(Hey guys! Wow, I got a lot of great feedback from you guys! Anyway, here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy and be sure to review and fave/follow. Also, I posted another chapter of one of my other fics, Nothing Left, earlier today, so be sure to check that out. It's the next to last chapter. Thanks guys! Jordon)

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." H. P. Lovecraft

JJ

Thankfully, the next day is Saturday and Emily and I sleep far into the morning. Well, Emily does. I wake early, when the sun is just beginning to make an appearance outside. I lie on my side, watching the shadows appear and move on the wall behind my wife. I stared at her face, trying to commit her scowl to memory. How can a person look so concerned while asleep? Maybe it's because deep down she knows that the outside world is unpredictable, and she's worried about the baby too. I rubbed my hand gently over my stomach. Our child is quiet this morning, turning every now and then so that I know they are there. Last night it had taken hours for me to calm down. I was an FBI agent, I had seen things that were more horrendous than most people could possibly imagine. But when I closed my eyes all I could see were the red and blue lights being thrown against the buildings, smoke coming from unknown sources. I could hear the explosion, the panicked cries of pedestrians as they tried to make sense of what was happening. But the thing I could remember most was the feeling of this life kicking inside my body. My baby, this being I had been given to protect, was moving as if they too were scared. And I had to get away. I needed to go home. Once I was home I would be safe.

After Em and I finally go to bed, I am plagued by the day's events. I spend the night enraptured in nightmares every time I close my eyes.

It's almost noon when Emily finally blinks herself awake. Her dark hair is spilled across the pillow and she yawns as pulls herself into the world of the living. She sluggishly shakes her head, trying to shake herself into a more alert state. Then she turns and finds me next to her.

"Morning, sunshine."

I smile and lean in, kissing her on the lips. "Good morning. How did you sleep?"

"Well, suffice it to say that my dreams were sweet but you are sweeter." She captures my lips again. "What about you? Baby let you get any rest?"

I shrug. "Some."

She pulls me so that my head is on her chest and I'm snuggled in her arms. "What do you want to do today? We could go see that new museum exhibit Reid was talking about."

I yawn. "Or… we could stay here. And ravage each other for hours. And then you could ship us up some pancakes. And then we could ravage each other some more, maybe in the bathtub, or on the dining room table…" My hands have inched their way underneath her old Yale tee shirt she had worn to bed. I let my fingertips ghost up her spine.

"Why Agent Jareau, you are in quite the mood this morning." Emily smiles and rewards me with a slow, searing kiss. She tangles her hand in my hair. "But I know you've been wanting to go to the exhibit." I let my hand dip into her underwear and earn a deep gasp.

"I think the museum can wait."

Later that evening, we sit on the couch watching All About Eve. Our hair is wet from the shower and we are each holding Chinese take-out boxes. It's not quite the pancakes I had prophesied this morning in bed, but it was delicious. We watch as Marilyn Monroe spins around the screen. The baby gives a particularly hard kick and I gently press back.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," I assure her. "Baby's just getting in their hand to hand combat training." I joke. We watch the beautiful actors and actresses flounce about in their black and white glory. I set my box of noodles down on the coffee table. "Hey babe?"

"Yeah Jayje?"

I shift so that I'm facing her. "What would you think about me going on maternity leave?"

"Well I mean you'll have to. Don't get me wrong, you're amazing but I don't think even you can give birth in the field. There would be all kinds of paperwork."

I roll my eyes. "No, I mean now."

"Now? Right now?"

"Yeah. What if on Monday I give my two weeks before taking leave?"

She furrows her brow, chopsticks stalled between her box of fried rice and her mouth. "But why? I mean we still have two months before the baby's due."

I nod. "Yeah no, I know that, but If I start maternity leave in two weeks that'll give me six weeks to really get prepared. I could deep clean the house, organize the baby's stuff, make sure we have everything we need. And y'know I could get some rest, before we have a little one screaming at all hours of the night." I gently poke her in the ribs.

"I mean, it's up to you babe. If you think it's time then definitely. Put in your notice. Hotch will understand. But don't you think it's gonna make you a little stir crazy, being here all day? You thrive off of being with other people, and you won't get that at home."

I smile gently. "I'll still have you. And I'm sure that Garcia would be more than happy to set up camp her at our place when you guys are out of town, keep me company. I'll be fine. And I can finally catch up on some Netflix, relax some. It'll be nice. A calm before the storm, if you will."

She runs her thumb across my knuckles. "Okay. Yeah, whatever you think is best." She kisses my cheek and I pick up my noodles from the coffee table, turning to cuddle into her side. She ran a warm hand over my belly, and I cherish this moment, the two and a half of us safe inside, hidden from the unknown dangers of the outside world.

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