Gentle Hands

Five

"Derek I know you're upset that Hotch won't let you work the case with us but you have to eat something.." JJ said, pushing a take out container towards him.

"I don't know how many times I've gotta tell you Jayge, I'm not hungry..if anything I feel like I'm gonna be sick." Derek sighed, rubbing at his eyes viciously.

Derek was exhausted.

It had been over 38 hours since he had last slept.

But thanks to the amount of stress he was under, he didnt even realize how tired he was.

"The reason you feel sick, is because you haven't eaten anything in days Derek." JJ said worriedly.

"Maybe at least try some dumplings? I know how much you love them."

"I TOLD YOU I'M NOT HUNGRY JENNIFER!" Derek shouted, slamming his hand down onto the wooden coffee table in front of him.

JJ blinked, her jaw clenched.
She didn't expect Derek to shout at her.

"I..um..I'm sorry Derek I shouldn't have pushed you..if you're not hungry then you're not hungry."

Derek sighed closing his eyes, feeling horrible for shouting at his friend when all she wanted to do was help.

"I'm sorry JJ.." he said softly, his tone low and sad.

"I just..this is all too much. My emotions are scattered all over the place."

JJ shook her head and set Derek's food
aside.

"No,..Derek there's no need to apologize. I can't imagine what you're going through.."

Derek frowned at her and fell back against the cushions of the couch.

"Still..I shouldn't have raised my voice at you.."

JJ got up from the chair she was sitting on and sat down next to Derek on the couch.

"Morgan..I promise you that were going to do everything we can to help Spencer okay? We will not rest until we're sure he's alright. Until we find out what happened to him." JJ promised, placing a gentle hand on Derek's knee.

"I know.." he said quietly, refusing to look at her.

"I just..I wish I could be in there with him..I want him to know he's safe." Derek croaked, JJ could tell he was crying.

"Derek I know you mean well..we all do. But Spencer..he's too traumatized to have any visitors right now. The doctors are worried he might become violent to protect himself." JJ explained.

Derek inhaled sharply, trying to fight back any more tears that threatened to come out.

He wiped his eyes and slowly turned to JJ.

"What happened to him Jayge?" He asked.

************************************
"You can come in. But right now we sedated him, so he's going to be out for awhile, especially considering how exhausted he was." A tall, gray haired man said, leading Emily and Rossi into the hospital room.

"My God.." Emily gasped seeing Spencer's beaten body lay still in the hospital bed.

Out of all the cases she had worked she had never seen someone beaten so horribly and survive.

She examined his body, her eyes scanning over the scars and bruises up and down his legs and arms.

She frowned seeing how sunken in his cheeks were.

He was attached to multiple machines, and there were so many wires sticking out of him that Emily was unable to count them.

Emily swallowed, feeling sick to her stomach.