Chapter 13

JJ had spent the past few hours reading through the files and only giving the information to Reid when she came across it, Rossi looked at her before looking at Hotch he raised his eyebrow slightly to which Hotch nodded, there was no communication between them and even when JJ spoke her voice didn't hold any life like it normally did. Even Reid looked at her with concern. The ringing of the phone made JJ look up as the sound of Garcia's chirpy voice came through the speaker.

"You're on speaker" Rossi said as JJ averted her eyes fixating on the file in front of her as Garcia filled them on the information she had come across regarding the satellite images that Reid had asked for of the dumpsite going back five years to see when the ground first started to be disturbed, just as Rossi was about to hang up as Garcia spoke again

"JJ?"

JJ's eyes went slightly wide as she grabbed the phone taking it off speaker as she moved to the far end of the room, almost snapping at Garcia as she spoke "What!"

Garcia sat back in her chair as she stared at the phone slightly "Are you okay?" Garcia asked slightly concerned at the abruptness that had come from her.

"Why wouldn't I be?" JJ asked as she continued to be slightly offhanded.

"Has someone upset you?" Garcia asked calmly

"Not now Garcia" JJ said her voice changing slightly as she spoke.

"You better ring me or I will wipe your existence out" Garcia threatened, as she only just heard the reply

"That would be a blessing," she whispered not knowing Garcia had, in fact, heard her "I will ring you back" she replied at the tail end of a sigh.

Emily and Morgan made their way into the morgue they were met by the morgue technician who led them to where the bodies were, Emily took a breath as they walked over to the slab where one of the children's bodies were laid out, he was not as decomposed as the rest which meant he had not been buried too long.

"I am agent Prentiss and this is agent Morgan," Emily said as the coroner offered his hand

"Dr Philip" he gave a soft but sad smile as he turned his attention back to the body

"Would you mind if we took a look and then asked you some questions" Morgan asked kindly

"Of course, agent Peters informed me how you like to work" he gave a warm smile as Morgan and Emily moved closer to the slab.

JJ made her way back over to the table as she placed the phone back into its cradle; Reid was studying the satellite images, which Garcia had sent over Hotch let out a rare sigh as Rossi watched JJ as she slumped back into the chair her hand wavered slightly as she went to pick up the file. For the first time in three days, her emotions began to get the better of her she could feel the tears welling in her eyes. She closed them slightly before bolting towards the door. Rossi nodded as he made his way out of the room following her out of the precinct.

Rossi catches sight of her as he made his way over to the bench, which was at the far side of the car park. "What's going on kiddo" he asks kindly as he took the seat next to her.

JJ kept her eyes focused on the ground unable to make eye contact with him "Just everything catching up on me" she said in a whisper and even Rossi knew it was not just that. Both Hotch and Rossi had seen how JJ and Emily had been since they woke up this morning but he also did not want to push too much.

"Is everything okay between you and Emily?" he asked softly,

JJ gave a sad smile before she replied "Just been a rough few days and a lot to take in" though she never answered his question Rossi nodded in understanding

"Why don't you head back to the hotel and get some sleep and maybe have that chat with Garcia."

JJ looked at him for the first time as he stood up, placing his hand on her shoulder he looked at her "Give her time JJ" JJ looked at him confused for a moment "I will let Hotch know you have gone back to the hotel, ring Garcia and talk to her" he gave a pointed look before he started to make his way back across the car park not giving her and chance to reply.

"I would say he has been dead around two months with the amount of decomposer the body has suffered," the coroner said,

"Can you tell age?" Morgan asked, to him and Emily they thought he might be around five but they could not be sure as the body was in such bad shape.

"From taking a look at his dental work I would say around seven if not 9, I know it is a broad gap but some of his secondary teeth have fully formed and that does not start happening fully till you reach six and seven but you don't lose them all till around ten years old so since there are still a few first teeth I wouldn't put him above nine, I have sent his x-ray off to be matched against dental work we have for the missing children and hopefully I will have the results back if not the end of the day it will be first thing in the morning" Morgan nodded as Emily was still looking at the body.

"These marks on his wrists and ankles, what type of restrains make these marks?" she asked though she would say they looked as though they could have been caused by handcuffs she could not be sure.

"From the depths of the marks and how much damage they caused to the body I would say zip ties and it was more than likely he had them on from the first day he was taken." The coroner replied.

Within an hour, they were leaving the coroner's office and heading to the hospital as Emily hit speed dial. Her eyes slightly wide as she answered the phone "What did you do to her Emily"

Emily couldn't help the sharp intake of breath before collecting herself quickly "I have no idea what you are talking about" Emily said firmly and even Morgan raised an eyebrow at her "Do you have the information Morgan asked you for" Emily's voice changed from the friendly and open to close and professional within a second. Morgan knew that tone it was one Emily used with her mother on many occasions and he felt sorry for Garcia who was now feeling the full force of how closed off his partner could be.

JJ filled the bath in the hotel room before stripping out of her clothes, she needed to relax and clear her mind locking the door and placing the phone on speaker as she hit speed dial, she lowered her body into the steaming bath as the phone was answered on the fourth ring.

"Garcia" came the official voice of Garcia,

JJ cringed slightly at the formal tone in her friends' voice before she realised she had rung on her personal phone. "Pen it's me" JJ said weakly. "Have you got time for that chat or I can ring you back later?" JJ said as her voice deflated.

Garcia's voice softened as she spoke "I always have time for a chat, I can multi-task" she said lightly hoping she could ease her friend slightly who had now gone quiet.

Garcia waited for JJ to speak but nothing came. Over the years, Garcia knew JJ better than anyone did and she also knew that sometimes JJ found talking hard unless someone started it first, so taking control for a moment just so she could give JJ the push she needed to begin to open up.

"What's going on JJ, is it the case? Has Emily done something?" at that moment JJ let out a sigh as she spoke

"I don't know, Garcia I am so confused" JJ admitted.

"What's got you confused gumdrop?" Garcia asked softly.

"Emily" was all JJ said as the line went silent for a moment

"Why? I thought you two were both okay after the accident, is there something you are not telling me or has something happened?" she asked as she waited for JJ to gather her thoughts.

JJ sighed, "I don't know where to start Pen," JJ said sadly, as the heat attacked her body,

"Try starting at the beginning?" Garcia said softly

"I don't know how to Garcia, it's not that easy, I don't know how to explain it or what I am meant to feel, maybe it's the accident, maybe it is all in my head. Oh god what if I have messed everything up. Oh shit what have I done Garcia what have I done?" JJ rambled.

Garcia just stared at the phone as she listened to her friend get lost in her own thoughts and confusion. Taking a few moments before she spoke allowing what JJ said to sink in Garcia thought it was best to ask a question.

"Maybe what is the accident?" Garcia asked

"Just what if the accident has made me do it and then I am just thinking that I want her maybe it is all in my head maybe it's not real" at this point Garcia had to stop her JJ was making less sense than she ever had in the past

"Whoa, slow down kitten" Garcia said stopping JJ in her tracks. "First off what have you done? And what could be so wrong?" Garcia asked trying to get her friend to slow down slightly

"I kissed her" Garcia's eyes went as her jaw dropped slightly before she regained her composure

"Who did you kiss?" Garcia asked as calmly as she could.

"Emily" JJ replied weakly. "Did she kiss you back?" Garcia asked JJ took a breath

"Yes" the reply was so soft that Garcia only just heard.

"So what's the problem?" Garcia asked slightly confused.

JJ closed her eyes as she began to explain, "We kissed and we started and then she bolted" JJ spat out quickly

"So she bolted because things became heated?" Garcia asked trying her best to find the underlying cause of what had JJ so confused. JJ had confided in the past her feelings towards Emily but she had pushed them aside for so long.

"Yes and no I said something and she locked herself in the bathroom" JJ said as silent tears began to fall

"JJ what did you say?" Garcia pushed

"I...I" she paused slightly "asked her to" JJ swallowed as she tried to hold back the tears that were beginning to take over "make love to me" it came out in a rushed breath that even Garcia cringed internally knowing how Emily was and how Emily never showed her feelings or emotions to anyone. "And now she hates me" JJ said as the sobs overtook her,

Garcia's heart went out to her friend but she also knew why Emily would have bolted "Sweetheart she doesn't hate you"

JJ let out a dry laugh through the tears "She does, she can't even look at me or be around Garcia what the hell am I meant to do?" she almost shouted. "Have I blown it Pen?" JJ asked, "Why am I so confused, have I lost her? What the hell do I do? She won't even talk to me," JJ said in a rushed breath.

Garcia took a deep breath as she tried to think of the best way to help her friend, "Did she run straight after you asked her to make love to her JJ?" Garcia asked softly her voice held no judgement only comfort

"Yes" JJ let out in a sob.

"Oh sweetheart, you haven't lost her, you know as well as I do Emily doesn't show her emotions" Garcia paused "Just give her time, she is more than likely scared do you want me to ask Morgan to talk to her?" Garcia asked.

Both JJ and Garcia knew how close Emily and Morgan are and how they confided in each other "But he, what if"

Garcia could not help but smile "What if he slaps her up the back of the head? You know as well as I do that those two talks, okay granted it is normally in the sparing ring but they do talk, JJ I don't think Emily knows what love is" Garcia said as JJ's eyes went slightly wide as the realisation of what Garcia said hit home.

The people who should have loved Emily had taught her, what pain was and how not to trust people and how to close her emotions off and seal her heart so she did not get hurt again.