Flashing his badge to the nurse behind the admitting desk, he immediately got down to business. "SSAs Hotchner and Prentiss," he announced, "We were notified of a patient you had matching the description of a person of interest with the FBI."
"Alejandra." The nurse nodded, and stood to escort them back. "Exam Room 3."
Hotch nodded at Prentiss's quirked eyebrow. Alejandra? In all actuality, both agents knew the likelihood of JJ being found alive was less than one percent. While both hoped for a happier outcome, neither expected it.
Especially after hundreds of visits to morgues around the country attempting to identify the body of their dear friend.
"What'd she do?" The nurse asked after a moment. "We got the hit off the national list, but it didn't say what she did."
Neither agent offered any sort of explanation, long ago finding that giving in to a Gossip's desire for information didn't help anything along.
The nurse prodded gently. "We figured it'd have to be something big-like killing someone, or maybe robbing a bank."
Hotch groaned, annoyed with this woman's incessant attempt to glean information from them. "I don't see how that's any of your business." He retorted.
"We're looking for a federal agent that went missing." Emily informed her, well used to the same script they somehow managed to say at each identification. Once she and Hotch switched lines—that had confused her for weeks.
"And you think Alejandra off'ed him? Had something to do with it?" The nurse postulated.
"We follow every lead, ma'am." Hotch said half-heartedly, not bothering to correct her as he rolled his eyes.
The nurse gestured to the window where the agents would be able to see Alejandra. Both Emily and Hotch stopped dead in their tracks, neither believing the sight in front of them. Emily felt her jaw drop, "Is that—" Though the woman was battered, bruised, and was obviously thinner, there was no mistaking the resemblance.
"JJ." Hotch whispered, his eyes widening. "It's JJ."