But to love is to live. (Criminal Minds)

XXVI. Starved

A/N: Short but important ⚠️Sexual Assult, Eating Disorder, Rape⚠️

It was 4 days out of the hospital and Grace has shown little improvement. In all actuality, she had declined. When she first arrived home she could stomach a few things but as time went on anything going in she would throw back up. Emily and JJ were at a loss. They watched as their little girl withered away into nothing but skin and bone. The once prime athlete was now more like a skeleton out of a high school biology class. They were all in the kitchen Grace nursing a tea while her Moms worked around the kitchen. "Grace, do you think you could stomach some rice?"

No response.

"Grace!"

"I'm sorry Mom. What?"

"Do you think you can stomach some rice?"

"Grace looked down at her cup "Oh I'm not that hungry."

Grace was not a small girl standing around 5'7. She was always long and lanky just like JJ so when the girl started dropping weight it began to get dangerous. The mothers knew if they couldn't get Grace to eat soon they would have to take her to the hospital afraid she would go into organ failure. JJ looked at her daughter saying "Grace look at me."

Graces timid eyes met her Moms

"Baby we need you to eat something. You have dropped too much weight. You are scaring us, baby."

"Mommy I can't."

JJ reached across, stroking Grace's undamaged cheek "Why not angel?"

"I don't know." The girl sobbed

"Talk to us please!" JJ pleaded

"I don't know. I want to eat. I really do. It's just I go to eat and my stomach feels tighter than it brings it all back up."

Emily looked at her daughter with sad eyes. "What about something to drink, baby could you handle that?"

Grace looked over at her Mama "I can try."

JJ rubbed her thumb up and down the side of Grace's face "That's all we ask baby."

Emily went into the refrigerator pulling out a protein shake hoping to get some nutrients into Grace. Emily went for a straw and Grace quickly said "No! Please."

Emily nodded in submission handing her daughter the bottle. The mothers held their breath as Grace went to drink the drink. Grace swallowed her eyes shut trying with everything in her to keep the sweet liquid down. JJ rubbed her arm gently "I need you to breathe. In 1...2...3...out 4...3...2...1... that's it bird in 1...2...3... out 4...3...2...1... again"

JJ did that with Grace until she had finished half the drink at an extremely slow rate. Grace set it down saying "No more."

JJ pulled Grace into her. Settling Grace's head onto her chest saying "You did good baby. You did good."

Lunch and dinner were just as traumatic. It was going to be a grueling process to get her back but they weren't going to give up. The only way to stop JJ and Emily was to put them into the ground. Something damn near impossible.