"Damn it, Emily, hold still!" JJ glared, biting the gauze with her teeth. They had been fighting for the last twenty minutes, trying to re-bandage the brunette's shoulder after the shower.

"I'm trying!" She winced. "Stop making it so tight!" JJ had to wrap the tape around Emily so it ran under her armpit to hold itself in place, but it was a guessing game as to how tight too tight would be.

Finally, JJ was satisfied with the result. "There!" She exclaimed, patting Emily's shoulder. "That was a whole lot harder than they show in the movies."

"It's a good thing you're pretty." Emily mumbled, rubbing her soreneck with her good hand.

The blonde frowned. "I'm sorry, Em. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's okay." Smiling, she asked, "Did Garcia bring any food earlier?"

"Of course she did, she's Penelope." JJ chuckled. "Want me to heat up some Chinese?"

Emily moaned with pleasure. "Oh, yes please." Crawling back into bed, she added "And you better make yourself some, Jareau. I know for a fact that you haven't eaten."

"You don't know everything, Emily Prentiss." JJ called over her shoulder.

"Oh yeah? Then why is your stomach growling?"

"Because I have an insatiable hunger for Chinese. But that doesn't mean I haven't eaten!"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Whatever, crazy. What do you want to watch?"

"Well-" JJ paused as the microwave beeped and stuck a fork in her mouth, testing to see if the chicken was done. "That depends. Do you want to order a movie or review the case file?"

The brunette's eyes widened. "Oh! That's here? I thought I left it at the precinct! I looked for it earlier and couldn't find it anywhere!"

"I know, I hid it from you." JJ winked. At the accusatory look on Emily's face, she shrugged. "What! You needed to sleep!"

Emily held out her fingers. "Hand it over, Jennifer Jareau, before I arrest you for obstruction ofjustice."

Instead of the file, JJ slid the plate of food into the agent's outstretched hand. "Eat, then work." She smiled sweetly. "Eat it all and maybe I'll even find give you coffee."

Emily lifted the fork to her lips, making her moan. "Oh Jennifer, I think I maybe in love withyou." Her words gaveJJ goosebumps.

JJ just looked on, dumbfounded. Emily was lost in her food, but she whispered, "I love you, too, Em." so softly that she barely heard the words herself.

At 7 o'clock on the dot, Garcia knocked three times at their door. JJ answered immediately without asking who it was or checking the peephole.

"I could be a murderer!" Penelope cried, throwing her hands in the air. "Why didn'tyou ask who was there?"

JJ's eyes followed the overflowing takeout containers that were spilling onto the carpet as Garcia flailed her hands about as she rambled. "Pen, give me those before you lecture me."

Emily laughed from bed, "You know who we work for, right? We carry guns."

"Oh, that's fantastic. Because shooting people is a better solution than asking who is at the door. I'm sorry little Girl Scout, I didn't mean to shoot your puppy. Sure, I'll take three boxes."

"Garcia, why would a Girl Scout have a puppy?"

"Maybe she was blind! That's not the point!"

JJ grinned, "Of course it's not, Emily. The point is that I should be more careful. And I will. Thank you, Penelope." JJ kissed Garcia lightly on the cheek, lighting a momentary fire of jealousy in the pit of Emily's stomach.

Appeased, Garcia sat on the foot of the bed and accepted a plate from JJ, passing it over to the brunette. Emily took it but didn't touch the food. JJ made herself and Penelope a platebeforereclaiming her position beside Emily.

Garcia couldn't help but notice how close JJ sat to their friend; she was practically in her lap, her right arm "accidentally" touching Emily's. she smiled, but failed to comment.

"So catch us up, Pen." JJ said between mouthfuls. "We've read the file, but haven't gotten anything on the case all day."

"Right, so this Possum Guy- he's known as the bad boy in town. But not the 'good' kind of bad boy, like the kind women swoon over- more like the sociopathic kind of bad boy that molests little kids."

"That's why JJ was set up as his date. He gets his victim pool through the women he dates; she was supposed to be the single mom of a 5 year old son." Emily chimed in, her burger growing cold.

"Yup. Until she sneezed, that is. But anyway, he's also very well connected in town. Like very well connected. Those guys you tel got in a shootout with? Part of his posse. They owed him for some start-up cash he loaned them, and I guess inexcusableloyalty
is part of the interest fee."

"Damn," JJ said, swallowing a fry. "Next time, try a bank."

"So right now, the team is trying to weed out the followers from the guys that owe him favors; the ones that will protect him from the ones who will flip. Now that people now the Feds are in town, they're starting to talk- and it 'ain't pretty."

Emily yawned. "Have any more kids been reported or have we driven him underground?"

"Underground, so far as we can tell." Garcia paused, swallowing. "I know it's bad that we can't find him, but at least It means he's not hurting anyone either."

Nodding, JJ agreed. "Thanks, Pen. We'll see you in the morning?" Motioning to Emily, she explained, "I think we're going to get to bed early. You know, rest up for tomorrow."

"Right, of course! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have stayed so long!" Garcia jumped to her feet, scurrying to clean up the mess. It was now 9:30. "You two sleep well, and Emily- feel better, pumpkin."

Emily just smiled, nodding. "See you tomorrow."

JJ closed the door behind their friend with a soft click. "You okay, Em? You're not acting like yourself."

Emily desperately wanted to tell her. She knew that tomorrow, their lives were going to resume and things would go back to normal. While she had no right to occupy so much of JJ's time or attention, Emily couldn't deny that the last 12 hours had been
/the best she'd spent in a very long time. God, if only she could tell her.

"Emily, talk to me. Let me into that head of yours for once." JJ begged, caressing the brunette's jawline with her hand.

She just shook her head. "I can't."

"What do you mean? Of course you can, Em. There isn't anything you can't tell me."

She wasn't ready. Not now, not like this. She wasn't ready to lose her best friend. "Can we just go to bed, Jen? I don't feel so well." Emily whispered, desperately holding back tears.

JJ melted. "Of course." She knew there was more, but she didn't push it. Deep down, though, JJ wished that Emily's secret were the same as hers. yeah, right, like that was going to happen. Taking the plate from Emily's lap, JJ helped her friendadjust
her position so that she was lying comfortably on her left side, facing JJ. The blonde didn't even think to sleep in a separate bed; instead, she flipped off the lightand slid an arm under Emily's pillow. She pulled Emily's body closer
tohers with a hand around her hip, her fingers resting on the brunette's lower back.

"Goodnight, Emily." JJ whispered, her face barely an inch away from Emily's. "I love you."

Emily still had tears In her eyes. Was she imagining it? Was this happening? Or was she hallucinating from the pain medication? "I love you more, Jen."

A/N: So what do you all think so far? Is everyone still with me? I've had a few people reach out and say that they want the relationship reveal to be dragged out a little longer, so tell me how you feel. Suggestions? Predictions?And please review! I'm still fairly new to FanFiction after my 3 year hiatus, so reviews keep me grounded and motivated. And plus, I always value your input! As always, stay tuned! ;)