The Usual Rules

Chapter 32

Morgan came back about half an hour latter with breakfast, Reid, Garcia and Rossi in tow. Emily and Rachel dug into the food happily. Even JJ seemed a little relieved to eat something other than jello; though she kept eyeing their coffee longingly. Rachel kept looking over at Emily every few seconds to make sure her mother was alright, Emily knew this and was doing her very best to appear alright. Rachel had taken her spot on the bed next to JJ's right side and decided not to leave until JJ could. When she thought Emily or the team wasn't looking, she tried to sneak JJ sips of coffee.

"Rachel!" Emily laughed as she caught her daughter's third attempt.

"I did not tell her to." JJ said quickly, causing everyone to laugh.

"Selling out your own kid Jayje?" Garcia joked. Rachel pouted and JJ gave her a kiss while Emily took the coffee away. The group pulled out some cards and Reid and Rossi decided to teach Rachel how to play poker. She wasn't very good at it, but she paid close attention and was determined to get it eventually. Emily smirked at JJ at the notion of their daughter gambling and simply shook her head. Hopefully, she'd never get the hang of it. They spent the rest of the day watching movies, talking, joking, playing board games, card games and simply enjoying each other's company. JJ fell asleep a couple of times, even though she tried very hard not to. Her attention had been focused solely on her wife, knowing she was not alright. As the day wore on, JJ woke up in time for lunch and Garcia and JJ joked about this and that while Morgan and Emily sat silently sipping their coffees in the corner.

"You wanna talk about it?" Morgan asked, almost sure he would receive a no.

"Not really."

"Its not as big a deal as your making it out to be Emily."

Emily glared at him. "I hurt my kid Derek. Something I promised never to do, to me it is a very big deal."

Morgan sipped his coffee silently for a moment, then took a risk he knew he might regret later. "Prentiss and I are going for a walk, we'll be back by dinner." He announced. Before Emily had the chance to protest, he snatched her hand and hauled her out of the room.

"Derek! I'm not leaving, JJ needs..."

Morgan cut her off. "JJ is fine Emily. She was hurt yeah, but she's fine, better than fine, she's good except for worrying about you when she should be relaxed and trying to heal her body. You are the one who's not good. So we're gonna take a walk, Garcia, Reid and Rossi are all in there, they are capable adults and can make sure JJ gets anything she needs; which really is just company."

"Derek..."

"No, come on, we're going to a gym and your gonna punch the shit out of a bag, then chill out, take a shower cause really you're starting to smell a little." He smirked and Emily punched him, smiling herself despite her frustration. "And then we'll go back to your family. They're both okay Prentiss, nightmares are just that, nightmares. Yeah, JJ's gonna be sore for a while, but she is gonna be back to perfectly healthy and happy if you chill out. I know you're protective, its one of your best qualities but also your worst. You take it too far Prentiss, you bottle it all up and don't take care of yourself. You're supposed to put the mask on yourself before you help anyone else."

"I just...Derek, I was so scared when she was laying there. I know she's alright now, but I keep seeing her laying on the ground and bleeding when I close my eyes. And Rachel...she was afraid of me. I...I made my daughter afraid of me, how can I just forget that?"

"Because she did." Morgan said simply.

"What?" Emily asked as they climbed into the car. Morgan drove to where he had seen a gym a few blocks away.