AN: This is a short chapter but it will set up the next one that's the main part of Thanksgiving weekend. I am getting back into this story after a detour to Once Upon a Time. Hope this doesn't disappoint.

Chapter 18: Thanksgiving pt 1

The next few weeks flew by and everyone was starting to feel the pressure of senior year. There was the SAT's to worry about as well as opening night for the school play. Emily and JJ spent every day together after school once Emily was done with rehearsals.

They usually ended up in JJ's bedroom studying both for their classes and the SAT's. The rest of the gang were doing much the same thing...except for Spencer whose eidetic memory meant he didn't have to study.

They had just finished their homework for Strauss' class when JJ turned to Emily and asked, "Hey Em?"

Emily looked up at her girlfriend and smiled, as a way to get them to focus on their homework and not on making out the whole time, they had decided to sit at opposite ends of the room. Emily was sitting at JJ's desk and the blonde was laying down on her belly on her bed. "Yes Jennifer?"

JJ smiled then said, "what are you doing for Thanksgiving?"

Emily thought about that one, she knew her Aunt Serena wanted to have a dinner for the three of them so she was expected to be there, however she also knew that Olivia was planning to spend at least part of the day with Alex, which meant that she might be allowed to spend part of the day with JJ if she wanted. "Um...I think my aunt is making dinner but I know Liv is gonna sneak away to be with Alex, why?"

JJ shrugged and tried to act casual as she extended the invitation that her mother had insisted she issue to Emily, and Liv and her mom. "Just cuz...my mom wanted me to invite the three of you over here. She's making a huge turkey and everything. What do you say?" JJ was hoping Emily would say yes, because she wanted to spend the day with her, but also because Lisa was coming home for the weekend and she really wanted Emily to meet her big sister.

Emily thought about it and then said, "Well I can ask them, but I'm definitely in, sounds like fun." She grinned at her girlfriend as she noticed JJ relax a bit.

JJ just nodded, "Good." Now that that was settled, JJ got up off the bed and walked over to Emily. Very deliberately, she sat down on Emily's lap, straddling both the chair and her girlfriend, and rested her forearms on Emily's shoulders. "Now...since we're done with our homework, I was thinking we could..."

Emily was watching JJ as she moved and now she was caught in her dark blue gaze. "Could...what?"

JJ didn't answer she simply moved forward and lightly brushed her lips against Emily's.

Not one to let such an opportunity pass her by, Emily brought one hand up to JJ's back and the other to her neck as she pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. JJ quickly parted her lips and let out a low moan when Emily's tongue slid in and began caressing her own.

They stayed kissing like that until air became an issue. They parted briefly before JJ dove back in and reclaimed Emily's lips. Emily let herself get lost in the kiss, in the moment and the world around them melted away into nothingness. They were both lost in their own little world.

They were rudely yanked out of their little lust bubble by a voice from JJ's doorway, "Ew! Gross! Cut that out you two!"

JJ broke away from her girlfriend and turned towards the voice, and her annoying little brother. "Mark, go away!"

"No." Mark stood his ground and crossed his arms. "I'm in the hallway, I can stand in the hallway."

JJ glared at him, "Mark, leave now or you can walk to school from now on."

Mark wasn't scared, he knew that if JJ refused to give him a ride to school in the morning, she'd have to tell their parents why and then he'd have to mention that they were making out and not doing homework like they were supposed to be doing. He knew his parents would be on his side. "Then you'd have to tell mom and dad why you won't take me and they'll know you were breaking the rules mom and dad set for you. Besides, it's dinnertime and mom said to come downstairs, now." Mark grinned smugly.

JJ knew he was right but she wasn't about to show it, "Fine. Now go away, or I'll tell everyone at school about the magazines under your bed." The look she gave him told him she knew exactly which magazines he had and just how his friends would react to them.

Mark's eyes widened not wanting his friends to know about the magazines. "Okay, okay, sheesh, you're no fun anymore." Mark walked away from the room, leaving JJ alone with Emily.

Emily, who'd been watching the whole exchange in silence, finally had to ask, "What kind of magazines does he have?" Curious as to what could be embarrassing enough to get him to back down so fast.

JJ just grinned as she said, "Highlights, Disney Magazine, and Sesame Street Weekly."

Emily tried not to laugh but couldn't help herself. Before she could ask about how JJ knew about the magazines, they both heard JJ's mom calling from downstairs.

Reluctantly, JJ slowly stood up and held out a hand to Emily. Emily held JJ's hand the whole way downstairs to the dining room for dinner. It was a common occurrence now for Emily to join them for dinner, mostly during the week. On weekends, Emily always took JJ out somewhere for dinner and a movie or something equally date-worthy.

Thanksgiving Weekend

Emily woke up fairly early on Thanksgiving Day and smiled. She had gotten permission from her aunt to spend the day with JJ and her family. Her Aunt Serena had understood Emily's desire to spend the holiday with her girlfriend and hadn't tried to guilt her into staying with her and Olivia.

Emily quickly showered and dressed then went downstairs to greet her aunt and her cousin, who were in the living room waiting for the Macy's parade to start.

Emily settled on the couch with a banana to watch some of the parade with them, not wanting to abandon them completely on this holiday.

After a few hours, Emily took advantage of a commercial break and said her good byes to her aunt and Liv and left the house, willing to walk to JJ's house.

Liv and her mom watched Emily leave then turned to each other, grinning, "Do you think she suspected anything?"

Olivia shrugged, "I don't think so. Is everything in place?"

Serena nodded, "It's all set. This time tomorrow, Emily is going to get a very nice surprise."

Mother and daughter chuckled conspiratorially. They were mischievous on their own but when they teamed up...look out because they could be downright diabolical.

The Thanksgiving holiday passed by in a fairly normal fashion as parades and football games were watched and enjoyed. Huge meals were prepared and devoured and the warmth of family was felt by all.

At the Jareau household, there was one person who wasn't as relaxed as everyone else. Emily Prentiss was nervous. Jennifer had told her that her sister Lisa was going to be home for the weekend and Jennifer really wanted Emily to meet her. More than her parents, Emily was nervous about meeting Lisa, after everything that Jennifer had told her about her big sister.

Being an only child, Emily had never had the kind of bond that she sensed Jennifer had with Lisa. It intimidated her a bit, knowing that if she made a bad impression, if Lisa didn't 'approve' of her for Jennifer, it would definitely have a negative impact on their relationship. She didn't think Jennifer would leave her, but it would change things. So when Emily had arrived at JJ's house, she had been dragged up to the blonde's room before she even had a chance to say hi to anyone else.

JJ pulled Emily into her bedroom and closed the door. She was glad that everyone else was distracted by football and cooking so she was able to steal a few moments alone with Emily.

JJ pushed Emily up against her door and without warning, kissed her with the hunger of someone who hadn't seen her girlfriend in months, instead of the hours that had passed since she'd seen Emily.

Emily gave in to JJ's kiss, letting herself get lost in the sensations that always flooded her when she kissed Jennifer. She didn't even care that the blonde's whole family was downstairs and could come up at any moment and catch them, all she cared about in that moment was kissing Jennifer.

After long moments of tongues dueling and hands roaming, JJ finally pulled away to drag huge breaths of oxygen into her lungs. She rested her forehead against Emily's and waited a moment to catch her breath.

"So, not that I'm complaining because I'm so totally not, but where did that come from?" Emily recovered first and asked, curious about Jennifer's uncharacteristic, but not unwelcomed, attack.

JJ felt herself blush a bit, "I just...missed you. And I wanted you to have something to think about when Lisa starts her third degree." JJ's older sister had arrived the night before and when JJ had told her about Emily, Lisa had told her she was going to make sure Emily had the right intentions towards her little sister. JJ had tried to discourage her sister from being too critical or mean but Lisa wouldn't be deterred.

Since Emily was, essentially, JJ's first girlfriend, Lisa felt it was her responsibility as the older, more experienced sister, to look out for JJ and make sure that Emily wasn't a player or someone who was going to end up hurting JJ.

Emily looked at JJ, "Um...third degree?"

JJ nodded, turning away as she explained, "Yeah...she's harmless really, but since I never really brought anyone home to meet the family who wasn't just a friend, she thinks it's her duty to look out for me."

Emily suddenly understood, "Ah, I see." Emily reached out and pulled Jennifer back into her arms. "Well, don't worry. Having a mom who is a diplomat made me great at answering questions. It'll be fine Jennifer."

JJ slowly nodded, letting Emily's embrace and her words reassure her. She leaned into Emily's embrace and relaxed. After a few moments, JJ realized that they couldn't stay up there any longer without risking someone coming up to get them. JJ was already breaking a major rule by having the door closed with Emily in her bedroom. "Come on, we can't hide up here forever. Time to face the music."

Emily just grinned, "Okay, lead the way baby."

Jennifer opened the door then turned back to look at Emily, "Just remember, no matter what Lisa says or does, I love you and nothing is going to ever change that, okay?"

Emily saw the truth and sincerity in Jennifer's eyes and knew that she meant it so she nodded and smiled, "I'll remember that. I love you too Jennifer, always."

With one final kiss, Emily and JJ went downstairs and joined the rest of the family. Emily was ready for whatever Lisa wanted to dish out, secure in the knowledge that Jennifer wasn't going to leave her.

TBC...