Chapter 27

The day hadn't let up; they had been on the go since the early hours, background checks had been done, and the information had been doubled checked. The arrest had gone smoothly; he looked relieved as Morgan slapped the cuffs on him before frog marching him out of his home.

"I don't understand how you could kill your own flesh and blood," JJ mumbled to herself as she leaned against the doorframe, watching Morgan place him a little forcefully into the back of the squad car.

Rossi gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Ready to go home" he said with a smile.

"I am looking forward to a nice long hot bath" JJ mused as she looked up and down her now black top, the rip along her pants travelled half way up her leg. She chuckled as she met Rossi's eye line. "Or just getting into clean clothes, will do."

"You okay?" Morgan asked as he jogged back onto the small porch.

JJ nodded as he handed her the phone "Garcia wants you."

JJ rolled her eyes slightly "You told her?" she mumbled before walking down the path with the phone.

Morgan watched on as he could hear part of the conversation that was taking place. "Did Garcia say how Emily is doing?" Rossi asked.

Morgan shrugged slightly, "She didn't say much other than she maybe going to stay with JJ"

Rossi chuckled slightly "That's a big improvement"

"Improvement yes," Morgan looked back at Rossi for a moment. "Garcia said she wouldn't speak nor look at her when she called this morning"

"It's going to take"

"I know time, I get that, trust me I fully understand that time and she may shut down and push us away." Morgan said cutting him off slightly.

"You're scared you're going to lose your partner," Rossi said raising his eyebrow slightly.

"I doubt I have lost her and I also doubt I will. What does worry me is how much this will have an impact on her." Morgan mumbled.

JJ smiled slightly as she made her way back up the path passing Morgan his phone. "Everything okay kiddo?" Rossi asked.

"Yes, we should be able to head home in a few hours." JJ said looking between them both.

"Did you mention to Garcia, about your slight accident?" Morgan asked, as he looked her up and down again.

"Why on earth would I do that?" JJ asked as she raised her eyebrow.

"Because she is going to freak when she sees the state of you"

JJ shook her head before turning to walk away. "And have her tell Emily?" JJ mumbled as she made her way back to the SUV.

they had finally made it onto the jet around seven in the evening, it wasn't as straight forward as they thought, after another arrest and a confession on both sides the team had walked away each of them scratching their heads as to the real motive behind the killings. Yes, the brother had snapped and the mugging had set him off, but what they had not thought of was a partner. In addition, what shocked them more was his partner was a woman.

"I still can't believe his wife was involved, they seemed to be getting along with each. Why would you help kill" Reid said as he made his way to his seat.

JJ looked up at him. "I guess she blamed Officer Jefferies for their marriage breakdown, and stealing him away from the kids. Add in his homophobic brother and it was just a matter of time."

"Still she has just brought more pain to her kids. Its one thing to find out your father is gay, it is another to find out he has been killed. But to lose both parents and their uncle in a short space of time." Reid paused slightly. "I just hope they get all the help they need."

Morgan nodded "I am sure they will." He looked at JJ. "So how you planning on explaining the black eye and bloody lip?" Morgan chuckled.

"So not funny" JJ said as she again placed a cold pack on her eye. "I could always blame you," she teased slightly.

"You'd let Garcia and Emily think I did that? Not the fact that you did it to yourself" Morgan chuckled

"You have to admit it was funny," Reid said trying to keep a straight face.

"Remind me how did you manage it again?" Rossi asked

JJ pulled a face at them all as the rest of the team chuckled; even Hotch had a slight grin on his face. "Not like any of you helped me" JJ glared slightly at Morgan. "You all just stood there laughing at me," she grumbled.

"But it was funny" Morgan sniggered.

"Best entertainment of the day" Rossi teased.

"Emily is going to kill us," Reid said although the grin on his face said otherwise.

"And besides I didn't do it to myself" JJ said with a slight glare.

"True, but it good prove a point why we always wear a vest" Morgan chuckled.

"It could have been worse JJ," Hotch said as he sniggered slightly.

"So I hit with a two by four, I end up on the floor and all you four can do is laugh?" JJ said as she tried not to laugh. "Morgan care to explain how I did to myself?" she asked.

"I told you id go in first"

"You weren't even up the path when the door went through!"

"It could have been worse" Reid joked as he handed JJ some painkillers.

"Seriously, that's what you're going with?"

Reid nodded. "It could have been. Remember when you got hit with the shovel?"

"How could I forget" JJ said as she glared at him.

"At least this time only his fist caught your face and you weren't alone." He shrugged slightly before pulling his book out of his satchel.

The team settled down slightly, JJ rested her head against the small window, in a way she was grateful that the flight would take a good few hours as she allowed herself to drift off into a somewhat peaceful sleep. Not like the ones that had plagued her mind over the past few weeks. The exhaustion she felt was not just because of everything which had happened the past few months. Knowing what Emily had been through. Not just the kidnapping, it was what could have happened, she had no idea what he had done to her, and her mind could come up with so many options. And each one broke her into tears.

A hand gently rested on her shoulder, "JJ, time to wake up" Morgan said softly.

They were about an hour out of landing, but Morgan had kept his watchful eye on her. He saw the play of emotions that ran across her face, although not many people on the team would admit they had nightmares they all knew. Morgan knew she would be embarrassed if anyone noticed.

"Mmm" JJ mumbled slightly.

"JJ wake up" he said again softly.

Her eyes fluttered open before closing again as the light attacked her eyes. "Hey" she muttered

"I brought you a coffee" she nodded slightly as she tried to focus again.

"Thanks"

"You want to talk about it?" he asked kindly.

"About?" JJ asked.

Morgan nodded in understanding. "Well if you change your mind," he said easily before heading back to his seat.