Next chapter! Please please please review!
3
JJ was sitting on the ground of the living room, watching the two year old girl entertain herself with purple and pink playdough. After the last case, she was glad to be home. The girl giggled gleefully, getting playdough in her hair. Sighing, JJ bent forwards and picked it out. Hearing a knock on the door she went over to the door and looked through the peephole. To her surprise, she saw Emily. In almost a panic, she looked between the girl and the door, not sure what to do. After toying with her options, she decided to open the door, she could trust Emily, right?
"What are you doing here?" She said as she answered the door.
"Well hello to you too," Emily said. JJ invited her in and they stood sort of awkwardly before the door. From there, you could not see the toys sprawled across the apartment or see a little girl.
"Sorry, I was just… I didn't expect you here."
"Are you okay JJ? I mean I have only known you what, eight months, but you seem kind of worried about something. I know it probably has to do with the case. We all get that one case that doesn't leave us," Emily said, kindly.
"Yeah, it's something like that," JJ was about to come up with an excuse, maybe Emily didn't have to know, when a giggle erupted from the living room. Emily looked very surprised for a moment and stared at JJ, waiting for an explanation.
JJ opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, a blue eyed, blonde girl ran towards her. JJ bent down and picked her up.
"Mommy," the little girl said. "I'm hungry." The girl hadn't even noticed Emily standing there with a shocked expression. Emily definitely was not expecting this.
"Uh, I guess you better come in," JJ said, motioning for her to come in. "I'm going to get her some dinner, you can take a seat on the couch or wherever."
After fixing some dinner, she walked back to where Emily was, carrying food and a little girl in tow.
"I want all of that finished okay?" JJ told the little girl. She sat her down on the table to eat.
"Kay mommy," she replied.
JJ headed to the couch where Emily was. There was a pregnant pause. Neither of them quite knowing what they should say.
"So I guess I should address the elephant in the room," JJ sighed, taking a seat on the couch next to Emily.
Emily nodded.
"So you have a daughter?" Emily said, stating the obvious.
"Yeah. Um sweetie come here," JJ called out. The little girl came and sat on JJ's lap "Brooke, this is Emily, Emily, this is Brooke, my daughter. Brooke, can you say hi, this is my friend Emily."
"Hi," she said shyly.
"Hi Brooke," Emily said.
Brooke looked up at JJ who nodded, and ran off to go finish her dinner.
"Um, how old is she?" Emily asked, at a loss for words. She worked with her for eight months and never knew she had a kid.
"Two and a half. Emily, I know it is a lot to ask, but do you mind not telling the team about her?" JJ asked. She mentally crossed her fingers. It was childish, but still it made her feel a little better.
"Of course, but why?" Emily asked.
"I just don't want them to know. And I know that you are going to ask about her father. All you need to know right now is that he isn't around, nor will he ever be."
Emily looked slightly uncertain, but promised not to say anything anyway.
"So," Emily said, not sure what to say.
"Brooke is my life. I think maybe that's why I don't like to tell people about her. I want to keep her safe from everything. It gets hard though. I mean being away and stuff." JJ said. Emily looked as if she wanted to ask what she was keeping Brooke safe from, but decided against it.
"Can I watch a movie?" Brooke asked from the table. JJ glanced at her watch.
"Did you finish your dinner monkey," JJ asked.
Brooke nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes! I ate it all!" She said proudly.
"Sure, but I'm going to get you into your PJ's first," JJ paused, then turned to Emily. "Um Em, you can stay I guess if you want, but I have to get Brooke changed. I'll only be a few minutes."
JJ walked off carrying Brooke on her hip.
Emily thought about what she just learned about her colleague. Who knew? Well, Hotch probably did. It must be on her file. But what about Brooke's dad, she thought. JJ definitely tensed up when she spoke about him. Brooke didn't seem to get much of her looks from her father though. She looked exactly like JJ. Emily was lost in thought when JJ walked back in.
"So know you know." JJ said. She said it almost sadly.
"Jayje. It's okay. I mean I don't think of you much differently. I'm just kind of surprised," Emily responded truthfully.
JJ simply nodded.
"And when you are ready to talk. You can just come to me," Emily said. "And the team, they will probably find out. I'm not telling you to tell them. I'm just saying that you should be prepared for the, to find out."
Two months passed. Emily had come around more often and started to get to know both JJ and Brooke more. Brooke really seemed to like Emily and JJ liked having someone to talk to who wasn't two years old or her brother or mom.
"Why did you name her Brooke," Emily asked one day. They were at JJ's house after a case.
"Actually it is short for Brooklyn. My sister's middle name was Brooke so and I liked Brooklyn. But Brooke stuck more," JJ said.
Emily noted the "was" in JJ's sentence, but stayed silent.
"Mommy, when is Uncle Chris coming?" Brooke said, bounding into the room. After getting to know her, Emily had found that Brooke had an endless amount of energy and Brooke was really taking a liking to Emily.
"Tomorrow. You are going to spend the day with him, okay?" JJ said to the little girl.
"Ya!," She paused as if in thought. "Grace be there?" she asked.
"Yes sweetie, why don't you go pick out a movie to watch. I'll come in a bit," JJ said. Brooke ran back to JJ's room. She always watched movies there because she normally fell asleep.
"Who's "Uncle Chris"?" Emily asked curiously.
"My older brother. He lives in Arizona, but he is coming down to DC for a week for work. So he is going to spend a few days here. He offered to take Brooke for a day. He has a daughter who is six. Brooke really likes her."
Brooke called out to JJ from the bedroom.
"Well, that is my cue," Emily said, standing up.
JJ followed her to the door. She paused before saying bye.
"Thanks Emily, for everything," she said softly.
"You're like family Jayje. I would do anything for you."
JJ smiled. After saying bye, she headed back to her room and grabbed Brooke.
"Mommy?" Brooke asked, quietly.
"Yeah Brookie."
"I like Emily," she said thoughtfully.
"I like her too," JJ said. It had been years since she let someone in. There were only two people who knew everything. Well, Hotch probably knew as well, but it felt good to have a friend or even just someone to talk to.