eyes met JJ's. "I told you to leave," She gasped.

"Not a chance." JJ mouthed. She picked up the lamp from Emily's bedside table and gripped it tightly in her hand. Despite the fear that caused her body to shake, she took the lamp and smashed it on his head.

Mr. Prentiss turned around so he was facing JJ. There was shooting pain in his head, but it had not knocked him down.

"What a pretty little girl," He whispered. He pushed her to the ground and pinned her with one arm while he fended Emily off with the other.

"Get away from her!" Emily screamed, "You can have me, just get away from her!"

"Shut up," He hissed. With his free hand he pushed Emily down and she hit her head against the wood of her bed. Emily's vision became blurry and spotted, but she was determined to hold on. She couldn't let anything happen to JJ.

Mr. Prentiss held his hands tightly around JJ's small neck and got so close to her that his hot breath stung her cheeks. Slowly he was closing her airway making it harder and harder to breathe. In the distance she could hear sirens, but she didn't know if they would be there in time.

I will try to get the next chapter posted before Christmas, but I'll have to see how busy I get :)