A/N Someone has asked me to do another story and who would it be? Yes, the author of Pain and now her new story Hurt, the sequel to Pain. To write the POV of Hotch in Hurt I want to finish this story first. That's why I'm pushing forward. One more chapter after this one and I will be going on to the sequel! Please tell me what you think! Enjoy reading!

JJ, lying on the gurney, knocked out by the strong sedative medication, is guided by a whole army as it seems. You are not leaving her side. You want to make sure that everything is going on as it suppose to be. That incident showed even more how sensitive the situation is. No more mistakes. Even if that implies you won't leave her side. The throng of people are passing the ER entrance. Rossi is joining you and his look speaks volumes. You have to talk later, he nods, as it seems he understands. JJ is now in a big examination room in the ER, you step to the side to the wall and watch the doctors working.

She is being hooked up to the heart monitor again, several nurses are working around the doctor and JJ. An I.V. line is started and a oxygen mask is put over her face. The heart monitor suddenly starts an alarm and you cringe. No, not again, what is happening? You watch the scene and can assess that nobody of the staff seems to panic. One nurse notices your unease.

"Everything is alright Agent Hotchner, it is just her BP, it is a little bit low. That is normal with the sedation."

You feel the relief across your tensed body. You aren't up for anything dramatic right now. The scene in the car outside has taken its toll. You are going to be agitated and frantic inside as soon as something seems to be out of control right now. The doctor is drawing some blood and the nurse is working on some fluid bag for the I.V. The wrist was immobilized.

"Ok lets get her to the x-ray. Agent Hotchner will you wait here?"

You simply nod and are making your way outside the room. You want to speak with Dave, you have to right now. You find Rossi in the waiting area together with the others. As they see you approaching, their faces show deep concern.

"She is being brought to the x-ray for now, to check her wrist."

"How is she doing?"

"Well she is fortunately sedated and that will last a bit I think."

You see the concern doesn't leave their faces and you can relate to that. JJ has proven with her actions today, that the situation is much worse. She has a strong will to kill herself whatever it takes. And that fact has shattered something inside the team to the core. Not only inside the team, inside everyone of the team. Nothing will be normal again like it has been. JJ, the JJ you and your team know, is gone. Destroyed by one man, that didn't even kill her. He did much worse.

You make eye contact with Rossi and signal him you want to speak to him privately. In a far corner you stop and look down at your hands. He watches you as you sort your mind.

"I don't know how to do this anymore, Dave."

You look him in the eye for a moment, then your gaze shift to the wall as you continue to speak.

"It tears me apart to see her broken like that, switching her mood like she has no more control over her own soul. I don't know her anymore, Dave. I have to be strong and be the one she can relate to, but on the other hand I cannot deal anymore with that guilt, knowing I could have prevent it."

"Aaron..."

"Everytime I see that desperate look on her face, when she is lost and seeks for closure. Begging to let herself kill and end this sorrow, I'm falling apart inside and I almost can't act anymore."

You look at Dave again and see how his face has turned into a deep caring mood.

"Hotch... you are doing a great job, a wonderful job with her, that nobody else could do. You are so strong these days, don't you see how she connects to you? You are somehow her safe haven. Despite how desperate and lost she is and how angry and mad she is with you and the world, she always gets back to you, searching after a secure place."

You look down on your hands, you finger kneading each other.

"You made it up to her, you make it up to her, every day. Nobody is guilty about what is happening, except that asshole that killed a part of JJ. Don't you forget that."

"Yeah but, ..."

"Not buts, Hotch. It is as I said, you are not responsible for what is happening! You are doing your best, as you always did."

You eye Rossi for a second, then look away to the wall again, searching for words. Your thoughts are running through your mind, you are unable to catch one.

"Look at me Aaron."

You switch your glance to Rossi's eyes. His brows are lifted as he speaks.

"You will go back in there and do as you always do, doing what you are good at! I know you can do that and you will!"

You swallow. For a moment you are searching Rossi's eyes and you can feel the confidence back in your chest. His words worked. You finally nod.

"Thank you, Dave."

"You don't have to thank me..."

You smirk and he begins to chuckle.

"There you go, atta boy."

You both are joining the others again.

#

The nurse is typing in the security code for the ICU access, as you watching her, standing beside JJ on the gurney, still sedated. The team is right behind you. Inside the ICU you see Dr. Wyatt approaching you. He was also there in the parking lot, where JJ were almost able to shoot herself in the head, with your weapon. The guilt is still inside you, Rossi wasn't able to rip it out of you and you know he never will. But you are confident to move on to watch after JJ, as you said it some days ago, you will make it up to her, what ever it takes.

"Agent Hotchner."

Dr. Wyatt nods to you and joins the throng of people set up JJ in her ICU bed. The room has a safe lock system now. You grab the keys for the handcuffs and free JJ's wrist from the cuff. Gently she is transferred by the staff to the bed, mindful of the tubes and wires. After the heart monitor and the other medical machines are set up, the nurse begins to shift JJ's body in the bed and makes sure she lies comfortable. The oxygen mask is replace by small nasal prongs. The team is waiting outside while you are watching the medical team doing their work.

"So Dr. Wyatt, what will happen next? Can you give me some information how you will proceed?"

"We need to keep her in the ICU for another few days."

While you hear his answer you look down to JJ, she is sleeping, as it seems peaceful. Another few days in this atmosphere. Great. You hate hospitals.

"Her labs are showing some improvement with her liver and we want to keep them heading in that direction."

You look up to the doctor again, your arms are crossed in front of your chest.

"However, we need your consent. We need her keep restrained. She is too much of a danger to herself right now to risk anything."

You frown.

"Restrained?"

You feel the anger coming up as your mind is racing through the pictures of that horrible crime scene where you discovered JJ a couple of month ago.

"In what way do you mean restrained?"

"Sedated, Agent Hotchner."

You hear the doctor is serious. But you are not comfortable with this.

"She already has proven that she knows how to get out of the hospital, she has every intention of killing herself."

'Well that's true', you think. You consider the options and you know very quick there are not much options about that.

"How long?"

"Not long, a few days. Just until we are sure she is stable enough so that we can move her to the behavioral health floor."

You take the last chance, maybe there is another possibility.

"Do we have any other options? I don't want to drug her to make your life easier."

That comment hits the doctor and he scoffs.

"We can physically restrain her."

You almost jump at him by his tone. You scowl and grit your teeth.

"Dr. Wyatt, do you know anything about Agent Jareau?"

You eye the doctor and you can see how he is beginning to become smaller.

"Let me enlighten you a bit. A few month ago, Agent Jareau and her family were violently kidnapped from their home. My team, we did everything we could to find them – and when we did found Agent Jareau restrained in a back room, unable to move at all. Her hands and feet were tied with leather binds, she was blindfolded and gagged. Do you honestly think it is a good idea to physically restrain her?"

You bristle with rage, but you have your outside under control. You remain calm and stoic. The doctor on the other hand was shrunken.

"I didn't know..." he begins, but his voice dropped.

You shake your head and eye him one more time. But suddenly your attention switches. JJ begins to cough and is seems she is not able to stop. You jump at her side and help her lift up her upper body.

"JJ, breath."

You trying to sooth her and stroke gently over her back. Slowly she calms down. She sways.

"Hotch."

JJ is not fully awake as it seems, she has problems to focus. You try to get into her view.

"I don't feel well."

"It's from the sedation, JJ."

You try to make eye contact with her.

"They have to sedate you downstairs."

She finally looks into your eyes. She is tired and the sedation is still working. She has troubles to hold her eyes open.

"No more."

She close her eyes. You sense she is not only tired because of the medication, but rather tired of fighting.

"JJ, it's either that or physical restrains."

Her eyes open again and she is looking in yours.

"We have to do one."

You tell her as careful as you can. She shakes her head and begins to move her arms, but she is too sleepy.

"No..."

She is begging you and it makes your heart ache again to hurt her.

"Please..."

You sigh and steady yourself.

"It won't be long JJ."

You make eye contact with her again, as she tries to find something in your eyes.

"I will be there."

You stroke gently over her back, then you turn around and sign the document the doctor wants you to sign a while ago. You still have a odd feeling about that and it hurts you to see JJ so vulnerable.

"I can withdraw consent at any time?"

You ask the doctor and shot him one of your looks.

"Of course, sir." He pauses. "And it isn't sedation in what you might be thinking. She will be able to open her eyes and respond, she will just be too tired to try anything dangerous."

'Alright, hopefully it won't be long' you think and step away to make room for the nurse, who has already prepared another dose of sedation. The nurse is watching you, to get the signal of your confirmation. You cross your arms and nod, as you watch the clear liquid is pushed through the I.V. line into JJ's body. JJ is lying on her back again, her eyes already begin to close and the tension finally fades away.