I had just jumped in bed after dragging Garcia up to the spare bedroom when I heard the sure tale sign of Henry's pitter pattering feet walking down the hallway towards my room
"Mommy? I had a nightmare" he's so cute when he's half asleep
"Aw, come here buddy" I pull the blanket back and let him jump in with me, usually I don't but after the last couple of days, someone to cuddle is defiantly what I need "do you want to tell me about it?"
"No thanks, it was really scary and I don't want to remember it again" he slides down the bed and wraps himself around my body "can you tell me a bit more story please Mommy? What happened after the beautiful lady told you she had a girlfriend?"
"Well it was awkward for a while, she now knew how I felt and I knew she wanted to be with me but couldn't and because I now knew what it was like to kiss her I didn't want to stop. Slowly after a few cases things got back to kind of normal, we wouldn't touch as much but we were friendly and we would all go out to the bar together, I even met her girlfriend a couple of times, she was a doctor and seemed nice enough. About a month later we got a case that took us to New Orleans and that's where I met your Dad. We got on really well and after the case was over I gave him my number, it didn't mean anything but friendship, and apart from the team and a couple of people from college I didn't have many friends so it was good to talk to him." I looked down at Henry who was almost asleep "you know your Dad is still one of my best friends, our break up wasn't in anyway your fault right? We just realised we'd be better friends than husband and wife"
"Yea I know Mommy, Daddy tell me. He said as long as you and I are happy then he is happy but I also think Monica makes him happy too."
"She does honey, I haven't seen him that happy since I told him I was pregnant. Anyway so we got to talking a lot and occasionally I would go to New Orleans and see him and we would go out and go to parades and jazz festivals or he would come here and we would go site seeing and go to the parks and just hang out. Everything was going good, it wasn't weird between me and the beautiful woman, I had a new friend in your dad, work was still bad but I loved helping people and I was actually pretty happy in general. Then one night I got a bad phone call, there used to be this other man on our team before Uncle Dave came back and on this night his friend had died, turns out this bad man that had gotten away from us once before thought that we had his girlfriend and started to hurt the people we had already saved so we would give her back. A lot of stuff happened that day, the bad man and his girlfriend died, the other man on our team lost his faith in what we did and the beautiful woman said something that got stuck in my head and I wasn't sure if she was just telling Jane or if she was telling me or even herself"
**Flashback**
You don't choose who you fall in love with
It had been running through my head since the moment she had said them. Was Emily trying to tell me something? Trying to remind herself? Because I know she wasn't just talking to Jane in that room today. I have to find out, it's driving me crazy not knowing and here I am backed up on the freeway because of a truck roll over, Damn Emily for living in D.C, why couldn't she be like the rest of us and live closer to work?
After an hour and half I was finally sitting out the front of her condo, doubt starting to seep its way through me. I mean what am I even doing here? She has a girlfriend, who is probably inside with her right now, comforting her like it's supposed to be. Why would I think Emily was even talking about me? Because that's what I wanted to hear. I should just go home, As much as I want to be up there, in her arms there is already someone else there.
I was just about to start the car when my phone rang and I answered without looking at the caller I.D
"Jareau"
"Don't you check your caller I.D?" A voice I know only too well laughed and I immediately looked up to her balcony, there she was, leaning against the rain phone in one hand glass of wine in the other
"Not usually, the only people who call me are usually work related" I stated, suddenly very nervous
"Why are you here Jennifer?"
"Um, to see how you are. I know you got on with Jane and I just wanted to see how you were doing" it wasn't a total lie
"Jennifer, what's the real reason you're here?"
"Are you alone?" I needed to be up there, be around her.
"No, Serena is here, she just worked a 38 hour shift, she's in bed now" she sounded just as nervous as I did. I needed to see her better than through my car window so I got out and leaned against the hood.
"What did you mean when you told Jane you don't choose who you fall in love with?" I spat out, I need to have this conversation, no more running around the bush.
"Jen, now isn't the time for this" I saw her fidget but I needed to see her eyes, she gives away so much more through them but I couldn't from here
"No, Emily please, I just need to know. I'm driving myself crazy because I know how I feel about you and sometimes I think I know how you feel about me but then I'm not sure and I just need to know Emily… please" I try to hold back my tears and saw her turn around and look inside before turning back to me
"I told Jane that because I didn't want her to think it was wrong, you don't choose it just happens. Whether that person is a serial killer and killed over 150 people or a blonde, blue eyed communications liaison with the FBI, the heart wants what the heart wants" she said quietly looking down at me and I could feel her eyes looking through my soul even from this distance
"You love me?" I asked, mainly to double check that I had heard her correctly
"I do, but I've also been with Serena for 3 years and I just have to figure some stuff out ok?" She said her voice filled with emotion
"Yea, I'll wait as long as it takes. I love you too" we just stared at each other for a while then she turned around looked inside then back to me again
"I've got to go, I'll see you tomorrow"
"Bye Em, love you"
"You too" she whispers then hangs up and turns around and walks back inside. I hop in my car with the biggest grin on my face and drove home and for the first time ever I was excited about going to work.
**End Flashback**
"So the lady loved you and you loved her?" Henry mumbled into my shoulder
"Yes but she had a girlfriend and we didn't want to do anything until she had sorted everything out with her first. Why don't we get some sleep, Aunty Pen will be up early and maybe we could all go and get some breakfast"
"Yea that sounds good, night mommy, love you" he kissed my cheek and wrapped himself around me
"Night Henry, I love you too"
The next morning we were sitting at the diner just down the road from my house when my phone started ringing, I picked it up and checked the caller I.D
"Hey Spence" I smiled as Henry's face lit up
"Hey JJ, Morgan and I were talking last night and we were thinking of having a family day and you and Penelope in? Morgan just got off the phone to Rossi and Blake and is on the phone to Hotch now and it seems like they are in" he rambled out
"I'm in and I'm sure Henry will be so hang on a sec and I'll ask PG" I said turning to her "Family day, you in?"
"Of course my suga plums, let me know when and where and I'll be there" she squealed into the phone
"Did ya get that?" I laugh
"Yea, we are thinking at Rossi's and about 1? Then we can have lunch and spend the day together, bring yours and Henry's go bags, it may turn into an all-nighter" he laughs then hangs up
"Hear that buddy? We going to spend the night at Uncle Daves" I said, cleaning some syrup off his face
"Will Jack be there?" he jumped up and down
"He should be buddy, if Uncle Aaron is going so will Jack" I smiled and looked over to PG "Spence said take a bag, could turn into slumber party"
"Right, well I guess after this we should head back to yours and grab my car, do you just wanna go together?"
"Yea that's no problem. I've actually got all our stuff still packed from the past couple of days so it's just a run in run out thing" I smile at Henry trying to shovel down his food "Chew Henry, you'll choke" and as if on cue he started coughing and after drinking a bit of water he looked up
"Can you tell me some more story while I eat, please?"
"Actually the next part has Aunty Pen in it so maybe she should tell you" I looked to her and quickly filled her in on where we are up to
"Ok buddy, so your mom had just professed her undying love to the beautiful woman and was waiting patiently for the woman to make up her mind and by patiently I mean not patient at all, she was in my office nearly every 15 minutes either trying to figure out what the womans choice would be, if I knew something, crying, getting angry-"
"Yea we get it, wasn't my finest few weeks" I snap
"Anyway, in between all that the woman was still trying to decide whether to break up with her girlfriend or stay with her and she was feeling really bad so she came to me for help and I being the All-Knowing Oracle, knew exactly what to say and I basically told her that if she was in love with the first one she wouldn't've fell for the second. I think after that things progressed pretty quick." She smiled, knowing that it was her that eventually got us together
"It did, that night she went and broke up with the girlfriend then the next day she came into my office and asked me out for a date that Friday night" I smiled, knowing Henry will love the date part of the story, especially because it involves everyone. After cleaning up Henry a bit more and stopping by my place to get the bags we were sitting outside Garcia's while she quickly ran up and got her stuff when he turned to me
"Mommy, I know this story must be hard for you to tell me but I really like that you are"
"Why do you think it's hard?" I was surprised he would realise
"Because it's easy to see that you still love her and unless she's Aunty Penny, she's not here and hasn't been for a long time because you were with Daddy for so long" he said matter of factly. I didn't actually realise he had picked up any of that, when did he get so smart?
"Since when did you get so smart? And yes buddy it is painful and no she's not Aunty Pen but I'm telling you this because I want to try and get her back and I want you to know about it and not be a surprise"
"Ok Mommy, I'm sure I won't be surprised. I want you to be happy and I got smart from hanging out with Uncle Spence" he laughed and went back to playing a game on my phone. I only had a minute to think before PG came running out of her building and jumped in the car.
"Ready to go Blondie and Mini Blondie?" she smiled and started the car, I was actually really looking forward to spending time with my BAU family, of course there was only one thing missing… her.