The first SUV got back to the hotel a few minutes before the second, letting Emily have the hotel room to herself, a few extra moments before JJ waltzed in. She prayed to whoever above she wouldn't embarrass herself, not again at least. JJ was upset with her, but for a reason she couldn't name. The team had spent a night in a bar in the middle of Oklahoma, hoping to lure the unsub to Emily during the Girl's Night, seeing that Emily was his type, down to the relative height and athletic ability. While she only had to "pretend" to be gay for the night, little to the team's knowledge, Emily fit that description too.
"Hey Pen?" Emily paced the room, wondering why Garcia's phone went straight to voicemail, for the first time in the years they have known each other.
"I have no idea why you aren't answering the phone, but I need your help. I think Jayje is mad at me and I have no idea why. We were at the bar, and I was chatting with all the girls that fit our unsubs type, but once we got back to the station, she kept giving me a kind of cold shoulder. Maybe I'm seeing things, or maybe I did something, but I'm exhausted and just want to catch this guy. You know her better than anyone, please just help me out and tell me what I did? Thanks I guess, Em." Emily reluctantly hung up the phone, and threw the device onto the bed as the hotel room door opened.
JJ took her time getting back into the hotel from the parking lot. Morgan noticed her walking slower than the group, and offered assistance, but she pushed him aside, claiming to have forgotten something in the van and for him to move on. Once out of sight, JJ whipped out her cell to call the Queen of all knowing. While JJ was two seconds from breaking down crying, Garcia answered right on time on the first ring.
"P-p-Pen?" JJ hiccupped into the device, a lone tear making a trail down her cheek.
"Whats wrong sugar? Am I going to have to ruin some poor shmuck's credit score tonight? Cause you know I will, in two keyboard clicks" Penelope rushed out.
"Its just—its Em." JJ barely managed to get out. It was a whisper, but the few moments of silence following and the light "oh" Penelope gave in response told her she understood.
Garcia felt her other line ring while she was trying to figure out how to comfort JJ, sure enough it was the devil herself, Emily Prentiss. Penelope loved both of her girls more than anything, but she also knew they needed to discover their mutual attraction for themselves. JJ was thrown out of her house when she was young for being gay, once her sister hit a rough patch, they let her move back in, hoping to rebalance the family again. There wasn't any hope left once the eldest Jareau sibling committed suicide, but Jennifer's parents refused to lose their only other child too. No one considered depression or anxiety or any other issues, for how could their perfect family be so imperfect? Once JJ graduated high school, she had no idea what she wanted to do, but she needed to move far away from that toxic environment. College let her experiment a bit, but she knew what she enjoyed, who she liked, and how she wished to live her life: surrounded by those that could accept her and love her for who she was. Penelope could recite JJ's past forwards and backwards in her sleep, they were best friends and knew everything about each other. Emily however, was a mystery to Garcia. All she knew was that Emily came from a very spoiled, yet lonely childhood and she once let it slip that she had an abortion at 15 and why the exorcism case mattered to her so much. Penelope dug a little bit deeper when Emily first joined the team, making sure nothing would harm her crime fighting heroes, and ended up discovering the brunette's not so secret past longtime girlfriend of 5 years. Once Garcia confronted her about it, Emily made her swear to secrecy about not sharing her sexuality. Previous jobs were already complicated enough with her mother's name attached to everything she did, her sexuality only gave competitors ways of moving past her in the field.
Garcia hung up the second line, rejecting Emily's call and took a deep breath before responding to JJ, "What happened, sugar plum?"
"I—she—we were undercover, as you know, and it's just that, she was talking to all these women, hoping to draw out our unsub and I just got really jealous. But I have no right, now do I? She's definitely straight, and I have learned my lesson in chasing straight women, but there is just something about her. She is just…different. I was sitting at a table nearby and I got really worried that something or someone could hurt her—and it freaked me out. The other freaking thing is I think I like her—more than I should and that's terrifying because I can't."
"Well why can't you?"
"I can't have a crush on her for its against regulation! I can't get a crush on her because she's not gay. I can't have a crush on her because I need to remain focused in the field and if tonight gives any indication for the future, this just can't work. Why am I acting this stupid? I'm sorry for bothering you Garcia," JJ seemed to let out in one breath.
"You are never a bother, I will always be here for you, it's what best friends do. And if I find you ever trying to hide something from me, you will regret it almost as much as your credit will. For what it's worth, I wouldn't push your feelings aside so quickly, give her a chance and see if You have a chance before you discredit yourself. Honey, you are one attractive, smart, and pretty kickass woman, Emily would be lucky to have you" Garcia attempted to comfort.
"Thanks Pen, I feel much better."
"No problem honey, and by the way, you are welcome for the single room," Garcia replied cheekily.
"Wait, there wasn't a mix-up with the reservations?" JJ questioned, while slightly smiling.
"No honey, that was a free gift from me to you, I accept gift cards and jewelry in thanks, now signing off!" Pen quickly clicked the receiver before JJ could come up with a witty response.
JJ had made it to the hotel room by now, and slid the card into the key slot, letting herself in. The visible tension was written across both women's features once she shut the door. Emily was the first to turn away from the awkward eye contact and sat on her bed in order to take off her shoes, while JJ shook her head and left the room to take a shower.
"Typical Emily, knowing I'm upset, yet refuses to acknowledge me," JJ huffed to herself.
Emily waited until she heard the water going and the squeak of the shower curtain being pushed aside to let out the breath she did not realize she had been holding. Emily was a mystery to all who came across her, but learning from past mistakes, she knew the more people knew about her, the more she had to lose. Forming bonds with people had only proved to cause problems and she did not need added risk to her life, more than she already put herself in. Between her mother, past friends, even her former girlfriend, everyone left her eventually. Emily learned how to construct walls of steel to keep intruders out, while people like JJ occasionally found ways over her walls, Emily found even more ways to build them higher and out of reach.
As JJ was still getting ready for bed in the bathroom, Emily took advantage of the empty space, and began to change into her loose tank and FBI sweatpants. JJ reentered the room, unbeknownst to Emily's changing and could not help but stare for a moment at the brunette's rippling abs and swell breasts. Emily did not catch the blondes searching eyes, as her vision was blocked by the shirt caught around her ears, but she could feel another presence in the room.
"Can I get some help here?" Emily joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Umm, sure thing." JJ reluctantly removed her eyes from the tan body and focused rather on how foolish Emily looked, slightly hopping from foot to foot as if that were going to help the situation. JJ guided the shirt back down her body and lightly scolded the brunette for not undoing more buttons.
"Well, thanks I guess." Emily shrugged, now lying under the covers of her own bed.
"No problem," JJ shyly answered, turning off the bedside lamps.
"Hey Jayje?" Emily whispered into the now darkness.
"Yes?"
"I am sorry for whatever I did earlier. I'm not quite sure what it was, but I could tell you were upset and I hope you know I would never do something to intentionally hurt you." Emily truthfully pleaded, hoping JJ took it to heart.
"I know. Goodnight Em." Emily knew there was still something bothering the other woman, but the fact that she used her nickname meant all was forgiven. The room remained silent the rest of the night, but neither agent actually slept, they each stared into the darkness, lost in their own thoughts and dreams.
