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It was incredibly nerdy to have a crush on an author. Worse, an author whom JJ had never met or spoken to. And even worse , an expert behavioral analyst who only published books detailing the worst cases she'd ever worked on, dissecting their minds and distributing their innermost truths to the world. It was more like Spencer to gush over a pretty former FBI agent who retired young and spent her early thirties writing and traveling. JJ was painfully aware of all of this when she confessed to Penelope over too much booze as the night faded into early morning. It has earned her endless teasing and torment.
She's regretted that confession every time Penelope has caught her reading Emily Prentiss's newest release and fake-swooned over the photo in the dust jacket. Penelope sends her photos from press releases and news articles and digs up old press conferences from when Prentiss still worked for the BAU, just to tease her when her cheeks flush the same color as the cover of The Lucky Killer . It definitely doesn't help when Penelope sends JJ close-ups of Emily's soulmate mark, which, conveniently, is on her right hand, matching JJ's. It's one of the most common marks in the world, a handshake, but that's never stopped JJ from imagining meeting Emily, their hands touching for the first time, and a swirl of colors blooming over their palms.
She had regretted spilling her secret until, in apology for her endless teasing (which Derek and Spencer joined in on), Penelope sent her the details for a guest lecture Prentiss would be giving at the Academy, along with JJ's name on a sign-up sheet to sit in on it. JJ's return text had been ninety percent typos and ten percent thank-yous as she kicked her feet excitedly in her office chair.
JJ's breath crystallized, lingering in the air as she rushed down the stairs to the metro, coat wrapped tightly around her body to ward off the biting cold. Her copy of Emily's book was clutched in her glove-covered hands, her face disappearing into the scarf around her neck. JJ stepped onto her train with wind-blown hair and a pink nose, clutching the railing. As usual, this car was nearly empty, save for a few agents and trainees on their way to work.
She made her way to the usually empty seat she'd long ago begun to think of as her own, but today, it was filled by a woman with dark hair pulled into a slicked-back ponytail, her coat just open enough to reveal her red button-up shirt and off-center belt buckle. An obvious lump in her jacket covered a holster, probably holding a standard-issued firearm. JJ had never seen this woman on this train before, and her cheeks warmed as their eyes met, immediately tearing her gaze away.
JJ froze, lips parting as she recognized the brunette. Holy shit .
JJ: CODE RED NOT A DRILL EMILY PRENTISS IS ON MY TRAIN
JJ: HELP SHE CAUGHT ME STARING
JJ: PENELOPE
Penelope: holy fuck how red are you rn
Penelope: don't answer that i already know it's somewhere between stop sign and tomato
JJ: NOT HELPING
JJ: SHE'S RIGHT THERE
Penelope: and i am not
Penelope: my love, my darling, my friend, stop fangirling
Penelope: or don't and say hi
Penelope: CASUALLY. without drooling all over her
JJ: You're evil. And again, not helping
Penelope: sweetheart, you're hot AND adorable. chill out, say hello. fun fact: you will not die if it's a little bit awkward. second fun fact: your little crush is so cute.
Penelope: derek says just sit next to her and put her book in your lap
Penelope: honestly, not bad advice
JJ: Wish me luck. I am about to thoroughly embarrass myself.
Penelope: much luck, brave soldier.
JJ bit the inside of her lip, taking in a deep breath that did nothing to slow her racing heart as she stepped forward to take a seat, leaving one empty between herself and Emily. Fixing her gaze in the opposite direction, JJ rested her copy of Into the Fox's Den in her lap, her face flushing ruby red.
"Agent or trainee?" Emily's low voice flowed like hot coffee, sending warmth through JJ's veins.
"What?" JJ winced at the sound of her own voice, squeaking with nerves.
"You're on the train to Quantico with a copy of my book, trying very hard to act like you don't know who I am, so you're either an agent or a trainee on your way to my lecture." Emily tapped the cover of the novel on JJ's lap. "Or a stalker, but I'd hope I still had the skills to notice someone following me."
"A-Agent." JJ stammered, her eyes wide as she stared up at Emily. "I'm an agent."
"You're in a higher-level position, but not necessarily field work. Heels aren't the best for chasing down suspects, and you have files sticking out of your purse, so you're working cases, not administration. I can tell you a hundred departments you aren't in." The brunette slid closer, taking the empty seat beside JJ. "But I can't put my finger on which you are ."
"I'm the media liaison for the BAU." JJ tucked the book into her coat, wishing she could tuck her fuchsia-tinged face away, too.
"Right, Hotch told me the brass hired you." Emily nodded. "I've heard good things about you."
"Oh. You know-" JJ furrowed her brow. "You know Hotch?"
"Yes. We were teammates forever ago." Emily's smile was light. "He's still a case robot?"
"Um, yeah." JJ laughed awkwardly. "He's a good boss, though."
"He's a great agent. He just keeps professional and personal very separate." Emily nodded. "Are you going to take the classes, move up to profiler?"
"No! Definitely not." JJ barked out a laugh. "Not that profiling is a bad job. My team's great. I just love my job. I'm the go-between for the team and the rest of the world. I work with the local law enforcement, families, and I'm really good at the whole press conference thing. I have enough work without the profiling cases piling up on top of that."
"Then why is a media liaison attending a guest lecture on profiling?" Emily asked. "Is this your idea of fun?"
"No, not since I've transferred into the BAU, but before that… Kind of." JJ hugged her book to her chest. "I started reading these in college. I switched my minor to criminology, and I applied to the FBI academy. I kind of wanted to see you in person. I know you've probably heard the whole 'your books changed my life!' speech a thousand times, but it's true."
"I haven't, actually." Emily's voice was breathy, her eyes widened. "I don't speak at the Academy much. I usually get asked questions about the investigations, but no one's said anything like that."
"O-oh." JJ nodded jerkily. "I don't think I'm the only person who applied to the Academy because of those books. I read them, and I wanted to be one of the people who caught those guys. I wanted to understand why ."
"Do you?" Emily asked.
"Do I what?" JJ's grip on her - well, Emily's book loosened.
"Understand. Without the classes, without the certification. Do you understand why?" Emily tilted her head to one side.
"I mean, I understand environmental and physical conditions that contribute to the making of a serial killer." JJ mused. "Still, there has to be something else. Some other catalyst. Abused children, children with brain trauma, and people who suffer from psychosis, most of them are average, boring people. Something else has to happen that flips the switch to murderer. I don't understand that, but I don't think anyone does."
"You know, you really should take those classes." Emily chuckled. "Most people take years to figure that out. There's no single why . There are a million how 's, but whatever differentiates a psychopath from a serial killer is a mystery."
"I'm not a profiler, but I'm not not a profiler." JJ shrugged. "Every case comes through my desk. I decide which ones get passed on for individual work, which ones are panicked small-town sheriffs reaching out for help with a case they'll solve on their own in a few days, and which ones we fly out to. I'm the one who does the initial threat assessment."
"Again, take the classes. You're already working two jobs. You could use the leverage for a raise if you want to keep your job, and you'd be an asset to your team if you get promoted."
"Maybe." JJ hummed, nodding slowly. "I'll talk to Hotch."
"Good." Emily collected her messenger bag from the seat beside her as the train slowed. "Good luck." She winked before stepping backwards out of the car. JJ slung her bag over her shoulder, blinking slowly as she rushed to the lecture hall.
"Oh my god, Pen, she's so much cooler in person!" JJ leaned her head back in her office chair, one leg tucked underneath her while the other foot rested on the ground, pivoting the chair from side to side.
"You should've shaken her hand. I swear, if that woman isn't your soulmate, I'll give up my octopus mug," Penelope drew an X over her chest. "Cross my heart."
"She probably has an older soulmate. Maybe someone with money. I'm happy just being a fan." JJ shrugged. "But she was so nice ! And she profiled me! I know, we work with profilers, but Emily Prentiss profiled me! She said I should take the classes."
"You should take the classes." Penelope agreed. "What'd she say?"
"She was trying to figure out what department I'm in." JJ spun her chair in a circle. "She's never worked with a liaison, so she had to ask, but she was really close. She knows Hotch! She called him a case robot."
"He is a case robot." Penelope giggled. "What else? You have to have more."
"I mean, not really. It's not a long train ride. Oh, but she's taller than I thought." JJ sat up straight. "And her perfume smells really good."
"You need to shake her hand!" Penelope repeated. "I'm the Knower of All Things. I've given you a prophecy."
"Right. I forgot you can see the future." JJ rolled her eyes teasingly. "It's a stupid crush. I just need to get my parasocial relationship in check."
"Maybe. Maybe not." Penelope pointed the end of a fluffy pen at her friend. She peeked through JJ's blinds, a wide grin spreading across her lips. "Look out the window. Hotch has a visitor."
"Holy shit !" JJ gasped, leaping out of her chair. Emily Prentiss and Hotch stood outside his office, talking animatedly. "She said she knew Hotch, but I didn't think… Holy shit!"
"'Stupid crush,' she says," Penelope mumbled. "If that woman so much as smiled at you, you'd explode."
"She smiled at me this morning, and I remained unexploded, thank you very much." JJ rolled her eyes. "Is Hotch… laughing? I've never seen him laugh. He's smiled at me, like, twice in the four years I've worked with him."
"I haven't even seen him smile." Penelope squinted, leaning closer to the window. "It's a miracle."
"Exactly. Come on, we need to talk to Derek." JJ held open her office door, remaining as calm as she could manage. When she turned toward the stairs, she caught Emily's eyes on her, her face flushing as the brunette smiled at her.
JJ hurried down the stairs, a stack of files in her arms as a weak ruse, an attempt to seem completely casual in her spontaneous appearance in the bullpen. Derek was already laughing when the pair of blondes approached his desk, shaking his head as JJ held out a few files.
"Nice try. You need me to profile her." Derek raised an eyebrow.
"And I need you to take these case files. Two birds, one stone." JJ placed them in the 'incoming' basket in the corner of his desk. "Now, tell me everything."
"Their posture is open, they're maintaining eye contact, mirroring. I'd say they're pretty good friends." Derek tilted his head slightly, watching as Emily reached out to rest a hand on Hotch's shoulder as she laughed. " Really good friends. They worked together for a long time, so I'm assuming they kept in contact. There's nothing romantic, though, if that's what you wanted to know. That might be the gayest woman I've ever seen."
"The gayest woman you've ever seen?" JJ bit the inside of her cheek. "I need more detail there."
"Her belt buckle is off-center and she wears her watch on the inside of her wrist. The blazer, the button-up, the slacks? Come on, JJ." Derek shook his head lightly. "You're supposed to be the one with the gaydar."
"I wear half of those things." JJ frowned.
"One, you're gay, too, sweetheart." Penelope chuckled. "And two, it's not necessarily the clothes, but the way she wears them."
"Exactly." Derek pointed to her, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, and she was checking you out when you came out of your office."
" What? " JJ's eyes widened. "Seriously?"
"Seriously." Derek laughed. "You gonna shake her hand or what?"
"The two of you." JJ sighed. "I'm going to my office before I embarrass myself. Or, more likely, you two embarrass me." JJ rushed up the stairs just as quickly as she'd come down, head ducked as she avoided glancing over at Emily.
"Twenty says JJ's too awkward to shake her hand," Derek whispered.
"Fifty says they're soulmates." Penelope stuck out her hand to shake, a smug grin on her lips as Derek took it.
"You're on."
JJ busied herself with work, organizing files and scribbling on sticky notes. The fact that Emily Prentiss was in Hotch's office, just across the catwalk, was unimportant. JJ needed to dial back her hero worship, and whether Emily had been "checking her out" or not, there was no way they were soulmates. Statistically, the chances were insanely low (she'd messaged Spencer about it), and even if they weren't, how was JJ going to manage a handshake with someone she'd already met while they were visiting an old friend?
She wasn't. Instead, she dropped another beige folder into a basket of files to distribute among her teammates the next morning. She pulled the next case from the never-ending pile on her desk, sighing heavily as it slapped against the wood.
A knock echoed through her office, and without looking up, JJ called, "Come in!"
"JJ, this is SSA Prentiss." Hotch held open the door for Emily, the smile on his lips still shocking. "I'm showing her around."
"He's trying to recruit me back." Emily corrected. "Oh, we met this morning!"
"Yeah, yes, we did." JJ nodded, flipping the case file shut. "It's nice to officially meet you."
"You, too." Emily's laugh was low and smooth as she reached out to shake JJ's hand. "Now I see what you meant about having plenty of work. Hotch, do you even let the poor girl leave?"
"No, she's under lock and key. I let her out this morning to go to your lecture, and now she's locked in here." Hotch deadpanned.
"Oh, most of these are cases we aren't taking. I have to keep the file, just in case, and my file cabinet filled up halfway through my first month here." JJ waved her pen at the mountains of case files behind her. "It's not as bad as it looks."
"Still pretty bad." Emily turned to Hotch. "You know I won't be any less of a pain in the ass if I come back, right? Probably worse."
"I assumed so, yes." Hotch rolled his eyes. "Agent Jareau is a good influence, though."
"You underestimate my ability to be a bad influence," Emily smirked.
"You underestimate the power of a girlfriend telling you to behave." Hotch stepped toward the door.
"Aaron!" Emily hissed.
"Look at your hand, pain in the ass. You two are leaving. JJ, make her pay. She has more money than you make in a year." Hotch paused before he shut the door behind himself. "If you can get her to come back, I'll get you a file room."
"If you could've done that already, why haven't you?" Emily rolled her eyes. "Fuck off, Hotchner."
JJ stared at her right palm, watching the pale blue and deep red swirl into place on her palm. Oh. Emily shook her hand. She'd touched Emily, and her mark was… Emily was…
"So," Emily stepped between JJ and her desk. "Soulmates."
"I-Y-It-" JJ stammered, blinking slowly as every word she'd ever known dissolved. "Holy shit."
Emily laughed heartily, reaching tentatively for the blonde's hand, holding it beside hers to gaze at the matching colors. "They're pretty."
"Beautiful." JJ breathed out, staring up at Emily - at her soulmate.
"You're really cute, you know that?" Emily leaned back on one hand.
"Thanks." JJ ducked her head, her cheeks flushing a red that rivalled the one on her palm. "I don't really know what to say."
"Fucking adorable," Emily murmured, lifting JJ's face with a finger under her chin. "Can I kiss you?"
JJ found her eyes focused on Emily's lips, her mind losing its grasp on the English language for what felt like the hundredth time that day. She nodded slowly, her hands remaining limply at her sides as Emily inched closer, her breath warm against JJ's skin as she moved slowly. JJ closed the final gap, her entire body melting at the feeling of Emily's mouth on hers.
JJ had kissed before, mostly her friends when she'd drink too much at parties, but this was earth-shatteringly different. Emily's hand threaded through her hair, JJ's fell on Emily's hips, and for a moment, everything was still. The hum of the air conditioning faded away, the sound of the phone ringing in the office next door disappeared, and the fact that JJ was still at work was forgotten. This was perfect. Emily was perfect.
"Holy shit." Emily lingered inches away.
"We're leaving now." JJ decided, stealing another heart-stopping kiss before she stood. "Because I want to do more of that, and I'm at work. We're at work."
"Oh, we're at work?" Emily chuckled. "You're going to try to recruit me, too?"
"No, I'm going to succeed at recruiting you." JJ pulled on her coat. "I need that file room."
"That's all I'm good for?" Emily teased, dragging JJ back towards her. "A file room?"
"That and kissing." JJ pressed her lips to Emily's. "And leaving. Go tell Hotch you're coming back, but only if I have tomorrow and the whole weekend off, too."
"I never said I was coming back!" Emily laughed.
"But I'll be here, and you'll like Penelope. Well, after she's done being insufferable about being right. Derek, too." JJ cupped Emily's cheek, her smile bright as she pulled Emily toward the door by her hand. "Most importantly, I'll be here."
"The power of girlfriends," Emily mumbled. "You're really lucky you're cute."
"I'll make it worth your while. We'll have four whole days to do whatever we want, and if you kiss like that…" JJ trailed off.
"Where did all of that shyness go?" Emily laughed, following JJ onto the catwalk.
"Into my file room."