The early morning sunlight streamed through the window, gently awaking me from my slumber. I tried to stretch only to find that something was stopping me. As my eyes focused, I looked down and saw that JJ had wrapped herself firmly around my waist and was resting her head on my chest. She looked peaceful and content, and I couldn't help but smile. I tried to untangle myself from her arms as carefully as I could without waking her. She gave a small sigh, turned over on her side and carried on sleeping. I threw on some comfortable clothes and ventured downstairs to make some coffee.
Sitting at my kitchen table waiting for the coffee maker to work its magic, my thoughts drifted back to the events of the previous evening. Even now, hours later, I was finding it difficult to believe that it had actually happened and that this wasn't all just a very realistic dream. However, the fact that I had awoken to find JJ in my bed confirmed that it was real. Very real indeed. With a broad smile on my face and a spring in my step, I fixed my coffee and started toward the living room, wondering to myself when JJ would be awake. JJ. JJ... "Aw, shit!" I hissed to myself.
I'd broken the rules. For not only is JJ my very good friend, she is also my colleague. And the FBI do not take kindly to fraternisation between straight people, never mind fraternisation between two women.
I, Emily Goody Two-Shoes Prentiss, had broken the rules.
I felt as though someone had hit me in the gut. I started to panic and my mind raced with the possibilities of what could happen if this was found out. They'd split the team up. I could lose my job. JJ could lose her job. I got so worked up that half the contents of my coffee mug ended up on the floor.
"OK, just calm down," said my inner voice. "No one even knows and you're getting yourself in such a state. More importantly, no one is going to find out. This is a one time thing, Prentiss. You can't risk both yours and JJ's careers. End it. Now."
Easier said than done. I didn't want to end things with JJ. Hell, they'd hardly even begun! The night before had been the best night of my life, and I wanted it to happen again and again. Besides, JJ and I are strong, we could get through this, couldn't we?
Couldn't we?
I frowned. This was giving me a migraine. I shook my head from side to side vigourously in an attempt to rid myself of those thoughts for the time being.
"What on earth are you doing?"
Startled, I spun around quickly, but in the process I knocked myself off balance and almost landed on the floor. JJ ran over just in time to catch me.
"What was that, some kind of morning ritual in this house? Because I gotta be honest with you, I'm not really keen," she said, laughing.
JJ helped me up onto my feet. God, even still half asleep, with her tousled hair and wearing my old clothes, she looked absolutely gorgeous. It was all I could do not to drag her upstairs for a repeat of last night's activities.
"Hello? Earth to Emily?" JJ said, waving her hands in front of my face. "I'm gonna fix us some coffee. You look like you could be doing with some..." she faltered off as she noticed the puddles of coffee on the floor. "...and possibly also a mop."
I laughed as JJ made her way through to the kitchen, then sat silently as I waited for her to come back. I couldn't help thinking about what would happen if we were found out at work. Or if JJ even wanted to keep this going.
"Here we are," she said brightly, handing me a mug of coffee. She sat on a chair opposite me and took a sip from her own mug. "Ahhh, just what I needed after an late night. Thanks to you, Miss Prentiss," she finished with a wink.
I had to laugh. "For the record, I'd like to state that it was not entirely my fault."
She giggled before turning her attention back to her coffee. We sat in silence for a while, alternatively taking sips from our mugs. I sensed that JJ felt slightly awkward, embarrassed even. She was sitting on the chair with her knees up to her chest, her free arm wrapped around them.
"You OK, Jayje?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just thinking," she replied.
"Penny for 'em?"
"I'm just wondering what happens now. I mean, where do we stand? What is this?"
"JJ, honey, this can be whatever you want it to be. You wanna take it slow, we'll take it slow. You wanna be my girlfriend, I will gladly be yours. You don't wanna see me again... well, I guess I'd have to learn to deal with that," I said, lowering my head.
"Oh no, Emily, of course I want to see you again. I wanna keep seeing you. Last night was absolutely amazing for me. I loved every second of it. And I love being with you. I was just worried you didn't feel the same."
"Of course I feel the same, JJ. Last night was amazing for me too. I've never felt that way before in my life. But I don't want to feel like you have to be with me just because of last night, and I don't wanna force or rush you into anything you're not ready for."
With that, JJ got up from her chair and rushed over to me. She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly. When she finally broke her hold on me, she looked at me, and I swear I thought she was about to cry.
"Emily, I want to be your girlfriend. More than anything else in the world," she said, her voice shaking slightly.
"Jennifer, I would be proud to have you as my girlffriend." I was beaming from ear to ear. I'd never felt happier than I did in that moment. My heart was soaring.
JJ began to kiss me and it was like the first kiss all over again. Only this time, I was kissing my girlfriend. It felt absolutely amazing, and I never wanted to stop.
Eventually JJ broke the kiss out of a need for air. She allowed herself to fall back onto the sofa, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Between gasps, she said "I can't... wait... to tell... everyone!"
And with that, my soaring heart returned to earth with a hard bump.
