Thanks to DeviousRobynno and kdzl for reviewing the last chapter! :)
From Darkness to Light
A CM fanfic
Chapter 3
Jennifer Jareau still sat in her office on that Monday afternoon. She hadn't left her desk since she got there, but she knew she'd have to soon due to the briefing on their newest case. And J.J. knew she'd been acting for too long, pretending everything was ok for too many weeks and she also knew she couldn't hide it anymore, especially not with the new case.
This case, J.J. knew, would get to anybody, but especially her. The victims were children. Little girls with blonde hair who had been taken while walking to school, playing outside, or riding their bicycles. They were tortured, beaten, and stabbed before finally left to be finished off by a group of dogs trained to kill. Their lifeless bodies were then dumped by the sides of roads, in ditches, or vacant lots. Every time J.J. thought about what those dogs had done to those girls and every time she looked at one of the crime scene photos she would subconsciously touch her arm, moving her hand up and down the newly healed scar and her mind would take her back to that night. The night where she could have been ripped apart piece by piece just like the girls. The night that changed everything.
Aaron Hotchner walked out of his office to face the bullpen where most of his team was assembled, each sitting at their own desks, talking amongst each other. "We got a case. Conference room in five." he said, getting a nod from Derek Morgan and Emily Prentiss, each acknowledging that they understood. Hotch looked to Reid who seemed to be confused.
Dr. Spencer Reid looked up at his boss. "Hotch, what's wrong with J.J.?" He finally asked, worried about his friend. "I haven't seen her all day and she's usually the one to tell us about new cases."
"I don't know." Hotch said, sadly. "I was just going to check on her, make sure she's ready for the briefing." He walked over to their media liaison's office, knocking on her door when he reached it. Surprised by the fact that he didn't get a response, Hotch opened the door ever so slightly, sticking his head in and seeing J.J. sitting at her desk, staring at some pictures and what he assumed to be police reports on their newest case. He opened the door the rest of the way and stepped inside. "Hey." Hotch said quietly. J.J.'s head jerked up to look at her boss, obviously surprised that he was in her office.
When did he come in here? She thought. And hasn't he ever heard of knocking? "Hey." She said back, nervousness evident in her voice. "How long have you been in here?" She asked. "Sorry, I didn't hear you come in."
"It's ok. I just wanted to be sure you were ready for the briefing on the new case." Hotch said, silently profiling her as he watched her gather the files she needed for the case, wondering why she was so on edge and why she seemed to be acting differently, asking himself what could be wrong.
J.J. stood up, papers, files and pictures in her hands, looking at Hotch. "Ready." She said, with a smile that he could see didn't even come close to reaching her eyes.