Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Jennifer! Hey, I just wanted to make sure you had this--hey, JJ, hey--are you okay?” 

Spencer reached his hand out to brush the tear slowly making its way down Jennifer Jareau’s cheek, the file in his hand forgotten. As he rubbed he smeared the thick layer of foundation across her cheek to reveal a deep purple bruise staining her skin. 

Spencer froze. JJ pushed his hand away and turned around toward the elevator. 

“I’m fine, Reid. Just been a long day. I’ve gotta go, I have plans tonight.”

Reid watched her stiff posture, her shoulders gathered up around her head, the way she kind of shrunk when she mentioned plans. 

It hit him with a horrifying clarity why he’d felt things were off with his best friend for months. 

He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to run after her and tell her she was safe, that he’d keep her safe from whoever was doing this to her. Ever since New Orleans… when he had been… but he was better now, he got through it, mostly, he could see his friends again. 

He could see JJ was keeping something from them. 

As someone who knew what it was like to keep dark secrets, he saw it pretty damn clearly. 

He didn’t make a move. His mind was filled with statistics about domestic violence, how to approach, how not to, who to inform, when, everything crowding in on him when a hand firmly pressed into his shoulder and he jerked away. 

“What was that?” Emily Prentiss asked, not letting up on her firm hold while she watched the doors close on JJ’s wan face. Even from here she could spy that purple smear beneath the seriously heavy make-up JJ was not known for wearing. Her skin was perfect without the application of that shit. Emily knew that well enough. 

It had to be the secret boyfriend. 

It looked like Reid had gotten there too. 

He was white-faced and shaking and twitchy and looked like for once he might be the one to punch a hole in the wall Derek Morgan style. 

She waited for him to find his voice and explain the situation. Emily didn’t really need his explanation. She had gotten there herself. She was also ready to punch a hole in the wall. 

Finally Reid let out the breath he’d been holding while he figured out how to approach this delicate situation. 

“JJ’s being abused. She had a bruise on her cheek, she’s been withdrawn and distant for weeks… months… since--”

“New Orleans.”

Emily looked at Spencer hard. Spencer stared at the ground, his foot tapping rhythmically. 

Then he looked up at her. 

“I was still using Dilaudid during that case. I couldn’t stop after Hankel. I didn’t notice what was going on. Did she… did something happen?”

The sorrow and regret was clear in his voice. It was the first time Dr. Reid had ever admitted to anyone on his team that he had been on drugs. He knew they knew. He knew they stood by and did nothing and he was not going to do that to JJ. Even if she ignored him back then. This was somehow different. 

Emily sighed. The guilt welled up. Then she remembered why they had all stayed so quiet. 

“Spencer… I’m sorry we didn’t help you. We didn’t know for sure, not until you took leave… I should have been more--”

“Emily, look, I didn’t want you to know, I kept it to myself. I dealt with it. I’m dealing with it. Right now, I just need help maintaining and if you know, you can help me with that. This thing with JJ? It makes me want to hurt someone. Or myself. So. Can you help me figure this out? Who is hurting her?” Reid asked desperately, staring with those now-haunted eyes at the woman he’d finally come to consider a friend. 

Emily stared at that pretty face masking the genius mind. She was livid herself at the idea of her friend being abused. The woman she’d come to think of as one of her best friends… Christ, one of her only close friends… Those nights after they got back from Georgia when JJ couldn’t sleep alone… Emily thought maybe it would go somewhere but suddenly… Will. 

The idea of any motherfucker laying hands on her friend made her want to empty a clip into the wall but the confirmation Reid just gave her inspired a whole new course of action. 

Reid stood glowering next to her, his eyes distant and fixed on a point somewhere on the wall with that scary look he got when he contemplated the many ways a person can die. 

It was part of his job. Who could blame the guy?

Emily certainly couldn’t. 

She suddenly found herself considering Reid in an entirely new light. 

“Reid.”

He looked up, running his hand through his long hair roughly before he focused on Emily. 

“This guy’s gotta die.”

Reid stared at her impassively for a moment. 

His face passed through a series of wild expressions before they settled on a grim agreement. 

He nodded slowly before he locked his eyes with Emily’s. 

“Pick your poison, Emily.”

Chapter Text

Jennifer Jareau sat in her car quietly for a moment. 

The night lay heavy, crickets chirping, fireflies flickering romantically. 

The moon was full. 

Maybe he’ll be in a better mood after a few days apart. 

Finally, she gathered the courage to open the door. 

Slapped a happy look on her face. 

She felt part of it. 

Will had made her feel so wanted. So treasured. He didn’t argue with her about her job. Or her schedule. He understood the drive. 

It was just… 

“You’re too fucking pretty, Cher. I ain’t gonna let them assholes look at you like that. You like em looking at you? Huh? HUH?’

That first slap she fought back. That first fight she was ready to leave. 

Then the call. 

Then he said he was sorry. 

Told her about the latest local SVU case. The little girls. 

“Will… I’m sorry you had to see that…. God. I’m sorry it happens so close to home… but… you can’t take it out on me. Do it again and I’m gone.”

“I’m so sorry, Cher… I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Can you… god, can you forgive me?”

“If you prove it to me.”

Well. 

Will had certainly proven it to her. 

Here she was. About to come home to the man who pushed her against the wall after backhanding her for showing up late after a night of darts with the team. 

JJ hadn’t been out with them since. 

It hadn’t mattered. 

And somehow here she still was. She couldn’t leave. 

I can’t be alone. I can’t lose him…

The miscarriage didn’t help her feeling of complete dependence. 

“Will! Please, Will, I--I can’t, something’s wrong, I need to go to--ahh--to the hospital.”

“Cher… come on let’s just go to bed, I know what’s happenin’, it’s okay, it’s just not the right time… you don’t want those asshats at the hospital pokin’ you all night? You know what this is… I’m sorry, Jay.”

“W-will. It’s… I don’t want to l-lose it… please…”

“Shhh… Cher you’ll have more… a whole lot more… don’t worry… just breathe, good girl…”

“Will…oh, god, Will…”

“You just breathe Jay, just breathe, you’re so good at breathing through the pain for me, you go this, cher… it ain’t the right time… you’re just not strong enough yet.”

JJ pushed the door open softly while she contemplated just what she was strong enough for. 

Reid saw. I could tell. What if he tells them. What will they do. 

Images of the team storming her little house in Bethesda and dragging Will out by the arms flashed before her eyes. 

Then she shook herself. 

I can’t ever let them know. I’m a damn profiler and I’m letting this guy--

“Cher. You said 10. It’s almost midnight,” came the voice from the darkness of the little living room. 

JJ’s blood froze. She knew she could disable him in a moment with just her hands and her confidence. It was that last bit she’d had chipped away expertely by the man now holding her by the throat. 

“Where were ya, Cherie? Tryna get in that fuckin’ druggie doctor’s pants again? Really wanna fuck a virgin over me? You remember how I make you scream, baby? You just wanna be disappointed? Or maybe,” he pulled hard on JJ’s hair, one hand still fisting around her throat as he pushed her against the wall. JJ gasped and tried not to fight back. That’s how these bruises happened in the first place. 

Will usually only hit her where no one could see the evidence. 

Places she didn’t want anyone to see. 

Usually… how did this happen so fast… why do I just let him, OH

Will gathered her hair into a knotted fist and pulled her head back until her throat was straining and he could read her rapid pulse as it beat beneath her smooth skin. She felt him laugh mirthlessly when she felt her pants fall and that hard, ruthless member press up against her. 

“Maybe it was that bitch you told me you made out with, yer fuckin’ slut of a friend… thinks she’s such hot shit. Well. Yer mine, Cher. MIN--”

“I’d rethink that statement if I were you, asshole.”

Will froze, his hands still pushing JJ’s slacks down, his own around his ankles already. 

“I believe you might have misunderstood how the Behavioral Analysis Unit functions, Detective.” 

JJ opened her tear-filled blue eyes. She couldn’t believe her ears for a moment before the shame fell down on her. 

They’re here. Oh god, Why here? Why, what--

Will let her go and backed away, finally registering the looks on the two figures approaching with violence. 

“Hey--I am not the bad guy here. Tell them, JJ, you wanted to be with me, ever since we met--Come on, Cher, come on---”

JJ looked down at him from her place in Reid’s protective arms at the cowering man who had caused her so much silent pain. 

"JJ... did he hurt you?" Reid asked, staring down at the man he wanted to kick in the balls already. 

JJ stared. Thought for a long moment. Remembered the little clot of cells she could have kept if she had just gone to the hospital. With or without Will. 

Did she have the will to keep going without him?

Reid's arms held her tight. Emily kept glancing back to find her eyes and make sure she was present. 

Maybe she would one day. 

JJ nodded jerkily before she buried her face in Spencer's neck and he held her up. 

Emily merely walked forward and pressed a foot slowly down on the throat of the man who hurt her friend.

JJ. He hurt JJ. 

“When I tell you, you’re going to get up and walk. Idiot. You could have been with someone great. how about we go out to talk about it?”

Will nodded throatily. He couldn’t really breathe as Emily’s steel-toed Samson boots pressed harder against his esophagus. 

Emily smiled. Looked at her babes. Spencer had JJ wrapped in the kind of hug that said anything, I love you and Emily knew she was gone. 

Instead of letting the assfuck escape into the arms of the locals who would slap his wrist and send him right back home… she invited him to join them for a very long drive. 

She let her boot rise and come to stand next to his face instead of on it. 

Will looked up at her and spit out a little blood from his bruised mouth. His eyes found JJ and darkened as he started to sit up. Reid turned JJ away and glared at him. 

Emily watched. She felt a rush of rage. Then. A quiet question arose within her. 

“Will? That’s your name, right. I don’t really remember.”

“Yeh. William LaMontagne. That’s my girl you’re letting that fucked up faggot tweaker manhandle,” he snarled while he pulled at the zipties on his wrists. 

He counted the seconds til they tried to book him and the locals stepped in. He’d be out before dawn. He was a cop. These FBI assholes were idiots at heart. They couldn’t legally hold him. JJ would never tell. He looked at her again. Glared at the skinny little queer holding her like he was some hero. 

Spencer merely narrowed his eyes before he turned to watch Emily. 

Give him the first part, Em.

Will was on his knees, his hands raised half-heartedly like he didn’t think it was really necessary. Like it was all a show. 

Emily felt her blood run colder. She stared down at him for a moment before she glanced at her partner in this ultimate crime. 

Yeah?

Reid’s eyes rolled. 

Yeah. 

Prentiss moved forward to stroke the basset-hound eyes of the man who had somehow taken over her best friend… the woman she wanted more with… the woman who did not deserve the kind of life she might get with this motherfucker. 

“You fucked with a baby of the BAU, asshole. This is going to hurt.”

While Emily softly inserted a syringe into the throat of the idiot who knelt before her she simultaneously drove her knee into his groin. The dual experiences caused the man to double over. JJ screamed. Reid held her back. 

Emily rose. 

"Let’s go. He’ll be dead in twenty minutes. No one will be here until morning. Our prints are already everywhere, Reid, did you--”

“Yep. Looks like we got abducted. I had fun wrecking your apartment. Mine was sad. I did not enjoy doing what I did to those books. JJ… hey…. It’s over. Okay?” 

Reid tried to tilt JJ’s chin up. 

She wouldn’t stop crying .

Reid sighed. Looked at Emily. Emily told him to try again. 

He did. 

“JJ… you will have that family again. If I have to promise to be your ‘baby daddy’ when we hit forty I’m okay with that. Mostly because I know you won’t ever be alone. You’re too wonderful. And also you can be a bitch. Hold on to that….” 

JJ only looked up when Spencer said “bitch”. 

“Yeah... You think… it’ll all be okay?”

Spencer sighed and looked to Emily who glanced at her watch. 

Emily caught his eye. JJ leaned harder against him for comfort. 

“It will all be okay, Jayje. Cuz… the guy who did this to you has got die. He already is dying. It's time to, uh, go." 

JJ registered her friends moving her until she sat in a car and watched the lights recede as the city disappeared in the background. 

He was dead. 

By now at least. 

And here she was. With her two favorite people. 

This could be great. 

JJ teared up a little before she got it out. 

"Thank you, guys."