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The first words your soulmate says to you are tattooed on your arm, everyone knew that, just like everyone knew that they appear on your wrist on your eighth birthday, which coincidentally happens to be an age when most children already know how to read, but we’re not here to discuss that, we’re here to talk about a very special boy who, on the morning of his eighth birthday, woke up with the words “Jennifer Jareau, we spoke on the phone” on that very spot, so he spends his entire childhoood looking for that name, asking all his teachers if they have any students with that name, checking for ‘Jareau’ on the phone book, even asking his dad to see if she was in any police records… eventually he gives up, as other things take priority, like doing well in school, getting into the police academy and doing his best to live up to the name he inherited from the great man his father was by solving the case he was working on when he died, feeling the loneliness and crushing weight of that legacy that rested on his shoulders, given his lack of siblings.
The words that appeared on said Jennifer Jareau’s arm, said by a grown version of darling Billy LaMontagne “You must be BAU” which confuse her for most of her life, she looked in her dad’s encyclopedia, nothing, searched it on the family’s computer, no results, and between the loss of her sister, and managing herself between her parents’ grief, she pushed it out her mind, until she stumbles upon a book by one “David Rossi” and she finally figures out what that stands for, and is paradoxically led to the FBI training program, which she passes with flying colors, just like every other school in her life, then, next thing she knows, she’s joining the unit she was always meant to join, she tries not to think about it too hard, it gives her a headache, anyways, things were good, she had the job she had searched for since she was eight, but sometimes, in the rare quiet moments she got between cases, she still thought about the man behind the words written on her wrist.
One day she and the team go to New Orleans, per the request of a local police detective, and this guy, who she knows just lost his father, comes up to her with this charming accent, so she says the introduction that feels so familiar in her tongue from being repeated a thousand times, and she shakes his hand, that contact sending a thrill down her spine and she knows, she’s found him, and the silly grin she sees on his face, which probably reflects her own, tells her her life is about to get so much better, but for now they have a job to do, so they silently agree to not say a word until they have a moment alone.
That night, after most of the officers went home or were out on patrol, and all the members of the bau were scattered around working on their tasks, JJ was outside leaning against the handrail by the staircase outside the station, when she hears footsteps behind her, and she knows exactly who it is, just like she knew he was the man she has been looking for, scanning different police precincts across the country hoping to find, but he hesitated approaching, afraid of breaking the fragile understanding they have created when they met earlier that day, of not mentioning their universe-given bond.
“You can come closer, LaMontagne, despite what Derek might tell you, I don’t bite” she called over her shoulder
“Whatever you say, honey” he approached her with careful steps, settling with his back against the railing with his elbows resting on it
“So… what you wanna do about all of this?” She asked him, turning to face him
“Well, for some reason, the powers that be think we belong together, so I think we should give them what they want, don’t you, Jennifer Jareau?” He overpronounced her name, turning on his side and leaning towards her
“I suppose we should, William LaMontagne Junior” she traced the edge of his collar with her well-manicured nails, leaning in as well, until their lips touched, and it felt like a jolt flowing through the nerves all over their bodies, making them feel like their souls were reaching for each other, turning their bodies into living magnets, unlike anything either of them had ever felt before, after all, what is more magical than having the other half of your soul living inside another person
They broke apart when Morgan, who had just exited the precinct, whistled “Wow, that’s quite a show you two put on there”
“Piss off, Derek, this is a private moment”
“Well, I would go somewhere other than right outside a building filled with window” he pointed over his shoulder
“Oh shit, you’re right, did anyone else see?” JJ looks through the windows, panicked, fixing her frizzed up hair
“Don’t worry, blondie, Spencer is elbow deep in research, Gideon and Hotch are taking another walk through the last crime scene and Prentiss fucked off somewhere, god knows what she’s doing, anyways, what’s got you two tangling up like that?” He asked the new couple, to which they just lifted up their wrists to show the writing on them
“Oh, congratulations you two! That’s really something, I still remember when Spencer and I first met on his first day on the job, it was-” he gets interrupted by Prentiss climbing up the steps
“Wow, this looks like a party, what are we celebrating?” The brunette asks
“Oh, Blondie and this guy here just found out they’re soulmates” Derek states, grinning
“Derek! I wanted to tell her!” JJ admonished him, hitting him on the shoulder
“Sorry, Jay, should’ve been faster” he chuckles
“Moving past the bickering, that’s amazing news you guys!” She claps her hands, smiling wildly “We should totally take a break and call the rest of the team to go celebrate!”
“Are you you sure, Emily? I mean, we’re in the middle of a case, and I’m sure Will wants to get this done, for his dad, don’t you Will?” she turns to him, squeezing his hand, which she reached for during the interaction
“Hey now, just because we are two pieces of a whole doesn’t mean you know everything about me, I was actually looking forward to getting a drink when the bars started opening for the night, and I’d love for you folks to join me” he replied
“Cool, I’ll go inside and grab Reid, Morgan, you call Gideon and Hotch and tell them to meet at whatever bar Detective LaMontagne usually goes to” Emily orders
“Yes ma’am” Morgan decided not to argue for once and stepped off to the side to make the call, while Emily went back inside to summon the resident genius
“Guess we’re having a party” the blonde laughed, shouldering her soulmate on the side
“‘Guess so” he smirks devilishly
“Hey now, you better behave yourself if we’re gonna be hanging out with my bosses”
“I will do my best, but you’re just so darn irresistible” he snakes an arm across her waist, pulling her closer, making her giggle against his chest
“Okay you two, break it up, we have innocent eyes and ears in the vicinity” Prentiss calls out from where she’s standing, holding the door for Spencer, who was coming out behind her
“Where’s Derek?” Spencer asked, looking around for where his lover went
“He stepped away to call y’all’s bosses, I reckon” Will shrugged
“And here he comes now!” JJ pointed out, as the aforementioned man came back, pocketing his phone
“I called Hotch, he said Gideon already went back to the hotel to catch up on sleep, but he’ll be back soon, I’ll wait out here for him, you guys go and text me the address when you get there” Derek addressed the group
“I’ll wait with you” Spencer proclaimed
“Okay, wanna go inside and sit down? I’m pretty sure the station is empty by now” he wrapped an arm around the taller man, whispering in his ear, when he gets a nod in response, he guides him in
“Okay so there’s that” Emily claps her hands “Shall we go? I’m driving, so I don’t have to witness you lovebirds and your lovemaking” She jogged up and got into the drivers seat of the awaiting SUV
“Wanna share the back?” Will asked
“Took the words right out of my mouth” JJ replied and they climbed into the car together, and as Emily sped away, they knew deep in their hearts they were moving in the direction of forming the family they both had always craved during their lonely upbringings