A/N: Please note that other triggering content (self-harm and suicide will be discussed) throughout the story. Please be forewarned and take precautions if these are troubling for you.
A/N: Violence towards a primary character is discussed in this chapter. Please be forewarned if that is troubling for you.
I just wanted to thank everyone for the reviews. My muse and I both appreciate it. This is still, as of now, planned to be a fairly long, multi-part story, but if you all aren't into it…I'll wrap it up before too long.
And remember…reviews and feedback keep me and my muse motivated…especially if they're positive!
***This chapter is a continuation of the second "part" of the story***More drama and more secrets revealed***
I hope you enjoy this latest chapter…Now on with the show!
"I would say she's in the place where the river of time runs into, where the holograms go when they disappear into the air, she is neither completely dreaming, nor fully awake." ~ Annie Fisher
"This is how it feels when you're bent and broken, This is how it feels when your dignity's stolen
When everything you love is leaving, You hold on to what you believe in." ~ Skillet – "Not Gonna Die"
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Chapter 30
As we quietly make our way into the room, I feel Summer's grip on my hand tighten even more and then I hear a sharp gasp. I have yet to look at Emily, but when I hear the gasp coming from Summer, I immediately look up to see what has caused her reaction and notice the woman I love hooked to dozens of machines, looking even paler than I can ever remember anyone looking before, and I have to stifle a gasp myself.
Summer stops in her tracks and I have to help steady her…in an effort to keep her from falling on the spot. The doctor had tried to prepare us for what we would see when we came in, but hearing it and seeing it are two completely different things. Emily is hooked up to an IV stand with multiple different bags of medicine flowing through her, a ventilator helping her breath, various monitors keeping track of her heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and other vital signs, a drain tube for her lung, and she's wrapped in various bandages and a cast is on her right arm. If she were any paler, she could almost blend in with the stark white sheets that were engulfing her small, now fragile body.
I tug gently at Summer's hand and pull her with me to Emily's bedside as I reach down and brush a small errant strand of hair behind Emily's ear and lean down to press a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Emily…sweetheart. It's JJ. I'm here and you're safe now. I'm never going to leave you and I promise I'm never going to let anyone hurt you ever again. Summer is here with me. We both need for you to wake up and let us know that you can hear us and that you're going to be okay. We both need you. Please baby…please wake up. Show me those beautiful brown eyes of yours…let me know you're ok." I finish by gently taking one of Emily's hands in mine and lightly squeezing it.
Summer moves to the other side of the bed and leans down and places a gentle kiss on Emily's cheek and whispers "Mom? Can you hear me? Please wake up. I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you before. I know you warned me to be careful and I just didn't listen. I'm so sorry you got hurt trying to help me…please wake up and tell me you forgive me…please. I need you…I love you so much…I can't lose you…" the last part of her plea tapers off into a soft sob as she gently takes Emily's casted hand and sits in the chair next to the bed.
"Summer…sweetie…your mom doesn't blame you…I already know that…so please don't blame yourself. You have nothing to be forgiven for…I promise you. She loves you and she wouldn't want you to feel guilty because she chose to help you. That is just who she is." I say as gently but firmly as possible. I just hope Summer believes me.
Summer just nods…but then asks "How could he do this to her? Why did he hate her so much? How could someone be that mean…that evil?"
"I don't know sweetie…I really don't. Your mom definitely didn't deserve this…she is one of the sweetest…most kind, loving, generous people I've ever met. Something inside of him just wasn't wired right."
"Does that mean I'll turn out like him someday?" Summer asks…a slight hint of sadness and fear tinting her voice.
"No…absolutely not! I can already tell that you are nothing like him. You don't just look like your mom…but you act a lot like her too. From what I can tell…the only difference between the two of you…that I've seen…is that you have grey eyes and your mom has brown…that…and you are obviously younger…but otherwise…the two of you could be twins."
"Now I know you're just trying to be nice." Summer mumbles…thinking I can't hear her.
"Why would you say that?" I ask…genuinely confused by her comment.
"Everyone is always talking about how beautiful and elegant and strong my mom is…I'm none of those things."
"Summer…from just the short amount of time that I've been around you…I can guarantee you that you are strong and elegant…and you are definitely just as beautiful as your mom. Why would you think that you aren't?"
"Because I have a mirror and I can see what I look like for myself. Besides…I hear what other people say when they think I can't hear them…I know what they say to my face…and what they say behind my back. I am constantly hearing everyone say things like 'too bad she's not as pretty as Emily'…or 'wonder if she'll be as pretty as the other women in her family someday'…or my favorite…'maybe she was adopted…might explain why she's not as pretty as the rest of them"…you know…stuff like that."
"Oh God sweetie…I'm sorry you've had to hear stuff like that…but trust me when I tell you that they couldn't be more wrong…you are definitely as beautiful as your mom. If other people can't see that…then that's their problem…not yours." I respond.
I honestly can't believe someone…anyone…would tell this beautiful young woman that she wasn't pretty enough…what the Hell is wrong with people? I feel like kicking whoever's ass it is that made her doubt herself like that. Maybe I can get her to tell me who it was…so I can do just that. Kick their asses. But that reminds me…I know she can't be over 18…so I have to wonder where she's been living…and who she's been living with…she obviously can't be living on her own. Hotch asked me to find out if the Ambassador or anyone else from Emily's family knew she was here. Maybe now is a good time to ask.
"Summer…sweetie…I never asked you exactly how old you were…and I didn't hear Emily mention it. I assume you aren't 18…and the hospital or Dr. Hayes may need to talk to someone over 18 at some point. How old are you?"
"16. I'll be 17 soon though. But Dr. Hayes said I was on my mom's list of emergency contacts…that should be good enough…right?"
"For most things…it probably will…but in case it isn't…have you told anyone else in your family what is going on? I assume you live with someone else in your family. Someone has to be worried about you…about you not being home since all of this started. Did you let anyone else know what was going on?" I gently ask.
"Yeah…I texted a couple of people while we were in the waiting room so they would know where I was and what was going on with mom." Summer quietly replied.
"Was it Chance? Or the Ambassador? Are you living with one of them? Are they who you texted while we were waiting?" I ask…trying to get more information from Summer…who seems reluctant to divulge too many details at this point.
"All of my grandparents are out of town right now…but when I told them about mom and me and what happened with Lucas, they said they were coming back…so they're all on their way here now. I'm not sure how long it will take them to get here though. I told Chance too…so he knows…and he should be getting here before too long. I know he wants to see mom too. Now that you know about him…I knew it was only a matter of time before we would need to let everyone else know about him. I let a couple of other people know too. I guess if I need to…I can ask one of them to come in. If the doctor needs to talk to someone over 18…besides me or Chance...in case he's not on the emergency contact list. I assume he would be…but since I didn't see the list…I don't know who's on it and who isn't." Summer finishes.
"Other than your grandparents and Chance…who else did you talk to? You said you told a couple of other people…are they part of your family too or just friends?" I ask…my curiosity peaked since Emily's mom and dad…Declan…Summer…and Chance were the only people that I could think of that would be considered as part of Emily's family.
"I'll explain it later…if I need to. I told you before that our family is really complicated…and I really don't want to have to be the one to try and explain it all if I don't have to. Some of it I don't really understand myself…it would be better if it came from mom anyway."
Summer glances sadly over at Emily. "I hope she wakes up soon…so no one else has to get involved in all of this." She quietly trails off.
"Me too sweetie…" I reply. "You mentioned Chance being on the emergency contact list…I assume you said that because he's over 18, but you didn't say how old he was…How old is Chance exactly?" I inquire.
"He just turned 20. Why?" Summer asks.
"Well…if he is on that list…then they may not have to contact anyone else if they need to speak with someone over 18. How long before he gets here?"
"He should be getting here in about 30 minutes…maybe less. Do you really think they'll need to talk to him…instead of me? Is there more going on with mom than what you told me before…there is…isn't there?"
"No sweetie…it's just…well…your mom was a little out of it when they brought her in here earlier. They think it may have something to do with that bump on the head she got…but we won't know for sure until she wakes up. So just in case she's a little out of it when she first wakes up…don't be upset or worried. But…that's why I asked…they may need to talk to someone over 18 for some of the tests they would want to run on her…that's all." I try my best to downplay the serious nature of Emily's mental state…and I leave out the injuries and the photos that we found as well.
I don't want to further traumatize Summer…but still I need to make sure she isn't altogether unprepared if Emily is still unresponsive when she wakes up. God…I hope that isn't the case…but I don't need Summer shutting down on me too if that does happen.
I am lost in that thought when I hear a quiet snick of the door behind me and notice Summer glance up…gently releasing Emily's hand as she rushes towards the door leading into the room. I glance back over my shoulder to see a tall young man with nearly black hair and piercing blue eyes hovering near the doorway. Summer engulfs him in a hug and breaks down in tears. I hear the young man whispering to her…as he returns the hug. He grasps her hand and slowly walks towards me and Emily. He reaches out his hand…and introduces himself. His smooth…baritone voice catches me off-guard for a moment.
"It's nice to meet you JJ…I'm Chance." He pulls my hand up and softly kisses the back of my hand before releasing it. "My mom speaks very highly of you. Summer does too." He finishes before moving to the other side of the bed…where Summer had been sitting and leans over to place a soft kiss on Emily's forehead…much like I did earlier.
"Mom…I'm here now. I'm sorry I wasn't able to protect you and Summer…or JJ…from that bastard…but I will protect you now. No one will ever hurt you again. No one will ever hurt any of you again. You have my word. All you have to do now is fight your way back to us. I know you're scared…we're all scared too. I know that you're scared of coming back and facing everything…but we're terrified of facing life without you in it. Please don't make us face that…please hear us and find your way back to all of us that need you…please mom."
"Chance is right mom…please come back to us…we love you and need you." Summer pleads.
I watched in amazement as this young man…one that looked so imposing…one that could easily have been a bodyguard…or a bouncer…or maybe special ops in the military suddenly looked like a scared child clinging to his mother. Such an amazingly fast turnaround in his personality…but one that I probably should have expected…and would've expected had I known more about their relationship before today. They obviously were close…just like Emily and Summer. I just wished Emily had told me about both of them. I wished I would've met them sooner and been able to witness the bond they all had before today. Both of them obviously needed Emily as much as I did...still do. I knew that I needed her in my life…but sitting there watching her son and daughter cling so helplessly on to her hand…fighting back tears…I could see how desperately they needed her as well. I just hope she could hear us all pleading with her to fight to come back to us…telling her how much we needed her…how much we loved her…how none of us would give her up without a fight.
"Listen to your kids baby…we all need you…we all love you…please come back to us" I softly whisper in Emily's ear as I place another soft kiss on Emily's forehead and sit back down holding her hand…carefully watching over the love of my life…waiting for any sign that she's going to return to me…to us.