A/N - for CCOAC PYOP challenge - pairing was JJ/Emily and the scenario was that the characters visit a museum together
Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish -
It had been a short trip but the intensity of the last 46 hours had caught up with all of them as they sat on the jet. The call had come in on the Monday night, JJ immediately realising the urgency of the matter woke them all up and had them on the jet to Grand Rapids Michigan at 1am. They were on the chase for a paedophile who had already kidnapped, abused and then murdered two young boys and the reason for the night flight was one Robert Akehurst, 7yrs old who had been reported missing four hours previously. The team had worked tirelessly without a break as they quickly narrowed down the suspect pool thanks in no small part to Garcia's technological wizardry and her eye for spotting the unusual. Hotch had pulled up outside the suburban home at 4pm on the Thursday as they forcefully entered the unsubs house, he and Morgan quickly chasing the suspect outside and capturing him. Emily had been the one that had found the secret room, the windowless room that had just a mattress and a video camera present, seeing the tiny body on the mattress she had rushed over and saw that he had stopped breathing and had a torn piece of sheet tied tight around his neck. Desperately Emily had ripped the sheet away and started to try and revive him but she knew that it was too little too late as the child died in her arms. Now 7 hours later they were sitting on the jet, exhausted. Emily sat alone, quietly and soberly staring out of the window at nothing in particular, everyone else had left her alone and for that fact she was eternally grateful.
They had been on the jet for just over an hour and JJ had finally finished writing her report, closing the file she stood up and stretched her aching body and noticed how all of her male colleagues were fast asleep, even Hotch. JJ walked down to the front and noticed Emily sitting, eyes still open and distant, JJ carried on past her colleague and friend and grabbed two bottles of water. Taking a deep breath JJ walked back, stopping briefly to grab a blanket off the couch and slid in next to Emily, placing the bottles of water on the table. Emily heard and sensed the movement but ignored it, choosing instead to carry on her mission of finding the perfect cloud. JJ shook the blanket from around her shoulders and pushed it across Emily's legs and then draped it over her own, the contact was finally enough to cause Emily to stir as she moved her head away from the window and looked straight into JJ's cobalt eyes.
"I'm sorry Em."
Emily bit her bottom lip hard but was unable to stop the tears that had been building up for the last 8 hours from flowing out, JJ moved closer as Emily rested her head on JJ's shoulder.
"It's ok let it out Em, it's just us."
JJ whispered softly as she stroked the brunette hair of her friend, holding her until they eventually fall asleep Emily clutching JJ tightly.
The voice of the captain stirred them all from their slumber, JJ checks her watch as Emily rubs her eyes.
"I'm taking you home Em, back to mine."
Emily opened her mouth to protest but before she had a chance to speak JJ beat her to it.
"There's no way I'm letting you go home alone not after everything, and I have something special planned for Henry tomorrow that I'm going to need your help with."
"Ok."
Emily hadn't the energy to fight, she shrugged her shoulders as Hotch walked up to the two women, grabbing their bags from them as they walked over to JJ's SUV. Emily climbed in the passenger seat as JJ opened the back for Hotch to stow their bags away.
"Thanks for this JJ."
"As I said I can't let her be alone at the moment."
Will saw the headlights flash through the window as the SUV pulled up into the drive, as he stood up and walked to the door, unlocking it he smiled as he saw JJ walking quickly towards him and quickly met her on the porch hugging her tightly.
"Thanks for this Will."
"Anytime JayJe, how is she?"
The look on JJ's face told Will all he needed to know as he watched Emily walk up towards them.
"The spare room is made up Emily, you know the way."
Emily nodded as she bowed her head and walked past Will and JJ, heading for the stairs and the comfort and solitude of the bedroom.
She lay there staring at the ceiling, unable to close her eyes as she knew that she would instantly be transported back to the room and the body she had held in her hands.
"Rooaaarrr."
Emily jumped slightly at the sound, it took a second for her mind to gather her bearings, she checked the clock and decided to get up and stop the sound before it woke JJ and Will up.
"Rooaarrr!"
Emily couldn't stop the smile as it crept across her face as she padded softly into the bedroom, quickly she made her way to the cot and saw the bright blue eyes staring up at her, Emily put her finger to her mouth before she reached down and lifted the giggling toddler up.
"Shh Henry you'll wake mommy and daddy."
"Rooaaarrr Em-a-we!"
Emily shook her head as she balanced Henry on her hip and walked down the stairs, it had just gone 6am and she knew that there was no way the bouncing ball of energy was going to go back to sleep and seeing as sleep was not coming to her Emily decided to take Henry down. Emily waited until they were in the sitting room and had closed the door so that the noise could be kept to a minimum.
"Rooaaarr Em-a-we!"
"I take it you are being a dinosaur Henry?"
Emily sniggered as Henry enthusiastically nodded his head as he toddled over to his toy box pulling out a large plastic dinosaur and grabbed a book before he made his way back towards Emily.
"Oh so you've got a Stegosaurus and a book, do you want me to read it to you?"
Henry nodded as he held up his arms, Emily quickly lifted him up and nestled him on her lap, wrapping her arm around him she looked at the book.
"Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish. Ok then Henry here we go."
Emily smiled as she saw the large grin on Henry's face as she started to read the story.
JJ stood in the doorway, the unmistakable sound of Henry's voice had woken her earlier but she had deliberately ignored him and she was now looking at the reason why.
"So this was your plan Chére?"
JJ nodded as Will came up and stood beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist.
"So the trip you were going to take Henry on today?"
"I thought that Emily and I could take Henry to the Natural History Museum, see the dinosaurs."
"Oh he'll love that!"
Will shook his head as he grinned, knowing that his fiancée had come up with the perfect way to cheer her friend up.
"I'll put the coffee on while you tell Henry and Emily the good news!"
"Thanks Will."
JJ kissed Will quickly on the lips, she wanted to go and see her son, hold him.
"Whose Paradise?"
Emily looked at Henry as she pulled her face making her voice change tone as she read the different characters, they were both engrossed in the story and didn't hear JJ enter.
"So you still like dinosaurs then Henry?"
"Mommy!"
Henry squiggled as Emily quickly lifted him down so that he could run and jump into his mother's embrace.
"Sorry I couldn't sleep and heard him and thought that I'd let you and Will have a lie-in."
"It's ok, how are you?"
"Better thanks, Henry here can't help but make me laugh."
"Well that's good so are you two up for a little trip today?"
Emily raised an eyebrow as she looked at JJ who had Henry clinging tightly to her neck.
"How about we go and see some real dinosaur bones today Henry?"
"Roooaaaarrrrr Mommy!"
Emily burst out laughing as Henry roared straight into JJ's face.
"I'll take that as a yes then little man, how about Em Natural History Museum?"
"Sounds good, thanks JJ."
JJ nodded as she smiled at Emily, although not a profiler JJ knew that after the horrors Emily had witnessed the previous day her friend needed reminding of the good in the world and spending time with family was the best way to do that.
JJ hung back slightly as they walked around the giant dinosaurs, letting Emily hold and pick up Henry as she pointed out the different dinosaurs. She would have her time with him later but for now this was what Emily needed, to enjoy the life that was with her and move on from the life that had passed away from her.