Let me know what you think guys. I'm starting to feel this is getting a bit disjointed, or something. I need to regroup it. I would like to know what you think.

Also….do you want smut? Do you want romance? Do you want another case? Let me know guys. Thanks

….

Emily woke to an alarm beeping that she doesn't remember setting.

"Urgh...shut up!" She slammed it hard then reached for the water and painkillers she always leaves at the side of her bed when she drinks red wine.

"Why the fuck would I set an alarm for 10am?"

Normally she would be up by now so it's just as well she did set it. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up looking for her phone.

"Where the fuck did I put it?"

Then she remembered falling asleep staring at JJs messages and smiling to herself like a love sick puppy and she actually embarrassed herself.

"Arrgghh Prentiss...you need to get a grip" She laughed as she swept under her pillow and grabbed the device.

She was walking out the room as she checked for messages. "No case then" She announced to her kitchen. She went to switch her coffee machine on but she noticed coffee beans everywhere around it. And mush all down the front of it. "Why would I even make coffee at that time of night. Idiot...oh well. That mess sure can wait to later"

She read a message she had got from Tara.

T: You still on for lunch? If so I'll be at Barnaby's at 12.

She fired a quick reply back as she headed towards the shower.

E: Yup. See you then.

Tara was sitting by the cafe window watching the world go by. The coffee that she had ordered when she arrived was getting cold and she was only half way done. She checked her watch. 12:13pm. Emily should be arriving right about now. She had came early and new Emily would be later than 12 so she picked the window seat to pass the time.

"Hey...sorry I'm late...but...you know" Emily sat down opposite her.

"Its ok. I was somewhere else there. Didn't even notice you coming in" . Tara put her hand up to signal the waiter over.

"I'll have another flat white please...Emily?"

"I'll have a large black with honey please"

"You got it" The waiter was away as quick as he arrived.

They would order food when he came back. They didn't need to look at the menu.

"So...Agent Emily Prentiss. Its date night then" Tara beamed at her.

Emily's stomach did a wee flip flop.

"Yes it is
" Emily grinned back coyly without looking Tara in the eye. "You probably know more about it than I do"

"Indeed I do. Garcia filled me in last night. And you wont get any information out of me I'm sorry"

"Can you at least give me a clue? I know it's a meal then somewhere but what type of meal? What type of place? I need to know what to wear" Emily put her head in her hands "Uuuugh"

"Are we a little nervous?" Tara laughed "I wont tell you where but I honestly don't think it would matter what you wear. It's a decent restaurant. Not swanky and not a dive. Afterwards it would be a dress how you want situation anyway"

"Ok...that's better than nothing I suppose. Thanks" she meant it.

"What's up with you anyway? I didn't pin you for a nervous dater?" Tara asked the visibly worried brunette opposite her.

"I've never been in love with anyone on a first date before" Emily whispered just loud enough for Tara to hear while she picked at her fingernails.

"Ah...so you are actually in love with JJ then?" Tara nodded to herself "Called it!"

"Fuck...is it that obvious?"

"No...not at all...I mean Penelope knew and I figured it out eventually...but I wouldn't say it was obvious to anyone outside the team. Well the female members anyways
" Tara directed the waiter where to put what coffee when he arrived.

"What can I get you ladies to eat?" He asked.

"I'll have the Caesar salad please" Tara answered him

"Umm...what?" Emily looked distracted and confused.

"Food Emily. What would you like to order?" Tara clarified

"Oh...yeah...I'll have the bacon and eggs please...missed breakfast" she smiled up at the waiter as best she could.

"Not a problem. Enjoy your coffees
" and he was away again.

"You want to talk about it? You did invite me here for a chat remember" Tara blew on her coffee

"Yes and no I guess. I really dont know if it will make it better or worse" Emily genuinely looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"Well...how about you start by telling me how it happened. Or when you realised you had feelings for her
" Tara tried to help clear Emily's mind.

Emily blew out a long slow breath. "I thought she was cute the first time I saw her. My first day at the BAU"

"Thinking someone is cute and falling in love with them are 2 entirely different things. Hell...I think Reid is cute but I'm not interested in him" Tara took another drink of her coffee.

"God...he is so cute ain't he?" Emily smiled again "with his little fuzzy head. It's hard to think of him as a grown man sometimes"

Both the agents laughed.

"And so go on...back to JJ" Tara queried with a raised eyebrow.

"Remember this isn't an interview Lewis"

"Dr Lewis thanks...should I get my notepad out?"

"I'm not here to unload my issues on you. I don't think you have a big enough pad to be honest"

"Ok ok...how about me just being a friend then?" Tara tapped her hand on top of Emily's on the table. "If you need to talk about this Emily. I am here" she stopped just as the food was arriving.

"I can do that yeah" Emily smiled. And began to regale Tara of how she fell in love with JJ, as they ate. It came slow and cautious at first as she described how she went from looking at her as a friend then to admiration and then to full on attraction. Tara listened the brunette truly opened up to her for the first time since they met. By the time Emily spoke about realising she had falling for the blonde she was relaxed and the words seem to come easier. Although there was a sad and sombre edge to her tone.

"It definitely was gradual process...and gradual self inflicted torture...but here we are...and its date night" Emily shrugged.

"Why don't you seem a little happier about it then? Is this not what you have wanted for all these years?" Tara asked.

Emily tidied her finished plate. And began to pick at her nails again. Lewis could tell she was also tidying the thoughts in her mind so she let her be. When she lifted her head to look at her, Tara had never seen Prentiss look so pained. She was holding back tears and biting her bottom lip. Emily took a few deep breaths to steady herself as she tipped her head up to hold in the threatening water.

"What if I fuck it up Tara? What if after all this time pining for her I fuck it up. JJ will realise I'm just a scared and lonely woman and the person she thinks she sees doesn't exist. I feel like a fraud sometimes you know. I really do. I'm supposed to be this tough, strong FBI boss but half the time, on the inside, I'm trying not to just shrivel up and disappear" Tears were falling freely now and she didn't try and hide them.

"Aww honey...who hasn't felt like that? Doesn't mean you're not strong. Doesn't mean you're not tough. Doesn't mean jack shit but that you're human. And that's a good thing. Maybe you hid yourself for so many years and that's what you thought you were supposed to be like. You conditioned yourself. But it's not. This is. This is perfectly normal. There is strength in vulnerability, when you have the right people in your life. It heals you. It allows you to rest until you are ready to go again"

Tara handed Emily a tissue from her bag. "Here...your face is dripping" She smiled.

"Ppffffffft" The unit chief grabbed the tissue from her hand "wow...I wondered where the real Tara was for a minute there" she said as she dabbed her damp face with the tissue.

The agents laughed together.

"You just need to be who you are Em. That's who JJ wants to be with. She has seen you and what she sees is what she wants. JJ has seen you down, she has seen you weak and she has seen you kicking though doors. For what it's worth...in my opinion...both professional and a friend...she has very strong feelings for you too" Tara saw Emily look at her in surprise. "I'm serious. I cant say for definite obviously but that's is how I read it...and I'm not wrong often" She ended with a grin and a wink.

"Thanks. I mean it. For this and everything"
Emily squeezed the taller agents hand on the table.

They chatted for a bit. They teased each other and Tara joked about the Prentiss-Jareau wedding. Just as friends do.

Tara's phone beeped and she retrieved it from her pocket.

"Awwwww...shit. I'm sorry Emily. I have to go. Its...um...important. I'm sorry"

"Its ok. I'm ready to go anyway. Just getting that out there has helped. I feel a whole lot better. Thank you"

"Are you ready to go?" Tara not asking about leaving the cafe.

"Yes.. I am definitely ready to go"

Emily left more than enough bills to pay for their meal and once they were outside the cafe Emily pulled Tara into a crushing bear hug. "I love you, you know Lewis, you're an odd one but a good one"

Tara broke the hug with a incredulous look on her face pointing at herself "I'M ODD? Seriously...I'm the odd one here? Ok Prentiss. Whatever you think. Oh...and good luck tonight although I don't think you'll need it"

The woman parted ways after Emily thanked Tara a few more times. Now she had to find some things to do for more distraction until it was time to get ready.

She was strolling passed some store fronts when she caught the reflection of a sauna she hadn't been to in a while, not a seedy one, across the street. "Ah...that'll do" She trotted off to her car to get her go bag and sit in some heat for a bit.

...

Tara arrived at the BAU an hour after Garcia had texted her. "What we got Pen? I was with Emily when you messaged"

"Oh just murder and mayhem. You know...the usual. How is our fine lady Chief. Making herself crazy about tonight I bet" She handed Lewis a file "Rossi and the others minus JJ are all here. I still have the first daters phones on divert from any numbers other than ours or family. You know Emily is going to kill us right?"

"We will get in touch with them if we need them. I'll take the bullet for this one Pen. Leave them be for while at least"

"Ok ok ok ok...come on then. Let's see what sicko we have behind door number one today" Garcia led the way to the rest of the waiting team.

Emily dumped her go bag on her bed. She would need to repack it once again. She checked the time and she had just under 3 hours to get ready. She was feeling relaxed and refreshed from her sauna and a bit more positive for the evening ahead than she was when she left this morning.

The agent emptied the contents of her bag onto her bed and set about her closet and drawers to refill it and then placed it back in its rightful spot in her hall.

Now it was time to find an outfit for tonight as she stood staring into her full closet.

Emily started to file through the hangers "Nope...nope...nope...hell no...nope...definitely nope...should have ditched that years ago...nope...what the fuck nope..." Each outfit she glided to the side was just not doing anything for her. She couldn't decide whether to go for a dress or pants or a skirt or Jeans.

"Fuck sake Prentiss. You used to be good at this" She slid the unwanted hanger sideways "but then you also used to be good at not talking to yourself...oh!"

The next outfit did indeed do something for her. It was a few seasons out of date but she still loved it. She unhooked the hanger from the rail and walked towards her full length mirror. She held it up against her body and did a little side to side shimmy. "Yeah…..that will do" She gave a little chuckle while she hung the hanger with the outfit over her closet door and proceeded towards the shower.

….

Emily was putting the final touches to her make up when she checked the clock.

7:12pm

Just enough time to finish the one small glass of wine she allowed herself as she was getting dressed. Just enough to take the edge off her nerves that were racking up with each tick of the clock she hadn't realised was so loud before. "That's going in the fucking trash tomorrow" She pointed up at it as she went for one last full length mirror check.

She was pleased with her outfit. It was a dress. It was red. It was very tight, sleeveless with a scooped neck and not too short. She chose a pair of black cowboy style boots and a belted black coat to add a little spontaneity to the outfit she has chose for obvious reasons.

Emily left her finished glass by her kitchen sink and took a few deep breathes before making her way to her door that her just been chapped.

She looked through her peephole. It was indeed her date for the night. After few more deep breathes and a ruffle of her softly curled hair she opened the door.

"Hi there" JJ said

"Hi" Emily replied

….

I just can't get the time to write enough to get them on this date. Sorry. Next chapter obviously.