Emily is not surprised when JJ rides in the backseat with their 5 month old son. He cackles and giggles, not noticing the tears in the eyes of his mother. JJ smiles at him, playing peek-a-boo and tickling him. Emily wishes she had autopilot on her SUV so she could just watch the interaction between the two blonds who have her heart.
In the condo, JJ puts Henry in his playpen in the bedroom as the two women repack their go bags for a trek into the Alaskan wilderness. As Emily grabs their 3-in-1 jackets from their storage closet, she looks over at JJ.
"What would happen if I suggested you sit this one out?"
"You'd be cut off for life," JJ replies.
"Thought so." Emily tosses the jackets on top of the bags and walks over to JJ, wrapping her arms around her waist. "He's going to be fine. Your mother will take awesome care of him and spoil him rotten while we are gone. Which will just be a few days."
"You don't know how long we'll be gone."
"This guy is killing 1 woman a week. It's a spree, JJ. We'll catch him and be home before you know it."
"Look, I know you're trying to make me feel better about this but it's not working." JJ turns in Emily's arms. "It's bad enough when we have to go to California. But this time we'll be all the way in Alaska with no quick way out. We're flying into one city on the jet then taking smaller planes up to where we'll hold the investigation. What if—"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa…what do you mean smaller planes?" Emily asks fearfully.
JJ stops her rant and looks into Emily's eyes. "Oh my God…I've never seen you scared like this before."
"What do you mean smaller planes?" Emily asks again.
If Emily hadn't looked so afraid JJ might have laughed. "Uh, like Cessna's and bush planes and stuff. There will probably be several picking us up to make sure we—Em?"
Emily drops down on the bed. JJ can see her shaking. "No way. The BAU jet is small enough. I can't ride on something smaller."
"Em, are you scared of flying?"
"Only on small planes. I know too much about wind currents and wind gusts and small planes just suck. There is no way they can handle the force of wind. No way."
JJ kneels in front of Emily and takes her hands. "Emily, those types of planes have been flying in the Alaska wilderness for years. Years, baby. And they are getting better all the time. We will be perfectly fine. I'll hold your hand the entire trip. I promise."
Emily stares into blue eyes full of confidence. She brings a hand up to JJ's cheek. "Don't ride in my plane."
JJ sits back, stunned. "What?"
Emily looks over at Henry, who is watching his mothers intently. "Ride in a different one. Just in case. Okay?" Emily looks back to JJ.
JJ sighs and smiles. "Okay. But you better expect a big hug and a 'Told you so' when we get there and back safely."
Emily manages a smile. "Deal."
The two share a sweet kiss.
Emily has just moved her now packed SUV into a visitor spot in their condo parking garage. Taking her parking pass out she smiles as she sees Sandy Jareau pulling into the garage. Emily points to her now vacant spot and walks over to meet her fiancés mother.
"Mrs. Jareau! Good to see you again."
"Emily, if you don't start calling me Sandy I'm going to turn you over my knee," Sandy teases.
"Of course. Sorry." Emily hands her the parking pass. "Here, put this in your window. It will keep you from getting towed or booted. I've given building security your information but better safe than sorry." Emily opens the back door and grabs Sandy's bag from the back. "Is this everything?"
"Everything but my purse." Sandy hooks her arm through Emily's as they walk to the elevators. "So, do you have a date yet?"
"No, just a season. She wants to get married this fall but has to check a calendar or something first."
"Of course she does. She'll want to get married the day before the Redskins bye weekend," Sandy says as if it's common sense.
Emily stops and slowly looks at Sandy. "Are you serious? She really wants to get married around a football schedule?"
"Of course, dear. It's always been her dream. Redskins maroon and gold as her colors. Honeymoon the weekend of the bye week and be home in time for the next weekend's game. She's been talking about it since she was, oh, 12 or 13 maybe."
Emily just stares for a moment then bursts out laughing. "I should probably be offended that our day is based on the Redskins but for some reason it really is just a very 'JJ' kind of thing."
The two women laugh and head up to the condo. When JJ sees her mother, she bursts into tears. Sandy is shocked and looks to Emily for help as JJ throws herself into her mother's arms.
"Long trip away from Henry with no quick way home," Emily says gently. She pats JJ on the shoulder and continues on to the guest room with Sandy's bag.
"Oh, sweetie, he will be fine," Sandy comforts her daughter. "He's tough just like his mother. And I promise to send you at least one picture a day until you get home."
"I know. I know all of that. Still hurts like hell," JJ sniffles.
"Because you are an amazing mother. I'd tell you it gets easier but I think we both know I'd be lying." JJ just nods. "So I think you know you're going to have to use this trip to help you make a big decision."
"Yeah. I know." JJ sighs and leans back. "Sometimes being an adult sucks."
"Yes, Jennifer, it really does."
Sandy gives her daughter another hug before they both go to check on Henry.