Wow, I am deeply sorry for how long this took me! I've been unbelievably busy, but I am back now! I'm not sure where this is going, I'm kind of coming up with ideas as I go. This fic will be JJ/Shelby / Scott, but that's as much as I have. Let me know if there's anything you'd like to see, any ideas or anything.
Ps… anyone know any spoilers for the finale? I don't want to give anything away to people who don't like to know stuff, but I do. I read the overview, but I'm very curious and way too impatient to wait… if anyone's been able to find anything let me know!:)
Pps… anyone watch SVU? Profiling/Quantico references in "Baggage!" They're profiling this whole episode, they should have brought in our beloved BAU!
A/N that's actually significant: I have not had the experience of a ten-year prolonged reunion, so I winged it. Who the hell knows what that would actually be like.
JJ shuddered as she once again heard the incessant ringing from the bell that announced every individual who entered the shop. She rubbed her hands against the paper cup, trying to absorb as much warmth as she could from the steaming beverage. Her nerves were getting the best of her, and JJ kept her eyes glued to the steaming cup in front of her, blocking out the other patrons.
"Shelby!?" a voice questioned softly, but with obvious excitement brewing in her tone. JJ jumped at the sudden intrusion to her idle thoughts. She flicked her gaze to the young woman who was standing in front of her. Her breath caught in her throat as she came face-to-face with an older version of her baby sister.
"Jess!" she exclaimed, attempting to keep her voice quiet, but still managing to attract curious glances from a few people at the tables near her. JJ jumped up and threw herself into her sister's waiting arms, struggling against the tears that threatened to fall.
"Oh my god, Shelby…" Jess whispered as she finally pulled away. JJ could not wipe the smile off her face as she observed her sister.
"You look so good, Jess!" JJ gushed as she returned to her seat and gestured Jess to do the same. "I wasn't sure if you drank coffee, but I got you some anyway…"
"Thank you," Jess said quickly, effectively cutting off JJ's nervous rambling. "Shel, I've been thinking... I still don't understand why you completely cut yourself off, but I understand why you did it. I just… I'm angry, but I want you to know that I understand."
"I know, Jess…. I know, I realize that now. I'm sorry, I really am. Can we… can we just start over?" JJ begged. Even though her secret was out, JJ was still determined to keep her life as normal as it had been—her life as Jennifer Jareau.
"Sure… tell me about yourself, about your life. What have you been doing?" Jess complied, humoring her obvious requests to avoid the subject of the past.
"Well," JJ began. "My name is Jennifer Jareau, but all of my friends call me JJ. I ended up at Pittsburgh and then went into the FBI Academy and now I work at the Behavioral Analysis Unit. I'm the media liaison, so I basically deal with the media and press, but I work with profilers…" JJ finally trailed off at the end, realizing that she had been rambling non-stop, without letting Jess get in a word edgewise.
"You sound really happy, I'm so glad to hear it."
"Yeah, I really am… I am happy," JJ admitted. "I never actually thought I could be… and this is why this was the best thing for me."
"Yeah, you should have let me in on this plan," Jess joked.
"How are you doing?" JJ asked, almost reluctantly. Her guilt about what happened to Jess as a result of her leaving, even after all these years, had never been assuaged. Hearing that Jess had been miserable would only add to her guilt.
"I have a four-year-old daughter," Jess began, and JJ could see her face light up at the mention of the girl. "Her name is Kristen Shelby Merrick. Her father and I are definitely not together, but he is still part of her life. She's with him right now. My life basically revolves around Kristen, but I'm the assistant manager of a little boutique in town, and we get by just fine."
"That's great, Jess… I'd love to meet her sometime. I hope… I hope we can, you know, reconnect…"
"Of course we can… but do I have to call you JJ? I just don't know if I can get used to it."
"Please, I'd prefer it… I mean…" JJ withdrew her hands from the warmth of the coffee cup and brought them to her hair and began playing with it. The tension between the two women was unbearable, and this was not how she always imagined this reunion.
"This is really awkward," Jess announced bluntly. JJ looked back at her sister with a shy smile and nodded. "Let's go shopping!" Jess exclaimed suddenly.
JJ gave her an odd look before responding. "Why shopping?"
"Because," Jess explained, a sense of obviousness in her tone, "we'll bond over shopping!"
"Okay…" JJ responded skeptically. "I just—" JJ groaned as she was interrupted by the shrill ringing of her cell phone. She scowled as she read Morgan on the caller ID, which could only mean they had a case, which he confirmed.
JJ turned to Jess apologetically. "I have to go to work, we have a case… I didn't really explain that with my work we travel around to different cities that need help, so I won't be back for a few days. But um, Scott came back with me and he's staying with me in Virginia… you guys should get together, maybe show him around while I'm gone." JJ hastily downed the remained of her coffee, gathered her purse and wrapping her coat around herself.
"It's fine…" Jess responded despondently.
"I'm sorry, hun, I'll call you later… is that okay?" JJ responded guiltily.
Jess nodded as she stood up to wrap her older sister in a hug. "It was so good to see you, Shel… I love you. I've missed you so much."
JJ smiled as she finally forced herself to pull away. "I love you too."
JJ inhaled deeply and counted to ten as she entered Quantico, the one place where she used to truly feel comfortable. Now, no matter who she was with, she felt them judging her, imagining her past, imagining how damaged she was. Regardless of ho many times her teammates assured her nothing had changed, everything had changed for her.
"Hey JJ, how are you doing?" Derek greeted her as she walked in. She winced at the patronizing tone he used—the same tone everyone seemed to be using with her lately. She chose to ignore him rather than responding, refusing to respond to his tone.
"JJ?" Morgan called again as JJ passed him, obviously expecting a reply.
"What?" JJ snapped, whipping around to face him.
"Well I was asking if you were okay, but apparently you're not…" he answered. JJ rolled her eyes, turned around and continued walking away, before she felt someone grip her arm.
"Jayje, what's going on?" Morgan demanded, pulling her back so that she was facing him again.
"Nothing is going on!" she insisted, avoiding his eyes as best as she could.
"Okay, JJ, but you know you can talk to me, right?" Morgan reminded her for what had to be the hundredth time. Ever since she had admitted her past Morgan had become more and more concerned, and correspondingly pitying her more and more.
"Derek, I really appreciate your concern, but I'm fine. Please, just leave it alone." JJ shot him one last meaningful look before pulling her arm away from him and walking in the opposite direction. She could feel Morgan's eyes burning a hole in her back, but she continued on through the bullpen until she finally made it into her office and shut her door.
I know, that was weak. The end was also useless, and an obvious filler. I'm losing my inspiration or something, I can't write now, but I owed it to everyone to get this up:)
Seriously though, ideas are necessary, because I don't know what to do otherwise. Also, I purposely left it at a case, so if anyone has any interesting ideas for a case that would work out!
Pps (sorry, I talk way too much): I wrote this at like 2AMish and did not proofread… my birthday is tomorrow (yay) so I won't have a chance to update tomorrow, and then will be taking the next days to recover :p so here you go!