Monday morning Emily and JJ happily return to the office. They'd had a great weekend with Declan. Emily had helped him with his paper, even loaning him one of her books on mythology so he can scan in pictures to the final report if he wants to. Sunday afternoon they had Skyped with Tom, who said the doctors were positive they could help him. Declan was visibly relieved.

As they prepare to get out of the Lexus, Emily grabs JJ's hand. "Thank you for a wonderful weekend, Jennifer. I love you."

JJ leans across the armrest and kisses her wife. "I love you, too. And it really was a great weekend. I'm glad."

As they exit the elevator on their floor they run into Chief Straus. "Good morning, ladies. Agent Jareau I need to see you as soon as you get settled."

JJ nods. "Yes, ma'am. Give me five minutes."

Straus nods and heads towards her office. JJ and Emily just shrug at each other and split up to go to their desks. When JJ walks into her office she sees the piles of folders and frowns. Without her to filter the cases who would do that? And is it even right that she keeps an office if she's a profiler like the others? Or is she going to be expected to do double duty: profiler and case assigner? Hotch sure as heck didn't need the extra work. Forgoing coffee, JJ heads straight for Straus' office.

"Ma'am?"

"Come in. Close the door please."

JJ does as she's told and takes a seat in front of the chief's desk. For some reason she always feels like a kid called to the principles office in here. Straus sits back in her seat.

"I want to congratulate you on your certification. I knew you could do it and am proud of you."

JJ is surprised. "Oh. Thank you, Chief."

"As you know, Agent Hotchner is now free to promote you as your liaison position phases out."

JJ nods, not liking where this conversation appears to be going.

"However, before you accept that promotion, I've been asked to speak with you regarding two other options available to you." She lifts a folder. "The first is the Pentagon position. The DoD has authorized an additional pay grade for you, as well as a personal assistant and funds for a technical analyst though not one of Penelope Garcia's pay grade so don't think you can steal her." She hands that folder to JJ and lifts the other one. "The second is a position with Interpol. You would—"

She shoots to the edge of her seat. "NO. FUCKING. WAY!" She pauses. "Ma'am."

Straus can't help but chuckle. "Yes, I thought they were rather foolish to try. Truth is, they had hoped you would be swayed by their offer and convince Agent Prentiss to take the position they are offering her."

JJ's eyes narrow. "What position?"

Straus raises an eyebrow. "They want her to replace Easter. By now Agent Hotchner is talking to—where are you going?"

But JJ is already out the door.

Emily had just grabbed her coffee mug when Hotch calls her up to his office. Since she was going for decaf, it could wait. She grabs a pen and pad, assuming he wants to discuss a case with her.

Boy is she in for a shock.

"Close the door, please," Hotch asks her as he gestures to the seat in front of his desk.

Emily does so and studies her boss. Normally even his micro-expressions are controlled but obviously something has him so angry he can't control them this morning.

"What's going on? Is Jen getting transferred anyway?"

"No. Though, Straus has to present 2 opportunities to her. The first is the Pentagon position, which has been sweetened."

"Won't matter," Emily says angrily.

Hotch smiles. "I know and you know. But let them dream a little longer."

Emily manages a smile. "Okay. For now."

"I have also been asked to let you know of a position available to you." He frowns. "How's your blood pressure today?"

Emily raises her eyebrow. "Steadily rising. What's going on, Chief?"

Hotch sighs, clearly not liking what he's about to say. "We've been contacted by Interpol. They would like you to take Easter's position."

Emily leaps up. "WHAT?! You've got to be fucking kidding me!"

"Emily, sit down. Please."

Before she can, JJ throws open Hotch's door. "EMILY! Do you know?"

"Yes! They are fucking assholes!"

Hotch chuckles. "I guess you turned down Interpol, too?"

Emily spins back towards Hotch. "What do you mean 'too'?" She spins back to her wife. "Jen?"

"Bastards made me an offer in hopes it would convince you to take their offer. Hotch, who the hell is pushing this?"

He sighs. "It's over the directors head, even. It's a political move. Don't worry, I've already drafted my response that you refused. Just had to do this as a formality. I also wanted to make sure you knew that someone somewhere is playing politics with your life, Emily. You might want to…investigate who and let them know you're off limits."

"You're damn right I do." She turns to JJ. "You know I will support whatever you want to do…unless it's work for Interpol. Not doing what we do; not with our classifications. I know what they would expect of you and I don't want you to have the nightmares I will have forever."

JJ takes Emily's hand. "Baby, I am where I want to be. I am profiler for the BAU. Well, in a few days. Right now I'm a media liaison, but, well, you know," she finishes with a grin.

Emily smiles. "Yes, I know." She turns back to Hotch. "Tell them where to stick it, Hotch. I'm not going back to them. Ever."

Hotch smiles and nods. "Gladly. As to the media liaison position, I just got the confirmation that it will phase out officially at the end of June. As of midnight on July 1st you will officially be assigned to the unit as a profiler. That gives us some time to divvy up your jobs around the bullpen. Get with me later this week with your ideas of who should do what."

JJ nods. "Yes, sir. Out of curiosity, can I keep the budget justification duties? I actually enjoy it."

Emily chuckles. "And she calls me a nerd."

Hotch grins. "Fine, you keep justification." Pause. "Geek," he adds with a sly chuckle.

JJ and Emily laugh as they head back out to the bullpen. JJ sighs.

"I, uh, better go back and see Straus. I sort of ran out in the middle of our talk."

Emily chuckles. "Remind me to have Garcia pull that video for my records."

JJ just shakes her head and moves on. As Emily gets to her desk, Reid and Morgan look at her.

"Everything okay? JJ looked pissed when she ran through."

"She was but I'll have to talk to you later. Too many ears around, you know?"

Reid and Morgan nod. Morgan smiles. "So how was the weekend with Declan?"

Emily smiles and sits back in her seat. "It was really, really good. He's smart, well-adjusted, and I think Ian Doyle is such a distant memory to him that we've worked through all that crap already. At this point, I am done with Doyle and Reynolds and all that shit." Emily's face looks more content than her friends have ever seen. "I've got a damn good life, a damn good family, and to hell with all that other crap."

Reid smiles at her. "Good attitude. And if you ever have any doubts, you have my number."

"Mine, too, Princess."

Emily nods. "Good. Because I've got a few more months before I can drown my fears in bourbon."

The three profilers laugh and get to work on the cases waiting for them.

Tuesday morning, Hotch brings a package to Reid.

"Reid, I hope you can help with this. Garcia may be able to help, too. Hikers found a camera case at a campground in Big Sur, California. Being curious, they developed the three film canisters. They show women being tortured and raped. We need to identify the women, where they were attacked, and who the hell did it. I'm hoping you two will see something in the pictures that can help."

Reid takes the box. "Of course. I'll be in her office."

Hotch nods as the young agent walks off. He looks at Morgan and Emily. "If they get stumped feel free to help. What time do you leave, Prentiss?"

"Head to the airport at 4."

He nods. "Okay. Good luck. Still don't like that they aren't talking to Morgan or anyone else involved with the Waddell case. Watch for traps."

She nods. "I will."

Reid walks into Garcia's office. "Hotch call you?"

"Yes. How skeeved out will I be?"

"I don't know yet."

Together they open the package. Reid pulls out one photo envelope. Garcia pulls out another. She opens it, takes a deep breath, and slides the photos out.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! I hate this! I hate this! I hate this!" The whole time she verbally complains, she flips through the pictures, trying to ignore the women and concentrate on their surroundings. Finally she sets them down, the photo CD in her hand. "I'm going to…to…to pull images from the background and try to find…find a picture where I can see enough of the women's faces to do recognition searches against missing person databases." She looks at Reid. "I need you to answer this question to make me feel better, okay?"

Reid nods. "Sure."

"There's a good chance these are just staged right? And the women are fine just creepy kinky? Or maybe actresses?"

Reid bites his tongue. He had almost answered honestly. Instead he forces a smile to his face. "Sure. Of course."

"Oooooh, you waited too long," Garcia whines. "Sometimes I hate this job."

She sits down and gets to work. Reid just pats her shoulder consolingly as he starts to review the third set of pictures.

By 12:30 they both need a break. One problem with their job is sometimes the unrelenting pain and anguish they deal with gets overwhelming. They had preliminarily identified 3 of the women in the photos and were still searching on 13 more. Reid takes Garcia's hand.

"Come on. I'll treat us to lunch. I could use a sundae."

Garcia manages a small smile. "A sundae?"

Reid shrugs, a shy grin on his face. "Just makes me feel better."

Garcia nods and stands. "Sounds good to me, too. Come on, Boy Wonder, let's go get some well deserved ice cream calories."

To anyone who doesn't know them, the fact that they walk down the hall holding hands would mean they are probably sweethearts. To those that know them, know the job, they know that connection is a reminder to them of the good in the world; that humanity still exists in a world that contains evil minds like the one that took the photos they were studying. The clasped hands were a lifeline to keep them from falling into the dark void the job could drag them into.

At 2:45 JJ looks up as Garcia walks in and shuts the door to her office. The vibrant analyst grabs the electronic picture frame off JJ's desk, the one with many pictures of a smiling, happy Henry. She goes to JJ's couch, lies down and stares at the flashing pictures. JJ watches her a moment.

"Pen? You okay?" she asks cautiously.

"No," Garcia answers sadly. "Just need to be reminded there is good in the world because right now my world is full of darkness and pain and death and…and…and just super, super yuckiness."

JJ gets up and walks over to her. She sits on the table beside the couch. "The case you and Reid are working on?" Garcia nods. "I'm sorry, Pen. Any leads?"

"Some. We've identified 7 women now. We were able to see they were in a cabin. We can see a newspaper in one picture so we sent it to the lab to see if they can blow it up better than my computers can."

JJ reaches out and takes her best friends hand. "Why don't you come home with me tonight? Emily's heading to Boston for a deposition on the Waddell case. It will just be us, Henry and a couple gallons of ice cream."

Garcia smiles. "Can I play with Henry way past his bedtime?"

JJ chuckles. "Sure. But if he's cranky for Francesca tomorrow I'm sending her after you."

Garcia nods. "Deal."

At 3:45 Emily steps into JJ's office and closes the door. She stares at her watch.

"3. 2. 1. Darkness."

"What?" JJ asks in confusion.

Emily walks around the desk and pulls JJ up and into a deep, passionate kiss. As it ends JJ's eyes are dark with desire.

"Whoa. Garcia looped my camera?"

"Better. Glitch until I tell her otherwise."

JJ chuckles. "If you think you're getting lucky in my office you're delusional."

"I know. Just wanted to say a proper goodbye to my wife."

Emily starts to kiss her again. For 10 minutes they make out like teenagers. Finally Emily steps away.

"I'll call you tonight to finish this."

JJ nods. "Do." Then she shakes her head. "No! Wait! I'll call you. Pen's coming over for a little ice cream and silliness."

Emily winces. "Ah, yeah. The camera case she and Reid are working. I know he called Traina."

"Good. He'll need her tonight. I was going to ask him to come with us if she wasn't in town."

Emily smiles and strokes a hand through her wife's hair. "Always taking care of us."

"Always." JJ agrees.

The two share one more, less erotic kiss and Emily heads out. JJ knows this is just a routine deposition but she worries about Emily's nightmares, blood pressure and morning sickness.

"Get a grip, Jennifer," she coaches herself. "It's just one night."

With a sigh, she heads back to her desk. She shoots an email to Garcia that Emily is gone, letting the analyst know it's time to fix the "glitch" in her security camera.