My Safe Place

Chapter 2:

JJ's POV:

*beep* *be-*
I quickly shut off my alarm, not wanting to wake Will. I don't need anymore confrontation and I most certainly don't need anymore marks that I would have to hide later. I sigh remembering I have to work, but at least it's Friday. I check my arm to see it's still seeping blood. I must have moved during the night and re-opened my wound. I'm not sure how I'll cover it up. I slip on my previously ironed, black jeans on and throw on a v-neck, white t-shirt. I look for my usual grey blazer without any luck of finding it. Great, could this day get any worse?! I definitely have to find a way to cover up my arm now. I'll just have to pray nobody notices it otherwise I'll have to lie. I brush my teeth and comb out my mess of hair. I quickly apply some makeup, covering up my dark under eyes from getting no sleep. I attempt to put makeup on my arm, failing as it starts to sting. I look around for some gauze to use instead. I then slip on a pair of black low cut boots. As I'm walking toward the door I see Will passed out on the couch. I let out a sigh of relief as I hurry out the door before he can wake up. For the entire ride to work I try think of an excuse for my arm.

"I accidentally stabbed my arm when cooking dinner," I'll say.

Not extremely believable, but hopefully it will work. I arrive and hurry up the stairs. When I reach the elevator, I rehearse my lie in my head just in case I'm caught off-guard. Finally, I reach the BAU floor. I walk in to see Reid, Garcia, and Morgan talking in the bullpen.

"Hey guys," I say trying to fake my cheerfulness.

"Hey JJ," I hear them say in unison.

"What happened to your arm?" Spence asks concerned.

I mentally curse myself. I should have known he would be the first person to ask.

"Oh just a minor cooking incident. I accidentally stabbed myself when cooking dinner," I say calmly, rejoicing the fact I had drilled it into my head.

"Damn JJ," Morgan says with a slight grin, "isn't this job dangerous enough?"

I try not to let my smile falter at his grin. It seems to only make last night more painful.

"Yep, I can never escape the danger," I say with a fake laugh, "I definitely never fucking escape the danger" I repeat in my head.

"Well, I wish I could keep talking, but I'm extremely behind on paperwork already. I'll see you guys later," Morgan says as he walks off.

"Yea, I'd better go too," Garcia says as she walk towards her lair.

"JJ, can we talk?" Spence asks in his concerned state.

Fuck. I knew he was going to ask me about my arm. I had always felt that Spence suspected something was going on, but I never knew for sure. Not to mention how observant he is.

"Yea, of course," I say pretending not to know what about.

He takes my arm, the right one, and leads me towards an empty office so no one will disturb us.

"JJ, I can't keep quiet anymore. Everyday I see you, you come in here with more cuts and bruises. I hate to even say this aloud, but is Will... is he the one doing it," he says nervously.

I was about to think of another lie, that was, until I started sobbing. I try to contain it, but I fail. I know my sobbing is a dead giveaway, so I may as well just come clean.

"Yes," I say while weeping, "he- he is."

He looks at me full of sorrow as he pulls me into a hug. He doesn't say anything, just rubs my back as I cry into his chest. As I stand there being held by Spence, I smell his cologne. It's not the overwhelming smell like Will's, but a light scent that you have to look for to smell. I begin to calm down while focusing on it. Focusing on certain smelled always seemed to have a calming effect.

"JJ," he says breaking my thoughts, "can I ask how long this has been going on?"

I think back to the very first time this had happened. It had been going on for awhile, but it had recently gotten worse over the past month.

"About 3 months," I say feeling guilty.

He doesn't answer for a second, which worries me, but eventually he opens his mouth to speak. I pray he doesn't think I'm weak. I don't want him to think less of me or think I can't do my job.

"Make sure to pack your bag when you get home," he says while looking into my glassy eyes.

"W-what," I say trying not to sniffle.

"You can't stay there JJ, it's not safe. I don't want you to get hurt anymore," he says almost with tears in his eyes.

I feel my head beat faster as he explains. I desperately wanted to get out of my situation, but I just didn't know how. I begin to feel as if I should have told him sooner.

"Are you sure," I say not wanting to intrude more than I already have.

"Of course," he says with a slight smile.

I go the whole day thinking about our conversation. I think about all the things that Will had done to me over the past months. If I had just told Spence would I still be in this situation? Could I have avoided all the pain Will had caused? Do I even deserve to be helped? I want to tell Spence all the things Will has done and said, but I feel as if it's too soon. Then I think about how I'm gonna get myself and a bag out the door without being stopped by Will. I get distracted when I smell the scent of Spence's cologne, it gives me peace as I forget my troubles. Then, a thought comes to mind. I'm not falling for Spence again... am I?