Chapter Text
Emily had set her alarm earlier than usual that morning, because today had to go perfectly. She had everything lined up; she had made sure that they had no cases (serial killer pending), arrangements for deliveries had been confirmed, and the boys had agreed to help out in any way they could. Emily reached over and turned off the alarm before rubbing her eyes clean of sleep. She could still feel JJ’s steady breath warm against her collarbone, only a slight murmur gave sign that she had heard the alarm at all. Emily kissed the top of messy blonde hair and waited for her to fall back into a deep sleep.
She slipped out of the toasty blankets and tight grasp of JJ, regretting it instantly when her bare feet hit the cold floor. Emily debated if coffee was worth getting up out of bed completely or not; it would be so easy to slip back underneath the comforter and into JJ’s arms until their regular alarm goes off. If it wasn’t for her hours of planning, Emily would have given in and laid back down, but she had put too much into this only for her to mess it up herself.
Breakfast. She had to get everything together and make a meal, all without banging pots and pans in an attempt to even start. It was one of the few things she did not prepare for; she could have laid the pan out or even set it on top of the other for easy access, but instead it is buried in the back of the cabinet. Emily tried her best to pull out the pan but ended up halfway in the cabinet, fingers brushing the handle but not grasping it entirely.
“Em? Are you okay in there?” Emily eased herself out slowly, trying to smooth her hair back down.
“Good morning Henry, just trying to reach a pan in the back.” Emily side eyed the pan as she spoke, “Do you want to help cook breakfast with me this morning?”
“You can cook! Should I be worried? Are we all going to get food poisoning and die? I am too young and handsome to die Em!” Henry put a hand to his chest and tried to keep the shock on his face, but it fell away into a huge grin.
“That’s it you are not helping, in fact you can eat toast instead.”
“Wait it was going to be more than toast? Now I am truly worried.”
“You are so much like your mother.” Emily started trying to reach for the pan once more, ignoring the snickering going on a few feet away from her.
When she finally was able to reach the pan and pull it out (with minimal noise), Henry had all the ingredients sitting out on the counter. Emily shook her head but put him to work, she had wasted enough time this morning and couldn’t afford to not use the extra set of hands. She showed him how to whip the batter just right and the perfect amount of butter that should be placed in the pan. Together they worked in tandem; pouring, sprinkling a little bit here and there, flip, place, repeat. Emily put the coffee on before they both went to change and wake the other two.
Emily, now fully dressed for the day, padded over to her side of the bed and gently woke JJ up. JJ sprung up, thinking she had overslept their alarm once again, only to realize that she still had another half hour before it was suppose to go off. She looked at Emily with confusion, not only as to why the other woman was up and dressed but also why she had chosen to wake her up earlier than normal. JJ could smell coffee coming from the kitchen, as well as something that made her mouth water.
“Coffee is brewing, Henry and I made breakfast so that is in there too. Take your time getting ready, it will all-well most it will be there when you are dressed.”
Emily placed a kiss on top of JJ’s head and left the room. Henry and Michael were both waiting impatiently at the table, staring down the plates of food. They were trying to wait until JJ was with them, but their stomachs growled in anger. Emily stacked their plates and urged them to go ahead and eat, but Emily did not make a plate for herself.
“Morning,” Emily walked over to JJ and handed her a cup of coffee. A chorus of good mornings came back, mostly jumbled due to stuffed mouths, but good mornings nonetheless. “Did you guys make me blueberry pancakes?”
“Sit down and eat, before those two eat all my hard work.”
“OUR hard work! You were struggling to get a pan when I found you this morning, besides we both know I am mom’s favorite.” Henry stuck his tongue out at Emily.
“I do not have favorites, I love you both equally. Then Emily is after that.” JJ smirked from behind her coffee as she watched Emily smug look drop to be replaced by one of shock and horror.
“Alright no gift for you then. I make you pancakes and coffee and get told I am the THIRD favorite, guess I will just take it back.” Emily kept mumbling into her coffee refusing to look at the two boys sitting across from her.
“You are not third, you are second because the boys are tied. I will happily accept whatever you got me, it would be pointless for you to go through all the trouble of returning it.”
Emily motioned at Michael who almost fell out his seat trying to run off. Henry was bouncing in his chair, anxious to see his mom’s reaction. Emily pulled JJ’s out and around so that they were facing each other. JJ set her cup down on the table while she waited to see what Emily had got her. A moment later Michael came sliding back into the dining room, hands behind his back. Emily pushed him forward and urged him to give JJ what he was hiding. He pulled out a small velvet black box and placed it in JJ’s awaiting hands.
“Emily-”
“It is not what you think, I promise. I know you are not ready and the divorce isn’t even finalized. Just open it. Please.” JJ nodded and ran a thumb over the lid.
Henry and Michael were both looking over her shoulders, knowing it was something nice but not knowing what it was that Emily got her. JJ held her breath as she flipped the lid open slowly. A white gold chain holding two crossed roses laid in the center. The roses’ gem colors represented each of the boys’ birthstones.