I don't own Criminal Minds! Hope you Enjoy!

Chapter 2

"I'm not sure this is a world I belong in anymore. I'm not sure that I want to wake up."

-Gayle Forman

A few seconds after she'd managed to pick herself up the door swung open, "Blondie, conference room, looks like we've got a case," said Morgan, stepping into the dark office. The smile he wore fell when he noticed her appearance, she tried to look away but the tearstains were a dead give away.

"JayJe? What happened?" he asked closing the door, wanting to give the woman as much privacy as he could.

"Nothing, I'm fine," she replied quickly, I can't tell him.

"It sure looks like something," he said putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "I'm always here doll face, if you ever need to talk."

Biting the inside of her cheek she let the kind agent pull her into a hug, it took all her will power to keep the tears away, "I know, thank you."

They indeed had a case, and a nasty one by the look on Garcia's face, "Good morning my league of extraordinary profilers!"

Penelope Garcia had a unique ability to break the tension in a room. All six profilers knew they were seconds away from being immersed in the sick world of a serial killer, yet it only took one Garcia's greetings to ease their minds and remind them of the goodness in the world. As the team filed in the analyst's eyes seemed to linger a little longer on JJ but carried on as usual.

"Wyoming officials contacted us today asking for help. Earlier this morning they found the third body in a string of murders beginning about a month ago," she summoned an image of the latest victim on the screen, "All are female between 19 and 22 years of age. They've all been found on hunting trails in the Bighorns Mountains near Sheridan, Wyoming," said the analyst avoiding the photograph.

"It seems like a few animals got to her," mentioned Rossi getting closer to the screen, "do we know anything about that?"

"The M.E. is working on identifying the bite marks," she started only to be cut short by Reid.

"The Bighorns are home to a wide arrange of carnivorous species anything from bears, mountain lions, coyotes or even grey wolves. Do we know cause of death Garcia?"

"Oh my boy wonder, cause of death is definitely human," she clicked to the next slide, "our victims were stabbed in the chest. The M.E. also found several defensive wounds and ligature marks," replied the colorful woman clearly disturbed by the information.

"Where these women reported missing?" asked Morgan, not looking up from the file on his lap.

"Each one was reported missing exactly ten days before the bodies turned up," she answered shutting off the overhead images.

"Ok wheels up in thirty," instructed the unit chief.

"Before you go, there's a large winter storm moving into the area, pack warm," called Garcia as the team left the conference room.

Agent Jennifer Jareau kept her composure until she reached the sanctuary of her office; quickly she shut the door and let her emotions rake over. She needed to call Will; Henry was at the FBI daycare and needed to be picked up. Looking at the phone screen she saw two voice mails, the first one was from the man that until this morning she called husband; the second message belonged to the one person that could help her.

"Cher, we need to talk. I don't know what came over me this morning, I'm so sorry; please…" she deleted the message. There was nothing her husband could say to right their earlier fight. "You got what you deserve," his voice echoed in her mind. It wasn't the first time he'd said something hurtful, she could get over that; it was how he'd looked at her, his eyes held too much honesty for the words not to mean something. The man that was supposed to love her and protect her was hurting her almost as much as Hastings had down in that basement.

Stopping that train of thought she focused on the second message, sparing a smile at Emily's frustrated voice, "Jen, I couldn't get a flight immediately, the next one leaves in three hours, call me when you get this, I'm coming sweetheart just hang on," the blonde woman wiped at her eyes trying to stop the tears. She didn't want to go to Wyoming but she didn't want to go home either.

Today was turning out to be one of those days her therapist warned her about, too much stress can trigger flashback Jennifer, the day will come and when it does I want you to ask for help, she could hear Dr Montano. That day long ago, she had assured the doctor she would ask for help; right now, she wasn't sure she could.

Before her brain could process her actions, her fingers had dialed Emily's number, "Jay?"

"Emily," she wanted to break down and tell the brunette everything that had happened, everything that had been happening, but the only word that made it out was her name.

"Are you ok? What happened?"

"We have a case Em, we're going to Wyoming in…" looking down at her watch, "twenty minutes."

"That's fine I'll call Hotch, I'll meet you there. But that's not what I asked you," she said gently.

"I don't know how to answer that," the blonde replied honestly.

"Ok we'll talk when I get there, let me call Hotch," she could imagine the brunette pacing the airport, "promise me you'll be ok until I get there."

"I will be."

"I love you sweetheart, see you tonight," the younger woman nodded in response, hoping that Emily could somehow understand the gesture.

It was now time for the hard call, Will, she whispered, "Chere, I'm so glad you called, this…"

A surprised scoff escaped, "Will, not right now. The team has a case; we're leaving right now. You need to pick Henry up from daycare. I'll call tonight to talk to him," he didn't deserve her kindness right now, she wouldn't even be talking to him if it hadn't been for her son.

"What? Are you serious, I wanted to talk to you tonight. At least we can agree that there's lots to talk about in order to fix this relationship," he replied clearly upset at her.

"Will, I think we both need sometime to think about our marriage, we'll talk when I get back," she hung up before he could answer. Yes this was exactly what she needed a seven and a half hour flight to think. I can't go back to him, she thought, knowing that their separation was imminent.

Placing the last of her winter wear in the go bag she zipped it and headed for the bull pen, surprised to see her boss waiting for her.

"JayJe there's something we need to discuss," he said starting the engine of his car, "I just received a call from Emily."

After a moment of silence she replied, "I know."

"We'll have to jump through some bureaucratic hoops but we'll get her to assist I this case," his voice took on a gentler tone, "We're all here for you, but if it's Emily you need we'll make sure you have her. There's no need to hide anything JayJe, we're a family, the entire team. And if you struggle before she's here, know that you can come to us, anyone of us."

R&R!