Title: After All
Author: sofialindsay
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Pairing: JJ/Emily
Disclaimer- As always, if I owned the characters, we'd be watching instead of reading.
Rating: PG13
Summary: Diamonds, Fantasies, Names and Control.
AN: This is a sappy fic. I miss my humor. Although it has dawned on me that my muse thinks JJ has a thing for threatening to shoot people (mainly Emily). Go figure. There are no babies or pesky males involved.
AN2: Thanks to darkbardzero for being an awesome beta, and putting up with me. It's hard I know. Between my Paget obsession and general OCD, I'm surprised you haven't killed me yet. (But if you do, please request the BAU to work my case…)
Archiving: P&P, other's ask.

JJ watched as the couples walked into the mansion and took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

"You look beautiful tonight. I don't know if I told you that earlier, but you do."

Emily's rich, soft voice broke through her daze as she felt her hand being lifted and a soft kiss pressed to it.

"Thank you," she replied quietly, before adding teasingly, "But I do believe I will have the hottest date here tonight. I'll be fighting men and women off of you all night!"

The brunette agent laughed. "I'm not the one decked out in a stunning red dress. Trust me, it's you they'll flock to."

The blonde blushed. This was their first attendance to one of the Ambassador's events as a couple, and while it wasn't a black-tie affair, it was still a gathering of her friend's and closest political allies. JJ had chosen an elegant red dress to wear, with the idea in mind that she would compliment her partner perfectly given Emily's preferred color of black. She had been pleasantly surprised to walk into their bedroom to find her lover sitting on the edge of their bed wearing an obviously very expensive, designer pantsuit.

Again Emily's voice brought her out of her reverie.

"Before we go in, I have something for you to wear tonight…if you don't mind changing necklaces."

Seemingly out of nowhere the brunette produced a long black box as JJ smiled and reached up to unclasp her gold chain that held the small diamond pendant Emily had given her on their six-month anniversary.

"Honey, I've already told you I'll marry you. You don't have to keep buying me things to convince me."

Emily shook her head, "I didn't, JJ."

She opened the box and tried to gauge JJ's reaction from the gasp and from her expressive blue eyes. Her wealth was still a rather untouched subject between them. A subject she undoubtedly knew would need to be discussed after tonight.

The necklace was a choker, complete with diamonds and sapphires, with a larger diamond pendant hanging in the middle. JJ knew it was valued at more than what she made in an entire year. Then again, the diamond-encrusted band on her left ring finger was more than she made in a month, so she wasn't incredibly surprised.

"Emily, love, please tell me you didn't buy this for me?"

"No sweetie, I know you would give me hell if I did. This was actually my grandmother's. My mother gave it to me a few days ago to have you to wear tonight…when she announces our engagement."

Tears filled the baby-blue eyes as Emily set the box on the center console and took both of JJ's hands in hers and smiled as she continued to explain.

"As my mother explained to me, my father's father presented my grandmother with this the night they announced their engagement. My father did the same with my mother. When I told Mother you said yes, she informed me this event would be taking place and gave me the necklace…it's mine now, but I'll never wear it. I want to keep that tradition… therefore it's yours."

Speechless, JJ leaned forward to place a meaningful kiss on her fiancées lips, before pulling back and looking back at the box. "I didn't think she liked me, much less approved of us."

Emily chuckled. "Well, walking in on us with my legs wrapped around your head certainly left a lasting impression on her. Jayj, she sees how happy you make me. I think once she realized we really love each other, she came around quickly."

The blonde smiled and ran her fingers over Emily's knuckles. "Seriously Emily, if you make me cry and mess up my make-up, I will shoot you! Now, put this on me so we can go in and I can make everyone jealous that I have you on my arm!"

JJ pulled her long hair away from her neck, allowing Emily to place, and fasten, the chocker around her neck, before pressing an open-mouth kiss to the soft skin, allowing her tongue to taste the warm flesh. JJ moaned and Emily pulled back, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Okay sweetie, let's go."

"Emily Elizabeth Prentiss! I hate you!!"

Emily laughed as she stepped out of the car and walked around to open the passenger side door for her partner. Fully caught up in their banter and the moment, she didn't even consider her words.

"Jennifer Ann Prentiss, I'm sure you do! You're body was saying otherwise!"

JJ froze and looked at Emily, who froze upon realize her somewhat-of-a-fantasy had voiced itself and frozen JJ to the spot in the process.

"Em?" came the soft question.

The brunette blushed, "Um…I…uh…"

"Emily," JJ tried again, "is that what you want?"

Emily, not wanting to sound domineering or needy, sighed. "Honey, I'm sorry. I just let my nerves and everything get the best of me and let it slip. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Is that what you want?"

"Uh…what was the question again?" Emily tried, hoping and failing miserably at getting JJ to change the subject.

"Do you want me to take your last name?"

"I...don't want you to feel like you have to."

It came out in a rush, and Emily cursed herself for sounding so nervous. Truth was, since deciding to propose to the other agent, JJ taking her last name had been all she had thought about. Almost a fantasy of sorts, not that she'd tell the younger blonde that. Her thought process died as she felt JJ's slim fingers trace down the side of her cheek and leaned into tease her lover.

"Oh honey, I'm not going to do anything I don't want to…I might let you wear the pants in this relationship, but I think we both really know who makes the decisions, don't we?"

A whimper escaped Emily as JJ pulled back and cupped her cheek, "But you want that, don't you? Why do I get the feeling that somewhere in that head of yours, you want the proverbial American Dream? The wife, the house, and 2.5 kids playing with a dog."

"Because I do Jayj."

Emily swallowed, and allowed JJ's hand to pull her head down, making brown eyes meet blue.

"Then that's what you're going to have."