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The BAUs latest case was taking so much longer than expected, so it gutted JJ when she had to call Henry earlier that week and let him know they wouldn’t be back in time to make it to his soccer teams first playoff game.
Henry understood but it was always a little disappointing for his mom to not be there especially since Will’s death almost a year ago now. So when the blonde agent came strolling towards the field with her unit chief following closely behind Henry lit up and ran over.
“Hey Hen just wanted to wish you good luck before the game” JJ told him as she wrapped her not so little boy in a giant hug
“I thought you were stuck on a case, how’d you make it here?!”
“I know some people in charge pulled a few strings, we couldn’t miss the first big soccer..play.. thing” Emily nudged the boy.
“You still have no idea what’s happening do you” Henry joked. Emily had been to every game with JJ since Will passed.
“Nope not a single clue I’m just here for the snacks”
Henry shook his head and laughed “Well I’m happy you guys got here but I have to go warm up now”
Henry ran off to the sidelines with his team.
“So is that like your moms new girlfriend or something” one of Henry’s teammates mocked pointing over at Emily and JJ who had made the way into the stands finding Sandy and Michael who had taken up a spot in Emily’s lap.
“Emily?!! what no she’s my moms friend and boss”
“You sure about that. Why would your mom’s boss all of a sudden start coming to all of our games think about it…plus look at how she’s looking at your mom, they are totally doing it”
“Gross dude, no they aren’t you have no idea what you’re talking about”
“Whatever you wanna tell yourself man I’m not wrong about these things”
Henry looked back over at his mom and Emily…they were sitting very close. No. There was no way. But every interaction his mom and Emily had shared over that last year started to play in his head as the game went on making him question if it could be true.
***
The game ended and Henry’s team won. When the boy made his way back to the group he refused to look at the silver haired woman.
“Great game kiddo, I might not know much but I know winning equals good so”
Henry refused to meet Emily’s eyes choosing to stare at JJ in hopes maybe he inherited her profiler skills too.
“I’m not a kid” Henry mumbled “I have to go grab my stuff I’ll meet you at the car”
Emily and JJ exchanged confused looks
“Did I do something, what just happened there”
“I have absolutely no clue, teenagers I guess, I’ll talk to him tonight”
“Okay well I’ll head out then, do you need help with anything”
“Em you got me to the game you stayed you’ve done more than enough.”
Emily gave her a small shy smile. They said their goodbyes and made the way to the car.
****
Henry didn’t say a word the entire drive home he stared out the window contemplating his teammates accusation. Could his mom really be dating again and dating Emily for that matter.
At dinner JJ tried to break the silence. “Emily had fun at the game even though I know she kept asking Mikey questions about what was going on” she gave the youngest boy a smirk as he wore a proud smile for being so helpful.
“I tried teaching her I don’t think it worked very well”
“Well maybe she shouldn’t come if she doesn’t know what’s happening we don’t need her there”
JJ shot a look to her oldest son and then looked over to Michael who had sensed the awkwardness in the room even though he didn’t understand what was happening.
“Hey Mikey how about you head up and play some games before bedtime routine”
Michael agreed and ran up stairs
“Okay what is going on here Hen, did Emily do something because she’s been nothing but helpful and supportive to all of us”
“Maybe we don’t need her support why is your boss coming to my games anyway it’s weird”
“Henry, yes Emily might be my boss now but she’s been a friend longer”
“Are you two dating” Henry said bluntly
JJ froze out of every possible question her son could’ve asked that one never once crossed her mind.
“Excuse me?! Why on earth would you even ask that”
“You didn’t say no, Billy asked me at the game if Emily was your girlfriend since she’s always at the games now and when I tried to tell him who she was he asked if I was sure because you two looked like you are hooking up.”
“Henry!! Emily is my best friend she’s been my best friend long before you even existed and yes we’ve had our ups and downs but she’s always been there, maybe not as noticeably as she has been lately but she’s always been there for me, for you boys, and even for your dad”
“When was she ever there for Dad” Henry rolled his eyes “Did they ever even talk”
“Do you know what happened the day before your dad and I got married”
“No”
“There was someone targeting our family, dad found himself with a bomb strapped to his chest and a timer counting down quickly. Emily went in there and refused to leave unless she was leaving with the bomb defused and dad alive, she sat there trying to disarm a bomb until there was only 1 second left before it killed them both”
Henry listened with wide eyes as JJ told him more about the day.
“Emily has put her own life on the line for me, your dad, you boys and everyone else for as long as I’ve known her.”
“I…I didn’t know that”
“Yeah well your dad and I try to keep some of the scarier aspects of our jobs from you boys maybe that was a mistake”
“I’m sorry, I’ll apologize to Emily too. You’ve just been so happy with her and she’s been around a lot I hadn’t noticed until someone pointed it out, I got scared she was going to replace dad”
“No one will ever replace your father sweetie”
“Okay”
There was a moment of silence between the two and then Henry gave his mom a hug and went up to his room.
****
JJ just sat at the table still slightly in shock. Her son had actually thought her and Emily were together, that’s insane they were just friends. Right.
She made her way to her room still deep in thought, no she couldn’t have feelings for her boss, her friend, her Emily. Could she.
I mean obviously she’s noticed the older woman’s attractiveness who wouldn’t Emily Prentiss was undeniably sexy, and yes she’s the only person JJ wants to talk to when something happens but they are best friends.
A quiet knock on the door shook her from her thoughts.
“Mom?”
“Hey buddy come in”
“I know I freaked out earlier but I was thinking about it, and I’d be okay with it”
“Okay with what?”
“You…Emily” Henry looked down “She makes you happy.”
“Sweetie we’re just friends”
“I’m just saying I’d be okay with it” Henry said and left the room.
JJ took in everything her son had said to her that night then reached for her phone before she could overthink it, the line only rang once before it was quickly answered
“Hey Em? Can you come over we need to talk.”
***
Emily let her self in the house with the emergency key JJ had given her. “Jayje” she whispered in a panic.
Just then JJ peaked around the corner from the kitchen the tightness in Emily’s jaw releasing a little being able to see there was nothing physically wrong with her friend.
“Hey” she whispered
“Hey what’s up is everything okay”
“I talked to Henry about why he was being weird after his game”
“What happened is he okay”
“He’s fine he wants to apologize to you, he had a brief freak out about something a teammate said”
“What did they say”
“They were teasing him asking if you were my girlfriend”
Emily looked away shyly but didn’t say anything
“I guess it made him notice that you’ve been around a lot since loosing Will.”
“Im sorry, I don’t mean to be over bearing I was trying to help”
“You are helping Emily more than you’ll ever know. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for it all”
“Jayje you don’t need to thank me, I’m here because I want to be”
“I know that” JJ reached out and grabbed one of Emily’s hands intertwining their fingers.
“Henry also mentioned how happy he knows you make me and let me know he’d be okay with it… you know you and me being together”
“Oh” Emily’s cheeks flushed bright pink
“Have you ever thought about it you and me” JJ asked
“Of course I have, every day since we met”
“Why didn’t you ever say anything”
“Because you were happy, and that’s all I have ever wanted is for you to be happy even if its never with me”
“Em” JJ’s voice was soft almost a whisper as she placed her free hand on Emily’s cheek.
Then slowly JJ leaned in and lightly placed her lips on Emily’s.
“I can’t believe a random 16 year old figured out I loved you before I did” JJ scuffed
“You love me?” Emily asked quietly
“Yeah I do Em, I love you, I’m in love with you”
“I love you too Jayje”
The two leaned back in and kissed again this time more passionate, years of feelings being realized in that moment.