A/N

Ava's little fic is definitely a hard one to follow, isn't it? If you haven't read it yet, go! Now! First Chapter! Click that button! Hopefully someone will be feeling generous and leave moi a little review too? I'd love to know what you guys think!

~Cara (one half of The Instincts; Amplified.)

The Rose That Wept

(An 'A Rose Once Grew' one-shot)

A wail filled the BAU. It was such an odd sound it immediately had everyone looking around for the source of the noise.

No one expected to find this.

The usually poised and immaculately dressed Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer Jareau was standing at the doors of the BAU, looking nothing like her regular calm and collected self. Her hair was thrown up into a ponytail, which was in the process of falling down, leaving strands of it pasted to her grey ashen face. Henry, although young, could tell that something was wrong and voicing this opinion on the situation.

JJ wandered into the bullpen, oblivious to the worried stares she was receiving. Her attention was complete focused on the light coming from the office above them.

Coming closer to the desks of her it team it was only than everyone realised, something was very wrong.

Reid approached her carefully, "JJ what's… what's wrong? Has something happened?"

JJ handed the young genius the still shrieking toddler.

The extremity of the situation fully hit the team - JJ's hands were covered in blood. Fresh blood.

Morgan grabbed the young blonde's arm. "Hey, hey, hey JJ. Stop. What happened?" Noticing the amount of blood, he automatically reached for his gun.

The liason didn't wait. Immediately after handing over her baby, she threw off Morgan's hand and was heading towards the office of BAU Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner. She didn't bother knocking, instead choosing to walk straight in.

After one glance, Hotch was on his feet and rushing to her side.

"JJ, whose blood is that?" He led her shaking form to the visitor's chair before crouching down beside her.

'It's my fault Hotch. I'm armed. Heck I'm frickin' FBI, and it's him? How is that right? It should have been me, if Henry hadn't woken up it would have been me."

"JJ slow down a second. What happened?"

"He's gone Hotch. Will's gone." She looked at her hands before rubbing them together in the hope that it might remove the blood.

"Come on," Hotch said. Taking her hand he eased her up out of the chair and led her to the door. They walked through the bullpen, the objects of everyone's gaze.

He squeezed her hand in reassurance.

Finally reaching the bathroom, JJ turned to him, still in a trance-like state. "What are… what are we doing here?"

"We need to clean your hands." Hotch stated simply, pushing open the door to the ladies.

"You can't go in there Hotch, it's the ladies' restroom."

"I'm a rebel, JJ," he replied, gently pushing her in.

Prentiss hurried into the bullpen. "I saw JJ's car outside - why is there blood on Henry's shirt?"

"That's what we've been trying to figure out Emily." Reid sighed. "He's not physically hurt. So the blood -"

"Definitely came from JJ." Morgan nodded.

"Whoa! Wait, what?" Emily exclaimed dumping her bag on her desk.

"JJ wandered in here with Henry about 10 minutes ago. She gave Reid the little man and vanished up to Hotch's office."

"-and Henry won't stop crying!" declared the genius in frustration.

"Here give him to me," Emily offered.

"Gladly," Spencer muttered, handing him over.

The brunette rocked the toddler gently. "What happened, hmmm? What happened to you and mommy?"

Henry looked up at her, his eyelashes stuck together, his face still damp with tears. He reached for a lock of her hair to play with before mumbling, "Da da da…"

JJ stood in front of the sink, seeming confused as to what she was meant to do.

Hotch sighed before rolling up his sleeves and turning on the tap for her. He pushed her hands under the running water and said,

"Start from the beginning."

"JJ, think about it. There's no need to bring it. We're going to the zoo, not on a raid. You don't need your gun."

"Yes, I do. What if something happens or if I get called for a case? I'd have to come back and get it and then…"

"Darlin', bring it if it makes you feel better, but you're not going to need it at the zoo… unless a chipmunk attacks you!" Will teased as JJ poured them both coffee.

She sat on the counter, next to the toaster as Will opened a pack of pop tarts.

"It does," she said, sticking out her tongue.

"Jennifer! he said seeming outraged, his eyes twinkling with his suppressed smile, "you're meant to be the adult. Miss FBI, mother…"

"Future Mrs LaMontagne." she giggled, fluttering her eyes.

"I'll hold you to that!" Will smiled, before leaning in to kiss her.

"I gotta go get ready," JJ sighed. She looked down at her current ensemble; yoga pants and an FBI t-shirt. Her hair was in a ponytail, she hadn't had time to do anything else with it.

"And don't say I look beautiful as I am." she mock threatened, hopping off the counter-top.

"What if it's true?" he asked.

"You are -" she was interrupted by the whimpering of a hungry baby.

" - so lucky." she finished with a giggle.

"I found you didn't I?" he called as she headed up the stairs.

She laughed.

Seeing Henry standing up in his cot, she picked him and swung him around before settling him on her hip.

"So buddy, you wanna go to the zoo? Yeah? Me too!"

She set him into the playpen. "Momma's going to go get ready, and then once we've all had some breakfast, we can head off, how's that sound?"

JJ put the combination into the safe and just as she picked up her gun she heard glass shattering and a thud.

She knew better then to call out.

Instead she headed cautiously down the hallway, pausing only to shut Henry's bedroom door.

Hearing a gunshot, she hurried to the kitchen. She knew she would never forget the scene before her.

Will was lying on the floor, a pool of blood forming around him. A tall man was standing above him, gun limp in his hand.

Hearing her footsteps, the man turned around, alarm in his eyes. "Lady I'm sorry. I thought you'd all be in bed. I didn't mean to hurt -"

Excuses meant nothing to her anymore; she stared back at him with hard, unfeeling eyes.

"Please, Mrs. I-"

Bang.

She dropped on her knees next to Will. "You need to keep your eyes open. Keep talking to me -"

"JJ, I know, I've done this before. Granted I wasn't the one on the ground, but I know the drill."

He winced as she pressed her hands against his chest to try and stop the bleeding. His breaths were shallow and harsh.

"…Henry?"

"Upstairs, he's fine."

Will nodded, his eyes fluttering closed.

"Will! No!" she pushed her hands harder against his chest.

"Ow! Jayje, easy!"

"You closed your eyes!"

"I'm not allowed blink now?"

"Nope, sorry."

He chuckled slightly, before coughing and wincing. His eyes fluttered again.

"Stay with me! Will!"

JJ watched as the pink water swirled down the drain. Hotch's hands gently wiped away the remaining blood.

"You'll be okay. You have the team. Henry'll be okay. He has you."

"Hotch?" JJ said quietly.

"Yes?"

"Will's dead."

"I thought so," he replied, drying her hands.

"Oh god… he's actually dead." she dropped slowly to the ground, sobs gradually wracking her body.

Hotch knelt next to her, before pulling her into a hug. She rested her head on his shoulders as she cried, the reality of the situation hitting her.

Will was gone.

One week later…

She hadn't been alone since that morning. The team had taken turns staying with her and Henry. She had managed to find half an hour to herself. Enough time to write the letter.

The usually poised and immaculately dress Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer Jareau was standing at the doors of the BAU. She wandered in to the bullpen, pausing at her team's desks.

Reid called out to her, his voice gentle. "JJ… what's… what's wrong? Has something happened?"

JJ handed the young genius her currently gurgling toddler.

Morgan didn't stop her this time as she headed for the stairs.

The liaison didn't wait. Immediately after handing over the baby, she headed towards the office of BAU Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner. Before she opened the door, she turned to look down into the bullpen. Her team looked back up at her.

She smiled, "I'm fine. I promise."

She knocked gently on the door and hearing the quiet "Come in" she entered.

"JJ," Hotch said setting down his pen and closing the file before him. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to drop this off." she said, placing the ivory envelope on his desk. He looked at it, before leaning back in his seat.

JJ sat on the edge of the visitors chair. "I don't know how you managed to come back after Haley. I do know I'm not like you Hotch. I can't do this," she waved her hand, looking around the office, "and be a good mom to Henry. Not without Will."

She stood up. "So I'm resigning."

Hotch nodded. He seen this coming. After everything she'd been through, he'd have been more suprised if she'd decided to stay.

He stood and stepped around the desk to stand next to her. "It's not going to be the same with out you, Jayje." He pulled her into a hug, before whispering, "Stay in touch?"

She hugged him back, tightly. "Promise."

They broke apart, neither sure what to say next.

JJ shifted awkwardly

Hotch chuckled, "Jennifer Jareau, speechless? I never thought I'd see the day."

She smiled before looking up at him seriously. "Thank you. For what you did that day...and ...well for everything." she stepped back towards the door

He nodded, following her.

"I'll visit," she promised.

"I'll hold you to that," Hotch replied, with a slight smile.

"Will, open your eyes! NO! Don't do this to me! We need you. Please, open your eyes. Look at me! Please? Will?"

The toaster popped.

The Poptarts were burnt.

Review? I'll give you poptarts for love!