Chapter 12

"There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love."

Garcia smiled as she watched her blonde friend take the pale hand of the damaged Emily Prentiss. She could make out, past the half-open blinds, the brunette's form laying peacefully under the white sheets. Emily's gaze was fixed upon JJ, who towered above her in the low-sized bed. On a normal day, Emily would be the one towering.

"She only ever had eyes for her," Garcia thought silently. Her smile broadened when JJ leaned down and pressed her full lips to Emily's, her left hand stroking brunette hair. Was this reconciliation?

The tech scrambled to the row of chairs in the hallway, balancing two coffee cups in one hand.

"Were you spying, Pen?" whispered JJ as she eased the door to Emily's room shut.

"Why do all the lesbians think I'm a peeping Tom? You and Em, Em and Seaver, the two girls I caught in a bathroom last summer…" She spread out her hands, counting, on her fingers, each time she had been caught.

"OK! That's enough! I don't think I want to hear anymore!" Jennifer stuck out her tongue. "Gimme that mocha, I'm starving." She squealed when her bubbly friend produced two chocolate muffins from her bag.

"So, you two reach an agreement or -"

JJ frowned. She loved Emily. She always has. Ever since she first met the mysterious, intimidating yet selfless and courageous woman. They had been so happy together. "I was a fool to just let them promote me like that. I should've stayed. I knew she was fragile, this is all my -"

"This," Garcia pointed towards Prentiss' room, "is not your fault. You both made some bad decisions but I'm sure you can figure out the answers."

Jennifer sipped her smooth drink. "I'm coming back. Getting around Strauss is going to take a while, but I can't do this to her again. I love her too much for that." There would be more issues than that, though. What about Seaver? They would have to face her at some point. She has to be informed of past wrongs so she can understand why Emily did what she did. "She apologised to me, you know, for her behaviour with the cadet. She didn't say why she did it, but I'm sure that'll come in due time."

Garcia just nodded. She knew they were on shaky ground; for the moment at least. There was a still silence between the two women for a few, long moments.

"Hey Pen?"

"Yeah, Jay?" "Do you think she can ever forgive me - ever love me, again?"

"She never stopped loving you, sweetheart, not for one minute."