Hello guys, big chapter for you! Thank you so much for all the answers that I'm getting with this story and a special thanks to the ones who took time to review.
I really hope you enjoy this chapter, sorry for any mistakes!
I don't own Criminal Minds.
JJ finished cutting the tomatoes, putting them on the pot with the onions that were already cut. She then picked the cucumber, cutting it in slices. All the time keeping an eye on Sophie, who was sitting on the couch watching some cartoons.
One week before
"So, I have Sophie's test's results." Stephanie smiled to them and JJ took a deep breath, knowing that her daughter's future was written in that simple piece of paper.
"Well, as we've noticing for the last weeks, the number of white blood cells in Sophie's peripheral blood has increased since the transplant. The transfusions of red blood cells and platelets were also a success and they helped Sophie's body to produce their own." Stephanie put the paper in the table, showing JJ and Will the numbers. "Sophie's platelet count reached above 20.000/mm3 and her granulocytes count are above 500/mm3. We have stopped the transfusions for two days so we could be able to do these tests, and these high numbers means that the donation was a success." JJ's and Will's eyes filled with tears, the two of them not believing in what they had just heard.
"You mean that she's cured?" JJ's voice failed in her question, the tears already sliding through her cheek.
"Well, the process of cure of leukemia is not that simple. You know that she still has to do regular tests for the next months, take care of her food and all the precautions that we had already talked about." Both JJ and Will nodded. "But considering these results, I think that Sophie is ready to come back home." JJ let it out a breath that she didn't even know she was holding, tears of happiness falling on her cheek. Will kept starring at the paper, his eyes filled with tears and the New Orleans native still not believing that her daughter was getting better.
"Jen?" Sandy called her daughter from the front door. "I need help, sweet." JJ dropped the knife, drying her hands on the dishcloth and went to help her mother with the groceries.
"I help, Nana." JJ arrived by the time that Sophie was trying to pick one of the bags.
"Honey, you can't carry weight. I can help Nana." JJ replied, picking one of the bags.
"Kay." Sophie went back to the TV, while JJ and Sandy carried the groceries to the kitchen.
"You already started?" Sandy asked her daughter, while storing the groceries.
"Just the salad. Can you help me with the pot pie?"
"Sure. Do you want a chicken one?"
"Yeah, it will be better. The pretzels are on the oven, more 5 minutes and they will be ready. Can you see if there is any juice on the refrigerator?" Sandy laughed, leaning on the kitchen counter.
"Jen, before I left you asked me twice to check on the juice. Everything is perfect, can you please stop worrying?" JJ put the cucumber on the pot and sighed.
"I think I am a little paranoid." Sandy laughed.
"A little?" JJ laughed. "Look, Will is not gonna worry if the juice is not cold enough or if the cucumber is not cut perfectly."
"I know. It's just that it's the first time that he's bringing his sons and I wanna cause a good impression."
"Jennifer, he already knowS that you are an amazing mother to Sophie and that you take a good care of her. Stop freaking out, ok?" JJ nodded and smiled. Sandy went to start the chicken pot pie and Sophie came running to the kitchen.
"Honey, don't run." JJ warned her.
"Sorry. What you doing?" She jumped to see the top of the counter. JJ laughed and picked her up.
"I'm cutting the things for the salad, Nana is making the pie and the pretzels are on the oven." Sophie smiled.
"Is Will and his sons coming?"
"Yeah, they are coming. Are you excited to see them?" Sophie nodded.
"Yeah, I wanna play with them." JJ smiled. "Mommy, what's that?" Sophie pointed to the cut cucumber in the pot.
"Cucumber, sweet. For the salad." Sophie made a disgusted face.
"But I don't like cucumber." JJ and Sandy laughed.
"You don't need to eat the cucumber, okay?" Sophie nodded.
"Is Idée coming too?" Sophie stared at her mother with her big blue eyes. They had seen each other just twice, but they were already in love for each other and JJ was really happy that Sophie was getting along with her.
"Hm, I don't think so." JJ knew that Will wanted to his kids to know Sophie with just the five of them.
"Kay." Sophie went down from JJ's lap and went back to the living room.
"Why don't you go, take a shower, give Sophie a bath and I'll finish everything, hm." Sandy smiled to her daughter.
"I can't let you do this alone." Sandy laughed.
"The pot pies are almost ready and I just need to put the rest of the ingredients of the salad on the pot and then it will be all ready."
"Thanks, mom." JJ smiled. "And where are you going at dinner?" JJ asked, curious. Her mother had already said that she wouldn't be at home by the time of the dinner but she hadn't specified where she would be going.
"I'm going to have dinner with a friend. Do you remember Catherine, right?"
"I remember her. But I thought that you hadn't talk to each other for like three years."
"Yeah, but we decided to have dinner." Sandy shrugged her shoulders.
"Okay then." JJ decided to drop the matter. "Sweet, I'm gonna take a shower. Nana is in the kitchen, ok?" Sophie nodded without taking her eyes from the TV. JJ took a shower, washing her hair but leaving to dry it after giving Sophie a bath. She helped Sophie to take a bath, washing her very good and cleaning up the area of the venous catheter after it.
"Can I chose my clothes?" Sophie asked while putting her panties.
"Of course. What do you want to wear?" JJ put the panties on Sophie.
"A skirt." Sophie sat on her bed while JJ looked at her closet.
"Pink or blue?" JJ showed her the two options and Sophie thought for a moment, making JJ laugh.
"The pink. With the white shirt that Aunt Em gave me." JJ laughed and picked up the white polo shirt that Emily had gave to Sophie.
"Shoes?" JJ asked and Sophie went to her cabinet.
"These ones." JJ smiled and dressed Sophie. She then dried Sophie's hair, leaving it totally straight. The little girl went back to the living room and JJ decided to dry her own, leaving it with long waves on the tip. She remembered that in the first time that she and Will met each other, she had her hair like this and Will had even praised it. She just didn't want admit to herself that she was trying to please him.
"The pies are on the oven, you just have to turn it on ten minutes before you eat them. The pretzels are ready too, so does the salad. You can put the table?" Sandy asked JJ as soon as she heard her enter the kitchen.
"Of course, mom. You have already done a lot." Sandy then turned from the sink to stare at her daughter.
"Wow." Sandy analyzed her daughter. She was wearing dark black skinny jeans with a pink blouse that felt on her elbows leaving it exposed. On her foot, she had a pair of golden flats.
"What?" JJ shrugged her shoulders.
"You look a really hot mama, hm." JJ blushed.
"Mom!" Sandy laughed.
"And this is not a crime, hm." Sandy caressed her chin. "I'm gonne take a bath and then go, ok?" JJ nodded. She sat with Sophie at the living room while her mother took a shower. After Sandy left, JJ noticed that it was almost time for Will and the boys to arrive. She decided to put the table, but it was just the time for her to put the table cloth and the door bell rang.
"Mommy." Sophie smiled to JJ from the couch and she smiled back. JJ opened the door to Will and smiled to him.
"Hey." She almost lost her breath seeing Will in dark blue jeans and a plain white shirt that defined her muscles. JJ couldn't help but noticed that he seemed very different from the man that she had seem a month ago, but he still wasn't the same man from five years ago. But she didn't care; he was able to took her breath in any ways.
"Hey there." Will smiled, seeing the beautiful blonde in front of him. Every time he saw JJ, he was reassured by the motive that led him to spend the night with her five years ago.
"Please, come in." Will and his boys entered the house. JJ couldn't help but smile at the sight of the little Will's in front of her.
"JJ, this is Connor." Will pointed to the older boy who just gave a small smile to her. "And this is Brandon." The little boy smiled widely at JJ. "Boys, this is JJ." She smiled at the boys.
"It's really nice to meet you, guys." Brandon continued to smile and Connor just continued serious, chewing his gum.
"It's nice to meet you too, JJ." Brandon said and JJ smiled.
"Will!" Sophie came running at him and wrapped her arms around his legs.
"Hey, baby girl." Will picked her up and almost kissed her cheek, remembering that he couldn't.
"Shouldn't you be wearing your mask?" Will touched the tip of her nose.
"Oh my God, I forgot." JJ ran and picked up one of the hospital masks at the top of the sideboard behind the couch. Sophie should wear hospital masks for at least 3 months while receiving visitors; she couldn't take the risk of being contaminated by anyone.
"No." Sophie nodded her head no as JJ tried to put the mask on her face.
"Honey, you know that you have to wear it." Sophie pouted and leaned her head into Will's shoulder.
"It's ugly and boring. And it itches." Sophie whined.
"Princess, you know you have to wear it so you don't get sick and then have to go back to the hospital." Will helped JJ.
"If you don't put it, Will and the boys will have to leave." All the time, Brandon and Connor watched the interaction between JJ, Will and Sophie. Connor couldn't stop starring at Sophie, she remembered Lauren too much.
"But this mask is so cool." Connor said and everyone stared at him.
"What?" Sophie raised her head to look at him.
"The mask." He picked up the mask from JJ's hand and put it on his face. "It's like a cowboy mask, I liked it a lot." Sophie stared at him.
"A owboy?" Connor laughed.
"Yeah. Maybe if you put one, Brandon will put one too and we can play cowboys." Sophie thought about that for a minute and then smiled.
"I want a owboy mask too." Everyone laughed and JJ quickly picked more two masks, giving one to Brandon and putting another on Sophie.
"Cool, I'm a cowboy too!" Brandon said and Sophie went down from Will's lap.
"Mommy, why don't you and Will be a owboy too?" She asked, pulling in JJ's sleeve. Before JJ could reply, Will picked another two masks, putting one on him and another on JJ, who almost fainted at the touch of Will's fingers behind her ear.
"What do you think?" Will asked and Sophie laughed.
"You look funny." JJ laughed and then Sophie turned to the boys. "I have little horses. Do you want to see them?" Sophie asked and they nodded. She pulled on both of their sleeves and lead them to her bedroom.
"You look great." JJ said to Will and he laughed.
"Yeah, you look beautiful too." She laughed back.
"Don't you think that she's too young to have boys in her room?" Will asked and JJ laughed.
"Don't worry, she already has a boyfriend." JJ walked over the kitchen and Will followed her.
"What?" Will asked indignant and JJ laughed.
"His name is Colin; he's a friend from the park." She shrugged her shoulders. "He kissed her when they were like, two, and since them he makes very clear to all the boys at the park that she's his girlfriend." Will laughed.
"Should I be worried?" Will leaned on the kitchen counter, while JJ opened the fridge.
"Maybe you should wait till she is fifteen." Will and she laughed. "Beer or wine?" She asked him.
"Whatever you are taking." He shrugged her shoulders and she closed the fridge, grabbing a wine bottle from one of the shelves.
"So, did you explained to the boys?" JJ eyed Will while pouring them the wine.
"Yeah, I explained that Sophie still doesn't know that I'm her father so they promised to not tell her anything." JJ smiled and gave him one of the glasses.
"Thank you." Will smiled back and got lost in her eyes.
At Sophie's bedroom.
"I have this, this, and this." Sophie took off three little horses from her doll trunk. "I like the white. Which one you want?" She extended her hand and Brandon picked up the brown and Connor the black. They sat on Sophie's bed and started playing.
"So." Connor started. "Do you like my dad?" He stared at Sophie.
"Yes." She nodded. "Will is funny and he calls me princess." She smiled through the mask.
"Do you like it?"
"Yeah, it's cute." Brandon stared at his older brother and smiled. "You like my mom too. She's cool." Sophie said, proudly.
"Well, we still don't know her a lot yet, but."
"You will like. She takes me to the park and to the movies."
"Yeah, she seems pretty cool." Brandon replied and they continued to play.
Back at the kitchen
"So." JJ put her glass at the counter and grabbed the plates. "Can you grab the forks and the knives, please?" She went to the living room and Will followed her carring the cutlery.
"You know that you didn't have to do all of this, right?" Will helped her to settle up the table.
"My mom made the pie, so I just made the salad and the pretzels." Will raised his head and stared at JJ. She got worried. "What?" Will smiled.
"I love pretzels." JJ laughed at Will's face.
"Well, it's homemade pretzels, so please be nice." JJ went to the kitchen and grabbed the glasses.
"I'm sure that it will be very good. Sophie already mentioned that you are a very good cooker." JJ then grabbed her and Will's glasses, pointing him to sit on the couch. They sat starring at each other.
"When did she mention that?" JJ asked, taking a sip of her wine and Will shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know exactly. Some time that we talked, I'm not sure." JJ nodded.
"So, Connor." She lowered her voice.
"He's still mad. But I saw his reaction at Sophie and I can assure you that he liked her." JJ smiled.
"Well, I'm happy to hear this." JJ smiled and Will smiled back.
"So." Will took a sip of his wine. "Did you think about your job?" JJ sighed.
"I'm gonna talk to my boss tomorrow and I will see what we can do."
"Look, I don't think that they will deny you time to take care of your daughter. But if you need to quit, I can help you with the money." JJ smiled.
"Thank you, really. But I can't depend on you or my mom." JJ took a sip of her wine. "I'll see how things are gonna work out, so."
"So whatever you decide, I'll be by your side." JJ smiled and the oven beeped.
"The pie is ready." She quickly got up and went to the kitchen, with Will following her.
"Wow, they seem really good." JJ smiled.
"Can you call the kids? I'm gonna put the food on the table. Will nodded and went to call the kids while JJ put the food at the table. After that JJ helped Sophie to wash her hands and her arms, as the doctors had explained to her before Sophie got out from the hospital.
"Did you all wash your hands." Will asked while they sat at the table.
"Yeap." Brandon replied and Connor nodded.
"Ery good." Sophie smiled.
"Ok. So now we can all took off our masks so we can eat, hm." They laughed and took off their masks. JJ started to pour some salad to Sophie while Will poured juice to the kids.
"No umber mommy." Sophie warned JJ and she laughed.
"It's cucumber and if you don't want it, you don't have to eat. But I would like very much if you tried at least one slice." Sophie nodded and put one slice on her mouth, making a face.
"Yuck." Everyone laughed at Sophie's face. Will couldn't help but notice the change in his sons' behavior around Sophie, it was even different of when they were around Nicolle. They seemed free, relaxed and calm.
"Ok, thanks for trying." JJ said and Sophie smiled, starting to eat her salad.
"Could you please put some for me, JJ?" Brandon extended his plate and JJ smiled. Will just kept watching the interaction between them.
"Of course. Say when you want me to stop, ok?" Brandon nodded. JJ put him some salad till he said it was enough. "Do you want some too, Connor?" JJ asked smiling and the boy was caught off guard.
"Of course." Connor just extended his plate and nodded till it was enough.
"Will?" JJ smiled and Will extended his plate, smiling. She put some salad to him and then to herself and they started eating.
"What are the pot pie?" Connor asked, finishing the salad.
"All of them are chicken." JJ explained. "There are two for each of us, but there's still dessert so keep a space in your belly." Connor smiled and JJ put a pie to him. Everyone finished and started to eat their pies.
"It's very good, JJ." Connor smiled.
"Well, thank you very much." She smiled back. "But the pie it was my mom who made, so I'll transmit your praise." Will smiled.
"Yeah, you really should tell her that this pie is amazing." Will replied with his mouth full, already finishing his first pie. Everyone laughed.
"Watabutumum?" Sophie asked with her mouth full and everyone laughed.
"First you swallow, and then you speak. Deal?" Sophie nodded and swallowed her food.
"What about your mom?" Sophie asked starring at Connor and Brandon. JJ looked at Will, who was starring at his sons.
"Sophie." JJ warned her. She had forgotten to tell Sophie that Connor and Brandon didn't have a mother and she felt bad for letting her speaking like.
"It's okay, JJ." Will smiled to her. Before he could explain to Sophie, Connor interrupted.
"Our mother died." He said just said to Sophie, without taking his eyes from his food. Sophie's mouth opened in an O and she had a shocked face.
"I'm sorry." She said, starring at Connor and Brandon. Connor gave her a sad smile and Brandon smiled too.
"That's ok." The little boy said to her and Sophie smiled. JJ gave Will an apologetic look and he smiled, shaking his head as for her to not care about it.
"What about your dad, Sophie?" Connor asked her. JJ shot Will an desperate look and he just kept staring at his son. Brandon kept looking at his dad, a little lost in everything that it was happening.
"I don't know." Sophie shrugged her shoulders. "Mommy said I am special because I have just a mommy, not a mommy and a daddy." Connor smiled to her and neither the adults interrupted their conversation, a little afraid and a little shocked with everything.
"And would you like to have a dad?" Connor asked again.
"I dunno." Sophie shrugged her shoulders again. "Just if my dad be cool."
"As my dad? You said earlier that he's pretty cool and funny." Connor asked and before Sophie could reply, Will interrupted.
"Ok Connor, that's enough." He glared at his son.
"What? I'm just asking."
"We've already talked about it." Will said through gritted teeth. JJ didn't know what to do.
"Your dad is cool and funny because he calls me princess and I like." Sophie finally replied to Connor and everyone turned to look at her. "But he is your dad and my friend. Mommy is a good mom and dad, so I don't need one." Sophie continued to eat not having any idea of what was happening around her. Will kept glaring at Connor, who had turned to eat staring at his plate. Brandon kept turning his eyes through JJ and Will.
"I'll fill my glass." JJ got up and went to the kitchen with Will following her.
"JJ, I'm really sorry." Will stared apologetic at her.
"I thought you had talked to them." She whispered, trying not to yell.
"I talked, ok. But Connor is just as lost in this situation as all of us are and I don't blame him because asking questions. Of course I wished he hadn't said nothing, if Sophie were a little older she would had suspected of something but she didn't. So please, calm down." JJ took a deep breath, sliding her hands through her hair.
"I, I'm sorry. It's just that, he asked what I've been afraid of asking her for the last month." JJ leaned on the kitchen counter and Will stepped next to her.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that we are gonna tell her that you are her father but we've been so good all alone for the next five years that I'm afraid of how she's going to react. She adores you but I don't know how she will react when we tell her that you are her father." Will could see tears forming in her eyes and he couldn't understand how it hurt to see her like that.
"Hey." Will put his hand in her shoulder and slid through her arm, stopping by her hand and sending a shiver through her spine. "It's ok. JayJay, we are going to take this slowly as possible cause I don't wanna see you or Sophie hurt." While he had one hand in hers, the other one stopped by her waist and neither of them noticed how closely their boddies were. "But we need to be strong for them because if we are lost, I can't imagine what all of this is causing to their head." JJ nodded.
"You are right." She wiped her tears. "I'm sorry that I reacted like that." Will laughed. "And I'm sorry for what Sophie said; I totally forgot to explain about Hilary to her."
"Don't worry about it, ok? As I said before, I'm here for everything that you need." Will smiled and JJ smiled back. "And she's just a kid, I don't blame her for being curious." Before neither of them could say or do something, Sophie yelled.
"Mommy!" Will took of his hands from JJ's and she recomposed herself.
"Yeah, baby." JJ filled her glass and went back to the dining room.
"We finished and want etzel." Everyone laughed.
"Well, Will and I didn't finish yet. Why don't you and the boys go to the living room and when we finish I can call you so we can eat all together?" Sophie nodded, getting out of her chair.
"Mask." JJ warned Sophie, who rolled her eyes and gave the mask to JJ to put on her.
"I just think we have a really ornery girl in our hands." JJ laughed at Will.
"You think? I give you more 3 days to have sure about it." Will laughed with JJ and they spent the rest of the night like that, talking, playing, laughing and even unconsciously flirting.
Hope you liked it, let me know what you think! :))