A/N - So this is going to be really long and boring I think, so just skip it if you want to, it has no relevance to the story. Happy reading :) ~ R. So, all of the people who stayed behind to read this, this chapter was written for, and dedicated to the love of my life, who I met through this fanfiction 2 years ago today. I am so happy to have met you, and I can't believe that you're dumb enough to be with me. Don't think too hard about it though. Jeg elsker deg. God Gay Dag. Du er perfekt. Husk at. ~ R.

JJ sighed as she pulled up in the parking garage, she had driven to work in a separate car to her girlfriend, and was missing her already. No doubt, JJ wished that they could just come out and tell the team all about it - they were a family after all, but the FBI fraternisation rules that she had signed a contract to uphold were standing in her way. Deciding that it was the best idea for them to just lay low for a while longer, and focus on this case, she got out of the car, locked it and started her walk towards the elevator.

Inside the office, the team were huddled in the bullpen, talking through the case.

"So, what's this guy's deal?" Morgan asked, sipping his coffee.

"The authorities aren't exactly sure. The victimology seems to be a bit eclectic. At first, the UnSub was targetting young girls,and then he switched to elderly women."

"Wait, what? How can you be sure that it's the same UnSub here? I mean, it's not usual for a serial killer to change target like that." Rossi added, his musical voice slicing through the silent room.

"Well, according to the captain at the local precinct, each victim was found with a pocket dictionary with 'Dan the Man' written on the front cover." JJ chimed in, making her presence known to the team.

"Oh, hey Jayje" They spoke in unison, none following her gaze to the beautiful brunette sat in their midst.

"What an odd signature. Reminds me of a novel I read a few years ago, it was about a murder of some monks in a monastery..." Reid carried on his story almost endlessly, accompanied by a symphony of groans from the rest of the team as they waited for him to get his point.

"Okay, Reid, that's enough." Hotch silenced them solemnly "The cooling off period is down to a few hours, so we really have to move. Luckily for us, the flight is short."

"Oh yeah, where we headed, nobody actually said." Emily spoke for the first time, her voice that of an Angel's to JJ.

"Fayetteville, but the area we are investigating will go as far as Charlotte."

"North Carolina? Fair enough. To the jet." Emily answered with a nod, raising her arms mockingly, as a football star might raise his before the big game. The team started to stand up and head towards the parking garage so they could drive to the jets, when an unexpectedly jolly voice was heard from the other side of the pen.

"Wait up my little candy canes" Garcia sang as she hurried towards them, carrying a red basket filled with peppermints and other Christmassy sweets. "I have treats for all of you." She started handing out wrapped bags of cookies to each of them, kissing them each on the cheek and wishing them a merry Christmas - of course until she got to Morgan, when she placed a soft kiss on his lips, stroked his chin and said "I'll see you for New Years, Sugar Shack."

"You betcha, Momma" He replied with a wink in her direction. Meanwhile, Rossi looked at the green bag that he had been given with a confused glint in his eye, and turned to the bouncy blonde woman, who was mid-daydream thinking about how she was going to pounce on Morgan as soon as they were alone together.

"Garcia, no disrespect to you my darling, but what is this exactly?" He asked finally, opening the bag and taking out one of the human-shaped cookies inside.

"Why, it's a Christmas Gingerbread Man, my Fine Mocha Latte." She answered with a smile.

"Was that offensive? I don't even know anymore" He muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Emily collapsed on the bed in her hotel room. It had been a long night, Christmas no less, and she was exhausted from flying and going straight to the precinct to be briefed by the locals. To be honest, all she wanted was to do was crawl into bed with JJ and forget all about this case. It would be so good to go back to how they had been a few hours ago - curled up on the couch with her girlfriend. As much as she loved her job, she really wished she didn't have to do it right now. As she made her way to the bathroom to shower she silently cursed the hotel having so many free rooms, and that Garcia hadn't been smart enough to come up with an excuse as to why she would book them a double room. She sighed as she stepped into the shower, letting the water cascade over her and was away the residue left from a tiring day.

The relief from the shower was short, and she quickly fell into bed again. Emily could barely keep her eyes open any longer, as she let herself drift into almost a nightful of almost restful sleep.

The brunette woke almost an hour later to rough knocking on the door. The knocking didn't cease when Emily woke up, so she rolled out of bed and opened the door to find a tired looking blonde wearing pyjamas that were at least a few sizes too big for her, and rubbing her eyes as she shuffled inside, her bunny slippers rubbing against the carpet in an almost infantile way.
"Baby, I hate to say it, but you look cute." Emily snickered at her girlfriend's childish appearance and walked towards the other woman, leading the small blonde towards the twin bed.

"Shut up and kiss me, Prentiss." JJ ordered, a rush of arousal taking her over. Emily did as she was told, and within milliseconds their lips were locked, and their tongues were entwined. JJ pushed Emily backwards onto the bed, and climbed on top of her with a kind of sexual prowess. Emily was relishing this: it certainly felt good to have her girlfriend straddling her thighs like this.

"I love you, Jennifer." Emily whispered as the other woman peppered small kisses all over her body, her breaths becoming short and laboured as the attraction between them grew stronger and stronger.

"I love you too, Em, and I want you. Right here, right now. I know we said we would wait for the right moment, but don't you think we've been waiting long enough?" JJ asked, beginning to unbutton her own pyjama top frantically, her fingers fiddled with the buttons until they were stopped by slender fingers entwining with them.
"Not here, not like this." Emily replied quietly. There was no doubt, she wanted this, but at what cost to their relationship? If their first time was in some sleazy motel less than a mile away from several crime scenes, with their colleagues only a few thin walls away, what would they become? She just wanted it to be gentle, passionate and most of all, just right.

"Oh, right. I understand." JJ whispered dejectedly, rolling off of her girlfriend and landing in the ample space beside her.

"I'm sorry. I think I want to wait until we are married." Emily whispered.

"If that's what you want, that's what we will do." JJ smiled, placing a kiss on her girlfriend's cheek.

"Jenny?" Emily asked cutely, looking up at the cracked ceiling of the hotel room.

"Yes baby?"

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"Anything."

"I love this necklace, trust me, I really do." She touched the chain hanging around her neck, "but I wish it had been a ring." There was silence in the room as both of them pondered what had been said before JJ's timely reply came.

"Me too." She answered quietly, almost as if she didn't want to admit it out loud.

"I think I have something to ask you, then, Miss Jareau."

"I'll be waiting, baby. Whenever you're ready."