Okay, so here is the last chapter. I am so very, very sorry it took me so long to write this. I wish I could say I had the worst case of writers block but that's only part of it. Honestly with the Prentiss (Brewster) leaving I have had very little inspiration. To be honest I watched like one episode this season, so this chapter was by far the hardest to write, ever. As an avid fic reading I always cringe when a story I liked goes unfinished so I promised myself that I would never let that happen, so I made myself finish. Not sure if I will continue to write in this fandom or not, though I have several stories started, I just don't have the want to finish them (none of them published just saved on my computer) so who know maybe one day. Not sure why I'm telling you all this but to the point.
Here is the last chapter in 'No Guts No Glory' I hope it lives up to your expectations and makes up for the epic wait. Like always your opinions are always welcomed, please enjoy.
To that I get "I don't, not like that. I'm sorry Em, but."
"Alright little man all done."
At hearing that sentence I shake my head of past thoughts. Seeing Jay Jay there with Henry relishing in the fact that he is here, happy healthy and all hers. As I see her fussing over the most important person in both our lives I can't help but smile like an idiot and my smile grows larger when I realize that he is dressed in a Redskins onesie. She really does love that team. I mean just looking at Henry's room you'd have to be blind to miss it. Again no offense to the blind but honestly I'm sure even they would figure it out. There isn't anything in this room non-Redskins related with the exception of some toys but than again even the stuffed animals are wearing Redskin Jerseys, so yeah there's that.
After finishing his bottle, she burps him and heads over to the crib. Placing one last kiss on his forehead she places him in his crib for beddy by time. Yup that is a technical term so not sorry for saying it. She's just standing there staring at him so I feel I should make my presence known but instead of knocking or saying her name I approach her. Placing my hand on the curve of her back I whisper a single word, "Hey." I am a charmer with my one word sentences. Jealous you should be.
I follow up with, "You ready, or are we just going to stand here and stare all day, cause just so you know I am game either way?" To that I get a look, you know the one. The one that says I am a mamma bear and let me be but at the same time you see the love behind it and know she won't rip your head off, or at least I hope it's that look if not it was nice knowing you all. I get confirmation of the look when she reaches behind her with her hand and grabs mine. As our fingers intertwine she gives it a gentle squeeze. At that I gently pull her with me as I exit the room, pausing briefly just to take in the awesomeness that is Henry, then closing the door as we both exit.
"Sooooo Em, you ready to watch some FOOTBALL, ready for our boys kick some major ASS!" She says this with such excitement that I don't care who you are and how you feel towards football, you actually do start to feel excited. But with that said she has drug me to nearly every single game. When I got her this gift I didn't actually think she would take me as often as she has, I figured one or two, maybe three but really I think I only missed one game so far and that was due to injury, and then she gave the tickets to Morgan and we watch the game from her couch, so yeah every single game. I was really hoping we would use the lifetime membership passes National Museum of Natural History, I mean that's more up my alley but as long as I'm spending time with Jay Jay it doesn't really matter what we're doing. So Redskins here we come, again.
"Yup, totally ready, just like last week and the week before and the week before that. You know, I would be okay if you wanted to take someone else once in awhile, you know share the wealth, jus saying." As I say this I see her excitement fade just slightly so I add quickly, "I mean, I just think maybe you'd have more fun with someone who actually understands the sport." Okay that actually came out real quick but I think she understood where I was going with it cause the sparkle is now back and there is a hint of a mischievous grin.
"Nope Em, there's no one I'd rather torture, I mean go with." Yup, definitely a mischievous grin. "Besides, I think you're really starting to get it, and when in doubt you know what do. Right?"
"Um, I do what ever you do. You cheer, I cheer, you cuss, I cuss, you throw things, I throw things, you get arrested, I bail you out." I say this completely straight faced until she busts up laughing which does me in. After we regain our composure, we walk down the hall and are immediately greeted my Henry babysitter for the night and his fairy godmother, who looks a bit perplexed at our childish outburst that apparently she heard all the way down here.
Looking at her and the way she is looking at us I figure I will jump in and say something before she does, cause lord knows whatever comes out of her mouth will most likely be inappropriate. "Don't ask, it's nothing PG, just me promising to bail Jay Jay out of jail today when she goes to far." Jay Jay gently, or rather not so playfully punches my arm. "Ow, Jay Jay what the hell."
"Don't give me that, you were totally asking for it and you know it. So Prentiss, get your coat, and no funny business. Don't make me kick your ass." The tone in her voice screams I'm serious and her facial expression back up her voice so yeah I'm just gonna get my coat while the gettings good. Heading out we assure Garcia we will behave ourselves to which her only reply is a roll of the eyes, so yeah trouble here we come.
The game was, well it was a football game, what more can I say. Um judging by Jay Jay's behavior we did good, at least we won this one, not like last week. It never ceases to amaze me, last week the car ride was full of football talk mixed with cussing and fist pounding. This week the car ride is full of football talk mixed with cussing and fist pounding. Yeah two completely different weeks, two completely different endings to the game, yet the same exact car ride. Though I have to admit, I'm actually starting to enjoy myself and to my surprise, I understand what's going on. But lets not tell Jay Jay just yet, it's fun to watch her give me that look, like I've explained this to you all season long and the season is over halfway done. Yup totally love that look, I die every time she just stares at me all dumbfoundedly.
Walking thru the threshold of Jay Jay's apartment we are met with a screaming Henry and an equally unhappy Penelope. Grabbing the little screamer it doesn't take him long to settle, but settle long he did not. No it would appear that Henry was not happy with his mommy at the moment, no he wanted his Auntie Emmy. Yeah I know what you are thinking really Auntie Emmy, but remember I have a gun and know to use it, plus I'm trained in hand to hand combat so there's also that. Looking at the little guy as he tries to wiggle out of his mom's arms, at the same time reaching for me, not gonna lie best feeling in the world to his chubby little arms reaching for me. I of course snatch him right up, and immediately the waterworks slow a slow trickle. It always amazes me how much this little guy likes me, equally as amazing is how I would have it no other way.
"How'd you do that?" Managing to pull my eyes off of Henry I see Garcia staring at me in utter shock, and I see Jay Jay beaming with pride.
"I don't know, I guess were just on the same page, you know he can relate to me mentally or something." I say this only have joking, I do believe we are on the same page, what that page is, no clue but I do know I love this little guy more than anything, okay maybe there is one other person that I love just as much as him. Before getting any type of response I head down the hall with my little man, it's obvious that he's sleepy mainly because at the moment he can't keep his eyes open. I know that will change when I enter his room, it always does. He's like me in that respect. Sleepy as hell, finally in bed and wide awake, as I suspected the moment we cross the threshold to his room his eyes shoot open and the wiggling begins. Sitting in the rocker, I slowly rock back and forth, I mean it is a rocker what'd you expect, when I hear a noise from the door, looking up I see Jay Jay leaning against the frame. I can't help and smile, I mean I am currently with the two most important people in my life so yeah smiling, it's just a given.
This moment brings me back to earlier when the roles were reverse, Jay Jay with Henry and me in the doorway. "You know Jay Jay, you never finished your story." She's looking at me a bit confused so I figure what the hell, "You know earlier, when you were changing him, just before we left for the game, you were telling Henry a story about us and then you totally left it hanging." A knowing look crosses her face and I get a very coy, a very shy response.
"You know how the story ends." She's right I do, and though at the point she left off the ending wasn't at all what I had hoped for, we're still friends, closer then ever, so yeah I want her to finish because it's just part of who we are.
"Yeah, I do, but you still can't leave it like that. The story needs to be finished so finish it." She approaches us, and like I knew she would she continues.
"So Henry I just found out that your Auntie Emmy was my secret admirer. I think I said something like, does this mean, it's you? Are you my secret admirer?"
As she says this I can't help but think, 'Well I guess it's not so secret any longer.' When to my dismay I realize I didn't think that sentence I actually said it and now I can't take it back, now it is out there and I can never take it back. Biting my lip I figure I have already stepped in it might as well finish it. "Yeah it's me but before you say anything, I don't expect anything from you, nothing in return, not even the reciprocation of feelings." Looking at her I see my greatest fear arise, I feel my chest tightening, my heart is pounding, by breathing is labored and I swear my world has stopped spinning. I see confusion in her eyes, I see concern, I see what I feel, I see some one who is lost and afraid and I say the only thing that comes to my mind. "You don't do you? You don't feel the same way I do, do you?"
To that I get "I don't, not like that. I'm sorry Em, but." Again she stops at the same place. I tell there is turmoil in her eyes. Getting up I place a now almost asleep little man in his crib, with a quick kiss, she too gives him a kiss. We're standing next to each other by the crib and I can just sense something. By now her eyes have shifted towards the floor, as I turn to leave I grab her hand and pull her with me into the hall.
Closing the door with my free hand I turn to face her. Her eyes are still downward so with my free hand, cause lord knows I'm not losing the contact with the other, I slowly lift her chin. Her eyes are closed so I do what comes naturally, I place a soft kiss to her forehead. As she opens her eyes, they meet mine, and the spark is back, the light is back and she states, "But I do now and that's all that matters."
The smile on her face, I can only assume pales in comparison to the confusion written all over mine. "Wait, what?" Again jealous of my way with words, trust me being this good isn't easy and I don't recommend one trying.
"Yeah, I don't know when it happened really, it just happened." Still dumbstruck by the completion of her initial statement, 'I do now', I just stare blankly at her. I don't know what to say, I mean after she told me that she didn't feel the same I gave up hope. I mean I knew we would still be friends and we did stay friends best friends actually but I never did I think she would reciprocate my feelings and now, now I don't know what now.
"Emily, will you say something, anything? Tell me I'm not too late, tell me you still feel the same now that you did then. Hell, tell me that you've moved on but please say something." I can hear the desperation in her voice, that sound is what finally pulls me out of my self imposed denial, though I still don't know what to say, I mean there really are no words, especially the way I've been going with my one word responses so I figure actions speak volumes, right?
So yeah action here I come. Since I still have hold of her hand cause still not giving it back to her, I reach up with my free hand and place it on her cheek. Using my thumb I gently stroke her cheek. Her eyes are once again shut, my guess so she doesn't see the rejection coming. I take a few small steps forward so that there isn't all that much room between us and do the only thing I can think of, I um, I kiss her. Yup that's right I kiss her on her lips. I start off gentle cause I don't want to scare her away, I mean it is her first girl kiss so yeah not wanting to scare her. It doesn't take long for it to progress though and to my surprise she's the one that makes the next move. She drops my hand, damn it I really like that hand, but moves it along with her other hand to the back of my neck pulling me in closer. Okay I like the hand better here, this so works for me. I move my hands to her waist, I can't help it I want contact. I feel her tongue pass over mine and I'd be stupid if I did nothing so now our tongues are battling, but like always I will let her win. I feel and hear her moan and I am literally on fire, lastly I feel her smile and I just die. I have wanted to make her smile like this since I first met her. We very, very slowly separate, I mean air is important and all but I want more. Our foreheads are touching, our eyes are locked, we both having matching smiles and then the mood is interrupted.
"It's about damn time!" With that we both begin to laugh, I guess PG is still here, would have been good to know, thought she left a long time ago.
Still staring at each other I say as politely as possible, "Good-night Penelope, I assume you can see yourself out, right?"
All I get is giggles and "Yeah, yeah, whatever, you better call me in first thing in the morning or I'll be back and you know I will." With that said, mere moments later we hear the door close.
"So, you do now, do ya?" I have found some confidence and also some cockiness.
"Yeah, don't make me regret it Prentiss." She says this while rolling her eyes but with the biggest smile on her face.
"Oh believe me Jay Jay, I never will."
