**11 Days Later**

JJ walked numbly into the bullpen heading towards her desk her eyes raked over Emily's desk then to her friends but she couldn't talk to them she couldn't voice what she wanted to, Henry was with her mother and Elizabeth, Rachael and Declan had become more like ghosts. JJ had explained what had happened to them both, they were angry they did not believe her. So four days after Emily had been in hospital JJ took them both to see her, she didn't want them to feel lied to it broke her heart more. No child should see their parent like that but in truth; she needed them to say their goodbyes just to be safe.

She had finally allowed the team to visit on the sixth day and they also broke their hearts, they could not talk to one another, this was all too much. The doctors had spoken to JJ asking her if they could take Emily off life-support in five more days just to see if she was able to breathe on her own. She had swallowed hard and only nodded her response. She was trapped in her nightmare.

**Turning off Life-support**

JJ swallowed hard as she sat in the chair next to the bed desperate to hold her wife but the only area that was free of burns was her legs, she carefully placed her hand on Emily scared that she might hurt her. She watched the doctors as they removed the breathing tube. They need to see if Emily could breathe on her own and JJ also needed to know her wife was still in there fighting to come home.

The heart monitor kept a steady beat before a spike then it dropped slightly as JJ heart sunk more the doctor smiled softly, which confused her until she looked at the slow rise and fall of Emily's chest, for the first time in eleven days there was a glimmer of hope.

"Is she in pain?" JJ asked knowing if she was not on life support she, more than likely could feel everything that her body has and is going through.

"We have her heavily sedated but she may still be able to feel some pain but Mrs Prentiss, this is a very good sign. Emily has a very long road ahead of her but this is the biggest step of all"

JJ nodded as more tears formed "thank you" he smiled softly at her.

JJ hadn't left the hospital much only to make sure she tucked Henry in and to make sure Jessica at least had two feeds off her so she could keep that bond, because knowing her wife Emily would blame herself if she lost the bond with Jessica.

However, this was the biggest hurdle seeing if Emily could breathe on her own and JJ could not help but smile with pride, the love of her life, the mother of their children was fighting to come back to them. She looked across the room towards the door as she smiled softly for the first time in eleven days, the smile was not a sad one it was a smile full of hope.

"I need to" the nurse nodded knowing what JJ was going to say "I need to apply Emily's cream"

JJ took a breather, she always left for this she always walked away not wanting to see her strong proud Emily go through hell not wanting to see what she couldn't touch but now something had changed inside her as she spoke.

"Would you be able to wait about ten minutes please, I would like to be here when you change the dressings. I just need to let our family know"

The nurse smiled brightly at her "Of course take your time" she said softly.

JJ made her way slowly down the corridor to where Sandy, Elizabeth and her children were waiting she opened the door as she looked at the worried faces, she couldn't hide the smile on her face as she spoke.

"She is breathing on her own" and it was in that moment that JJ finally let the full extent of her emotions out as Rachael wrapped her arms around her.

"Mamma" JJ pulled her close, three years ago she had officially adopted Rachael

"My princess" she whispered though the tears laid evident in her throat. She pulled back as she looked at Declan; he classed her as his Ma and Emily as his Mom. Rachael gripped his hand as she stepped back allowing her Grandparents to come closer.

"The doctor said it is a very good sign" she whispered Sandy and Elizabeth knew JJ need to put a voice to her feelings she had been so shut down around everyone pushing everybody away under the total fear she was going to lose the one person who made her whole.

"Is Mom in pain?" Declan asked looking at her sadly; she smiled reassuringly at him as she rested her hand on his cheek.

"They are trying to manage her pain right now but they just don't know" he nodded as his little sister wrapped her arms around him.

"Can we see her" JJ chuckled slightly the first sign of life in her voice as she spoke

"The nurse just need to change her dressings and then yes, I am going to go back and help but I promise I will come and get you once the nurse has finished" Rachael nodded.

"Ma, Henry asked us to give Mom something" Declan said softly as he pulled out a small card which consisted of Henry's painted hand and his unsteady hand writing 'miss you mommy' it was a simple exchange but it pulled on her heart.

He was Emily's little prince, he was one of the sole reasons why she was leaving the BAU, and JJ knew her job was at the back of her mind somewhere deep inside. Strauss had told her to take as much time as she needed. They all knew JJ could not and would not be able to focus on her job not with Emily so badly hurt.

"Ma can I ring Auntie Pen" Rachael asked.

JJ nodded "Of course, give her my love okay" Rachael nodded as JJ again made her way out the room and up the now very familiar corridor.

"Rachael?" Garcia said as she answered her phone, hearing a soft sigh followed by a shuddered breath "What's happened what's wrong" she fired out in quick succession

"Mom can," she couldn't get her words out as Elizabeth took the phone from her before she panicked the whole team.

"Penelope" she said softly down the phone.

"Is Emily"

Elizabeth cut her off kindly "Emily has been taken off life support and is able to breathe on her own, Jennifer wanted us to let you all know" the line went silent for a moment "Penelope are you still there?" Elizabeth asked.

"Ma'am can we come please?" the tears laced her voice, JJ hadn't really spoken to them, she had closed down and all the team wanted was to be there for her and Emily but JJ had closed herself off through fear

"I think she would like that" she said softly.

"Thank you"

JJ watched as the nurse cleaned and changed her dressing her eyes saddened slightly, she missed looking into her deep soulful eyes that gave her more comfort than any words could, her strong arms that protected her from everything they saw and faced in their job. Emily Prentiss was her rock. She kept everyone together while they were nearly falling apart but JJ knew how insecure she could become and how frightened her wife truly was, for years she feared love off another, scared to get close, scared of being hurt. To the extent that Emily had pushed her to have a relationship with Will, JJ did regret it in some sense but when she would look at Henry she could not for one moment regret the choice she made.

"Jen where are you, this hurts so much and I don't know why" Emily said as she walked around the quietness of her home "Where the hell are you Jen, I need you to make it stop please baby" Emily called out as the tears streamed down her face. The blurred figure that stood looking out the window, Emily could make out the dark hair and just her figure as she spoke.

"There is no one here Emily just us" she spoke softly

"What are you doing here?" Emily asked not fully recognising the voice.

"Emily we were in an accident" she replied softly, Emily took a deep breath as she felt her body course with pain, the tears falling again "It's going to hurt for a while Emily," she said softly.

"You didn't answer my question" Emily said through gritted teeth as she tried to control the pain.

"What do you remember" she asked.

"Going to talk to the bomber" Emily said closing her eyes again.

"We did talk to him Emily" she said softly.

"Amy, what's going on" Emily asked as confusion ripped into her mind.

"I am only here Emily because they need you to fight, your family needs you to fight for them"

Emily frowned causing another sharp stabbing pain to course through her body. "I always fight for my family, its why I am leaving the BAU"

Jessop chuckled "I know the reasons you want to leave Emily and I know you will do but you need to understand that you have been badly hurt" she said softly not once turning around to look at her.

"If I have been" she stopped for a moment "Where is everyone?" she asked

"They are at the hospital at your bedside Emily,"

Emily laughed "This makes no sense" she replied shaking her head.

"We were caught in an explosion" she whispered.

Emily's eyes went wide "Amy" she whispered.

"I am here Emily but you have to understand this is your mind doing this not mine" she whispered.

"How bad were you hurt Amy"

Her shoulders slumped as she spoke "I didn't make it," she heard Emily gasp slightly

"This doesn't make sense, why the hell do I hurt so badly"

Amy chuckled slightly "because it does and it will for a while but your wife is at your side begging you to hold on," Emily frowned again "Emily you can't give up promise me, I don't have much more time here before your mind closes itself off due to the pain just promise me you will fight and never give up please"

Emily closed her eyes slightly "I promise"

JJ looked on as she saw a tear fall from her wife's eye, the machines beeped more rapid as the rise and fall of her chest quicken. "What's going on" JJ said as the fear laced her voice, watching the nurse place a syringe into the IV bag.

"I have just given her some more pain killers, her body is fighting JJ its healing but she is also feeling some pain that is why the machines spiked and they may do it again when she needs more pain medication"

JJ looked at her sadly "Emma I don't want her to feel this please" JJ pleaded with her as she watched the machines become more steady and her chest started to rise and fall slowly

"I can't make that promise, but we can help manage it. This is a good thing though, it means she is healing but it is early days yet, just keep talking to her she can hear you and it will bring her comfort" she smiled softly as she finished placing the last bandage on her.