Year one
Emily sighed as she looked around at her new team, sure it has nearly been a year that she has been part of the team but small things still showed that she was the newest member, and had still yet to figure out the inner workings of the family. As she looked around at the group she noticed how everyone seemed to be paired off with someone else; Morgan and Garcia sat on the couch flirting, Hotch and his wife and son sat on the floor as Jack played with his new toy, even Reid and Gideon sat paired off playing chess at the table. Sighing again Emily took a slow sip of her beer, looking at her watch she realized it was nearly nine at night, on Christmas eve. She wondered why none of her team mates were out with family or other friends; instead they sat with their coworkers on a night one would expect to be saved for only the most precious of people.
"Well look at little black rain cloud sitting over here sulking in the corner." JJ said sitting next to Emily. "What's got you down Grinch?"
"Just never really been a Christmas kind of gal I suppose." Emily answered and JJ laughed.
"Not a Christmas kind of gal? Who doesn't like Christmas? Tons of good food, free beer, better cookies, and of course the time spent with family and friends?" JJ's smile lit up the small corner making a slight smile appear on Emily's face, slightly making the rain cloud evaporate.
"Well when you put it that way." Emily chuckled.
"See told you no one could hate Christmas."
"Maybe the thing getting me most down is the fact my Christmases growing up were never all that special. God forbid my mother give up one moment of her busy life to actually act like a parent, one who would be excited to see their child happy on Christmas morning." Emily growled and JJ's smile fell a bit.
"Hey, why don't we get out of here, I bet we should let Hotch and Hailey put Jack to bed anyway. And if we leave now soon the others will follow." JJ offered and Emily sighed again nodding.
"Sure, but realize you are proving my point Jareau, even you don't want to spend time with my gloomy ass on Christmas eve." Emily said, grabbing her coat.
"No, I meant let's go to a bar."
"It's nine at night on Christmas eve, nowhere is open."
"Oh Emily, you really are new to DC aren't you?" JJ chuckled. "I know of at least five places that never close." The two women gathered their coats, hugged their teammates goodbye whishing their holidays well and walked out the door. "Come on, it's not that far of a walk." JJ said, linking her arm through Emily's. The two braced themselves in the winter chill as they walked the few blocks to a local hole in the wall joint.
"Jay, this place looks like a shit hole." Emily said scanning the area. "Are you sure it's safe?"
"Emily the big badass FBI agent afraid of a bar on Christmas eve?" JJ chuckled as Emily glared at her. "It's safe, I grew up with the owner."
"That makes me feel no safer." Emily pointed out and JJ opened the door forcing the woman in.
"Shut up and enjoy the free drinks Emily." JJ groaned as she pulled Emily to the bar. "Sam, two beers." JJ shouted, a young man sticks his head out from the back room, he smiled at them.
"Go on get them yourself, what do I look like mom?" He yelled back and JJ grinned jumping over the counter.
"Mom huh?" Emily raised an eyebrow at JJ. "Grew up with? More like he's your brother." Emily stated and JJ rolled her eyes.
"Damn profilers." JJ grinned again.
"Hey, you chose to work with us damn profilers."
"True." JJ handed Emily a beer before walking out from behind the bar, she walked over to a table looking over at Emily motioning for her to join. When the older woman sits down JJ looks up at her. "So what had you so down at the office party?"
"It's been a year since I've joined."
"Yes it has, and you are doing a great job."
"So why does it feel like it's still the BAU team plus Emily?"
"Oh Em, it's not that way I promise. We view you as part of the team." JJ reassured, placing a hand on top of Emily's.
"Part of the team sure, but what about part of the family?" Emily asked and JJ hooked her finger under Emily's chin.
"Emily Prentiss, you might not have realized as you looked around that room tonight, you weren't singled out to be alone, you and I could have partnered up, and hey, look at that. We did." JJ smiled and Emily rolled her eyes.
"I just feel like, maybe I made a mistake coming here, being part of the team after they lost such an important member."
"Emily, we needed you, we need you. You came into our world at just the perfect moment. Elle wouldn't have been as connected and part of our family unit like you became. She would have run away from getting close to Derek on his case in his hometown. And there was no way she would have confronted Reid about his issues with drugs. And what about your first case? None of us knew Arabic and here you were reading those papers like it was nothing, and Hailey was supposed to be at that mall with Jack that day. You are a very important part of our family. We wouldn't replace you for the world." JJ said and Emily teared up a little.
"Thanks Jayje." She choked out.
"Besides Elle was massively full of herself, I hated sharing a hotel room with her. She only connected with Derek, the rest of us were beneath her. Having you around instead of her is like Christmas morning every day. Plus you leave hot water in the morning." JJ stated taking another sip of beer as Emily chuckled.
"I'll drink to that."
"Jennifer mom told me to call you a cab when you are done." Sam said walking out from the back room.
"Well good, I was going to make you call a cab anyway."
"Who is your friend? Going to be nice enough to introduce us or gonna hog her to yourself like you did as a kid with your toys?" Sam asked and JJ turned red.
"Sam this is Emily Prentiss, she works with me. Emily this is Sam my brother, my younger brother." JJ said giving the man a pointed look.
"Pleasure Emily." Sam said nodding her way.
"Likewise."
"Now why are you two out on Christmas eve? Shouldn't you guys be home celebrating with family?" Sam asked.
"My mother is out of town this year, thankfully. So I'm solo."
"I'll be at mom's tomorrow." JJ reminded her brother. "Em, you are more than welcome to join me if you have no other plans."
"I have plans, great plans, a nice new book and a hot tub." Emily grinned. "Yet I just might take you up on that offer."
"Please do. The more people we have the less focus is on us." Sam chuckled. "Anyway, Jen here always seems a bit gloomy around the holidays at mom's, she could use a friend by her side."
"We should get going." JJ looked down at her watch noticing the time.
"See you tomorrow Jen." Sam said as he grabbed the phone to call a cab for his sister.
"Tomorrow." JJ said nodding, she hugged her brother.
"Thank you for the beer Sam." Emily said he hugged her also, shocking Emily a bit.
"Safe travel you two." He said walking behind the bar speaking on the phone. Emily grabbed her coat following JJ out the door.
"I'll grab my own cab Jen." Emily said, making JJ turn around.
"Nonsense, we can share one, you are on my way home anyway." JJ said looping her arm through Emily's again. "Or we could just grab what you need for tomorrow and you could come to my place tonight. Save us both some travel, and from being alone on Christmas morning." JJ suggested and Emily shook her head.
"Jay, thanks for the invite but I couldn't possibly impose on your family." Emily explained as the cab pulled up. JJ opened the door letting Emily slide in first.
"Well one you would not be imposing, trust me. And two I would really like you there Emily. I would be miserable thinking of you home alone on a holiday that is meant to be surrounded by people you love and who love you. Sure my family doesn't yet know you but trust me they will get to know you and love you like one of their own. So please make my Christmas and come?" JJ asked, pulling puppy eyes on the older woman.
"Oh that just isn't fair." Emily laughed but nodded none the less. "I guess if you really want me there I will come."
"Really? Oh good!" JJ grinned, hugging Emily.
x-x-x
Emily woke slowly, leaving her eyes shut to the world still; she felt a weight on her chest as she became more aware of the world. Opening her eyes she found JJ asleep on top of her. Smiling she carefully picked her phone up from the side table, it was nearly 10 in the morning, on Christmas. She felt JJ move slightly before settling back down, then suddenly the bright blue eyes snapped open.
"It's alright, we must have fallen asleep on the couch last night." Emily whispered and JJ nodded, relaxing back into Emily. A few things Emily learned over the last year of sharing a hotel room with the blonde was that JJ was not a morning person, and also that the woman had no care if she snuggled close to someone in her sleep. At first Emily found it a bit odd, the first time she woke up to JJ half splayed out on top of her, Emily was shocked. JJ brushed it off saying sometimes she just needed someone next to her and Emily couldn't help but agree. "If you let me up I'll cook breakfast." Emily offered and JJ nodded, sitting up enough to let Emily get up. As soon as Emily was standing JJ was back face down on the couch, Emily chuckled and covered the woman with the blanket. Emily made her way into the kitchen, pulling out everything she would need to create a breakfast fit for Christmas morning. Soon after she heard the stereo turn on and start playing Christmas music. A few moments later JJ was standing beside her in the kitchen, wordlessly she pulled out the bag of coffee and started brewing a pot. Emily kept an eye on the woman as she started their breakfast. Emily jumped slightly when JJ tapped her shoulder, grabbing her attention, the blonde handed her a mug of coffee. When JJ took her first sip of coffee it was like a weight was pulled off the woman's shoulders, she smiled up at Emily.
"Nothing is better than the first taste of coffee in the morning." JJ uttered her first words of the morning and Emily nodded, sipping her own coffee. "What cha making?" JJ asked and Emily shook her head standing between the blonde and the stove.
"You'll have to wait and see." Emily grinned and JJ rolled her eyes.
"Fine be that way, then I'm going back to the couch with my coffee." She said as she stalked out of the kitchen back to the living room. When Emily finished breakfast and had it plated for the two of them, she walked back into the living room to find that JJ had started a fire in the fireplace, and had curled back up in the blanket. When she spotted Emily walking over she opened the blanket letting the brunet sit next to her. Emily handed her the plate and JJ's eyes lit up. "You made French toast!" JJ smiled.
"Well I remember you said that your mom would make it for special occasions, and that it was one of your favorite things." Emily said taking a bite of her breakfast as JJ just stared at her.
"You, Emily Prentiss are pretty wonderful." JJ said, the two sat comfortably in the room enjoying their breakfast, with only the soft music and the sounds of the utensils against the plates as the only noise in the whole house.
"Thank you for breakfast Emily." JJ said once she was done, Emily just nodded. "I'm really glad you agreed to come over last night."
"Well I figured if you were really going to make me go to your family's Christmas I mine as well torture you all night and day so you are never alone." Emily joked and JJ smiled.
"You with me all day? That's not torture." She smirked and Emily turned red. "Get ready Prentiss we have to be at my parents' at two." JJ said grabbing the plates taking them to the kitchen, leaving a speechless Emily in the living room.
x-x-x
"Come in come in, stop letting the cold out." The woman who answered the door said stepping back to allow JJ and Emily in. She shut the door turning to face Emily. "You are new." She smiled and Emily smiled back.
"Emily Prentiss. Jen and I work together." Emily offered her hand to the woman who smiled, hugging her.
"Nice to meet you. Come in, make yourself at home. I'm Jennifer's aunt Sarah." The woman said as she walked back down the hall to where everyone seemed to be gathered.
"I guess I should tell you, I have a pretty large family." JJ said and Emily raised an eyebrow looking at the woman.
"Really? I couldn't guess by the amount of shoes and coats piled by the door." She chuckled. "That's fine, I'm not going to be scared away half way through the night, I promise. Remember I was raised with a very large political family surrounding me. Yes they weren't blood but it was nice to see the same people every year on Christmas." Emily offered and JJ smiled. JJ took Emily's coat hanging it up in the closet before facing her once more.
"Perks of previously living in this house, I always get a coat hanger. You ready to jump right on in?" JJ asked and Emily nodded. JJ led the way down the hall to the kitchen where it seemed the whole family was trying to fit.
"Jennifer!" Someone said over the noise, and soon a small woman who looked just like JJ was standing in front of them. She hugged JJ before stepping back to look at Emily. "You must be Emily; Sam said Jenny would be bringing you." She quickly hugged Emily. "Please don't be shy, make yourself at home." The woman said, and just as quickly as she appeared she was gone again.
"That was my mother, sometimes she forgets her manners." JJ said, looking at Emily. "Just remember her name is Susan, and my father is Nate. And at anytime you want to leave just let me know." JJ offered and Emily shook her head.
"I don't think I'll ever want to leave." Emily said looking around the home. There had to be at least forty people in the house, some working on the large meal that was to come, other sitting around talking, a few playing games with the children that ran around. Emily wandered into the living room where she found the largest tree she felt was possible to fit into the house; it was covered in ornaments, lights and ribbons. All around the room were touches of Christmas, from the large collection of elves on the coffee table, to the stuffed Santa, snowman, and reindeer by the fireplace. Stockings hung over the raging fire, the mantel had garland and candles on it. Emily was amazed; this was truly what she thought of when she was a child, what she wanted her Christmases to look like.
"I know it's like Christmas puked on our house…" JJ said but Emily cut her off.
"No Jen, it's perfect." Emily said and JJ raised an eyebrow at the woman.
"Perfect?" She scoffed about to explain it was just her mother being stuck in a Christmas from years past, however Emily beat her to it.
"I never had this as a kid, we had a tree and all that but, it was all fake; no real heart went into it. I bet I could walk over to that tree and find a dozen or so hand crafted ornaments from each of you and your siblings, and a few other decorations that you guys made. And you probably have stories to go along with most the rest. When I was growing up I never had that, my mother never kept my own ornaments, or decorations. I didn't have favorite Christmas items to pull out of boxes every year to set up. I didn't even have a stocking. Hell the house staff set up our Christmas; I never got to have all this growing up. I wish I had this." Emily explained and JJ looked at her saddened.
"I never thought about it that way. I just couldn't imagine Christmas without… all the memories and traditions." JJ said and Emily nodded. "Well maybe this year we'll start a new tradition and you can join us for Christmas every year. Well at least until you find someone more interesting than us." JJ joked and Emily smiled.
"I could never find anyone more interesting Jennifer." Emily said and JJ smiled back at the woman.
"I like it when you call me Jennifer." She whispered as if telling Emily a secret. Emily blushed and JJ chuckled. "You are too easy to get Prentiss." JJ said as she walked back into the fray of people, she threw one last look over her shoulder at Emily before completely disappearing.
x-x-x
After dinner Emily helped Susan and Sarah clean the kitchen while JJ kept the kids busy playing some game Emily had never heard of.
"So Emily why are you not with your own family tonight?" Susan asked and Emily looked up at the woman.
"My mother is an ambassador, she isn't in town this year. Besides we aren't on the best of terms lately. She's a bit angry at me for taking my job with the BAU." Emily said as she dried the china that was set in front of her.
"I see, I can attest to that however, I was very shocked when JJ told us that she was taking such a dangerous job." Susan said. "All mothers will worry about their children, no matter what. You'll know that one day." Susan smiled at Emily.
"I think my mother was more upset that I hadn't given my fantasy as she so likes to call it, of saving the world, and not joined her in the political world." Emily explained and Susan chuckled.
"I could not see you in political situations, not to mean any offense, but you just don't seem like the cut throat, back stabbing kind of person. Again not saying your mother is one of those."
"Oh she is, and I could never handle the political world, just for that reason." Emily said.
"She will come around sooner or later, and understand why you took the path you did."
"I hope so."
"We all realize one day that all we have left is the people we surround ourselves with." Sarah said and looked around the house. "That's why we have family, friends, and whoever else we want here with us on nights like this. To remind us that they are what matters most, not our jobs, or our homes or cars, just the people we love and who love us."
"You guys are being nice right?" JJ asked as she walked up behind Emily, she grabbed another towel helping dry the china.
"Of course, why wouldn't we?" Susan said and Sarah chuckled.
"I can think of a few reasons." She said before going back to her job of washing the dishes.
"They were fine Jen." Emily said and JJ nodded.
"Alright. Dad says if we hurry we can get the kids to unwrap their gifts before A Charlie Brown Christmas comes on."
"You know he could come in and help." Susan said loudly enough for the man to hear.
"I could but then who would watch out for our littlest member?" Nate asked as he walked in with the youngest of the Jareau clan in his arms.
"I'm sorry Nate but Dean is not a reason to not help." Susan said as she handed the man a towel.
"You see how they treat me Emily? Terrible I tell you. Run Dean, the minute they start asking you do things, run." Nate said making the women laugh. "You know we could leave this and finish it after the children finish their gifts." Nate said and Susan sighed.
"Alright Nate, we can do that." She smiled, kissing him as she walked by, plucking Dean from his arms. "You ready little mister?"
"Kids, gift time!" Nate yelled and soon people are pouring into the living room from all around the house.
"I'm amazed they all fit in here." Emily said as she sits next to JJ on the floor. JJ laughed and nodded, she helps Sam hand out the large pile of gifts from under the tree, before sitting back down next to Emily when the job is done. She smiled at Emily and handed her a box.
"Here, I got you just something small." JJ said, Emily looked shocked. "I didn't want you to be surrounded by people getting gifts and you with nothing." She explained quickly and Emily smiled.
"Thanks Jennifer." Opening the box she revealed a copy of Slaughter-House Five by Kurt Vonnegut.
"It's signed; I heard you and Morgan talking about it on the plane once." JJ said and Emily nodded.
"Thank you Jennifer." Emily smiled at her and got up, she walked over to where the coats were, grabbing a small package out of her coat she walked back over to JJ, sitting next to the woman she handed her the box. "Here, I was going to give this to you when we left, but now seems perfect." Emily said. She watched as JJ took the box and opened it, revealing a small butterfly incased in glass. "Reid told me that you collected butterflies as a kid," She explained as JJ pulled the glass out of the box. "It's an Eastern Tailed-Blue. The lady at the shop said it was a common piece but I couldn't let it go, it reminded me of you."
"Emily," JJ looked at Emily and smiled. "Thank you." Emily smiled back and JJ hugged her.
"Guys shhh! Charlie Brown is on." Sam said throwing a pillow at them. JJ rolled her eyes at her brother before Emily leaned against the side of the couch and pulled the smaller woman to her so they could both see the television. JJ settled against Emily taking comfort in their closeness as the rest of the family quieted down to watch the movie. JJ spent the whole movie thinking about the woman behind her, how somehow this once mysterious woman now seemed so familiar and so comforting. How she never wanted to leave her arms. The movie was over much too soon for JJ's liking, and soon she was back in the car driving back up her driveway at home, with Emily beside her.
"You know, you don't have to go home Emily, I have no problem if you want to stay the night again." JJ offered and Emily shook her head.
"I should really get home. I've imposed enough." Emily said and JJ looked up at her.
"Emily how many times do I have to tell you, you are never imposing." She said. Emily smiled and hugged JJ.
"I'm sure. Good night JJ." Emily said, she waited till the door was closed before turning to walk back to her car, she didn't make it to the end of the porch before she turned around and knocked on the door, which opened immediately. "No one should have to be alone on Christmas, ever." She said, JJ smiling at her, stepping out of the way to let Emily back in.
x-x-x
A/n: Been a very long time since I've written Criminal Minds, and this pair, however it just doesn't feel like the holidays without writing them for me. So here is the start of what was going to be something small, as you can see it's taking a mind of its own. We shall see where this leads. Happy Holidays, hope you enjoy this and the more to come.