No sooner had Emily started the engine of JJ's car had she turned it off, the blonde realizing quickly she had zoned out of the entire drive, focussing only on the dark roads that had rapidly merged into one. She fumbled with her keys at the doorstep, only managing to finally unlock the door when Emily put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Setting both their bags down in the entrance way, they silently headed into the living area, with the brunette taking a familiar route around the kitchen counter top to pull a bottle of wine down from the shelf.

JJ knew tonight was the night she would have to confront her feelings for the other agent. It was inevitable. They had been burying her for so long that she was beyond caring about the consequences, all she knew was Emily was everything.

"JJ, do you want red or white, I know you have both here and you will probably tell me to choose but tonight I think it is your choice. So, red or white?"

"Red" she replied knowing that the more sensible option would be to choose the white but sensible choices and anything of the like, JJ knew, were long gone. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Emily stretching up, reaching for an inconveniently placed bottle and JJ slowly turned to watch her. It was odd she had been attracted to women before, but never like this, never in a way that made her want to act on it, to actually acknowledge it. Growing up in a small town meant it had been easier to push those feelings aside. When she was fourteen she figured she would deal with them when it came to her last years of high school, in high school she thought she would leave it until college and when college rolled around she decided it would be far more simple to throw herself into her work and soccer. It was just easier that way.

"Emily can I talk to you?" JJ suddenly blurted out, there was no way she could leave this, she had already put it off for so long in her life already.

"Sure JJ, that is what I am here for tonight, well that and making sure your wine glass is never empty."

"Anyone would think you were trying to get me drunk Emily Prentiss, do you have any morals?"

"Nope, and don't complain because you already knew that. Anyway, I am sorry, what was it you wanted to talk about?"Emily quickly asked knowing she needed to steer the conversation back to the blonde as she clearly needed to get whatever was weighing her down off her chest.

The young woman took a deep breath and composed herself, trying to pick the perfect words to begin with, only to realize that it wasn't perfect words she needed, it was simply the truth.

"Emily, I feel like I owe you an explanation, you have been amazing today, I wasn't even sure what I wanted or needed yet you seemed to know the entire time." JJ paused gauging the intense look on the older woman's face, "when we carried you out of that house, and I sat in the ambulance on the way to the hospital as they tried to revive you I thought I had truly lost you."

"But JJ you didn't I am right here, I came back I..."

"Please Em, let me finish. That feeling I felt, despite the fact that you came back, it still haunts me, it is a constant reminder of the things I have not told you, of the things I had been putting off doing foolishly thinking I had all the time I could possibly want."JJ paused once more and saw a look of understanding creep across the other woman's face.

"I didn't realize until you were 'gone' that you are everything to me Emily Prentiss, everything. I get that this admission will be one sided but I knew that for my own sanity I had to tell you, as I really don't like being the girl found crying in the bathroom."

JJ studied Emily closely once more for a reaction but she saw nothing this time. The face that had previously conveyed the exact emotions of the agent was now blank as she took a long sip of her wine.

"Emily, are you seriously not going to answer me?" the blonde started angrily.

"Jennifer please, I just... I need some time," she answered as she put her wine down and pushed herself up off the couch, "I think I need to get going home and you need to get some rest but please, just give me some time ok?"

And with that Emily grabbed her bag and stepped out the front door into the cool night air. JJ was left alone once more, with only her thoughts for company, hoping that this time she had not been left alone for good.