FF: What the Rain Washes Away 4/13 (Criminal Minds) JJ/Emily NC-17
Chapter Three…
All along the watchtower, princes kept the view
While all the women came and went, barefoot servants too
Outside in the distance, a wild cat did growl
Two riders were approaching
The wind began to howl
If there was one thing the Federal government was good at it was paperwork; there was a form for everything. Including travel requests and reimbursements, which had to be filled out in triplicate and approved by not one, but two supervisors. JJ was beginning to think the $6.99 Denny's Grand Slam just wasn't worth it compared to the headache of filling out the form, but Hotch was a stickler for paperwork. She'd just started sorting receipts when her phone rang.
"Hey, Garcia-"
"-Turn on your TV, now."
"What?"
"Your TV," Garcia ordered frantically. "I just got a system flash saying a raid is taking place in Colorado at Liberty Ranch. It's already on the news."
"But that's where Prentiss and Reid -" JJ flipped on the TV, finding the live feed from a reporter already at the scene.
"Moments ago, state police executed an unsuccessful raid on Liberty Ranch, a compound in La Plata County that is home to the Separatarian Sect-"
"No, no, no…" JJ dropped her desk phone and grabbed her cell phone, hitting speed dial. Emily's phone went straight to voice mail. She hung up and tried Reid's and got no answer as well.
"Authorities are reporting a massive gun battle ensued after storming the property and at least two state police officers have been wounded. Sources also confirm that three Child Social Services investigators were inside the compound when the raid began and have not yet been released."
JJ dropped her phone and ran for the bullpen, calling to Morgan as she picked up the nearest remote and flipped to the news coverage.
"What is being called a routine questions and answers meeting by Colorado Child Services has turned into a violent and deadly standoff between Colorado authorities and a fringe religious group known as the Separatarian Sect-"
"JJ, that's not the ranch where Prentiss and Reid-"
"-They're still inside," JJ answered, her eyes locked on the rough police cruiser footage of the raid.
"Hotch!" Hotchner and Rossi darted out of their offices in alarm, eyes immediately going to the TV. "The TV - Prentiss and Reid."
"It is believed at least three of the child service members are still trapped in the compound-"
As if on cue, every phone in the office started to ring.
"All right, that means we're the lead with hostage rescue and support," Hotch said calmly, despite the cacophony of noise building around him. "Let's go."
"I'll grab my bag. Downstairs in twenty?"
"Ten," Morgan growled, already shutting off his computer and grabbing his gear.
JJ rushed back to her office, grabbing her Go-bag and dialing the number for the ATF's inter-agency liaison, Jeff Mooney. He picked up on the first ring.
"I just heard," Mooney answered without bothering for pleasantries. "I'm gonna have someone's ass for this. AG's office told me there were no ongoing investigations."
"Well, somebody didn't get the memo Jeff," JJ snapped, rushing to shut down her computer and grab her laptop. "What did you tell them?"
"I told them the FBI had been requested to help Child Services investigate allegations of child abuse. That you were sending in two under-cover agents to interview all the children at the school… hold on a second," Mooney said, another phone ringing in the background. She heard him talking to someone else, and then yelling, before something - probably his phone - was slammed against the desk.
"What's going on?"
"That was my contact in the Colorado Justice Department. Guess who's running for Governor next election?"
"Oh, don't tell me."
"The god damn Attorney General."
"And he authorized a raid with two under-cover agents in there?"
"Not sure he knew - seems like that might've gotten lost up the chain. But he definitely knew Child Services was there. Probably figured it would be easier to go in when everyone was distracted and the kids were all in one spot."
JJ cursed. When would politicians learn? Emily was right for hating them so much. "I have to get on a plane. Keep me updated."
"What I hear, you'll hear," Mooney promised.
JJ hung up the phone and took a breath. She heard the reporters words echo in her head… shots fired… violent and deadly standoff… child services workers trapped inside… Were they hurt? Were they dead? There was no more information and she doubted there would be, not until they got to Colorado and established communication with the compound. She knew Emily could handle herself and even though he didn't look like it, Reid could too. But she could still picture the scars on Emily's torso, could still hear the sounds of her screams in the night from dreams that haunted the dark agent. Would this leave scars as well? Would there be anything left at all? She'd already lost her lover once from her own stupidity and it had taken her months for them just to get back to a semblance of their former friendship. Losing Emily now… she couldn't bear the thought.
And wouldn't, she decided, until there was no choice.
They were going to get Emily back; they were going to get Reid, and god help anyone who stood in their way.
*
JJ sipped her tea slowly, swallowing a little at a time. Her head had been killing her for days and this morning her stomach had gotten in on the action. She hadn't thrown up - yet - and she was doing everything she could to avoid it. Going home sick wasn't much of an option when there was a triple murder in Cincinnati to brief the team on and a half-dozen requests from local law enforcement that had just come in by e-mail.
She picked up her tea and case files, standing up just long enough to get dizzy before sitting right back down. She put her head between her legs and weighed the options of throwing up in her trashcan versus trying to make it to the bathroom.
"JJ?" Of course Hotch would be the one to find her. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine... I just need a minute..."
Hotch stepped around the desk, giving her a once over. "You look green. Go home."
"Hotch, I need to brief-"
"I can handle it."
"But-"
"No argument," Hotch said, his tone gentle but firm. "When you're here I need you functioning at a hundred percent. Go home, get some rest, come back fresh tomorrow. If you need to, you can fly out to Cincinnati." JJ nodded slowly, knowing she wasn't going to win. "I'll get Parker to drive you home."
"Thanks, Hotch."
He nodded, not quite smiling. "Feel better."
JJ shook her head, annoyed at herself for being sick even though she'd had no control in the matter. She hated not being there for the team; hated feeling like she'd let them down somehow. She put up her out-of-office reply on her e-mail, made three calls, and grabbed her briefcase. Parker was waiting for her in the bullpen, as was Prentiss.
"Hotch said he was sending you home. You okay?"
"It's not that bad," JJ assured.
Emily's eyes narrowed in concern, knowing JJ was sugarcoating for her. The woman was three shades of green and looked like she might fall over any second. "Is it your head still?"
"My stomach too, now," JJ admitted, smiling ruefully. Damn Prentiss for knowing her so well. "Be safe in Cincinnati, okay?"
"Always am."
JJ wanted to kiss her goodbye, to wrap her arms around the brunette and hold on until the world stopped spinning. Instead, she settled for a smile and a light touch to Emily's shoulder, their look conveying everything that words couldn't. One last smile and she turned to go.
Two hours later she was at home in sweats, a fresh cup of mint tea beside her, her laptop up and running.
Garcia's face smiled back from the webcam screen. "It could be the resolution, my darling, but you still look a little green."
"Shut up," JJ retorted good-naturedly. "I'm at home. I'm taking it easy. I just wanted to check in on the team."
"They were wheels up half an hour ago, bound for that glorious city, Cincinnati, the home of... actually, I don't know anything from Cincinnati."
"That's because there's not."
"Fair point. They won't land for a couple more hours, which means you have plenty of time to nap before your next unauthorized check in with yours truly."
"I can take a hint, Garcia."
"I'm just looking out for you darling. I need my JJ function at WARP speed, okay? All thrusters firing."
"Yeah, I don't know what the hell's wrong with me. I've had this headache for a couple days now and this morning I just got so nauseous. It sucks."
Garcia snorted and couldn't help but tease, "You're not pregnant are you?"
JJ's glare nearly melted the computer. Although no one had come out and said anything it was generally acknowledged there was something going on between JJ and Emily. What it was, what it meant, no one could say - even JJ and Emily. That hadn't stopped Garcia from dropping more than a few hints along the way about U-Haul's. "No."
Garcia cackled, far too pleased with her joke. "Get some rest sweetie, I'll keep an eye on our friends until you're back on your feet."
"Thanks, Garcia."
The computer tech blew her a kiss then closed the screen. JJ shut her laptop.
Pregnant. JJ shook her head, trying to clear away the ridiculousness of that idea, but something stuck, like the idea of an unreachable itch. Once your mind conjured the idea there was no getting rid of it until you'd nearly rubbed your skin raw. The first weekend she and Emily had gotten together had been a turning point, a final realization, and although she couldn't give words to it yet, she'd known enough that she couldn't keep seeing Will. It just wouldn't have been fair. So she'd called, first thing Monday, and listened to the heartbreak in his voice as she'd told him they couldn't see each other anymore.
That had been well over a month before. And she hadn't seen him for two weeks before that...
No.
Even though she was sitting down, the world started to spin again. She bolted for the bathroom, giving in and finally throwing up what little breakfast she'd managed to get down that morning.
No, she told herself. She couldn't be pregnant. Her period wasn't even late...
Except she knew well enough that that didn't always matter.
There was no way she was pregnant, she couldn't be. They'd used protection, taken all the precautions. Except now that she had the thought in her head she knew there was only one way to reassure herself that she really wasn't pregnant. She grabbed her keys and wallet and went to the drug store, cursing Garcia the entire time.
*
She'd bought two different brands to be certain: both tests sat on the counter, one's screen flashing "positive," the other's strip bright pink.
A thousand thoughts raced through her head, not the least of which was how the hell this could have happened. She was one of the few girls to in her hometown to graduate high school, much less do it without being pregnant. Eighteen years of watching girl after girl drop out of high school and go to work at the grocery store or liquor store or bar had made JJ fastidious about birth control.
How the fuck had this happened?
How was she going to tell Emily?
JJ pulled up the lid on the toilet and threw up again, her hands shaking as she braced herself on the counter. When there was nothing left, she slid down the wall to the cool tile floor, wiping away tears she hadn't realized had begun to fall. The world still spun around her, mocking her and the life she'd had in such perfect control up until an hour before.
She didn't know how long she sat on the floor but her muscles protested and ached when she finally got up. She splashed water on her face, rinsed out her mouth, and stared at the mirror. The nausea had subsided; her headache dimmed to a dull throb. The decision was made without even realizing there was a choice to be had.
She walked into the other room and picked up the phone.
"Hi, Will, it's JJ..."
Chapter Four