Seeking comfort

Chapter 8

JJ was in the bathroom, making sure she had everything in her go-bag before Reid and her went to meet Derek to get the keys to his extra house. She was grabbing her toothbrush that she had left on the counter when she changed her mind. She glanced up and caught her reflection in the mirror. The bruises that decorated her face sickened her. But there was something else that made her stomach turn an extra time. She was running away.

When had she turned into the woman who ran away when there was a problem? She was an FBI agent who was trained with a gun, and she was certain she could take care of herself. Not to mention, the team would have her back through anything. How could she let herself run away and expect things to get any better?

"Reid?" JJ called as she walked from the bathroom to the living room. He was just setting his go-back on the sofa when she came in. He looked up, his hazel eyes open but slightly worried.

"We can't go," JJ said. Reid's brows furrowed but he let her continue without interrupting. He probably knew she needed to get it all out while it was fresh in her mind.

"I'm not this person. I'm not the girl who runs away because somebody hurt her. That's not me, and I don't want to become that person."

Reid's face took on a kind of understanding that she recognized in him, and she knew he understood why she needed to stay.

"Ok. But, you realize that if you wanted to go, it wouldn't make you weak, right?" he asked, clarifying things true to his form. JJ didn't exactly agree with what he said, but she understood why he said it.

"I know. But nothing will ever get better if I run away," she said, shaking her head.

"Ok. Then what do you want to do?" he asked, moving his go-bag to the floor and sitting down on the sofa. JJ walked over and sat next to him, readying the plan in her head.

"First, I want to press charges and get a restraining order," she said, continuing after his approving nod. "Then, I want to go back to work."

There was a small stretch of silence while Reid clearly considered the "going back to work" part. But he knew when there was no point in arguing, and now was one of those instances. She had the hard look that she got in her eyes sometimes when she was determined. It turned her soft blue eyes into steel, and he had always loved how strong she was. Even when there were days on the job that she doubted her abilities, or her strength, he was always there to reassure her and remind her of times. This would be one of the times he would use to reinforce her belief in herself.

"Ok. I'll call Derek," he said, pulling his cell-phone out and dialing the number.

While he talked to Derek, JJ relaxed into the sofa cushions and heaved a sigh of relief. This was better. They would stay here and deal with this head on, just as it should be. JJ's mind wandered off into the steps they would take as Reid's voice filled the silence. Pressing the charges would be easier with the pictures Reid had insisted on taking, and the fact that she was in the FBI would probably-though unfairly-give her a little more pull. The restraining order would be easy too, though she imagined there might be some backlash when Will got served the papers. Next she'd need to start looking for an apartment and at some point go get the rest of her things from her place with Will.

"Everything's sorted out. Derek is going to tell the team what's going on, and then tomorrow we can go in to do the paperwork," he said, setting his phone on the coffee table and smiling at her.

"Why can't we go in today?" JJ asked. It was early enough in the morning, so reasonably there was plenty of time left in the day to get the paperwork done with.

"Are you up for a visitor?" Reid asked, looking slightly guilty. JJ narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why do you ask?"