Author's Note: THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF CHRISTMAS CAN COME EARLY! PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE READ IT BEFORE READING THIS STORY, OR KEY DETAILS WILL NOT MAKE SENSE!
Author's Note: This is a republish for the first chapter. However, I've made stylistic adjustments if something is written in a way that I simply wouldn't use anymore, as I will be continuing and completing this story this time round. I've taken all reviews from both the original publication and the second to heart and incorporated them as I see fit.
The room was silent as everyone truly realized what had just transpired before them: that JJ had just rebuffed Emily's marriage proposal. Why did JJ not want to get married? Emily had a look of pure betrayal in her soft brown eyes as she wordlessly shifted her gaze from JJ to look around the room, at the house she had shared with her girlfriend for the last couple of months or so and at their colleagues, the people they both considered family. Looking everywhere but JJ, Emily finally let her eyes come to rest on a glittering bauble on the Christmas tree. It was a glittery crimson red glass bauble they had purchased at the beginning of the month and instantly reminded Emily of the night about four months ago where her and JJ had stayed up most of the night just lying in Emily's queen-sized bed when they had been living separately (but staying around each other's a lot) and talked about their hopes and dreams for the future. They had spoken about their ideal weddings, and children, and where they wanted to live when they retired. They had never actually said the words that they wanted to marry each other, but they had said they wanted to spend the rest of their lives with each other. Emily had assumed that meant marriage one day. Perhaps not.
As soon as Emily's eyes left JJ's, before anybody had a chance to say anything or to voice their own opinions about what had just happened, JJ was quick to defend herself. "It's not what you think, guys. I'm so sorry you had to see that. I wasn't expecting Emily to propose to me: we've only really talked about our future together once before and that was months ago and I didn't think Emily had remembered and I do want to get married one day, and to Emily of course I want to marry her, but I'm just not ready yet and I'm so, so sorry you had to witness that. I'm sorry. I really wish you hadn't seen that. It's not what you think."
Hayley Hotchner couldn't help but smirk slightly to herself at JJ's ramblings: she found it kind of ironic how the media liaison for the Behavioural Analysis Unit was so flustered. "JJ, calm down" she smiled softly towards the blonde. "There's nothing to apologize for. Not right now. If marrying Emily right now isn't what you want to do then that's fine, there's no need to feel the need to explain yourself to us. We'll leave you to discuss it: you need to talk. You can't let it ruin what you have. Either of you..." she looked pointedly towards Emily, "...Talk and work it out." She smiled at JJ before looking conspiringly at Garcia and silently deciding that together they would get everyone out of the house. Especially Morgan - he looked more settled into his place on the corner of the sofa than he had all day, ready for whatever would ensue the refusal of marriage. He didn't expect them to talk it through first. No, he expected fighting. Not that that's why he was so interested (honestly, he hated the thought of two of his closest friends fighting) he was waiting for the hot make up sex that he knew would come after it all.
Unfortunately for Morgan, however, Aaron Hotchner knew his team better than anyone else, and knew why Morgan was so intent on staying and he couldn't help but chuckle quietly to his wife. "I don't think so, Agent Morgan" Hayley laughed as she understood the look her husband gave her. "You're coming out too." Morgan just founded his arms across his broad chest and pouted like a small child. With a few whispered promises of photo-shopped images of the female couple from Garcia, however, Morgan was quick to uncross his arms and quickly leave the cosy little house; being the first to leave. Everyone except Emily chuckled as they all followed suit and left JJ and Emily to talk. Emily's eyes were still fixated on the bauble on the Christmas tree and she was lost in her own little world; not hearing or seeing anything.
After a few moments, JJ walked back into the living area of the house she had shared with Emily for the last two months after seeing all their guests out. At the door, she had quickly hugged Hayley and thanked her for getting everyone out of the house. She was right: they couldn't let this affect what they had, and they needed to talk about it. But talking in front of everyone was not the way to go about it. Smiling softly as she saw Hotch drive off, JJ hummed to herself as she made her way back into the house, wrapping her arms around Emily's waist from behind to draw her attention away from the tree and towards her. "I love you, Emily" she murmured as she stood up on her toes slightly to press a gentle kiss to Emily's neck. At the feeling of somebody touching her, Emily had come out of her trance and quickly realized that all of their guests had gone; but tensed when she heard JJ speak so slowly to her ear, and flinched, pulling away when she felt soft lips touch her neck.
"You love me?!" Emily questioned dumbfounded, spinning round on her heel to face the shocked blonde. "How the hell can you say you love me but then refuse to marry me? I thought you wanted to marry me!" The brunette's eyes were almost black with the emotional pain shooting through her body. She didn't want to throw away what she had with the blonde; she loved her too much for that, but she needed JJ to know how much the refusal had hurt her. Before JJ had a chance to speak however, Emily had spun on her heel yet again and was marching towards the hallway, grabbing her purse and slamming the door shut on her way out.