Emily sped through another red light on her way out of town. It was the last time, it had to be. It wasn't her fault, she told herself. Not her fault, not her fault…

There was a loud, blare from a horn behind her, making her check her rearview mirror. She quickly turned into a gas station and got out of her car. She fixed her shoe as she checked her phone. Five new messages, all from the same person. She mentally cursed herself as she stuck her phone back into her pocket. She looked up as she heard her name being called. Was that…

"JJ?"

The blond smiled as she made her way over to Emily. They hugged in front of the store, as Will filled the car with gas. "What are you doing here?"

Emily shrugged. "Getting gas."

"Why here?"

"Why not here?"

"Em, you live all the way across town. What are you doing all the way over here?"

Emily put on a smile for her friend. "I was off to see my mother, and this is the gas station I pulled into. That a problem?"

JJ frowned at her friend's tone. "Em, I didn't mean any offence by it."

Emily was already shaking her head with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. I'm just kind of… about to go over the edge, I guess you could say."

"Emily, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just-"

She was interrupted by the ringing of her phone. She looked down to see the caller ID. Billy. Emily gulped, not noticing that JJ saw it until her arm was touched. She looked up to see a frowning JJ. "Hun, it's your boyfriend. Are you going to answer?"

"Of course."

Emily picked up the phone and slowly brought it to her ear. "Hey Billy."

"Emily, where did you go? I came out of the bathroom and you were gone."

Emily cringed at her boyfriend's tone, which again, didn't go unnoticed by her friend that was still standing beside her. "Well, you mentioned before that you wanted some pizza, so I went out to get some."

"How long ago?"

"What?"

"How long ago did you go out, Emily?"

Emily gulped. "Um, right after our… conversation."

"Pizza doesn't take that long to pick up Emily! That was thirty minutes ago! You get back to this apartment now, with or without a pizza. We have some talking to do."

Emily nodded vigorously against the phone in her hand. "Of course, I'm coming now. Bye."

"Don't!"

"Don't what?"

"You do not hang up until you respectfully say it!"

Emily sighed silently as she shared a small smile with JJ. "I love you, honey. I'm coming now, ok?"

"Better." The phone line went dead.

Emily hung up her phone and shoved it in her pocket before smiling shyly at JJ. "That was Billy."

"Yeah, I gathered that. What's up?"

"Nothing. I just have to get home."

"But you said you were going to your mother's."

Emily tilted her head. "I did?"

JJ nodded. "You said it was the reason you were all the way out here."

Emily's eyes widened as she nodded. "Of course! What I meant was I was… coming back, from my mom's. Yeah, so, now I'm heading home."

Emily tucked her hair behind her ear, only to have her wrist grabbed by JJ. She quickly got it out of her friend's grasp and hissed at the pain. "Emily, what happened?"

"It's nothing. Just a bruise."

"Emily, the thing is huge!"

Emily gave her friend a grimace. "I said it was nothing. Alright?"

JJ gave a sympathetic smile as she nodded her head. "Alright. Em, I'm sorry if-"

"I gotta go."

Emily began making her way to her car, only to be called by JJ. She turned and shook her head. "What is it JJ?"

"Emily you're limping."

Emily shook her head as she opened her car door. "It's nothing. I'll see you later JJ."

"But Em-"

"Bye JJ."

JJ watched as Emily shoved her key into the ignition and looked into her rearview mirror. She was wiping her eyes, before she quickly drove off down the street. Something was definitely wrong…