CHAPTER SEVEN

3x20 Lo-Fi

JJ watched her take a sip of coffee. It must have been too hot because she winced a little. Her hair was down today. It looked good that way. JJ took a deep breath and willed herself to look away. Geez… her curiosity with Emily was turning into something closer to obsession. She cursed Will. Why did he have to plant the idea in her mind? Really, she knew she couldn't blame this on Will. But it was easier than facing the alternative.

Emily had been patient with her. The distance between them had only gotten more pronounced. JJ knew she owed Emily an explanation and she had been spending nearly a week figuring out what she wanted to say. She crossed the hotel lobby to where Emily was drinking her coffee and talking to Spencer.

"Hey, JJ," Spencer welcomed her warmly. Emily didn't say anything. She had probably learned that nothing good came from it.

"Hey -" JJ hesitated, "Em, do you have a minute?"

Emily looked shocked but collected herself quickly, "Yeah. Yeah, of course."

Emily followed her over to a more private area of the lobby. JJ thought her heart could have stopped. Why was she this nervous to talk to her friend? Talking was what she did for a living. When JJ didn't say anything for an extended moment, Emily took a step closer to her,

"JJ? You okay?"

"Yeah. Emily, I just wanted to apologize."

"What for?"

"For how I've been acting the last couple of weeks. I know I've been a little… distant. I have some stuff going on -"

"Is it serious…?" Emily asked, concern written all over her face. JJ felt her eyes brimming with tears.

"I don't - I don't know yet," she finally said.

"Okay," Emily said softly. "Well, whatever it is, I'm always here, JJ. Know that."

And before she knew it, Emily was invading her space. Her arms wrapped around her, pulling her in for a hug. That familiar feeling hit her again - like it always did when Emily was close to her - that feeling of comfort and safety. That feeling - like letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding. JJ tightened her hold briefly. And then Emily pulled back, and JJ did everything in her power to keep her face expressionless. She smiled tightly and Emily followed suit before turning to walk back towards Reid.

Just when she thought she was okay, JJ pulled her back in. After over a month of being iced out, Emily concluded that this must be the new normal. JJ wasn't interested in being her friend - she had to make peace with that. And she almost had too. Until she pulled her aside in the hotel lobby.

"Em, do you have a minute?"

She had never heard JJ call her that. It caught her off guard. Weeks of nothing but cold professionalism and suddenly JJ was calling her 'Em.'

Following JJ over to the other side of the lobby, Emily could have sworn JJ seemed nervous. This only made Emily feel nervous too. Something was wrong.

She took a step closer to her, "JJ? You okay?"

"Yeah. Emily, I just wanted to apologize."

"What for?"

"For how I've been acting the last couple of weeks. I know I've been a little… distant. I have some stuff going on -"

"Is it serious…?" Emily knew it had to be - JJ was holding back tears.

"I don't - I don't know yet," she finally said. Not what she was expecting. Was something wrong with Will? Was he in danger? Was he sick? She decided not to push it. JJ opening up to her was so refreshing Emily didn't want to do anything to ruin it.

"Okay," Emily said softly. "Well, whatever it is, I'm always here, JJ. Know that."

And then she hugged her. What in the world was she thinking? Mercifully, JJ hugged her back. In fact, she pulled her in tighter. Emily felt her breath on her neck. There was no longer a question. She could no longer deny it. Emily's fate was to love this woman - this woman who could never love her back the way she did. 'Unrequited' didn't seem to fully capture the feeling. JJ smiled tightly at her and Emily cleared her throat a little before turning and walking away.