Author's Note: Special thanks to the reviewers of last chapter: savetonight; hxchick; zzz-zzz84; Love-B .xo; crazyobsession101; and SparkleInTheSun. Reviews genuinely make my day, so thanks for that.
Also, special thanks to brynnifer and littlegreenbottle for beta'ing this all. Thanks guys!
I was originally going to break these into two separate chapters, but since I wasn't able to update for a while, I thought I'd just throw them together. This is JJ's really good day-it was bound to happen sometime, but unfortunately it won't last for long.
Almost a week later, Emily opened the door to make sure JJ had woken up. She felt her heart swell with pride at the sight of the blonde on the floor with a blanket wrapped securely around her.
It was such a simple thing—something that if she hadn't spent the last two weeks around JJ's crippled emotional state, she wouldn't have blinked twice at.
But JJ, at some point in the night after Emily had helped her fall back asleep around midnight, had pulled the blanket off the bed.
Beaming with a mixture pride and a pang of sorrow at what such a simple act truly meant, she hesitated to wake the blonde—not wanting to disturb the other woman in a rare moment of slumber. Hearing the clock chime, she sighed and spoke gently to rouse the blonde, "JJ, it's time to get up." She tried to plaster a happy smile on her face thought JJ flinched and scrambled against the wall as she tried to remember her surroundings.
Well used to JJ's terror at waking up in the morning, Emily waited until JJ got her bearings. "We've got to spend a few hours at the BAU before your physical therapy appointment today."
"But I don't want to go." JJ murmured softly in Spanish.
Emily bit her lip, proud of the progress JJ was making but also knowing she needed to prod her to answer in English. "English, JJ." She commanded, wincing at the harshness of the words. "Can you say it in English?"
JJ shrugged and moved to her feet wiping away the sleep from her eyes with the back of her fist and followed Emily down the stairs.
Emily poured JJ's instant breakfast into a glass, adding a thick scoop of ice cream before stirring it quickly. "After Physical Therapy, we can come home and take a nap before we go see Dr. Mayfield." Emily explained. Once she was satisfied that the concoction had developed a milkshake-like quality, she held it out to JJ.
Reluctantly, the blonde took the chocolate drink and sipped the thick liquid slowly. Emily's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Breakfast didn't always go this smoothly—today was just a good day. Chalking it up to JJ's medication that made her more thirsty than normal, Emily smiled happily.
"Is there anything you would like to do today?" She asked, knowing JJ would likely shake her head or shrug just like she had done every day for the last few weeks.
Just as Emily had anticipated, JJ shrugged but continued to drink the instant breakfast shake that Emily had provided.
As JJ finished her shake, Emily beamed proudly. "Would you like some more?" She asked, suspecting that just like every other morning JJ would shake her head.
This time, Emily was surprised that JJ ducked her head and blushed slightly. "¿Agua?" She phrased the single word as a question but Emily gaped at her in surprise.
It had been a long time since JJ asked for anything. In fact, Emily was at a loss to come up with even one example where JJ had asked for her basic needs to be met.
A proud smile erupted along Emily's face, "Absolutely JJ."
She watched with pride and delight as JJ slowly sipped a large glass of water. Once she was satisfied JJ had finished, she helped JJ back up the stairs. JJ paused automatically at the entrance to the bathroom that only she used while Emily stepped inside, well used to the familiar routine while Emily quickly checked it for a sudden razor or sharp object. Satisfied, she turned to JJ who was waiting anxiously in the doorway. "Can you be ready in 25 minutes?"
JJ nodded slowly and stepped into the bathroom.
Emily quickly excused herself, waiting next to the closed door until she was satisfied JJ had begun getting ready. Darting to her own bathroom, she quickly threw off her clothes and jumped in the shower, preparing herself for the day at lightning speed.
Seemingly seconds later, Emily was out of the shower and fully dressed, standing outside her closet looking for the final accessories to complete her outfit. Emily looked intensely through her closet, surprised that she couldn't seem to find a single belt to wear. A loud crash from JJ's bathroom drew her attention.
"JJ, what happened?" Emily crashed through the bathroom door, unwilling to let even a seconds hesitation be the reason that JJ could be injured. Looking over the other woman, she signed in relief that there seemed to be no immediate injuries.
JJ's damp hair clumped in ringlets along her back, making her look far younger than her 35 years. JJ's towel was draped tightly around her body, and Emily winced momentarily at the way her shoulder and collar bones seemed to jut out of her skin.
Looking up guiltily, JJ held up the ipod in her hand with a scowl. Grimacing angrily, she explained in English, "I don't like that song."
Relief washed over Emily like a tidal wave, "Oh." She said simply, unable to really come up with any other response.
"It's broken." JJ bit her lip in concentration, pushing the buttons on the device more firmly as if by doing so she could repair the damage.
"Here," Emily took the device from JJ to see if there was anything she could do to fix it. One glance at the ipod told Emily the music player was beyond repair—the display was cracked, the casing was split in two with only a few wires connecting the front from the back. How did she-? Emily pushed the thought aside before smiling at JJ encouragingly, "Get dressed and maybe we'll see if we can buy you another one."
Closing the door behind her, Emily leaned up against the wall and closed her eyes, trying to force back the tears that burned against the back of her eyelids.
Emily had to choke back a sob as she realized the full weight of what had happened today. Not only had JJ moved a blanket without asking, but she was angry—really angry at something. Up until now, JJ had acted like a shell of a person, walking around in a perpetual state of fear and terror.
But if the broken ipod was any indication—JJ had just gotten angry.
And maybe—just maybe—life wasn't nearly as bad as Emily thought.
Emily felt herself almost bursting with pride as they entered the small electronics store. She figured JJ might do better in a small store than in a larger supermarket and as JJ's hands clung to Emily's arm she couldn't help but feel like maybe that was a brilliant idea. Though JJ followed easily, she stopped in the doorway as she scanned the room.
Emily watched JJ with interest as the younger woman completed her usual ritual. Emily still wasn't sure if JJ was scanning the room for exits, but she noticed that the blonde's eyes usually settled on any security cameras, exits, windows, and anyone in the room.
When JJ stepped closer to Emily, the brunette smiled as she guided JJ gently into the store.
"Can I help you?" A young man greeted them, wiping a thick lock of dark hair out of his eyes.
"Yeah, we're looking for an ipod." Emily smiled and patted JJ's hand reassuringly.
"Right over here." The kid pointed out the various models explaining the features and price of each one.
"What about this one?" Emily suggested, pointing to an expensive model with video capabilities. Turning to JJ, she smiled encouragingly, "We could put some pictures on it for you to look at while you listen to your music."
She was surprised to see JJ shake her head slowly, "No."
"Why not, JJ?" Emily asked in confusion.
JJ shook her head softly, tracing the outline of the least expensive ipod as her other hand fished in the pocket of her sweat pants. "Can we come back another time?" She asked Emily softly in Spanish, a hint of hope in her voice. "Later?"
"JJ, we can get you one today. Which one would you like?" Emily smiled encouragingly.
JJ shrugged but stared at the case full of electronic devices, the distinct sound of change rustling around in JJ pockets piqued Emily's interest.
"JJ, why don't you want to get one today?" Emily asked, completely perplexed. JJ's ipod was like her constant companion. She had seemed so excited to get a new one, right up until they looked at the items in the display case.
JJ ducked her head, a slight blush rushing to her cheeks. "I don't have time to work that off." JJ mumbled, the Spanish blending together quickly as Emily fought to interpret what she was saying. "It will take too long, and there's not enough time."
"Time for what?" Emily asked, baffled.
"To make money." JJ's blush rose up her cheeks as she pulled out the change in her pocket. JJ looked down longingly at the three dollars and thirty-four cents she had slowly collected in pennies, nickels, and dimes. The prices listed for the devices seemed insurmountable. "I—I don't have enough money."
Emily gaped at her charge, completely floored by the blonde's revelation. Up until this point, JJ had never questioned Emily's willingness to buy anything for her. Now that Emily thought about it, she hadn't taken JJ to the store in a while so it was entirely possible JJ didn't realize she had been buying food and clothing for her. Like a hand opening a curtain, JJ's reasoning shed a new light into the blonde's psyche.
"Oh, JJ." Emily rubbed her brow thoughtfully, unsure of what she could possibly say that might make any of this better.
"I already owe you too much." JJ shuffled her feet awkwardly, "But," The hope in JJ's eyes cut Emily more sharply than any knife could have as a thought struck the blonde, "if you tell me what you want me to do now, then maybe I can—"
Emily felt her heart drop to her stomach and quickly held up a hand to stop JJ's suggestion before it made her sick. She knew what tasks JJ had likely been forced to complete for money, and was just too much to think that JJ was hopefully requesting some form of prostitution. She had thought JJ just understood that Emily was using funds from the Bureau as a result of JJ's injuries. Instead, it became readily apparent that JJ expected she would have to repay Emily somehow.
At Emily's obvious disapproval, JJ hung her head dejectedly.
Forcing down a lump in her throat, Emily pushed herself to smile kindly at her friend. "Jayje, what if I buy it for you? As a gift?"
JJ snapped her head up in shock. "Really?" Her face fell as a thought struck her. Dejected, she shook her head and muttered in Spanish, "But I already owe you so much."
"You don't owe me anything JJ." Emily fought down her emotions and forced her tone to remain light. "We're friends. Friends take care of each other."
"You'd buy this, for me? And I don't owe you anything?" JJ whispered skeptically in the foreign tongue, as if she didn't dare to allow herself to hope.
Emily bit her lip and nodded, forcing the smile on her fact to remain bright. "Really, do you want to pick out the color?" She nodded at the boy behind the counter who was eyeing the women's interchange with curiosity.
JJ grinned excitedly, the first real genuine smile Emily had seen in a long time. As JJ studiously picked out a bright blue ipod, Emily felt her heart swell.
Things were not alright by any stretch of the imagination.
But they were getting better.