A/N: I've been slammed at work so the end of this is a bit all over the show because my brain is fried, but I hope you enjoy!
The soft crooning voice of Elvis Presley sang out from the radio as JJ absently scrolled through Instagram. In just a few hours, her time in New Orleans would come to an end and she would be on a flight back to Pittsburgh. She only hoped that the progress they had made wouldn't stagnate when they became separated once more.
Hearing a rustle across from her, she looked up, biting back a smile as she watched Will sit back and close his eyes, nodding along to the opening bars of the song. Things were ok. Even though some days they still felt like they were almost strangers, it had gotten a lot better since the days where they couldn't even be in the same room. Now, they were talking, and there were fleeting moments of love and tenderness, reminding JJ that no matter the blowout, the foundation was still there.
Will suddenly got up from his seat across the room, walking towards her and holding out a hand, his face softening into that handsome grin she had always loved so much. "Dance with me?" he asked softly.
JJ's heart gave a little flutter. Smiling shyly, she put her phone down beside her, taking his hand and allowing him to pull her off the couch. One strong arm went around her waist, their hands remaining locked together. Suddenly, Will spun her out to one side, making her laugh as he brought her back in towards him. His movements were goofy, and over-exaggerated, but she couldn't stop laughing at them, her smile lighting up her entire face.
"Take my hand… take my whole life too. For I can't help falling in love with you," Elvis crooned as Will pulled her back in close and wrapped his arm around the small of her back again. They slowed down, gently swaying back and forth as they smiled at each other. It was a quiet moment, there to be savored and enjoyed as Elvis sang them through one more little step of healing.
Leaning in a little closer, JJ laid her head against his chest, closing her eyes as they continued to rock gently from side to side with the song. His cologne met her nose, the familiar scent making her crack the smallest of smiles; she'd bought him that cologne for Christmas the year before last. The fact that he was wearing it made her heart feel even more hopeful.
Opening her eyes, she lifted her head, looking up at him with the smile still playing around the corners of her mouth. They'd almost completely stopped moving, even though Elvis was still crooning away from the radio in the corner. Will let go of her hand, bringing his finger beneath her chin and tipping her face up towards him just a little more.
Barely a heartbeat later, he had leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, making her heart want to pound dramatically out of her chest. She felt almost like she had when he had kissed her for the first time, her heart soaring relentlessly.
Softening into the kiss, she slid one hand around the back of his neck and up into his hair. In return, he tightened the arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him.
"Billy, I-" came Janine's voice as she entered the room, but she stopped short when she saw JJ and Will completely wrapped in each other. They broke apart, a pink flush hitting their cheeks almost simultaneously as Janine bit back a smile. "Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt!" she said, the excitement in her voice clear as day. "I'll come back"
Once she had left the room, JJ turned her gaze to Will, who was looking down at her with a smile. "We're ok?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Will let out a chuckle, nodding as he leant down and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. "We're ok," he whispered against her skin, before pulling her back into his embrace.
In a happy fog, JJ allowed Will to sway her across the room to the last moments of the music, before the two of them came back to sit on the couch, their hands still locked together. And then, JJ found a small nugget of truth bubbling up from deep within.
"I want you to know that they put me on anti-depressants," she said softly, slowly lifting her gaze to meet Will's.
"Ok," Will said simply.
"Ok? That's it?"
Will shrugged. "I'm not sure what you expect me to say"
"I don't know, I just thought it might… change things," JJ replied, her voice getting smaller as she spoke.
"Why would it change anythin'? JJ, you've had a horrible last 18 months. There's no shame in needin' a little bit of support to build yourself back up and find your footin'"
JJ stayed silent, staring down at her hands. After a few moments, Will reached out and tipped her chin with a gentle touch. "You're still you. You're still the girl I fell in love with. You've had a hard year… we all have. That's ok. There's no shame in having some help when you need it"
At his words, she had to take a deep breath to try and keep herself from completely breaking down. Somehow, knowing that Will was unbothered even though her world felt like it had changed immensely was enough to give her all the comfort in the world.
"Hey," he said softly, breaking her from her thoughts and pulling her gaze back towards him. "I'm glad you felt like you could tell me that… thank you for trustin' me"
Biting hard on the inside of her cheek, JJ managed a watery smile, reaching up and wrapping her arms around his strong shoulders in a tight hug.
"Hey," Sandy said with a beaming smile, walking forward as JJ came into the arrivals concourse of the airport in Pittsburgh later that day. "God, look at you! How is it you've been away for less than a week and you look like you've changed so much in that time?"
"I don't know," JJ chuckled, allowing her mom to wrap her in a tight hug. "I missed you though"
Sandy gave her a little squeeze, pulling back and patting her cheek. "I missed you too. That house is just too big and quiet for one person"
"Well, I'm excited to come home and fill the void for you," JJ chuckled as they turned and headed for the doors of the terminal.
It was in a comfortable silence that they made their way out to the parking lot, and not too much later, they were pulling out of the airport complex to head back to East Allegheny.
"Mom?" JJ said softly when they were about five minutes down the road.
"Yeah?"
"I… thank you. For everything. I wouldn't be here without you, and… I know I haven't been a whole lot of fun to live with lately, but… I really appreciate everything you've done for me," she said in a small voice, giving her mom a warm smile as they came to a stop at a red light. "I don't think I've told you that since this whole mess started"
Sandy took a deep breath, reaching over and squeezing JJ's hand for a moment before the light turned green and they started off again. "I don't need you to thank me. I appreciate it, I really do, but I do it all because I love you, and because I know what you're capable of when you're on you're A-game"
"Well, I just want you to know how much it means to me… and that you are probably single handedly responsible for me still holding it together"
Sandy chuckled. "I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit there Jayje, I mean, you're the one that has to live in your head every day"
JJ grinned, nodding in agreement as they turned onto the highway that would take them most of the way to East Allegheny. And then, just as it had come on earlier when she was sitting with Will, the urge to speak the truth bubbled up in her chest once more.
"I… I think things are going to be ok with Will," she said in a soft voice.
Sandy had to fight to contain her excitement at JJ's words, instead managing just a raised eyebrow and a smile. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, we… we talked, and… we kissed," JJ stammered, her cheeks suddenly flushing pink. "I don't know why I'm blushing, I've literally told you way more TMI stuff than that"
Sandy laughed. "I think that's your natural response to be honest. So, things are looking up, hey?"
JJ nodded, sitting back in her seat and letting the Pennsylvania sky race past her outside the windows.
"I'm happy for you Jayje. You deserve so much happiness, and I'm glad things are looking up," Sandy said warmly. "Surely it's only going to get better from here on out"