JJ's POV
I smiled as I watched Kaitlin talk to Rossi, Reid, Garcia. She was looking better already. My heart ached for her. I knew how much she wanted Emily back. As much as we all did. It would be even worse if she knew the rest of the story. I waited for Hotch, and then waited until the others were far enough ahead so that they couldn't hear us.
"Hotch," I began, but he already knew what I was going to say.
"I know, JJ, but I don't know if we can…" his voice trailed away.
"It's not if, Hotch…it's when. We have to tell her," I tried.
"And not tell the others?" He asked.
"If that's how it has to be, than yes," I said. There was silence. Hotch was ready to change the subject.
"You should come back to the BAU, JJ," He said after a moment.
"I want to. You know I do. I never wanted to leave, but Strauss-" he cut me off.
"Strauss, won't be a problem," Hotch said. He was wrong. I knew he would be.
"So when are we gonna tell her?" I said quickly getting back to the subject of Kaitlin. Hotch groaned. We just didn't know what to do.
"Not yet. Give her time to adjust to losing her," Hotch said.
"She has to accept that Emily's gone…and then we tell her that she really isn't?" JJ asked. Hotch didn't know what to say. For once, he truly didn't know. It was scary to see the man that I thought could handle anything doubt his ability.
"Hotch?" I asked softly after a moment of silence.
"Maybe…we don't tell her…" Hotch said quietly.
"Maybe…" My voice trailed away. We didn't know. And that was hard. Not knowing. It really…sucked.
Derek's POV
"JJ's over there," I told Kaitlin. She nodded and slowly walked over so she wouldn't interrupt.
"Kaitlin," JJ said smiling.
"Derek and I are gonna head out. I'm gonna move back here…and move in with him. Until college, that is…" Kaitlin said, saying the college part quietly.
"Great, so we'll be seeing you more," JJ said smiling.
"Yeah, and I'll be back tomorrow for a little while. I think I'll clean out her stuff…" Kaitlin said.
"Alright, hon. Well take it easy, alright? I'll see you later," JJ said smiling. She hugged me tightly.
"Thanks again, JJ, for everything," Kaitlin said sweetly.
"Hon, you know I'll do anything for you. Anything," JJ said stressing the anything part.
"Thanks. I'd do the same for you," Kaitlin promised.
"Kaitlin, you already did," JJ said referring to the time Kaitlin saved her life. Kaitlin had only been 14 at the time. She had gotten a phone call from the man that had kidnapped and tortured JJ.
"I'll put the video back on, if you come here. I'll give you the address. You agree and I'll put the video back on. You'll come here alone. No one may come with you. No one may know the address. When you get here, you will call me. At this time, I will release Agent Jareau. She is to walk to Agent Prentiss's house. You will stay. You will take her place. If she tells any one, you will die, and who ever decides to come here will die. The video will still be on. Then, we'll play it by year from there, depending on Agent Prentiss's actions," He explained.
"Okay. Can I tell them all what is going to happen?" Kaitlin asked.
"Yes, but not the address. Call me when you make your descision. Until then, though, the camera will stay off," He said and hung up.
She looked at Emily.
"He's going to let her go…"She began.
Will had just come back in. He looked at Henry, who was asleep on the couch.
"He will? Is there a price for her freedom?" He asked standing up.
"Yes…me," Kaitlin explained.
"No. I can't let you do that," Will said sighing, sitting down.
"He said if I go and take her place, then he'll release her. No one can come with me, and if she tells anyone where I am, he'll kill me and whoever comes."
"That's what he said?" Hotch asked.
"Yes. And I'm going. That's that," Kaitlin said.
"No, I can't let you do that," Will said.
"And I won't let you do that," Emily said standing up.
"Why not? She's being beaten and raped!" Kaitlin said, her voice raising.
"You're fourteen years old!" Emliy yelled.
"So what! She's thirty something! And she has a two -year old son, and a husband. I don't have any family. My family is DEAD!" Kaitlin shouted, trying to hold back tears.
Emily's anger dropped 50 percent. It turned into sadness.
"I…I didn't mean it..like that," Kaitlin said, "I love you, Emily…I just…"
"I know," She nodded and hugged me tightly. "I don't want to lose you."
"You won't…I promise," Kaitlin said. She called the number back.
"I'm coming," She told the man. He told her the address and then hung up.
"Will, do you have JJ's gun?" Kaitlin asked.
"Yes," He said handing it to her.
"She won't need it if she's being released, though," Rossi said.
"You never know…It's…just in case," Kaitlin explained. I had shown her how to use the gun before, but she had never shot anything, let alone any one.
Kaitlin gave Emily another quick hug and started out the door. THen she turned and said, "Em, order a pizza!"
"Why?" She asked blinking back tears.
"I'm gonna be hungry when I get back," Kaitlin said smiling, trying to assure her that she would be back. Then she left, running quickly. He wasn't that far from Emily's house.
Then I thought about what happened when Kaitlin got to JJ.
Kaitlin looked and saw JJ limping down the driveway. She ran up to her and embraced her.
"Oh my god, JJ," She said holding her as she cried. She had never seen her cry.
"Shhh…" Kaitiln murmured, "You're okay, it's over…" she whispered softly, like Emily had done all those times for me.
"Why are you here?" JJ asked.
"He's letting you go. You have to go back to Emily's," Kaitlin told her.
"You're coming with me, right?" She asked.
"No, JJ, he didn't tell you?" Kaitlin asked.
"Tell me what?" she asked.
"I'm…I'm taking your place," Kaitlin said.
"No way in hell," She said turning back towards the mansion.
"JJ, stop, go to Emily…Go to Will…Go to Henry... Go," Kaitlin told her and handed her the gun.
"Just incase," Kaitlin said and then walked up the rest of the driveway and into the front steps where the door was open before JJ could protest any more. Kaitlin walked in and a man grabbed her wrist. He pulled her in and slammed the door shut.
"JJ…that's…" Kaitlin tried to say that's different.
"How?" JJ asked knowing what she was going to say.
"I don't know. It just is. I gotta run," Kaitlin said hugging JJ tightly again.
"I'll see you soon, hon," JJ said and then watched as Kaitlin walked to me. We climbed in my car and left.