CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE

EVOLUTION

16x07 What Doesn't Kill Us

JJ stood by the door of the conference room with Luke. They were both staring at Director Bailey, who was setting up evidence on the white board. Luke rolled his eyes and JJ bit her thumb and watched quietly. Neither of them understood what was going on. She still didn't know if she believed that Emily had approved this - the last thing she'd want is Bailey helping the BAU with a case.

Emily and Dave walked into the room together. JJ was relieved to see that their relationship seemed to be getting better.

"Agent Rossi, I've spoken to the rest of the team. Thank you for welcoming me," Bailey started formally.

"I didn't," Dave answered curtly. JJ bit back a smile.

"You're all gonna appreciate the irony of this, because, uh, Bailey here, his job now depends on us doing ours." Luke added.

JJ glanced across the table at Emily. She was leaning back in her chair. She didn't seem to be basking in the moment like JJ thought she would. She looked distracted. As if she hadn't even registered the interaction that had just happened in front of her.

This was the last thing she needed. Heavy is the head that wears the crown - but this was getting ridiculous.

"Penelope, when two agents date, there is a process. There are releases, sometimes there are transfers. My point is - it's a headache!" Emily said, gesturing to herself. "Trust me. I know!"

"Oh, I've given you a headache."

"No. You've given me a migraine. Because Tyler Green is not an agent. He is a material witness to the biggest investigation in the history of the BAU!"

"Yes, I know, I know, that's why I went to you. How do I fix it?"

"You have to break it off with him. Today."

After Penelope left, Emily cautiously reached for her phone. She could just text JJ, tell her to come into her office and get this over with. But she knew how JJ would react and, maybe it was selfish, but Emily didn't know if she could handle it right now.

Emily turned off the engine and suddenly the car felt extremely quiet. She sighed out heavily. Her mind was clouded - completely in her own world. She couldn't stop thinking about the news she'd received that morning.

"I didn't know you had kids."

Emily barely registered what he said. Eventually, she turned her head in Bailey's direction. It's not like she and JJ ever tried to hide the fact that they had kids. But she briefly wondered how he had found out. She didn't linger on it.

"Yeah, well, the things you don't know about me could fill a book," Emily muttered absentmindedly.

"Three. Right?" He continued. This got her full attention. She raised her eyebrows in a mixture of confusion and hesitation. She didn't know what he was getting at. He turned and met her eyes. Emily stayed quiet and Bailey began to look desperate. "How old are they?"

"What are you doing?"

"I wh - I was trying to make small talk…" He said unconfidently.

Her first instinct was to be suspicious. But she shook that away. They were partners now - at least for one case. Maybe this was his way of extending the olive branch. But it felt odd. Emily continued to stare at him and he looked away.

"I - I'm sorry. I just figured we could -"

"Michael and Henry are seven," she interrupted him in a matter-of-fact voice. "Charlotte's two."

Bailey smiled a little. Emily turned back to stare out the windshield.

"How long have you and Jareau been married?"

She slowly turned her head back over to him. Emily narrowed her eyes again. She couldn't understand what he was getting at. She opted to change the subject.

"What you told Terry's parents about your dad, that was the truth, wasn't it?"

The question seemed to immediately change his mood. He looked away and Emily watched his jaw tighten briefly. "Yeah."

"So, what is he? Three Percenter? Minuteman?"

"No, no, he's… just a Libertarian who owns so many guns… for when the government comes to take them away. He'd disown me if he saw me right now," he said, gesturing to the FBI letters that he was wearing across his chest.

"I will not tell a soul. Maybe Rossi."

"Oh, well, duh," Bailey said with a charming smile. "I need more men my dad's age I can disappoint."

Emily fought back a small smile. She'd never seen that side of her boss. When he finally let the political facade down, he was a decent guy.

"So, what, you're friends with Bailey now?"

"I wouldn't say friends…" Emily responded. "I saw a side of him today that I didn't know existed…" She added softly.

"Yeah? What side is that?" JJ asked sarcastically. She looked up and realized that Emily was being genuine. She paused and reconsidered.

"I was wrong about him," Emily said, turning to open the refrigerator.

"Uh-uh-uh. I'm sorry, what was that?" JJ asked playfully. She walked over to her, eyebrows raised, a knowing smile on her lips. Emily closed the refrigerator door revealing a blush on her cheeks. Emily rolled her eyes and smiled begrudgingly.

"I was wrong," she repeated. JJ grinned and reached out for her.

"Hmm." She pulled Emily in so they were flush up against each other. Emily was still fighting a smile as JJ leaned in and kissed her. Emily took in a deep breath when they pulled apart. She stared intensely at her wife. Emily knew they needed to talk - about a couple of things. Their very public fight, Michael's school work, and something else - what she'd found out just that morning… The weight of everything was getting heavy.

"Jennifer…"

Emily's voice was soft and slight. The playfulness was gone. It caught JJ off guard. She creased her brow in concern. Emily opened her mouth but couldn't bring herself to tell her. She had planned this all out in her head, but now that they were face to face, she was losing her courage.

"You're not happy…" She finally said. JJ's posture changed and she broke eye contact. She had a feeling this was coming. She leaned away from Emily but not completely out of her hold.

"I am happy," JJ insisted quickly. "I just…" she took a breath. "Sometimes I… Sometimes I feel like we put your career before mine because you got there first."

Emily swallowed thickly. It was hard to hear, but Emily knew it was the truth. She appreciated JJ's honesty. "You know I would do just about anything for you." JJ smiled and rolled her eyes with playful sincerity.

"I know," she whispered softly. Emily had already proven that on multiple occasions. "Maybe there's no perfect solution, Em. Maybe that's the point."

Emily sighed and turned her head to the side, upset. She could still tell her. She needed to tell her… JJ smiled again. She placed her hand on her cheek, and brought Emily's attention back to her. It had been a long day at the end of a very long week. JJ wanted her more than usual tonight. She wanted some intimacy. Some connection. Something more than the frustration of work and the stress of their busy lives. She wondered if Emily felt the same way.

JJ leaned in and captured Emily's lips in a slow-burning kiss. It took a couple of seconds for her to realize JJ's intentions, but once she did, Emily wrapped her arms around her wife's waist possessively. Their kissing intensified and Emily stumbled backwards until her back gently found the counter behind her. Emily half-heartedly resisted the pull of JJ. She still needed to tell her - but she was quickly losing her nerve. And as JJ's lips traveled across Emily's jaw and down her neck she felt her body react to her wife's attention. When JJ slipped her hands in the back pockets of Emily's jeans, she finally let go, and fully surrendered to her wife. Emily framed JJ's face with her hands and pulled her back in for a demanding kiss. She felt a low rumbling moan against her lips.

"Emily - " JJ murmured against her lips. Emily nodded - she knew her question before she asked it. Emily turned and backed them out of the kitchen, hitting the lights as they went.

Emily couldn't help but smile when JJ stopped halfway up the stairs and pushed her against the wall. JJ immediately reached for the belt buckle on the front of Emily jeans, undoing it and using it to pull her even closer. Emily laughed at JJ's eagerness.

"What?" JJ asked, as she leaned in to kiss the skin under her ear.

"Are you gonna let us get up the stairs?"

JJ chuckled a little, and Emily joined her. JJ pulled back so she could look in her eyes. It felt good to laugh with her wife. JJ felt Emily's hands slide under the back of her t-shirt. Her warmth soaked into her skin. Emily leaned her head back against the wall and smiled tenderly. JJ kissed her deeply. She took her time - she wanted to revel in the warmth of Emily's mouth. The taste of her lips…

JJ's shirt was left on the stairs. She fell backwards onto the foot of their bed and smiled up at Emily. JJ took her face into her hands and pulled her down for a desperate kiss. Emily was breathing heavily against JJ's lips. She trailed her lips across her wife's jaw and down her neck. JJ couldn't help but smile when she heard Emily whispering words of adoration between kissing her.

Emily stood up and continued unbuttoning the front of her jeans. JJ sat up and brought her hands up to help. Emily smiled amusedly and moved her hands away so JJ could do it herself. Emily used her time to push back her wife's hair and kiss her tenderly on the forehead. JJ pulled down the waist of her jeans far enough to kiss the skin of her lower stomach. Emily closed her eyes when she felt her tongue swipe across the sensitive skin there. After a minute, Emily framed JJ's face between her hands and made her look up at her.

JJ swallowed in anticipation. The look in Emily's eyes was dark and dangerous. It gave her a thrill to be looked at like that. She found Emily sinfully irresistible - and the way she walked the line between danger and tenderness was part of it. Emily leaned down and kissed her deeply. She nudged her gently and JJ fell back against the mattress again. She watched as Emily kicked off her jeans and joined her.

"I love you," JJ said with a sigh.

The light pressure of her wife's weight on top of her, and the warmth of her bare skin instantly relaxed her. She wrapped her arms around Emily's body, enjoying the closeness. Emily stroked her thumb against JJ's forehead. It was one of her most tender displays of affection. Emily leaned down to capture JJ's lips. JJ dragged her hands up Emily's back to hold her face. The kiss immediately became more heated when Emily felt JJ's tongue against her own. Emily felt her pulse racing. She broke away from JJ's lips and focused all her attention on removing the clothes still between them. JJ smiled and bit down on her bottom lip as Emily pulled at the waistband of her pants. JJ lifted her hips to help her. She closed her eyes and sighed at the feeling of Emily's mouth on the now bare skin of her inner thigh. Emily's hands ran up the sides of her legs, leaving a trail of hypersensitivity. She worked her way up the inside of JJ's leg, placing heavy kisses the whole way.

"Jesus, Emily," JJ groaned. She pushed herself up onto her elbows so she could watch her. Emily glanced up at her and held eye contact. There was a hunger in Emily's eyes that intoxicated her. Emily crawled back up so she could kiss her lips heavily. JJ moaned at her wife's intensity and fell back against the mattress. She pushed Emily's shirt up and over her head. JJ made quick work of her bra and threw that to the side. Her hand came up to cup one of her breasts, massaging it gently. JJ noticed that Emily's arms had begun to shake, holding herself up. Emily let out a soft moan before kissing across JJ's jaw, down her neck, and across her chest.

JJ's mind was on overdrive. She was so turned on she couldn't think coherently. It was always good with Emily - but tonight was even better than usual. Something had taken over her wife, and JJ certainly wasn't complaining. She didn't even notice Emily's hand working its way down her body. JJ gasped and locked her arms around Emily's neck. She pulled her back down for a demanding kiss. "Don't stop, Em…"

"I love you, Jennifer," Emily whispered in JJ's ear with sudden candor and sincerity.

JJ had never known anyone who could walk the line quite like her wife. Emily took pleasure in how quickly she felt JJ's entire body clench around her.

"That was quick," she breathed into JJ's ear before placing a heavy kiss to her neck. JJ could hear the smile in her voice and shivered at the feeling of Emily's tongue on her skin. She opened her eyes and was met with a very smitten smile on her wife's face. JJ rolled her eyes and blushed a little.

"Okay, okay, Prentiss." Emily pressed her lips to her forehead. "Don't let it go to your head." JJ grumbled playfully. Emily grinned and chuckled a little against her skin.

"Of course not," Emily answered sarcastically. She felt JJ's fingernails run seductively up the middle of her back. JJ pursed her lips and pushed Emily to the side until she was laying on her back looking up at her. Emily gave her a content smile. She tucked some of her wife's blonde hair behind her ear and gazed up at her longingly. JJ broke into a slow grin. She leaned down to kiss Emily slowly. Eventually she broke away and busied herself kissing Emily's chest. JJ paused when she reached the tattoo on her chest. She regarded it for a moment before kissing the skin softly.

Emily watched her wife's attentive movements. She ran her fingers gently through JJ's hair, pushing it back and off of her face. She was beautiful. Emily was entranced. JJ ran her hands up Emily's sides, then across her stomach. She carefully traced the jagged scar left there by Ian Doyle.

She had heard Michael ask her about the scar a couple nights before and watched the light leave her wife's eyes for a moment. But only a moment - she quickly recovered, pulled Michael into her arms and told him she wasn't going anywhere. But JJ watched Emily's eyes after Michael had turned back to the TV. She was clearly working hard to hold back a lump in her throat. Emily leaned over and kissed the top of his head.

JJ's eyes zoned back in and she glanced up to see if Emily had noticed. Of course she had. But she didn't say anything, just continued stroking her fingers through her hair lovingly. JJ took in a deep breath and raised herself up so that she was face to face with Emily again.

Emily welcomed her lips - kissing her back carefully. She felt JJ rest more of her weight on her. Emily wrapped her arms around her body protectively. JJ had a way of lighting her on fire. She could feel her knee between her legs, the bare skin of her stomach against her own, her tongue in her mouth.

"Jay -" she managed to say between kisses.

JJ pulled back and smiled coyly. Emily didn't say anything more, and JJ busied herself kissing down her neck again - eventually focusing her attention on taking off her panties and throwing them to the side. Emily felt JJ's hand move between her legs and began stroking her. She jumped and gasped a little at the feeling. JJ's mouth was on her chest, kissing and sucking the soft skin there. She felt lightheaded when JJ slowly entered her with her fingers. She was moving mind-numbingly slow. She needed more. If JJ didn't pick up the pace she was going to lose her mind. Mercifully, JJ doubled her pace. With her free hand, JJ grasped one of Emily's and pinned it above her head.

Emily held eye contact with JJ. Tell her. JJ kissed her and Emily used her free hand to hold her face. Just tell her. JJ's lips were now filling a second purpose. Emily moaned into her lips and JJ grinned against hers. She let go of the hand she had pinned above Emily's head and shifted to lay on her side. The voice in Emily's head was screaming at her to speak. You have to tell her.

But JJ had a look of such deep and innocent affection in her eyes, that Emily bit her tongue. She wasn't going to ruin this. Not this moment.

A comfortable silence fell between them. JJ busied herself tracing her fingers along the skin of Emily's shoulder. She could feel Emily's eyes on her and a slow smile spread across her face. It was moments like these that she simply couldn't replicate with anyone else.

"You have your meeting with Michael's teacher tomorrow, right?" JJ asked in a whisper.

"Yeah," Emily answered, matching her tone. "First thing in the morning. Shouldn't take too long." JJ became quiet, and Emily felt herself begin to drift into sleep. JJ's warmth and steady presence was lulling her. Then she spoke.

"How could he be a father…?"

Emily was surprised to hear her voice - she thought she would've been asleep by then. Emily turned her head to the side and saw JJ staring at the ceiling with a hard look. She couldn't make sense of her wife's comment. Emily creased her brow.

"Who?"

JJ turned and met her eyes. "Sicarius. How does someone like that…" JJ trailed off. She took a deep breath. "How do you bring your own children into this world all the while systematically hunting and killing other people's children?"

"I have no idea…" Emily answered honestly.