The basement parking lot under the F.B.I. headquarters at Quantico echoed with the tapping of two sets of boots. Emily Prentiss and Jennifer Jareau made their way towards a large black, government-issued SUV.
Hotch had asked the two of them to return to the old Victorian house where they had arrested the serial killer Elizabeth Rutherford, whom the media nicknamed The Puppeteer. Once a year for four years, on the anniversary of her daughter's death, Rutherford would kidnap and paralyse a known sex offender and string him up to slowly die as a life size puppet in a public park. The same park where she used to take her daughter to watch puppet shows. The same park where her daughter had been taken by a paedophile that was never brought to justice. Her daughter had died over a decade before, but her increasing desperation and depression had pushed her closer to the edge each year, until she finally snapped. While they had easily identified the four victims in the park, Rutherford had eventually confessed to more murders but not given any names. She only explained that her vast library held a simple notebook detailing every murder.
Emily and J.J. were on their way out to look for the book and confirm the statement. Wind howled through the parking lot and Emily's dark hair whipped around her face as they got to the SUV. J.J. teased her for not pulling her hair up like she had, pointing to her neatly held blonde hair. The brunette gently shoved her away and got into the driver's seat, running her fingers through her hair once she had sat.
"I can't believe we have to go back to this creepy house," Emily sighed and shut the door as she waited for J.J. to get settled in the passenger's seat of the SUV.
J.J. flashed a cheeky smile. "What? Are you scared of haunted houses?"
"Ha...ha..," Emily replied with as much sarcasm as she could muster. She turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot. "It's not haunted, just gothic. Gothic settings remind me too much of diplomatic life in Europe, old dusty rooms, old dusty people... I don't like it."
"Really?" J.J. asked. She reached over to straighten Emily's collar. "I don't know... you look pretty gothic to me right now. Black hair, black clothes, black shoes...so intense..." she trailed off, her eyes roving across Emily's body. The sun was breaking through the clouds for the first time in weeks, signalling the beginning of spring. It was still chilly out, but Emily thought the goose bumps on her arms had less to do with the weather and more to do with J.J. gently drawing her fingers down Emily's bicep.
She swallowed nervously. "I'm not gothic... or intense," Emily said quietly. She chanced a glance over at J.J. before focusing back on the road. Though the blonde held a straight face, her eyes sparkled with mischief.
"That's too bad," J.J. replied, "because I think that intense gothic persona looks pretty hot on you." Her voice was light with humor but her eyes lingered on the stiff collars of Emily's shirt that delicately framed her regal neck and drew attention to the elegance of her collarbone. For someone who claimed to have no interest in being a profiler, J.J. had a keen eye for detail. She considered the richness of the fabric, soft but simple. Emily loved her luxuries to appear simple, effortless. J.J. would bet that shirt cost more than her entire wardrobe at the moment. She allowed herself to entertain the seductive thought of how it would feel to slowly unbutton that shirt. Her eyes flickered up to Emily's face and to her chagrin Emily was watching her with furrowed brows. They had stopped at a red light. How long had Emily been observing her? J.J. wondered. The two women hastily broke eye contact. Tension suddenly grew between them, thickening with every second. Emily reached out and fiddled with the buttons on the radio until she stopped on a station playing hardcore metal. She smirked at J.J. and turned it all the way up, laughing when the blonde clamped her hands to her ears and cringed at the noise.
When J.J. heard the laugh, she playful slapped Emily's hand away and began turning it down, only to have Emily retaliate and turn it back up. J.J. deftly trapped her hand, knowing Emily would never take her other hand off the steering wheel. She turned off the station and chastised the giggling agent.
"What are you? Five?" J.J. asked with a grin. She pressed her hand down over Emily's before the brunette tugged it away to place it back on the steering wheel.
Emily laughed again as she pressed the gas and drove through the green light. "What? I thought you wanted gothic?"
"God no, not that kind of gothic. At least something more profound." J.J. chuckled.
"Heavy metal can be profound..." Emily contested as the blonde continued laughing and shaking her head.
J.J. suddenly felt elated. She didn't know if it was the sunny day or the way her stomach flipped when Emily's voice dipped in pitch. A light blush had crept across her cheeks from laughter. She loved that Emily made her laugh so much, despite the dour work circumstances that surrounded them constantly. It wasn't even that Emily intentionally made her laugh... she just had a strange mix of sarcasm, nerdiness and sincerity that tickled J.J.
Emily's defense of heavy metal trailed away and she slowed the car to a crawl as she pulled between the gates of the house. It looked less imposing than it had the last time they were here and more empty, hollow even. She gave J.J. a meaningful look and the blonde changed her demeanor. She looked around carefully as they pulled up in front of the main entrance. She couldn't help but feel a little cheated that her fun with Emily was cut short.
The only sound within the gates was the popping of the car doors. The two agents walked with calculated steps to the decorative doors even though the unsub was in custody. Emily paused at the door to fish a key from her pocket and immediately felt J.J. draw closer to her. It was her turn to smirk as she opened the creaking door, "Now who's afraid of old houses?"
J.J. rolled her eyes and strolled through the doors with a dignified swagger. Emily locked the door behind and followed, her eyes sweeping the house for any signs of entry by vandals or other miscreants. "Should we do a quick sweep?" J.J asked and Emily turned her head to meet J.J.'s soft, blue eyes. "Hmmm," Emily chewed at her lower lip, "I think the local PD came through yesterday with Rutherford's attorney. They should have already done a full sweep and locked everything down."
Emily swept past J.J. and headed up the carpet stairs that rose to the next floor before splitting off left and right to lead further upstairs. Dust rose around them as they tread over the aged carpet. Between the dust and carpet, their sounds were muffled, making the somber house eerily quiet. They veered to the left, walking side by side. J.J.'s hand brushed against Emily, who tensed her shoulders in response to the sensation. Her fingers twitched with the need to reach out and hold J.J.'s hand. She pocketed her hands and exhaled while counting down in her head...10...9...8...7...6...
They stopped at the entrance to what they presumed was the library, having followed the instructions exactly as Rutherford had recited them. Emily turned the metallic knob and pushed the door ajar. Unlike the dark and gloomy house, the library was awash with light, falling over the endless bookshelves in the cavernous room. The two women exchanged glances. It was like entering a dream. Intricate stained glass windows dispersed soft beams of colored light across the library. The eeriness fell away and left behind a feeling of transcendent bliss.
"Wow," Emily exhaled. "If the rest of this house was her mental prison, this was her sanctuary." J.J. nodded, remembering how Rutherford had enshrined her daughter and her sorrow in the rest of the house. The library, however, was pristine and innocent; the one place the serial killer had kept her sanity and her escape into other worlds. The bookshelves stretched to the far end of the room and along the walls.
J.J. let out a burst of breath. "This is bigger than my hometown's public library." She chuckled in disbelief. "How are we going to find this book?"
Emily walked deeper into the library, again unnerved by the silence created by the carpeted surface. "She..." Emily began, "She said it was the 14th book on the 7th bookshelf. Her daughter's birthday, July 14th, was how she remembered the location."
"But which side did she walk along, left or right, and which side did she start from, front or back?" J.J. asked, her face held in concentration.
"Well," Emily replied, "It's most likely she would have started from the front, and walked on the left. But... why don't you take the left, I'll take the right and we'll check the books along each level of the whole shelf, back and front."
Emily walked away to the right and J.J. started down the aisle on the left. They counted in silence as each walked along to the seventh shelf. They began to check the fourteenth book on each level of the shelf.
J.J. paused, recalling Rutherford's height. She looked up and saw a black leather-bound book with no words on the spine. She reached up but barely brushed the edge of the book. She looked around but couldn't see Emily.
"Emily?" She called.
There was no reply.
Emily was scanning books on the other side of the shelf, deep in thought, trying to solve two mysteries at once: the location of the book and what exactly was going on between her and J.J. The touching, the flirting... In the office or in the field, it seemed like a game. But on days like today, when they were alone, it became intense and she didn't yet understand where it was going. She knew where she might want it to go... She felt tightly wound, charged with a desire for her colleague, yearning to press their lips and bodies together. How it would feel to run her hands along J.J.'s smooth and warm skin, to kiss her neck and...
"PRENTISS!"
Emily was jolted out of her thoughts and quickly rounded the corner to see J.J. standing on the far side of the shelf, a stern but amused look on her face.
"Emily," she said more softly, "I think I found the book, come help me pull it off the shelf." J.J turned and stretched again to reach the shelf, this time her fingertips brushed the bound edges.
"I'm hardly taller than you," Emily murmured against the blonde's ear. J.J. nearly gasped, but held it in. She hadn't heard Emily approach, but now she could feel the body heat of the brunette all along her back. Her heart started beating faster. J.J. closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Behind her, Emily stretched towards the book, placing her left hand on the shelf in front of J.J. and reaching with her right to edge the book of the shelf. She was right. She wasn't much taller than J.J. but she pressed her body closer and managed to tease it out.
As Emily brought the book down, J.J. turned to face her, aware of every place their bodies touched as she maneuvered the tight space. Emily was startled to find herself face to face with J.J., warm breath teasing at her lips. Their eyes locked in silent conversation. She dropped the book and placed her right hand on J.J.'s hip, her left hand still clutching the shelf.
For a moment the only sound in the room was their shallow breath. Emily pressed against J.J. until they bumped into the shelf, then Emily's lips descended on J.J's slightly parted lips. A trail of desire burned from Emily's stomach to between her legs. She released a soft moan, prompting J.J to clasp the brunette's face and pull her in for a deeper, intimate kiss. She teased at Emily's lips with her tongue before slipping it through to travel the warmth of her mouth. Emily's tongue met hers with equal fervor. J.J. whimpered and pressed her body harder against Emily. They slowed their kiss as their chests heaved with effort.
"Emily" J.J. moaned.
The brunette's head snapped up and she pulled back from the kiss, disentangling herself from the body in front of her still heaving with desire. She looked up into J.J.'s eyes, surveyed her blushing cheeks, open mouth and her expression, a mix of want and desire. Emily turned and walked as far as the wall. She leaned back against the wall, in direct view of her friend, but partially hidden in the shadows next to a large beam of light from the stained glass window above.
J.J. chuckled. Leave it to Emily to literally run to the darkness. She walked slowly over to her, trying to calculate the agent's feelings. Trying to understand how many thoughts were running through the profiler's head. Emily straightened up when J.J. stood in front of her and laid a small and warm hand on her chest.
"Jennifer," the brunette started to speak, her voice soft and imploring. J.J. lightly placed the tips of her fingers on the brunette's lips and shook her head.
"Enough Emily, enough." Then she clutched at the brunette's collars, pulled her close and kissed her hard. J.J. felt intoxicated as Emily wrapped her arms around her delicate frame. She swam in Emily's taste, in her tenderness, in her perfume. She sucked on Emily's lower lip, eliciting a moan from her. J.J. let her hands explore. She began unbuttoning the tailored shirt, revealing creamy white skin below. She released Emily's lips and began kissing down between her breasts as she untucked and unbuttoned the rest of the shirt. J.J. raised her lips to Emily's and pressed her palms against Emily's taut stomach. Slowly, she moved them up to cup Emily's breasts. She brushed her thumb over Emily's nipples, feeling them perk up under the dark blue bra that hugged them. She rubbed them again and again, swallowing the moans that fell from Emily's mouth. Her hands slipped around to unclasp the bra but Emily quickly grabbed her wrists. She turned their bodies and pressed the blonde against the wall. J.J. closed her eyes and gasped in pleasure as Emily brought her lips to her neck. She kissed along her neck, sucked and nipped at the soft skin. Slowly, the brunette lowered their arms, sliding her own hands under J.J's blouse, setting them free to roam her skin and seek out her breasts.
"Hmmm...Em." She had found her nipples firm, eager to be touched. Emily pulled J.J's shirt off and with quick, practiced hands, removed her bra. J.J. moaned as she felt Emily's hot mouth close over her nipple. Her center throbbed. She wanted to tell Emily to touch her, to feel her dripping, hot entrance, but couldn't form coherent words. Perhaps Emily could read minds because she brought their lips together as her hands began working on J.J's zipper. She inched her right hand lower, slipping beneath lacy underwear and pausing so close to J.J.'s source she could feel the heat coming off of her. Emily looked into J.J's eyes. The blonde gave a small nod, eyes heavy with need. She wrapped a hand around Emily's neck as she felt the brunette slowly work her fingers into the slippery wet folds. The women moaned simultaneously. J.J pressed their foreheads together as Emily explored her. She bit her lip when Emily began to tease her clit, taking time to find the best way to stimulate the little bundle of nerves. J.J.'s head was swimming. She whimpered and moaned as Emily teased her. When the brunette wrapped her lips around her nipple again, she let out a loud, involuntary moan. Emily worked J.J., teasing her, playing with her, making note of every gasp and moan so she could return to the spot or repeat the pattern. She teased at J.J's entrance, feeling wetness pour out of the blonde. She could feel J.J. tensing, her breathing becoming rapid, so she returned her attention to the swollen clit, sliding her fingers over it repeatedly. J.J. slipped her fingers into Emily's hair, her mind reeling. She could feel a burning desire building and pulsating deep inside her pussy. She wanted Emily inside her.
Emily had other plans. She rubbed and gently flicked the nub above J.J's entrance.
J.J. couldn't stop herself tumbling over the edge as Emily rubbed relentlessly. She felt something burst and clenched her legs, her insides convulsing with pleasure. J.J. let out a long and loud moan, holding tight to Emily in case her legs planned to give out. Emily gave her a shy smile and leaned her lover against the wall. J.J. looked at Emily, in awe of her prowess and her beauty. Emily was bathed in streams of golden light and she looked, literally, radiant. She leaned in for a kiss, slow and lazy. J.J's breathing grew steady as she let her tongue loosely explore Emily's mouth, feeling already turned on again by their wet and open kiss. They pulled in deeper and Emily moaned softly.
"Fuck," J.J. gasped suddenly, tearing her lips away. Emily had just thrust two fingers inside her. She moved them imperceptibly, meeting J.J's darkened blue eyes with her own twinkling brown eyes. The blonde gasped again and exhaled a moan as Emily thrust into her again. Her brows were knit with desire and glowing with tiny beads of sweat.
With her free hand Emily reached up to J.J.'s ponytail and pulled off the tie to set her silky blonde hair loose. For the first time Emily flashed her a smile, eyes lit with lust and confidence. J.J. responded with an endearing smile of her own as she led Emily's hand into her hair. With her other hand, she felt along Emily's muscular arm until she had a loose grip on her wrist, aroused by the thought that the profiler's fingers were buried deep within her. Emily pushed into J.J's velvet depth, feeling out the wet, soft walls.
Emily's hands were occupied, so J.J. took her chance to unzip the brunette's pants. She met her eyes and held the gaze, closing her eyes only when a wave of pleasure swept through her. She slid her hand past Emily's underwear, her fingers quickly falling into the brunette's overflowing center. "Fuck" J.J. whispered, trying to hold herself together. She moved her fingers through Emily's soaked and compliant folds, slipping over her swollen clit. J.J. smiled at Emily's moans. The brunette stilled her hand as she tried to steady herself. J.J. wanted to tease her more but she couldn't keep her fingers from seeking out Emily's entrance. She pushed a finger into Emily. The brunette jerked her hips and let out a strangled moan. J.J. slowly added a second finger and thrust into her a few more times before Emily began to do the same again. Their lips met in a heated kiss as they thrust into each other, slowly manoeuvring their stances into comfortable positions. Why didn't I wear a skirt today? J.J. thought. Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by Emily's fingers working in her faster and deeper. J.J. tried to muffle a scream by biting down on the brunette's shoulder. She picked up her pace inside Emily, dragging her fingers over the ridges along the walls of Emily's hot, wet, wanting pussy. J.J. crooked her fingers and the brunette gasped, "Fuuuuck." She closed her eyes and pressed against J.J. The blonde struggled to control her breathing, she was close. J.J screamed. Emily had stumbled across a very sensitive spot. Emily returned her fingers to the spot, again and again until she felt J.J. begin to tremble, her free hand crushing Emily's shoulder. But she was determined to make Emily come. J.J thrust deep into the brunette over and over, returning to spots where she was rewarded with moans. Without warning Emily tensed up, she started gasping for breath, her free hand frantically seeking out an anchor on the wall. With no other anchor, Emily clutched J.J as her orgasm hit her. She rode it out in loud disoriented moans. Somewhere in the haze of pleasure she remembered to thrust again into J.J. who also finally allowed herself to dissolve into orgasm, high on the sight of Emily coming undone before her. The two women held each other tight as waves of pleasure pulsated within them.
J.J. closed her eyes and hid her face in Emily's neck. Never, in all her fantasies of the brunette, had she imagined a moment so erotic, so tender. Emily tucked her head into J.J.'s neck and hair, desperately trying to wipe away the few tears that had bloomed from her eyes as she came. She removed her fingers from their warm harbour and J.J. did the same. In the guise of pulling J.J. closer, Emily wiped her eyes and breathed in deep, praying the blonde hadn't seen her cry because she didn't know where those inexplicable tears had come from.
J.J. lifted her head to guide Emily into a gentle kiss. Emily kissed her back with as much tenderness as she could convey, lingering on her lips. She pulled back and kissed the blonde on the forehead.
Emily didn't trust herself to speak so she drew J.J. into a hug. They stayed in that moment of silence, suspended in a beam of light.
The silence was broken by a phone vibrating between them. They jumped apart, startled. J.J. chuckled and pulled out her phone, showing the caller I.D. to Emily before answering.
"Morgan?"
"Yeah I think we got it."
"We're just going to double check the entries."
"I'll call you back with a confirmation."
J.J. hung up the phone and sighed. "I think we better get cleaned up and go." Emily nodded. They began getting dressed. J.J. found her hair tie on the floor and pulled it onto her wrist. As Emily buttoned up her t-shirt, J.J. walked to far end of the library where she had spotted a bathroom. Emily followed her to the bathroom and they washed their hands and faces in silence, both lost deep in their own thoughts. A quiet smile played over the blonde's lips and Emily caught it a few times as they washed up, returning a small smile of her own. J.J. led the way back out of the bathroom. When Emily caught up with her, she had picked up the notebook and opened it to confirm the entries.
"Is that it?" Emily asked softly and leaned forward to read over J.J's shoulder.
"Yeah." J.J. replied. She leaned back into the brunette and looked up with a warm smile.
She sighed again, and stood up straight. J.J. then turned and walked towards the door, Emily a few steps behind her. As the blonde reached the door, a hand closed softly over her wrist. She turned to fully face her companion.
"Jennifer," the profiler began, "Is this it?"
J.J. shook her head with a smile and gave Emily's arm a light squeeze. "No, this isn't it."
Emily wrapped an arm around J.J's waist and pulled her into a passionate kiss. When her tongue started exploring deeper, J.J pulled back. "Watch it Prentiss," she bit her lip and moaned softly. "You're going to start something you can't finish."
Emily grinned and released J.J. after a final peck to her lips. As they walked out of the library doors and out of their fantasy, Emily intertwined their fingers, pulled J.J. close and whispered in her ear.
"Oh, I always finish what I start."
