Chapter 19

JJ and Rossi made their way back into the waiting room, the nurse had informed them both that Emily would be transferred back into her room shortly, but in honesty JJ couldn't and didn't want to be alone.

"What did the ambassador say?" Morgan asked once Rossi had shut the door.

"All I know is Emily has a punctured lung, I won't know more until I have spoken to the doctor. The ambassador has left" JJ said as she looked straight at Morgan.

"She's left?" he ran his hand over his head. "I know those two don't exactly see eye to eye," JJ gave him a slight smile.

"My thoughts exactly" she mused softly. "The ambassador has made arrangements for Emily to be transferred once she is stable to fly" Morgan frowned slightly. "Potomac hospital" JJ said kindly to which Morgan nodded.

"I think I can fully understand now why those two don't get along. What type of mother leaves?" Reid said slightly confused.

"I don't know Reid" JJ said softly as she sat down next to him.

The door to the waiting area opened slowly a tired looking doctor walked into the room, he gave a kind smile, his eyes held compassion as he spoke. "Agent Prentiss, is back on the ward now"

"What happened?" JJ asked

He sighed slightly "You are aware she has a punctured lung?" JJ nodded. "When we ran the CT scan we found substantial bleeding around the brain. We have operated to alleviate the swelling." JJ looked in slight shock.

"Is she going to be okay?" Hotch asked.

"She will be monitored closely, we will do another CT scan in a few hours to make sure we have stopped the bleed." He gave a kind smile.

"Thank you." JJ said softly

"If you have any questions or any concerns do not hesitate to ask myself or one of the nurses" he said before leaving the room.

"I need to" JJ whispered slightly.

The team slowly made it down the corridor towards Emily's room. JJ paused slightly closing her eyes, Hotch's hand rested on her shoulder. "Take a minute JJ" he said kindly to which JJ nodded.

The rest of the team went into the room leaving JJ stood outside, Garcia had hanged back with her as she guided JJ towards the seating area just across from her room. "JJ?"

JJ shook her head slightly. "I can't lose her Garcia, I don't know if I can do this" she whispered. Garcia rubbed her back in comfort as she spoke.

"You can do this JJ, right now she needs us all to be strong for her, and she is a fighter JJ."

JJ swallowed slightly before she nodded. They sat in silence for a moment while JJ gathered herself, she gave Garcia a soft smile "Thank you"

"You ready to see our girl?" Garcia said brightly. JJ nodded slightly, "Come on" Garcia stood holding her hand out to JJ.

They made their way into the room, the white bandage wrapped around her head made her take a breath. Morgan moved from the chair allowing JJ to sit near Emily, he rested his hand on her shoulder, just a look shared between them as she sat down her fingers wrapping around Emily's hand.

The days seemed to mingle into one, Emily had been taken back into surgery as they found another bleed, and JJ had kept a watchful eye over her. Morgan and JJ split it into shifts staying with her, Hotch had gone back to the station as one of the detectives found some more evidence against Mark, he had also taken pictures of Emily in different positions, the images where going to stay with him for a while, it was bad enough that when he entered the room, Mark was raping Emily. Then he had watched the tapes and now he had the images of pictures in his head. He sat outside the police station his hand running over his face wiping the tears away.

"Hotch?" Rossi said as he made his way over. He had become concerned about Hotch as the days had passed, he seemed to spend more time at the police station.

Hotch closed his eyes for a moment as he tried to get his emotions under control, but for the first time since Hayley had been killed he couldn't. He gave a slight shake of his head. Rossi took the seat next to him.

"She will wake up Hotch" he said kindly.

"They found pictures Dave, if she comes back after everything he has done to her, I can't get what I have seen out of my mind. What he has put her through, what he has done to her. We might lose her" the emotion showed in his voice as he spoke.

"She is too stubborn" Rossi offered slightly.

"She may be stubborn, you know when she first joined the team I had major doubts, so did Gideon it took her weeks to get our trust, after Reid got kidnapped she was the only other person to notice how badly he was struggling. She tried to help him but was greeted with anger. I have so much respect for her. Strauss tried to get her to spy on me so she had a reason to firer me. Instead she quit." Hotch shook his head slightly. "It isn't that she is another valued member of this team, she is there for everyone" Hotch closed his eyes slightly.

"Then we give her the strength, we will be there for her to lean on, no matter what happens we will all be there for her. She means a lot to me as well Aaron" he gave a slight smile, this team is like family to me, and I know that is how you feel."

"What about JJ," Hotch shook his head slightly as he spoke "She didn't see what I saw, but I know seeing Emily like that has ripped her apart inside."

"I know, but JJ is strong and stubborn" Rossi said with a smile. "She will look after Emily, and we will be there for her as well. It is going to take time though Hotch"

"I guess I just want her to wake, the sooner she wakes the sooner we can have her transferred. Being here is doing no one any good." Rossi nodded.

"Let's go back to the hospital and take it from there."