This is a "I'm so mad after rewatching 03x17 that I had to disappear into AU land and write this because clearly this is how it should have been" one-shot.
Now enjoy reading, because this is clearly better than what happened on the show!
„You should go for him." Emily watched as JJ stared at Will from afar, the sad look in her eyes telling her that something was nagging on the blonde's mind.
"What?" JJ's asked, almost inaudible but Emily was still able to catch on it.
"You'd make a cute couple." She remarked and glanced at her friend to gauge her reaction.
The first thing she noticed was that JJ visibly stiffened beside her and sucked in a deep breath.
What she didn't know was that JJ was tired of the team, and especially Emily, trying to set her up with Will. Of course he was a nice guy and certainly the gentleman many other woman out there were be looking for, but not JJ. No, JJ had only eyes for a certain brunette co-worker who happened to stand next to her in this very moment.
At first she had thought that she might have a chance with her, even though it might be a slim one, but when Emily had started pushing her towards Will her hope of something more between them had faded and she had tried to find distraction in the detective. And she had tried to, she really had, but no matter how sweet and forthcoming Will was he couldn't make her forget about the brunette and as the time passed JJ felt more and more guilty about using him like this.
Standing next to her now and having to hear everything she said about her and Will hurt and she felt utterly rejected even though deep down she knew she didn't have the right to feel this way when she never acted on her feelings towards her.
But then again she couldn't know how Emily was feeling about her. She didn't know that all Emily wanted was for her to be happy and have the family she knew the blonde always wanted.
Of course it pained Emily to see JJ with Will but thinking she would never have a chance with the media liaison she decided to ignore her heartbreak hoping JJ would find her happiness with someone else.
When JJ looked up and found brown eyes staring back at her she knew she had to stop keeping up her facade.
"No." She whispered and for a moment Emily stared at her dumbfounded.
"What?" The brunette was surprised by JJ's reaction and was confused when she saw tears glistening in her ocean blue eyes.
"Why are you doing this Em?" JJ's voice was about to break and she defensively wrapped her arms around her stomach.
"Do what?" Now Emily really wanted to know what was going on with her friend and she watched in concern as JJ tried to hold back the tears.
"Why do you keep pushing me towards him?" The tone of her voice was more desperate than accusing and it broke Emily's heart to see her like this.
"I just want you to be happy JJ." Emily quietly explained and looked at her defeated, her eyes giving away her own sadness.
JJ's first impulse was to shake her head at her reasoning; she would never understand how Emily would always put the happiness of others before her own but in the end it was just one more reason why she had fallen for the brunette.
"I can't be happy Em. Not with him." JJ felt like she was choking on the words and her entire body started shaking as she whispered the next words. "It was you Em. It was always you." She didn't need to say more for Emily to understand and as soon as the words had left her mouth hot tears started to stream down her face.
"JJ." It was all Emily could say as she tried to process what the blonde had just confessed to her. Her mind was racing, wondering if she had heard her right, wondering what it could mean for their relationship.
Scanning Emily's eyes JJ started to shake even more, thinking she had ruined their friendship with her confession, the thought crushing her even more.
"I'm sorry Emily, I shouldn't have said anything." She just wanted to get away from Emily, didn't want to hear what she had to say and in an attempt to escape she turned away from her and started rushing towards the door.
Emily however was faster and managed to grab JJ's arm and pull her back to her, causing JJ to flinch as her eyes shot up to meet Emily's.
"What are you doing?" JJ's eyes were wide and she tried to twist herself out of Emily's hold but it was to no avail.
"JJ, please. Please don't run away from me." Emily quietly pleaded and was relieved when JJ slightly relaxed in her hold. Letting her hand fall back to her side she tried to find the right words, knowing she couldn't bear losing JJ after the confession she had just made.
"I'm sorry for pushing you towards Will, I really am. I just thought he would make you happier than I ever could and I was afraid my feelings towards you would ruin what we had." The words tumbled from her mouth and she hoped they would reach JJ, hoped she would forgive her.
"Your-your feelings?" JJ stuttered, not quite believing what she had just heard.
"God, you have no idea how much I love you JJ and I was so stupid for never saying anything. I just thought it would be better this way." At this new tears started making their way down JJ's cheeks and were soon followed by small sobs wrecking her body.
Ushering JJ into her arms Emily held her close and waited until the sobs subsided and JJ calmed down.
Eventually JJ pulled back to look up at Emily who used her thumb to brush away the fallen tears from her cheeks.
"I love you too Emily." JJ's voice was hoarse from all the crying but a small smile was gracing her lips as she felt a weight being lifted from her shoulders.
It was then, when she saw the smile she had grown to love so much, that she leaned in for a first, gentle kiss and she was happy when JJ's lips easily melted against hers and reciprocated the kiss with just as much love and it was then that she dared to hope that maybe they had a future together after all.
