JJ awoke with a start. Something loud had clanged outside her room, scaring her. She shook it off as she remembered that she was safe in the hospital.

"Hey, darlin'," drawled the voice she loved hearing most. "How are you feeling?"

"Will," JJ said softly, smiling. "I need water, please?"

"Of course. Here." Will held a cup of water up to JJ's face, relieved to see that she wasn't fighting help. "Better?"

"Much. Thank you." JJ rested her head back on her pillow, wrapping her fingers around Will's hand.

"Do you need anything?"

"No. Well, actually, yes. Where are the boys?"

"Henry is at school and Michael is with my mum. You can see them this afternoon."

"Are they okay?"

"They had a hard time last night, but both are good. They'll be happy to see you."

"I want to go home."

"You will, but not yet. The doctor is reviewing the last of your test results as we speak. She said to me yesterday that you might have to be here for a week or so, but once she has all the results, she plans to revisit that estimate."

JJ sighed. "I can't ask you to do everything alone for that long..."

"My mum is here to help, so are Garcia and Reid. Emily promised that she would do whatever I ask her to do. All so that I can stay with you and make sure that you follow the doctor's orders and rest."

"Will you make me a promise first?"

"Sure."

"Go home and get some decent sleep? I saw you sleeping in the chair before. That's not good enough for a decent sleep."

"I don't want to leave you."

"Ask Emily or Dave to come here."

JJ, darlin', you know I won't do that."

"Please?" JJ looked away for a moment. "I need you to help me, okay? I think it's clear I'm not going to be able to do much on my own for a day or so, and I don't want some stranger helping me walk to the bathroom or shower. But you can't help me if you're exhausted, Will. So, please, tell Emily or Dave to come here and stay with me, and then you go home and sleep while your mum is watching the boys."

JJ watched as Will's expression went from determination to resignation. She knew he was fighting an internal battle right then- part of him clearly wanted to stay by her side. She had no doubt that he would agree to her request once he realised that she was right. It was only a matter of whether or not he planned on arguing a little more.

A sigh escaped Will's lips. "Fine," he said. "I'll call Rossi and ask him to come here. He's been asking to see you, so I'm sure he'll be happy to come."

"Please get some sleep."

"Will you listen to the doctor?"

"Yes, Will. I'll do what they say."

With another sigh, Will stood up. He kissed JJ's head and told her he loved her. "I'll come back in the morning then," he said as he started to leave. "Get someone to call me if you need me, okay?"

JJ smiled. "I will. I love you, too, William LaMontagne Jr. Now, go home and sleep, please."

"Knock, knock," said Rossi as he poked his head into the hospital room. "May I enter?"

JJ laughed, causing a small coughing fit. When she had stopped coughing, she grinned at her friend. "Only if you tell me the secret password," she joked.

"Password? Hmmm... OH! I know what it is! It's 'JJ'!"

JJ shook her head, a look of glee on her face. "Correct! You may enter, David Rossi."

Rossi proceeded into the room, stopping at the chair that Will had vacated earlier. He took a seat on the edge of the chair, reaching out to grab JJ's hand. "Don't you ever scare us like that again, you hear me? You had us all terrified, Jennifer."

"You were scared?" JJ asked in disbelief. "I was so afraid I'd never see any of you again," she admitted, unable to look at Rossi.

"We would never have left you there, you do know that, right?"

"Yes. I think that was why I didn't give up. I knew you'd save me eventually."

"What can I do to help you?"

"Right now? Nothing. Just stay here with me?"

"I'm not going anywhere. Even if I wanted to go somewhere, I can't. Will said he'd kill me if I left you alone."

JJ laughed softly. "Of course he did. He didn't want to leave me today. I had to force him to go home for a while."

"He said that you told him you needed him to be able to help you?"

"I did. It wasn't completely a lie," shrugged JJ. "I am okay to do things myself, I just don't have the strength or energy at the moment. The doctor came by just before you got here and said she would be happy to let me go home in a couple of days, so long as I don't go back to work and I take it easy at home. So, that must mean I'm doing okay."

"I think that means you're doing better than okay, JJ."

"The doctor said the same thing. She seems to be very happy with how I'm going."

"You got lucky. No severe injuries, just a broken wrist is all."

"It's not broken- the bone splintered very slightly. I have to wear a brace until it heals, but otherwise I'm free to use my hand. If I wasn't, you'd be in a lot of trouble, holding the hand that you're holding," JJ said cheekily.

They sat in comfortable silence after that. JJ felt safe and unafraid, knowing that the man she looked up to as a father figure was right there, keeping a look out for any dangers while still keeping her company. If she couldn't have her husband with her, she knew she could rely on Rossi.