6 months later
Emily woke to the phone ringing on the side table near her side of the bed. She blinked so the blur from her eyes would leave and she could check the time. It was nearly 5 a.m., much to early for a work call.
"Hello?" she rasped out, her voice, like everything else, still tired from sleep.
"Hi, is this Emily or Jennifer Prentiss?" A small, but sweet-sounding voice asked from the other line.
Emily realized this could be a long call, so she got out of the bed and left the room, "yes, this is Emily," she tiptoed out of the room. JJ had been home late and needed the sleep.
"I'm sorry for the early call, but we have a placement for you. Three-year-old girl, she was removed from her current placement last night in an emergency. Would you be willing to take her?" Emily and JJ had finished their foster training three months ago, DCFS knows they were looking for children who could be adopted, not just fostered. They hadn't heard anything since and lost more hope with every passing week.
"Let me ask my wife, can you hold on for just a moment?" Emily was taken over by excitement.
"Yes, of course c-" anything else she may have said was lost on Emily; she was already sprinting into her room.
"JJ! Jennifer wake up!" Emily was on the bed jostling her wife from a deep sleep.
JJ sat up suddenly, when she realized what woke her, she laid back down moaning, "Where's the fire Em?"
"They have a placement for us." JJ shot back up, eyes wide, smile big.
"Really?" Emily nodded.
"Three-year-old girl."
JJ's smile got wider, "Well what did you say?"
"I said I'd ask you first."
JJ grabbed the phone from her wife and put it on speaker, "Hello, this is Jennifer Prentiss."
"Hello Mrs. Prentiss, we need an answer for the placement."
"We'll take her." JJ said with finality.
"Great, we'll be arriving at 7:30 this morning. Does that work for you guys?"
JJ had just gotten back from a long case, so the team would be on desk duty for a while, she could easily call in, "That's perfect. It will give us time to get our son to school."
"Great see you then. Goodbye."
JJ hung up the phone, her eyes meeting Emily's. "We're getting a kid!" They both pulled each other in for a hug bouncing on the bed. "We have to get Henry ready for school. I'll call Garcia and see if she can take him to school so we're both home if they get here early."
Emily nodded in understanding, "I'll go make the coffee." She kissed her wife and left the room.
After a few rings, Penelope answered the shrill sound of her phone. "Jennifer, I swear to god if this is not life or death, you better explain yourself before I make it life or death" the normally peppy blond answered angrily, it was far too early for her.
"It's life, Pen. We're getting a little girl today, a social worker just called. I'm sorry it's so early, but can you pick up Henry and take him to school before work? Neither of us want to leave in case they arrive early."
"A girl? You mean I get a little niece to spoil? Oh, what's her name?" Penelope lost resentment for the early call. She was beyond ecstatic for her friends.
"Well we don't know yet, but the social worker said she was three, so she's little. Can you get him?" JJ had to keep Penelope on track.
"Yes, of course, I can even take him to breakfast. Anything else you need?"
"Thank you Pen. Not too much sugar for breakfast, and can you tell Hotch I won't be in?"
"Not a problem, I'll see you in an hour, toodles!" JJ couldn't even say a farewell back, the line was already dead.
As promised, an hour later the doorbell rang. Emily answered as JJ was upstairs wrestling Henry into his school uniform.
"Emmy! Oh my god, work has been totally not cool without you! We miss you!" Garcia announced as she let herself in. "Ugh, why haven't I been here since the house-warming party? This place is like a castle for a princess! I belong to live here!"
Emily laughed, "It's good to see you Penelope, but you guys could not pay me enough to go back. Don't get me wrong, I miss you guys with all my heart, but this life, is absolutely stress free, and easy, and beautiful."
"You deserve it. You look so at peace, it suits you." Penelope smiled at her. Just then, Henry came bounding down the stairs. Behind him were two blurs of fur, barking as they chased him, and he laughed. Garcia inhaled sharply before eyeing Emily, "JJ let you get dogs?!"
"Yeah, but they're mini Australian shepherds. All the brains and herding power in a tiny, fluffy package. It makes her feel better about them." Penelope knelt down and the dogs ran to her, excited by all her new smells.
"How does Sergio get along with them?"
"He was wary the first few days, but with all the work we have them doing with the other animals, they don't really bother him. The gray one with blue eyes is Luna, and the brown and white one is Nova. They keep me company when I work around the house and everyone else is gone. They're great for keeping me company at the factory too, when Jennifer's farm is handled, which it never seems to be anymore." Emily laughed from the foyer she could hear JJ wrestling Henry into shoes. "Oh! And one of our goats just had twin babies! Oh I never thought myself as such a farm girl, but with all that's going on with that part of the household, it's kept me busy enough to not go stir crazy, and I think I'm warming up to all of them. Although JJ wants to add alpacas to the mix."
"Alpacas?" Emily nodded and both women laughed at the thought, "Aren't those the ones who spit?"
Emily raised an eyebrow, "I am not the one to ask,"
Emily and Penelope were cut from any further conversation as Henry burst back into the living room. "Aunt Penny! I am ready to go!" He said matter of factly.
Penelope extended her hand for him to grab. "Okay! Let's go, what do you want for breakfast?"
Henry and Penelope were walked to the door by Emily and JJ, "Okay, Henry, be good for Aunt Penny. Make sure she gets you to school on time, or you'll both be grounded!" JJ scolded them both.
"JJ you worry to much, we'll be fine. Let me know when we can meet the little princess!" She looked to Henry, "Say by to your mom's."
"Bye Mommy," he said with a big wave, "Bye Emmy!"
After making sure Garcia had a booster in her car for Henry, both women made it back in. "Ugh Emily, it is so cold outside. It might snow again later."
Emily took time to pull off and hang her coat in the foyer. "I know, why don't you go shower, we have almost another hour before they should be here."
"Sounds great, I'll try to make it quick." JJ turned and headed up the stairs. Emily watched her go, if all went well, they would have a daughter soon. She was so happy, this new life she'd created made her happier than she ever thought possible. She wandered around the house, cleaning up the morning mess as she went. Soon, JJ was done and met her downstairs just as she finished organizing the playroom.
"I'm going to tell Graiden and Melissa to take the day, then check in on the barn and be right back in." JJ nodded before heading to the kitchen for another cup of coffee. Emily looked at the dogs that had followed her diligently through the house. "Nova, Luna, wanna go outside?" Both dogs got up, tiny stubs of tails wagging, and they raced her to the back door. Emily pulled another coat on before braving the cold December weather. After checking that the barn was warm enough and the kids would be okay, she opened the small door for the animals to go in and out. She ended her walk through by checking on the horses. The foal of Graiden's horse was nearing a full stallion. Hiccup, as Henry named him, was due to be castrated in a few weeks, it would make it easier for him to be trained for riding. Henry was so good with the horse, no matter how wild both of them were, they always calmed down when around each other. Emily smiled; it was like the horse already knew he was Henry's. Emily couldn't wait for spring to help Henry learn to ride. Emily got back in about thirty minutes after she had left. The anxiety of her day was hitting her, she was excited. She met her wife in the living room. JJ was reading and curled under a warm throw blanket. Emily stopped and leant down to kiss her. "I love you."
"I love you too. The excitement is making me shake. A little girl, perfect timing too. I would hate for me to be gone when we got a placement." JJ looked a little guilty, but an excited smile still was on her face.
"I know, I'm excited too. I'll have to call my mother in a couple days. I think she's been getting bored without much to do. This little excitement will make them both so happy." Emily walked over and sat at the up-right piano in the corner of the living room. She didn't play since she was young, but in her slow days at home she picked it back up. Her remembrance of the talent she had surprised her, and she's been enjoying Henry's interest in learning. "Any requests?" Emily looked at her wife.
JJ remembered when she walked in on her wife playing the piano, she had never heard anything more beautiful. Emily told of how she learned as a child and decided to pick it back up in her spare time. JJ smiled, "Surprise me." Emily smiled and began to play. The song was faster than her normal choices. It sounded like a more modern song than what Emily usually plays.
Soon, Emily surprised her wife by turning to lock eyes and began singing.
"You put all your faith in my dreams
You gave me the world that I wanted
What did I do to deserve you?
I follow your steps with my feet
I walk on the road that you started
I need you to know that I heard you, every word.
I've waited way too long to say
Everything you mean to me.
In case you don't live forever, let me tell you now
I love you more than you'll ever wrap your head around
In case you don't live forever, let me tell you the truth
I'm everything that I am because of you
I, I've carried this song in my mind
Listen, it's echoing in me
But I haven't helped you to hear it
We, we've only got so much time
I'm pretty sure it would kill me
If you didn't know the pieces of me are pieces of you
I've waited way too long to say
Everything you mean to me
In case you don't live forever, let me tell you now
I love you more than you'll ever wrap your head around
In case you don't live forever, let me tell you the truth
I'm everything that I am because of you
I have a hero whenever I need one
I just look up to you and I see one
I'm a woman 'cause you taught me to be one
In case you don't live forever, let me tell you now
I love you more than you'll ever wrap your head around
In case you don't live forever, let me tell you the truth
I'm everything that I am
Whoa... whoa...
In case you don't live forever, let me tell you the truth
As long as I'm here as I am, so are you"
JJ and Emily made eye contact as Emily sang to her wife. JJ got up from her spot on the coach before sitting in Emily's lap. JJ wrapped her hand around her wife's neck and pulled her in. The kiss was passionate and loving. When JJ pulled away, she stroked her thumb up and down pale skin. "What song was that?"
Emily blushed slightly, "I heard it on the radio. It reminded me of you, us. I googled it and learned it that day. It's from a guy named Ben Platt, it's called In Case You Don't Live Forever. I've been waiting for a reason to show it to you. This just calmed both of us down, so it worked out perfectly. Did you like it?"
Emily got another short kiss. "It was perfect. I love you. So so much."
Emily smiled a dopey, love stuck smile. "I love you too. You are the best thing to ever happen to me." Just before they could kiss again the doorbell rang.
JJ's eyes widen and she froze.
Emily rubbed her back, "Well get up, so we can go meet her." JJ seemed to be shocked back into action because she was at the door lightning fast.
Emily met JJ at the door, they shared a look, "Ready to meet her?" JJ asked as she gulped.
"Always." Emily answered without a doubt in her mind. They opened the door.
A/N: Yep! I'm leaving y'all on a small cliff hanger! I just realized how long this chapter had already gotten. Don't worry, I've found my muse again and will probably post the next chapter later tonight. Let me know what y'all think of it so far.