Sorry to leave you guys like that last chapter. What I think I'm gonna do is a time jump and then start the sequel as a separate story. If I change my mind, I'll let you guys know:) Thanks for the feedback, hope you continue to enjoy:) A lot of the dialogue in this is taken directly out of the episode 3x02 In Name and Blood. I don't own any of it. I think this is the longest chapter I have ever written!
Emily spent the rest of the case and the days afterwords actively avoiding JJ. Every time she tried to get her alone, she went in the opposite direction. As hurt as she was, she couldn't help but notice Emily was avoiding everyone, not just her. The whole team was on edge since Hotch was forced into a suspension by Strauss.
When JJ went into the bureau the next morning, she looked into Gideon's office and saw Reid sound asleep in a chair. Amused, she walked in and gave him a small shake.
"Reid? What are you doing in here?" She asked.
Rubbing his eyes and sitting up, Reid glanced at his watch and gave JJ a small laugh. "Gideon didn't answer his phone. I called him twice."
"Have you been here all night?"
"We were supposed to play chess." Reid said, nodding to the unused chess set on the table.
JJ frowned slightly. "Here?"
"Yeah, he hasn't been back to his apartment since um..."
JJ nodded, understanding what Reid was trying to say. "Right." She said, shifting the files in her hand. Reid slung his messenger bag over his shoulder. "I need to brief the team...so..." JJ trailed off. Reid nodded, getting up.
"Is Hotch here?" Reid asked.
Looking at her watch JJ answered him, "uh he's not due for a half hour."
Nodding, Reid followed JJ into the conference room and the pair sat down to get ready. Looking up as Morgan walked in with a cup of coffee, JJ gave him a small smile of hello. "What no Hotch, now no Gideon?" He asked.
"No, not yet." JJ answered him as she began writing on her file.
"You know these guys have been out two weeks, you'd think they'd at least be on time." He said sitting down at the table.
"Yeah, cause you're never late." Reid said with a smirk. JJ glanced at Morgan, eyebrows raised, daring him to challenge Reid. Smartly, he opened his file and asked the question JJ had been asking herself for days now it seemed.
"So, where's Prentiss?"
"Her phone just keeps going straight to voicemail." JJ answered him, frustrated, but trying not to show it much. She had tried to call Emily more than once in the last past few days and she was flat out sick of being avoided.
Annoyed, Morgan dropped his pen down on the table. "This room just keeps getting smaller and smaller doesn't it?"
"Should we wait fifteen minutes?" Reid asked.
JJ was through with waiting for Emily. "We can brief them on the plane, right now police in Milwaukee need our help." Turning on the computer screen, JJ pushed all thoughts of Emily out of her mind and got down to business. This case was horrible. "They've had four murders over the past three weeks, and in addition another woman has been missing the last two days. They've all been women in their thirties, all married with children."
"Any connection between these victims?" Morgan asked.
"Just that they've all been abducted from the same area, all very public places, but no witnesses."
Curiously, Reid glanced through the file. "How are we even certain its the same killer."
JJ sighed, this was the horrific part. Hitting a button on her remote, she braced herself again for the image. "Well, for starters, all of the bodies have been dumped in the cities' third ward, and there's this." She flipped to the next photograph and instinctively looked back down at the table. She didn't need to see it again, once was enough to seer it into her memory for life. Morgan and Reid's faces turned to shock as their mouths dropped open.
"Is that what I think it is?" Reid asked, horrified.
"All of their hearts have been cut from their bodies." JJ said trying desperately not to think about it. She was not looking forward to this case at all. Gathering their things, she followed Reid and Morgan to head out to the jet.
Emily took a deep breath and straightened her back. This was not what she wanted to do, but she hadn't been able to come to any other conclusions. Not to mention, she couldn't stand avoiding JJ anymore, she missed her. Not bothering to knock, Emily walked into Hotch's office, her attention going straight to Strauss. Staring at her, "sorry to interrupt" she said towards Strauss, making sure she didn't look sorry at all. Turning to Hotch, she softened her face. "Sir, I've decided to resign from the FBI, effective immediately."
Hotch instantly frowned. "I don't understand."
It was hard to keep his gaze. Looking down at Strauss, she saw the older woman frown and shift her position on the couch. "I'm taking the Foreign Service Exam, with my connections I stand a good chance at landing in the State Department." She hated throwing in the line about her connections, but it was sure to bother Strauss, and that would make the sting of this a little easier.
"Prentiss I think that's a mistake." Hotch stated forcefully.
Emily couldn't help but smile a little. She finally gets some respect from Hotch, and now she is leaving, story of her life. "Well, don't try to talk me out of it, Garcia saw my name on the list and she already tried." Emily gave a small laugh to try to cover up how shitty she was feeling. Garcia had been relentless. She had almost smacked Emily in the back of the head, going on about how could she leave everyone, especially JJ. It had been very hard not to listen to her. "If she can't talk someone out of doing something, no one can." Emily glanced at Strauss one more time, she wouldn't meet Emily in the eye, something that Hotch took note off. "Sorry for the interruption." She repeated and turned to leave. Pausing, Emily turned around. "But Sir, its good to see you back." Turning to look at Strauss, she emphasized her last words. "The team needs you." Strauss pressed her lips together and looked down. "Ma'am." She said, giving a curt nod before glancing back at Hotch with a tiny smile one more time, she left the office. Emily respected him, she needed him to know that. Walking down to her desk, she collected her things and walked out of the office for the last time. Checking her phone, she could see that JJ had tried to call her a few times. She almost called JJ back, but she knew they had left on a case, and she wanted to explain everything in person. Not wanting to leave JJ waiting like she had been, she replied to the text message JJ had sent her.
I'll explain everything when you get back. I'm sorry.
JJ stared at Strauss, sitting in the corner on the plane. "You know from this angle, she almost looks human." She said to Morgan and Reid.
Reid looked back at her and gave a small laugh. "Has anyone talked to Emily yet?" He asked.
JJ shrugged and tried not to show how much it bothered her. "She was gone before I heard the news." She said. The news that she quit. JJ couldn't believe this, if Emily wanted to avoid her that badly, she should have said something. JJ felt very much like slapping the brunette across the face.
"Now we're down two agents and Gideon's MIA." Morgan said, sounding just as frustrated as JJ.
JJ glanced down as her phone buzzed. Finally, a response from Emily. With a glance over to Strauss, making sure she wasn't looking JJ replied back.
You quit! What is going on? Hotch is gone, Gideon is missing and Strauss is on the case with us. Please explain what's wrong.
Emily's answer was instantaneous. I'll explain it when you get back. I promise. I want to talk about it in person. Its not because of you.
Groaning, JJ dropped her phone. She wanted answers now, but she knew they needed to focus on the case.
Reid whispered, "has Strauss ever been out in the fiel..." Morgan quickly motioned for him to be quiet as Strauss walked over to them.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe its protocol to brief everyone before we arrive at the crime scene?" She asked.
JJ gave her one of her fake media liaison smiles. "Yes Ma'am." She answered, doing her best to make 'ma'am' sound like some kind of curse word. Emily had perfected that. "This unsub abducts women from very public places, holds them for 48 hours, no sign of sexual assault, then dumps them in public places with their hearts cut out of their chest." JJ explained to her.
Morgan stared down Strauss as he not so gently slapped a crime scene photo on the table. JJ watched as she cringed and pulled her sweater tighter around her neck, but reached over to take the photograph. Oddly, it made her feel a little better, but she instantly shook it off. This was horrific, it bothered JJ too.
"There's is an obvious dichotomy in the skill the unsub exhibits in abducting these women and the fact that he cuts their hearts out so crudely." Reid stated.
JJ watched as Morgan continued to stare down Strauss. "We're probably looking at someone in a psychotic break. Could be a butcher, could be a hunter, somebody that's comfortable being around blood, but as you can see obviously doesn't have the skills of a surgeon."
Frowning, Strauss crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. "So do we have a working theory?"
Morgan gave a slight chuckle and JJ looked over at him. "Sure we do, somebody really doesn't like women." He said with a slight glare, slapped his files down and got up from his seat. JJ gave Strauss a tight smile and looked back down at her own files. This was not going to be an easy case at all.
As they arrived at the scene, Morgan introduced them all to the police officers.
"You worked the Jeffery Dahmer case!" Reid stated as he recognized the lead detective's name.
"Sixteen years ago." The officer said, confused.
"I've uh, studied it."
"And you remember my name?"
"He remembers everything." JJ said with a small smile.
"Its what he does." Morgan said.
"What can you tells us?" Strauss asked with her arms crossed. They listened as the officer explained everything to them. Then walked over to the body, covered mostly in a white sheet. Reid stated that the unsub was trying to demean them, putting them out like trash. Annoyed, Strauss glared at the detective. "This is your fifth victim." She stated. "You should have called us sooner."
"We thought we had a handle on it." The detective defended himself.
"Apparently not."
Shit. JJ thought. This woman is going to make my job harder than it has to be. JJ stood up from her crouched position. "Ma'am?" She motioned for Strauss to follow her. Walking away from the group slightly, JJ rubbed her hands together nervously. "We need to work with these detectives." She stressed.
"I'm sorry?"
"We don't generally criticize them, it just really doesn't get us anything." She answered. Which is common fucking sense. She thought.
"Are you saying it wouldn't be helpful if he had contacted us sooner?" Strauss asked in a condescending tone.
"Well, of, of course." JJ said, stumbling over her words slightly. Strauss always made her feel like a kid being called into the principals office. "Its always the sooner the better."
"Right." Strauss stated.
JJ nodded her head, feeling like she just got yelled at. "Okay." She whispered and turned to head back to meet the boys. Strauss stopped her.
"And Agent Jareau?" JJ stopped. "Don't question me again." Strauss said forcefully. JJ nodded as the older blonde walked away. She hated feeling like that. She wished Emily and Hotch were here.
Emily closed her refrigerator as she heard knocking on her door. Walking over and looking through the peephole first, she sighed as she recognized Hotch.
"Can I come in?" He asked as she opened the door. Emily stepped back and let him walk into her apartment. He didn't beat around the bush."The team needs us, they're working a case in Milwaukee." Emily followed him and quickly turned the music she had been playing off while she listened. "Gideon hasn't shown up and don't tell me you quit or I put in for a transfer."
Shocked, Emily had not known that bit of information. "You put in for a transfer?" She asked. After all she went through to help save his job?
"They're still hung up in the system, so technically we're in dereliction of duty by not being there." Hotch answered without explaining further.
"I'm sorry I can't go." Emily said shaking her head and shifting her weight. Hotch frowned at her, but nodded.
"Right, sorry I barged in." He said softly and turned to leave. Emily stopped him.
"Wait, wait, can I ask...why are you really here?"
Moving to stand by Emily's counter top in her kitchen, he stuck his hands in his pockets and didn't meet her eye. "I told you." Emily made a face at him and raised her eyebrows. She didn't buy that for a second. Hotch turned to face her. "I think Strauss came to you and asked for dirt on me."
Emily angrily shifted her weight and almost spat out, "and why would she do that?"
Hotch answered not looking at Emily. "I think if you have your eyes on top leadership in the FBI, you want to know who might stand in your way."
Emily was getting angrier by the minute, mostly because he was right. Moving forward, she faced Hotch. "And what could I have told her?" She asked with a shrug and a look of contemptment.
"That one of my agents murdered a suspect in cold blood, or another might have a serious drug problem which I didn't report, and if she had any evidence my career would be over." Frankly, Emily was shocked that he was being this honest with her. "I think she put you on our team expecting something in return." Emily glanced down in shame. "And to your credit, you quit, rather than whisper in her ear." He said softly. Emily looked back up at him and made eye contact. Those words meant something to her.
"I told you." Emily said forcefully. "I hate politics."
"Come to Milwaukee." Hotch said. Emily instinctively looked down at her feet and bit her lip as she thought about it. "I'll make you a deal, if your go-bag isn't packed and ready to go, I won't bug you anymore, if it is, I want you on that plane with me. One more case."
Sighing, Emily used the last excuse she had. "I already turned in my badge and my gun."
"That's just hardware." Hotch said. Emily bit her lip again, she wanted to go. She hated being home, knowing JJ and the team were out there. And, she wanted to see JJ sooner rather than later, but if she went, it would be that much harder to quit once they got back. Hotch watched her try to decide. "JJ doesn't know anything about this does she?" He asked, startling her.
"What?"
"I'm good at my job Prentiss, despite what Strauss thinks. I'm the one who told her to get over herself and ask you out. Actually, I think technically I was one of the ones."
"Sir..I..." Emily honestly had no response to that.
"You're good for each other. Don't let someone like Strauss take that away."
And really, that was all the incentive Emily needed.
JJ couldn't believe that the unsub was using his own child to abduct women. That only solidified her reasoning to not have kids, there was too much horror in this world. As the team sat at the police station after Morgan and Reid had given the profile, JJ had an idea.
"Alright, it... is it possible we're looking at this the wrong way?" She asked.
"What do you mean?" Strauss answered her skeptically.
JJ didn't look at her as she tried to explain her idea, choosing to focus her attention on Morgan, Reid and the detective. "We're trying to zero in on the unsub, now, you guys tell me, but if he really is using his son, wouldn't the trauma manifest more clearly on the boy?" Morgan leaned forward, agreeing with her.
"Can your analyst get a list of all the children in the area we're targeting?" Strauss asked.
"Garcia can get you whatever you want." Morgan said.
Strauss reached over and dialed Garcia's number. JJ had to bit back a laugh as her friends voice filled the room. "Talk dirty to me." JJ watched as Morgan dropped his head into his hands and Strauss frowned. She did her best to hide her smirk, but she didn't really try all that hard. She was going to hug Garcia for that when they got home.
"This is section chief Erin Strauss." She said annoyed. JJ could hear the panic in Garcia's voice as she realized who it was.
"Ma'am! I think it goes without saying I was expecting someone else." JJ was having a very hard time not laughing, she mashed her lips together and shifted in her chair. Garcia got to work finding the lists of students in the area, public, private and teachers. Strauss hung up on her as she tried to apologize. JJ sighed as she and Reid got together to go question teacher after teacher. She was floored at how many troubled kids these schools seemed to have. Parents could screw up so easily. They headed back to the police station and began looking through the files, they needed to find something in about twelve hours.
"Hey, look who's here!" Reid said excitedly. JJ looked up and beamed as she saw Emily walk into the room.
"Hey, where do we start?" Emily said, giving JJ a nervous smile. She looked fantastic in pink. "How fast can you get us up to speed?" She directed to JJ.
Grinning, JJ forgot that she was annoyed with Emily, she was just happy to see her. "How fast can you sit down?" She asked giving Emily a bright smile. She only smiled more as Emily returned it. Strauss walked into the room and glared at the sight of Emily and Hotch. "We're only here to help." Emily said, glaring right back. JJ was proud of her, she didn't quite have the guts to stare down Strauss like that. Getting to work, she began flipping through the files, glancing up at Emily every few minutes or so. Just having her in the same room, happy to be there, made JJ feel better.
Emily frowned as they went to the newest crime scene. "This is a different area from the other dump sites isn't it? She asked.
"He's getting smart, he knows where all of our manpower will be so he's changing locations." Reid said as he bent down to get a closer look next to Morgan. Emily remained standing next to JJ, who hand her fingers in front of her mouth, a deep, disturbed frown on her face. Emily wanted to reach out and take JJ's hand, but she couldn't do that now. Later. Solve this case, then talk to JJ.
"How long before he changes when and where he abducts them?" Morgan asked, snapping Emily back to the case at hand.
"If he does that we're back at zero." She said with a frustrated sigh.
"Claire!" A man yelled.
"No, no, no, we gotta keep him out of here!" Morgan yelled quickly. Emily moved with JJ to keep the husband away, no one needed to see the person they loved like this.
Back at the police station, they were going over what they had again. Emily was sitting on top of the desk, staring intently at the board.
"So what's around the dump site?" Hotch asked the detective. He explained them all, looking to Hotch rather than Strauss.
"None of them visible from the highway." The detective stated.
"You don't get there by accident." Emily said. She didn't let herself look behind her to see JJ. She was acutely aware of the blonde sitting on the windowsill near Strauss. She could feel JJ's gaze every so often.
"So we go back to the schools, we eliminate the third ward and we target problem kids who's fathers have held blue collar jobs over the last ten years." Hotch told the team.
"What if he's not a problem kid?" Reid asked, Emily could see his mind working.
"What?" Morgan asked him.
"Sometimes if a parent is unstable, especially if the other one's out of the picture, you'll do anything to be the perfect child."
"Like help your father abduct women?" Emily asked skeptically. She had to admit, as a kid, she had tried everything to get her parents attention, working hard, good grades, none of it had worked. Not even her rebellious stage.
"They're never late for school! Even with the abductions, the disposals of the bodies, its always timed perfectly so the kid will be on time for school." Reid went on. Emily shared a look with Hotch, she could tell he was agreeing with Reid as well. "I don't think the killer would care, I think the kid would."
JJ and Reid headed back to the schools to talk to the teachers again. Hearing about David Smith, it broke JJ's heart a little. Your father gets cancer and your mother leaves, what a horrible situation. Everything the principal said only solidified all of the aspects of the profile. Hearing he had gone home early with a nurse, the team rushed to his house.
"The boys alone in the family room." Hotch said to Strauss as they looked around inside. JJ could hear Emily, Hotch, and Morgan arguing with Strauss through their radios; she couldn't believe she was saying it, but she was on Strauss' side. She did not want Emily to go in alone at all.
"Well, if I'm no longer in the FBI then you have no authority over me. I'm just a civilian knocking on a little boy's door." Emily said stubbornly. JJ wanted to kiss her and punch her at the same time.
"As soon as you have probably cause, give us a signal and get out of there." Hotch stressed. JJ looked at Reid and bit her lip. She didn't like this one bit, but she realized it was their best shot. Listening intently, JJ was on edge, ready to run into the house at the first second she got. JJ could hear Emily talking to the boy and took the kevlar vest that Morgan threw at her. Holding her gun out, and ready, JJ bit her lip again. If she didn't chill out, she was going to draw blood. She had to admit, Emily was good at talking to kids. Hearing the signal from Emily, they ran inside at Hotch's call. JJ instantly went to Emily's side, she was bleeding.
"Are you okay?" She asked, reaching out to Emily.
"Oh, I'll be fine." Emily said trying to brush it off.
JJ wasn't having it. "I'll call an ambulance." She said, not letting Emily stand up by herself. Holding onto her arm, JJ gently led her outside and forced her to sit in the back of the bus and let them take care of her. Seeing Hotch come up to talk to her, JJ slipped away after making sure Emily was taken care of. JJ watched as the boy sat alone in the police car, she couldn't imagine what would happen to him. JJ was glad to hear it when Hotch said he didn't want to leave. But even better when she heard him say he would make sure it stayed official that Emily stayed. She glanced over at Emily again and smiled.
Emily walked into her apartment and set her go-bag down. A bandage on her head, she would be fine, but it hurt like a bitch. She went over to look out her window at the view of the city, it was one of the reasons she had bought this place. Crossing her arms over her chest, she sighed. She hadn't had a chance to talk to JJ yet and that was her first plan for the next morning. Hearing a knock, it startled her a little. Emily looked to the clock, it was almost three am, who the hell could that be? Curiously, Emily walked back to her door, slightly dizzy. She hadn't exactly taken the pain medication the EMT had advised her too. She hated pills. Looking through the peephole, Emily's heart leapt a little at the sight of blonde hair and blue eyes. Emily opened the door.
"JJ?" Emily asked. "What...what are you doing here?" JJ didn't ask to come in, she pushed herself into the apartment and walked into Emily's living room. "Come on in." Emily said a little sarcastically.
"You owe me a date and an explanation." JJ said without meeting Emily's eyes.
"I...um..."
"Don't!" JJ yelled a little. "Don't you dare shut me out! Don't you do that compartmentalization shit I have been dealing with for almost a year! This is your fault! I don't do relationships! I don't feel the way I feel right now! I hate you for it!"
"JJ...I.."
"No! I mean it Emily, I lov...like you. I like you way too much and I'm furious. How dare you do that! I took you on a date, I watched idiotic romantic comedies to get ideas, I threw up twice before I came to get you that night. All I think about is kissing you and it makes me want to punch you!" JJ huffed, seemingly finished. Emily grinned, which only seemed to entice JJ further. "I will hit you." The blonde growled. Emily laughed and tried to stop herself, she had caught that little lov...before JJ caught herself; and to be perfectly honest, she couldn't really hear much after that.
"JJ, I'm sorry." Emily said sincerely. JJ tossed her hair back in a huff and crossed her arms, raising her eyes at Emily to continue. Emily licked her lips and shifted her weight nervously. "How much do you know about why I quit?" She asked.
"Strauss? I don't really know." JJ admitted.
Emily motioned for JJ to take a seat, but she refused so Emily stood awkwardly while JJ glared at her. "Apparently, I was hired at the BAU to help Strauss end Hotch's career. She wanted me to report back to her."
"What!" JJ yelled. "Emily, how could you do.."
"I didn't know when I was hired. I thought got there on my own merit." Emily said cutting JJ off. Honestly, that part still hurt a little, and Emily could tell that JJ saw it. Straightening her back, Emily shook it off. "She told me a few weeks ago, I stalled for as long as I could. I hate politics JJ, I know I told you that and I...I respect Hotch. Even if I didn't, I wouldn't do that to someone. I figured if I left, then...well, then the team would stay intact, and there wouldn't be any rules stating we couldn't be together." JJ looked up and for the first time that night, her face softened. "JJ, I do do relationships. I...I care about you a lot and.." Emily swayed a little bit. She probably should have taken those pills. Christ, her head hurt!
"Em?" JJ asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"
"I...umm...yeah, I just need to...sit."
"Did you take your pills?" JJ asked.
"Umm..."
"Emily!" JJ yelled. "Why are you so stubborn!"
"I'm not..."
"Sit down now!" JJ ordered. Without asking where anything was, JJ began to dig through Emily's cupboards to find pain medication. Emily held her head in her hands and tried not to pass out. JJ poured a glass of water and set it down in front of Emily. "Take these."
"No, JJ I don't want to..."
"Emily, an insane man hit you in the head with a two by four. You have a concussion."
"No I don't."
JJ sighed. "Emily..."
"I don't, the EMT said I don't." Emily protested, feeling very much like a child.
"He was an idiot. Take these now."
"JJ..."
"My mother is a nurse. Take these now and don't make me say it again."
"JJ, you're extremely bossy."
"I know. Lift up your tongue."
"Seriously?" Emily asked.
"Do I look serious?" JJ asked with her eyebrows raised. Emily paused for a moment, then – feeling ridiculous – stuck out her tongue so JJ could check to make sure she swallowed the pills.
"Happy?" She asked.
"Yes." JJ said with a smile. "Sit down on the couch please." Emily let JJ lead her to the couch, truthfully, she needed the help, she still felt dizzy. "Are you up to explaining more?" JJ asked softly, sitting facing Emily cross-legged.
"Yeah, where was I?"
"You really, really like me and you do relationships." JJ said with a coy grin.
"Oh yeah." Emily said giving JJ a smile. "Right, I just, I couldn't be her pawn and it seemed like the best way for us to stay together, if we are...together that is?"
"I want us to be." JJ said running her fingers through Emily's hair and wincing seeing the blood through the gauze. "We need to change that."
"It's fine."
"Em..." JJ warned. She went to get up and find some more gauze, but Emily reached out and grabbed her.
"Wait, I...can't we just stay like this for a bit?"
JJ beamed at her and sat back down, pulling Emily into her arms. "Have the pills kicked in at all?"
"Yeah, I'm getting tired."
"Good, its 3:30."
"JJ...can you..." Emily hesitated. She didn't want to be alone, but she felt like asking JJ to stay was awkward. They had known each other for over a year now, they had been friends, and apparently both liked each other for the entire time, but they had only been on one actual date. Emily bit her lip. JJ seemed to get what she was saying and gave Emily a smile before gently pushing her up.
"Come on." She said, taking Emily's hand and leading her upstairs. "Where's your bathroom?" She asked. Emily pointed to her bedroom, and they walked through it to her bathroom. JJ didn't glance around, she was on a mission to change the gauze on Emily's head. Forcing her to sit down on the edge of the tub, JJ dug through the cupboard to get what she wanted. Emily was silent the entire time besides the small gasp as JJ pulled the old bandage off gently. "Sorry."
"Its fine." Emily waited patiently as JJ lovingly and gently cleaned the cut again and covered it with the gauze.
"You got pjs?"
"Top drawer." Emily watched as JJ went into her room, opened the top drawer and dug out two big t-shirts and cotton shorts. Walking back into the bathroom, she handed a pair to Emily and closed the door on her. Emily just sat there for a minute, utterly confused as to how this day was turning out. She was exhausted and as much as a part of her wanted to, she hoped all JJ had in mind was sleeping. She wasn't really ready for anything else. Emily sat up and changed her clothes, brushed her teeth and tried not to bend forward much. Hearing a knock on the door, she called out softly. "Come in." JJ opened the door and leaned against the frame, her arms crossed and a smirk on her face. God, Emily loved seeing JJ in her clothes.
"Got an extra toothbrush?" She asked. Emily reached into the cupboard and handed her an unopened blue toothbrush. JJ's smirk grew as she pushed past Emily, brushing their bodies together purposely and brushed her teeth quickly, setting her toothbrush next to Emily's in the cup. Without another word, JJ took Emily's hand and led her to the bed. "Which side do you get?" She asked.
"Either is fine, usually the left."
JJ grinned. "I like the right." The two of them climbed into the bed and JJ reached up to turn off the light. Emily sighed as her head hit the pillow, she didn't remember ever feeling this tired.
"Thanks." She whispered in the dark.
Emily felt JJ shifting a little, and next thing she knew, JJ had curled herself into Emily's side. Smiling, Emily lifted her arm and held her. "Thanks back." JJ whispered softly.
"Goodnight JJ."
JJ reached up and gently kissed Emily's bandage. "Goodnight Em."