Two and a half hours later Emily is on a flight to Billings, Montana. She has the case file in front of her and knows she should be reviewing it but just can't bring herself to open it. As she stares at the FBI seal on the cover of the folder, she flashes back to her first full day at the BAU.

Emily arrives at 7:30, hoping to be the first person in the office. She wants to get her desk settled and start reviewing recent BAU case reports to get an idea of how the team works together. She has not been at her desk long when she feels the presence of someone else in the room. She turns and sees a beautiful, blonde-haired woman walking into the kitchenette area.

"Well, the cases might be gruesome but at least the scenery will be nice,"Emily thinks to herself. Emily stands and heads over to introduce herself. When the woman finishes making coffee she turns and jumps.

"Holy shit!"

Emily can't help but chuckle. "Um, hi."

JJ sets her coffee down. "Hi. You scared the crap out of me! No one gets here this early. Uh, who are you, any way?"

"Emily Prentiss," she extends her hand. "This is my first day with the BAU. I just wanted a chance to familiarize myself with the team and cases and stuff."

JJ finally smiles and Emily is stunned by how blue the woman's eyes are. "Hi, Jennifer Jareau. I'm the team communications liaison. All our cases come through my office where I either flag them for individual agents or contact Hotch to get the team ready to respond in person. I'll also be the one bugging you for reports, case files, and any other paperwork you have to do. If it gets done in this department I have a hand in it. In fact, I believe you're the one I'm supposed to be running policies down with today."

Emily shakes her head. "Wow. You sure Chief Hotchner runs this department and not you?" the brunette jokes.

JJ grins and winks. "I just let him thinkhe runs it." They both laugh. "So, first and most importantly, first into the office makes the coffee. If you don't like it strong make sure to beat me in each morning."

Emily smiles. "The stronger the better."

"Good woman!" JJ pulls a mug out of the cabinet and hands it to Emily. "Get a cup poured and we can get started…unless you want to wait and do whatever you were doing?"

Emily bites her lip in thought. "Well, considering I'm on probation with Chief Hotchner I think it would be best to get started."

JJ frowns. "Probation? Why?"

"There was a bit of a SNAFU with my transfer. It's ruffled a few feathers. Hopefully it will smooth out soon."

JJ smiles sincerely. "I'm sure it will. This team…it's like a family. It may take them a bit to warm up to you but they will. Just do your job to the best of your ability and everything will be fine."

"Thanks, Agent Jareau."

"Whoa! Hey, first thing you need to know: I'm JJ. Only reporters are forced to call me Agent Jareau."

Emily laughs. "Okay, JJ. And I'm Emily."

They had spent the next hour going over the various reports and forms Emily would be filling out while with the BAU. JJ had also explained the process of how requests are vetted for follow up.

"A lot of times we have reports from over-eager or inexperienced detectives who are trying desperately to link cases together. We have to be careful how we shoot them down because we don't want them too embarrassed to ask for help in the future. If you want, the first time or two you have to let someone down, I'd be happy to look over your letter before you send it. I can even send you a couple of letters that have been sent in the past to give you an idea how to phrase things."

"That'd be great! Both those things."

JJ glances at her clock. "We have a meeting at 10. How about a break before—hold that thought," she says as her phone rings. "Jareau."

Emily watches as her eyes widen and her face pales. JJ nods at whatever the person on the other end is saying.

"Yes, sir. Yes. Right. Agent Prentiss is with me going over protocols. I'll look for the information and we'll meet you in the conference room." She hangs up and looks at Emily. "Time to get your feet wet, Agent Prentiss. We've got a case and it looks to be a doozy."

"How do you know?"

"Because it came from the Director right to Hotch. That is never a good sign."

Emily nods. Part of her wishes she had more time to get to know this blonde but another part of her is eager to start proving herself to her new department.

Emily shoves the file folder back in her briefcase. She'll have to review later. Her mind is back in D.C. with the love of her life.

She had known that first morning JJ was going to be someone special in her life. Emily wasn't quite sure when she first realized her initial appreciation of the woman's beauty had turned into a crush. But she had respected JJ enough to never act on the feelings she thought would not be returned. JJ had been dating a local lawyer at the time so Emily had assumed she was straight.

Emily smiles at the memory of finding out JJ was bi-sexual. She had figured it gave her a 50-50 chance should she ever have the guts to ask her out. Had she known the blonde harbored a secret crush of her own she might have made a move sooner.

But it was all a moot point now. They were married and they were further apart emotionally than they had ever been. And all because Emily had disrespected JJ; hadn't trusted her. Those were wounds that sometimes never scabbed over.

"You're a fucking idiot, Prentiss," she scolds herself. "You took the best thing in your life and destroyed it for the job. You knew Morgan was wrong. Why did you let the badge interfere with your common sense? You'd be just as pissed as JJ if the roles were reversed and you know it. You deserve whatever happens."

As she feels the tears start to well up again, she takes a deep breath. She will not break down. She won't. She closes her eyes and again pictures putting all the emotions away.

"Shove it away, Prentiss. Stow it in a box and forget it." She repeats the mantra over and over to herself until the tears no longer threaten. When she opens her eyes she stares out the plane window at the night sky, trying to ignore the memories that flash through her mind like a movie.

A/N: flashback alludes to Criminal Mind 2x10 "Lessons Learned"