CHAPTER EIGHT

4x03 Minimal Loss

"Me. It's me."

JJ's stomach dropped. She knew what this meant. Emily had just told a maniac cult leader that she was an FBI Agent who had infiltrated his combine. There was no good way for this to end. At first everything was silent and JJ held her breath and then it started - he was beating her.

JJ looked over at Hotch, eyes wide with horror. Were they supposed to just sit there and listen to this? Just stand by and let him beat the life out of her? JJ heard a slap and heard Emily moan in pain. He kicked her again, and again. Emily was whimpering. JJ ripped her headphones off. She squeezed her eyes closed. She was going to be sick.

"You gotta go in there!" JJ pleaded, her eyes burning with fresh tears.

"We'd be risking the lives of everyone in there," Rossi countered, but Hotch looked conflicted.

"Hotch?" JJ looked at him in shock. Was he really just going to sit here and let this happen? JJ bought the headphones back to her ears with shaking hands.

"Get up," she heard Cyrus growl. Then he clearly punched her hard. Hard enough that JJ heard glass shatter. Emily moaned in pain. Her breathing was labored. JJ winced and ran a worried hand through her hair.

"He's gonna kill her, Hotch," JJ pleaded again.

Hotch opened his mouth to speak but Emily's voice interrupted him, "I can take it."

"Oh you can take it?" Cyrus said, slapping her again. Emily thudded into something. JJ couldn't breathe.

"Wait - wait listen to what she's saying," Rossi insisted.

"I can take it," came Emily's voice again. But it trembled a little as she said it.

"She's intaginizing him!" Derek moaned.

"She's not talking to him."

"She's talking to us," JJ finished. A tear had escaped and was running down her cheek. She wipped it away quickly. "She's telling us not to go in."

Emily took another punch and thudded to the floor, or so JJ thought. It was hard to tell. She couldn't even imagine what Emily looked like. If Cyrus didn't stop soon, he would kill her. Then it stopped. And all they could hear was Emily's soft whimpering. JJ ran out of the tent and immediately threw up on the ground. She felt a hand on her back and turned to see Morgan's concerned face.

"You okay?"

"No…" she whispered back, turning her head away from him. Derek's eyebrows pinched together like he was piecing something together but he must have decided to let it go.

"We just have to have a little faith in Emily. She knows what she's doing."

"Did you hear her Derek?"

Derek paused. He tilted his head slightly, "JJ?" But he was almost immediately interrupted by Hotch calling them back into the tent.

Emily was rocked by the explosion. She felt the heat on her skin. Horrified, she turned to look for Reid and Morgan, but there was no sight of either of them.

"Reid? Morgan?"

They appeared coughing and sputtering from the rumble. Emily limped her way over to them and wrapped Reid in a hug. Her ribs hurt - she was pretty sure at least one of them was broken - but she held him tightly. They began walking together towards the tent when Hotch, Rossi, and JJ erupted out of it. Hotch pulled her in for a hug as Emily watched JJ run into Reid's arms, then Derek's. And then, with no indication, JJ disappeared. Emily spun her head around but found her nowhere. Finally, she was led away by paramedics to treat her many injuries.

JJ ran into Reid, hugging him tightly. Over his shoulder she watched as Hotch pulled Emily in for a hug. JJ hugged Derek after Reid but hesitated looking at Emily. She was busy giving Rossi a hug. JJ took a half step towards her but stopped. She turned her head towards Derek to find him already staring at her, confused. JJ looked away quickly and walked back towards the tent, Derek trailing behind.

He found her in the back of an SUV shaking. He climbed in and closed the door. There was a moment when neither of them said anything.

"Alright, Jennifer Jereau, spill," he whispered.

"Can you be a vault? I think I really need a vault right now, because keeping it all inside clearly isn't cutting it."

Derek nodded quietly.

"I broke up with Will." This was not what Derek was expecting. He narrowed his eyes a little in confusion. "And Derek, I'm just so tired. And I'm so confused…" JJ couldn't say it. She hoped Derek could fill in the blanks.

"About Emily?" He asked and all JJ could do was stare at him. Derek knew. "You love her." JJ broke eye contact and let out a nervous breath. "Look I'm not saying in what way - maybe you don't even know yourself - but anyone paying attention can see it."

"What do I do?"

"Honestly - I don't know," Derek answered and for whatever it was worth, JJ appreciated his honesty. "Maybe you can start by giving her a hug?" JJ looked back over at him quickly. "I saw you. I know you wanted to - but you didn't."

"I'm just so -"

"Confused," he finished her sentence.

Emily sat in the back of an ambulance, eyes glazed over, unable to fully process what had just happened. The doctor confirmed that she did indeed break two ribs, and just finished stitching up a large gash in her arm when she saw her walking her way.

Emily suddenly was able to focus again. Her full attention was on JJ.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself," Emily responded casually.

"Are you okay?" JJ asked, attention on Emily's stitched up arm.

"Oh," Emily said, raising her arm a little, "Yeah, I'm fine. Two broken ribs, but I'll survive."

The two women just stared at each other. The moment dragged on. Emily's mind was overloaded with JJ's unsaid words. It was JJ who finally made the move. She walked over and sat down right next to Emily.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Emily," JJ sighed leaning her head against Emily's shoulder. Emily's mind was on fire. Everything about JJ was intoxicating to her at that moment. She had been disappointed when JJ disappeared earlier but this more than made up for it.

"JJ?" She lifted her head off her shoulder and turned her head to look at Emily. "I know it's a lot to ask but - will you take me home tonight? I'm still a little jumpy…"

"Of course."

JJ never strayed far from Emily for the rest of the evening. Emily noticed. It brought a flutter to her chest. By the time they landed back in D.C. the sun was just rising. Without further discussion, JJ drove Emily home. The long plane ride had only made Emily's injuries stiff and more sore. JJ helped her walk up to the elevator and then into her condo.

"Thank you, JJ."

The sun was peeking through Emily's blinds but neither of them cared at all. They were beyond exhausted.

"Stay here, JJ. At least sleep for a couple of hours before driving home," Emily insisted. JJ wanted to. It was so tempting to take her up on that offer. Just being in Emily's home gave her a buzz.

"You sure?"

"Of course. You can take my bed," she offered and JJ covered her blush with a scoff.

"There is absolutely no way I'm taking the bed from the woman with two broken ribs. Come on," JJ said as she braced Emily against her and walked her to her bedroom. Her bedroom.

Emily sat tentatively on her bed and winced, clutching her side.

"No one ever told me how much it freakin' hurts to break your ribs,'' Emily mumbled dryly. JJ smiled inspite of herself. Emily's dry humor always made her laugh.

"Are you sure you're okay?" JJ asked. Emily frowned.

"No," she finally whispered. Emily's vulnerable eyes looked up into JJ's. "But ask me again tomorrow?"

JJ nodded slowly and turned to walk back to the living room. She figured that Emily probably wanted some peace and quiet but she was wrong -

"JJ?"

She turned around quickly to be met with Emily's burning eyes. She looked desperate. And in that moment JJ finally allowed herself to see Emily's beauty. The bedroom had dark blinds but the morning sun was casting long shadows through the cracks. Even with a black eye and 20 stitches she was breathtaking.

"Can you - will you stay with me?"

JJ paused. There was nothing she wanted to do more than to crawl into bed next to Emily but she had to be careful. For all she knew, Emily was just scared, and traumatized. What she needed right now was JJ, her friend. And if she got into her bed right now, she couldn't guarantee that she would stay only 'her friend.' But against her better judgment she slid her long jacket off, kicked off her shoes and sat down on the opposing side of the bed.

She watched as Emily turned to lay down and rest her head on a pillow. JJ tentatively followed suit. She peeked over at Emily and she had her eyes closed. JJ's eyes wandered down to her lips and was startled when Emily mumbled wryly, "I hate sleeping alone."

JJ's eyes snapped up to the ceiling. She knew the feeling…