JJ stirred. As was standard for her since Emily had left, there was an initial moment of post-sleep bliss, followed by a sinking feeling in her stomach as she awakened fully. The bed was cold, and the memory of Emily against her skin offered her no comfort. She blinked several times and rolled onto her back as she opened her eyes. It was only then that she noticed a tired looking Emily sat in chair on the other side of the room.

"You're still here" JJ croaked.

"I made you a promise"

"Did you sleep at all?"

Emily paused, evidently considering whether or not it was worth lying "No, I...couldn't"

"Couldn't or wouldn't?"

"Jen, my job is to keep you safe. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you because I went to sleep"

JJ raised an eyebrow "Your job is to stay alive. And you won't last long if you refuse to sleep"

"Please..."

"Nuh uh" the blonde got herself out of bed and crossed the room to stand in front of Emily in her chair "and I don't care if I sound like I'm being heartless here"

"You could never be heartless" Emily replied softly.

JJ sighed, her demeanour softening "I can't begin to understand what you're going through here. But I believe in our cover arrangements, and I believe in your instincts. Did your gut tell you anything was wrong last night?"

Emily paused for a moment before shaking her head.

"If your instincts tell you something isn't right, then I've got no problem with you hightailing it out of there. But you can't spend every night refusing to sleep in case something happens"

"It won't be every night" Emily reached out for the blonde's hand "it was because you were here"

JJ let herself be pulled down onto the brunette's lap, resting their heads together "I've seen bad things too Emily"

"I don't doubt that"

"And you know they wouldn't have given me this job if they didn't think I was capable of protecting both of us"

"Please don't think that any of this means I doubt your abilities. I just...I attract trouble. I've caused so much pain for so many good people. And right now, I'm causing you pain by leaving. But if that keeps you physically safe...then it's a price I'm willing to pay"

"Em" JJ cupped the brunette's chin, forcing her to look her in the eyes "this...solution, it's temporary. You will come home. And when you do, I'll be there waiting for you"

Emily covered the blonde's hand with her own "The thought of you...it's what's been keeping me going. I mean, it's what kept me alive in that warehouse"

"You're the strongest person I know" JJ kissed the brunette on the forehead "you can do this"

"I wouldn't blame you, if you moved on, you know?"

"You really think I'm in a place to be moving on, after everything we've gone through?"

"I don't know, I just...I don't want you to feel tied to me when neither of us can guarantee that I'll be coming back at all. It isn't fair on you to be in this constant state of unknowing while I..."

JJ growled and pressed her mouth forcefully against Emily's. Their lips parted and their tongues met, causing Emily's breath to catch in the back of her throat. JJ pulled back, smirking at the breathless brunette.

"Do I have your attention now?"

Emily could only nod.

"Now you listen to me, because this is the last time I'm having this conversation with you. Is it tearing me apart that you've left? Yes. Am I goddamn furious with the world that we're in this situation? Yes. Am I going to miss you like crazy each and every day until you come home? Yes. But none of that gives me even the slightest inclination to start turning my attention to someone else. Ok?"

"Ok"

"You just do what you need to do. And if that means disassociating yourself from Emily Prentiss for a while, then so be it. But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop loving you"

"I love you" Emily cupped the blonde's cheek and encouraged her head down to kiss her gently.

As the brunette went to loosen her hold on JJ's face, she found her hand being covered by the blonde's. Immediately the kiss deepened, the air filling with the heavy breathing that ensued. JJ tangled a hand into Emily's hair as she shifted her body so that she was straddling the brunette.

"Jen..." Emily breathed against her lips.

JJ reached between them and lifted her own top up and over her head. She then took hold of both of Emily's hands and placed them against her stomach.

"I'm yours" the blonde said firmly "yours and only yours"

Their foreheads rested together as Emily slid her hands slowly up the blonde's toned abdomen. She reached around her body to unhook her bra, letting the straps fall down before casting it aside completely.

"Mine" she replied huskily, nipping playfully at JJ's lips "all mine"

It was JJ who deepened the kiss again, groaning as Emily's tongue rolled over hers.

"Take your pants off" Emily instructed before kissing her again.

The blonde managed to get to her feet gracefully and maintained an intense eye contact with the brunette as she slid her pants and underwear to the floor.

"I feel a little underdressed" she commented, but without any real embarrassment.

"I think you're perfectly dressed" Emily retorted, reaching out to encourage the blonde back onto her lap.

JJ purposefully straddled the brunette's legs once again, shivering at the way that Emily's fingers immediately began to run all over her skin.

"You are so beautiful" Emily breathed.

"Kiss me" JJ's response was equally breathy.

The kiss was slow and purposeful. Their tongues caressed each other as JJ ran her fingers through the brunette's hair. Emily's fingers were roaming freely over the expanses of exposed skin. She could feel the muscles in the blonde's stomach twitch as she raked her nails over them, before grabbing onto her hips more forcefully. This triggered an automatic thrust from JJ, the aching need in her build with each passing moment.

JJ broke the kiss and rested their foreheads together, looking down between them at her own naked body. Both women were out of breath from the intensity of the kisses, and neither of them wanted to break the moment that they were in. The blonde took Emily's hand from her hip and guided it between her legs. Wordlessly, Emily curled her fingers to leave two straight, and let them be pushed up and into the warmth of JJ's core. They cried out simultaneously as the blonde began to rock herself against Emily's fingers, and breathy moans filled the air.

Everything was almost surreal to JJ. She had dreamed about this moment for months, through her time in Afghanistan, and then when she'd returned home. With every roll of her hips, every thrust of Emily's fingers, she tried to keep her eyes open and focus on the here and now. She was really with Emily. It was Emily who was inside of her, causing little shockwaves to course through her body. It was Emily who was kissing her again, whispering she loved her as her tongue raked down her neck. It was Emily curling her fingers, hitting the spot that made her shudder. And it was Emily's name that she cried out as she came, clinging desperately to the brunette as her body trembled.

"I've got you" Emily soothed, stroking the blonde's back "I've got you baby"