Every breath was like swallowing a knife, every exhale like losing a part of her soul. The floor came rushing up at her, trying to break her against it as her cheek scratched across the carpet. The room spun and her stomach lurched, but there was nothing left inside her to come out. Heart pounding against her chest, she wondered if it could shatter her rib cage.

She wished it would.

But then there were arms, gathering her up, and she was pressed against an expensive suit, her body surrounded by long legs as she was rocked gently.

"Breathe, JJ," he whispered. "Breathe, sweetheart."

She shook her head, wincing at how that hurt, too. "I can't," she whispered, her throat raw.

"You have to. For Henry."

She let out a painful sob, choking on it. "They're gone. I can't...I can't do this alone, Dave."

"You don't have to -"

"Will is dead," she cut in, her voice harsh. "Reid is dead. Hotch is in the hospital. I...everyone I love...they're all leaving me."

Strong hands went to her face, forcing her to look at him. "Yes. You've lost a lot in the past three days, JJ. But Hotch isn't gone. He's fighting, and he'll come back to you. And you've got Derek. Emily. Penelope. You've got me. Always. You know that."

"And Henry?" she asked, the pain in her chest feeling slightly different at his words. "He's lost his father, his godfather..."

"Hotch will come back to him, too, JJ. He promised not to leave you, and he will do everything to honor that." His expression gentled, thumbs stroking her cheeks. "Dammit, JJ," he whispered. "You and Henry are my family. That little boy...he's practically my grandson. Family is forever."

It was just a word. But when he looked at her like that, the breath rattled through her, hurting just a little bit less than it had the moment before. And for the first time since her father had died, JJ felt safe. Like even if she was falling...he wouldn't let her break against the rocks.

"I want to go back to the hospital," she murmured.

He nodded. "In the morning, I'll take you."

"You'll stay?"

His arms tightened around her. "Yes"

Her eyes slid shut.