The only thing that JJ could focus on when she came to was how much her body ached. She knew that she had been in the convoy, and that they had hit an IED. Reaching up, she touched her face gingerly, trying to make certain that everything was still there. Then her hands ghosted down to her stomach, and she began to sob. Turning onto her side, JJ fought not to cry out as every muscle in her body screamed in pain at the slow movement.

There weren't any medics around, so she couldn't ask the question that was foremost on her mind, and she had to swallow thickly as she began to cry. A tender, warm, hand on her shoulder had her gazing over her shoulder to see who was approaching her. "You're awake," Strauss said gently as she smoothed a stray hair from her face. "We were worried about you."

JJ nodded slowly, acknowledging the woman's words while wincing at the way the move made her head ache all the more. "I should have told you that I planned on going," she said, her voice sounding rough and foreign to her ears. "Did…that is, can you look at my records and tell me if everything is okay?"

The look on Erin's face told JJ all she needed to know, and she curled into a tighter ball, cradling her stomach as she began to sob. From some corner of her mind, she heard Strauss sit down next to her, the comforting hand never leaving her shoulder as she stroked it gently. "I'm sending you home for a little bit so that you can recover, Jennifer. I wish that I could pull the plug on this entire project, but it's above my head. I never wanted you to get hurt, I hope you know that."

"I do, Ma'am."

As JJ watched, the woman sighed a little, her features momentarily looking miles away. "While we're here, while we're working together, you may call me Erin. I mean, we're on equal footing and in over our heads right now. I'm so glad that at least one of us will be able to see our children, even if only for a week."

JJ brushed her tears away as she continued to study Strauss's face. "I've been Skyping Will and Henry as often as I can. Haven't you done the same?"

Erin looked away for just a second before shaking her head. "Alan, well, he, we're having a few problems at the moment, and that has put a stumbling block there. I'm certain I'll get to see them when my component of this mission is finished."

For some reason, JJ's heart ached for the woman, and she closed her hand around the woman's wrist before pulling her hand off her shoulder and clasping it tightly. "I'm certain of that, too."

They shared a knowing look, and for just a tick of a second, she was almost certain that Strauss was going to start crying. That expression was soon wiped from her face as Strauss composed herself, taking a few deep breaths before standing once more. "I have to go sit in some briefings now, I've been putting them off until you were awake. I'll be there to help you on the helicopter tomorrow, but I can't go with you all the way. I wish that I could."

The bitter regret dripping from Erin's voice touched JJ's heart, and she gave the older woman a small nod before closing her eyes heavily. Sorrow was clinging thickly to her heart, and she knew that the only thing that could help heal her heart was sleep.

And sleep was what she did all day, and well into the night. But then, the sounds of the camp faded away, and all she could focus on was the sound of relative silence. It was heavy, oppressive, and she found that her brain had entirely too much time to think about the conversation she had had with the medic about her pregnancy. Though she hadn't come right out and asked if she had miscarried, she used enough hand motions and vague intimations to get her point across, and the man had confirmed what Erin had told her.

"You should be sleeping, Jennifer."

Erin's low voice caught her attention, and she turned her head to look at the woman. "I did that. It's too quiet now."

"I know. Usually I have to listen to music at night here, otherwise my thoughts run around too much, tiring me out past the point of sleep."

"Exactly. But why are you up, watching me?"

"It's four, local time. We're leaving in about an hour, and I was trying to let you sleep as much as you could before that."

JJ nodded as she carefully sat up. "Did someone call Will, to let him know that I was coming home?"

"I took care of that, yes. He'll be at the airfield when you land, though that won't be for twenty hours," she replied. JJ nodded and took a few hesitant steps. She still ached so much, and Erin must have noticed, since she quickly stood and reached out to steady her. "Let me help you."

"No, I have to be able to do this on my own. Right?"

The older woman pursed her lips, as if she wanted to say no, but finally she let out a deep huff of a sigh before nodding. "Yes, you have to stand on your own two feet. But you also have to let people help you out when they offer. I've been learning too late that this is the case, and I fear that it might come to bite me hard, sooner rather than later."

It was another small glimpse into secretive, private, heart of Erin Strauss, and JJ felt a certain kinship with her in that moment. "It's hard to learn how to share things with people when you've trained yourself to not let things bother you. I was never as good as Emily was at compartmentalizing the job and my life."

"There's always been a bit of bleed for myself as well," Erin responded as she handed JJ a small duffle bag. "It's not all of your clothes, since you'll be coming back in a week, but this should be enough to get you home."

"Thanks," JJ said as she took the handle. "Would you mind keeping watch for me, so that I can change?"

"Of course," she quickly replied, turning and watching the tent flap as JJ moved as quickly as her bruised and battered body would let her. Finally, though, she was dressed, and JJ touched Erin's shoulder to let her know that she was decent. "Hug Henry tightly for me, would you?"

It seemed like the early morning had made Erin open and vulnerable, since she was tearing up once more. JJ nodded before biting her lip and hugging herself once more. She still felt pregnant, which was the cruelest jab to her heart. Erin clucked her tongue lightly before resting her hand on JJ's shoulder and leading her over to the mess tent. "How can you think of food this early in the morning?"

"I'm thinking about you, dear. You'll need to eat before you leave, since you'll be travelling for a long time, with no way to eat later on."

She nodded and let Erin lead her through the line to grab something to eat before heading over to a table. As they sat, Erin watched her like a hawk, making certain that she ate as she nibbled at some cereal. "I just wish I could do this over again."

"I know exactly what you mean, Jennifer." They shared a pained smile, and suddenly the only thing that JJ wanted was to be home, in Will's arms, letting him comfort her.