A/N: Hey all. Here's a new one from me (though, I so should not be adding another to my long list, lol). It's written for the CCOAC forum's Wedding Bell's challenge. My two featured characters are Emily and JJ (friendship). My three prompts are: wedding veil, wedding vows, and a congratulatory toast. The inspiration for this story came to me a few days ago when I heard Usher's "You Make Me Wanna" song. So that should give you an idea of what this story is about. Right now, I have no idea how long this story is going to be, but I have a feeling it's going to be a long one. So, I hope you enjoy and that you'll let me know what you think. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

Chapter 1:

JJ peered through the thick crowd of merrymakers on the dance floor, all of them ecstatic, all of them the opposite of her. The sight was hard to stomach so, instead, she turned in her chair to face some very pretty trees.

She wondered, blandly, what there was to be so happy about. A wedding? Big freaking deal, she thought to herself, annoyed. Weddings come and go and so does the happiness… She was proof of that, for sure.

Downing the remaining contents of her glass of bubbly champagne, she wished for something harder to dull the surrounding cheerfulness. The waiter's making their rounds weren't carrying any whiskey or scotch, unfortunately.

The first notes of Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' began and JJ curled her nose in distaste at the overused song. She'd need more alcohol to get her through this one. Her eyes scanned for one of the dressed in black waiters, desperately needing to drown out the cliché words. The second one passed by, she snatched up another glass and gulped it down, not bothering to sip; the situation was now that dire.

"Can I let you in on a little secret?"

JJ turned to her right to see Emily Prentiss, her partner in misery, glaring out at the crowds. "Shoot," she replied nonchalantly.

"I absolutely despise weddings," she confided vehemently.

JJ chuckled. "Join the club."

They let out a shared groan of commiseration, just as the bride and groom practically floated past them on their matching cloud nine's right onto the dance floor.

She had to admit, Jordan Todd—Anderson, now—made a beautiful bride. Her sheath of a dress skimmed her perfectly. And the head to toe lacy white veil was gorgeous, a classic look. Anderson looked equally as handsome in his dark tux. They were the perfect couple, with the perfect wedding vows, and a perfect stupid wedding.

JJ secretly envied their happiness, their perfection, not that she'd ever admit it to anyone.

The truth of the matter was that marriage just wasn't for her. She'd tried it and failed, quite dramatically, actually. And now Will was long gone, back in New Orleans. The only contact she now had with him was when they coordinated Henry's visits. And that was painful enough.

"Guys!" Garcia suddenly popped out of nowhere, frightening her momentarily. "Come on, everyone's joining in. Let's dance."

She was clinging possessively to Kevin's arm, practically cutting off his circulation. He tried giving them a smile, but it was more of a grimace. JJ would have to remind her best friend that she'd have to ease up on the poor guy. Yes, she'd won him back, but she'd never really lost him in the first place.

"Sorry, Garcia," Emily answered for the both of them. "Not everyone has got a go-to fiancé to dance with."

"Besides," JJ added helpfully, "dancing sucks."

The technical analyst frowned at the both of them unhappily. She opened her mouth to protest but Kevin tugged on her arm first. "Come on, muffin-cakes, the songs almost over…"

As soon as they were out of earshot, JJ made mock gagging noises, and said incredulously, "Muffin-cakes?"

Emily tugged the glass of champagne from her friend's hand, chuckling. "Ok, I am cutting you off. You sound like me." JJ gave her a glare before dissolving into giggles, a sure sign of her tipsy-ness. "Anyways, it's not PG's fault that she found love and we're going to die two old maids'… not that there's anything wrong with that."

JJ let out a sigh, staring off into the distance. "I did find love, only he doesn't know it yet."

She followed the blonde's gaze, knowing what she'd find at the end of it, even before she looked. Aaron Hotchner, their Unit Chief. The object of her best friend's affections.

After returning from England to find JJ husbandless, Emily figured out that her best friend's marriage ended because of Will's growing insecurities over JJ's feelings for Hotch. He hadn't been wrong. JJ was so in love with the man it wasn't even funny. Too bad, though, that about a month before calling it quits, JJ had made the mistake of setting up the stoic man with one of her old high school friends, Ivy Sullivan, in an effort to save her marriage.

Now, six months later, the pair were still together and it was hurting JJ something fierce. Especially since she'd also become Hotch's confidante in all things personal.

Emily told her time and again to extricate herself from the relationship. That listening to Hotch go on and on about how great Ivy was wasn't healthy. But she wouldn't listen. Claimed that any Hotch in her life was better than no Hotch even if it was killing her. But Emily knew exactly how difficult walking away could be. After all, she'd tried and failed miserably at it herself.

"If I could turn back time…" she said wistfully, averting her gaze a second later.

Emily caught the pain in her friend's blue eyes, the tears glistening there. She needed to take JJ home; the woman wouldn't thank her later if anyone besides her noticed her deep melancholy.

Just as she was about to suggest just that, she caught sight of her own source of heartache. There was Derek Morgan, strutting his stuff on the dance floor with some girl about half his age.

Her eyes, she was sure, mirrored JJ's just then.

"Aww, Em, I'm sorry. Here I am going on and on about myself when you're in the same boat as me…"

JJ gave the brunette's shoulder a squeeze. She couldn't believe how self-absorbed she was being. Emily's predicament was every bit as awful as her own. Except Morgan was aware of Emily's feelings for him and claimed that he just didn't return them.

Doesn't return them, my ass, JJ thought crudely. She had no idea what exactly Derek's problem was but she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had feelings for the senior profiler. Had them for a while now. It was an absolute mystery to JJ why he would deny them now.

JJ watched, a bystander, as Derek's gaze met her friend's before Emily could mask the obvious pain there. There was a brief flicker of unmistakable emotion on the Chicago-native's face, one, that reassured JJ of her earlier convictions. But, all too quickly, his face hardened and he went back to dancing with the floozy, basically ignoring Emily.

Emily's face crumpled to dangerous levels. She was on the verge of major tears. JJ felt her agony so acutely; maybe it was because they were in similar situations, both wanting a man they couldn't have.

Quickly, she slung an arm around the brunette's shoulders squeezing tightly. "Come on, Em. Let's get out of here, ok…"

Emily threw her a grateful smile, though on the watery side, but a smile nonetheless. "Thanks for being my date, JJ."

"You're welcome." She smiled back. "Same time, next week?"

Because, of course, this was only the beginning of the parade of summer weddings to come. And the team was a part of or invited to all of them. They'd tough them out as the two sole members of the 'I Hate Weddings Club'.

Hope you enjoyed; let me know what you think. Thanks. Hopefully, more to come soon.