(Hey everybody! Here is chapter 15! It's a short chapter, but Chapter 16 will be the final chapter of this fic. Never fear, though, I'm already planning on writing several follow up one shots because I am absolutely in love with this universe. As always, please leave a review, I would love to know what you think!)

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

Emily

I'm sitting at the kitchen table, browsing potential Christmas gifts for JJ on my laptop. We had agreed that Christmas would be simple since the baby would be the best present possible. I had several websites open in separate tabs but nothing seemed quite right. Last year, I had replaced the chain on her horseshoe charm and given her a pair of diamond earrings. They were small enough that she could wear them in the field without it being a problem. In return she had given me first edition copies of Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five and Mother Night. This year however, I was coming up short.

I cycle through my web pages before coming back to a page I had pulled up about therapists in our area. I knew that JJ was reluctant, but last night as we had laid in bed, my mind had been made up. We had just over a month until the baby came. I had originally assumed that this was just something that she would work through in her own time and we would come out stronger on the other side. However, it was becoming apparent that this was not the case and the sooner we could begin to address this the better. I knew that JJ believed that she was fine and that she was fully capable of handling the baby at home, but I just didn't see how it would be possible. I would be home with them on leave for the first couple of weeks but eventually I would have to go back to work. She would be home alone with the baby. What if something happened? I would never forgive myself if something happened to either one of them.

"What are you working on?" she asks as she walks past.

I hastily minimize the browser window. "Oh… nothing really. What are you doing?"

"I'm kind of hungry, I'm going to have a little snack." she calls from the kitchen.

I can't help but laugh. "Jayje we finished dinner like twenty minutes ago."

"Eating for two, remember?"

"I'm starting to think that's just a convenient excuse!" I say teasingly.

She comes back in with a banana and a package of Oreos. "I mean, I have only have five weeks left, I need to capitalize on the pregnancy perks while I can!"

"You're not eating those together, are you?"

"Maybe."

"Jayje!" I admonish, my nose wrinkling even as I smile at her.

"I know, I know. It doesn't look like it would be good, but let me assure you: it's delicious." She untwists one of the cookies and cuts off a slice of banana. She sits it on top of the cream, replaces the top cookie and takes a bite. She hums as a satisfied smile graces her face.

"I'll take your word for it." I chuckle. I notice that her free hand is rubbing at her lower back. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I just have a backache."

"It's still hurting?"

"Yeah it's not a big deal, though. It's been hurting on and off all day."

"All day? Do you want me to rub it?"

She smiles and sits in the chair next to me. "No it's okay. It's not too bad."

"Are you sure? It's no trouble."

She catches my hand and presses a kiss to my knuckles. "Yeah. I think I will bring it up tomorrow during our appointment with Karen, though."

"That's probably for the best." I shut my laptop so I can face her head on. "Have you thought anymore about what we talked about last night?"

She is suddenly very interested in her banana-oreo creation. "I haven't really had a chance.I mean, it hasn't even been twenty four hours, Em."

I pause for a second. "Well, I really think you should."

She lets out a deep sigh. "Why?"

"Because… I feel like this is affecting your quality of life. And it makes me a little nervous."

She wrinkles her nose. "What? Emily I'm fine."

"What if I hadn't come home last night? What would you have eaten, We barely had any food in the house."

She meets my eyes. "You're being dramatic. And I could have ordered in."

"Well what about once the baby comes? What if we need diapers or they're sick and you need to get them medicine? Those can't be ordered off Seamless."

"I would have called Garcia!"

"JJ… I'm serious. I'm worried. I think you need to talk to a therapist."

"Emily I don't… ugh I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Jen we have to-"

"Just drop it! Everything is fine!"

"We can't keep avoiding this." She stands up from the table and grabs the package of cookies and the banana peel. I can feel the waves of frustration rolling off of my wife. I follow her into the kitchen and press ahead. "I'm sorry but I can't let this go. I've looked online and there are a few professionals who are willing to do house visits."

"Emily."

"I know this is scary, but I feel like this is something we need to face this as soon as possible. We only have five weeks-"

"You think I don't know that? I understand that- that-" Her face goes blank for a moment, then crumples into a grimace of pain. She leans forward and grips the counter, letting out a long groan.

"Jayje! What's wrong?" I hurry around the kitchen to where she's standing. I rub her back and brush the stray hair from her face. "Are you okay?"

"It's… I…" She groans again. She grabs onto my hand and squeezes.

"Wait are you… Is the… JJ?"
She looks up at me, her eyes wide with fear and her forehead wrinkled in pain. Her breath was coming in short pants and she gripped my hand as if it was the only thing keeping her moored to the Earth.

"I think I'm going into labor."

It feels like my heart has jumped into my throat. It's too early. I clear my throat. "Are you sure?"

She shifts her weight from one foot to the other, obviously in an intense amount of pain. "Did you happen to stab me while I wasn't looking? Then, yeah I'm pretty sure I'm in labor."

She keeps squeezing my hand for a few moments longer, then lets her head rest on the counter in exhaustion.

I take a deep breath to calm myself. "Okay. This is fine. We're fine. I'm… I'm going to call Karen." She turns her head so that she can look at me. Even though she looks scared and tired and pale, I can't stop the huge grin from spreading across my face.

"JJ we're having a baby."