Emily grinned at them both happy for even the briefest
lighthearted moment.  The lights
flickering, brought her back to the here and now.

“JJ…”

“I know Em…he’s here isn’t he?”  There was no hesitation in her voice, just a
grim determination.  She had killed his
father, without hesitation and she knew he was prepared to do the same to
her.  Emily nodded, watching her reaction
carefully.

“So what’s the plan?” Smiling, that’s when she knew JJ
really was feeling a bit better.  The
forward thinking was classic JJ, on to the task at hand.

“We have uniformed officers on this floor and the sixth
floor where Jane is.  Morgan and Frost
are on this floor with me and Reid and Rossi are on their way to the sixth
floor.  I expect Hotch and Korsak will be
headed that way too.”

JJ attempted to shift herself in the bed, only to let out a
grunt of pain. “Whoa, little one” Garcia chastised, “where do we think we’re
going?”

“Nowhere Pen” she said through gritted teeth.

“Jayje honey? Please stop…I…” How could she explain herself,
she didn’t let anyone see her with her defenses down, but watching JJ move and
causing herself pain was causing her
pain.

JJ looked into Emily’s eyes and saw a sadness she hadn’t
seen in some time, “Hey Pen, do you mind giving us a minute?”

Garcia looked from one woman to the other and stood up
sensing the heaviness in the room, she bowed graciously “your wish is my
command miladies.” Smiling she walked out leaving the two women with some
privacy.

Raising an eyebrow at her girlfriend, JJ waited for Emily to
speak.  She obviously had something she
needed to say.  “Em?”

She didn’t know what to say, so she took a deep breath “Do
you know how I felt when we found you in that basement? She said quietly. “I
thought you were dead…for that brief moment…I was dead…do you understand?”

JJ watched her partner intently.  Emily was never one to voice her emotions so
it surprised her to hear the intensity of her feeling and the words. “I love
you Jennifer, with everything that I am, I’m here because of you.  Your love, your understanding, your
willingness to let me be me in spite of how awful that can be sometimes.  I want to love you and protect you forever
and…I couldn’t this time…I’m sorry…I’m sorry I wasn’t there…when you hurt I
hurt” The tears running slowly down her face echoed the depth of emotion she
felt for JJ.