Chapter 12

Emily found JJ leaning against the driver's side door of her car with her head down. JJ's blonde hair formed a curtain over her face so that Emily couldn't tell from a distance if her girlfriend was crying, fuming or what. Emily stopped for a second to think about what had just happened and she realized that regardless of JJ's reaction, she was going to have to do some damage control.

Slowly and carefully, Emily began walking towards JJ again.

JJ sensed the exact moment that Emily stepped outside the diner. She knew that her behavior was going to lead to some questions and she had wondered which of her friends would be 'volunteered' to find out the answers. It seemed, almost fitting that it was Emily who had followed her out.

Emily kept walking until she was right next to JJ and she gently placed her hand on the blonde's shoulder as she asked in a low voice,"Jennifer? Baby, what's wrong?"

JJ heard Emily's words and she suddenly realized that Emily thought she'd done something wrong, that JJ was mad at her for something. Without warning, JJ turned and threw herself into her girlfriend's arms and wrapped her up in a tight hug.

Emily staggered back a step before bracing herself and holding JJ. She didn't know what else to say or do so she just held her girlfriend until JJ was ready to talk.

After a few minutes, JJ pulled back just a bit to look into Emily's eyes. "Em, I'm not...this is not about you. I'm just..." JJ took a breath and tried to think of a way to say what was on her mind without it sounding stupid and childish. "I don't like being lied to and back there...she lied to me. She's never lied to me like that and it's...it hurts. I'm sorry, I know it sounds stupid."

Emily took a moment to try to make sense of what JJ was saying. "Who lied to you?"

"Olivia."

"How do you know she lied and what did she lie about?" Emily was still trying to piece it together. What could Olivia possibly lie about that would cause such a reaction from JJ?

JJ paused and tried to compose herself before she began to explain. "After you and Garcia left for the restroom, I confronted Olivia about her behavior, about why she put you and Derek on the spot like that when it was obvious the two of you were having a private conversation. She's not usually like that, she knows when to respect someone's privacy. She couldn't give me an answer and for a few minutes she just sat there staring at me. Then you and Garcia came back from the restroom and she...it seems like she grabbed onto the handiest excuse she could and diverted our attention off of her and onto you. I knew then that she was lying to me. By the way, what were you and Derek talking about and why didn't you tell me about your birthday?" Now that the main issue was out, JJ wanted answers to her own questions.

Emily smiled, knowing JJ only asked out of a little harmless jealousy, nothing that would mess them up just a little something to remind Emily that JJ cared. "Derek just noticed that I was smiling more and wanted to know why, I told him it was very private but very happy thoughts. I was thinking about you and our afternoon together, for the record. I was going to tell you about my birthday I just...I forgot. Seems my brain kinda turns off whenever you kiss me." Emily grinned, joking a little to try to make JJ smile. It worked and Emily continued, "As for Olivia...my cousin should've been born with wings and a bow and arrow. The girl loves to play cupid. And I am guessing that, she's been trying to get Derek and Garcia together for a while now as well as maybe even trying to set you and me up so when she saw me and Derek talking quietly and smiling, she might've thought her matchmaking plans were going to be ruined."

JJ thought about that, and she had to admit, Olivia did seem to like playing cupid but something didn't make sense, "but, she knows you're gay right? I mean she has to know that you'd never go for Derek...right?"

Emily smiled at the light tone of doubt at the end of JJ's question. Emily pulled JJ closer and whispered in her ear, "trust me, the only person I want to be with is you. You make me feel things that I've never felt before JJ and I'm not letting anything mess this up." Emily pulled away a little and continued in the same low tone, "and Olivia knows I would never switch teams as they say, but she also knows that I haven't come out' to the gang so she could think Derek thinks he has a shot. She doesn't know that Derek already knows who he wants."

When Emily saw JJ's eyes grow wide at that last part, she closed her own eyes, mentally kicking herself for not being more discreet. It was too late now though as JJ pounced on the news. "What do you mean by that? Did Derek tell you he was dating someone?"

JJ wondered if she was going to have to console Garcia soon when this news came out. She was totally unprepared for what Emily said next.

"First, you have to promise this stays between us, deal?" At JJ's nod, Emily continued, "In the restroom earlier, Garcia confirmed that she and Derek have been dating for almost a year now. You can't tell anyone though 'cuz her grandmother doesn't want her dating anyone until she's done with school."

JJ took a moment to process the news. It was just so completely unexpected but in a way it wasn't as well. JJ knew that Derek and Garcia had feelings for each other, they were blatant, shameless flirts with each other, but she never really thought they'd get together on their own. She had come to the conclusion that those two would need some outside help. Knowing that they had come together on their own made JJ smile. To her, it seemed more genuine that they figured it out on their own rather than being pushed there by their friends.

JJ took a quick look around the parking lot, and seeing they were alone, she leaned forward and kissed Emily.

Emily quickly surrendered to JJ's kiss and just enjoyed the familiar sensation of her brain clicking off as her hormones kicked in. However, before she could really get lost in the kiss, JJ pulled back and said, "don't worry Em, Garcia's secret is safe with me. Besides, it seems fitting that we now know about her secret romance since she knows about ours."

Emily came out of her daze and grinned, "that's almost exactly what I told her. At least now we have some insurance. If she tells, she knows that we can too."

JJ nodded, though she knew Garcia would never break their confidence, it was still good to know they had something on the tech whiz.

Emily put her arm around JJ's shoulders and said in a light tone, "C'mon Jen, let's get back to our friends and let them know you're ok."

JJ suddenly realized that the way she'd left the diner would cause speculation and now she was going to have to explain herself. She was dreading the explanation but she knew that as long as Emily was by her side she'd be fine.

The girls started walking towards the diner.

Meanwhile inside the diner...

Silence reigned at the gang's table for a few minutes after Emily disappeared out the door trailing after JJ. No one really knew what to say for a moment. JJ had never really just walked out of a room like that, she wasn't shy about letting her friends know when something was bothering her. SO for her to walk out like that, left her friends a bit stunned.

It was Kim who finally broke the silence, "What was that about?"

A chorus of 'I don't know's and shrugs made the rounds of the friends as they tried to figure it out.

Even though he'd been around more than his share of women and he really should've known better, Brian couldn't help but whisper, "I'll bet it's that time of the month." Despite it being little more than a whisper under his breath, his girlfriend Casey heard him and turned to face him.

"What did you say?" Though the tone in her voice made it clear she'd heard him she wanted to see if he would have the guts (or the stupidity) to repeat it.

But Brian wasn't stupid and he certainly wasn't going to repeat what he'd said so he just said, "nothing."

Casey narrowed her eyes at him for a few seconds before she decided that she'd deal with his comment in private, not wanting to get all the girls at the table angry with her boyfriend. Her wrath alone would more than Brian would be able to handle.

Before anyone else could chime in with a theory, Elliot noticed the door to the diner opening and JJ and Emily walking into the diner. Elliot kept his voice low enough so the two girls at the door didn't hear him but loud enough so his friends at the table could and said, "guess we're about to find out. Here they come."

JJ saw Elliot looking at them then saw his lips move, she couldn't make out what he said but she knew it was about her and Emily because as soon as he spoke, every head at the table turned to look at them.

JJ had the odd sensation of being a prisoner on the way to the gallows as she approached her friends but she shook it off, reminding herself that she was the leader of this group and if she didn't want to explain herself she shouldn't have to. But she knew that they would want to know.

Emily noticed the slight change in JJ's demeanor and realized that her girlfriend was nervous so she lifted her hand and placed it on her back in a show of support and comfort that was, happily, hidden from their friends.

JJ relaxed a bit at Emily's touch and she took the last remaining steps to the table and sat down with a smile. She was ready for their questions.

TBC...

AN: Sorry this update took so long...it's been a tad hectic here and my muse couldn't handle it so she went for a walk and got kidnapped...I just got her back yesterday and she was thankful enough to give me this...not much but once she recovers from her ordeal, there'll be more. Until then hope you like the update.