Coming Home

The sun winked from beneath the blind like a lazy but insistent flirtation. Around her, the flight was quiet, as her fellow passengers dozed in the early hour. Emily's eye twitched open for a second. Groaning softly, she turned her head, rolling it across the headrest of her seat. Fighting against the sun that seemed adamant that she open her eyes, she nestled her chin into her scarf, crossing her arms and shifting further down in her seat. She'd been in the middle of a dream, and though she couldn't remember the details, the feeling it had left her with was warm, like a loving embrace, and she longed to fall back into it.

Sleep had come as a relief, finally, after two hours sitting in the uncomfortable plane seat, shifting anxiously at the thought of what awaited her when she landed.

JJ.

Things between them had shifted monumentally in the past couple of months.

For the longest time, JJ had been her friend. Her best friend. Her confidant, the person to whom she told her deepest secrets. Jennifer Jareau had saved her, more than once. More, in fact, than Emily thought JJ would ever know. They'd been fast friends when Emily first started at the BAU, bonding mostly over the eyerolls they shared whenever Gideon began a rant, or when they watched with amusement as Morgan picked up girls on a night out. When JJ had left for her time at the State Department, it had taken its toll on the whole team. Penelope was inconsolable, Reid was lost. Emily held it together, at least on the outside. But they all knew she was overcompensating, even if they had never said it. She was trying to fill the space JJ had left, be there for the others, in order to assuage her own grief. It had been her worst few months at the BAU, without JJ there with her. But she'd had no idea how much worse things could get, until Doyle showed back up in her life.

Throughout it all, the anxiety, the fear, the pain, there was something niggling at the back of Emily's mind, a disquiet that wouldn't leave her alone. It wasn't until years after the event that she could even admit it to herself, and even then it was only in mandated therapy, but it had been a different kind of fear. Doyle would have killed her. He did kill her. And, had she stayed dead that day, it would have been months since she'd seen JJ. Throughout the terror he put her through, it was JJ's face Emily saw every time she tried to close her eyes. The only time throughout those few months that she'd been able to get any sleep at all, was on the plane with the team. The only comfort she had taken from JJ's absence was that Doyle would never know about her, he would leave her alone. If she failed, and he went after her team, JJ would be safe. That was what had stopped her from contacting the younger agent, even though every time she reached for her phone, something inside screamed for her to dial JJ's number, as though it would be the last time ever that they spoke.

Then she was dead and they had a week for every month JJ had been away, together in Paris.

JJ was married, out of reach, not to mention straight. So it was perfectly harmless when, on nights when she woke up sobbing with tears because of the nightmares, or groaning in pain because the medicine had worn off, the blonde crawled into bed beside her, laid Emily's dark head on her chest and lulled her back to sleep with words of comfort and support, and reassurances that I'm here, Em. You've got me. You're not alone. Paris had been entirely innocent, but it had strengthened the already unbreakable bond between them, with JJ as Emily's literal lifeline. In the lonely months that followed, cheetobreath had been the only connection back to her old life, and the only one Emily had needed to keep her going.

Askari had nearly taken that all away.

It had taken three words, and Emily, who had established a new, comfortable, safe life for herself in London, dropped it all.

JJ is missing.

At first, Emily was furious. Furious at Hotch, for not calling her sooner. Furious at the team, for letting it happen. Furious at JJ, for her lack of honesty. Her anger, though, was a shield. Emily knew that if she let the dam break, if she let herself feel anything besides the fear, she'd be useless; petrified by her fear, no use to anyone, least of all JJ. When they found her, the dam almost broke. Hotch had been right to bring her back; nobody knew JJ like she did.

Since then, there had been no consults with the BAU, no emergencies, at least none they called her back for. Life had gone on, comfortable and safe and a little empty. London was cold, her apartment was cold, her bed was cold. Regardless of who she took to bed, it was still cold. It didn't take a profiler to know that the chill wasn't external; it came from within. Something was missing, and Emily knew just what that something was, and it was back in Washington, it's blonde head laid on a pillow beside her husband.

That was, up until six months ago. During their weekly phone call, JJ broke down crying. She'd broken up with Will, asked for a divorce. Through the tears, Emily had tried to come to an understanding, but she didn't get much further than we don't belong together. After that, it was Emily's turn to console, though she couldn't ignore that niggling part of her brain once more, this time alight with the tiniest spark of hope. Hope that she knew was both ridiculous and dangerous. She'd tried to extinguish that spark over the intervening months, tried to tell herself that everything she thought she was seeing was all in her head, because how could somebody like JJ, who had been her best friend for so long, be sending the hints Emily thought she was picking up?

JJ twisted her hands together anxiously, pulling at her fingers and squeezing her short, recently trimmed nails. She fixed her hair, which she'd also had cut, into a rough pixie style, feathered around her feminine face in a way that gave her a little edge, that she was anxious for Emily to see in person. It was new and functional and, dare she say it, a little bit cool. And it felt closer to herself than JJ had in years. And she hoped Emily would like it. Or had Emily liked her long hair? She should have kept it long.

It didn't matter now.

None of it mattered.

What mattered was decisions had been made, choices had been made. JJ had made up her mind, after years of dancing around it, of ignoring the ache in her chest, the flutter in her stomach.

It had been a Sunday. Not a normal Sunday, because what's one of those? But a Sunday. Nothing monumental had happened, other than she had awoken to Will's face inches from her own and recoiled in shock, because his wasn't the face she was expecting to see. A moment before, it had been Emily's face behind her eyelids. The shock set her heart racing and, before she knew it, she was sobbing and apologising and packing a bag and leaving. A week later, she'd asked him for a divorce. He'd asked why, of course he had. After seven years and a child together, she owed him a reason. Staring across their kitchen table at him, JJ had shaken her head.

I'm in love with someone else.

It was the first time she'd admitted it, aloud or to herself. The words flowed so freely from her lips that JJ knew them to be true, knew they'd been true for a long time, and she was ashamed. For weeks, she held onto that shame like a liferaft. If she let it go, what was stopping her from moving onto the next phase of her life, from taking the leap she knew had to come next?

It had terrified her, even more than the divorce. Emily might reject her. She had a life in London, a job, friends, perhaps a significant other, not to mention every right to demand why now? Why had it taken so many years? Years they might have been spending together. Years JJ knew they would never get back. These were her fears.

But Emily was worth being afraid.

Standing in the airport, waiting for her love to arrive, JJ's heart was in her throat. Nerves made her legs shake. Excitement bubbled in her stomach. The combination was making her nauseous, and she found herself needing to sit down. Lowering herself into the uncomfortable, metal seat, she learned forward and dropped her head into her hands.

She loves you.

Reason tried to quell her fears. This much, JJ knew. It had taken a decade of knowing each other, months of skirting around it, but, several weeks before, it had all come to a head. A heated phone call, lots of tears and a confession of love later, and Emily had been speechless on the other end of the phone.

JJ thought it was over, their friendship irreparably destroyed with the three little words that had slipped unceremoniously from her lips, after Emily demanded to know exactly what they were doing, flirting over text, from across an ocean. The last thing the blonde expected was, after a long, heavy pause, for a quiet voice on the other phone to confess the same thing.

I'm in love with you, too.

The memory bolstered JJ, and she stood, straightening her blazer and folding her hands in front of her, eyes fixed on the gate, flitting only to the huge clock that hung above it. The plane had landed, she knew. Emily would be at baggage claim now. She had only moments to wait.

Emily held her breath as she walked through the doors. Her heart was pounding in her chest, so loud that she couldn't hear anything around her. The crowd bustled, relatives hugging and people shoving past on their hurried way. She was momentarily blinded by people, and then there was a break in the crowd and the grin that spread across her face was automatic.

JJ stood there, hands folded, elbows bent up, pinkie fingers tight between her teeth. She was smiling, but her brow was furrowed; she was just as nervous. As soon as she spotted Emily, though, the brunette saw JJ's nerves melt away as quickly as her own had.
She was much faster to move than Emily was, without a huge case and carry-on bag to lug with her, so all Emily could do was drop her bags as JJ collided with her. Her arms locked automatically around the torso of the slim frame pressed against her own, holding her fast and tight. JJ's arms were fixed around neck, her face buried in Emily's dark curls. They stood like that for a long time, breathing each other in, pressed tightly together, clinging on as though for dear life. Each was afraid to let go; afraid, perhaps, of what came next. They needn't have been.

Eventually, when Emily's hands spread across JJ's back, loosening enough to let the blonde know it was okay to step back, JJ let herself look at her. She barely moved, her face still inches from Emily's own, blue eyed locked with warm brown. Emily had perhaps a few more lines on her face than the last time they'd been face to face like this, but JJ still felt her blood run hot, her heart pound harder against her ribs as she studied her face. Her dark eyes were creased into a smile, her lips stretched wide, her teeth perfect as ever. She smelt the same, her signature perfume was the same. It was what made JJ do it.

Their first kiss. It took Emily by surprise when JJ pressed rose lips against her own, but she melted into it almost immediately, her hand moving naturally up to first cup JJ's face, then travel softly to her jaw, moving up to slide her fingers into her hair.

"You cut it." Emily stated, running gentle fingers through JJ's boycut.

Suddenly sheepish, JJ's own hand came up, as though to fix it. She looked unsure, and asked, "Do you like it?"

Emily grinned, nodding. "I love it. You look like you." She said it so easily, without being prompted, without JJ having to explain, and JJ loved her all the more for it.

"Shall we get you to the hotel?" JJ suggested, moving to grab the handle of Emily's suitcase before the older woman could protest.

The hotel was, like everything Emily paid for, high-end. Her room was really more of a suite, with its own lounge and tiny kitchenette. Emily shrugged off JJ's raised eyebrows.

"Bougie, Em." The blonde teased, and Emily's brow furrowed.

"Bougie?" She repeated, amused and confused.

JJ shrugged. "Penelope says it." She laughed, sinking onto the couch. Emily joined her, and JJ felt the air in the room change. Her shoulders tensed and she was suddenly aware of every nerve in her hand, which lay beside Emily's head on the back of the sofa. Emily sensed the change, too, and the eyes that met hers were reassuring, gentle.

"JJ, there's no pressure here, you know that, right?" But, even as she said the words, she knew they were both remembering their kiss at the gate, their first kiss. Involuntarily, with the memory in her head, Emily's tongue traced across her lip, as was her habit. JJ watched it, remembering all the times she'd seen her do that and longed to kiss her. Now, she could.

Again, JJ leaned in first. Whether Emily was holding back for her benefit or out of nerves, JJ didn't know, or care. If she had to make the first move, she would. She'd make them forever, if she had to. The surprised way Emily froze for a second was worth it, because when she kissed her back, it was with a fervour that destroyed everything JJ had been afraid of; Emily wanted her. Emily Prentiss, who could probably have anyone else in the world, wanted her. Unbeknownst to the blonde, the exact same thoughts were going through Emily's head, as she tentatively opened her mouth, her tongue slipping between her lips. JJ was quick to respond, and, for the first time, she felt what it was like to have Emily groan into her mouth in appreciation. The sound made her bolder, and JJ knelt on the sofa, lifting a leg over Emily and straggling her thighs. In this new position, she could tilt the brunette's head up, her tongue delving deeper into her mouth. She breathed heavily out of her nose, the occasional whine escaping her throat. When she felt Emily's fingers skim the bottom of her shirt, her nails timidly grazing over the soft skin she found there, her breath hitched. She broke their kiss a moment, leaning her forehead against Emily's, eyes still closed.

When she opened them, it was to a concerned Emily, who was looking at her like she thought JJ was about to run. JJ kissed her soft and chaste.

"You can touch me," She reassured her, nodding, head dipping to catch Emily's plump, flushed lips once more. Apparently, a little encouragement was all Emily had needed, and JJ gasped as cold palms pressed against her skin, fingers digging in gently.

Emily was wary at first, afraid, almost. She had fantasised about their first time for, if she was being honest with herself, years. She'd dreamt of it. It was always perfect in her dreams. Now, with JJ straddling her, she was afraid of that perfection. Everytime JJ shifted, Emily feared she was going to skitter away. Then she breathed her permission, and resumed kissing her with such passion that all of Emily's fear was gone. This was happening. JJ's skin beneath her fingers was warm, smooth, as soft as she had ever imagined it would be. Her abs were still hard and toned, where Emily's had softened in the intervening years. She pulled JJ closer to her, tilting her head back, so the blonde could press the length of her torso against her, their chests crushed together. Even if they were still fully clothed, Emily still thought this one of the most erotic moments of her life.

"Bed?" She breathed, against JJ's lips, when they paused to breathe. The blonde nodded so eagerly that Emily couldn't help but smile, grasping for her as soon as JJ lifted herself from the couch. She pulled JJ back against her, hands splayed across her back, beneath her shirt, and directed them to the bedroom without breaking their kiss. JJ's calves hit the bed and she tumbled backwards, bouncing slightly as she landed, arms bent at the elbows. Emily stared down at her, took in her heaving chest, the way her hands curled against the sheets, the way she sucked at her kiss-swollen lips. When she met JJ's eyes, they were full of desire and anticipation, and it was all Emily could do not to audibly groan. She bent low, sucking JJ's plump bottom lip into her mouth, her tongue tracing a line across it, before kissing her full on the lips. It was a short kiss, but full of intent. She moved to her jaw, leaving soft kisses along the hard, defined bone she found there, spreading wet, hot kisses across JJ's neck. The blonde keened at that, and Emily grinned against her skin, spending more time than she had intended. JJ's hand in her hair told her what she liked, and Emily searched along the bedspread for JJ's other hand, finding it and interlocking their fingers against the silken sheets. She sucked against JJ's neck, and the blonde gasped.

"No marks," She said, softly, and Emily understood, but she paused a moment, smiling a dark smile up at JJ.

"No visible marks," She corrected, and she saw each muscle in JJ's jaw move as she swallowed in anticipation. Even that little promise was almost too much for the blonde, who had to drop Emily's gaze, her blonde head falling back against the sheets once more, as her head whirred, her imagination driving her wild. Emily continued her path, kissing along the collar of JJ's shirt, to the middle of her chest, where the buttons of her shirt met. She looked up at JJ, her intent clear, and found blue eyes locked on her once more. JJ nodded, her lips set in a straight line of concentration. Leaning back, Emily sat up onto the bed, straddling JJ's legs, as her fingers hooked into the shirt and started to slowly undo the buttons. The white bra JJ wore was simple, lined with a little lace, in the palest blue, and it was so JJ that Emily found herself smiling. She kissed the valley between JJ's breath, and JJ's chest heaved beneath her. Chuckling, Emily moved across the mound of JJ's small breasts, pressing soft, barely-there kisses across the soft flesh she found there. She knew what she would find, when she finally dipped her fingers between JJ's legs; the thought of how wet she knew she would find JJ made Emily herself have to pause. She shot out her tongue, licking where she had just kissed JJ, and the blonde beneath her whimpered.

"This is convenient," Emily remarked, as she returned to the center of JJ's chest, and her finger traced over the front-clasp.

"And intentional," JJ breathed, wetting her lips as she watched Emily hook a finger beneath it. The air crackled with anticipation, as Emily unhooked the bra. The pretty cups sat atop JJ's breasts a moment, before the blonde grew impatient and shook. They fell away, and JJ lay bare before Emily, who stared. Her breasts, small and perfect, topped with dusty pink nipples, rose and fell with every deep breath JJ took. Emily ran a hand up her torso, from her abs, to trace the underside of one of them. Cupping it, Emily traced her thumb over the nipple, already hard with anticipation. JJ hissed in a breath. Leaning down, Emily caught and held JJ's eyes. The closer her mouth came to JJ's nipple, the faster the blonde's breathing raced, until JJ could feel Emily's hot breath against her skin, and she found her mouth dry, her eyes stinging; she couldn't blink, couldn't take her eyes off of Emily for a second.

Emily's tongue was agile as a snake's, and when it flashed out and slicked across the very tip of JJ's nipple, JJ thought she might die and go to heaven. It was clear that Emily was having an excellent time teasing her. Those lips, though, the ones that JJ had watched for years, longed to kiss and dreamed about, were a vision as they wrapped around her tight, hard nipple. There was no teasing now, Emily got right to work.

No visible marks. JJ recalled her saying, and as Emily's lips closed around her breast, she realised that hadn't been a joke. Head falling back against the mattress, JJ lost herself in the feeling of Emily's mouth on her, and the way her other hand came up to massage her other breast, fingers occasionally rolling her sensitive nipple, thumb rubbing across the top, sending all sorts of signals between JJ's legs. All JJ could do was encourage, one hand in Emily's hair, the other on her back, pulling her closer, if that were even possible. Emily shifted from where she was straddling JJ, lips never leaving her skin, and nudged her knee between JJ's legs. Immediately, JJ got the message, and she spread her legs wide, wide enough for Emily to settle herself between them, laying flat on her stomach between JJ's legs and up the length of her body. JJ's long legs wrapped immediately around her; there was no purchase in this position for the ache that was growing steadily between her legs, but JJ knew they would get there. The thought made her groan aloud.

At the sound, Emily stopped, looking up at her. JJ tilted her head to look down at her, and found her breast red from her kisses; tomorrow, she would find bruises there. The thought made her impossibly wetter. Emily saw where JJ's eyes fell and smirked, crawling up her body to capture her lips once more.

"I did warn you," about the marks, was what she meant. JJ wanted to assure her that she didn't mind, but then they were kissing, and JJ didn't want to talk at all.

Emily's hand was low on her abs, JJ's arm thrown around her neck, holding her there, as she kissed her desperately. The fingers that brushed the waistband of her trousers were questioning again, and JJ moved her hands, unbuttoning her own jeans, by way of permission, unwilling to break their kiss. She lifted her hips, shoving her jeans down and out of the way, kicking them off into some unknown corner of the room. When she lay down, her legs were bent at the knees, her core open for Emily to explore.

"Eager," Emily mumbled into her mouth, and JJ just whimpered, nodding, her tongue thrust deep into Emily's mouth once more.

Emily wasn't about to check if the underwear JJ was wearing matched the bra, not when the blonde was so desperate to be kissed, but her fingers found lace as she reached down the length of JJ's body, and she would have put money on the fact that they did. She also knew that they were, effectively, ruined, when she ran her fingers over them and found them soaked.

"Fuck," She breathed into JJ's open mouth. The blonde caught her lip, sucking at it desperately. Emily wasted no time, mouth recapturing JJ's as her fingers slid beneath the sodden material she found covering her. She spread JJ's lips, found her wet and ready, and tested her, thumb ghosting over her clit. The surprised whimper that JJ made steered her forwards, and Emily pressed a little harder, making a slow, purposeful circle over her bundle of nerves. If the way JJ's legs shook at that was any indication, she wasn't going to last very long. That, however, was fine; Emily wasn't going to let her come only once.

"You're so responsive, Jayje," Emily whispered against her lips, and the blonde nodded, elated by the praise. Emily's eyes lit up at that, and she ducked her head to kiss JJ's throat once more, remembering the response that had garnered earlier. JJ moaned, tilting her head back encouragingly, hips bucking at the hand between her legs.

Emily took the encouragement, slipping her fingers down through JJ's wet folds, finding her opening. She swirled a finger around it, teasing. JJ was definitely wet enough, but Emily could feel how tight she was. She slid the tip of her finger in, testing, and was rewarded with a moan from above her. Making shallow little pumps with that finger, Emily twisted her hand, her thumb going back to it's earlier job, teasing JJ's clit with little circles of pressure. She wouldn't be able to hold this position for long without her hand cramping up, but she also knew she wouldn't have to. Kissing her way up to JJ's ear, she sucked her earlobe into her mouth, hard. Letting it go, Emily ran her tongue up to inside of JJ's ear, tickling her there. JJ was breathing fast and heavy, and from the way her hand grasped for Emily's wrist, she knew she was only moments away. She was trying desperately to hold it, whether out of embarrassment or tension, Emily didn't know. She kissed beneath JJ's ear, before bringing her lips up to speak into it.

"You wanna come for me, Jayje?"

That was all it took; Emily's sultry voice in her ear. JJ groaned, turning her head and crashing her lips against Emily's, as Emily felt her little hole tighten around her finger, her clit twitch beneath her thumb, and the gush as JJ came.

Emily tore herself away, eyes wide open as she watched JJ's body twitch. Her first orgasm was gentle, but her thighs shook, and her abs tensed, and her back arched just a little and Emily thought JJ was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

She shushed her, softly, as JJ came back to earth, gently withdrawing her hand from between the blonde's legs. Emily couldn't help it, bringing her fingers up to her mouth and sliding them between her lips. She knew she would taste JJ later, but she had to clean up her fingers, and there was no better way.

She was in the middle of cleaning up, eyes closed at the intent taste of JJ on her tongue, when the younger agent opened her eyes. The sight of Emily sucking her glistening juices from her fingers, was too much, and, regardless of her weakness from her orgasm, JJ moved to straddle the brunette, taking Emily by surprise.

She was sitting across her thighs, panties pushed to the side still, her glistening pussy still on full view, juices seeping down her thighs and destroying Emily's jeans, which she was frantically working to undo.

"Your turn," She told Emily, with a flash of blue eyes, and Emily felt her throat tighten with surprise. She almost protested out of politeness, but the expression on JJ's face told her not to. Besides, she was desperate to be touched.

JJ stood up, yanking Emily's jeans down her legs, revealing black underwear, to no one's surprise, and Emily scooted herself up the bed, resting her head on the pillows so she could watch JJ go to work.

For someone who, to Emily's knowledge, had never been with a woman, JJ was full of confidence. Whether it was her recent orgasm, or she was just that turned on, she seemed to have shed all of her anticipation from earlier.

JJ stared at the woman in front of her, and wondered how she'd ever had the audacity to be attracted to men. Emily's underwear was as soaked as her own had been, and moulded to the shape of her pussy lips as a result. JJ's mouth watered, and she licked her lips. Meeting Emily's eyes, she nodded her head at the tshirt she was wearing.

"Off." She said, and the authoritative voice that came out of her mouth shocked them both, but JJ leaned into it. Emily, too, was not about to argue, tearing the blue t-shirt over her head, ready to do anything JJ might ask her to do. Left only in her bra and panties, she ran her hands down her own thighs, spreading them for JJ, inviting her in.

JJ didn't need to be asked twice. Crawling up the bed between Emily's legs, she kissed her thigh. Her strategy, when she had a clear enough head to consider one, was to do what she liked done to herself; she liked to be teased. She kissed Emily's alabaster thighs, marvelling at the expanse of skin she had to cover in her own marks. Testing the water, she sucked a kiss against her skin, eyes widening at the pink mark that appeared when she pulled away. It faded quickly, and JJ frowned. She moved across, licking at Emily's other thigh, before sucking a kiss against it, this one longer, harder. This red mark didn't fade, and JJ looked up at Emily as though for approval, and found wide, mesmerised eyes staring down at her, her mouth agape, her own fingers ghosting across her lips. Impulsively, JJ reached up towards Emily's face, and Emily immediately took JJ's fingers into her mouth, sucking them enthusiastically. JJ's eyes widened at the sensation that sent between her legs, and she clasped her thighs together, humping against the bed beneath her for a little friction. The sheets were bunched up between her legs, and grazed her clit ever so slightly when she did that, just enough for her to feel a little satisfied. She turned her attention back to where she knew Emily needed it most and, testingly, dipped her tongue against Emily's silken panties. The brunette groaned against her fingers. JJ tested her taste on her tongue, found her sweet, a little musky, and utterly delicious. She licked, on top of Emily's underwear, from bottom to top, and then found she wanted more. Much as she enjoyed the way Emily's eyes widened at the sight, she knew Emily needed more from her. Hooking her fingers into the band of her panties, JJ pulled them down Emily's legs and off. Now, open to her, JJ regarded her up close, and Emily felt herself burn under the approving gaze. JJ's eyes seemed to unfocus with pleasure as she was finally confronted with the reality of Emily's desire for her. She repeated the same action from before, licked Emily from top to bottom, first shallow, just the tip of her tongue. Then, she flattened her tongue and dug in, spreading Emily's lips with her tongue and licking deep into her pussy. Looking at Emily's pussy, now sodden with her own arousal and JJ's spit, she blew, softly, and watched Emily writhe at the sensation of the cold air against her sensitive pussy. It was bolstering, to have this power over Emily, and JJ found it almost as intoxicating as the brunette herself, as she dipped her head down to find Emily's hole with her tongue, thrusting inside of her the way she liked to have done to herself. Her lip grazed Emily's clit as she did that, and JJ pushed her face against Emily, knowing the evidence of her arousal would be left all over her cheeks, chin and nose, and turned on by just the thought of it. She humped against the bed again, legs tightening around the sheets that were bunched up between her legs.

Above her, Emily was still sucking on her fingers, saliva stringing between JJ's fingers and her lips as she pulled away, JJ's long fingers down her throat making her gag. Her chin was wet with spit, but she didn't care. She swallowed, breathing heavily out of her nose, and looked down the length of her body, past her heaving breasts, to where she could see JJ's blonde head bobbing between her legs. The sight was almost too much, and Emily clutched at the sheets beneath her as she involuntarily bucked her hips up against JJ, trying to ride her tongue. From this angle, though, JJ had all of the power, and she knew it. Her tongue carded through Emily's lips, swirled around her clit, savoured in the flavour of Emily's arousal that only grew the longer she teased her. The fingers that had been in Emily's mouth, the fingers that were soaked with Emily's spit, she moved down, circling them around Emily's opening, before sliding them both in, slowly. Above her, Emily audibly groaned. As she pleasured Emily with her fingers, she wrapped her lips around her clit, and began a gentle pulsing sucking she knew drove her crazy, and she hoped would do the same for Emily.

Her fists were balled so tightly against the sheets that Emily could feel her hands cramping, but if she moved them, she knew she'd shove JJ's face against her, so Emily held back, her back tense with the effort it took. Her eyes were closed tightly, her neck bent back, tendons standing out. She was going to come, she knew it. Breathing shallowly, she tried to warm JJ, but the words died in her throat in a pathetic squeal as she felt her orgasm sear through her veins like molten pleasure.

"Fuck, Jen," She hissed, moans catching in her throat.

She expected JJ to move away, but the blonde did no such thing. Instead, JJ moved, her fingers withdrawing from Emily's pussy, replaced by her tongue, which dove into her, tasting all of her as Emily came. Her hand, wet with Emily's juices, reached up, fingers plunging back into her mouth, and Emily tasted herself, coming harder at JJ's boldness.

As she came down from her high, she was aware of JJ between her legs, and, when it was safe, when she knew she wasn't going to shove her face back against her pussy, she loosened her grip on the sheets, reaching for her, sliding delicate, shaking fingers up her cheek and through her hair. She was still trying to catch her breath, but lifted her head, weakly, and found JJ looking up at her with concerned, wide eyes. Frowning, Emily shook her head.

"What's wrong?" She asked, suddenly panicked. She made to move, wincing at the effort it took to unwind her muscles, but JJ's hands came up to hold her in place. The blonde crawled up the length of her body, to hover over her, hand pushing dark hair away from Emily's wet forehead, where sweat had stuck it to her.

"Are you okay?" Jayje asked, concerned. Emily frowned a moment more before the question sunk in, and then she smiled, hands moving to either side of JJ's beautiful face, her cheeks wet with Emily's own arousal, pulling the blonde down for a kiss, tasting herself against JJ's tongue.

"God, yes," She nodded, breathing in JJ's air, "Yes, Jen. I'm okay. Yes. You were wonderful." She kissed her again, soft and slow and long, a kiss full of reassurance. "Are you okay?"

JJ nodded, forehead pressed against Emilys. Her hand moved to cup Emily through her bra, thumb grazing over the heaving swell of her breast. "Yeah," She confirmed, "That was-" Words failed her.

"I know."

Emily reached for her discarded tshirt on the other side of the bed, using it to clean up JJ's face before throwing it across the room to join the rest of the discarded clothing.

Laying down beside her, JJ tucked her head in against Emily's neck.

"We should probably shower." JJ pointed out, without making a move to do so.

"Can we shower later?" Emily asked, her voice already thick with tiredness. "I had a long flight," Emily curled in closer and JJ draped an arm over her, fingers lightly tracing Emily's upper arm, a gesture of comfort and of love. Emily closed her eyes at the sensation, the warm glow in her chest only exacerbated by it.

"Sure." JJ whispered, though she was sure that Emily, who seemed to be already on her way to sleeping, could barely hear her. She'd had a very long flight, after all.

JJ watched her sleep, watched long eyelashes send even longer shadows down her face, across her flawless skin. Her kiss-swollen lips were pouted, but she was sleeping soundly, perhaps more soundly than JJ had ever seen her. Closing her eyes for just a moment, JJ let herself relax. And fell into a deep sleep beside her lover.

It was dusk when JJ awoke to the sound of the shower going nearby. She stretched, and noted the soft throw that had been pulled over her in her sleep. Beneath it, she was still naked. Sitting up, she raked a hand through her short, disheveled hair, and rubbed at her sleepy eyes.

From the bathroom, Emily emerged, wrapped in a fluffy white bathrobe, rubbing at her long, dark hair with one of the hotel's towels. "I left it running for you," She smiled, "Left you some pyjamas in there, too." She hesitated a moment, after the words had left her lips. "I-uh, for if you're staying, I mean."

JJ smiled at her sudden awkwardness, standing up, not the least bit ashamed of her nakedness in front of Emily. Strutting towards her, in fact, she made a note of the blush that rose in Emily's cheeks as brown eyes roamed up and down her body, smiling with amusement at Emily's bashfulness. Wrapping her arms around her waist, JJ pressed herself against the brunette. She kissed her.

"I'm staying," She said, softly. "If you'll have me."

Emily rolled her eyes at the cheesy line, though the flush in her cheeks remained. "Well, I'm glad, because I ordered a bunch of room service I just couldn't finish by myself."

She wasn't lying. She had ordered a bunch of room service. It was waiting for her when JJ emerged from the bathroom in the oversized sweatshirt and joggers that Emily had left for her. She tried to hide it, but JJ saw the smile on Emily's face at the sight of the blonde wearing her clothes. There was a cheese plate, scallops, calamari, bruschetta, a Caesar salad they shared, a mushroom triangoli that JJ let Emily have to herself because ew mushrooms, and a dish of seared halibut that they shared. For desert, Emily had gone all out and ordered one of everything. Profiteroles, crepe suzette, a walnut sponge cake that JJ described as to die for and a chocolate torte that, by the time they got to it, they were both to full to even face a forkful of. Emily put it in the fridge, for after, she said, to which JJ raised her eyebrows and the blush returned to Emily's cheeks. JJ smiled at that; she could get used to it.

"I have to tell you something," JJ said, as Emily poured them another glass of white wine. She was answered with raised eyebrows and a gesture of go on. So, she went on. "Askari." The name put Emily's teeth on edge, but she put her wine to her lips and didn't interrupt. "You saved me."

Emily stared. "Is that...it? I know, Jayje. I was there."

"No," JJ shook her head, eyes downcast. "You saved me, Emily, before you ever saved me." The emphasis she put on the words was curious, and Emily stared, silently willing JJ to go on. JJ had saved her, a hundred times over, without ever knowing it. Emily had never even considered that could be mutual. "I was ready to give up, give in. I was ready to die with those secrets. I was…" She inhaled, the memory almost too much to recount. "I was exhausted and broken and...I had accepted that I was going to die, that I would never see my son again." Her voice broke at the mention of Henry, and Emily reached for her hand. Blue eyes turned to meet her own, and Emily's softened at the pain she saw there. Then, they lit up, and JJ was smiling at her, and Emily's heart leapt into her throat. "But you saved me. It wasn't the thought of Will, or Henry, or the team. It was you. We hadn't seen each other in, what, two years? Two years. And I knew. I just knew, Em." She was shaking her head, because she didn't know how she had known. "I saw you save me before you ever did, in a dream, or a hallucination. It all blends together, but I saw it. I told you, when you found me. I knew they'd call you. I knew you'd come for me, I knew you'd save me. And I knew that I had to keep fighting, stay alive...for you. You saved me, Emily."

There were no words, nothing to be said. Emily simply kissed her, tasting the tears that had begun to leak from her own eyes on JJ's lips as she did so.

"Jennifer Jareau," She whispered, against rose lips, "You save me every single day."

JJ smiled, lips finding Emily's own in a soft kiss.

"I love you." She muttered, her words heavy with implication and the promise of the future. A future they had both been waiting for for years.

"I love you, too."

a birthday fic for my love x