Smoke Signals

29

I walked down a dark alley with JJ, gun in hand. She stood in inch away from me, both wanting to protect each other as much as possible. We knew this was where the unsub stakes out. "Do you see anything?" JJ whispered.

"No." She turned around quickly.

"Behind you!" I felt a blunt object hit the side of my head and I fell over. I heard the sound of grunting as JJ pushed him against a wall forcefully and put him in handcuffs. I groaned as pain exploded in my head. "Are you ok?" She rushed to my side as Reid and Morgan came onto the scene, taking the unsub away. "Babe?"

"I'm so great." I said, sitting up as my ears started to ring. "What was that?"

"A baseball bat."

"Fuck." I rubbed my temple, realizing it was on the side of my drooping eyelid.

"You might have a concussion, let me carry you, ok?" I nodded, starting to get dizzy. She picked me up bridal style and took me to the car. "We're gonna go to the hospital." She told me. I nodded.

"Wait!" I reached my head out the window and barfed. "Ok, now we can go." I groaned in pain as JJ rushed to the hospital.

"You have a tiny fracture in your cranium, nothing we can't fix, but you will have to be here for two nights, ok?" My doctor said. "Also, your nerve endings are damaged."

"I know. They've been like that."

"How long?" She asked, looking at her charts.

"15 years." I mumbled. The whole team was standing around me and I was so grateful for their support.

"Oh." Was all she said. "Well...I'll update you when we have any updates, ok?" I nodded and she left. I moved over on the bed and patted the spot next to me. JJ smiled and got onto the bed next to me.

We had never been super touchy in front of the team but I was in pain and JJ was the only one who could make me feel better.

I cuddled into her side and rested my head on her chest. She put her arm around my waist and stroked my hair with her other hand. Penelope's hands covered her mouth. "They're so cute." That caused Morgan to laugh. I smiled and JJ kissed my forehead.

"I'm sleepy." I whispered to her.

"Ok angel, relax, ok?" I nodded and took a deep breath, melting into her. "She wants to sleep." She said quietly to the team. I heard their footsteps quiet down and then the door closed. I let out my breath and JJ kissed my forehead again. "You doing ok?"

"Hurts."

"I'm sorry baby."

"It's kinda funny how we didn't hear him coming." I said with a soft laugh.

"But you got hurt." I shrugged.

"Not the worst thing that's happened to me." I could sense her frown and I hugged her tighter.

"Just got some rest my love." I nodded and tilted my head up to kiss her throat before we fell asleep in each others arms.

I woke up with a dull ache in my head. I groaned and rolled off of JJ but almost rolled off of the bed. I grabbed onto her arm quickly for support, waking her up. "What the hell?" She sat up and put ber hand over her chest. "Jesus christ babe you scared me."

"Sorry. Almost fell off the bed." She laughed.

"My head hurts."

"Want to ask the doctors for more painkillers?" I shook my head.

"I'm a big girl. I can take it." I sat up and leaned back against the pillows. She frowned slightly.

"I don't want you to be in pain baby."

"It's fine." I rubbed my eye and winced.

"Want me to kiss it better?"

"Yeah but it's just going to hurt." She sighed and I rested my head on her shoulder gently, trying not to put too much pressure on the hurt area. "Did my head really look that much like a baseball?"

"The jokes a little late sweetheart."

"Damn." She chuckled softly and put her arm around my shoulders. "Thank you for staying here with me...for not going back with the rest of the team."

"You're my girlfriend. Of course I'm going to stay with you. Plus, I knew you would miss your one and only snuggle buddy too much." I laughed and she kissed the top of my head.

"I would. It wouldn't be bearable." She laughed and stroked my hair.

"I hope you feel better soon angel."

"Me too...I love you."

"I love you more."