A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews so far! Also, big thanks to rmpcmfan for helping me with the last chapter! I did a very small detail change, but it makes the effect of the later chapters much more sense, so thank you for catching that for me. I appreciate the feedback on this story, and it really helps me improve on it.

The night JJ had comforted a crying Henry, she went to her room. She walked to her closet, sighing as she opened the doors. Scanning inside, her eyes landed a box designed with butterflies all over each side. She bent down to pick it up, carrying it over to her bed.

Emily's apartment was cleaned out after the funeral. For someone who had a big apartment, Emily actually had less things inside than anyone thought. It was nearly empty, more so, just essential stuff to survive.

One day, when JJ was in her apartment looking for items that reminded her of Emily, she found a box labeled "For JJ", with the butterfly design. JJ once told her about her love for butterflies when she was younger, and thought Emily must have remembered that fact and had a box specifically for the blonde.

Ever since Emily died and JJ had kept the butterfly-designed box from her, she always avoided opening it because it was too much for her to handle. Everything in that box was all Emily, and it made JJ's heart ache.

Inside held a couple of folded sweaters, a wristwatch, a few of Emily's favorite books, and a small envelope on top of those items. When coming across the envelope, JJ picked it up and began to tear it open. It was a handwritten letter from Emily, possibly before she left to find Doyle.

Jennifer,

In case you find this, I want to let you know that all that I have said here is true and I mean it from the bottom of my heart. I'm going to do the best I can with writing this.

I want you to make sure Henry is doing all right. I don't think I ever had the guts to say this, but I always felt the need to protect him, even if he's not my son. I hope that he will grow up to be a wonderful man. Of course, I trust you will do that because you are every bit as amazing. And hey, don't stress and doubt yourself too much, JJ. I know deep down that you're doing what you think is best, and I know you are a strong person. Never let anyone tell you otherwise.

I hope you are doing well and taking care of yourself. You and the team. I'm really sorry about all that's been happening the past few weeks. It's not that I don't trust you or ever intended to hurt you. I just want to make sure you're safe. I know it's not enough to say that I'm sorry, but I really do mean it. I hope you're doing all right.

You're a good person, JJ. I never ever doubted you for a second. I've always trusted you, and that's a little scary for me to admit out loud because I've always had a hard time doing that with people. You somehow make me feel safe, even when things go wrong. You're an amazing person.

I want you to remember again that I mean everything I said in this letter, and I want you to keep reminding yourself that I believe in you. I always have. I wish I could tell you how sorry I am about everything, and I just want us to be ok.

Emily

A tear dropped onto the paper, and JJ raised a hand up to her face, wiping the corner of her eye. Her hands began to shake and she folded the letter, storing it inside the butterfly box.

Looking further into the box, she grabbed a grey sweater. JJ remembered how Emily would let her borrow her clothes during cases, mostly a few sweaters because Emily always noticed how JJ would shiver from the cold weather, even if she often denied it. JJ began to remove her own shirt and put the sweater on, pulling down the hem of it to fit snugly around her torso.

With a small sigh, she placed the box down on the floor and laid down on her bed. JJ grabbed a pillow beside her and held it close to her chest. It was the one Emily would sleep on every time she came over. Whenever she visited JJ and Henry, JJ would insist Emily stay in bed with her instead of sleeping on the couch.

JJ started to silently weep into the pillow. She missed the smell of Emily, the feel of her, her voice. Everything about Emily she missed. JJ wished she could turn back time to save her from Doyle and his men. She wished she told her how she felt about her. She wished Emily was here with her, alive and well. All JJ wanted to do was see her again, and hold her in her arms.

"I'm sorry, Emily," she croaked out and buried her face deeper into the pillow. "I was too late."

From nearly 4,000 miles away, a dark-haired woman sat outside a small café. She had her gaze fixed on the people walking on the busy streets of Paris. What was once her favorite place as a kid, has now mocked her as an adult.

The fingers of her right hand tapped the side of her cup of coffee, while her other hand toyed with the Blackberry phone in her lap. She pressed the select button to listen to a voice message she had saved on there, holding it close to her ear.

"Emily, hey. It's me. Um, Garcia gave me a whole list of numbers to try…"

Emily bit the inside of her bottom lip, eyes blinking rapidly as she continued to listen to the voicemail. She didn't realize how much lonelier she had felt once she arrived in Paris all by herself. She missed everyone back at home in the States. And JJ. Emily felt the worst when it came to thinking about her. JJ had to watch her go, and Henry probably misses her, too.

The woman couldn't imagine how the team felt back at home. JJ had seen, or thought, she died back at the hospital. Derek was upset with her before the incident, and she couldn't blame him. She didn't even get to say goodbye to them or tell them how much she appreciated everything they have done for her.

Her mind immediately went back to the warehouse and her eyes closed shut. Gripping the cup in her hand, Emily shook her head at those flashbacks. The wooden table leg that had impaled her abdomen, her own shaky breath as she felt the coldness in her bones, her hand tightly squeezing JJ's as best as she could, the murmurs of JJ's soothing voice keeping her alive.

The words Emily had uttered while in JJ's arms, before all she saw was darkness. "I love you. I've always admired you for so long, JJ. I always knew you were strong. You deserve so much. I want you to know that."

She had confessed her love for the other woman, and Emily thought she would never feel the same about her. JJ was the best friend she ever had, besides her childhood best friend, Matthew. Everything about the blonde she truly admired, and when the realization hit her one day, she was terrified of the thought. How could someone like JJ ever love someone like Emily?

Now that she was thinking of her, Emily felt even more guilty. She hated how she hurt JJ before she went after Doyle. She wished she could tell her why she needed to protect her, but she knew how much of a risk it would have been. Scoffing at herself, Emily shook her head at where the situation had landed her in now.

Emily's eyes closed as she took a deep breath to calm her fears. She wanted nothing more than to show the people she loved back at home how sorry she felt for everything. Most of all, for lying to them about everything she kept from them. Right now, she was beginning to face the consequences of her actions.