The next morning, Sandy insists on feeding Henry so JJ can go join her father for coffee on the porch. JJ carries 2 steaming mugs out and hands one to her father.
"Thought you might need a refill by now and this is just easier," she says with a smile.
"Thanks, Jenny. Did you sleep well?" He can see the bags under her eyes so he knows the answer.
"Not really."
She sits down beside him on the porch swing and sips her coffee. He gives her a couple of minutes then wraps his arm around her shoulder.
"What exactly happened, Jenny?"
"She didn't trust me, Dad," she leans into his hug. "The team knew the unsub may focus on me but didn't tell me. Why would they keep something like that from me? Why wouldn't she tell me the truth?"
"Was there a reason she didn't say anything?"
"Obviously because she forgot I am an FBI agent with the same damn training as she has."
"So, she wasn't ordered not to tell you?"
"It doesn't MATTER! Jesus, Dad, I'm her wife. That should mean more than an order!"
Alan looks at JJ for a moment. He slowly shakes his head. "That's not fair to Emily, Jenny. Nor is it fair to your teammates."
"What the hell does that mean? Are you siding with them over me?"
He slowly nods. "In this instance yes." He raises a hand to stop JJ's rant. "You can't have it both ways. You both swore to your superiors, and demonstrated to your superiors, that being a couple would not affect the dynamics of the team. Now you're saying Emily should have disobeyed an order because you are a couple. How is that fair to anyone? It seems a bit selfish to me. And, in all honesty, it seems like you are wrong, Jenny."
JJ stares at her father. She wants to go off on him, chew him out for daring to side with Emily and the team. The problem is…he's right. And she hates that. Hates that because it means she has been a real jerk to everyone. Maybe they were wrong for not telling her but she was wrong for holding it against Emily.
"I hate when you're right, Daddy," she admits quietly.
"I know you do, sweetheart. I think this is something you've known in your heart but your mind just wouldn't admit to."
JJ wipes away the tears from her cheeks. "What if…what if I've lost her because I've been so terrible?"
He smiles and kisses her forehead. "Sweetheart, if there is one thing I know it's that Emily Prentiss loves you completely and unconditionally. She's going to be hurt by this but she hasn't stopped loving you."
"God, I hope you're right. She built up all her compartments again. It took me forever to knock them down but no time at all for her rebuild them. How do I convince her to risk letting them down again?"
"I think you know what you have to do." She looks at him in confusion. "Throw yourself at her mercy."
She manages a weak smile. "Yeah, I know I can try that. I don't know what I'll do if that doesn't work. I love her so much, Daddy."
"The ones we love are the ones with the most power to hurt us. It's just up to us to decide how much hurt they are worth. Is she worth the pain of rejection if she doesn't forgive you?"
JJ enters the basement. The first thing she sees is Emily sitting on the steps, her head down. As she reaches the brunette, Emily's head rises and JJ sees the blood.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"I'll call an ambulance."
JJ turns to go but Emily hangs on to her arm. JJ stops, liking the feel of the strong woman needing her but hating the pain she can see in her eyes.
"I need out of here, Jayje."
"Of course," JJ agrees. She helps Emily stand, pulling the taller woman's arm over her shoulder and wrapping her own arm around her waist for support. They carefully climb the steps and leave the house full of boxed up hearts. JJ shudders, thinking how close the school nurse had come to adding to the collection.
"Here, sit down while I call for the ambulance."
Emily just grunts an answer before sitting down on the curb, her head cradled in her hands. Chief Straus hurries over.
"What the hell happened in there?"
Emily groans at the noise of the chief. JJ steps between them.
"Ma'am, she got hit with a 2x4. Yelling is not helping her," JJ reprimands her boss. After having already been cautioned about this once on the case JJ figures she has a suspension coming. But helping Emily is worth it.
"She's worth everything to me. I have to win her back, Dad. I have to."
He smiles. "That's my Sports Star. Always looking to win the big game."
JJ smiles. "Yeah. Always."
A/N: flashback references Criminal Minds 3x02 "In Name and Blood"