Summary: JJ's daughter has always been strong, smart, and a little stubborn, but nothing prepares the family and team for the quiet unraveling that comes with a diagnosis that changes everything.
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One Day at a Time Masterlist
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The air in the exam room was too cold and sterile. Like even breathing too hard might shatter something delicate and important. I picked at a loose thread on my sleeve and tried not to look at the folder sitting on the doctor’s desk. My fingers wouldn’t stop fidgeting, but my brain felt frozen. My Dad, Will, sat beside me. He wasn’t my birth Dad, but he’d been in my life long enough that I thought of him as my Dad. Especially when he held my hand like he was doing now, gently, like I was glass. Dr. Patel came in with a tight smile and a clipboard. I already knew it wasn’t good.
“Y/N,” She started, voice way too careful. “We got your bloodwork and biopsy results back.”
My throat was dry. I nodded, barely.
She sat down. “You have what’s called Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It’s a type of cancer that-”
That was it. I stopped hearing her after that word. Cancer. I blinked. Once. Twice. The word echoed in my head, louder each time.
Cancer. Cancer. Cancer.
Like some kind of siren going off between my ears.
“I don’t feel that sick,” I said. It slipped out before I could stop it.
Dr. Patel gave me a soft smile. “I know. That’s very common in early stages, but the swollen lymph nodes and blood markers confirm it. It’s Stage II, which means it’s still very treatable-”
I tuned her out again.
Stage II. Chemo. Radiation. Maybe hair loss. Maybe throwing up for weeks. Maybe being too tired to get out of bed. Maybe being stuck here… sick girl… instead of just me…
Dad squeezed my hand. It was the only thing that made me remember I was still sitting in that room, still breathing, still upright. When we left, the folder they gave us felt like it weighed twenty pounds. I didn’t even look at it. Just held it in my lap like it might burst into flames if I dropped it. The car ride home was silent. I didn’t even turn the radio on. Dad asked if I wanted to stop for ice cream or food, but the thought made my stomach roll.
I walked straight into the house and up the stairs without saying anything. My backpack hit the floor with a thud. Then I shut my bedroom door, curled up under my blankets, and finally cried. Not little tears. Not the kind you wipe away quickly before anyone notices. Real, ugly, gut-deep sobs. The kind that leaves your pillows wet and your lungs burning and your eyes swollen.
Because I didn’t want to be sick.
Because I didn’t want to be a person who had cancer.
Because I didn’t know how to tell my little brothers.
Because I wasn’t ready for any of it.
I don’t know how long I cried for. An hour, maybe more. I didn’t come out when Dad knocked… I couldn’t. I just stayed there in the dark, face hidden, praying it was all just a horrible nightmare.
*JJ’s POV*
I couldn’t focus. The case files in front of me were a blur, black ink swimming in front of my eyes like it didn’t matter. Because honestly? It didn’t. Not compared to the message I’d gotten that morning from Will.
“Heading to the appointment now. I’ll call you after.”
Y/N had been pale for weeks. Tired. She kept brushing it off as stress or not enough sleep, but I knew my kid. I knew when something wasn’t right. And something definitely wasn’t right.
She fought me about the bloodwork, the scan, and seeing another doctor after the first urgent care visit told her it was probably just a virus. But eventually, we got the tests done. And today, Will took her to the follow-up. I should’ve been there, but the BAU doesn’t stop for doctor’s appointments, and Y/N insisted I go to work. Now I was sitting at my desk with my phone face-up, just waiting for it to ring. Spencer was nearby, sorting through paperwork for the last case. He kept glancing at me like he knew something was off. Which wasn’t surprising. He always noticed things most people missed. Then my phone lit up.
Will.
I didn’t even say anything. Just stood from my chair and answered, stepping a few feet away for privacy.
“Hey.” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. “How’d it go?”
Will’s breath hitched. Just once, barely audible, but I knew it too well.
“JJ…”
That was all it took. My stomach dropped like someone had cut the floor out from under me. My voice went sharp. “Will. What is it?”
“She has cancer.”
Three words. That was is. That’s all it took to split my world in half.
“She has what?” I choked.
“Lymphoma.” He said. “Stage II Hodgkin’s. The doctor explained everything, said it’s treatable. But, JJ, she just shut down. She didn’t cry, didn’t yell. She just went to her room and hasn’t come out.”
I couldn’t breathe. I pressed a hand to my chest like that would keep my heart from caving in.
Will’s voice cracked again. “She’s terrified… And I-I don’t know what to say to her.”
My eyes burned, but I blinked the tears back.
“I’ll be home as soon as I can.” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “She doesn’t have to go through this alone.”
“I didn’t wanna tell you over the phone,” He said. “I wanted to wait until you got home, but I couldn’t- she needs you.”
“I know.” I said. “I’ll be there.”
I hung up, phone still clutched in my hand, and just stared at nothing for a few second. I felt the walls close in. Everything around me felt… smaller. Tighter.
“JJ?” Spencer’s voice pulled me back.
I turned to find him watching me, brows furrowed with concern. He clearly saw the look on my face during the call. He stood up slowly, careful not to startle me.
“Y/N?” He asked gently.
I nodded. My throat was too tight to speak for a moment.
“She had her appointment today.” I finally said, swallowing hard. “You know how I told you she wasn’t feeling well? That she’d been exhausted, losing weight?”
Spencer nodded, worry deepening in his eyes.
“We got the results today,” I said. “She had… Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Stage II.”
Spencer didn’t say anything right away. Just walked closer and put a hand on my shoulder. Steady, warm, and reassuring in the way only Spencer could be.
“I’m so sorry, JJ.”
“I have to go to Hotch.” I said, already turning toward the door. “I need to go home.”
“I’ll cover whatever you need,” Spencer said immediately. “We’ve got this. Go be with her.”
And with that, I turned and left for Hotch’s office, every step heavier than the last. My mind already with my daughter, alone in her bedroom, facing something no teenager should ever have to face. My hands were trembling as I knocked twice on the door before stepping in. He looked up from his paperwork instantly, eyes narrowing at whatever expression must’ve been on my face.
“JJ?” He asked, already half-standing. “What’s wrong?”
I closed the door behind me and tried to find the words, but they caught in my throat again. It felt like if I said them out loud too many times, it would make them more real. Like somehow I could undo it if I stayed quiet long enough.
“It’s Y/N.” I said finally, quietly.
Hotch’s face changed immediately, softened, but tightened with the weight of the unknown.
“She’s been sick for weeks. We thought it was stress or a virus… but the doctors ran tests and…” I took a breath that shook too hard. “She had Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Stage II.”
Hotch didn’t speak at first. He just nodded slowly, letting it sink in.
“I’m so sorry, JJ.”
“I need to go home. Will’s with her, but… she shut down after the appointment. Locked herself in her room. I need to be there. She needs me.”
Hotch stood all the way now and walked around the desk, his voice steady and sure.
“Take as much time as you need. We’ve got you covered. Family comes first.”
That was all I needed to hear. I nodded once, tightly, and turned to leave. Just outside Hotch’s office, Spencer was waiting, leaning on the edge of my desk. He straightened up when he saw me coming, his messenger bag already slung over one shoulder.
“Are you going now?” He asked softly.
I nodded. “Hotch gave me the green light.”
Spencer hesitated, then reached into his bag and pulled out a little notepad. He scribbled something down quickly and tore off the page.
“Give this to her.” He said, folding the paper and pressing it into my hand.
“Tell my Goddaughter I’ll bring her some books from my collection. And her favorite Chinese food. The place with the dumplings she likes. Later this week, when she’s ready.”
That cracked the wall I’d been holding up. My throat caught, and I had to look away for a second.
“Thanks, Spence.”
He gave a small, sad smile. “Tell her I love her.”
“I will.”
I left the bullpen with the folded note tucked in my hand, heart pounding and breaking at the same time.
The house was quiet when I got home. Will met me at the door, eyes tired and red around the edges. He didn’t say anything, just pulled me into a hug and held me for a long time.
“She hasn’t come out of her room.” He whispered into my hair. “Hasn’t said a word since we walked through the front door.”
I pulled back, nodded, and made my way down the hallway to her room. The door was shut. I didn’t knock. I just opened it gently and stepped inside.
She was curled on her bed, back to the door, still in the hoodie she wore to the hospital. One arm was wrapped around her stomach like she was trying to hold herself together. She didn’t move when she heard me come in, just kept staring at the wall, her breathing slow and shallow. I walked over, sat down on the edge of the mattress. The mattress shifted under me, and finally, her eyes flicked toward me. Tear tracks stained her cheeks. Her eyes were swollen.
“Hey, baby.” I said softly, brushing her hair back from her face.
She sniffled and looked away again. “They said I’m gonna lose my hair.”
“We’ll shave it together if it happens.” I said. “We’ll get hats, scarves, wigs if you want. You’ll still be the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”
“I don’t wanna be sick…” She whispered.
“I know.” I said, and finally let the tears fall. “I know, sweetheart. It’s not fair. And it’s going to be hard, but you’re not alone in this. I’m here. Dad’s here. Uncle Spencer already told me to tell you he’s bringing books and your favorite Chinese food. Everyone’s going to be by your side, okay?”
She didn’t say anything. Just shifted enough to curl into me, burying her face into my side. I held her there, rocking slightly like I used to when she was five and had nightmares.
“I’m scared, Mom.”
“So am I.” I said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “But we’re gonna fight this. Together.”
We sat like that for a long time, the late afternoon sun casting slow-moving shadows across the walls. Eventually, she drifted off, exhausted from everything. I eased her down onto the pillows and tucked the blanket over he before stepping quietly out of the room. Will was waiting in the hallway.
“She okay?” He asked.
“She’s sleeping.” I whispered. “But yeah, she let me hold her.”
We walked into the kitchen together and sat down at the table. The silence hung heavy between us for a minute before I finally broke it.
“We need to talk about the boys.”
Will sighed. “I know.”
Henry was twelve now, smart enough to know something was wrong. And Michael was only six, but he picked up on moods like radar.
“I don’t want to scare them,” I said. “But we can’t lie, either.”
“We’ll keep it simple.” Will said. “We’ll tell them she’s sick. That the doctors are helping her. That she’ll be tired for a while, and we need to be gentle with her. And we’ll answer questions as they come.”
I nodded slowly. “Tomorrow. After dinner.”
“Yeah.” He agreed.”Tomorrow.”
We sat in silence again, sipping lukewarm coffee that neither of us really wanted. Both of us watching the hallway like we were expecting the worst to come creeping out of the shadows. But for now, the worst had already arrived. And all we could do was face it, one day at a time.
This is certainly fucked for me to say but Season 6 episode 18 is such a perfect example of serving cunt at your husband's(wife's) funeral. Like JJ did not have to serve so hard at Emily's burial. I'll eat it up everytime tho !
