Authors Note: We have reached the end of this one! Shorter chapter for the end to the fic but hey, it's harder to write endings than it is to write the rest. Thanks for much for reading and I hope you'll consider checking out my next fic hopefully coming very soon. I've already started working on it :)

Chapter 5

A knock at the door causes Emily to sit up quickly in bed. So quickly in fact, that Sergio meows with anger as he is flung to the foot of the bed from where he had been sleeping on her chest.

It had taken Emily hours to fall asleep after Garcia had left earlier. While she felt partly relieved that someone knew about her current situation with JJ she also was filled with a lot more anxiety now that she was sure someone knew about them. She didn't want to betray JJ and the brunette knew she was going to have to tell the younger woman that Penelope knew exactly what had been going on between them.

It wasn't a conversation she exactly was looking forward to. JJ had already been avoiding her and Emily was pretty sure that this would be the final nail the in coffin once she told her that their secret wasn't exactly a secret anymore.

When things first started between the two of them, Emily had told both herself and JJ that what they had wasn't serious at all. It was just an attraction between two people who happened to understand exactly how difficult their lives and jobs really were.

The relationship had started out as casual kisses here and there. After a horrible case in the parking garage or after one too many glasses of wine on girls night once Penelope had either passed out or headed home. And then, after a particularly rough case involving several dead children before the Unsub was caught, and the BAU once again being stingy on their funding, things escalated to a full blown affair that night in a dingy motel room in El Paso, Texas. Before long, it wasn't just the cases where they shared a room; it became lies and secrets and anything to find time to be with each other.

Emily realized almost immediately after that first night with JJ that she was in love with the blonde. She pretended it wasn't real and even spent a considerable amount of time trying to convince herself that she wasn't, but no matter how hard she tried, the truth was the truth. She loved JJ. But because she loved her, she knew she could never tell her. Making JJ choose between her life with Will & Henry and Emily was something that the brunette was never going to do.

But now that Penelope knew and the rest of the team was suspicious, Emily knew things couldn't stay the same way much longer. The idea of having to give up the woman she loved was destroying her inside, but she knew it was the only thing she could do. At least if they stopped, she would still be in JJ's life. They could find a way to maintain their friendship and perhaps she wouldn't have to lose her all together. Still, the idea of saying all of this to JJ was something that made Emily feel sick.

All she could think about as she tried to drift off to sleep, was JJ.

Another knock reminds Emily of what had woken her up in the first place and she quickly swings her legs out of the bed and makes her way slowly to the front door. There is another knock, this third time much more insistent than the two previous and Emily's frustrations from the evening and her exhaustion are starting to make her blood boil as she throws open the front door, a glare etched on her face.

"What!?" JJ's hand is risen as if she's about to knock again and upon seeing the blonde, Emily's face changes instantly from anger to worry. "JJ? What's wrong? What are you doing here?"

Emily steps back a little from the doorway, allowing room for JJ to enter and the blonde does so without a single word or response. It was very unlike JJ to just show up; they always called before so this behavior has Emily very concerned. As soon as Emily had closed the door and turned back around, she feels hands pulling her with more force than ever before.

Their lips connect and Emily immediately relaxes into the kiss. Despite all her uncertainty and her worry, having JJ there with her, their lips pressed together meant that even if things were all about to end, at least Emily would have the memory of their final kiss. She doesn't want the last one to be over so soon, so she traces her tongue along the blonde's bottom lip, seeking entrance which she is given almost instantly. Their tongues roll around slowly and sensually, as if they are both trying to convey every thought and feeling with the kiss itself. But despite wanting to stay this way forever, the need for air eventually becomes overwhelming and Emily has to pull back, her brown eyes staring deeply into the blue ones in front of her. Almost as if she is memorizing every last detail of the blonde with a single gaze.

"I'm sorry," JJ says breathless from the kiss. "I just, I just had to do that before..." she trails off, her fingers starting to trace patterns on the soft skin that is exposed on Emily's torso due to her small sleep shirt having risen up slightly. Emily struggles to keep her eyes open and not let things go further before important words are said.

"Before what Jayje? Is everything alright?" Emily asks wanting to know so many things but needing to make sure JJ was okay first and foremost.

"That depends," JJ replies, she too trying to keep herself from skipping the talking part, knowing explanations needed to be given before anything else could happen.

"On what?"

JJ sucks in a breath, pulling Emily impossibly closer to her body. She allows her head to be pressed so tightly up against Emily's chest that she can practically hear the thumping of her heartbeat. She feels her own start to pick up to match the rhythm.

"Will and I split up tonight," she whispers.

Emily pulls back from her tight embrace with JJ, mostly so she can look deeply into her blue eyes again. She isn't quite sure she heard the blonde right.

The words JJ had said sounded so calm, so casual and there isn't even a hint of a tear in her eyes when Emily searches for them. Instead, she's overwhelmed by the sense of calm and relaxation she finds in those blue orbs instead. As if on autopilot, the best friend demeanor she's so used to having in public washes over her.

"Jayje, I'm so sorry," Emily starts tilting her head slightly sideways and her brow furrowing a little when a smile creeps onto the blonde's lips. "What happened?"

"You did," JJ explains as she finally lets herself release the taller woman from the spot she had been holding her still in and latches their fingers pulling Emily toward the couch in the living room. As they arrive there, they sit side by side, hands still entwined.

"What do you mean? Did Will find out?" Emily asks, panic starting to take over as she wonders if Penelope had been able to keep her mouth shut like she said she would. JJ can't bring the words to her mouth so she nods instead and Emily squeezes her best friend's hand in hers. "I'm so sorry Jay, I never meant for this..."

She trails off the words when JJ's free hand raises and puts a finger to her lips. It rests there as JJ's eyes darken slightly.

"I need to say this before I chicken out," JJ says finally removing her finger from Emily's lips. Upon Emily's gulp and nod, JJ continues. "Tonight Will told me that he has known for a long time that something has been going on between you and me. That he had always known in some way and that it was time for me to be happy. And while splitting up with Will is scary I know without a doubt in my mind that the only way for me to truly ever be happy is if I get to be with you. And not in the shadows and not in secret. But really be with you. Because, somewhere along the way through all of this, I fell in love with you. I know I wasn't supposed to and that this was all just supposed to be a casual thing, but no matter what I do I can't stop thinking about you and how being with you makes me happier than I've been in a long time. Somewhere between all the lies, I found the truth. And the truth is, I can't imagine my life without you. And that night, that night in L.A., I heard you. I heard you whisper that you loved me when you thought I was sleeping. It scared me then, because I didn't know if you meant it the way I wanted you to. Because if you didn't, well, the thought of that made me feel like I couldn't breathe. And if you did, if you did that meant that this was real. And if it was real that meant that I needed to make a decision, one I was petrified of making. Now, the decision is made. So I guess what I'm trying to say is..."

The blonde doesn't get to finish. Emily can't wait for more words. Her lips find the younger woman's immediately and they kiss with every ounce of energy, force, passion and love they have for one another. Eventually, they both pull back, breathless.

"I meant it," Emily breathes out. "God Jayje, I've been in love with you for longer than I can even remember. I honestly can't remember a time when I wasn't in love with you. And I know it was me that said I wanted to keep things casual but that was only because I didn't want to pressure you and I didn't want you to think I was going to make you choose between me and Will. I never wanted you to have to make that decision."

"I know," JJ remarks, her hand carefully tracing the skin by Emily's jaw. "But I needed to make it. I needed to make a choice to do what makes me happy. And Em, you are what makes me happy."

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Emily asks wanting to be sure before allowing her walls down completely and yet kicking herself internally for giving the opportunity for JJ to possibly change her mind.

"Is this what you want? Because I don't want to be the one to pressure you now. If you aren't ready for this, for everyone to know," she trails off as Emily starts to laugh.

"I've recently been informed that my feelings for you haven't been quite as hidden as I might have thought," the brunette explains and JJ can't help but let out that last little bit of breath she had been holding, afraid of the reaction the woman she loved would have when she found out most of the team was already suspecting something was between them more than friendship.

"Funny thing, I was informed of that too tonight," the blonde smiles. "So we are going to do this then, huh?"

"I'm all in Jayje. I love you," the brunette responds.

JJ leans impossibly closer to Emily, their lips centimeters from each other and both their eyes close as they take in the scent of their newly declared love. It was out in the open now and they could finally be together the way they both wanted. There were no more lies, no more secrets, no more hiding. Just the two of them and the truth about how they felt out there for all to see.

JJ licks her lips in anticipation of the kiss and so much more that's about to come, whispering out just before.

"I love you too."