A/N: Another shortish one. Next one should be up within four days.

Disclaimer: I don't own CM.

Curled up in the window seat, JJ pressed the phone to her ear. It had been nearly a week since Spencer had discovered the cuts on her arms, and so far, she'd kept her promise to him.

Every time she'd felt like cutting was the only option, Spencer's heartbroken eyes had flashed into her mind, and she hadn't been able to bring herself to do it. She couldn't hurt him like that.

Now she was going to try and piece things back together with her mom.

"Hello?" a deep familiar voice asked. JJ's eyes widened.

"Chris?"

Her brother. Her older brother, her protector, who had served a year in Afghanistan. JJ had missed him so much, and had always worried that something would go wrong overseas. In all the drama, she'd forgotten that his squadron was returning home.

"Jenny, is that you?" Chris replied, his voice filled with elation.

"Yes! Chris, oh my god, you're home!" JJ said excitedly, the first time she'd felt the tiniest bit of happiness since Will had passed away. Her eyes began to fill with tears of happiness.

"I sure am, midget," Chris laughed, using the nickname he'd coined back when JJ was five. She'd always been small. "How have you been?"

JJ opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it, unsure what to say; she could tell him the truth and ruin the joy of him being home, or lie and bottle it all up again.

Either way, she needed to get Sandy on the phone.

"Uh...I'm ok-"

"Not so fast, midget. What's the matter?" Chris asked softly, genuine concern for his sister made obvious even through the phone.

"Did Mom tell you what happened?" JJ replied quietly.

"I'm only bunking here until I can be bothered to fly back to New York. Free catch up and gossip wasn't included in that offer," Chris teased. Upon hearing JJ's silence, he realised that there was actually something wrong.

"Jen?"

"You remember Will, right?"

"Yeah, course I do. I always liked him. Why?" Chris started. "Wait...if he walked out on you and Henry, heads will roll"

JJ swallowed thickly. "No...Chris, he was diagnosed with leukaemia earlier in the year...he died just over two months ago"

Chris gasped audibly. "Jesus, Jen, why didn't Mom tell me that? Oh my god...Jen, I'm so sorry. If I was there, I'd be giving you the biggest hug right now"

JJ half laughed, choking back her tears. "You always were a softie"

"Jen...I don't even know what to say," Chris breathed, his shock evident.

"It's alright...I'm coping," JJ lied. "Is Mom there?"

"Uh...yeah, I'll just get her," Chris replied absently. JJ listened as he located Sandy and asked her why she hadn't said anything about Will. The rest of their short conversation was muffled, and then Sandy picked up the phone.

"Jen?"

"Hey Mom," JJ said lightly, her voice shaking. Things were still tense after the argument they'd had; JJ could sense it.

"Hi," Sandy replied uncertainly.

Taking a deep breath, JJ's apology tumbled from her lips. "Mom, I'm so sorry about last week...I didn't mean to yell at you like that"

Sandy sighed. "It's ok-"

"No, it's not. You're my mom, and I disrespected you. That's not ok," JJ cut in. "I'm sorry"

"I'm sorry for accusing you of being mentally unstable. That wasn't right, and you're not. You're my little girl," Sandy replied, her voice much softer than before.

"I need you to come back to DC," JJ admitted in a tiny voice.

"Why? I thought you didn't need any help," Sandy said, obviously confused.

JJ wiped at the tears making tracks down her cheeks. "I do. I need so much help. I can't cope with the pain I'm feeling everyday, and...," she faltered, losing her voice at the most important point. Swallowing heavily, she forced out the three words she desperately needed her mother to know, even if they were only in whispers. "I cut myself"

Sandy felt her heart break as her hand went over her mouth. Chris was watching her from the kitchen, furrowing his eyebrows and giving her a look as if to say 'What?'.

"Jen...why?"

"Because it felt like the only way out. I did it almost straight after you left. Henry noticed. Spencer knows. And I'm so scared of being here, with just Henry, in case I lose it and do something drastic," JJ sobbed softly into the phone.

"Jen, you will get through this, ok? I know it's hard without Will, but you will move on from this...and Chris and I will be there by your side until you're ready for us to leave, ok?" Sandy said softly.

JJ choked back her tears, wiping away the ones that had escaped. "Ok. I love you guys"

"We love you too"

The very first thing Sandy did when JJ opened the door was throw her arms around her daughter and hug her tightly. JJ let loose the tears she'd been holding back, burying her face in her mother's shoulder.

"You haven't been eating properly, Jen. You have a baby depending on you, you need to take care of yourself," Sandy whispered in her ear. Pulling back, she gently slid JJ's sleeves up, taking in the nine cuts lining JJ's forearms. Older ones were pale, while the newer ones were still red.

"Oh, my girl," Sandy breathed, pulling JJ back into another hug.

Chris stepped up beside them as Sandy pulled away, pulling his sister into a tight hug that made her feel safe. It made her feel protected.

"Don't hurt yourself, kiddo. We all love you too much," he said softly, keeping an arm around her shoulders as they went inside.

"Nana! You back!" Henry squealed happily, running to his grandmother.

"I sure am, monster!" Sandy laughed, scooping him up into a hug. Henry giggled as she kissed the tip of his nose. Looking over her shoulder, he let out a little gasp.

"Uncle C'is!" he cried, squirming to get down. Sandy and JJ watched as he ran to his uncle, jumping up and down and reaching up to get Chris to pick him up.

"Hey mini midget, you remember me!" Chris laughed, swinging his nephew up to his hip.

"Uh huh," Henry nodded happily.

Turning away, JJ walked into the kitchen, only to be followed by Sandy. As she leant back against the kitchen counter, Sandy took her daughter's thin wrist into her hand, running her fingertips over the scars. Looking up, she let go, pulling JJ into a prolonged hug.

"You're a bit of a mess, yeah?" she asked lightly in JJ's ear.

"Pretty much," JJ replied softly.

"Don't worry. We'll get you sorted out. You just need some help. A little less responsibility and more company will do you some good," Sandy explained. Kissing JJ's temple, like she always had when JJ was a child, she held her daughter close, offering the comfort she needed.