Disclaimer: see chapter 1

A/N: Thanks to everyone who read, favorited, followed, and especially to those who reviewed! I wasn't expecting such an enthusiastic response, so genuinely again, thank you.

We pick up from the previous chapter, in which Prentiss has just received the same information that the BAU did, i.e. she knows that JJ set up The Rottweiler's brother's murder but not the circumstances surrounding it.

"Why..." Prentiss trailed off as she stared at the young blonde in front of her. "Why would you do that?"

"The Rottweiler was going to kill you," JJ replied. This reaction, this was why had declined Emily's offer to rest first. She figured she owed Emily an explanation. She figured correctly.

"What?" Emily had never felt so off-footed in her life.

"I may not work in intelligence anymore, but I still hear things. Interpol had been pursuing him for years, and then you took over the London office, and suddenly… You were getting too close, messing up too many things for him. The Rottweiler was going to put out a hit on you, and a contact warned me about it."

Emily's stare continued as she tried to process JJ's words. "So you killed an innocent man?"

"I didn't kill him," JJ hedged. "I just set up –"

"I don't care who pulled the trigger," Emily snapped, standing suddenly to alleviate her excess energy. She began to pace. "Did you even think this through?"

JJ's eyes followed her. "It took your minds off each other. With The Rottweiler focused on I Cavelli Neri, they were taking each other out. I can't say there wasn't collateral damage, but overall, they've done more to each other than the civilian population. Em, I did think it through."

Emily noticed the effects of their intense conversation on JJ. She had gotten paler, though Emily wouldn't have thought that possible, and her breathing had grown quicker and shallower. A slight sheen of sweat had reappeared on her forehead. In the heat of moment, her worry transformed into anger.

"Except for the part where The Rottweiler is now trying to kill you?!" As Prentiss spoke, she got progressively louder until she was nearly shouting the last few words

JJ remained unapologetic. "But he won't be killing you."

"Damn it, JJ..." Prentiss exhaled. It was thoughtful of her best friend to look out for her, but it just didn't feel right. In no universe was it acceptable for JJ to lay down her life in exchange for her own. Not to mention, she had less to lose. "I don't have a family to leave behind!"

"But you do," JJ contradicted sharply, her blue eyes burning with conviction. "The BAU's your family. Always will be. I won't apologize for looking out for you."

Shaking her head, Prentiss turned away until JJ's quiet voice stopped her.

"And I won't lose another sister."

Touched by the declaration, Emily's eyes met JJ's. "Well I'm not losing you either."

JJ smiled softly, and Emily sat on the bed next to her even though there wasn't much room.

As JJ leaned into her, Emily asked, "So what's the plan, maestro? Tell me have you didn't set this all up without a plan."

"Are you ready?" Emily asked, her finger hovering over the call button of the burn phone she'd acquired while JJ had napped.

JJ nodded, and Emily pressed call and activated the speakerphone.

They both smiled when a familiar voice answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, PG," Emily greeted, and immediately a cacophony of sounds emitted from the speaker.

"Emily!" Garcia screeched, the skyrocketing pitch a sign of her accumulated stress. "I've got the team plus an Agent Parker Jackson of the CIA and –"

"Ma'am," Lesley Bullmore's voice cut through.

Emily's brow furrowed. "Lesley, if you're there, who the hell is running our office?"

"I didn't leave Andy in charge if that's what you're worried about," Bullmore quipped.

Andy was a well-meaning, though sometimes daft junior agent.

"Where's JJ? Is she all right?" Hotch cut in, getting to the topic he and the rest of the BAU were more interested in.

"Right here, Hotch," JJ replied with a smile, though they couldn't see it.

"Good to hear your voice, Jareau," Parker said.

"Hey, Parker," JJ greeted.

"Are you two okay?" Morgan asked.

"I've seen better days, but we're all right," JJ reassured them.

"Where are you?" Reid asked.

Emily and JJ exchanged glances, and the former responded, "I'd rather not say."

"Emily, we can help," Morgan insisted.

"Since you have Parker and Bullmore there, I'm guessing you've already been briefed on the situation," JJ said. Rossi confirmed her supposition, so she continued, "Emily and I do have a plan."

"You're not going to like it," Emily said immediately. At JJ's look, she added, "I don't like it. What makes you think they will?"

"Well you agreed to it, didn't you?"

"Not like I had much of a choice," Emily shot back. Then she whispered into the phone with a faux-conspiratorial tone, "She's really stubborn."

JJ rolled her eyes. "Uh, hello, pot calling kettle black."

"The plan," Hotch said sternly to prevent continued bickering.

"JJ wants to use herself as bait, lure The Rottweiler out," Emily said, and as she predicted, the BAU voiced their disapproval.

"There's got to be another way," Morgan said. "Give us time, and we can find him."

Bullmore was less optimistic. "The Rottweiler's slippery. It would take months or years of concentrated effort."

"Exactly," Emily agreed. "And I'd rather get this done with sooner than later. I'll feel better about all this when we get JJ to a hospital."

"You said you were all right, JJ," Reid said with a hint of accusatory concern. It was obvious from the video and the crime scene that she had been shot, but he had hoped it was more along the lines of a flesh wound.

JJ shot Emily a glare. She hadn't wanted to worry the team any more than necessary. "What's important is that we get The Rottweiler into custody. Emily's build up a good case against him, so once we have him, it should be a sure conviction."

"Assuming he doesn't escape custody," Parker said.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," JJ replied. "In the meantime, let's finalize the details of the plan."

"They should be here any minute now," Emily said, looking down at her watch.

She and JJ were in an abandoned boat shed waiting for The Rottweiler and subsequently the BAU to show up. The latter, along with Bullmore and Parker, were hidden around the perimeter waiting for the right time to emerge.

A few minutes later, the doors opened with a bang as The Rottweiler and his three guns for hire stormed in. Emily immediately stood and aimed her gun at The Rottweiler, whereas JJ didn't bother, remaining seated and watching the scene unfold.

The Rottweiler smirked and made his way to JJ. "You might as well drop the weapon, Agent Prentiss. You're outgunned."

"Not for long," Emily retorted, and on cue, the BAU, Parker, and Bullmore entered behind them.

It was Emily's turn to smirk, and she threw The Rottweiler's words back at him, "You might as well drop the weapon, Richardson. You're outgunned."

The Rottweiler's guns for hire looked to him for a cue, but he seemed to have no intention of relinquishing.

"I think not," he said calmly, keeping his gun on JJ. "If I die, I take Jareau with me."

"How about the rest of you?" Morgan asked the henchmen, pressing his gun into the back of one of their heads to make a point. "The rest of you willing to die for this?"

The three guns for hire surrendered their weapons and were escorted out by Morgan, Rossi, and Blake. The rest of the team remained.

JJ looked up at The Rottweiler lazily after the six left. "You won't see your brother this way," she said, her voice taunting.

"Of course not, you killed him!" The Rottweiler snarled, lifting her from the chair with his free hand and slamming her forcefully into the wall. Everyone else tightened their grips on their guns and prepared to shoot if necessary.

"Did I?" she asked weakly, hands moving to her gunshot wound where blood had started to seep through her shirt. She was glad Emily had insisted she take her pain medication before arriving.

The Rottweiler stared at her. His grip slackened.

"Oops, I thought I hid him away." JJ slid down the wall, the sight of The Rottweiler's gun following. Her eyes still met his defiantly. "I try to make a habit of sparing the innocent ones."

"You're lying," said The Rottweiler.

Behind him, Reid, Hotch, Parker, and Bullmore all exchanged glances, as if trying to glean from each other whether or not what JJ was saying was true. Emily looked slightly surprised but didn't react very much.

The corner of JJ's lips quirked upwards, making her look incredibly smug. "If you're really going to kill me, then this is my last 'up yours'."

"I don't believe you," The Rottweiler growled.

JJ reached a shaking hand into her pocket and retrieved the burn phone. "Why don't I call him?"

The Rottweiler didn't respond, and JJ dialed the number from memory.

"Hello?"

The Rottweiler's eyes widened upon hearing the familiar voice.

JJ considered hanging up - she had gotten what she wanted; The Rottweiler had recognized his brother's voice - but she was also aware that it might not be enough. He might think it a simple recording or something of the sort, and she needed him to be absolutely convinced.

"Jason, it's Agent Jareau."

There was a brief pause, then, "Agent Jareau, is something wrong?" He sounded worried.

"No," JJ said quickly. "I'm sorry. I know this isn't the usual protocol."

Jason sighed in relief. "It's okay. Uh, what can I do for you?"

JJ glanced up at The Rottweiler to check if that was enough, but he seemed too stunned to make demands. "Just checking in."

They could hear a voice in the background, and Jason called out, "One second, babe! Sorry about that, Agent Jareau. Did you need something in particular?"

JJ's eyes widened. She recognized the background voice as Jason's new girlfriend but didn't want to divulge anything more than necessary to The Rottweiler. She was trying to keep Jason safe in his new life after all. "No. That's it for now. Bye!"

And with that she quickly hung up.

"Give it up, Richardson," Emily said, looking over worriedly at JJ. "I think that proved you have something to live for."

"I want to see him," The Rottweiler demanded.

"I can't guarantee you anything," JJ warned him. "I'll leave that up to Jason, and he wasn't exactly unwilling to leave you behind."

The Rottweiler frowned but relinquished his weapon all the same. Bullmore quickly placed him in handcuffs, and she and Parker decided to take him to a CIA safehouse that the latter offered up, where they could wait until it was time to transport The Rottweiler back to England.

JJ tried struggling to her feet, but Hotch gently picked her up and carried her to an SUV outside. Emily quickly got into the backseat and helped him ease JJ into a comfortable position. Hotch and Reid got into the front, the former in the driver's seat, and they were off to the hospital.

"You could have told me about Jason," Emily said as JJ settled into her.

JJ smiled shyly. "I guess I've grown to like my secrets."

Emily nodded with understanding but then grew stern. "Never do that again. Do you understand me?" When JJ merely sighed, she reiterated more forcefully, "Do you understand?"

"You gonna promise me you'll stop pissing off bad guys?" JJ asked cheekily.

"I'm serious, Jayje," Emily said, using her very serious Special Agent in Charge voice. "I'm grateful, but this can't happen again."

For a moment, JJ felt like a child getting lectured by her older sister. Looking down at her hands, she nodded dejectedly.

Then a thought occurred to her.

"Wait. You can't just tell me off like that."

"You said we're a family, right?" Emily smiled down at her, and JJ found the grin uncomfortably saccharine.

"Yeah, but -"

"And I'm the older sister, right?"

"Yeah, but -"

"See? Older sister's prerogative."

"No, that's not how -"

"That's exactly how this works," Emily said, smile now triumphant.

JJ glared up at her with annoyance and whined:

"Hotch!"

fin

Thanks for reading and happy holidays, everyone!