*Okay as always I own nothing of Criminal Minds or Rizzoli & Isles just enjoying using the characters.
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JJ sat on the plane as they headed home. It had been a week since Emily had given birth and she had called Pen trying to find out anything on Hades. The team had found out that the steps that Nuha and Emily had heard were from Apollo in a second house. It seems that who ever shot Bernard Waterman was listening in on the man and somehow Apollo had switched the receiver to a transmitter when he discovered the house by accident.
She had begun to watch Emily even more closely than she had before knowing if Emily hadn't rescinded the orders that Jaclyn had told them about then there was something coming. She pulled out her phone and text Pen needing to ask again if she had found out anything.
"Any news Pen."
"No news JJ. What's up with you?"
"Emily is hiding something I know it and if I'm honest it scares the hell out of me."
"Wow... with everything you two have been through...that is saying something."
"I know. Please keep trying to find something...anything."
"Will do but we really need to trust the Emister."
"That's what Maura says but I know Em and something is off."
"Okay...I'm on it my lovely."
JJ smiled and breathed out a sigh of relief.
"That was a deep sigh." Emily said as she came and sat in front on JJ. "Something you want to talk about?"
JJ lifted an eye brow, "I would love to talk about it but I know you won't."
Emily looked at her, "There are somethings you have to face alone so that there isn't collateral damage."
"You are not alone and Jaclyn and Raphy know what is coming. I'm being asked to protecting Maura from an invisible enemy."
Emily took JJ's hands in hers causing the woman to focus solely on her, "I can't tell you my beautiful blackbird..." She took in a deep breath of air, "...but I need you to be there for her to protect her..." Emily choked up from trying to hold back the emotions begging to be freed. She began coughing and Maura came to her side to see if she was okay. Luckily her coughing covered the emotional tears... with only JJ knowing the difference.
"Here is some water habibiy. You need to rest now... please."
"I will in a minute love." Emily said and smiled at the woman that warmed her heart.
"Okay..." She said and went back to her seat where Jane was holding Bella but kept an eye on Emily to make sure she was all right.
JJ waited for Maura to sit and far enough away from her to hear her, "Em...I am here no matter what. I just would like to be prepared for what's coming."
"It may not come...and that will be the best thing ever but if it does then I'll have to face it alone." She said and leaned forward and kissed her before getting up and going and sitting down beside Maura. JJ just rubbed her head knowing she wasn't going to find out anything more until Emily was ready to tell her.
XXXXX
Emily had lost the argument of her and Bella going home with Maura. Her mother insisted on the both of them having twenty four hour care at her house. Emily conceded with three conditions, one she got to pick her care givers, that Maura would stayed with her at the Ambassador's house, and that it only lasted three weeks. She insisted that she was going to spend Christmas with her newly formed family at her own house. The Ambassador agreed quickly to the first two conditions but everyone felt there was a war yet to be fought on the last one.
The four ladies and Bella were picked up by the Ambassadors car and taken to the house. They were greeted by an excited Penelope and by a red headed woman that JJ recognized immediately. Emily smiled as her door opened and she stepped out into the waiting arms of Charlotte.
"You made it." She whispered in the woman's ear.
"Yes...I got in late last night."
"Is Maxy with you?"
"No...she will not come until the summer. She is still in school...you know."
"Of course...forgive me for not thinking." She said as she pulled back from the woman.
"Well that is totally understandable ladybug you just had a baby, which I am dying to see." She said as she noticed a bundle being handed to JJ from Maura so she could exit the car.
"Jennifer will you bring Bella over." Emily said as the woman smiled at Charlotte. "Habibiy..." She called and motioned when Maura was out of the car, "...I want you to meet an old friend." JJ fell behind Maura carrying Bella. Emily reached for the baby but stopped when pains shot through her arms. "Damn..." she said under her breath. Her arms were stronger but she was still having shooting pains in them from time to time that caught her off guard.
Maura walked up behind her and started rubbing her shoulders that released the tension and calmed the pain. "Is that better?" She asked as she kissed the woman's cheek.
"Your touch always makes everything better. " Emily said smiling and giving the woman a peck on the lips.
"My God...You have to be Maura." Charlotte said smiling.
"Why yes I am." Maura said smiling at the woman.
"Habibiy...I would like you to meet Charlotte...Carolina's sister."
Maura moved from behind Emily so she could pull the woman into a hug. "It is nice to finally meet you and thank you for taking care of my love when she came to Tennessee."
"It was my pleasure honey." The woman said pulling away and looking at Maura. "My sister would have loved to have met you even though she would have been a wee bit jealous I'm sure... you are absolutely stunning."
"I'm not so sure about that but thank you." Maura said starting to blush at Charlotte's words. "I would have loved to have met your sister as well but in someways through her writings I feel I do know her."
"She did have a way with words. Now I'm sorry to be rude but I just love babies...where is Bella?"
JJ came and handed the impatient red head the bundle in her arms. "It's good seeing you again." She said and side hugged the woman who was busy trying to pull the blankets folds down so she could peek at the baby girl.
She started to say something but was interrupted by a loud squeal and a shout of "Madre your home!"
Emily looked down at the excited five year old around her legs. "Yes...I am sprog. Did you miss me because I missed you."
"Mi sei mancato estremamente madre." (I missed you exceedingly mother.)
"Wow...molto bene." (Very good.)
"Nonno mi ha insegnato." (Grandfather taught me.)
"Emily... chi e' la bella e luminosa del bambio?" (Who is the beautiful and bright child?") Charlotte asked.
"You know Italian too?" The girl asked with wide eyes.
"Si' "
"Charlotte this is our daughter Francesca." Emily said with a smile.
"Francesca...that is a pretty name."
"Thank you...but you can call me Chessie."
"Oh...I like that. You may call me Charlotte."
"Okay..." She said smiling at the woman. Then turned to Emily, "Madre can I see Bella now?"
"I believe you need to ask Miss Charlotte. She's the one holding her right now."
"Can I see her miss Charlotte?"
The woman smiled and bent down on one knee and showed the girl her new sister. "She is so small...Jenny wasn't that small."
"Chessie...Bella came early and you saw Jenny after she had been here for awhile." Maura said smiling at the little girl.
"She has dark hair like us Madre."
"Yes she does."
"There you are." Angela said when she came out the door and saw Chessie.
"Sprog... did you leave without telling Angela?"
"Yes ma'am." The little girl said with a hung head. "I just wanted to see Bella." She looked up with sad eyes hoping it would help.
"I understand but you need to apologize for worrying her about where you were."
"Yes m'am...I'm sorry Miss Angela but do you want to see my new little sister?" She said the last part excitedly. They all laughed at the little girl.
"I would love too." Angela said as Charlotte came up and showed the woman the baby. "She is beautiful Emily." She then took note of the red headed woman holding the baby, "Who are you?"
Jane laughed, "That is Emily's friend Charlotte who is here to help you with the little people."
"Thank God...they out number us sometimes."
"Well I only had one but I will do my best."
"You'll do fine."
"Is that my daughters and grand baby I see?" Rossi asked as he came among the women.
"Well yes and no unless you and my mother have done something I need to know about?" Emily said giving him a look of explain now.
"Not yet but possibly soon." He said taking the little girl from Angela. "Your mother is waiting for you in your room. I'll take this bundle up to her to appease her till you get there." He said giving her a smile that said you better hurry.
Angela looked at Chessie, "Okay missy time for our chores."
"Aaaw...can't I stay with Madre?"
"You can have time with her later but the adults need time to talk."
"But they talk all the time."
Emily was trying not to laugh, "Sprog..."
"Yes ma'am." The little girl said with her head down kicking her feet as she slowly started to follow Angela.
Emily couldn't take it anymore and went to one knee. "Sprog..." The little girl turned and when she saw Emily kneeling she ran and bear hugged her. Emily had to let out a breath because the hug caused pain several places. She pulled back when she caught her breath, "I'll read you a bed time story tonight so pick a good one out."
"Yay!" Was heard all through the house as the girl took off catching up with Angela.
"You have a way with children Emily." Charlotte said smiling at the woman.
"Not really she is just so like me at this age. Now I'm going to have to have help up and it is going to hurt so tell me when she is totally gone and can't hear if I yell." Jane and JJ came to either side while Maura held her center from behind. They eased the woman back up to an up right position with just a few moans and one yelp.
"Careful love." Maura said trying to make sure Emily's stitches didn't come undone. "Charlotte can you get the door so Jane and Jennifer can help her up the stairs."
"I can..." Emily started to say but stopped when she saw Maura's face. "...just help me ladies." She said as they all laughed except Maura and Emily.
"Does she have any bags?"
"The driver will bring them in." Maura said as she passed the woman following behind Emily.
"Emily dear...you need to rest you look tired." Elizabeth said looking up at her daughter.
"I love you too mother." She said as she made her way over to kiss the woman's cheek.
"She looks so much like you did dear."
"Well I'm leaving. A man shouldn't be in the room with this many beautiful women." Rossi said as he kissed Elizabeth's cheek. "I'll see you later."
"Bye dear... make sure to be on time for dinner."
"Yes ma'am." He said smiling as he hugged Emily, "She is proud of you and I am too." Emily pulled him in tighter as a way of saying "Thank you."
"Emily there is a lady here..." She pointed over in the corner.
"Anna..." Emily said as she went and hugged the woman kissing her cheeks in welcome. "dobro pozhalovat' (Welcome)
"Spasibo" (thank you)
"Mother this is Anna. She is here to help me with my shoulders."
"Well it looks like part one is in place." Looking at Charlotte and assuming she was the other person Emily had called to help. "Have you brought your things to the house?" She asked looking at Maura.
"I have them in the car Elizabeth."
"Good...then part two is in play."
Emily turned to her mother, "Part three is not up for negotiations."
"I hear you dear."
"You hear me but do you understand me mother."
"As long as I get time with my daughters and grandchildren during the Christmas season then it will be fine." She said as the women held their breaths hoping that there wasn't going to be an argument this early into the arrangement. "Well I'm going to leave you ladies to it then. Take care of yourself Emily." She said as she went and laid Bella in the crib then hugged her daughter. She started out and paused in front of Charlotte. "I am Ambassador Elizabeth Prentiss...who are you?"
The woman straightened her back and extended her hand, "My name is Charlotte and I'm going to be taking care of your daughter and granddaughter."
"Then you may call me Elizabeth." She said shaking the woman's hand and left the room.
Charlotte blew out a breath she was holding, "Wow... it's more amazing in person. She is a force in the world isn't she?"
The women looked at her and said, "You can say that again."
More coming up...thanks for reading.