Shock And Awe

Time Will Tell

A/N: Please note that other triggering content (self-harm and suicide will be discussed) throughout the story. Please be forewarned and take precautions if these are troubling for you.

I just wanted to thank everyone for the votes. Reviews would be great too! My muse and I both would appreciate it. This is still, as of now, planned to be a fairly long, multi-part story, but if you all aren't into it...I'll wrap it up before too long.

And remember...reviews and votes keep me and my muse motivated...especially if they are positive!!!

I hope you enjoy this latest chapter...Now on with the show!!!

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"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." ~ Kahlil Gibran

"We sleep, but the loom of life never stops, and the pattern which was weaving when the sun went down is weaving when it comes up in the morning." ~ Henry Ward Beecher
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Chapter 17

"What do you mean? What secrets are you talking about? What happened to you?" I gently inquire.

"Let me ask you a question first, Em." JJ replies.

I nod in response.

"Do you think I'm pretty?" JJ asks.

"What? Why would you ask me that?" I reply.

"Just answer the question, Em...please." JJ replies.

"Of course you are...you are the most beautiful woman I've ever met. Now will you tell me why you asked me a question like that?" I reply.

"Would you still think I was pretty...if...if I had scars?" JJ asks meekly.

Oh God...I don't think I like where this conversation is going. Either my "lake injury" story wasn't good enough and she figured out what I've been doing...or something bad happened to her. I hate the thought of her being hurt...but I don't want her to know about me either...damn it...now what am I going to say?

"What do you mean...if you had scars?" I inquire.

"I mean...if I had scars, would you still think I was pretty...or to use your words...the most beautiful woman you'd ever met?" JJ replies.

"Of course I would. You're beautiful because of what's on the inside just as much...if not more...than what's on the outside. Why are you asking me these questions?" I ask again.

Why do I feel like I'm being set up?

"For a couple of reasons. The first one is because one of the secrets I kept from you was that I was in an explosion while you were in Paris...and it left me with several scars."

"An explosion! What? Where did this happen? Why didn't you tell me? Were you seriously hurt? You seem okay now...did you end up with any permanent medical issues?" I fire off in rapid succession.

Oh God...she was hurt...why the Hell didn't she tell me? I was so wrapped up in my own stuff she probably didn't think she could. Damn it. I should've been there for her. How stupid could I have been? Not everything is about me after all.

"It's a long story...and I'll tell you all about it later. The short version is that I was hurt in an explosion while you were in Paris. I didn't tell you about it because we really haven't had much time to talk since you've been back. For the most part, I am fine now. I do have a few medical issues that I still have to deal with, but it's nothing major. I promise I'll explain it all later, but that wasn't why I brought it up. I brought it up for a specific reason, Em." JJ explains.