So this is my first 'Case' as I am calling them. Basically they will be a bunch of one shot, two shot, multi shot instalments all to do with the relationship, life and family Emily Prentiss and Jennifer Jareau form and build together over the years.

Some of these will be multi parts as I don't do brevity very well haha. Some will be one shots or two shots though. Ratings will vary wildly as I do plan to delve in to some more intense and canon like themes. Also, smut... I mean its Jemily, how can there not be smut? haha.

I would love to know some scenarios or storylines you'd like to see me tackle. Also I would love to know what you think, feel, predict, want to see and anything in between. Most of all, I just hope that you enjoy!

I am finally going to shut up now though, so I'll see you on the other side!

The Case Of :

"Tragedy Repeats To The Day"

Part One

It had seemed like such an innocent idea when she had first thought of it. A way to help occupy her mother's mind and her own from that all too familiar heartbreak that the lingering date evoked. In theory that was of course exactly what this long weekend visit would be, in theory. The trouble with theories though, are they are just that, theories. No guarantees or absolutes, if anything they are just educated guesses, sometimes like in this occurrence perhaps, even hopeful wishes.

Still, JJ had made the decision and it was far too late to change her mind. The closer they got to her family home, did the gnawing in her stomach increase? Yes, considerably but they were almost six hours into a four and a half-hour drive already, turning back was not an option.

They had decided to leave late on the Thursday evening to avoid any early morning wake up calls or subsequent tantrums and they would have just been from Emily. The raven-haired beauty, currently curled beside her in the passenger's seat, was not a morning person.

Even after years of working the job they did at the BAU, where they could and were often roused into action at any and all times. Even after the births of their two daughters, currently sleeping peacefully in the backseat. And even after being married to JJ, a woman who if she woke up later than seven on any day, something was seriously wrong. Emily still had a visceral hatred for early mornings, well apart from Christmas morning.

Ever since their first one together, Emily had struggled to stay in bed longer than six am. A trend that worsened considerably after their eldest, Savannah was born. Even to this day, almost 5 Christmases on, JJ can still remember her wife's giddiness for their first child's, first Christmas. It was actually incredibly sweet to witness and was one of those many moments where JJ found herself falling in love with Emily, all over again.

As the warmth coming from the car's heaters needs to be upped, JJ can tell they're getting closer. Something about being out of the city always brought with it more harsh temperatures. Then again it was November and currently nearly one in the morning, the coldness was hardly shocking.

As the car's tires begin to travel across the harsher surface of dirt roads, JJ makes sure to slow her speed slightly. Visibility was only possible right now due to the SUV's full beams and the light of the moon and stars above. The very fact that said full moon and its accompanying blanket of stars were visible, was just another sign to JJ that they were nearly back to where she had once called home.

The change in speed and different sound coming from the surface of the road brings Emily out of her light slumber. The older woman had never been a deep sleeper, perhaps that explains her hatred for early mornings.

"Do you…" Emily is interrupted by her own yawn, bleary brown eyes trying to refocus on her wife beside her.

"Do you need me to take over, love? How long was I out for?" She continues, her strong arms that had been crossed beneath her ample chest, moving to pull herself into a more upright position in her seat.

'The fact her first question is offering to take over for me is pure Emily. God, I love her.' JJ contemplates silently, her wife's offer bringing a genuine smile to her face.

"We're less than five minutes away but thank you, baby." JJ answers, one hand reaching across to give a thankful pat to Emily's black business pant clad thigh.

They had finished work later than either of them had planned for or liked. They had the most amazing babysitter known to man though thankfully, so when they did get home, they were able to just get the girls buckled in, bags gathered and on the road. Normally, a change of clothes for such a long drive would be mandatory but tonight they just didn't have the time.

"And you were only asleep for about twenty minutes, nothing to feel guilty about after my two-hour snooze during your stretch." JJ adds sweetly, fingers gripping around Emily's as her wife takes full possession of her hand in her own.

It was safe to say that Emily's exterior was very deceiving. The older woman came across, strong, independent, guarded, highly intelligent and even intimidating. And while they were all definitely attributes of hers, underneath her outer walls of defence lay so much more.

In admittance, JJ herself had at first only seen the sides to Emily, which the older woman allowed. But over a relatively short amount of time, the younger woman had somehow slipped underneath the barriers and found the other qualities Emily possessed. Fierce protectiveness, loyalty, tenderness, a true romantic, geekiness even just to name a few. But it was Emily's desire to be truly, deeply loved without judgement or qualifiers and to love the same way, that was hidden the deepest as a form of self-preservation.

Six years in to their marriage and eight in to knowing one another, JJ found herself still being occasionally reminded of just how privileged she was to get to see the sides of Emily which she did. Moments like now, as her wife rubs her thumb across the back of her knuckles before bringing each one to her lips for a tender kiss.

"You needed it, Jayje. I know we are going to your mother's, to support her through Sunday but it affects you too, sweetheart. Besides, extra rest is never a bad thing when you insist on rising with the sun every day." Emily retorts, releasing JJ's hand so she can return it to the steering wheel as they turn onto the driveway.

As the headlights from the still fairly new family car bring the ranch house into view, JJ can only power through the rumbling of emotions. Although the ranch style home had remained untouched since the day she had left for college, it was always so strikingly different upon every visit since. Perhaps it was the passage of time, weathering of the wood or diming of the once bright white painted walls that made it feel so different. Or perhaps it was due to the fact that with every, spaced out return, it felt less and less like it had ever once been her home.

'It stopped being a home that day, you know that.' JJ's inner voice reminds the agent's wondering mind.

Sensing the shift in her wife, Emily reaches across and rests her hand at the base of the blonde's neck, underneath her long, luscious blonde locks. They had been freed of the high, slicked back ponytail, JJ usually kept them in when driving, about an hour ago, after a headache had seemed to be looming. Like then, Emily rubs her strong, skilled fingers into the tension riddled muscles at the very base of JJ's neck. The reaction is immediate and Emily has to fight back her smirk as the younger woman's jaw grows slack and she bites back a moan.

'It never fails to make my ego grow to know I can cause such a reaction from her. At least she managed to keep the moan to herself this time. We really don't need a repeat of Callie's earlier impression and insistence she heard her mommy make that noise 'lots and lots' from our bedroom. Jayje was mortified and I was just… smug. Yeah, one glare of warning from my wife per road trip is quite enough.' Emily mentally surmises, unable to help but recall their earlier incident with their youngest.

"Stop smirking over there. I know exactly what you're thinking." JJ warns semi seriously as blue eyes give a side glance to her wife.

Emily's fingers tighten slightly around JJ's neck, almost making the blonde's resolve not to moan crumble. It was a deliberate move, one that made the younger woman's body shiver. It would be infuriating if JJ didn't find it so intoxicatingly sexy.

Parking the car to the left hand side of the property, in front of the barn building, which years before had been JJ's father's work shop. Now it was just a storage area for over spill of the clutter and possessions, JJ's mother, Sandy refused to deal with.

As the car is put into park, Emily waits before so much as unbuckling her seatbelt. Brown eyes scan her wife beside her, careful to take note of every little signal JJ gives. Was she technically profiling the blonde? Well, yes but in this situation Emily felt it was necessary.

The silence and lack of movement quickly drapes its self over the car. The engine was still idling and JJ felt frozen in place. Both of her hands were still gripping the steering wheel but her eyes were no longer focused ahead of her. They'd glazed over, no doubt swimming within the depths of a childhood worth of memories. Oh how Emily wished they would all be happy ones but considering the time of year, it wasn't likely.

As desperately as the raven haired agent wanted to break the tension with some sarcastic or witty remark, she knows better. Instead, the hand that is still resting at the base of JJ's neck, moves until long but delicate fingers can cup the other woman's chin. It takes a sight nudge before JJ's body catches up and her head turns to face Emily.

Looking deeply into those familiar and comforting brown orbs, JJ's mental trap of revolving memories loosens its grip. A smile tugs at the corners of a pink mouth and with grateful acceptance the younger woman leans across the centre console so Emily's lips are melding with her own. Nothing eases JJ's pain better than her wife's touch, be it from her hand to tensioned muscles or tender lips to her own.

So much could be said right now, words of encouragement or sympathy but as she always has Emily instinctively knows what will help the most. Right now, that wasn't words it was presence and being present with the woman she loved was hardly a taxing request.

The flickering of the ranch house's porch light coming to life is enough to finally spur both agents into action. The fact the light had come to life signalled that JJ's mother, Sandy was indeed awake and aware of their arrival. Delaying the inevitable wasn't an option any longer and it was already gone one in the morning. Although both girls were currently asleep peacefully, they needed a bed.

After four years of practice with the damn things, two with two of them to contend with, both JJ and Emily were car seat experts. They each take a side and begin the extraction process.

"You sure you're okay with, Savvy?" JJ inquires In a practiced hushed voice from the opposite side of the car.

Both women were now either side of the SUV, tackling one child each was a well-practiced routine. Each woman was bent over, somewhat awkwardly into the open back doors, trying to release the clips without causing any disruption to their slumbering daughters.

"I'm fine, love. I'll take her in and come back for the bags, you still need to take it easy. Just because you were cleared for field duty doesn't mean you don't still have to rest. Ribs never heal fully I swear." Emily answers pointedly.

JJ somehow resists the urge to roll her eyes at her wife's comments. It was sweet how she worried for her but the blonde's broken ribs from a rather burly unsub had long since healed. They were also far from her first experience of such an injury. She would be more than capable of carrying their four year old inside, it wasn't as if she weighed all that more than Callie. Still, the fact Emily was so thoughtful was always the wonderful undertone to her sometimes over the top protectiveness.

Emily delicately loops Savannah's arms around her neck as she slips a hand under each of the girl's armpits before lifting her from the vehicle. The girl doesn't so much as stir but her body does exactly as her mama asks of it.

Savannah for her part could sleep through a hurricane and had been that way since birth. The doctors had momentarily been concerned when she'd refused to do much more than yawn after taking her first few breaths. She'd settled almost instantaneously against an equally exhausted Emily after an angered cry for being rudely disrupted and evicted from her comfortable living arrangements.

Her younger sibling was a very different story however. Callie, much like JJ was a morning person. She woke with the sun almost every morning and if she didn't something was up. Unlike her blonde mother though, Callie's energy seemed to be never ending. How someone so small and young could not only survive but thrive on such little sleep was a mystery. They had to ban all naps after fourteen months after too many sleepless nights of a giggling near toddler, attempting to use them as a trampoline so they'd wake up and play with her.

The hope that by now at two she would have needed more sleep was yet to come true. The girl was a burst of energy from the second her chocolate brown eyes sprung open until they finally gave in to the sweet calmness of sleep.

JJ eases the final clip free with a held breath, in many ways defusing a bomb would be less stressful. Cupping the back of the sleeping little one's head, JJ expertly keeps Callie's favourite tie-dye blanket, a baby shower gift from her godmother Penelope, around her securely. The two year old always curled herself into a cocoon while sleeping or as the girl herself referred to it 'burrito-ing '.

Callie's face buries against JJ's chest as the woman's strong arm slips beneath her spine and legs like cradling a new born. It often brought tears to both mothers' eyes that one day they would do this activity for the last time. Their girls would continue to grow up, the days of being able to carry them in asleep from the car would be numbered.

'No screw that. I'm carrying my babies inside when they fall asleep until my spine snaps in half.' JJ's inner voice adamantly objects to such a notion.

Before the blonde can catch up with her wife, who is halfway to the front door by now, JJ spots the purple, fluffy stuffed octopus wedged down the side of the car seat. Plucking it free with her spare hand, the mother shakes her head. How her daughter had become obsessed with octopuses was down to her godfather, Spencer Reid. He'd taken both girls to the aquarium when Callie was barely ten months old and when they returned, the fluffy purple octopus was the baby's new obsession.

Now standing on the porch of the ranch house, Emily sighs slightly. Ever since she'd met JJ and been brought here to meet Sandy all those years ago, this place had needed work. Now sadly it seemed it was in need of rather urgent repairs. She makes a mental note to try and bring it up with JJ at a later date. The next time they took time off for a visit, likely in the summer, she'd try and get through as many of the most needed jobs as possible.

With her arms criss-crossed underneath Savannah's bottom, the little girl's legs hang limply either side of her mama's hips. Gentle breathing was brushing against the side of Emily's neck as her daughter's cheek rests against her shoulder. In response, the raven haired mother presses a tender, comforting kiss to the girl's forehead. Even while still entranced by her sleep, Savannah's matching cupid bow lips upturn into a smile at the gesture.

Just as JJ reaches the top step of the porch with Callie tucked safely against her body, the front door opens. The warmth you would expect the home to hold at this time of year was missing. Instead, Sandy was stood wrapped up in her somehow still fluffy robe and boot slippers.

Instead of offering a verbal greeting, the skinny, mousy blonde older woman takes a step back from the door way. Her back keeps the heavy wooden front door out of the way but she remains guarded with thin arms folded tightly over her chest. Whether this was an act to generate warmth or keep her distance wasn't easily deciphered with Sandy. In truth, nothing ever was.

Emily moves inside quickly, not wanting either girl or her wife in the cold for a second longer. Brown, perceptive eyes quickly notice that whatever repairs she had been planning for the outside of the property may need to wait. Wallpaper appeared to be peeling from the walls in certain spots, the staircase banister looked ready to collapse and it didn't take an expert to realise some of the floorboards were loose if not fully dislodged.

Like her wife, JJ is quick to take note of the state of her mother's home. It brings a deep ache to the younger agent's chest but she for now swallows it down. As she tries to get a proper look into her mother's tired, once bright blue eyes, JJ is struck by the other woman's resistance.

Instead of allowing a greeting to pass anyone's lips, Sandy is gesturing to the stairs silently. An instruction for the mothers to take her grandchildren up to bed. Despite the state of the rest of the house, the grandmother had made sure that the bedrooms were made up and ready for her guests. No one had stayed in either room for some time but Sandy had still stripped both beds, changed the sheets and covers and given each room a bit if a clean-up. In a way it gave the older woman some purpose again and she enjoyed the feeling of preparing in order to care for her family. Once JJ had moved out for college, her purpose had in someways been stolen from her.

Once upstairs, JJ realises her mother wasn't following and by the sounds lingering through the otherwise silent house, Sandy was now in the kitchen. With a sigh, the blonde focuses on the task at hand and moves across to the double bed in the centre of the room.

This room had once belonged to JJ's sister, Roslyn. Her bed was still the same one from all those years before, although it hadn't been used in many, many years before the girls were born. In fact, before Savannah's birth and JJ and Emily's first visit afterwards, this room had been strictly off limits.

For a brief moment, JJ is struck by the familiarity of the room that hadn't been changed, other than emptied of any personal possessions her sister had once owned. Those were all stuffed into boxes, weeks after her funeral. They had been moved in to the barn at the side of the house, never to see the light of day again. For a while, during home visits through her college years, JJ had attempted to broach the subject of perhaps going through them with her mother. Sadly, as persuasive as the once media liaison was, she was still yet to be successful on that one.

"Jayje?" Emily's tender voice calls for the blonde in a hushed tone.

JJ had been swept away with her thoughts for a moment but like always, her wife steers her back towards her effortlessly. Giving the concerned older woman a gentle smile and nod, JJ moves around the bed and with Emily's assistance of holding back the covers, slips their youngest in. Savannah had already been tucked in and was unaware she'd even been removed from the car.

Peering down at their eldest, breathing easily in her peaceful sleep neither mother notices Callie's forehead forming into a deep frown.

"Mommy, Doc Oct, pwease?" Callie asks suddenly with thankfully still closed eyes. The two year old wasn't fully awake but she was aware enough to know she was missing her most precious possession.

Outreached, little, slightly still chubby toddler hands make a grabby motion in want. The girl's lower plump lip curls into a pout at the absence of her beloved cuddly toy.

The toy's name had been Spencer's choice, in reference to the spiderman character, something Callie was still none the wiser about. The girl just thought it was called doctor because she got it from Spencer and people called him a doctor too.

"Right here, baby girl. Shush, go back to sleep." JJ coos delicately, one hand placing said toy back into the girl's little arms. Her other hand tucks a few strands of brown hair from her daughter's forehead before laying a kiss goodnight there.

Satisfied with the response, Callie quickly melts into the bed once 'Doc Oct' is returned to her arms. Her lips upturn into a thankful smirk as she brings the purple animal to rest underneath her chin.

"Thankies." Callie replies sweetly, turning from her back to her side, her grip around her Octopus only growing tighter. Her small body was still snuggly wrapped up in her blanket, which Emily reaches forward and tugs a little higher around the two year olds shoulders for her.

"Night, night, Callie-bug." Emily whispers against the shell of the girl's ear before placing a kiss to her temple.

JJ watches beside her wife, unable but to notice all the small similarities both girls possessed to their dark haired mother. They'd each inherited her brown chocolate puppy dog eyes. That was definitely to their benefit and had been since birth. The thought of just what such eyes would be able to get them out of in their teens was a thought, for now best left unanswered.

"Sleep well, Savannah-Banana." Emily echoes her sentiment of sweet dreams to their eldest, punctuating it with a kiss to the girl's cheek.

Unlike her sister, Savannah was more of a spread out like a star fish kind of sleeper. Normally either on her back or front, mouth slightly agape and even now at four, both hands curled into loose fists.

Secure in the notion neither girl was about to wake, JJ reaches out and takes Emily's hand into her own. With a gentle tug, the blonde backs them both out of the bedroom and shuts the door behind them. Of course, like at home it's left with a small gap though, just encase. Callie was fine with the dark and her door being shut but Savannah had always struggled. She liked the security of knowing with a cry or yell she could grab her mothers' attention and most of all, that she wasn't trapped within the room.

Savannah's struggles had stemmed from an incident when JJ had been pregnant with Callie and she was a toddler. Although a freak accident, neither mother was ever going to forgive themselves for it.

The two women stand in the hallway, across from the room that would be theirs for the visit. It was JJ's childhood bedroom and just like Roslyn's, had long ago been stripped of any and all personal possessions.

JJ takes the moment alone with her wife to curl into her embrace. Strong arms wrap over the tops of the blonde's arms and draw JJ's head close against Emily's chest. Like in the car, nothing needed to be said, just being there was enough.

With her own, more toned and muscular arms, gripped like a vice around Emily's curvaceous waist, JJ closes both her eyes tightly. Being able to hear the steady rhythm of Emily's heart and the warmth that naturally radiated from her body was so soothing for the younger woman.

The noise of the kettle whistling from the kitchen brings the quiet moment to an end. Emily's strong hands soothe up JJ's back and shoulders before gripping rippling biceps. Her wife had always been in amazing shape but ever since having Callie, JJ had taken her fitness game to another level.

'Not that I am in anyway complaining. She's the sexiest woman alive without the extra muscles or with them.' Emily inwardly comments as if somehow someone may get the wrong idea.

"I'm going to go and fetch the bags. Try and talk to your mom and warm up a little. It's colder in here than outside I think." Emily playfully suggests, although there was some truth to her words sadly.

JJ nods in agreement to her wife's plan, her own hand sliding down Emily's forearm until she can grip her hand. Giving the firm hand and it's long, strong fingers a tender stroke with her thumb, JJ then tugs Emily back to her.

"Deal. I think you may have to be the one to warm me up once we go to bed though. I do hate to tell you that but I just don't see any other way." The blonde smirks teasingly, blue eyes catching the dim overhead light as they glimmer with mischief.

"Oh, well we can't have you cold, love. Don't worry, I know a few ways to get the blood pumping." Emily retorts, her tongue peeking out to wet her plump lower lip as she begrudgingly pulls away and heads out to the car.

For a few extra moments, JJ allows herself a second to collect herself. If the none greeting was anything to go by, trying to get anything out of her mother was going to be a task.

Once back downstairs, JJ allows herself to take in a little more of the house and it's condition. Nothing was dirty, it all seemed clean but at the same time it was tired and worn. Things could do with replacing or even just a bit of a sprucing up. Growing up, Sandy was known for making things others would throw out, almost new again. But that was then and that side of her mother was lost long ago, along with so many other sides too.

Pushing her thoughts to one side, the lean blonde makes her way into the kitchen. She is sure she can hear the rattling of glass bottles but smiles when instead she sees three mugs were lined up on the counter and Sandy was filling them with hot water. JJ does notice how her mother's left foot reaches back and shuts a slightly ajar cabinet door though.

'God, she looks so much older than the last time I saw her.' JJ's inner voice mentions in regret, steering all of her thoughts in the process. Granted it had been nearly six months since their last visit but even so, the change was intense.

The hunched over, once vibrant blonde grandmother has one arm wrapped around her thin, bony waist consistently. Her hand was clutching her robe for dear life, keeping it firmly closed and tight around her frame. This meant she was doing everything else with only one hand.

"Does Emily still take Splenda in her tea?" Sandy's croaky voice asks. She sounds tired but more than that, she sounds lost.

"Oh, uh yes please. I'm sorry we're so late, work held us up and then there was traffic that came out of nowhere. We didn't mean to wake you." JJ apologies sincerely and quickly. Being late had always been one of Sandy's biggest pet peeves.

To her surprise, Sandy dismisses the apology. After filling the last mug up and placing the kettle back to the stove, she brushes her hand in her daughter's direction. This was a first and instead of being a relief, JJ can't help but feel her stomach lurch at such a reaction.

Sandy's hand, frail looking as it seemingly shakes in midair, motions for JJ to sit down. The large round kitchen table was older than JJ herself and had seen many, many meals ate at it over the years. JJ obliges and slips down on to what had once been assigned as her seat.

Tanned hands spread wide against the familiar table top, fingers spread apart and tapping momentarily against the wood. JJ's wide blue eyes were watching Sandy closely still, trying to note every change she could see in the woman.

"Here, I added some honey like you used to like." Sandy explains, placing one mug of steaming tea to the table in front of JJ.

"Thank you." JJ answers politely, using the mug as something to occupy her hands by wrapping them around it. The heat was also a nice feeling against her skin considering the lack of warmth within the house.

Nodding, Sandy takes a seemingly preassigned mug for herself and slips down in a chair opposite her youngest daughter. She makes no move to make eye contact though and instead brings the cup to her lips, blows a few times and then takes a sip.

The silence within the room physically hurt but sadly, for JJ and Sandy this wasn't something new. Without the girls or even Emily as a buffer, mother and daughter had found each other's company awkward for years now.

'Oh this is a great start. Say something, JJ. Start a conversation. You've interviewed serial killers for god's sake but a one on one with your mother, you fall apart.' JJ inwardly berates herself, desperately trying to force herself into action.

JJ finds herself glancing over her shoulder, into the hallway, begging for a glimpse of her wife. The tension that was currently swimming between the FBI profiler and her mother was suffocating. This was not how JJ had imagined or more accurately, planned this playing out.

"You didn't you know?" Sandy suddenly asks, her voice a little softer thanks to the few, deep gulps of tea she'd drank.

JJ's forehead furrows into a frown of confusion. Before she can ask for clarity though, Sandy sighs but leans forward across the table slightly. Both of her bony shoulders were hunched under her ears and mirroring JJ's hold on the mug with both hands, she actually makes eye contact with her daughter.

"Wake me up. You apologised for waking me and well, you didn't. I wasn't sleeping, I was reading in the living room. I wanted to make sure you all got here safe before I went to bed. I knew I wouldn't sleep otherwise." The older blonde explains, for a moment her eyes seem to find a sparkle again.

JJ's lips spread into a gentle smile, a few memories suddenly rushing through her mind. Some tension leaves JJ's tired body and she shimmies herself more to the edge of her seat so she's leaning closer towards her mother across the table.

"That makes sense. You never used to be able to sleep until me or Roz were in if we had an away game or something." JJ mentions lightly, the subject of her sister always delicate but even more so at this time of year.

A silent moment passes between the two blondes, Sandy's gaze falters and falls to looking into her tea. The older woman needed another gulp, it gave her courage and comfort and not just due to its warmth.

Mentally, JJ kicks herself for mentioning Roslyn at all, even if speaking of her older sister brought her so much joy. That was one of the hardest things about losing Roslyn as they had, no one spoke about her anymore. With Emily and even the girls, JJ spoke of her older sister often but they hadn't ever had the opportunity to meet her. The one person JJ had left who knew Roslyn, who had shared memories with them both was Sandy and yet, she remained a secret.

"I didn't have to worry about you as much. You said you'd be home at a certain time and you always were, most times you were early. Roslyn though, oh no she liked to keep me guessing." Sandy retorts with an almost jovial tone and JJ can feel her throat closing up.

Sandy takes in yet another gulp of her tea, the liquid working some of it's magic into loosening her up it seems.

For a moment, everything around them stops dead. Nothing else matters and it's only them in the room together. Blue eyes are trained on slightly duller counterparts across the kitchen table. It was as if JJ's mother had suddenly shed herself of any and all armour and after twenty five years was letting her in.

"You were probably too young to remember but when she turned sixteen, she went out with Bethany Clarkson and tried to sneak in through the bathroom window at nearly two am. She had the fright of her life when she switched the light on and there I stood, arms folded and a scowl on my face. Took everything in my power not to burst out laughing when she fell backwards into the tub and somehow turned the shower on." Sandy continues, her words coming out light instead of trudged down with the understandable grief that had consumed her since the day Roslyn had died.

There was something about her mother's tone that felt different, lighter and easier. It was enough for JJ to take note of but even the profiler couldn't put her finger on just what was causing it.

JJ's jaw was physically slack, blue eyes were unable to tear away from Sandy's face as she witnesses waves of seemingly joy spread across it. The agent was unsure if she could trust that this was real at this point. It was so polar opposite to anything she'd ever experienced with Sandy in a quarter of a century.

'Is she laughing and crying?' JJ mentally asks herself, unable to move or say a word.

Sandy's body was jiggling up and down as little echoes of laughter fill the otherwise quiet room. At the same time though, a contrasting single tear had begun to slide down an aged cheek. Removing one hand from her mug of tea, the older blonde reaches up with her thumb and brushes the droplet away.

An urge she wasn't sure she could explain begins to flood, JJ's heart and body. Allowing herself to move without overthinking it for once, the blonde stretches her lean body across the barrier between herself and Sandy. Softly, JJ reaches for and grips her mother's hand that is now returning to wrap back around the mug in front of her.

The gesture clearly catches the older woman off guard but instead of resisting, she allows the connection to be made. Blurred blue eyes gaze back into JJ's and they each squeeze the other's hand tightly but remain silent.

For Sandy it was a silent apology, for withholding, guarding her memories with Roslyn selfishly to herself for all these years. And for JJ, it was a thank you for allowing her in and sharing such a wonderful, personal memory with her.

"Oh I smell tea." Emily announces as she makes her way into the kitchen, her hands rubbing together to shake off the chill still lingering on her skin from being outside.

The raven haired woman's mouth forms in to a perfect 'o' however as she realises, a little too late, that she's just walked into a moment. Panic flashes across brown eyes and her heartrate spikes immediately.

"Yeah, mom made yours with Splenda. She's always liked you more than me." JJ quips, interrupting the rapidly spiralling thoughts of her wife.

Reaching out with her free hand, the younger woman motions for Emily to join them at the table. Emily happily does as she's instructed and slides in to the seat beside her wife, her mouth still in a somewhat stunned expression.

With a gentle but honest smile gracing pink lips, JJ answers her wife's silent question of if she's alright by placing a now warmed hand onto Emily's nearest thigh. The back and forth motion of the woman's tanned thumb allows Emily's chest to relax slightly.

"I am hard to resist." Emily answers playfully, taking an extra moment to lock eyes with the woman she loves beside her.

'If I look into her eyes, I can tell if she's really okay.' Emily's inner voice informs the still slightly concerned FBI agent. Making sure her wife was actually okay was Emily's main priority, not just now but ever since she met her.

Over their years together, each woman had learned the others tells and had their own way of reading the other expertly.

Emily had learnt very early on that JJ's eyes were her give away. The blue marbles of emotion were impossible for anyone to resist but they told every one of the blonde's secrets also, if you knew where and how to look.

Being able to see so freely and truthfully within Emily's mind and heart took more time to perfect but JJ was now truly an expert. Yes, Emily's own eyes were filled to the brim with her true emotions but she had her ways of keeping them guarded. Watching and studying the dark haired woman's body language was where she really tended to slip up. A twist of her wrist, picking of her nails or biting of her lip. They were all easy to spot but it was being able to read them, tell what each one in each situation actually meant that was the real task.

Nothing else of any real significance is really shared between the three women at such a late or should it be early hour? They say their goodnights and separate for their own respective rooms and beds.

Sandy bends and opens the cabinet she'd closed earlier with her foot, reaches in and picks up what was getting her through this time of year. Clutching the glass bottle to her chest for a second, the mousy blonde woman breathes a sigh of relief. Of course she knew she shouldn't, knew it wasn't healthy and with two FBI profilers in her house not smart either. Still, if it wasn't for the contents of this bottle and one's similar she had scattered around her home, hidden from prying eyes. Sandy wouldn't be able to make it through this anniversary. She also wouldn't have been able to share the meaningful moment she just had with JJ at the kitchen table.

'It's a means to an end. Once Sunday is out the way, I'll stop.' Sandy mentally comments, after all that had been the deal she'd initially made with herself.

Unscrewing the lid with practised ease, Sandy tops up her tea like she had earlier before JJ entered the kitchen. With the bottle now snuggly sat in the front pocket of her robe, Sandy makes her way to her own bed. Sleep of course wouldn't come easily, not without emptying the rest of her tucked away bottle if the last nearly two months were anything to go by.

Within, what for this visit was Emily and JJ's room, the blonde agent lays herself down on to her own childhood bed. JJ was still somewhat stunned, her interaction with her mother had been the best they'd shared in twenty five years.

She'd told Emily what Sandy had revealed while they each stripped, brushed their teeth, washed their faces and got dressed for bed. It was rare either woman ever skipped their night routine, no matter how exhausted they may be. It was their shared way of decompressing from a long day, connecting and sharing information that for whatever reason they hadn't had time or wasn't appropriate to share before then.

Most of the time it was trivial things that these moments were filled with. A change of the schedule for the next day, more often than not involving one of their daughters. Perhaps a forgotten about until then invitation for dinner at Rossi's or a proposed scheduling of a girls' night with Penelope. Sometimes though, like tonight these moments were deeper and far more delicate.

"And how do you feel about it, love?" Emily asks, to her what is the most important question.

JJ feels her lungs express a long sigh, the rather confusing tidal wave of emotions she was experiencing not easy to voice. She turns to the dark brunette sat beside her, never more thankful for her support or presence. Reaching out, she takes Emily's left hand and brings it close to her own chest. Feeling the cold of Emily's wedding and engagement rings against her chest bringing a real comfort to JJ.

Emily quickly shifts from her upright position against the headboard to sliding further down the bed onto her back. The beautiful blonde, now cuddling her entire forearm and hand to her chest, snuggles even closer.

"I'm… I mean, just hearing her speak of Roz was… wonderful. I've never heard that story before…" JJ begins, trailing off as she imagines just what Sandy told her happened, in her head. Oh how she wished she could have personally witnessed it.

Emily remains silent, her head nods in encouragement though and to show she is indeed listening. With her right arm wrapped around her wife's shoulders, a strong hand slides up and down JJ's waist. The older woman's fingertips graze across the patch of bare, golden skin that was showing where JJ's tight sleep vest had ridden up slightly.

"I guess, I'm just not sure why now of all times she's brought it up. You know how she usual is about Roz, especially so close to the anniversary. I feel like I've skipped ahead a few episodes and need to catch up." JJ continues, heavy eye lids fluttering in time with the up and down motions of Emily's fingertips across her skin.

Raven locks gently tickle JJ's nose as Emily places a kiss to the top of the blonde's head as it lays against her comfortable chest. Letting the connection linger for a few seconds, Emily takes in a deep breath. Her nostrils fill with the calming and familiar scent of JJ's apple scented shampoo and just natural scent. Even after so long together, Emily still found herself completely addicted to the smell of the woman now in her arms.

"Maybe she just needed to let it out, finally. Hopefully, with the girls here this weekend she'll open up even more. I'm glad she told you, baby. You deserve that and so much more but it's hopefully just the first small step and they'll be more to come." The older woman suggests carefully, this was not by any means an easy subject.

A hum of agreement from JJ is muffled as she turns her face to fully submerge into Emily's awaiting chest. Emily was and had been her security, her sense of safety and love for eight years now. Without her, the younger woman didn't dare think how she would survive. Emily wasn't just her partner, her lover, her co parent, her best friend, her wife, she was so much more, so much.

When JJ had left for college she had known for a long time before hand this house was no longer home. Unfortunately neither was her mother, the only other person at that point who lived there with her. Over the years, JJ had struggled to ever find a sense of family or home again. The BAU had luckily become her family once she joined and that was still true to this day. Hell, if it wasn't for the BAU, JJ never would have found Emily. They never would have connected and been able to build their own family together.

The team, the girls and Emily were JJ's family, she had found them, been held up by them, healed by them and made anew by them.

This house had once been her home but twenty five years ago, to the day come Sunday, Roslyn, JJ's older sister committed suicide. After that, everything changed in the blink of an eye. JJ's father bolted before the funeral even took place and Sandy, the mother she'd known and loved, disappeared right in front of her eyes.

JJ had spent the rest of her childhood from eleven until she left for college, alone. Alone in this house of memories that had been stripped away and hidden in boxes, relegated to the barn so not to be seen again. JJ had been alone with the grief of an eleven year old little girl who had not only lost her seventeen year old sister but found her dead also.

Now though, laid in her childhood bed where she had once cried herself to sleep on numerous occasions, JJ wasn't alone. JJ was a colleague, a friend, a sister, an auntie, a godmother, a best friend, a wife and a mother. Alone was not a word that JJ ever had to describe herself as again.

Yes, it had taken time and it wasn't always easy, far from it. But, JJ wouldn't change a thing because despite of or perhaps due to, everything that had happened in her life since she lost this family and this home, finally JJ had found home again.

And home for JJ was for now and forever more, Emily.

Well, that is it for the first part of this first 'Case'. I will be back with an update as soon as possible. I truly hope to hear from you and what you think, predict, want to see and everything in between.

Until next time stay safe, happy and well ;;'x