A/N: Just a reminder that nothing will be canon from here on out, so while there is a chance there may be references to things that happen in the rest of season 15, I am not binding myself to anything that happens after episode 2.

Six Months Later

It's after dusk on an evening in June and David and Krystall Rossi are hosting a dinner party in their backyard for the members of the BAU and their families. Dinner was homemade pasta with a bolognese sauce and piles of garlic bread and a huge salad. Everyone is full and happy, the red wine flowing. Dave sits next to his wife on a bench swing, admiring her beauty in the illuminating glow of the fairy lights she'd had him hang around the outdoor seating area.

Krystall's daughter, Portia, and his own daughter, Joy, are clearing empty dishes from the long wooden table. Luke Alvez and Joy's husband, Shawn, are playing an elaborate game of tag with the kids: Dave's grandson, Kai, JJ's boys, Henry and Michael, and Matt's four oldest, Jake, David, and the twins, Chloe and Lily. Spencer and his girlfriend, Max, sit around the fire pit with Matt and Kristy, who are sharing anecdotes about the early days of their marriage with the younger couple. The women of the BAU are still gathered at the table, fawning over Matt and Kristy's five-month-old baby, Rose Mary, who is asleep in Penelope's arms. Dave muses on what an incredible mother their tech analyst will make one day, if she chooses to go down that path. Tara brought a friend, Lian, and they sit next to Garcia. Dave has noticed them holding hands throughout the evening and he is thrilled Tara felt comfortable enough to share her with the group.

Across the table from the other three women, JJ and Emily sit close together. Emily tops off all their wine glasses and leans close to JJ, saying something in her ear that lights up her eyes. Dave has been noticing this happen more and more often with JJ in the past few months, as if a weight has been lifted from her shoulders since recovering from her gunshot wound and the end of her marriage. Only one of those things seemed painful for the agent. The other seemed to liberate her.

"The kids are all growing up and falling in love," Dave jokes to Krystall.

Krystall smiles. "They do seem happy."

"Which ones?" he asks her, curious if his wife has noticed the same things he has.

Krystall looks thoughtful. "All of them," she says, "but especially that one." She gestures to JJ, who is using Emily's shoulder to bring herself to standing. They watch as Emily reaches up to squeeze the hand on her shoulder, like it's second nature to her. "Do you think it's going to become an issue? With Emily being in charge?"

Dave shakes his head. "Not to me. I can't imagine anyone else on the team having a problem with it either, if it does happen."

"You don't think it's already happening?" Krystall asks with a chuckle.

Dave watches Emily watch JJ walk to the house. She doesn't turn back around until the sliding glass door is closed behind JJ. "They've always been affectionate with each other," he says.

"They're in love, Dave." Krystall slugs him on the arm playfully. "Doesn't take a profiler to see it."

"You're probably right." Dave puts his arm around her and pulls her close.

Krystall leans her head on his shoulder. "I usually am. Remember the speech she gave? At our wedding?"

Dave nods. "The thing about twin flames is that nothing can keep them apart," he quotes.

"I don't think she was only talking about us. And the way JJ looked at her across the room all evening, I think she knows it too. It's more than just a coincidence she chose to end her marriage not long after."

JJ comes back outside and stands behind Emily, rubbing her back for a second before sitting back down. The loss of the sun and the breeze have dropped the temperature to the low sixties and JJ shivers in her backless cocktail dress. Emily notices and takes off her black leather jacket to drape over JJ's shoulders.

Krystall stands and asks who would like to help her with dessert. Tara and Lian stand and follow her into the house. Kristy takes the baby from Garcia, who then joins Spencer, Max, Portia, and Joy by the fire. Dave sees his opening and moves to the table where JJ and Emily now sit alone. He sits across from them and leans his elbows on the table, folding his hands together.

"Enjoying the evening?" he asks them.

"Very much, Dave. Thank you," JJ says with a smile.

"Everything has been amazing," Emily added.

"There's plenty of room by the fire if you're cold." Dave looks pointedly at Emily, who is in only a tank top without her jacket.

"Oh no, I'm good here. I'm actually quite warm." Emily's cheeks are flushed, from either the wine or her proximity to JJ, but the visible goosebumps on her arms indicate she's lying.

JJ notices what Dave has and rubs Emily's arms with her hands. "You shouldn't have given me your jacket. We can go over there."

Emily glances toward the fire pit where nearly everyone is now gathered, including the kids, then looks back at JJ with hesitance.

"What about a blanket?" Dave offers. "I'll go grab you one."

Emily smiles at him, her eyes both gracious and a little suspicious. He grabs a cashmere blanket from the house and gives it to Emily, who wraps it around herself and JJ as they press closer together. Tara serves big slices of decadent chocolate cake and Krystall tops off the wine glasses of everyone who isn't driving home. Emily declines, but JJ offers to drive her since she has her boys and stopped drinking awhile ago, so Emily allows Krystall to refill her glass. Dave walks by at the exact moment JJ feeds Emily a bite of cake from her hand and he knows Krystall is right. They are in love, whether they've realized it yet or not. He almost offers to watch Henry and Michael overnight, to give the two some time alone to figure things out. But Krystall would accuse him of meddling, so he grabs some cake and heads to the fire pit to enjoy the rest of his night.

Everyone else has left the Rossis' home, including their own daughters, when JJ yawns and Emily stops talking books with Dave to tell her they should head out.

"You're tired," Emily says with a tender smile, squeezing JJ's forearm.

As much as she wants to keep hanging out with Emily, JJ isn't far from falling asleep on Dave and Krystall's couch.

Emily and JJ thank their hosts for a wonderful evening and bid them goodnight. Krystall makes them to-go bags of cake and pasta and Dave carries a sleeping Michael out to JJ's car for her. It's been a couple hours since Emily's last drink and she feels fine to drive, but she doesn't want to end her time with JJ any sooner than she has to, so she says nothing.

JJ keeps her right hand on the gearshift while she drives. Emily's hand covers hers only minutes into the drive and remains there all the way to her house. JJ hopes it's too dark for Emily to see her blushing. She tries not to read too much into anything, but the entire night had a romantic feel.

Light fills the car as they pull into Emily's driveway and she quickly removes her hand from JJ's, as if seeing it there will scare her away, even though feeling it hadn't.

JJ puts her car in park and glances in the back seat at Henry. He's still awake, but is looking out the window with his AirPods in, bobbing his head along to the music. JJ taps his leg and points to the house, letting him know she'll be right back. "I'll walk you in," she says quietly to Emily, who is getting out of the car.

JJ gets out too and walks around the car to meet Emily. JJ reaches for her hand, intertwining their fingers, and leads Emily to her front door.

Emily can't speak as heat shoots through her hand and up her arm. This wasn't an accident or something that could be explained away by alcohol or the heat of the moment. JJ had taken her hand with purpose. This means something. Everything is changing. The heat, the intensity from JJ's touch, is something she has felt many times before, and she's worked hard to shut off those feelings for years. But JJ isn't with Will anymore and the lines are blurring all over again. Emily fumbles with her keys with her other hand and it shakes as she unlocks her front door. She swings it open and freezes, unsure of the next step.

"I wish I could come in." JJ's words spill out in one nervous breath. Walking twenty feet away with her boys in the car is one thing, but there is no way she can let that car out of her sight. She's seen too much.

Emily nods. "Me too." She doesn't know where to look. "Well. Goodnight, JJ. I had a good time tonight." She bites her lip before adding, "With you."

She steps through the door, but JJ doesn't let go of her hand. Instead, she tugs Emily back. "Wait a sec, Em."

Emily turns to meet JJ's blue eyes and what she sees there is all she needs to make the move she's been dying to make for as long as they've known each other. She puts her free hand to the side of JJ's neck, running her thumb along her jawline. She leans forward and brushes her lips against JJ's, lightly enough to leave space for JJ to pull away if this isn't what she wants.

Despite the signals JJ had been giving all night, her reaction still surprises Emily. JJ takes Emily's hand, the one joined in hers, and places it on her own waist. Then JJ puts both of her hands up to the back of Emily's neck and interlocks her fingers, pulling Emily closer to deepen the kiss. Emily grips JJ's waist harder, with both hands now, to keep from falling over in shock. As fast as she'd pulled Emily into herself, JJ lets go and steps back. Emily takes her hands off JJ's body, expecting to see regret on her face, but JJ is breathless and smiling. She has every intention of leaving Emily wanting more. JJ gives her a lingering kiss on the cheek and then says, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Emily leans against her door frame and watches JJ walk away, get into the car, and pull out of her driveway. She doesn't know what the hell just happened or what will happen next, but there is one thing she knows for sure. She wants more of Jennifer Jareau.