Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It started in a blur of adrenaline and fury.

JJ’s lungs burned as she tore through the abandoned warehouse yard, boots pounding against cracked pavement, gun drawn but her focus locked on the unsub ahead of her. He was fast. But she was faster.

“FBI! Stop!” She shouted.

He didn’t. He turned left, toward a crumbling alley lined with broken crates—and JJ didn’t hesitate. She barreled after him, her mind already calculating how many ways this could go wrong. And when he stumbled, just for a second, JJ saw her opening. She tackled him hard, both of them slamming to the ground.

The fight wasn’t over.

He threw an elbow. JJ caught it in the ribs. She winced, gasping, but didn’t stop. His fist clipped her cheek. Her lip split. He kicked, but she was already on top of him, knee to his chest, wrenching his wrist back until she heard the pop and felt the weapon drop from his hand.

“Stay down!” She shouted, her voice sharp and breathless, blood smeared on her temple.

He didn’t move again.

A moment later, Derek came running up behind her, cuffs ready, eyes wide as they took in the sight of her—smeared with dirt and blood, uniform jacket ripped at the shoulder, hair disheveled.

He knelt beside her, cuffing the now-limp man, before glancing at her face. “Damn, JJ.”

“I’m fine,” she muttered, brushing her lip with the back of her glove and wincing.

“You arrested him. But he got a few shots in first.”

JJ tried to smile, but it came out more like a grimace.

“You know Emily is going to lose her mind when she sees you, right?”

JJ’s face fell slightly. “Yeah,” she said softly. “That’s what I’m worried about.”

****

By the time they got back to the BAU, her bruises were already darkening. Her lip was still bleeding, and her ribs ached with every step. Emily was waiting just inside the bullpen, arms crossed tightly, eyes locked on the entrance.

She’d heard over comms that JJ was okay. Fine, they said.

But the moment JJ stepped through the glass doors, Emily’s breath caught in her throat.

JJ slowed under her stare—sharp, burning, flickering with restrained panic. Emily’s eyes scanned her from head to toe, lingering on the blood on her collar, the bruises already rising along her jaw, and the way she held herself just a little too stiffly.

“Jesus, Jennifer…” Emily whispered, her voice tight.

JJ gave a sheepish shrug. “He fought back.”

Emily didn’t speak. She looked like she wanted to—needed to—but couldn’t trust her voice to come out steady. Her jaw clenched. Her hands curled into fists. Her entire body was vibrating with the effort not to fall apart in front of everyone.

Then she moved—one step forward, brushing her knuckles over JJ’s uninjured cheek. She held her there, just for a second. Breathing her in. Grounding herself.

“Let’s go home,” she finally said, her voice low and controlled.

JJ just nodded, relieved.

****

JJ sat on the closed toilet lid in their bathroom, sighing as Emily gently peeled off her jacket. Her white tank top beneath was streaked with dirt and blood—some hers, some not.

Emily knelt in front of her, the first-aid kit open, her hands trembling as she reached for a cloth. She didn’t say anything for a long time. Just worked in quiet concentration, dabbing at the split lip, the cheekbone already turning a sickly shade of purple, and the scrape near her temple.

“I hate this,” Emily said finally, her voice cracking. “I hate seeing you like this.”

JJ gave her a small, aching smile. “I’m okay, Em.”

“You weren’t okay out there,” Emily whispered, brushing blonde hair behind her ear. “You were alone. You were hurt. You could’ve—” She stopped herself.

JJ reached up, her scraped hand cupping Emily’s cheek. “But I’m here. Because I had you and the team. Always.”

Emily leaned into the touch, then kissed her softly—so reverently, so carefully, like she was trying to piece JJ back together one kiss at a time.

JJ tugged her in closer, lips moving slowly, deepening with every pass, until they were both breathless and flushed. Their love surged in every press of their mouths, in every shared inhale, and in the desperate way their hands gripped one another.

“You’re my whole damn world,” Emily whispered, resting their foreheads together. “You don’t get to scare me like that.”

“I’d do it again,” JJ whispered back. “But I’ll try not to make a habit of it.”

Emily huffed out a wet laugh, eyes shimmering. “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up properly.”

***

Emily helped her shower, holding her steady under the warm water. She guided JJ’s movements, hands sliding over sore ribs and scraped skin with reverence, rinsing away the blood and grime. JJ let herself be taken care of. For once, she didn’t argue. She let Emily shampoo her hair, kiss her shoulder, and run a washcloth down her spine like a prayer.

When they stepped out, Emily wrapped her in a towel, pressing a kiss to her damp forehead.

JJ met her eyes. “You okay?”

Emily exhaled slowly, then nodded.

****

Later, in their bedroom, JJ lay back against the pillows as Emily climbed in beside her, reaching for the arnica cream and dabbing it on each bruise like it might erase the pain.

She kissed JJ’s temple.

Then her cheek.

Then the purpling bruise under her eye.

One by one, Emily kissed every scrape and mark she could find—her ribs, her knuckles, her jaw—each touch a vow, each kiss a silent never again.

JJ let her. Not because she needed it, but because she knew Emily did. Because the love in Emily’s touch was louder than any spoken words.

When Emily finally reached her lips again, JJ pulled her in tight, kissing her slow and deep. A kiss that said thank you, that said I’m here, that said I love you in all the ways words couldn’t.

“I love you,” Emily whispered, her forehead resting against hers.

“I love you too,” JJ breathed. “More than anything.”

They curled into each other beneath the sheets, legs tangled, hearts finally steady. JJ sighed into Emily’s shoulder, fingers tracing slow circles on her back.

“Next time,” Emily whispered, “let Morgan take the beating.”

JJ laughed, the sound warm against her skin. “Noted.”

And as the night closed in around them, Emily kissed her once more—right over her heart.

Because love, in the end, wasn’t just about showing up.

It was about staying.

Even when it hurt.

Even when it scared you.

Even when your person came home bruised and battered—because they came home.

And that was everything.

Chapter Text

The sun had already begun its slow descent over the horizon, casting gold across the stone tiles of their private villa. The pool shimmered beneath it, crystal clear and still—save for Emily’s lazy movements as she drifted near the edge, arms spread along the ledge, sunglasses on, skin sun-warmed and dripping.

She was waiting.

And, god, it was worth the wait.

When JJ finally stepped outside, Emily forgot how to breathe.

The red bikini was barely there—a wicked little number that clung to her curves like it was painted on. Her golden hair was piled up in a messy bun, stray strands kissing her flushed cheeks, and her hips swayed with sinful confidence as if she had no idea what she was doing to Emily.

But she knew.

JJ stopped at the edge of the pool, tilting her head with a smirk. “You’re staring.”

“I’m trying to survive,” Emily replied, her voice already thick. “But you just made it impossible.”

JJ didn’t answer—she just stepped into the water, slow and smooth, letting it rise over her thighs and her waist, the red of her bikini darkening as it soaked. Then, without a word, she dove beneath the surface.

Emily tensed in anticipation.

JJ surfaced right in front of her, gleaming and smug, then launched herself into Emily’s arms.

Emily caught her easily, hands sliding beneath her thighs as JJ wrapped her legs around her waist, pressing her body close and wet and perfect.

“God, I love when you do that,” Emily breathed, kissing along her jaw and down to the damp skin just behind her ear. “Get all clingy and greedy.”

JJ smirked against her throat. “I’m on vacation. I’m allowed to be greedy.”

Emily chuckled low in her throat, her fingers flexing over JJ’s ass. “You know I’m not going to stop you.”

“You never do.”

****

They moved effortlessly through the water, Emily guiding them to the center of the pool, JJ wrapped around her like a second skin. The water rippled around them, the sun painting them gold and pink as it sank lower in the sky.

JJ kissed her—deep and slow, tongue tracing Emily’s bottom lip before slipping inside, teasing and tasting. Her nails raked lightly across Emily’s shoulders as she pressed closer, their slick skin sliding together, hot and urgent.

“You taste like wine,” JJ murmured.

“You taste like my undoing,” Emily countered.

The kiss turned messier, wetter—more needy. Emily’s hands moved under the water, one gripping JJ’s ass while the other slid along her back and up to the string of her bikini top. She tugged slowly, eyes locked with JJ’s.

“You don’t need this anymore,” Emily growled, pulling the string loose and letting the red top drift from JJ’s body.

She didn’t even toss it—just threw it blindly over her shoulder onto the pool ledge.

JJ let out a breathless laugh that melted into a moan as Emily’s mouth found her chest.

The suction was immediate and unapologetic—Emily’s lips sealing around a peaked nipple, her tongue dragging slow, deliberate circles before her teeth scraped gently. JJ whimpered, fingers tangling in Emily’s hair, her back arching as heat spiked low and deep.

“You’re insatiable,” she panted.

“I’ve had a lot of time to fantasize,” Emily murmured against her skin before switching to the other breast with the same focused hunger. “And you wore this little red thing just to kill me.”

JJ didn’t respond with words—she reached down instead, tugging at the straps of Emily’s own bikini top. “Fair’s fair.”

With one swift motion, she pulled it off and tossed it onto the ledge beside hers. Then her hands slid over Emily’s breasts, cupping them, thumbs rubbing slowly over tight nipples, grinning when Emily’s breath hitched.

“I love how responsive you are,” JJ whispered, pressing wet kisses to Emily’s jaw, her neck, and down to her collarbone. “Like your body’s just waiting for me.”

“It is,” Emily rasped, nearly trembling beneath her.

They stayed wrapped up in each other, floating, kissing, exploring—slow, sensual worship. JJ rolled her hips deliberately against Emily, their bare chests sliding together with slick heat, water sloshing around them with every movement.

“I love you,” JJ said between kisses, her voice suddenly soft, reverent.

Emily looked at her—really looked—and smiled like it cracked something open inside her.

“I love you more than I know how to say.”

JJ rested her forehead against hers, both of them breathing heavily but steadily, grounding each other. “Then don’t say it. Just show me.”

And Emily did—with her hands, with her mouth, with the way she held JJ like she was the only thing keeping her heart alive.

Eventually, JJ curled against her chest again, sated for now, their legs tangling lazily as they floated.

“We should go inside soon,” JJ murmured, her voice low and spent.

“We will.” Emily smiled, brushing wet hair from her face. “When I’m done memorizing every inch of you.”

JJ grinned. “That might take a while.”

Emily met her gaze, eyes blazing with love and something far more primal. “Good thing we’ve got all night.”

And they did.

No interruptions. No cases. No team.

Just them.

Skin on skin, floating in sun-warmed water, tasting like heat and home and forever.

Chapter Text

Emily didn’t even hear the front door close behind her.

She was already halfway through the living room when her bag slipped from her shoulder and hit the floor with a dull thud. Her blazer followed, tossed somewhere near the couch. Her body moved on autopilot—depleted, sluggish, worn thin by the weight of the day.

This wasn’t just exhaustion. It was bone-deep. Her limbs were heavy. Her mind was fogged with too many hours of back-to-back meetings, budget disputes, a congressional oversight call that lasted forever, and too many names in too many files. The title Unit Chief sounded impressive on paper, but today it had felt like a millstone dragging her under.

She collapsed onto the couch without grace or thought, sinking into the cushions like she could disappear inside them. One hand dragged down her face. The other simply curled in her lap, fingers twitching from phantom typing.

Then came the sound that cut through everything: footsteps. Not distant, not rushed—purposeful. Familiar.

Arms circled her from behind, steady and sure. A chin brushed against her shoulder. A kiss landed just below her jaw.

“Long day, Chief?” JJ’s voice was low, teasing—just enough to make her eyes sting.

Emily exhaled. “You have no idea.”

JJ’s arms tightened around her, and she leaned in, nose skimming the line of Emily’s neck. “I’ve got you now.”

Emily turned her head slightly, allowing herself the indulgence of leaning into her. JJ’s hands found her biceps, thumbs tracing slow, soothing lines. She looked at Emily with a mix of affection and quiet concern, her brow furrowing as she studied her girlfriend’s face.

“You look like you haven’t breathed since breakfast.”

Emily let out a half-laugh, half-sigh. “ That’s optimistic. Garcia tried to schedule a working lunch. And Barnes's replacement wants a full review of the 2009 archives. Which is—” she broke off, defeated, “—madness.”

JJ leaned in and kissed her temple. It wasn’t a quick peck—it lingered, like she was trying to draw out the tension with her lips.

“Enough,” JJ whispered. “No more work talk. You’re not the chief tonight.”

Emily blinked at her. “Then what am I?”

JJ smiled as she took her hand and gently pulled her up from the couch. “You’re mine.”

****

Emily let herself be led—no resistance, just a quiet surrender. JJ brought her into the bedroom, already transformed. Candles flickered on the dresser. The lighting was low and golden, casting soft shadows across the room. One of Emily’s favorite jazz records played low in the background.

JJ turned to face her, fingers brushing Emily’s shirt collar.

“I can undress myself,” Emily murmured, though her voice was barely above a breath.

JJ met her gaze. “I know. But let me.”

There was reverence in the way JJ moved—fingers steady, deliberate. She unfastened each button like it meant something. With every inch of skin revealed, she pressed a kiss: to her collarbone, her shoulder, the hollow of her throat. Her touch wasn’t delicate—it was intentional, purposeful. It said, You’re safe. You’re loved. You can let go now.

Emily’s eyes fluttered closed. Her breathing slowed.

“Jennifer…”

JJ hushed her with another kiss, deeper now. Her hand slid along Emily’s jaw, anchoring her. The other rested just over her heart, feeling the frantic rhythm beneath her ribs.

“You give everything to everyone else,” JJ whispered. “Let me be the one who gives back.”

The kiss that followed was fierce in its tenderness. It wasn’t rushed. It was all-consuming. Lips met lips again and again, hungry and slow, until Emily was clinging to her, kissing back like it was the only thing keeping her together.

JJ eased her onto the bed, crawling up after her. Their bodies found each other easily, instinctively—legs tangling, hands roving, mouths barely parting. Emily’s fingers slid beneath JJ’s shirt, tracing muscle, feeling the heartbeat she trusted more than her own.

Every touch JJ gave was designed to soothe—her palms smoothing over tight shoulders, kisses trailing down the curve of her spine, her voice murmuring sweet nothings into the hush of the room.

“You don’t have to hold anything tonight,” JJ said. “Not with me.”

Emily shuddered. Her walls cracked open.

She let herself be undressed, let herself be touched and kissed, and cared for in a way she rarely allowed. JJ didn’t ask for anything—she just gave, over and over, as if love itself could be poured into someone drop by drop.

And it worked.

Emily came undone beneath her name, her fingers tangled in blonde hair, her gasps muffled against JJ’s shoulder. When it was over, JJ didn’t pull away. She stayed close, their limbs entwined, her hand trailing slow, grounding lines across Emily’s back.

For once, there were no thoughts of paperwork, no ghosts of old cases clawing at the corners of her mind. Just JJ and the steady drum of her heartbeat beneath Emily’s cheek.

“You feel different,” JJ said after a long silence. “Lighter.”

“I do.” Emily looked up, brushing her thumb along JJ’s cheekbone. “You made it all stop.”

JJ smiled and kissed her—softly this time, not to silence her, but to seal something in. “That’s the plan.”

Emily pulled her closer. “I don’t deserve you.”

JJ tucked the blanket around them and rested her forehead against Emily’s. “Tough luck. You’ve got me anyway.”

The world was quiet. The only sound was breath, the only light candle-gold, and the only feeling—peace.

“Thank you,” Emily whispered.

“Always,” JJ answered, already drifting into sleep.

And as Emily closed her eyes, she realized the weight of the BAU, the title, the pressure—it would all be there tomorrow.

But for tonight, she didn’t have to carry it.

Because JJ was already carrying her.

Chapter Text

“Then just leave!”

The words flew from Emily’s mouth like a blade she couldn’t pull back fast enough. Sharp. Final.

She didn’t mean them.

But JJ’s eyes went wide—shocked, hurt—before her expression steeled, lips pressed into a line as she grabbed her keys from the hook and turned for the door.

It slammed behind her hard enough to rattle the pictures on the wall.

Silence followed. Long and brutal.

Emily stood there, chest heaving, heart punching against her ribs like it wanted to chase after her before her mind had caught up. And when it finally did—the regret hit like a freight train.

“Fuck.”

The fight had been loud. Ugly. The kind you only have with someone who knows exactly where to hit you with their words. It had started with something small—something neither of them would remember by morning—but they’d both gone for the jugular.

And now… JJ was gone.

Emily didn’t bother with a coat. She didn’t grab her phone. She didn’t even lock the door behind her.

She just ran out into the rain.

It was pouring—sideways, sharp, relentless—but she didn’t care. Her boots pounded the pavement as she tore down the block, scanning every shadow.

Where would JJ go?

She didn’t even get past the corner when she saw her.

Sitting on the curb, knees drawn up, soaking wet. A portrait of heartbreak.

Emily stopped in her tracks. The ache in her chest bloomed so big she thought it might crush her.

JJ didn’t look at her. Didn’t speak. She just stared at the street, rain streaking down her face, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees like she was trying to hold herself together.

Emily didn’t speak either.

She walked forward, dropped to a crouch, and pulled JJ forward so she could slide her arms beneath JJ’s legs and back.

JJ didn’t resist.

She clung to her instead—arms around her neck, legs around her waist, holding on like Emily was gravity. Like she wanted to disappear into her and forget they’d ever fought at all.

Emily didn’t say a word.

She just carried her home.

The rain soaked them both to the bone. But JJ never let go. And Emily never loosened her grip.

****

When they got inside, the air was thick with everything unsaid.

Emily didn’t hesitate.

She walked them straight to the bathroom, set JJ down, and began undressing her with shaking hands—peeling away her wet clothes like they were armor she no longer needed. JJ helped silently, her eyes locked on Emily the entire time.

Once they were bare, Emily pulled her into the shower.

No pretense. No urgency. Just JJ pressed against her chest as the hot water poured down over them, washing away the storm but not the pain.

Their hands roamed with reverence, like each was relearning the map of the other’s body. Touches that said, I’m sorry, without needing to say anything at all.

Emily leaned in, her lips grazing JJ’s forehead. “I didn’t mean it.”

JJ closed her eyes.

“I was mad. I was scared. I lashed out. But I never—never—wanted you to walk out that door. I don’t ever want to watch you leave again. Not even for a minute.”

JJ’s hands slid up her back, clinging tightly. Her voice cracked when she whispered, “I’m sorry too. I love you, Emily.”

Emily kissed her like it was a vow.

It started slow—just mouths meeting with shared breath and tremors still caught in their bones. But it didn’t stay slow. Their mouths opened wider, their tongues slid deeper, and suddenly they couldn’t get close enough. The ache between them had flipped—pain into longing, fear into need.

JJ pressed her body fully into Emily’s, chest to chest, hip to hip, and Emily responded in kind—pressing her against the tile, one arm braced beside her head, the other roaming down her side, across her ribs, over her hip.

She kissed JJ with everything she had left.

And JJ gave it all back.

The water eventually turned cold.

****

They stumbled out in towels and into bed, barely making it under the covers before they were on each other again—kisses slick and desperate, hands everywhere. JJ pulled Emily in with a quiet gasp, nails raking lightly over her back. Emily groaned into her mouth, trailing kisses down her neck, over her collarbone, to the curve of her breast.

They moved like they were making up for every second they’d wasted in anger. Like they were rewriting what had been broken.

It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t careful.

It was honest.

Emily kissed the underside of JJ’s jaw, murmuring into her skin. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

And JJ whimpered back, eyes wet, heart open. “I’m yours. I always will be.”

They made love slowly, then hard, then slowly again—legs tangled, breath shared, pleasure unfolding between whispered promises and gasped apologies.

It didn’t matter who said what anymore.

It mattered that they found their way back.

Afterward, JJ curled into Emily’s chest, still breathless, their skin slick with sweat and love.

“I hated being away from you,” JJ whispered.

“You never will be again,” Emily promised, kissing her temple, her cheek, and her lips.

They drifted like that—wrapped in each other, the storm outside now a dull hum behind the windowpane.

All relationships have their fights. The kind where things cracked wide open.

But what mattered was what came after.

The holding. The healing. The choosing each other again and again, even when it hurt.

And tonight?

Tonight, love won.

Chapter Text

The music thumped low and steady through the bar, enough bass to rattle the high tables and pulse through the soles of Emily’s boots. It smelled like beer, sweat, and sticky floor mats—nothing glamorous, but after a brutal week chasing monsters, she and JJ had decided they deserved something simple, something messy and loud and full of alcohol.

And clearly… they’d committed.

JJ was already tipsy—blatantly tipsy—the kind that made her laugh louder, press closer, and get bolder with every sip. She was tucked into the booth right next to Emily, practically in her lap, her hand resting high on Emily’s inner thigh and sliding higher each time she “accidentally” giggled into her shoulder.

Emily was buzzed too, but holding it together—barely. Not when JJ was looking at her like that, biting her lip and tracing lazy circles against the inside of her thigh like it wasn’t driving her absolutely insane.

“You’re trouble,” Emily murmured, breath ghosting against JJ’s ear.

JJ’s grin turned wicked, eyes glittering in the low light. “And you love it.”

Before Emily could answer, JJ turned her face and kissed her—sloppy and hot and filled with tequila. Their lips clashed, mouths parting with heat, and JJ climbed into her lap like it was her damn seat. Emily’s hands found her hips instinctively, gripping hard.

The kiss was more show than subtle, more tongue than technique, and when JJ finally pulled away, her lips were red and swollen, and she looked so fucking pleased with herself.

“I’ll get us another round,” she purred, breathless, nipping at Emily’s bottom lip one last time before sliding off her lap.

Emily exhaled like she’d been punched, watching JJ strut toward the bar, a little wobbly on her heels, a lot flirty without meaning to be. Blonde hair loose and wild, her shirt clinging in all the right places, her hips swaying in a way that made Emily’s mouth go dry.

And Emily wasn’t the only one watching.

****

There was a woman—leaning against the bar already, tall, toned, brunette, predatory in her confidence. She spotted JJ like a shark in water, tracking her with a smirk and angling her body to intercept.

Emily saw it coming before it happened.

JJ didn’t notice—she was too busy trying to get the bartender’s attention, blinking through the blur of alcohol and music. The woman sidled closer, brushing her arm against JJ’s. A line was spoken—Emily couldn’t hear it—but JJ laughed, bright and unaware.

Emily’s hands clenched into fists.

The woman leaned in, said something else, then placed her hand on JJ’s hip—her hip—fingers splaying, thumb dragging just slightly beneath the hem of JJ’s shirt.

JJ blinked, still too drunk to register it as anything more than a friendly chat. She turned a little, smiling politely.

The woman leaned in closer.

Emily was done.

She didn’t storm over—no, she prowled. All simmering heat and dark intent. By the time she reached the bar, her eyes were burning holes into the woman’s smug little smile.

JJ turned just as Emily stepped up behind her—then gasped when Emily’s arm snaked tight around her waist, yanking her flush against her body.

“She’s taken,” Emily said, her voice low and dangerous, like the warning growl of a predator before it bites.

The woman raised an eyebrow, unbothered. “Didn’t see a ring.”

Emily’s eyes narrowed. “Didn’t realize I needed one to lay claim. But since you’re slow on context clues—she’s mine. Hands. Off.”

JJ melted into her instantly, tipping her head back against Emily’s shoulder with a soft, “Hey, babe,” like she’d just realized what was happening.

But Emily didn’t give the woman a chance to answer.

She spun JJ in her arms, cupped her face, and kissed her like it was a challenge. Like she was staking a claim. Like she needed everyone in that goddamn bar to know who JJ belonged to.

Their mouths crashed together, all open lips and possessive heat, Emily’s fingers tangling in JJ’s hair, the other hand squeezing her hip where that woman’s had just been. JJ gasped into her mouth, then whimpered, clutching at Emily’s shirt like she was seconds from begging for more.

When Emily finally pulled back, JJ’s lips were kissed raw, her eyes dazed.

“Jesus Christ,” JJ breathed. “You good?”

Emily didn’t take her eyes off the other woman, who was now glaring with a tight, awkward smile.

“Crystal,” she said, her tone sugar-sweet and venom-laced. “Unless you’d like to try again. I love repeating myself.”

The woman raised her hands and stepped back. “Loud and clear.”

Emily didn’t look away until the woman walked off. Then she turned her attention fully to JJ, whose pupils were blown wide, chest rising and falling like she’d just run a mile.

“That was…” JJ blinked. “...kinda hot.”

Emily handed her one of the drinks the bartender had just placed down. “She touched your hip.”

“I didn’t even notice,” JJ giggled, swaying. “I was thinking about your hands on my thigh. And your tongue in my mouth.”

Emily choked on a groan. “JJ…”

JJ leaned in close again, lips brushing Emily’s jaw. “You get hot when you’re jealous.”

“You get handsy when you’re drunk.”

JJ grinned. “Still am.”

****

They made it back to their booth somehow—JJ giggling the entire way, Emily dragging her hand up the back of JJ’s shirt in retaliation. JJ practically fell into the seat, and when Emily joined her, JJ immediately crawled into her lap again without asking.

“I’m going to ruin you tonight,” JJ whispered against her neck, drunk and breathy and bold.

Emily hissed out a breath. “You already are.”

JJ kissed her, tongue sweeping deep, wet, messy, and addictive. Emily’s hands curled against her ass as JJ rocked against her, slow and deliberate.

“I love you,” JJ whispered. “Even when you growl.”

Emily caught her bottom lip in her teeth. “I love you,” she growled back, “especially when I get to growl for you.”

JJ kissed her again. Filthy, hot, full of promise.

“You’re mine,” Emily muttered into her mouth.

“I know,” JJ smiled, nipping at her lips. “And I fucking love it.”

And that’s how they stayed—tangled up in each other, drunk on tequila and tongue, hands slipping beneath fabric like they didn’t give a damn who saw. The music thumped on. The lights blurred. The world faded.

Because sure, someone else could flirt with JJ.
They could try a line.
Make her laugh.
Even put a hand on her.

But only Emily got to make her melt.
Only Emily got the moans in her ear, the scratch of nails down her back, and the way JJ bit her lip like she was starving for more.
Only Emily got to take her home and tear her apart—one kiss, one whimper, one filthy promise at a time.

And tonight?

She wasn’t just going to remind JJ who she belonged to.
She was going to make her feel it—until her thighs ached and her voice was gone.

Over and over again.

Chapter Text

The bathroom glowed from the flicker of candlelight, shadows dancing across tiled walls. Steam hung thick in the air, infused with lavender and chamomile, softening every edge, turning the space into a sanctuary of heat and haze.

Emily sank into the tub first, a sigh slipping from her lips as the water enveloped her aching muscles. She let her head fall back, dark lashes fluttering shut, hair pinned in a loose bun to keep it dry. The water lapped at her collarbones, high and hot and perfect.

She didn’t have to open her eyes to know JJ was near.

The water shifted, and then JJ was there—sliding into the bath like a prayer answered. She eased herself between Emily’s legs, her back resting against Emily’s front with a familiarity that made Emily’s chest ache. Her hair curled with the steam, a few damp strands clinging to her neck.

Emily wrapped her arms around her waist and buried her face into JJ’s shoulder, inhaling her like oxygen.

“This,” Emily murmured, her breath feathering against slick skin. “This is exactly where I want to be.”

JJ hummed softly, her hands dipping below the waterline to cover Emily’s. “You smell like lavender.”
Emily grinned. “You’re my favorite smell.”

JJ tilted her head to the side, granting Emily more access.

Emily's lips dragged slowly across wet skin, tasting the slope of JJ’s neck, trailing kisses along the edge of her jaw. One hand slid up the front of JJ’s torso, gliding over her stomach, fingertips teasing the underside of one breast—nothing rushed, just the kind of slow reverence that said, You are everything.

JJ arched slightly into the touch, her breath hitching, back pressing tighter against Emily’s chest. Her hands reached back, threading into Emily’s hair, damp fingers tugging gently. She tilted her head further, exposing the line of her throat with aching trust.

“You always know how to touch me,” JJ whispered, her voice low and frayed.

“I know what you need,” Emily murmured, her mouth ghosting over her pulse point. “I always know.”

And then JJ shifted.

She turned in Emily’s arms, straddling her in one smooth movement. The water sloshed around them, heat rising with it. JJ’s thighs braced on either side of Emily’s hips, their bodies flushed together, breasts slick and pressed tight, lips hovering close—breath to breath.

The kiss, when it came, wasn’t soft.

It was deep, open-mouthed, all tongue and teeth and hunger. JJ moaned low in her throat as Emily’s hand slid beneath the water, gripping her ass and pulling her closer. JJ rolled her hips forward, grinding against her, slick and slow, water rippling around them with every movement.

Emily’s mouth dragged down her throat again, biting lightly at the junction where shoulder met neck.

“I missed this,” she murmured between kisses. “Missed you.”

JJ’s nails scraped lightly along Emily’s back, wet hands exploring every curve, every dip of her waist. Her fingers trailed back up to Emily’s shoulders, holding her in place as she kissed her again—slower this time, but no less intense.

Their tongues slid together, lips swollen, water sloshing around them like applause.

“I need you,” JJ gasped, her hips still moving. “Right now.”

Emily hissed at the friction. “You have me. Always.”

Her fingers slid between JJ’s thighs beneath the surface, and JJ gasped—loud and needy.
Emily kissed her hard to swallow the sound.
She curled her fingers in just the right way, and JJ’s entire body tensed.

“Fuck, Em…”

JJ’s forehead dropped to Emily’s shoulder, breath ragged against her neck. Emily worked her slowly, the water disguising just how thoroughly she touched her—until JJ’s thighs trembled around her waist, hips rocking helplessly with every thrust.

“Let go,” Emily whispered, kissing along her collarbone. “Let me take care of you.”

JJ’s head snapped up, mouth meeting hers again—desperate now. She kissed her like it was the only thing anchoring her to earth, her body moving faster, breath broken, hands gripping Emily’s shoulders with bruising strength.

And then she shattered.

Quietly, beautifully, with her mouth on Emily’s and her heart in her hands.

Emily held her through it, her free arm curled tightly around her back, keeping her grounded, keeping her close.

JJ clung to her as the waves subsided, her lips brushing Emily’s jaw, her skin flushed and trembling.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Emily pressed their foreheads together, brushing a thumb across JJ’s cheek.

“I love you. Always.”

They stayed like that for a while, breathless, tangled, water cooling around them.

Eventually, JJ smirked through the afterglow. “Your turn.”

Emily arched a brow. “Yeah?”

JJ slid a hand beneath the surface, her grin wicked and knowing. “Fair’s fair.”

The bath may have gone lukewarm, but what followed was anything but.

Steam wasn’t the only thing rising by the time they finally stumbled out, towel-draped and kiss-dazed, hands never straying far from each other’s bodies.

They hadn’t fixed the world.

But in each other’s arms, slick with love and water and need, they’d created something holy.

Something worth coming home to.

Every time.

Chapter Text

The case in Idaho was routine, efficient—textbook, even. But it had one complication, and her name was Officer Claire Ryan.

Claire was gorgeous. JJ had eyes; she could see it. Tall, lean muscle beneath a perfectly tailored uniform, a confident smile that bordered on cocky, and a presence that demanded attention. She was sharp too—tactically sound, quick on her feet, full of ideas. JJ might have respected her if she weren’t so damn handsy.

And if she could keep her hands off Emily Prentiss.

From the second they’d arrived, Claire had zeroed in on Emily like it was her job. Always standing too close, brushing Emily’s elbow when she made a point, offering her coffee with a wink and a “Didn’t know how you took it, but I made a guess.” And Emily, bless her, had just taken the cup with a smile and a distracted “Thanks,” like Claire wasn’t practically purring.

JJ watched it all in silence. Seething. Simmering.

In the SUV, Claire had wedged herself in the backseat beside Emily, knees almost touching, laughing too loudly at every joke Emily barely meant. She hung on her words in every briefing, took notes like Emily was reciting scripture, and seemed to forget entirely that JJ was standing two feet away, a badge and gun and full clearance be damned.

****

By the end of the day, JJ felt like a ghost.

She barely looked at Emily in the elevator up to their hotel room. Emily was still chatting, still going on about the evidence they'd gathered and the promising lead they’d be pursuing in the morning.

JJ didn’t answer.

Emily frowned as she slipped the key card in the door. “Babe? You okay?”

JJ breezed past her the second the door clicked open. “I’m fine,” she muttered, heading straight for the bed.

Emily blinked after her, confusion creasing her brow.

JJ tossed her blazer onto the chair, kicked off her shoes, and disappeared into the bathroom without a word. She showered quickly—alone, which was already a deviation from their usual ritual—and when she came back out, she found Emily waiting in a tank top and shorts.

JJ didn't speak. Just climbed into bed and turned her back to her.

Emily reached out, fingers trailing lightly along her hip. “Come lay in my arms?”

JJ jerked away from the touch. “No.”

Emily sat up straighter. “What’s going on?”

“If you want someone in your arms so bad,” JJ snapped, “why don’t you go find Officer Ryan?”

Emily froze. “What?”

JJ rolled over, glaring up at the ceiling. “You heard me. Or is she too busy scribbling ‘Mrs. Emily Ryan’ in her little fucking field notebook?”

Emily’s brows knit. “JJ…”

JJ sat up, eyes blazing. “Do you have any idea how she looks at you? How she touches you? She’s been throwing herself at you since we walked into that precinct, and you—” She scoffed. “You’re just smiling and letting her cling to you like it’s nothing.”

“I didn’t even notice,” Emily said, voice low.

“Exactly,” JJ hissed. “You didn’t notice. And you didn’t notice how I’ve been standing on the edge of losing my damn mind.”

Emily was quiet for a second, and then she moved—fast. She climbed over JJ, pushed her back into the pillows, and straddled her hips.

“Let me make one thing clear,” Emily said, her voice darker now. “I didn’t notice, because I don’t see anyone but you.”

JJ turned her head, stubborn. “You’ve got a funny way of showing it.”

Emily caught her chin and forced her to meet her eyes. “Look at me. You think I want anyone else? When I wake up beside you every morning aching to touch you before I even open my eyes? When I can’t go a full hour without thinking about the way you taste when you moan my name?”

JJ’s breath hitched.

“I don’t care about Officer Ryan,” Emily said. “She could strip naked in front of me and I’d still be thinking about how you look riding me in nothing but my t-shirt.”

JJ’s eyes darkened, her thighs tightening around Emily’s hips.

Emily leaned in, lips brushing her ear. “You’re mine, Jennifer Jareau. And I’m about to remind you why I’ll never need anyone else.”

JJ didn’t fight her. Not when Emily kissed her—deep and messy, tongue sliding against hers like she owned her mouth. Not when Emily ripped the sheets back and tore her shirt off, nails grazing her ribs, mouth latching onto her breast with a growl.

JJ gasped, arching into her, fingers clawing at Emily’s back.

Emily bit her lip, then kissed her way down—over her stomach, her hips, leaving a trail of heat in her wake. She slid her hands under JJ’s thighs and pulled her to the edge of the bed, spreading her legs wide.

“You’re dripping for me,” Emily whispered. “God, baby.”

She dropped to her knees and didn’t hesitate. Her tongue was filthy, ruthless—stroking, curling, pressing until JJ was writhing, her moans echoing off the walls. Emily sucked her clit into her mouth and groaned, and JJ came hard, grabbing the sheets with one hand, the other tangled in Emily’s hair.

But Emily didn’t stop.

She kissed her way up JJ’s body, leaving bite marks and bruises, dragging her fingers down her slick folds again. “You’re not done,” she said.

JJ whimpered. “Fuck, Em—”

“You’re gonna take everything I give you,” Emily said, her voice shaking with need. “And then you’re gonna come again with my name on your lips.”

And she did.

She fucked her with fingers and teeth and a dirty mouth full of possession until JJ shattered again—louder, messier, legs trembling.

Afterward, Emily pulled her close, wrapping her arms around her like armor. JJ curled into her chest, still panting, still dazed.

“I don’t care if the entire world throws themselves at me,” Emily whispered, stroking her hair. “You’re the only one I want. Always.”

JJ finally spoke, voice hoarse. “You mean it?”

Emily kissed her. “You’re it for me. No competition. No doubt.”

JJ closed her eyes, exhaling into the safety of her arms. “Good,” she whispered. “Because you’re mine too. I don’t share.”

Emily smirked. “Jealousy looks hot on you.”

“Shut up and kiss me.”

And Emily did—deep, possessive, devouring—because no one else would ever get the chance.

Chapter Text

The shot rang out like thunder.

Emily didn’t even have time to flinch. One second she was staring down the barrel of the unsub’s gun—frozen, breath caught in her throat—and the next, something slammed into her side, knocking the air from her lungs.

She hit the floor with a grunt, the world spinning—and when she scrambled up, blood roaring in her ears, JJ was on the ground.

Bleeding.

“No,” Emily choked.

JJ clutched her side, blood already seeping through her vest and between her fingers. Her face twisted in agony, her eyes fluttering with the effort it took just to stay conscious.

Emily crawled to her, panic rising so fast it made her nauseous. She barely registered the team shouting behind her—Morgan subduing the suspect, Hotch barking commands, Reid calling for a medic. It all faded into static.

Nothing existed except JJ.

“JJ,” Emily gasped, dropping to her knees, hands already moving. “Oh my God—JJ.”

JJ’s hand was slick with blood. Too much blood. Emily pressed both hands over the wound, desperate, terrified. JJ let out a strangled cry of pain, and Emily flinched but didn’t stop. Couldn’t.

“Stay with me,” she begged. “Stay with me. Please, baby, just keep your eyes on me.”

JJ sucked in a breath. Her lips moved. “Em…”

“WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!” Emily’s voice cracked like glass, rising above the chaos. “Why would you do something so—so reckless? That bullet was meant for me!”

JJ gave a pained smile, barely there. Her lips trembled. “Because I love you.”

It shattered something inside Emily.

She stared down at her—at the blood, at the woman who had just thrown herself into the path of a bullet for her—and the tears came hard and fast.

“I love you too,” she whispered, her voice breaking as she leaned down and touched her forehead to JJ’s. “You’re not allowed to die. You hear me? You don’t get to leave me.”

JJ’s breathing hitched. “Not going anywhere.”

“You better not,” Emily said fiercely, voice shaking. “You stay awake. Look at me, Jayje—just keep looking at me.”

JJ’s eyes fluttered. Her fingers curled in the front of Emily’s vest, weak but determined. “You’re shaking…”

“I’m terrified,” Emily whispered.

JJ smiled faintly. “We’re… even then.”

The sirens were louder now, close—but not close enough.

Emily didn’t move. She stayed on the floor with JJ cradled in her arms, blood soaking through her clothes, holding on like it was the only thing tethering her to the earth.

Because in that moment—it was.

****

The hospital hallway felt like purgatory.

Emily paced the sterile tiles, her boots sticking faintly with every step. She hadn’t changed. Couldn’t. JJ’s blood still stained her shirt, her sleeves, under her fingernails. She didn’t care. Let the staff stare. Let the world tilt off its axis.

Her hands trembled—fists she couldn’t unclench. Her jaw ached from how tight she was holding herself together. The clock ticked endlessly, taunting her.

Then, finally—finally—a doctor stepped through the swinging double doors.

“She’s stable.”

That was it.

That was all Emily needed.

She didn’t wait for another word. She pushed past the nurses’ station, ignoring their calls. She found JJ’s room by instinct, not direction—drawn like gravity. And when she saw her—pale and still in that too-white bed—everything inside her cracked.

She crossed the room in seconds. Her hands hovered, afraid she might hurt her—but then they found JJ’s face. Tender. Careful. Desperate.

Emily pressed a kiss to her cheek. Another to her temple. Her lips trembled as they brushed along JJ’s skin like a prayer. A sob broke loose—ragged, helpless—and she buried her face against JJ’s shoulder.

“I almost lost you,” she whispered.

JJ didn’t stir. The sedation was still heavy.

So Emily climbed into the chair beside her, never letting go of her hand. At some point—minutes or hours later—exhaustion dragged her under. Her head rested on the mattress, their fingers still laced together.

****

The room was dim and quiet when JJ stirred.

Her side throbbed with pain. Her throat burned. But none of it mattered.

Because Emily was there.

Curled beside her, head on the edge of the bed, holding her hand like a lifeline. JJ blinked slowly, her heart clenching.

She looked down at their joined hands. Emily’s grip was iron even in sleep.

JJ turned her head, her voice a whisper, barely air. "Em…”

Emily jolted upright. Her eyes locked on JJ’s instantly—wide, stunned, and already filling with tears.

“Hi,” JJ murmured, weak but smiling.

Emily didn’t speak. She just looked at her like she was seeing a miracle. Her lips trembled, and then she reached out, cupping JJ’s face with both hands like she couldn’t believe she was real.

“You took a bullet for me,” she finally said, voice cracking under the weight of it.

JJ’s smile faltered. “And I’d do it again.”

Emily blinked fast, trying to breathe. “Jesus, JJ, you could’ve died.”

“But I didn’t.”

“You almost did,” Emily said, her voice hollow with remembered terror. “You almost died right in front of me. I watched you fall. I saw your blood and—I couldn’t breathe. I’ve never been that scared in my life.”

JJ’s eyes glistened. “I had to keep you safe.”

“You think that makes it easier?” Emily let out a strangled sound. “If I lost you—I wouldn’t know how to go on. Losing you would destroy me."

JJ reached up, slow and trembling, and brushed Emily’s cheek. “And that’s exactly why I’d do it again. There is nothing—nothing—I wouldn’t do to protect you.”

Emily leaned in, forehead pressed against JJ’s. “Don’t you dare ever do that again.”

“I can't baby,” JJ whispered. “But I can promise this—I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me.”

Emily laughed through her tears, and then she kissed her—full, aching, reverent. A kiss that said I’m here. You’re here. We made it.

JJ’s hand slipped behind her neck, holding her close even as her muscles protested.

When they finally pulled apart, Emily rested her head on JJ’s shoulder and whispered, “I’m not leaving this room until you can come home."

“Good,” JJ murmured, eyes closing again. “Because I need you here.”

And Emily stayed.

Because JJ took a bullet for her.

Chapter Text

Emily Prentiss was many things: a seasoned profiler, a multilingual badass, the woman who’d faked her own death and stared down war criminals.

But she was also, as JJ was discovering, a complete and utter baby when she had the flu.

JJ balanced a tray with soup, tea, and a thermometer as she nudged the bedroom door open with her foot. The room was dim, lit only by the glow of the bedside lamp illuminating Emily’s dramatically cocooned form.

“Don’t come in,” Emily croaked from beneath a fortress of blankets. “It’s not safe. You’ll catch it. Save yourself.”

JJ rolled her eyes and crossed the room anyway, setting the tray on the nightstand. “It’s the flu, Emily. Not the plague.”

One bloodshot eye peeked out. “That’s what they said at the CDC in Contagion before everyone dropped dead.”

“You watched Contagion while you’re sick?”

“For research,” Emily rasped, retreating beneath the covers like a Victorian widow in mourning.

JJ tugged the blanket down just enough to rest a hand against Emily’s flushed forehead. “Your fever still feels high.”

“I’m not going to make it,” Emily whispered. “Tell my mother I love her.”

“You don’t talk to your mother,” JJ reminded her flatly.

“Then tell her she won,” Emily muttered. “She always said I’d die alone and under-appreciated.”

JJ pinched the bridge of her nose. “You’re in our bed, surrounded by three kinds of tea, freshly fluffed pillows, and a girlfriend who called off work to take care of you. I don’t think ‘alone and under-appreciated’ really fits here.”

Emily groaned.

“You are the worst sick person,” JJ added.

“I’m suffering,” Emily replied, dramatically.

“No,” JJ said, completely unimpressed. “You’re dramatic.”

“I need a bell,” Emily murmured, turning onto her side with a cough. “Something silver. Elegant. With a dignified chime. So I can summon you without straining.”

“You’re getting broth. And a thermometer.”

Emily groaned like she’d been handed her last rites.

JJ climbed into bed beside her, careful not to jostle the pile of blankets. “Drink your tea.”

“You drink your tea.”

“Em.”

With great reluctance, Emily took a small sip, as if it offended her very soul.

“See?” JJ said. “Not so bad.”

“I want to file a formal complaint.”

“With who?”

“The Nurse Girlfriend Ethics Committee.”

“Oh,” JJ said, smirking. “I am the committee.”

“…Figures.”

JJ kissed her forehead—slow and lingering. “You’re going to be okay. Just a nasty flu.”

“If I die,” Emily sniffled, “you have to wear something tragically appropriate to my funeral. A long black veil. Or a mourning pantsuit.”

JJ just smiled and pulled the blanket up to Emily’s chin, tucking her in with care. “I love you.”

A faint smile ghosted across Emily’s lips as she nestled closer, her head resting against JJ’s shoulder. “Love you.”

JJ’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Always.”

Emily drifted off soon after, cocooned in warmth and quiet devotion, JJ’s fingers stroking through her hair—steadfast, watchful, and wrapped in love.

****

A few hours later, Emily stirred.

The light had faded, the soup had gone cold, and JJ was still there—back propped against the headboard, case file half-read in her lap.

Emily blinked sleepily, then burrowed her cheek into JJ’s side, nuzzling like a cat seeking warmth. “You’re still here.”

JJ immediately set the file aside, turning to her. “Of course. How are you feeling?”

Emily blinked up at her, eyes glassy with fever and something tender. “Can you hold me?”

JJ didn’t hesitate. She slid fully down beside her, curling an arm around Emily and guiding her close.

Emily melted into the embrace, one arm around JJ’s waist, her leg tangling with hers, forehead tucked under JJ’s chin like she needed to be closer than skin. She trembled slightly, her breath uneven against JJ’s neck.

“I don’t want to be alone,” she whispered.

“You’re not,” JJ murmured. “You never are.”

Emily’s hand slid beneath JJ’s shirt, fingers pressing against her side—not seeking, just grounding. Her other arm tightened, anchoring herself as if JJ’s heartbeat was the only thing keeping her tethered.

“Stay like this?” she whispered. “Please.”

JJ adjusted the blankets around them both and kissed the crown of her head. “As long as you need.”

There was no more teasing. Just the weight of Emily’s fevered body in her arms, her breathing growing steadier, her grip loosening but never leaving.

“I feel better when you hold me,” she murmured.

JJ kissed her again—slow, reassuring, real. “Then I’ll hold you for as long as it takes.”

And when Emily finally drifted back to sleep, wrapped around her like something fragile and precious, JJ tightened her hold, whispered I love you against her skin, and closed her eyes too.

Because here, with Emily wrapped around her, was exactly where she belonged.

Chapter Text

The fireworks started slow.

Soft whistles, a few low thuds—bright bursts of red and gold blooming in the night sky above Quantico’s Fourth of July celebration. But JJ wasn’t watching the sky.

She was sitting between Emily’s legs on a blanket spread out on the grass, tucked away from the crowd, the noise, the lights. Emily’s arms wrapped loosely around her. But her hands? Anything but innocent.

JJ felt it first—fingertips brushing the inside of her thigh beneath the blanket. Just the suggestion of a touch. Just enough to make her thighs part, subtle, instinctive. Just enough to offer permission.

“You’re so tense,” Emily murmured, voice low and teasing, lips brushing the shell of JJ’s ear. “Thought I’d help you relax.”

JJ bit down on a groan. “We’re in public.”

“We’re in the dark,” Emily replied smoothly, her hand sliding higher. “And I know you. You’re already soaked, aren’t you?”

JJ’s breath hitched. Her fingers curled tightly into the edge of the blanket as Emily’s touch climbed higher, grazing bare skin under her shorts. Her whole body leaned back, chest rising in shallow, broken breaths.

“You want to play a game?” Emily whispered, palm cupping heat now, pressing through the fabric. “You can’t make a sound. Not until the finale.”

JJ’s hips twitched—chasing contact.

Emily smirked against her neck. “You break the rules and I stop.”

A threat. A promise.

JJ whimpered, too quiet to count, then tilted her head back—offering her mouth. Emily met it, kissing her deep and messy and full of need. Their tongues tangled hot and filthy, and Emily swallowed the gasp she pulled from JJ when her fingers curled slow against her clit.

Then she pulled back, smug and devastating. “No sounds, remember?”

A firework cracked above—red and blue.

Emily slipped her hand beneath JJ’s panties.

“Fuck,” JJ whispered, barely audible.

“Mm-mm,” Emily hummed, kissing along her jaw. “I’ll let that one slide. But only because you’re already dripping.”

JJ’s thighs trembled as Emily’s fingers circled her clit—slow, perfect torment. She bucked once before Emily wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her tight against her chest.

“Stay still, baby,” she murmured. “Let me take care of you.”

JJ whimpered behind clenched teeth, grinding helplessly against her hand.

“I can feel how badly you need it,” Emily whispered, mouth moving over her cheek, her temple, her throat. “All that tension in your body, all that pressure. Poor thing. You’ve been thinking about this since the moment we left the house, haven’t you?”

JJ nodded quickly, her hand sliding up to the back of Emily’s neck, anchoring herself.

“I fucking knew it,” Emily growled. “You love the risk, don’t you? Getting fingered like this with families just a hundred feet away. Fireworks for the town—” she pushed a finger inside, slow and deep “—and fireworks just for us.”

JJ’s back arched. Her head tipped back again—this time, Emily took her mouth like she owned it. Their kiss was rough, filthy, breathless.

Another explosion in the sky—white and silver blooming overhead.

“You’re doing so good for me,” Emily cooed, filthy and sweet. “So tight and needy. You wanna come on my fingers, baby?”

JJ could barely nod. Her eyes were glazed, breath catching on every slow thrust.

“Be good,” Emily whispered. “Take it. I want to feel every fucking pulse.”

She added a second finger—curled just right—and JJ shattered.

Her entire body bowed. A silent scream on her lips, muscles locking, trembling, breath gone. She came in Emily’s arms, clenching around her fingers, falling apart completely.

Emily held her through it—fucking her through every wave, her lips brushing JJ’s ear.

“That’s it, beautiful,” she whispered. “Come all over my hand. Let me feel how sweet you are.”

JJ collapsed back against her, panting, spent.

****

The grand finale burst in the sky—rapid-fire color and chaos, red and blue streaks glowing through the trees.

JJ blinked, dazed. She tilted her head back again, catching Emily’s mouth in another kiss—tongue sliding deep, slow and greedy.

“You’re evil,” she rasped.

Emily smiled against her lips. “You love it.”

“You’re damn right I do.”

Emily’s fingers were still inside her. Barely moving. Just enough to tease.

“You think we’re done?” she whispered. “I haven’t even tasted you yet.”

JJ groaned.

Emily kissed her again, long and dirty, then murmured:

“Let’s go home, baby. I’m not done lighting you up.”

Chapter Text

Emily Prentiss was not easily shaken.

She’d stared down serial killers, chased war criminals through Eastern Europe, and once disarmed a bomb. But this? This was different.

The engagement ring had been with her for three months, two weeks, and four days. She’d memorized the way the diamond caught the light, how the platinum band curled around sapphires that matched the color of JJ’s eyes when she was about to laugh. She’d spent hours with Penelope choosing it—hours trying not to cry at the thought that maybe, finally, she got to have this. A future. A family. Forever.

But the proposal? That’s where everything unraveled.

She’d drafted speeches only to burn them. Scouted rooftops and restaurants, only to back out last minute. Paris? Too cliché. A candlelit dinner? Too orchestrated. A mountaintop hike? They weren’t “granola lesbians,” and she refused to propose to JJ while she was sweaty and winded. She wanted perfect. Because JJ was perfect.

Meanwhile, JJ had started to notice.

Emily thought she was being subtle—minimizing browser tabs when JJ walked by, pretending she wasn’t pricing string quartets or Googling “spontaneous but not cheesy lesbian proposals.” But JJ had been an agent too long not to read the signs. The nervous tension. The distracted staring. The way Emily once asked, “Do you think sex proposals are tacky?” and immediately pretended she hadn’t spoken.

JJ had waited long enough.

If Emily couldn’t find the right moment, JJ would create one herself.

***

It was a Friday night. Emily was curled on the couch in leggings and one of JJ’s old college shirts, sipping red wine, half-watching Casablanca.

JJ walked in barefoot, wearing nothing but Emily’s crisp white button-down—no pants, no bra, just sun-kissed legs and the smug confidence of a woman about to change her life. Her hair was damp from the shower, clinging to her collarbone in a way that made Emily’s mouth go dry.

The wine paused mid-sip. “Damn,” Emily murmured.

JJ straddled her lap in one fluid movement and kissed her—slow and deep, like she was in no rush to breathe again. Then she pulled back just enough to whisper, “We need to talk.”

Emily stiffened. That never meant anything good.

Her stomach dropped. “Okay,” she said carefully, setting her wine down with hands that weren’t as steady as she wanted.

JJ cupped her face. “I don’t want to be your girlfriend anymore.”

Emily froze.

The words hit like a punch to the chest. Panic rushed in, fierce and disorienting.

“You—what?” Her voice cracked, her entire world tilting on its axis.

JJ didn’t respond quickly enough.

And in that silence, Emily’s mind spiraled.

She saw it—JJ packing a bag. Her side of the bed empty. No more Sunday mornings. No more lazy dinners or late-night laughter. Just silence. Just loss. Just absence.

Her voice wavered, rising in desperation. “Jaye—if I did something wrong, if I pushed you away—I can fix it. I’ll be better. Please, just… don’t go. Don’t leave me.”

Her fingers gripped JJ’s thighs like she could physically hold her there, like letting go would mean watching her walk away forever.

JJ’s heart cracked wide open. Emily was unraveling—composure shredded, fear etched into every word, her breath coming in short, sharp bursts.

JJ acted fast.

She cradled Emily’s face with both hands, pressing their foreheads together. “Emily. No, no—baby, no. I didn’t mean it like that.” Her voice trembled. “Look at me. Look at me.”

Emily’s eyes darted, glassy and wild.

JJ kissed her—firm and urgent, a tether pulling her back from the edge.

“I meant I don’t want to be your girlfriend…” She took a shaky breath. “Because I want to be your fiancé.”

And then she dropped to one knee.

Emily’s breath hitched.

JJ pulled a small velvet box from beneath the couch and opened it to reveal a ring—classic and stunning, a radiant diamond flanked by sapphires that shimmered like they’d been stolen from the sky.

Tears spilled down Emily’s cheeks.

JJ looked up at her, steady and sure. “Emily Prentiss… will you marry me?”

Emily choked out a sob, then whispered, “Yes.”

JJ’s face broke into a smile that stole Emily’s breath all over again.

“Yes,” Emily repeated, louder now, laughing and crying all at once. She threw herself forward, tackling JJ into a kiss that was desperate, relieved, and electric.

JJ slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly.

Emily stared at it, overwhelmed. “You’re unbelievable.”

JJ grinned. “You took too long.”

Emily laughed through her tears. “I know. I’ve had a ring in my bag for weeks. I just… I kept waiting for the perfect moment. I wanted it to be everything. I wanted to give you the world. And I got scared I’d mess it up—because I love you so much, it terrifies me sometimes.”

JJ’s expression softened. She reached up and touched Emily’s cheek. “This is perfect. You know why? Because it’s you. You—crying, rambling, telling me you love me—in our home. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Not some fancy view or choreographed flash mob.”

Emily let out a shaking breath.

JJ pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “I want you. You’re my once-in-a-lifetime. And I want to marry the love of my life.”

Emily kissed her again—deep and aching, lips parting, tongues tangling, fingers burying into damp blond hair. It wasn’t enough. Nothing ever would be. She broke away just long enough to sprint to her bag, yank out a smaller, scuffed velvet box, and rush back.

JJ was still kneeling, flushed and glowing.

Emily didn’t drop to one knee.

She pulled JJ into her lap, heart pounding, hands trembling, and opened the box between them—inside, a sleek gold band with a single, slightly off-center diamond. Clean. Strong. Unapologetically Emily.

“Jennifer Jareau,” she whispered, “will you marry me?”

JJ didn’t hesitate. She grabbed her by the collar and kissed her so hard they both gasped.

“Yes,” JJ said against her lips. “God, yes.”

They kissed again, hungrier now. Urgent. Needy. Clothing was shed between kisses. Emily’s hands slipped beneath the white shirt and pushed it off JJ’s shoulders, while JJ tugged Emily’s shirt over her head and dropped it somewhere on the floor.

“Bedroom?” Emily panted.

JJ shook her head, eyes blazing. “Here.”

She eased Emily down onto the rug, straddling her again, thighs firm against her hips, rocking down as her mouth found Emily’s again—tongues sliding, breath hitching, heat rising.

They made love on the living room floor—slow and messy and dizzying. Kisses between moans. Promises whispered against skin. Emily’s fingers inside her. JJ’s nails raking down her back. A crescendo of gasps and yeses and more, until the world went silent and everything else disappeared.

****

Later, tangled under a blanket, both rings catching the soft light of the still-playing Casablanca, Emily whispered, “So this is what perfect looks like.”

JJ kissed her neck, smiling. “Perfect looks like us.”

Emily grabbed her phone and sent Penelope a photo of their intertwined hands, both rings catching the glow.

Garcia: YOU’RE ENGAGED??? I NEED EVERY DETAIL. Also: called it. I knew JJ would propose first.

Emily snorted softly.

JJ peeked up, sleepy and glowing. “What’d she say?”

“She said she knew you’d beat me to it.”

JJ grinned. “She’s not wrong.”

Emily rolled them over and kissed her again—slow, deep, lingering. “You knew exactly what I needed.”

JJ cupped her cheek, eyes shining. “You. Just you. That’s all I’ve ever needed.”

And Emily made love to her again—slower, reverent, as if every kiss was a vow and every touch a promise.

Because it was.

Forever had officially begun.

Chapter Text

It had been weeks.

Weeks since Doyle. Since the warehouse. Since that piece of wood tore into her flesh, everything after had gone dark and spinning and red.

The stitches were gone, the bruising had faded—but the scar remained.

An uneven gash on her abdomen. Pale now, no longer angry or raised, but jagged. Ugly. At least to her.

Emily stood in the bathroom under the unforgiving light, staring at herself in the mirror. Her shirt was rucked up, bunched beneath her arms, her fingers poised just above the scar. She hadn’t touched it. Not yet. But she kept looking.

The problem wasn’t just the way it looked.

It was what it meant.

That scar marked the moment she lost control—when she failed to stop Doyle from getting too close, from getting in. It reminded her of being powerless. Of lying there, bleeding, thinking she might never make it back to JJ.

And since then, no matter how much her body healed, something inside her remained closed off.

Every time JJ’s hand slid across her stomach at night, she flinched. She tried to hide it, but JJ noticed. Of course she did. JJ always noticed.

And still, JJ never pushed. Never asked for more than Emily could give. But the distance between them was starting to ache.

Emily missed her.

God, she missed her.

****

The creak of the hallway floorboard. JJ moved quietly, but with intent. Emily didn’t need to turn—she knew that step, that presence. She always would.

“Em?”

Her voice was soft and low. Concerned, but not pressing.

Emily didn’t answer right away. Her gaze stayed fixed in the mirror.

Finally, she said, “I hate it.”

JJ stepped up behind her, close enough to feel the heat of her. Her arms slipped slowly around Emily’s waist. She didn’t speak. Just rested her chin on Emily’s shoulder and met her eyes in the mirror.

“You hate what?” she asked gently, though she already knew.

Emily’s voice was barely above a whisper. “The scar. The reminder. That I let him get that close. That I let it happen.”

JJ tightened her arms around her. “You didn’t let anything happen. He attacked you. And you survived.”

Emily’s throat bobbed. “Barely.”

“But you did,” JJ said, her voice firm. “You came back to me.”

Emily closed her eyes. “I haven’t felt like me since.”

JJ’s lips brushed the shell of her ear. “Then let me remind you who you are.”

Emily pulled in a breath, wavering. “I want to be with you. I need to be with you. But every time we get close, and your hand even brushes that spot, I panic. I—I can’t breathe.”

JJ turned her so they were facing each other. “You’re allowed to be scared.”

“I don’t want to be,” Emily said, eyes suddenly glassy. “I miss touching you. I miss being touched. But I feel like I’m broken.”

JJ reached up and cupped her face. “You’re not broken. You’re alive. And you’re the strongest person I know. That scar doesn’t make you less—it proves how much more you are. You fought. You won.”

Emily looked down, her voice small. “It still feels like he took something from me.”

JJ didn’t rush. She kissed her once, slow and deep. “Then let’s take it back.”

Emily met her eyes. “I want to. I want to feel you again.”

JJ searched her expression. “Are you sure?”

Emily nodded, slowly but with certainty. “Yes. Just… help me remember that I’m yours.”

JJ leaned in once more, her lips slow and full of promise, her hand sliding up beneath Emily’s shirt. She didn’t pull it off right away. She gave Emily time. Let her breathe into the kiss.

When Emily finally raised her arms, JJ tugged the shirt off and let it fall to the floor. Her gaze dropped to the scar, but she didn’t flinch. Instead, she knelt down and pressed her lips directly to it. Soft. Deliberate.

Emily gasped, a hand flying to JJ’s shoulder.

JJ kissed the scar again, her voice a murmur against skin. “This isn’t ugly. This is where I almost lost you. But I didn’t. Because you’re stronger than death. Stronger than him.”

Emily’s eyes filled again. She reached for her, pulling JJ up and into another kiss, desperate, messy, and grateful.

Hand in hand, they moved to the bedroom.

****

They undressed each other slowly—touches lingering, breaths short. JJ kissed down Emily’s neck, across her collarbone, mapping each spot she’d missed. Emily moaned when lips met her chest, her back arching for more.

When they reached the bed, JJ eased her down first. But Emily surprised her—pulling JJ to straddle her, kissing her like she was starving.

She was starving. For closeness. For connection. For her.

JJ let her set the pace.

Emily’s hands trembled as they roamed JJ’s skin, but her kisses grew more confident. She kissed across JJ’s chest, down her ribs, learning her again like a prayer.

JJ’s fingers slid into Emily’s hair as her mouth found the sensitive skin, drawing a gasp that vibrated between them.

“I missed you,” JJ said through a shaky breath.

Emily looked up at her, pupils blown, lips slick. “I’m still yours. I always was.”

JJ rolled them gently, slowly but surely, and kissed her all the way down. She trailed over Emily’s ribs, past her stomach—paused again at the scar, kissing it for a third time.

Then she moved lower.

Her mouth was reverent, her tongue sinful. Emily cried out, hips lifting, thighs trembling.

She came with a sob caught in her throat, JJ’s name on her lips like a plea. Her hand gripped the sheets, the other tangled in JJ’s hair, and for a few long seconds, there was only light and heat and the glorious feeling of being alive.

JJ climbed back up and kissed her, slow and deep, while Emily was still shaking.

And then it hit her.

****

The tears came before she could stop them.

JJ pulled her in without hesitation. Emily collapsed into her neck, her chest heaving, clinging like she might never let go.

“I’m sorry,” Emily choked out. “I don’t know why I’m crying. I shouldn’t—”

“Stop,” JJ whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple. “You don’t have to explain. Let it out.”

Emily sobbed harder, her body trembling. “I thought I lost myself. I thought he took it from me. But being with you—like this—it’s the first time I’ve felt whole in weeks.”

JJ held her tighter. “You’re still whole. Even in the moments you can’t see it—I see it. I see you, Em. All of you.”

Emily shook with the weight of it all. She clung to JJ like a lifeline, chest pressed tight, breaths shallow.

JJ ran her fingers through her hair, the other hand stroking her back. “I’m so proud of you,” she whispered. “You’ve fought so hard. You came home.”

Emily let out a watery laugh. “I did.”

JJ kissed her again, on the shoulder and the corner of her mouth. “And you’re not alone. You never were. I love every inch of you, Emily. Every scar. Every freckle. You’re mine.”

Emily looked up at her, tears still falling, but her lips quirked into something close to a smile. “You make me feel seen.”

“Because you are,” JJ whispered. “I see you.”

They stayed wrapped up together, legs tangled, hearts still racing. The sweat on their skin cooled, the silence between them soft and sacred.

Eventually, Emily exhaled. A breath she didn’t know she’d been holding for weeks.

And when JJ kissed her again, slow and full of promise, Emily kissed her back with everything she had.

She wasn’t broken.

She was loved.

And she was finally coming home to herself—scar and all.

Chapter Text

Emily’s heels clicked against the pavement with a kind of mechanical precision, each step a hollow echo against the night. Her jaw was clenched so tightly it ached, her shoulders rigid from holding it together for too long. Her palms were stinging—she hadn’t realized she’d been digging her nails into them through the entire dinner.

She made it to the car before the tears started, but only just.

The engine purred to life as she sat behind the wheel, knuckles white against the steering wheel. Her mother’s voice still rang in her ears, cutting and cruel with every perfectly enunciated word.

“You’ve wasted every opportunity I gave you.”

“You used to be such a promising young woman. You were poised. Disciplined. Now you parade around in bulletproof vests and boots like you’re some kind of action movie extra.”

“I always hoped you’d grow out of this… phase. But now you’re just shacking up with another woman who’s too wrapped up in herself to see the shame you’ve brought to this family.”

“You could have had a real career. A future.”

“You look exhausted. You’ve aged terribly.”

Every word had landed like a knife, and still—still—Emily had smiled politely, sipping her wine, pretending she hadn’t been gutted at the table of some overpriced French restaurant. She had nodded when her mother criticized her posture, her wardrobe, her job, her body. Pretended to laugh when she brought up the “harmless” suggestion of setting her up with a “young ambassador’s son who just moved to DC.”

JJ had once told her she had the patience of a saint when it came to her mother. But tonight, Emily had run out.

****

By the time she pulled into the driveway, she was sobbing so hard she could barely see. Her entire body trembled. The steering wheel vibrated under her grip like it was alive, or maybe that was just her hands—rattling from the pressure of keeping it all in.

She barely managed to open the door. Her keys shook in her hand as she fumbled with the lock.

Before she could get it in, the door swung open from the inside.

“Em?”

JJ’s voice—steady, anchoring, home.

Emily’s breath hitched. She blinked, eyes wide and red-rimmed, but the moment she saw JJ—blonde hair messy, sweatshirt sleeves pushed up, barefoot and concerned—she completely broke.

A sob tore from her throat, and she collapsed forward. JJ caught her instantly.

“Oh god—Emily.”

Arms wrapped around her, holding her close, guiding her inside. The door clicked shut behind them, but the sobs didn’t stop. Emily was shaking, her face buried into JJ’s shoulder as she sobbed like the ground had fallen out from under her.

JJ just held her. Strong, steady arms around her back, hand stroking her hair. No questions. Not yet. Only whispered shushing, her lips brushing Emily’s temple. She walked her slowly backward until they landed on the couch, Emily practically in her lap, knees curled in, hands fisting the front of JJ’s sweatshirt.

When her cries finally slowed, JJ’s fingers threaded through her hair and rubbed slow, grounding circles into her back.

“Talk to me,” she whispered, voice low and close to Emily’s ear.

Emily’s voice cracked. “She told me I looked haggard. That I had let myself go. That I used to be someone she could brag about.”

JJ’s grip tightened slightly.

“She said… she said I’m wasting my life,” Emily choked out. “That I threw away a future to play cop. That I should be married to a diplomat, or a lawyer—someone who makes her proud. Not you.”

JJ stilled. “She said that?”

“No. She didn’t say your name. She called you a ‘mistake I keep making.’ Like you’re something I’ll outgrow when I finally come to my senses.”

JJ was quiet. Her silence thundered in the space between them.

“I just sat there and took it,” Emily whispered. “Because I keep hoping… every time, I think maybe she’ll say something kind. Something decent. Something that tells me she’s proud of who I became.”

“And she never does,” JJ finished for her, her voice raw.

Emily shook her head, throat tight. “I’ve been with you for years, and she still pretends you don’t exist.”

“She’s a coward,” JJ said, with heat behind it. “And a hypocrite. And completely blind to the incredible woman her daughter is.”

Emily laughed, brokenly. “You’re biased.”

“I’m not biased. I’m in love.” JJ pulled back just far enough to look at her, her thumb brushing over Emily’s wet cheek. “But I’m also right.”

She kissed her—fierce, slow, certain. Her hand slid around to the back of Emily’s neck, anchoring her in the kind of kiss that mended things without a single word. Emily whimpered softly against her lips, the sound of grief melting into comfort.

JJ kissed her again, and again—each one a balm. Her lips traced a path from Emily’s jaw to her temple, her nose, the corners of her mouth.

“I love you,” she whispered. “All of you. Even the parts she’s too cold to see.”

“I just… I want to be held tonight,” Emily said, voice cracking.

“You don’t even have to ask.” JJ pulled her close again, wrapped around her completely. “I’ve got you. Always.”

****

They sank into the couch cushions together, legs tangled, JJ’s fingers stroking slowly through her hair as Emily finally, finally began to breathe again.

“I hate that she makes you doubt who you are,” JJ whispered. “Because the woman in my arms? She’s the strongest person I’ve ever met. She’s kind, and brilliant, and beautiful—and yes, she’s exhausted, because she spends her life saving other people.”

Emily swallowed hard and turned her face to press a kiss to JJ’s neck. “Thank you for saying that.”

“You don’t ever have to earn love here,” JJ said softly. “You already have it. Unconditionally.”

Another kiss. Longer this time.

And in the stillness of their home, surrounded by nothing but steady breaths, quiet reassurance, and the rhythmic thrum of JJ’s heart under her ear, Emily felt something begin to settle inside her again.

Not healed. Not yet.

But held.

And that was a start.

****

Two months later, the sky over D.C. was a smudge of gray and lavender, the kind of dusky light that clung to the horizon in early spring. The restaurant was upscale, of course. Elizabeth Prentiss didn’t do casual.

Emily stood outside the glass doors, her hand tightly clasped in JJ’s. She wore a sharp blazer and boots that clicked authoritatively with every step—she looked stunning, confident. But inside, her stomach still twisted with the old familiar dread.

“She texted me five times in the last hour,” Emily muttered, rolling her eyes.

JJ squeezed her hand. “Let her wait a few more minutes. Make her sweat.”

Emily smirked despite herself. “You’re wicked.”

“I’m in love,” JJ said simply. “And incredibly petty when someone hurts you.”

They stepped through the entrance together, JJ’s hand sliding into the crook of Emily’s arm—not clinging, but claiming. Emily felt her spine straighten as they crossed the dining room. This time, she didn’t feel alone.

Elizabeth was already seated, wine glass in hand, her lips pursed in disapproval the moment she saw them.

“You brought company,” she said, without standing.

“I brought my girlfriend,” Emily replied coolly, sliding into the chair beside JJ. “You remember Jennifer.”

JJ offered a perfectly poised smile. “Pleasure, Ambassador Prentiss.”

Elizabeth didn’t smile back. “I thought this would be a conversation for just the two of us.”

Emily arched a brow. “That’s not how my life works anymore.”

The silence that followed was icy, brittle.

Dinner barely lasted twenty minutes.

Elizabeth, true to form, wasted no time. Her complaints were couched in elegance, but the venom still stung: Emily’s job was still “too male-driven,” her apartment “cramped,” her appearance “borderline unkempt.” JJ was referred to only in vague terms—“this lifestyle,” “these choices,” “such an unconventional path.”

Emily sipped her wine calmly through it all, JJ’s hand resting against her knee beneath the table like a tether. But when her mother muttered, “I still can’t understand why you insist on throwing your life away like this,” Emily set her glass down.

The sound was sharp and deliberate.

“I think we’re done here.”

Elizabeth blinked. “Excuse me?”

“I said, we’re done.” Emily stood, napkin tossed over the edge of her plate. “You don’t get to speak to me like that anymore. You don’t get to insult my career, my life, or the woman I love.”

Elizabeth scoffed. “Emily, really. Must we make a scene?”

“I’m not making a scene,” Emily said, voice steady. “I’m setting a boundary. You’ve spent years belittling me and calling it parenting. I don’t need your approval. I never did.”

She turned and extended a hand to JJ, who rose immediately, pride radiating from her like a second skin.

“I wish you well, mother,” Emily said, voice now low but lethal. “But I won’t keep sacrificing my peace to make space for your disappointment.”

Without another word, she walked away—JJ at her side, heels clicking in sync across the marble floor.

They burst through the doors into the cool night air, adrenaline crashing through Emily’s chest. She didn’t realize she was shaking until JJ pulled her in.

“You did it,” JJ whispered, brushing her hands down Emily’s arms. “You stood up to her.”

Emily’s face crumpled, but it wasn’t the same as before. It wasn’t grief—it was release.

JJ cupped her cheeks, tilted her face up, and kissed her—deep and sure and grounding.

“I am so proud of you,” JJ said against her lips. “So damn proud.”

Emily laughed through tears, breath catching on the edge of something that felt like freedom. “I love you. I couldn’t have done that without you.”

JJ kissed her again, slower now, thumb brushing beneath her eye.

“You did it for yourself,” she said. “I was just the girl lucky enough to watch you do it.”

Emily laughed again, hiccuping slightly, her forehead resting against JJ’s.

“Let’s go home,” JJ said, tugging her toward the car. “Let’s ditch these fancy clothes, order burgers, and cuddle until we fall asleep.”

Emily grinned, catching her hand. “That sounds like everything I’ve ever wanted.”

And this time—leaving that restaurant, walking into the night, hand in hand with the woman who saw every part of her and stayed—Emily felt completely, undeniably whole.

Chapter Text

JJ went down hard.

The alley was tight and cluttered, the brick walls closing in like a trap. Dumpsters, broken pallets, shattered glass—the kind of place that echoed your breath and stank of rot and rain. The unsub had been desperate, his boots slapping against the wet concrete as he rounded the corner with JJ on his heels.

He shouldn’t have had time to think. Shouldn’t have had time to grab anything.

But he did.

A splintered wooden board leaned against a rusted-out bin, and in one wild, flailing motion, he turned and swung it.

Emily rounded the corner just in time to see it connect.

The crack was sharp and sickening, echoing through the alley. JJ’s head snapped sideways, her legs giving out before her weapon even dropped from her hand.

Emily screamed her name, sprinting as JJ crumpled onto the filthy concrete.

The unsub tried to run—tried being the key word. Morgan came in from the other end like a freight train, slamming the man to the ground with a roar and a fist to the jaw.

Emily didn’t look. She didn’t care. The world had narrowed to one thing.

Jennifer.

JJ’s body was twisted unnaturally, one arm pinned beneath her, her hair soaked red and matted to her temple. Blood was already spreading beneath her head, mixing with the dirty runoff from the alley and the shattered remains of a beer bottle.

Emily dropped to her knees so fast they scraped against the pavement.

“JJ?” she breathed, hands fluttering over her. “Jayje, come on, baby—open your eyes.”

She reached out and cradled JJ’s face, her fingers shaking uncontrollably. JJ’s skin was cold beneath her palm, clammy. Her chest rose and fell, but her eyes didn’t open. There was no sound, no groan, no flicker of awareness.

Emily’s breath caught, then broke.

“Medic!” she screamed, voice hoarse and wild. “We need a medic—now!”

Her hands pressed against JJ’s cheeks, thumbs swiping blood away like it would help. She bent closer, desperate for any sign of recognition.

“It’s me, okay? I’m right here. You’re gonna be fine, just—just hang on. Please hang on.”

Garcia’s voice crackled through her earpiece, asking what was going on. Someone else shouted they had the unsub in custody. Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder.

But none of it registered.

A pair of EMTs rounded the corner, and one of them dropped to JJ’s other side with a duffel bag already unzipped. The other pulled at Emily’s shoulder.

“Ma’am, we need space—”

“No, no, don’t—don’t touch me!” Emily snapped, trying to stay close. “She’s—she needs me—”

“We’ve got her,” the medic said calmly, but firmly. “Let us do our job.”

Hands pulled her back. She resisted, struggled, but Rossi wrapped strong arms around her and held her still.

“Let them help her, Emily.”

“She’s bleeding,” Emily choked out. “She’s not waking up. Rossi, she’s not—”

“I know,” he said, his voice steady even though his eyes weren’t. “She’s going to be okay. Just breathe.”

Emily couldn’t. Not really.

JJ lay still as the EMTs worked. A neck brace was fitted. Bandages pressed tight against the wound. IV started. Oxygen mask strapped on. Emily watched it all through a haze, her fists clenched so tight her nails broke skin.

She had seen JJ take hits before. Seen her bruised, bloodied, limping out of shootouts with that stubborn, unbreakable fire in her eyes.

But this?

This felt different.

JJ wasn’t moving.

And for one agonizing moment, as they lifted her onto the gurney and wheeled her toward the flashing lights Emily felt something deep in her chest give out.

A part of her splintered with the board.

She stumbled after them, barely registering the sticky blood drying on her hands, the sting in her knees, or the fact that she was shaking so hard it looked like she was freezing.

Spencer touched her arm. “You riding with her?”

Emily nodded numbly. “I’m not leaving her.”

She climbed into the ambulance before the doors slammed shut behind her, the world outside blocked by metal and sirens.

Inside, JJ’s hand was still limp in hers.

And Emily didn’t know if she’d ever feel it squeeze back again.

****

Emily didn’t remember walking into the hospital, or how she ended up sitting outside Trauma Room 3. Her palms were stained red. She didn’t know if it was JJ’s blood or her own from clenching her fists too tight.

The nurse tried to comfort her, but Emily couldn’t hear anything past the buzzing in her ears and the echo of that wooden crack.

“She’s stable,” the doctor finally said. “Concussion. No fracture, no brain bleed. But she’s unconscious for now—let her rest.”

They let her see her.

JJ lay pale and still under sterile white sheets, a butterfly bandage on her temple, her golden hair matted with blood. Emily sat beside her and didn’t speak. She just reached for JJ’s hand and brought it to her lips, pressing kisses to each knuckle like a prayer.

“C’mon, baby,” she whispered. “I’m right here. I’ve got you.”

JJ didn’t move.

Emily leaned forward, brushing a strand of damp hair from her forehead. “You’re the strongest person I know, please don’t make me beg.”

Her voice cracked. She cradled JJ's hand against her cheek.” “Please wake up.”

****

When JJ finally stirred, Emily was still at her side.

It started small—a twitch of her fingers, the slightest shift of her shoulder against the stiff hospital sheets. Emily was on her feet in an instant, the chair screeching slightly behind her, heart thundering in her chest.

“Jayje?” she whispered, stepping closer. “Baby, hey… you’re awake.”

JJ’s eyelids fluttered. Her lashes moved. Slowly, she blinked against the sterile light above her and turned her head toward Emily.

Her gaze was hazy at first—confused, bleary from sleep or medication—but it settled. It landed on Emily.

Emily reached out and gently took her hand, squeezing it like it was the only anchor she had left.

“You’re okay,” she said softly, coaxing. “You’re in the hospital. You got hurt, but you’re safe now. We’re safe now.”

JJ blinked again, her expression calm but uncertain.

And then—so gently it almost didn't register—she asked, “Who are you?”

The words didn’t hit like a blow.

They hit like a collapse. Like something deep and sacred crumbling in her chest all at once.

Emily’s breath caught. Her grip on JJ’s hand faltered.

“I’m—” She swallowed hard, voice catching. “I’m Emily. We’ve worked together for years and… and we’re…”

The words tangled.

Girlfriend felt too light. Lover felt too heavy. Everything felt too dangerous.

She tried again. “You and I, we’re… together. We’ve been… together for a long time.”

JJ stared at her, brow furrowed, as if searching her face for something familiar.

“I’m sorry,” she said finally. “I don’t… remember you.”

Emily nodded numbly, trying to swallow the shard of glass in her throat. “That’s okay,” she managed, even though it wasn’t. Not even close.

JJ’s eyelids drooped again, the drugs dragging her back under. Within moments, she was asleep.

Emily sat down slowly, like her bones had forgotten how to hold her weight.

The silence in the room expanded, pressing against her ribs, echoing inside her skull. The steady beep of the monitor was the only thing that told her time was still moving. That the world hadn’t stopped—even though hers had.

JJ didn’t know her.

Her girlfriend of three years—the woman she’d fallen for slowly, impossibly, and then all at once—had looked at her like a stranger.

She stared at the pale hand resting in hers, the one that used to trace circles on her stomach after long days. That hand had held hers in hotel rooms, in coffee shops, in secret and out loud. That hand had reached for her in the middle of the night more times than Emily could count.

And now it didn’t know her.

Tears filled her eyes, blurring JJ’s face on the pillow, but she didn’t blink them away. She let them fall—quiet, unrelenting.

Because she remembered.

She remembered everything.

****

Their first real night together in that little Boston hotel, when JJ had whispered stay and pulled her into bed like it was the most natural thing in the world. Emily had been terrified to breathe wrong, and JJ had just smiled, curled into her side, and said, This doesn’t have to be anything but ours.

She remembered movie nights on the couch with JJ pressed close. She remembered road trips with windows down and JJ singing off-key to '80s ballads. She remembered lazy Sunday mornings where they made pancakes and made love.

She remembered JJ laughing so hard she cried, hips shaking, hands on her stomach as Emily botched yet another home improvement project.

She remembered JJ’s fingers sliding into her hair before a kiss, her breath hot against her lips, the way she always said God, I missed you like it was a prayer.

She remembered the way JJ said I love you—with her eyes, her touch, her mouth—like it was inevitable.

And now, JJ was lying there—breathing, alive—but somewhere else entirely.

What if she never came back?

What if those memories—those nights, those kisses, those whispered jokes in the dark—were only Emily’s now?

Emily bent forward and pressed her forehead to the back of JJ’s hand.

“I need you to come back to me,” she whispered, voice shaking. “Please. I don’t know how to do this without you.”

The machines continued their rhythm. JJ’s chest rose and fell.

And Emily sat there in the glow of fluorescent lights, holding on to hope with shaking hands and a breaking heart.

Because she couldn’t lose her.

Not like this.

****

Hours later, the worst was over.

After another round of neurological tests and a final CT scan, the doctors confirmed what Emily had barely allowed herself to hope: the amnesia had been temporary. A concussion-induced fog, short-lived, with no long-term damage expected. JJ had emerged from it steadily, clarity returning with each hour.

“She’s lucky,” the attending said, patting Emily’s shoulder before leaving the room. “She’ll be just fine.”

Emily nodded, murmured a thank you—and then just stood there. Frozen. Unmoored.

Now, JJ was settled in a quieter recovery room. The harsh fluorescent lights were dimmed. The world had stopped spinning, but Emily hadn’t.

She sat in the armchair by the bed, cradling JJ’s hand, pretending to sip a cup of coffee that had long gone cold. She’d grabbed it out of habit, along with the blanket from JJ’s go-bag—navy, soft from years of use, still smelling faintly of home.

JJ stirred beside her.

This time when her eyes opened, they were alert. Focused. Blue and clear and so familiar that Emily felt something seize in her chest.

JJ turned her head, blinking sleep from her lashes. “Hey,” she murmured, voice scratchy but certain.

Emily set the cup down too fast, coffee sloshing over the rim. “Hey,” she whispered, sitting forward. “How… how do you feel?”

JJ gave a small wince as she shifted against the pillows, one hand instinctively reaching up to touch the bandage at her temple. “Feels like I lost a bar fight with a two-by-four. Remind me never to chase anyone into an alley again.”

Emily huffed out a shaky laugh, gripping JJ’s hand tighter. “I told you that three years ago.”

JJ smiled at her, soft and steady. But her smile faltered slightly when she really looked at Emily.

“Hey,” she said. “Are you okay? You look like you haven’t breathed in hours.”

Emily blinked at her. She hadn’t expected the question—not like that. Not with JJ looking at her like everything was normal. Like she hadn’t just forgotten the most important part of her life for hours.

“I’m okay,” Emily said automatically. Then her throat tightened. “I’m not.”

JJ’s brows knit. “What is it?”

Emily swallowed. Her lips parted once, then closed. She looked away.

“You didn’t know who I was,” she said finally, her voice breaking on the words. “When you woke up earlier. You looked right at me and… nothing. Just blank. You asked me who I was.”

JJ’s eyes widened. “I did?”

Emily nodded, unable to stop the tears this time. “It was like losing you while staring straight at you. I kept thinking—what if you never remembered? What if that version of you was the one who stayed?”

JJ’s eyes widened. She looked away for a beat, then back at her. “Oh, sweetheart."

She reached for her without hesitation, tugging her closer. Emily let herself be pulled into JJ’s arms, her body sinking against her like gravity had finally found her again.

“I didn’t know,” JJ whispered, lips pressing to Emily’s temple. “I’m so sorry.”

Emily buried her face in JJ’s shoulder, the sob escaping before she could stop it. “I didn’t know what to say. I tried—I wanted to tell you what we are. But nothing felt right. Not girlfriend. Not partner. Not even lover. It all felt… too small.”

JJ held her tighter, wrapping both arms around her, one hand sliding up into her hair. “Then don’t say anything,” she murmured. “Just stay.”

Emily nodded against her. “I was so scared.”

JJ kissed her cheek. “I know. I can feel it in you. But I’m here now.”

Another kiss—on her forehead this time. Then her nose. Her jaw. Her mouth.

Each one gentle, grounding.

“I remember everything,” JJ whispered. “The lake house. The birthday cake you tried to bake and nearly set the kitchen on fire. You dancing in the living room in your socks. The way you kiss me when you think I’m still asleep.”

Emily smiled through the tears. “You were gone for a few hours, but it felt like a lifetime.”

“I wasn’t gone,” JJ said, resting their foreheads together. “I was just lost in the dark. But I fought my way back to you.”

They stayed wrapped around each other, breaths synced, heartbeats steadying.

“You’re everything to me, Emily,” JJ whispered. “Always.”

Emily nodded against her shoulder, her heart finally beginning to believe it.
And outside, the first light of morning crept through the window—soft and slow and certain.

Chapter Text

The front door slammed hard enough to rattle the picture frames.

Emily didn’t care.

She dropped her bag with a thud and kicked off her boots with angry precision—one hitting the wall and the other spinning to land awkwardly halfway into the hallway. Her jacket followed, flung toward the coat rack but landing on the floor like it, too, had betrayed her.

“Long day?” JJ’s voice came from the kitchen, cautious but still kind.

Emily rolled her eyes and headed straight for the fridge. “You could say that,” she muttered, yanking the door open.

Inside: an empty Brita pitcher.

She slammed the door shut hard. “Seriously?”

JJ appeared in the doorway, holding two plates. “I made pasta. I figured you might be—”

“I’m not hungry,” Emily snapped, grabbing a glass and slamming it under the tap. The rush of water was loud. Too loud.

JJ’s jaw tensed. “Okay. But maybe just sit—”

"Jesus, JJ—I aid I’m not hungry. Why can’t you just listen?"

Silence. Heavy. Sharp.

JJ stared at her, lips pressed together. Then her spine straightened. “You know what? I’ve been patient. I’ve been understanding. But I’m not your punching bag, Emily.”

Emily flinched, barely.

JJ didn’t soften. “You come home pissed off and act like I’m the enemy for trying to help? I live here too. I’m your girlfriend, not your pressure valve.”

Emily opened her mouth—then closed it. Her throat ached. Her hands clenched the edge of the counter.

JJ shook her head, turned on her heel. “Come find me when you remember I’m not the problem.”

She left the kitchen without another word. Her footsteps on the stairs hit like stones in Emily’s chest.

Emily stayed rooted, staring into the empty glass like it might offer her answers. Her knuckles were white. Her jaw ached from how hard she was clenching it.

She wasn’t mad at JJ.

She was drowning. Under expectations. Under pressure. Under the constant weight of being the one who never cracked. The one who always led.

Unit Chief meant no room to break.

But she had. All over JJ.

****

Fifteen minutes passed before she could breathe right.

Another ten before she could walk upstairs.

The bedroom door was half-shut. She pushed it open slowly. JJ was on the bed, her legs curled up, her arms crossed like she was holding herself together.

“Can I come in?” Emily’s voice was small. Frayed.

JJ didn’t answer. But she didn’t say no.

Emily stepped in, then sat beside her, just barely close enough to touch. Her hands fidgeted in her lap.

“You were right.”

JJ’s eyes cut to her, cool and unreadable.

“I was awful,” Emily said. “Not to anyone else—just to you. The one person who would’ve let me fall apart without judgment.”

JJ stayed silent.

Emily looked down at her hands. “Being Unit Chief… it’s brutal, Jayje. I can’t admit when I’m drowning. I can’t break. So I save it. I bottle it. And then I came home and saw you—being everything I didn’t think I deserved—and I lost it.”

JJ’s voice was quiet. “You made me feel like a burden.”

“I know,” Emily whispered. Her throat burned. “And it’s killing me.”

She reached for JJ’s hand, brushing her fingers over it. “I didn’t mean to shut you out. I didn’t mean to hurt you. You are not the problem—you’re the only damn thing that keeps me breathing most days.”

JJ didn’t pull away.

Emily shifted, sliding off the bed to kneel in front of her. “Please let me fix this. Let me love you the way you deserve. The way I should have the second I walked in the door.”

JJ’s expression cracked. “You were such a jerk.”

“I was,” Emily agreed. “I didn’t even look at you. I snapped. Slammed doors. Treated you like an afterthought when you’re… everything.”

JJ touched her cheek, brushing a tear that Emily hadn’t realized had fallen.

Emily caught her hand, held it to her face, then kissed her palm. “I love you more than anything. Please—please don’t let one terrible night make you doubt that.”

JJ’s eyes shimmered. “Come here.”

Emily surged up, pulled her into a kiss—desperate, messy, full of apology and ache. JJ met it with equal force, her fingers burying in Emily’s hair, holding her like she didn’t want to let go.

Emily kissed her again and again—her lips, her cheeks, her neck, anywhere she could reach.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered between kisses. “I love you. God, I love you so much.”

JJ tangled her fingers in Emily’s shirt, tugged her closer until they were pressed chest to chest. “Then show me.”

Emily didn’t need to be told twice.

She kissed her again, longer this time. Slower. Her hands slid up under JJ’s shirt, touching skin like it grounded her. JJ moaned softly into her mouth, her hips shifting forward, knees parting slightly.

Emily melted.

“I don’t deserve you,” she whispered, pressing kisses down JJ’s throat. “But I want to spend the rest of my life trying to.”

JJ cupped her face. “Stop saying that. You do. But I need you to talk to me. I need you to come home to me, not storm past me.”

“I will,” Emily promised, pulling her onto her lap. “I swear it.”

They kissed again, deeper this time, their hands moving more urgently, not with lust but with aching need—need to reconnect, to reassure, to hold.

Emily pulled her even closer, wrapping her arms tight around her. “You forgive me and I just—I want to bury myself in you. Crawl under your skin and stay there.”

JJ laughed breathlessly. “You’re such a damn sap.”

“Only for you,” Emily murmured, kissing her again. “Only ever for you.”

They sank back onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, never breaking contact. Emily kissed her forehead, her shoulder, her collarbone. She whispered apologies into every inch of skin she could reach.

They lay there for hours, tangled in blankets and each other. JJ tracing lazy patterns on Emily’s back. Emily pressing kisses against JJ’s temple every few minutes like she was trying to make up for all the ones she didn’t give earlier.

“I don’t want to be that person who slams doors,” Emily whispered against her neck. “I want to be the one who brings you flowers and rubs your feet and writes you notes you’ll make fun of.”

JJ smiled against her skin. “You’re already that person. You just had a really bad day.”

Emily tightened her hold. “Thanks for letting me come back.”

JJ kissed the corner of her mouth. “Just promise you always will.”

“I promise.”

And when Emily finally closed her eyes, it wasn’t with the weight of the world on her shoulders—

It was with JJ’s hands in her hair, JJ’s heartbeat under her cheek, and the solid, steady truth that no matter how bad the day was…

This love was stronger.

Chapter Text

The motel room was quiet in the way that only late nights could be—TV off, phones silenced, just the low hum of the air conditioner and the occasional creak of settling pipes. JJ leaned in the bathroom doorway, arms crossed, watching Emily struggle with her shirt like it was a stubborn enemy.

"You're doing that thing again," JJ said.

Emily froze mid-button, her shoulders tensing. “What thing?”

JJ stepped forward, voice steady. “The 'I’m fine, totally fine, nothing hurts at all' thing. You flinched taking off your jacket. You've been rubbing your ribs since we got back. You staggered when you turned too fast.”

Emily exhaled, like she’d hoped to fool JJ a little longer. “The medic said I was okay to be in the field. I’m cleared, JJ.”

“Emily, you were in a car crash. A real one. You rolled down a hillside in an SUV. You crawled out of the wreckage with a concussion and bruised ribs and then threw yourself back into chasing down a killer like none of it happened.”

“I had to.” Her voice was tight. “Schrader was out there.”

JJ’s expression didn’t budge. “And now he’s not. The case is over. He’s dead. And you're still pretending none of it touched you.”

Emily dropped her hands, exhausted. “I’m just trying to keep it together.”

“You don’t have to hold it in with me.”

JJ’s voice wasn’t just kind—it was firm. She walked over and stood in front of her, close enough that Emily couldn’t dodge her gaze.

“You always do this,” JJ said quietly. “You wear your strength like armor. But you don’t have to shield yourself from me. Not tonight. Not ever.”

****

Emily sat down slowly on the edge of the bed. Her shoulders curled inward, defensive, like she could hide the pain with posture. But JJ saw through it. Always did.

Emily gave a thin laugh. “I can’t fall apart now. That’s the rule, right?”

JJ knelt in front of her, took both her hands. “No, Emily. The rule is we survive the case. And then we deal with what it did to us. You’ve been pretending for hours that you're unshakable. But I know you. I love you. And I’m not going to let you carry this alone.”

Emily’s eyes flickered with something JJ rarely saw—fear. Not of Schrader. Not of the crash. Of being known too deeply, of letting herself be seen cracked instead of in control.

“I watched him kill Bunting,” Emily whispered. “I saw Schrader wrap his hands around his neck and—” Her voice caught. “I couldn’t get there in time. I was dizzy, I couldn’t see straight. I was two steps away and it felt like miles.”

JJ squeezed her hands. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“I keep thinking... if I’d blacked out driving back, if that SUV had rolled one more time, if I hadn’t managed to crawl out—” Emily blinked rapidly, looking up at the ceiling like the tears would retreat if she didn’t look at JJ. “I could’ve died.”

JJ’s heart clenched. She sat beside her on the bed, then shifted behind her slowly, wrapping her arms around Emily’s waist from behind, mindful of her injuries.

“You didn’t,” she whispered. “You’re here. With me. You came back.”

“But what if I hadn’t?” Emily asked. “What would you have done?”

“I don’t want to think about that,” JJ said honestly. “I would’ve shattered. But you’re here. That’s what matters now.”

Emily turned slowly in JJ’s arms, not bothering to hide the tears tracking silently down her cheeks. “I tried so hard not to cry in front of the team.”

“You don’t have to try with me.”

JJ kissed her. Tender. Slow. She kissed her tears, her cheek, the corner of her mouth, her jaw. Emily melted into it, arms winding around JJ’s shoulders like she was finally too tired to hold herself together.

JJ ran a hand through Emily’s hair, then kissed her again—deeper, but still slow. It wasn’t about heat. It was about being alive. About not wasting time pretending they didn’t need each other.

“I love you,” JJ whispered. “You don’t always have to be strong.”

Emily let out a breath, shaky but lighter. “I don’t know how to stop pretending.”

JJ pulled back just enough to look at her. “You start by letting me take care of you.”

Emily nodded. The fight in her had dulled—not from weakness, but from finally knowing she didn’t have to keep fighting alone.

JJ helped her out of the rest of her clothes, pausing when Emily winced. A large bruise bloomed across her ribs, dark and angry.

JJ’s expression tightened. “God, Em.”

“It looks worse than it is.”

“It looks like you were thrown down a mountain.”

Emily managed a weak smile. “That’s… accurate.”

JJ helped her into a soft t-shirt and shorts. Then she guided her back onto the bed, propping pillows behind her.From the fridge, JJ retrieved an ice pack and the arnica cream. She rubbed the cool balm gently into the bruises on Emily’s side, her other hand resting protectively against her ribs.

“I know you hate this part,” JJ murmured.

“I do… but I love you.”

JJ smiled and leaned down to kiss her again. “Good answer.”

She settled in beside her, pulling the blankets up over them both. Emily sighed as she relaxed into JJ’s body, her head on JJ’s chest, fingers curled into her shirt.

For a while, they lay like that, quiet. Emily’s breathing evened out, the tremors in her limbs easing. JJ kept one hand tracing slow lines down her back, grounding her.

“I should’ve told you sooner,” Emily said eventually. “I should’ve let myself feel it sooner.”

“We’ll work on it,” JJ said softly. “This right now is all that matters.”

Emily lifted her head and kissed JJ—this time with more certainty, like saying thank you with her mouth.

JJ kissed her back and cupped her face. “You’re allowed to break sometimes. And when you do, I’ll always be here to hold you together.”

Emily rested her forehead against JJ’s. “I love you.”

“I love you more.”

JJ pulled her in tighter, as if daring the world to try and take Emily from her again. But Emily didn’t resist. She let herself be held, let the tears fall quietly, while JJ kissed her temple and kept whispering that she was safe.

They stayed like that until Emily’s tears stopped, until her body stopped fighting sleep, until her breathing slowed to the steady rhythm of trust.

Because she was here.

Because JJ had her.

And finally, Emily stopped pretending to be okay—because with JJ, she didn’t have to be.

Chapter Text

JJ’s voice was calm, measured—the same tone she used during interrogations. But there was a thread of warning in it, barely concealed behind the sweet smile JJ gave as she turned toward the cart.

Emily froze, one foot still halfway toward the snack aisle. “What?”

“You promised to stick to the list.”

Emily blinked, completely unrepentant. “Technically, I haven’t added anything yet.”

JJ looked down into the cart.

“Emily,” she said again, this time dragging out the syllables like a mother addressing a misbehaving child.

A family-size bag of sour gummy worms. Two king-size Twix bars. Something that looked suspiciously like jalapeño Doritos.

JJ arched an eyebrow.

Emily shrugged, unapologetic. “Okay, now I’ve added a few things. But in my defense… we need joy in our lives, Jennifer.”

JJ crossed her arms, standing firm beside the dairy case. “You are chaos with a credit card.”

Emily beamed and stepped closer, slipping an arm around JJ’s waist. “And yet, you chose me.”

JJ sighed, though her smile was impossible to hide. “I did. God help me.”

Emily leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “God had nothing to do with it.”

****

Saturday morning grocery runs had become their thing—tucked in between cases and long nights at the BAU. JJ insisted they stay on track, follow a list, and get in and out without spending $300 on snacks. Emily, however, treated every aisle like an obstacle course.

JJ was halfway through ticking off the produce section when she realized Emily was no longer beside her.

She turned. “Em?”

No answer.

She pushed the cart back two feet and spotted her girlfriend crouched behind a mountain of oranges.

“What are you—”

Emily popped up dramatically, holding a perfect apple in each hand. “Romeo or Gala?”

JJ blinked. “We already got Honeycrisps.”

“Ah, but variety is the spice of life,” Emily announced, tossing one apple lightly into the air and catching it.

“Do not juggle produce.”

“Too late,” Emily whispered and launched into a clumsy three-apple juggle that ended, predictably, with one apple bouncing across the floor toward an elderly woman, who blinked, confused.

JJ clapped a hand over her face. “We are never allowed back here.”

Emily jogged to retrieve the runaway fruit. “We are absolutely coming back next week. This is our store.”

JJ couldn’t stop the laughter bubbling up, even as she shook her head.

She steered the cart toward the leafy greens. “Get your stupid apples and come on.”

Emily obeyed—tossing one more Honeycrisp into the cart with flair—then reached for JJ’s hand, brushing their fingers together before interlacing them. “You love me.”

JJ didn’t answer, just squeezed her hand and brushed a kiss to her knuckles as they moved on.

****

In the cereal aisle, war broke out.

JJ reached for her usual choice—something responsible and whole grain—and dropped it into the cart with confidence.

Emily made a face like she’d just witnessed a crime scene.

“That,” she said, pointing to the box, “is bird food.”

JJ gave her a sidelong glance. “It’s healthy.”

“It tastes like cardboard.”

JJ reached again. “You can pick one, but only one, sugar cereal.”

“Done.” Emily didn’t hesitate. She grabbed a red box of Lucky Charms and clutched it to her chest like a trophy.

JJ stared. “Seriously?”

“They’re magically delicious,” Emily said solemnly.

JJ leaned against the cart and grinned. “You're a child.”

“And yet, you sleep with me.”

JJ rolled her eyes, pushing forward. “Only because you have a great ass.”

Emily caught her around the waist before she could get away and whispered into her ear, “You really think so?”

JJ flushed and nudged her. “Don’t flirt with me in front of the oatmeal.”

Emily let go with a chuckle and returned to the cart, but not before sneaking a kiss to JJ’s cheek—and one to the curve of her jaw.

****

They made it past the deli with minimal chaos. JJ filled a bag with turkey while Emily wandered off again—only to return moments later with a sample toothpick of cheese.

She waggled it in front of JJ’s mouth.

“Say ah.”

JJ eyed it. “What is it?”

“Trust me.”

JJ raised an eyebrow but opened her mouth anyway. The second it hit her tongue, she winced. “Em—what the hell is that?”

Emily tried to look innocent. “Something French and fancy.”

“It tastes like feet.”

Emily popped the second half in her mouth and shrugged. “Fancy feet.”

JJ reached for a paper towel and muttered, “I’m dating a raccoon.”

Emily leaned in to press a dramatic kiss to her temple. “But I’m your raccoon.”

****

In the frozen section, JJ stood in front of the shelves of mixed vegetables, studying bags of frozen peas with the concentration of a surgeon, when two freezing fingers slipped under her shirt and landed against her back.

She yelped, spinning around. “Emily!”

Emily laughed, backing up fast. “You looked like you were getting too warm.”

“I’m going to stab you with a popsicle stick.”

JJ lunged, but Emily darted around the cart, giggling like a delinquent.

She disappeared behind the displays and returned with two pints of ice cream and a very serious expression.

“Crisis,” she announced.

JJ straightened, wary. “What now?”

Emily held up the cartons like evidence. “Chocolate fudge swirl or salted caramel pretzel? I can’t decide. And if I pick wrong, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

JJ blinked. “I thought you were getting milk.”

“I took a scenic detour through frozen temptations,” Emily said solemnly. “And now I’m emotionally compromised.”

JJ set the frozen chicken down with care. “Then we’re getting both.”

“Really—”

JJ stepped closer, took both pints, and dropped them in the cart. “Screw the list.”

Emily blinked, genuinely touched. “You’d abandon the list... for me?”

JJ reached out, looping her arms around Emily’s neck. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

Emily smirked, her hands already sliding around JJ’s waist. “Tell me more.”

Instead, JJ kissed her—slow and full, the kind of kiss that unraveled the world around them until only they remained. Emily’s fingers traced the curve of her back, anchoring her in close. A passing shopper gave them a glance, but neither moved.

When they finally pulled apart, Emily leaned her forehead against JJ’s. “You really love me.”

JJ brushed her nose against hers. “Even when you act like a gremlin in public.”

Emily kissed her again—quicker, playful. “This gremlin’s getting laid tonight.”

JJ shook her head, grinning. “You’re funny.”

“I'm hilarious.”

“That too,” JJ admitted, stealing one more kiss before nudging the cart forward.

Emily followed, one hand lingering at the small of JJ’s back the entire time.

****

Their cart was full by the time they reached the checkout—a chaotic blend of kale, cake mix, avocados, five types of cereal, and a suspiciously large tub of frosting Emily had absolutely not asked permission for.

JJ surveyed the damage with mock dismay. “We came here for just the essentials.”

Emily started unloading onto the belt. “And yet, here we are—ready for a week of survival and sugar crashes.”

As the cashier scanned items, Emily leaned over to whisper, “You like grocery shopping with me.”

JJ looked at her. “You’re a menace.”

“But a lovable menace.”

JJ shook her head, laughing. “Let’s go home, my raccoon.”

Emily beamed, grabbing the bags. “Lead the way, sweetheart.”

And they did—weaving out into the sunlight, hand in hand, as if the morning chaos was just another part of loving each other.

Because honestly, it was.

And neither of them would have it any other way.

Chapter Text

It had been a long day.

The case had taken them to a small town just outside of Denver. A pair of abductions, a suspect in custody, a long string of interviews, and one grueling debrief later, the team had finally been released to their rooms for the night.

Separate rooms. Because no one knew.

No one knew that for the last three months, Emily Prentiss and Jennifer Jareau had been quietly unraveling into each other—falling into late nights, tangled sheets, coffee shared in silence, and stolen kisses just out of sight. They had learned how to linger in hallways without drawing attention, how to brush hands in elevators, and how to share touches that looked like nothing.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t Hotch or Rossi or even Spencer they had to worry about. It was Garcia. Sweet, relentless, observant Garcia—who noticed everything and said even more.

So they had learned to be careful.

Which meant nights like this—separate beds, separate doors, and a distance that made JJ ache.

Now she was lying on a hotel bed in the dark, staring at the ceiling and missing Emily like hell.

The sheets were too crisp, too cold. The hum of the air conditioner was too loud. She turned over. Then again. And again. But it was useless.

She missed the weight of Emily’s arm draped across her stomach. The way her hair tickled her shoulder. The heat of her breath against her neck when she whispered “goodnight” just before falling asleep.

JJ groaned and threw the sheets off with frustration. Her body felt tense, like a wire pulled too tight.

And then—

A knock.

Three soft raps against the door.

Her heart stuttered.

She padded across the room barefoot and opened it without hesitation.

Emily stood there in a t-shirt and plaid pajama bottoms, a pillow tucked beneath her arm. Her hair was pulled into a lazy ponytail, and her eyes looked just as tired and restless as JJ felt.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Emily said, not bothering with a smile.

JJ exhaled like she’d been holding her breath since Emily left.

“Get in here.”

****

The door clicked shut behind her, and Emily barely had time to drop the pillow before JJ pulled her in by the waist, kissing her like she’d been starving for it.

Emily melted into her, fingers curling under the hem of JJ’s tank top, dragging it up just enough to touch bare skin. The kiss deepened fast—sloppy, hungry, urgent.

“God, I missed you,” JJ whispered against her mouth, breath ragged.

“I hate pretending,” Emily replied, her voice low and raw. “All day I wanted to touch you.”

JJ’s fingers tangled in the back of Emily’s shirt. “You couldn’t stop looking at me during that debrief.”

Emily smirked. “You wore those pants. You know what you were doing.”

JJ pushed her back until her thighs hit the desk, grinding into her slowly, deliberately. “Maybe I wanted you desperate.”

Emily growled into her mouth and kissed her harder. JJ opened for her, tongue sliding against tongue, her hands everywhere—beneath Emily’s shirt, up her ribs, over her breasts.

They didn’t make it to the bed right away. Emily hoisted JJ up onto the desk, spreading her legs and stepping between them. JJ yanked Emily’s shirt over her head and kissed a path down her neck, mouthing at her collarbone and breasts, tasting sweat and skin and everything she’d missed all damn day.

Emily's hands gripped her thighs, kneading, holding her open as JJ rocked against her. Their bodies moved with instinct and memory, every moan familiar, every breath shared.

“Need you naked,” JJ gasped.

“Take it,” Emily whispered.

JJ pushed her pants and underwear down in one rushed motion, guiding her toward the bed with a wild, greedy look. Emily backed onto it, smiling as JJ followed.

****

When JJ climbed on top, straddling her hips, she slowed down. Her hands slid over Emily’s stomach, up to her chest, thumbs circling her nipples until Emily arched beneath her, panting.

JJ kissed her again, slower this time. Deeper.

“I can’t get enough of you,” she murmured. “Even when I have you.”

“Then have me again,” Emily said, her voice cracking with want.

JJ moved lower, kissing her way down her stomach, licking just beneath her navel before settling between her legs. Emily’s thighs trembled as JJ tasted her, moaning low and shameless.

Emily’s hips rolled up, greedy for it, and JJ didn’t tease. She gave her everything—tongue and fingers working in rhythm, steady and unrelenting. Emily’s hands clutched at the sheets, her body arching beautifully as her orgasm slammed into her like a wave, stealing sound from her throat.

“Jesus, JJ—fuck—don’t stop—”

JJ didn’t. Not until Emily sagged back into the mattress, boneless and breathless.

When JJ crawled back up, Emily was flushed, glowing, eyes glassy with the aftermath.

“Your turn,” Emily breathed, flipping them with surprising strength, kissing her deep as her hand slipped into JJ’s shorts. JJ moaned into her mouth, her hips jerking, one hand gripping the headboard like an anchor.

“I laid in that cold hotel room thinking about you,” Emily whispered, fingers moving with precision. “About you coming apart.”

JJ whimpered, grinding into her, the pleasure building too fast, too hot.

“Emily—fuck—”

Emily pressed her lips to her throat, her collarbone, and her breast. “That’s it, baby. Let go.”

JJ came hard, trembling beneath her, clutching at Emily like she was air.

****

Afterward, they lay tangled in the sheets, limbs draped over each other, skin damp, the smell of sex thick in the air.

Emily pressed her face into JJ’s neck, murmuring, “We’re so bad at being subtle.”

JJ laughed, breathless. “You think anyone suspects?”

Emily paused. “Garcia knows.”

JJ groaned. “Shit.”

“She sent me a meme today that said, ‘I ship it.’”

JJ giggled and kissed the top of Emily’s head. “Maybe it’s time we stop hiding.”

Emily looked up at her, serious now. “If you're ready, I'm ready.”

JJ cupped her face, thumbs brushing over her cheek. “Then let’s do it. In the morning.”

Emily smiled, wide and warm, and leaned in to kiss her.

It wasn’t rushed this time. It wasn’t frantic or wild. It was soft. Intentional. Steady.

It was everything.

Chapter Text

The volume on the TV was cranked to borderline obnoxious levels.

JJ sat perched on the edge of the couch in her favorite faded Washington Redskins jersey, legs folded beneath her like a coiled spring, eyes locked on the screen with single-minded devotion. One hand clutched a throw pillow to her chest. The other gripped a beer bottle she hadn’t taken a sip from in fifteen minutes.

“Come on,” she muttered. “Come on. Don’t you dare punt, you cowardly—YES! YES!”

Emily flinched as JJ launched up from the couch, fist in the air like she'd called the play herself. “First down!”

Emily, still reclined at the far end of the couch, crossed her legs and adjusted the half-empty glass of wine balanced on her knee. Her head lolled slightly as she watched her girlfriend pace, ranting about blitz coverages and play-action fakes like it was a tactical briefing.

“Is the quarterback your new boyfriend, or...?” Emily asked dryly.

JJ didn’t hear her. Or maybe she did and chose to ignore her. Either way, she was too busy yelling at the screen. “You’ve got to run the ball on second and short! What are you doing?!”

Emily sighed.

She loved JJ. She loved her passion. Her loyalty—even to a team that hadn’t seen a championship since before either of them could legally drink. It was kind of adorable.

Except when it meant she became completely invisible every Sunday, Monday, and Thursday for five straight months.

Her eyes followed JJ as she paced, her jersey riding up just enough to flash the waistband of her sweatpants. Her hair was pulled up, neck bare—begging to be touched. Emily bit her lip, her gaze dragging down JJ’s body.

It wasn’t just about being ignored.

It was about missing her. Missing the way JJ usually leaned into her touch, trailed fingers over her thigh while they watched movies, and stole kisses during commercial breaks. But during football season?

Emily could dance naked in front of the TV, and JJ wouldn’t blink unless someone threw a penalty flag.

****

Which gave her an idea.

She set her wine glass down and slowly uncurled her legs, rising to her feet. JJ was still muttering about coverage gaps, oblivious.

Emily stepped behind her and let her hands slide over JJ’s hips, thumbs slipping just beneath the hem of her jersey.

JJ tensed slightly but didn’t look away from the screen. “Mmm… hi, baby.”

“I missed you today,” Emily murmured against her neck, pressing a kiss just beneath her ear.

“Me too,” JJ replied without thinking, already raising her voice again. “Are you kidding me? That was a late hit!”

Emily kissed her again, lower now, letting her tongue flick along the curve of her neck. “You’ve been watching football for hours.”

JJ grunted. “There was a doubleheader.”

Emily’s hands slid higher, beneath JJ’s jersey, nails trailing lightly across her stomach. JJ shivered, but her eyes stayed glued to the screen.

“Your team’s not the only thing that needs attention,” Emily whispered, voice low.

JJ’s voice lost some of its edge. “Em…”

“I could use a little quarterbacking myself,” Emily added, her lips brushing the shell of JJ’s ear.

JJ finally turned her head—just slightly—giving Emily a glimpse of her flushed cheek and distracted grin. “You’re terrible.”

Emily smirked and slid one hand higher, fingers grazing beneath JJ’s bra. “You’re hot when you yell at the screen. I’m just trying to make sure you stretch your limbs before halftime.”

JJ’s breath hitched. Her hand moved to Emily’s wrist, not to push her away—just to hold her there.

Encouraged, Emily stepped around to face her, pressing in close enough that JJ had to lean back slightly.

“You’re seriously doing this now?” JJ asked, voice lower, laced with disbelief and arousal.

Emily leaned in and kissed her—slow and deep—drawing a quiet moan before pulling back.

“I tried watching the game,” she whispered, fingers dipping beneath the waistband of JJ’s sweatpants, “but all I could focus on was how good your ass looks in these.”

JJ’s pupils blew wide. “Emily—Jesus—”

“I want your mouth,” Emily murmured, lips brushing hers. “But I’ll settle for your attention.”

JJ let out a breathless laugh. “You’ve got my attention.”

Emily grinned—mission accepted—and sank to her knees in front of her.

JJ’s eyes widened. “Wait—seriously?”

Emily tugged JJ’s sweatpants down her thighs in one slow, deliberate motion, kissing the skin she exposed inch by inch.

“You’ve been teasing me for hours, baby. Sitting here yelling at the TV like I don’t exist,” she said, her voice edged with heat. “You think I’m just gonna let that slide?”

JJ’s breath caught. “Oh my God.”

Emily hooked her fingers into JJ’s underwear and pulled them down too, baring her completely. She pressed her cheek to JJ’s thigh for a moment, inhaling deeply, then began kissing her way up—slow, teasing.

JJ let out a shaky breath and eased back onto the couch behind her, legs falling open.

Emily looked up, eyes dark and focused. “Still think the game’s more exciting than me?”

JJ’s voice was already ragged. “Not even a little.”

Emily licked a long, slow stripe through her folds, her tongue pressing just enough to make JJ’s knees twitch.

JJ gasped, head falling back. “Fuck—”

Emily smiled against her, then sealed her mouth around her clit and sucked—hard. JJ let out a strangled cry, both hands gripping the couch as Emily set a rhythm—teasing, curling, coaxing.

JJ’s thighs trembled almost instantly. She wasn’t prepared. She never was when Emily got like this—focused, ravenous, and in control.

“You going to come for me, football girl?” Emily murmured between strokes, her voice like velvet and sin.

JJ whimpered. “Yes. Fuck. Don’t stop.”

Emily didn’t. She devoured her—relentless, greedy, indulgent. Every broken sound JJ made spurred her on.

When she slipped two fingers inside her—curling just right—JJ came undone.

Loud. Breathless. Wrecked.

Her legs gave out, and Emily caught her, easing her back into the couch with smug precision. JJ collapsed, boneless and panting, lips parted in stunned satisfaction.

****

The game still played behind them. Neither cared.

Emily kissed her way up JJ’s trembling body—hips, stomach, the soft swell of her breast—until she reached her mouth.

JJ tasted herself when Emily kissed her again.

“I love you,” Emily murmured.

JJ blinked at her, still breathless. “You’re a menace.”

Emily grinned. “And you’re mine.”

JJ wrapped her arms around her, pulling her close. “Halftime’s in ten minutes.”

Emily nipped at her earlobe. “We’ll need overtime.”

JJ’s voice dipped to a whisper. “What happens in overtime?”

Emily kissed her neck, letting her teeth scrape just enough to make her shiver. “I use my mouth again. Then my fingers. And maybe—if you’re very lucky—my strap.”

JJ whimpered. “Fuck football.”

Emily laughed, low and wicked. “That’s the spirit.”

Chapter Text

The pen tapped against the kitchen table. Once. Twice. Then again.

Emily let out a sigh that could’ve flattened a building.

The notebook in front of her was still blank. A pristine white page. Taunting her.

She’d handled hostage negotiations, outwitted serial killers, and led one of the most elite units in the country—and yet this? This blank page was her greatest nemesis.

Because it wasn’t just paper. It was her vows.

To Jennifer.

Her fiancé. Her best friend. The love of her damn life.

How do you even begin to put that into words?

She picked up her phone and typed out a message.

Emily: Are wedding vows supposed to make you go crazy before you even write them? Because I’m failing epically.

The reply came three seconds later.

Garcia: Um, YES??? It means you’re in love, babe. Want me to send some vow templates? I’ve got a whole folder. Also, don’t panic. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be you.

Emily bit her lip, considering, then typed back.

Emily: I don’t want to sound generic. This is JJ. I want it to be... real.

Garcia: Then imagine her standing in front of you. It’s the morning of your wedding. What would you say to her? Like, really say.

Emily stared at that for a long moment.

She set the phone down.

And slowly closed her eyes.

****

JJ’s laugh came first—low and musical and always just a little surprised, like she hadn’t expected something so simple to make her happy.

It was the sound Emily remembered most in the quiet moments. The one that echoed across hotel hallways and long flights and late-night stakeouts. The one she always listened for after a tough case, after JJ talked to a grieving parent or walked away from a press conference with the weight of the world on her shoulders. If Emily could hear that laugh, she knew JJ was still okay. Still herself.

Then came the memory of JJ’s brow furrowing when she was focused—reading reports, lining up photos on a murder board, or helping Henry with his math homework at the kitchen table. That slight crease between her brows made it seem like the whole world deserved her attention, and she wouldn’t let go until it made sense.

Emily smiled at the thought, then blinked as more images surfaced.

The crinkle at the corners of JJ’s eyes when she smiled. The way her whole face lit up with it—not just her mouth, but her eyes, her posture, even her voice. It was like joy radiated out of her, completely uncontained.

And her voice—strong, sure, even when everything else around them fell apart. It was the voice that could calm parents, coax confessions, or read bedtime stories with the same steady rhythm. Emily had heard that voice pull people back from the edge and had felt it wrap around her like armor when her own voice had failed her. She’d clung to it more than once, like a lifeline in a storm.

But what got to her most was the way JJ always—always—reached for her hand under the table at briefings.

It was never dramatic. Just a brush of fingers beneath the surface, a light grip, sometimes a squeeze. No one else ever noticed. But Emily did.

And every time, it had grounded her. Every time, it said, I’m here. You’re not alone.

Maybe that was the moment she’d fallen in love with JJ. Or maybe it had been building for years—quiet and slow, like water wearing away stone.

Because JJ had always been her anchor. Her home.

Even when they’d been just friends. Even when they'd both tried to be with other people. Even when they’d danced around it, afraid of timing or what the world would say or what they might lose.

Something had always pulled them back together.

Twin flames, Garcia had called them once—drunk on wine and sentiment.

“Two souls that find each other in every lifetime,” she’d said, twirling her fingers in the air like she was casting a spell. “Sometimes it takes years, sometimes lifetimes, sometimes a parallel universe. But twin flames? Nothing can keep them apart. Not really.”

At the time, Emily had laughed it off.

But now, with a wedding dress hanging in the next room and JJ’s ring already tucked in a velvet box, it didn’t seem silly at all.

It felt like the only thing that had ever made sense.

Emily opened her eyes.

And reached for the pen.

The words started to come—slow, then all at once. Truth spilling into the quiet.

****

Hours later, when JJ came home from a late team meeting, the house was quiet except for the hum of the fridge and the ticking of the wall clock. She shrugged out of her coat, toed off her boots by the door, and padded through the living room, her feet soundless on the hardwood floor.

Emily was still sitting at the kitchen table.

Her hair was a little messier than it had been earlier, one hand supporting her head as she leaned over the open notebook. A mostly empty mug sat nearby, long forgotten. The rest of the lights were off, leaving the room bathed in a soft amber glow from the little lamp over the counter.

And the vow notebook was no longer blank.

JJ paused for a moment in the doorway, just watching her. There was something about the way Emily sat there—still, focused, like she was turning over something fragile in her hands. She looked up then, as if sensing her, and her expression shifted. Like whatever she’d written was still blooming in her chest, not quite ready to be shared but already changing her.

JJ stepped forward, quiet, shedding the last pieces of her day. She pulled the elastic from her hair, letting it fall around her shoulders, and crossed the kitchen.

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to the crown of Emily’s head. “Still working?”

Emily looked up at her, eyes darker than usual under the warm light. There was something private in them. Something vulnerable and full.

“Yeah,” she said quietly. “I think I got it.”

JJ’s lips curved as she reached out to run her hand lightly over Emily’s back. “Can I see?”

Emily hesitated. Then she closed the notebook with a quiet, protective gesture and placed her hand over the cover.

“Not yet,” she said, eyes searching JJ’s face. “But soon.”

JJ didn’t press. She just smiled, warm and easy, and slipped her fingers between Emily’s, giving them a squeeze.

“Come to bed, Prentiss,” she said, tugging her lightly from the chair. “You can write more in the morning.”

Emily let herself be pulled up, the kind of tired settling in that was more emotional than physical. JJ didn’t let go—just guided her through the house, their steps in sync, the promise of sleep and closeness waiting in the next room.

And behind them on the table, the notebook sat quietly—its pages no longer empty. Filled now with love and truth and the beginning of something sacred.

Something meant to be spoken with tears in her eyes and JJ’s hands in hers.

Soon.

But not yet.

Tonight, there was only this.

****

It was the day of their wedding.

Emily stood alone for a moment at the altar, her vow cradled in both hands. Her thumb brushed the edge of the page, worn now from too many readings, too many moments of doubt and revision. But the words had finally settled. They had finally felt like truth.

She took a breath. One deep enough to anchor her.

And then she looked up.

And there was JJ.

The door had opened without a sound, but her presence filled the room instantly. Her blonde hair was pinned up in delicate waves, a few loose curls falling softly around her face. Her dress shimmered slightly with her every step, catching the light like it knew it was witnessing something holy. But none of that mattered.

It was her face.

That look.

The one Emily had only ever seen when JJ gave it to her—like Emily was the single truest thing in a world too often filled with uncertainty. There was awe there. And love. So much love it nearly brought Emily to her knees.

JJ’s eyes found hers and didn’t stray.

Neither of them spoke.

They didn’t need to.

Emily stepped forward, her vows tucked to her side like a secret. The rest of the room faded. The guests, the officiant, the flowers, even the music—it all melted into a quiet hum. Because this was the moment. This was the center of everything.

And when it was her turn to speak, Emily didn’t look at anyone else.

She looked only at JJ.

And began.

****

“I spent so much time trying to find the right words for this,” she said, her voice clear, strong—but trembling slightly at the edges with the weight of the moment. “Trying to make it sound poetic or memorable, because that’s what you deserve.”

A faint smile tugged at her lips, her eyes never leaving JJ’s.

“But Garcia gave me better advice. She told me to imagine you standing in front of me and to just say what I would say. So… here it is.”

She took a tiny breath, grounding herself again.

“You’re the reason I believe in things I didn’t before.

Not just love—but fate. Timing. That there are some connections we don’t get to explain away with logic.

Because you and I—we didn’t fall into each other easily. We found each other in the middle of chaos. In the wreckage of everything, we were both trying so hard to hold together. And still… something in us knew.

Something ancient. Something deep.

I think we’ve always known.

That this—us—was inevitable.

We’re not just partners or soulmates.

We’re twin flames.

Two halves of the same fire.

Sometimes it flickered. Sometimes it raged. Sometimes we ran from it because we didn’t know how to survive the heat. But still… it burned.

Even when we didn’t have the words. Even when the timing was all wrong. We kept finding our way back to each other. Like gravity. Like instinct.

You were the one who saw through every mask I wore. The one who knew when to challenge me, when to hold me, and when to just sit beside me and say nothing at all. You’ve been my compass when I was lost. My calm when I was breaking.

You’ve seen me at my worst—and you stayed.

You’ve held me in my darkest hours—and you didn’t flinch.

You know the weight I carry. The ghosts I live with.

And still… you love me.

Not in spite of those things, but because of them. Because you know me. All of me.

Jennifer…”

Her voice caught slightly, but she kept going because the words mattered. Because this mattered.

“I don’t promise perfection.

I can’t.

But I promise you truth. Even when it’s hard.

I promise laughter, even when the world feels too heavy.

I promise to choose you. Every single day. Through the mess, through the silence, through whatever storms we face.

And I promise to be yours.

Because I already am.

I’ve been yours longer than I’ve known how to say it. Longer than I let myself believe it.

And today, I get to say it in front of everyone.

I love you.

I’ve loved you in every version of our story.

And I will love you in every version still to come.

In this life, in the next… in every timeline where we find each other.”

Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and yet she was smiling—open, bare, full of everything she’d ever carried for the woman standing across from her.

Because this wasn’t just a vow.

It was a homecoming.

It was the moment the fire stopped raging and finally settled into something steady.

And JJ—beautiful, unwavering JJ—was right there with her, glowing with the same truth.

They were twin flames.

And they were finally home.

****

When Emily finished, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

Even Hotch cleared his throat a little too loudly. Garcia dabbed at her cheeks with a rhinestone-studded handkerchief. And Morgan, always cool, blinked a little longer than usual.

But all Emily saw—all she could see—was JJ.

JJ, standing across from her with tears clinging to her lashes like tiny stars. JJ, who was smiling like her heart couldn’t hold all the love at once.

Her thumb brushed over the ring Emily already wore—something simple, something steady—and her voice trembled in the most sacred way.

“Say it again,” JJ whispered. “Just for me.”

Emily stepped forward. Close enough that the world slipped away again. Close enough that their breath mingled, their hands folded between them, and their foreheads nearly touched.

And this time, she didn’t speak like she was reading vows.

She spoke like she was breathing truth into existence.

“I love you,” Emily whispered, her voice breaking just slightly as she held JJ’s gaze, “in every version of our story.”

JJ exhaled, like the words stitched something back together inside her—something that had been aching quietly all this time. She smiled then—not a perfect smile, but a real one, trembling at the edges, shining with too many memories and too many almosts.

And then it was her turn.

JJ’s hands shook just a little as she reached for the folded card nestled in her bouquet, but Emily caught them first, grounding her with a steady touch. Their fingers stayed locked together as JJ began to speak, her voice not loud or polished, but true. Stripped down. Raw in the most beautiful way.

“I used to believe in fate,” she said, “but only in the way you believe in something as a kid. Something like fairy tales. Something that sounds nice but doesn’t survive the weight of the real world.”

Her eyes never left Emily’s.

“But then… you.”

She paused, a shaky breath catching in her chest.

“You weren’t a wish or a miracle. You were real. You were complicated and fierce and soft in all the places the world told me I couldn’t be. You were storm and fire—and somehow, calm. And without meaning to, you unraveled everything I thought I knew about timing. About safety. About myself.”

Emily felt her chest tighten—not with fear, but with awe. With the impossible honor of being seen this clearly.

JJ’s voice trembled as she kept going, her words now more fragile but fuller.

“I’ve carried things I never meant to. Wounds that weren’t mine. Weight I learned to hold without ever knowing how to set it down. And somehow, you saw all of that—you saw me—and never once asked me to shrink.

You didn’t turn away from the broken parts. You held them gently. Loved me through them. You’ve never needed me to be whole to be worthy of love. You heal things you didn’t break.”

She swallowed, her fingers tightening around Emily’s.

“You’ve been my stillness when I couldn’t catch my breath. My anchor when the world spun too fast. You’ve been the safest place I’ve ever known.”

JJ smiled through her tears.

“We lost time,” she whispered. “So much time. But love like this… it waits. It finds its way back. Even when we didn’t have the words, even when we were afraid to name it—you were always my gravity.”

Her voice grew steadier now, each word a vow etched in the air between them.

“You’re the love of my life. In every lifetime, every version, every bend in the story. You’re not just my home. You’re the reason I believe in it again.”

A gasp came from Garcia, who had fully given up on keeping it together. Reid wiped his eyes on the corner of his jacket. Rossi was already nodding, like every word made perfect sense.

Emily couldn’t look away.

Not from JJ.

Not from this.

They were two hearts that had circled each other for years—quietly orbiting, nearly colliding, always tethered by something neither could name. Until now.

Because now, it had a name.

It had vows.

****

Outside, the wind danced through the trees. Leaves rustled like whispered blessings. A bird chirped somewhere in the distance, unaware of the weight of the moment it was soundtracking.

But inside—

Inside, the world had narrowed to two.

Two souls who had been twin flames long before they had the courage to say it out loud.

They were two hearts forged in the same fire.

And they were finally together.

Their guests rose to their feet as the officiant beamed. “By the power vested in me…” she began.

But Emily didn’t hear the rest.

Because JJ was smiling.

That smile.

And Emily leaned forward without hesitation, cupping JJ’s cheek as she whispered, “Come here, Mrs. Prentiss.”

Their lips met in a kiss that was soft and sure and years in the making.

The cheers erupted around them—Garcia leading the charge with a confetti cannon she definitely hadn’t cleared with the venue—but none of it mattered.

Because they had found each other.

Finally.

Fully.

And nothing—nothing—would ever pull them apart again.

Chapter Text

JJ stood on the church steps, the chill of the morning air seeping through her black dress. She should go inside. People were waiting. But her feet refused to move.

The heavy wooden doors loomed ahead, solemn and silent. Her fingers trembled as she reached out to push them open.

The scent hit her first—candles, lilies, and something colder beneath it all. Grief.

The pews were full. Familiar faces blurred by tears. Garcia clung to Luke’s arm. Hotch sat with his head bowed, lips pressed tight. Rossi stared straight ahead, his hand resting on Tara’s shoulder.

But JJ couldn’t look at any of them.

Because at the front of the church, nestled between white roses and silver ribbons, was the coffin.

Emily.

Her breath caught.

She didn’t remember walking down the aisle, but suddenly she was there, just a few feet from the casket. She couldn’t hear the priest. Couldn’t hear the organ. Just the roaring in her ears and the wild, desperate rhythm of her heart trying to outrun reality.

No.

This wasn’t happening.

Emily Prentiss was not supposed to die.

She was supposed to outlive all of them—stubborn and unbreakable, the woman who came back from the dead once already. The woman JJ had loved in secret for far too long before finally getting it right.

JJ’s knees buckled, and she collapsed into the front pew. Her fingers gripped the wood, nails digging in.

It wasn’t real.

Couldn’t be.

“Why?” Her voice cracked, barely a whisper. “Why you?”

There were photos near the altar—Emily laughing with Henry, holding Sergio, and grinning in sunglasses with a beer in hand.

And one of her and JJ.

JJ stared at it like it might open a hole in the world.

Emily had her arm around her, both of them flushed and smiling at some long-ago team BBQ. JJ remembered the moment clearly—Emily’s hand warm at the small of her back, her lips brushing JJ’s cheek as they posed.

She remembered the way Emily whispered, "Mine, always mine," when no one else could hear.

Now she was a box.

A box draped in white, surrounded by petals and finality.

JJ’s chest hurt like it had been cracked in two.

She wanted to scream. To throw the flowers and flip the pews and rip the coffin open just to make sure it wasn’t true.

Because it couldn’t be true.

Emily had kissed her goodbye just yesterday. Hadn’t she?

Or...

Had that been a dream?

Was this real?

Her mind scrambled for facts. She couldn’t remember. Couldn’t remember the last thing she said to her. The last fight, the last joke, the last I love you.

“Emily,” she whispered. “I’m not ready.”

Her voice echoed back too loud in the silence.

Then, the silence shifted.

Everyone was watching her.

All of them.

The entire congregation, still as statues.

Garcia’s makeup was running—but not from tears. It was melting, dripping down her cheeks like wax.

Hotch’s eyes were black. Empty sockets.

Rossi’s face had started to cave in, his mouth curling up in a grotesque, too-wide smile.

JJ blinked. Once. Twice.

The walls began to bleed. The stained-glass windows darkened until nothing but cracks remained.

She stood slowly, her legs trembling beneath her.

The air turned thick and heavy. The lights above flickered. The flowers on the casket wilted—petals curling inward, blackening.

The photo frames splintered. Glass shattered in silence.

And the coffin creaked.

JJ stumbled backward, hand clapping over her mouth.

“Emily?” she whispered again, her voice breaking. “Please. I can’t—”

The lid of the coffin moved.

She blinked.

No, no, no—

It creaked again. Hinges groaning.

And then—

A hand.

Pale. Bruised. Cold.

Emily’s hand.

Reaching out for her.

JJ screamed—

****

JJ jolted upright with a gasp, her chest heaving like she’d surfaced from drowning. Her hands clawed at the sheets, kicking them away as if they might drag her back under.

She wasn’t in the church.

She wasn’t anywhere near it.

Her bedroom.

Her bed.

Dim light filtered in through the curtains, familiar shadows painting the walls—but it didn’t feel real yet. Her heart thundered, throat raw, tears hot and spilling over before she even registered the sobs building in her chest.

Then—

A hand.

Warm. Steady.

Touching her shoulder.

“JJ?” A voice murmured, thick with sleep and concern. “Baby, hey…”

JJ froze.

That voice.

Her whole body dropped, a full-body collapse of tension and terror and disbelief.

Emily.

She turned sharply, eyes scanning in the dark—and found her.

Emily. Sleep-rumpled, blinking hard, pushing herself upright. So real. So alive.

“Emily—” The name broke out of her in a sob.

And then she launched forward.

JJ collapsed into Emily’s arms with a desperate cry, clinging like she might vanish if JJ let go. Her fingers curled into the back of Emily’s shirt, her entire frame wracked with trembling sobs as she buried her face in the crook of her neck.

“I thought—” she gasped. “You were—God, I thought I lost you.”

Emily’s arms came around her instantly, strong and grounding.

“Shhh, hey… I’m here. I’m right here.”

She rocked them gently, pressing kisses to JJ’s temple, her cheek, her hair—whatever she could reach. Her voice was low and constant, anchoring JJ in the now.

“It was a dream,” she whispered. “Just a dream.”

JJ couldn’t stop touching her—cupping her face, running her hands over Emily’s arms, her back, her waist, her pulse. She needed proof. She needed to feel her alive.

“You were in a coffin,” JJ whispered, her voice shaking. “I saw your hand."

Emily pulled back just enough to take JJ’s face in her hands.

“I’m okay,” she said firmly. “You didn’t lose me. I’m right here.”

JJ nodded through fresh tears, her bottom lip trembling.

“I can’t lose you,” she said.

“You won’t.” Emily leaned in and kissed her forehead. 

JJ leaned into the touch, her hands still clutching Emily’s sides. Emily kissed her again—on the cheek, the jaw, the corner of her mouth—slow, reverent kisses that steadied the pounding in JJ’s chest.

“I’ve got you,” Emily whispered, her breath warm against JJ’s skin. “Always.”

Their lips met—tentative at first, then firmer. A kiss that was more than comfort. It was grounding. A tether to reality. To each other.

JJ cupped the back of Emily’s neck, pulling her closer until their foreheads rested together again, breaths mingling in the hush of their shared space.

“You smell like vanilla and home,” JJ whispered, a small, broken laugh escaping through the tears. “I never want to go a day without that smell.”

Emily smiled and brushed a strand of hair from JJ’s damp cheek. “You were in it deep, huh?”

“It felt so real.”

Emily kissed her again, soft and lingering, thumb brushing the tear tracks on her face.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she promised. “You and me, Jayje. Until we are old and gray.”

JJ curled into Emily’s side, her arm thrown over her waist, a leg tucked between hers. Their bodies fit like puzzle pieces, familiar and right.

Emily ran her fingers through JJ’s hair, pressing another kiss to her forehead.

Sleep wouldn’t come again.

But peace did.

Slowly. 

Because Emily was here.
Alive. Solid. Safe.

Not a dream.
Not a ghost.
Not a coffin.

Just Emily—hers.
And JJ didn’t let go.

Chapter Text

Emily hated the glasses.

They were sleek, black-rimmed, and perfectly stylish—according to the optometrist, anyway—but to Emily, they screamed aging. The eye doctor had said it gently, with the kind of bedside manner reserved for bad news.

“Most women your age need glasses to help them read.”

Her age.
God.
Like that was the dagger she needed twisting.

She’d scoffed, grabbed the slim case off the counter, and left the office with a storm cloud over her head. The glasses stayed sealed away in her bag the entire ride home. Useless. Stupid. Unnecessary.

Or so she told herself.

When she walked through the front door, JJ was already waiting. Barefoot, hair tied up in that messy bun Emily loved, practically bouncing in place with anticipation.

“There she is! Let me see them—put them on!”

Emily rolled her eyes and kept walking toward the kitchen. “No. I hate them. I shouldn’t even need glasses.”

“Emily,” JJ called after her, voice bright but firm. “You can’t go through life squinting at everything.”

“I don’t squint.”

“You do. You did it at brunch yesterday. And last week, you called the wrong suspect's name during the briefing.”

Emily sighed loudly, opening a drawer just to do something with her hands. “They make me look old.”

“Are you kidding?” JJ’s voice was closer now. And then, warmer. Lower. “You could wear a paper bag over your head and still make me lose my mind.”

Emily gave a reluctant smile, still facing the drawer. “You’re just saying that because you’re in love with me.”

“I’m saying that because I’m in love with you.” JJ slid in behind her, hands finding Emily’s hips and turning her gently to face her. “Now put them on. Please?”

With a groan of defeat, Emily pulled the case from her bag and slipped the glasses on.

JJ’s breath hitched.

She stared.

Like she was seeing Emily for the first time.

“Oh my god.”

Emily blinked. “What?”

“You look…” JJ’s gaze traveled from the curve of the glasses down to the faint flush on Emily’s cheeks. “Like someone I’d shamelessly flirt with in a bookstore and then imagine in my bed for the rest of the week.”

Emily huffed out a laugh. “Jennifer.”

“I’m serious,” JJ said, her voice dropping as she stepped closer. Her hands came up, one brushing lightly along the rim of the glasses, then tucking Emily’s hair behind her ear with slow reverence. “You look so fucking hot right now.”

Emily shifted, slightly overwhelmed by the attention. “I thought they made me look like a retired professor.”

JJ smirked, fingers trailing down to trace her jaw. “Yeah? Well, I’ve got some very specific fantasies about being thoroughly educated.”

That pulled a laugh from Emily’s throat, soft and reluctant.

JJ’s hands slid down, one tugging at her belt loop. “Seriously though… I love them. You. The whole thing. You’ve got this sexy, bossy, librarian-who’ll-ruin-my-life energy going on, and I am not okay.”

“Bossy librarian?” Emily raised an eyebrow. “That’s what does it for you?”

JJ grinned. “Among other things.”

She took Emily’s hand and started pulling her toward the hallway.

Emily resisted, if only for show. “What are you doing?”

JJ looked over her shoulder, eyes dark with heat and affection. “I want you in bed. Wearing only your glasses.”

That stopped Emily in her tracks.

Her stomach flipped. “That’s a bold ask.”

JJ pulled her closer, her voice low against Emily’s mouth. “You look like power and precision, and I want to make a mess of you.”

That did it.

Emily followed.

****

In the bedroom, JJ wasted no time.

She peeled Emily’s shirt off slowly, reverently, like unwrapping a gift she’d been waiting to touch all day. Her fingers traced every inch of newly exposed skin, brushing along her ribs, pausing at the scar near her hip, ghosting over the slope of her shoulder like she couldn’t decide whether to admire or worship.

She leaned in, kneeling slightly as she pressed kisses to Emily’s collarbone, then lower—pausing at her sternum, where she breathed her in before pressing her mouth to the center of her chest.

Emily let out a shaky exhale, her hands resting at JJ’s waist, fingers tightening just slightly.

JJ pulled back just enough to take her in.

Emily stood tall, head tilted ever so slightly, the glasses still perched perfectly on her nose. Her skin was flushed, her chest rising and falling in slow, shallow breaths. Her eyes—barely veiled with restraint—watched JJ with a kind of intensity that made JJ’s knees threaten to buckle.

JJ let out a breath that trembled. “You’re unreal.”

Emily arched a brow. “You’re staring.”

“You’re wearing the glasses,” JJ said, voice husky as she reached for her again, hands guiding her back toward the bed. “I earned a few stares.”

She kissed her—slow and deliberate. A kiss that lingered, that said, I missed you, even though they’d spent all day together. Tongues brushed lazily, teasing, drawing quiet gasps and low hums from each other. JJ’s hands slid down her back, fingers exploring every inch with the kind of familiarity that made Emily’s heart stutter.

JJ’s fingers skimmed the underside of Emily’s breasts, tracing the curve there, then slid along her ribs, dipping beneath the waistband of her pants with a slow, teasing rhythm. Not rushing. Just savoring.

Emily groaned into her mouth.

JJ smiled against her lips. “God, I love you."

“I love you,” Emily breathed, half-dazed, “but you’re the menace.”

JJ chuckled, kissing the corner of her mouth, then her jaw, then just beneath her ear. “And you… you’re the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Her hands pushed Emily’s pants down inch by inch, lips never straying far. Once the fabric hit the floor, she pulled back again, not to pause—just to look.

Emily stood there, utterly bare except for those glasses.

JJ’s pupils dilated.

“You have no idea what you’re doing to me right now.”

Emily swallowed. “Then show me.”

JJ didn’t need to be told twice.

She guided Emily down onto the bed, their legs tangling easily, skin against skin in a slow burn of heat. JJ’s hands never stopped moving—stroking along her thighs, gliding up her sides, and thumbing over the swell of her breasts. She kissed her everywhere, lingering at the edge of every moan, every shiver, letting the tension build until Emily’s fingers clutched at the sheets like she was holding on for dear life.

And through it all, the glasses stayed on.

Framed perfectly across her flushed cheeks, fogging just slightly, slipping down her nose when her head tilted back with a quiet gasp.

And Emily—who had hated the glasses just hours ago—suddenly wasn’t so sure.

Especially not when JJ leaned in again, lips brushing her ear as she whispered, voice low and reverent, “God, I never want you to take these off.”

She reached up to adjust them gently, the gesture so tender it made Emily’s chest ache.

Emily, breathless and utterly undone in the most beautiful way, let out a low laugh that melted into a sigh. “That might be the hottest threat you’ve ever made.”

JJ grinned against her skin. “Then I’ll keep making it.”

She smiled—wicked and worshipful all at once—and kissed her again, slow and deep, as her hand slid lower with aching purpose.

This time, Emily gasped. Arching. Grasping. Forgetting every reason she’d ever doubted herself. Forgetting everything except the mouth at her neck, the hand between her thighs, and the way JJ looked at her like she was holy.

And after that...

Emily didn’t just appreciate her glasses.
She wore them like armor.
Because no one had ever made her feel this seen.
This wanted.
hers.

Chapter Text

The bullpen was quiet—too quiet. The kind of stillness that only came after a particularly grueling case, when the adrenaline had burned off and all that was left in its place was a bone-deep weariness. Inside her office, Emily sat slumped at her desk, a forgotten file open in front of her. She’d been pretending to read it for the past twenty minutes, her eyes dry and unfocused, the words blurring into static.

With a sigh, she rubbed at her face and pushed back from the desk, her knees popping in protest. She stood, stretching briefly before moving to shut the door. The click was a small relief, a barrier between her and the world outside. One by one, she turned the blinds closed, casting the office in quiet shadows.

The couch across the room called to her—simple, practical, but surprisingly comfortable. She slipped off her blazer and let it fall onto the desk, kicked off her heels with a sigh of relief, and crossed the room.

Emily sank onto the couch with a groan, lying on her back stretched out. The cotton was cool beneath her cheek. Sleep tugged at her instantly, pulling her under before she could think to resist.

*****

Time passed—she wasn’t sure how much—before she began to stir. Not from noise or light, but from a presence. The unmistakable sensation of someone close.

She shifted slightly, and that’s when she felt it: a familiar weight pressing against her, one leg slotted between hers, an arm draped over her stomach. The tickle of hair brushed under her chin, and her breath caught.

She knew that scent. That shape. That steady rhythm of breath.

“Jennifer,” Emily murmured, her voice rough with sleep and surprise.

There was no immediate reply. Just a quiet nuzzle. A soft sigh. JJ tucked herself even closer, fingers curling lightly into the fabric of Emily’s shirt.

Emily's hand moved instinctively to JJ’s back, grounding herself in the familiar warmth, the slow rise and fall of her breathing. For a moment, she didn’t say anything. She simply held her there, the haze of sleep still clinging to the edges of her mind.

And then it hit her—JJ had come here. Sought her out. She let herself in, climbed onto the couch, and curled into her like it was the most natural thing in the world.

A small, quiet smile tugged at Emily’s lips. It was more than comfort. It was trust. A kind of unspoken love that ran deeper than either of them said aloud.

She tilted her chin down and pressed a kiss to the top of JJ’s head.

JJ stirred slightly at the touch, her voice muffled against Emily’s chest. “Mmm...hi.”

Emily exhaled a quiet laugh, her palm trailing slowly up JJ’s spine. “I didn’t know I was asleep that long.”

“You were out cold,” JJ murmured, lifting her head just enough to meet her gaze. “Didn’t want to leave you like that.”

Without thinking, Emily cupped JJ’s cheek, her thumb brushing along the ridge of her cheekbone. She leaned up and kissed her—just a press of lips, unhurried and instinctual.

JJ melted into it for a moment, sighing softly as she pulled back. “I feel like I haven’t seen you all day.”

“Everything just... caught up with me,” Emily said quietly.

“I figured.” JJ traced lazy shapes across Emily’s side. “The case. The travel. The mountain of crap we’re supposed to keep carrying.”

Emily studied her face—tired eyes, the worry lines that hadn’t faded even now. “You look exhausted.”

JJ snorted. “Takes one to know one.”

“You should be in bed,” Emily murmured, her thumb now sweeping across JJ’s skin where her shirt had ridden up.

“I am in bed,” JJ replied with a sleepy smirk. “You just happen to be the mattress.”

Emily cracked a grin. “Sturdy. Dependable. Questionable springs.”

That earned a quiet, genuine laugh—one that vibrated against Emily’s chest. JJ leaned up to kiss the corner of her mouth, her lips lingering just a beat longer than casual.

Emily turned her head, catching her lips fully this time. She lingered in it, savoring the moment before they broke apart, foreheads coming to rest together.

****

They stayed like that for a while, limbs tangled, the room dim and still. The outside world stayed locked away: paperwork, meetings, and everything else that could wait. Right now, time had no place here.

“I stopped by earlier,” JJ said eventually, voice softer now. “You’d already crashed. Lights off, blinds closed. I didn’t want to go home alone.”

Emily’s fingers moved in slow circles across her back. “So you snuck into my office and made yourself at home?”

JJ hummed in agreement and let her eyes flutter shut, her body relaxing fully into Emily’s once again.

Emily kissed her forehead and tucked her a little closer, but her eyes drifted toward the clock on the wall. The numbers were blurry in the dim light, but the time was clear enough—it was late. It was too late for either of them to be curled up on a government-issued couch, especially when they had a perfectly good bed waiting for them at home.

She kissed JJ’s temple, murmuring against her skin, “We should probably go home. Sleep in an actual bed like civilized humans.”

JJ let out a long, dramatic sigh without opening her eyes.

“But I’m comfy,” she whined, burrowing closer. Her leg hooked more firmly between Emily’s, her hand clutching at Emily’s shirt again. “It’s cozy here. Just ten more minutes.”

Emily smiled despite herself, already knowing she wasn’t going to win this one. JJ, stubborn and sleepy, was her kryptonite.

“You always say that when you don’t want to move,” Emily teased, her lips brushing against JJ’s hairline.

JJ tipped her head up just enough to press a slow, sleepy kiss to Emily’s jaw. “Because it works every time.”

Emily laughed low in her throat and kissed the top of JJ’s head in surrender. “You’re ridiculous.”

“And you love me,” JJ mumbled, voice already fading again.

Emily sighed—completely gone for her—and kissed her again, this time on the lips.

“Unfortunately for me,” she whispered, smiling as JJ grinned without even opening her eyes.

****

They settled again, snuggling deeper into each other, hearts slow and steady, legs intertwined beneath a shared warmth no blanket could replicate. The clock ticked on, unnoticed.

For now, home wasn’t a place—it was this.

A couch.
A tired laugh.
A kiss pressed between breaths.
Two people choosing each other, again and again.

Together.

Chapter Text

Emily Prentiss was many things—a brilliant profiler, an unstoppable force in the field, a woman who could keep her head calm in a high-stakes crisis—but she was not a cook. Not by any stretch. In fact, “culinary disaster” was more accurate.

JJ had lost count of the number of potlucks where Emily’s attempts had caused everything from confused expressions to mild food poisoning. There was the time Emily brought in “spicy brownies,” having misread cayenne pepper as cinnamon. Then came the infamous “mystery casserole” that smelled vaguely like old socks and left half the team politely pretending to be on a cleanse. After that, Hotch sent out an email banning Emily from contributing to potlucks.

“Emily, baking soda and baking powder are different!” Morgan had once shouted from the kitchenette, holding up a collapsed birthday cake like it was forensic evidence.

“They’re both white,” Emily had said with an unbothered shrug, completely missing the problem.

She had a habit of making substitutions when something wasn’t available—or more often, when she couldn’t be bothered to go to the store. “I used yogurt instead of eggs,” she told Garcia once, as if that were a perfectly acceptable culinary swap. “It’s creamy, right?” The muffins had exploded. Literally.

So when JJ announced, one Saturday afternoon, that they were making lasagna from scratch, Emily paled like she’d been asked to defuse a bomb.

“We’re making lasagna today,” JJ declared, brandishing a big, glossy cookbook she’d borrowed from her mother.

Emily raised a brow, skeptically eyeing the ingredients lined up on the counter. “Lasagna? That sounds complicated.”

“It’s layers, Em. Pasta, sauce, cheese, repeat. Easy.”

Emily stepped closer to the counter and picked up a clove of garlic, turning it over in her hands like it might detonate. “You say that like I didn’t once try to make grilled cheese in a toaster.”

JJ stopped, blinked, and turned slowly. “Please tell me that’s not a true story.”

Emily offered a crooked smile. “I thought it would crisp both sides at once. Dual heating technology.”

JJ covered her face with her hands. “You’re lucky you didn’t burn the apartment down.”

“I had a fire extinguisher ready!”

“A water bottle doesn't count, Emily.”

They dissolved into laughter, Emily leaning back against the counter for support. JJ stepped in close, arms sliding around her waist as she pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“You’re really going to teach me?” Emily asked, softer now.

JJ smiled and kissed her. “I’m going to try. And you’re going to promise not to substitute anything.”

“No guarantees,” Emily teased. “If we run out of cheese, I’ve got some string cheese in the fridge.”

JJ gave her a flat look.

“Kidding.” Another kiss. “Mostly.”

JJ handed her an apron and began walking her through the basics—how to sauté garlic without burning it, how to boil noodles without creating one giant pasta blob, and how to layer ingredients without trying to stack the entire block of mozzarella in one layer “just to save time.”

Emily was chaos in the kitchen. She stirred too fast, nearly splattering sauce all over JJ. She kept sneaking bites of shredded cheese until JJ had to physically move the bowl away from her.

“Emily!”

“What? Quality control!”

JJ rolled her eyes and kissed her to shut her up.

****

When it came time to assemble the layers, Emily got overly enthusiastic, piling sauce and cheese like a kid with a mountain of frosting. The lasagna nearly overflowed the pan.

“Easy, Em,” JJ teased, grabbing the pan to smooth the edges. “You’re building a house of cards here.”

Emily smirked. “It’s my masterpiece.”

“More like a delicious leaning tower.”

They shared a laugh before JJ pulled Emily in for another kiss, her fingers curling behind her neck. The taste of garlic and tomato sauce mixed with laughter, and when their noses bumped, Emily giggled.

“Kisses are part of the process,” JJ murmured against her lips.

“Best part, if you ask me.”

They kissed again, slow and silly and sweet, until the oven beeped, saving them from turning the kitchen into something steamier.

As the lasagna baked, they cleaned up—though Emily was far more interested in distracting JJ than doing any actual scrubbing. Every time JJ turned to wipe the counter, Emily’s hands found her waist, her hips, slipping under the hem of her shirt with lazy purpose. When JJ bent to load a dish into the washer, Emily leaned in close, kissing the back of her neck and murmuring, “Need help with that?”

JJ sighed, grinning despite herself. “You’re incorrigible.”

Emily just smiled and pressed herself against JJ’s back, arms snaking around her. “And you love it.”

JJ twisted in her arms, catching her mouth in a kiss—deep and lingering—before swatting her playfully with a dish towel. “Only if you help rinse the pans.”

“I’d rather rinse you,” Emily whispered, hands already wandering again.

JJ rolled her eyes, laughing, and pulled her in for another kiss anyway—quick but charged, their smiles brushing against each other.

****

Just then, the oven timer beeped, breaking the moment like a well-timed drumroll.

JJ pulled back, still grinning. “Okay,” she said, brushing flour from Emily’s cheek, “moment of truth.”

They both turned to the oven like it was a science experiment. The cheese was bubbling, golden, and perfect. JJ plated two generous slices and set them at the table.

Emily took a bite.

Her eyes widened. “Holy hell, Jayje. This is actually good. Like, really good.”

JJ smirked and reached across the table to squeeze her hand. “Told you. You just needed the right teacher.”

Emily smiled, then leaned across the table for a kiss—accidentally knocking over her water in the process.

“Oops.”

JJ laughed and caught her face in her hands anyway. “You’re a disaster,” she said fondly.

“But I’m your disaster,” Emily replied before kissing her again—slow and deliberate this time.

They sat there together, tangled legs under the table, hands clasped tight between bites. The lasagna was excellent. The company was perfect.

And Emily, while still banned from solo cooking projects, was already begging to make cookies next.

“From scratch?” JJ asked, raising a brow.

“Totally,” Emily said. “And if we’re missing anything, I’ll just use string cheese.”

JJ groaned.

But she was laughing when she kissed her again.

****

Later, they collapsed on the couch, full and satisfied. Plates abandoned on the coffee table, the kitchen behind them a war zone of dishes, flour, and cheese shrapnel. Neither of them had the energy—or the will—to clean it up just yet.

Emily let out a long, contented sigh and slouched deeper into the cushions, her head naturally finding its home on JJ’s shoulder.

“You know,” she murmured, her voice low and drowsy, “this might be my new favorite thing.”

JJ tilted her head slightly, fingers still tracing lazy circles on Emily’s thigh. “Cooking together?”

“Mmm.” Emily nuzzled closer. “Yeah. That... and all the kissing. Definitely the kissing.”

JJ chuckled, the sound warm against Emily’s skin. “Should’ve known that was the real reason you agreed to this.”

“Guilty,” Emily said with a grin. “If this is what cooking lessons look like, I’m ready for soufflés, crepes, the works.”

JJ laughed again, leaning in to press a kiss to Emily’s temple. “Well, you never needed lessons in kissing.”

Emily turned just enough to smirk up at her. “So I’m a natural?”

JJ’s eyes sparkled. “A prodigy. Top of your class. No substitutions necessary.”

That earned a chuckle from Emily, pleased and just the tiniest bit bashful. She reached up, twirling a strand of JJ’s hair between her fingers.

“You know what’s wild?” she said quietly. “I’ve been shot at, chased down suspects, defused hostage situations... and nothing rattles me like being in a kitchen with you and a block of ricotta.”

JJ smiled, eyes tender. “Maybe that’s a good thing.”

“Yeah,” Emily murmured. “I think it is.”

A peaceful silence settled between them, broken only by the distant chirp of crickets drifting through the open window. Around them, the kitchen remained a disaster zone—bowls piled high in the sink, flour dusting the counters, and a forgotten spoon jutting out of the ricotta—but neither of them stirred to clean. The chaos of the day—the flying basil, the bursts of laughter, the triumph of the lasagna—had softened into something quieter now. Something calm. Something whole.

Emily’s hand found its way to JJ’s chest, resting lightly as she felt the steady, comforting beat beneath her palm. “Hey,” she murmured softly. “Thanks for tonight.”

JJ glanced down, her brow quirking with a small smile. “For lasagna that didn’t explode?”

Emily snorted, the sound warm and easy. “That, sure—but also… for helping me. For really teaching me. No one’s ever actually done that before.” Her thumb traced the fabric of JJ’s shirt, hesitant yet sincere. “Most people just step back and let me burn things.”

JJ’s fingers wove through Emily’s hair with tenderness. “Well, I figured you were worth saving—from yourself.”

Emily’s grin was mischievous. “Honestly? Part of this is on my mom. Growing up, our kitchen was basically a storage spot for wine and burned toast.”

JJ chuckled, shaking her head. “That explains a lot.”

“Right? My family recipe was basically ‘call for takeout.’”

Leaning in, JJ brushed a kiss across Emily’s lips. “Well, now we’ve added lasagna to the list. Even if you did throw basil around like confetti.”

Emily sighed with mock exasperation.

JJ laughed, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Don’t worry. I’ll be here to make sure you don't burn our home down.”

Emily closed her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. “And kisses?”

Wrapping her arms firmly around Emily, JJ whispered, “Endless.”

And there, nestled in the midst of the beautiful mess that was their first lasagna attempt, Emily decided maybe cooking wasn’t so bad after all.

Not when it ended like this.

Right here.

Right next to JJ.

Chapter Text

Emily rang the doorbell with a strange flutter in her stomach.

She’d been here countless times before. JJ’s house was as familiar to her as her own. She could find the light switch in the dark, knew exactly where Henry kept his favorite dinosaur books, and had a designated coffee mug in the cabinet. But today was different.

Today, she and JJ were going to tell Henry the truth.

They were going to tell him they were together, not just best friends or teammates or “Auntie Em who visits a lot,” but together. As in kisses before bed. As in future plans that stretched years ahead. As in: family.

Before she could knock again, the door swung open and Henry barreled into her legs.

“Auntie Emily!”

Emily crouched down just in time to catch him in a hug, laughing as he nearly knocked her off balance.

“Hey, buddy!” she said, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “Wow, you're so strong!”

“I can almost carry all my dinosaurs and my T. rex!” he announced proudly, holding up three fingers like that proved his strength.

JJ appeared in the doorway behind him, smile soft but nervous. She and Emily locked eyes for a heartbeat that said, You ready?

Emily gave a small nod and stepped inside.

****

They waited until after Henry had eaten his lunch and was happily coloring at the coffee table. Emily and JJ exchanged another glance. Time to do this.

JJ patted the couch beside her. “Henry? Can you come sit with us for a sec?”

“Are we watching a movie?” he asked, hopping up.

“Not yet,” Emily said, trying to sound normal. “We just want to talk to you about something first.”

Henry climbed up between them on the couch, cross-legged and expectant. “Okay.”

JJ reached for his hand. “You know how Auntie Emily has been around a lot lately?”

Henry nodded. “Yeah. She’s here all the time.”

JJ smiled. “That’s true. And we love being around you.”

Emily took a breath, her hands a little clammy in her lap. “And… we love being around each other.”

Henry looked at them, head tilting slightly in thought.

“What we’re trying to say,” JJ continued, “is that Auntie Emily isn’t just my friend. She’s someone really special to me. She’s my girlfriend.”

They waited.

Henry stared at them for one long moment.

Then he shrugged. “I know.”

Emily gasped. “Wait—what?”

Henry gave a tiny sigh, the kind kids give when adults are being impossibly slow. “I saw you kiss her. On the mouth. Like Sam’s mommy and daddy do.”

JJ’s jaw dropped a little. “You… did?”

“Uh-huh. Before bedtime. And then Mommy smiled. So I knew it was a good kiss.”

“And that didn’t… confuse you?” Emily asked.

“No,” Henry said plainly. “Mommy’s happy when you’re here. You make pancakes. And you do the voices when you read.”

JJ was still stunned. “We were so nervous to tell you.”

Henry furrowed his brow. “Why?”

Emily chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. “Because we thought you might be upset.”

Henry gave them a look that clearly meant, Grownups are weird.

JJ leaned over and kissed the top of his head. “So… you’re really okay with it?”

“Yup. But do I still get two birthday presents? One from each of you?”

Emily burst out laughing. “Absolutely. That’s non-negotiable.”

Henry grinned. “Cool. Can I have a snack now?”

JJ smiled, her heart swelling with relief. “You can have two snacks.”

Henry cheered and ran off toward the kitchen.

Emily slumped back on the couch, letting her head fall against the cushions. “That went… nothing like I thought it would.”

JJ laughed, wiping at her eyes. “He already knew. Of course he did.”

Emily turned to her, overwhelmed by the sudden flood of emotions she’d held in all morning. “I was so scared, Jaye. I thought if he didn’t take it well, we’d lose everything. I'd lose you.”

JJ reached out, threading their fingers together. “You’re not going to lose us. You are part of us.”

Emily kissed her hand, then leaned her forehead against JJ’s. “He’s such a good kid.”

“Yeah,” JJ whispered, a smile tugging at her lips. “He really is.”

***

The rest of the day unfolded like something out of a dream.

They played board games and built a pillow fort. JJ made popcorn, and they watched Finding Nemo under the blanket fort while Henry narrated the lines before the characters could say them.

At one point, he curled up between them and whispered, “This is the best day ever.”

Emily and JJ exchanged a look over his head, both feeling it like a vow.

By the time bedtime rolled around, Henry was half-asleep on the couch, his head nestled in JJ’s lap. She brushed his hair back gently, her fingers lingering, before scooping him into her arms with practiced ease.

Emily followed them upstairs, switching off lights along the way. In Henry’s room, JJ helped settle him into bed, tugging the covers around him as he murmured something sleepy about space dragons and marshmallows.

JJ leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Goodnight, baby.”

Henry gazed up at her, eyes heavy but curious. “Mommy?”

“Yeah, sweetheart?”

He glanced at Emily, then looked back at his mother with a serious expression only five-year-olds could manage. “Is Auntie Em going to be my mommy now too?”

JJ’s breath caught.

Emily, who had paused near the doorway, went perfectly still—her heart thudding hard in her chest.

JJ’s eyes shimmered. She reached out and brushed a thumb gently across Henry’s cheek. “Maybe someday,” she whispered, kissing his forehead again. “Would that be okay?”

Henry blinked slowly, his eyelids heavy. “I’d like that,” he mumbled, turning onto his side and clutching his stuffed brontosaurus close.

In seconds, he was out—peaceful and unaware of the emotional earthquake he’d just triggered.

Emily stood frozen in the doorway, her eyes wide, her throat tight. Maybe someday. The words echoed in her head, warm and terrifying and everything.

When JJ stepped into the hallway, closing the bedroom door behind her with a soft click, Emily was already waiting.

“You okay?” Emily asked quietly,

JJ drew in a shaky breath, her voice thick. “Yeah,” she whispered. “I really am.”

Emily didn’t wait another second. She wrapped JJ in her arms, full of awe and something fierce. JJ melted into her without hesitation, burying her face in Emily’s shoulder.

After a moment, JJ lifted her head—and Emily kissed her. Slow, lingering, reverent.

JJ sighed against her lips, then kissed her again, shorter this time but no less meaningful. “You heard him,” she murmured, forehead resting against Emily’s. “He already knew.”

Emily gave a breathless laugh, her voice catching. “He beat us to it.”

“He’s been waiting for us to catch up.”

They stood there in the hallway for a long time, arms wrapped tight, hearts steady. No fear. No secrets.

Only love. And a future that had already begun, sealed not by a grand gesture, but by a sleepy five-year-old with dinosaurs in his dreams and room in his heart for two moms.

Chapter Text

They had exactly thirty days until their wedding.

And JJ had the audacity to suggest no sex until the big day.

Emily froze in the middle of the kitchen, coffee mug halfway to her lips, and stared at her fiancée like she’d just recited her vows in Klingon.

“Are you kidding me?”

JJ didn’t blink. Just leaned against the counter in Emily’s old FBI shirt and a devastatingly smug smile. “Dead serious.”

Emily lowered her mug slowly, brows raised high. “Okay. So what you’re saying is, we survive years of tension, actually get together, move in, get engaged… And now, when we’re finally less than a month from the altar, you want to… stop fucking?”

JJ’s smile widened like she was proud of herself. “Temporarily. Four weeks. Think about it—the build-up. The anticipation. We’ll be crawling out of our skin by the wedding night.”

“I’m already crawling,” Emily muttered. “That’s not foreplay, that’s cruelty.”

JJ crossed the room with measured steps, slow and predatory, stopping just in front of her. “It’ll be explosive,” she whispered, voice low and promising, lips brushing the shell of Emily’s ear. “We’ll barely make it through the vows.”

Emily groaned. “You’re an indecent little gremlin.”

“You love me.”

“That’s not the point.”

JJ hummed as she slid her hands up under Emily’s shirt, fingers skating along bare skin, deliberately not dipping too far. Just enough to tease. To tempt.

Emily grabbed her wrists. “This is mean.”

“It’s strategic,” JJ corrected, inching closer until their bodies brushed. “We’ve been going at it like rabbits for months. And don’t get me wrong, I love that about us. But don’t you want our wedding night to feel... completely unhinged?”

Emily groaned, her head tipping back when JJ’s mouth grazed her throat. “It already would’ve felt unhinged. Because I love you. And I also love sex. With you. I don’t want to give it up like we’re joining a convent.”

JJ laughed softly, her breath against Emily’s neck. “You’re being dramatic.”

“I’m being honest. A whole month? Are you trying to make me lose my mind?”

JJ kissed her jaw, sweet and slow and reckless. “Think of the payoff.”

“I’m thinking of pinning you to the fridge.”

JJ kissed the corner of her mouth. “Delayed gratification.”

Emily pouted. “I hate delayed gratification.”

JJ slipped two fingers into the waistband of Emily’s sweats and tugged playfully. “Liar. You love edging.”

“Not for a month!”

JJ chuckled and pressed a kiss full on her mouth—open, hot, promising everything Emily wanted.

Emily whimpered before she could stop herself.

JJ pulled back just enough to whisper, “Come on. Four weeks. A slow burn. We’ll be feral by the time we’re married.”

Emily narrowed her eyes. “You’re trying to seduce me into celibacy. That should be illegal.”

JJ kissed her again—deeper this time, tongue sliding in just enough to steal Emily’s breath before pulling back. “We could make a deal,” she offered. “Kissing. Touching. But no touching where it counts.”

“You’re giving me rules now?”

JJ nuzzled along her jaw. “Tell me you don’t want to tear my dress off at the reception.”

“I want to tear your clothes off right now.”

“Then imagine what you’ll want to do after a month of not having me.”

Emily bit her lip.

JJ grinned against her throat. “You’ll thank me later.”

Emily let out a desperate groan, hands clenching on JJ’s hips. “Fine. But you’re doing the dishes until the wedding.”

JJ pulled back smugly. “Deal.”

Then she pressed one last kiss to the corner of Emily’s mouth and whispered, “I love you, baby.”

Emily scowled. “You better pray I don’t explode before we make it to the altar.”

JJ just winked and walked away—hips swaying like she knew exactly what she was doing.

And Emily, standing there with a throbbing pulse and a now-useless cup of coffee, muttered:

“I need divine intervention.”

*****

Week one

Emily lasted exactly two days before she cracked.

It was a quiet night, the glow of the TV casting flickers of light across the living room. A rerun of Bake Off played in the background, forgotten and ignored.

JJ was curled into Emily’s side like a damn temptress, legs stretched out bare, golden skin on full display. She wore one of Emily’s old, oversized FBI shirts, the hem barely covering the scandalously small sleep shorts underneath. She looked cozy. Innocent. Lethally distracting.

It was cruel. And JJ knew it.

She smelled like coconut shampoo and contentment, her head resting lightly on Emily’s shoulder, one hand splayed against her stomach like it belonged there. Like she didn’t know what she was doing to Emily’s rapidly deteriorating self-control.

Emily had tried to behave. Honestly. She’d even brought a book to the couch, hoping it would keep her hands busy.

It didn’t.

Because JJ shifted, just a little, sighing in that way that always made Emily’s brain short-circuit. And that tiny movement lifted her shirt just enough to expose a sliver of golden skin.

Emily didn’t stand a chance.

She abandoned the book, slid her hand under the hem of JJ’s shirt, and let her fingers brush warm, forbidden territory.

It lasted all of three seconds.

JJ caught her wrist with sharp, practiced reflexes, brows raised without even glancing away from the screen. “Ah, ah. Not where it counts.”

Emily flopped back on the couch like a drama queen from a Victorian novel, groaning into the cushion. “That is so subjective.”

Now JJ looked at her—amused, victorious. “Is your hand on my stomach?”

“Possibly.”

“And were you trying to slide it lower?”

Emily muttered, “Allegedly.”

With maddening calm, JJ moved to straddle her lap, settling on her thighs with the ease of someone who’d done it a thousand times. She leaned in and pressed a smug kiss to the corner of Emily’s mouth. “You agreed to this, remember? Kissing. Touching. But no touching where it counts.”

Emily let her hands drift to JJ’s hips—still technically allowed—and narrowed her eyes. “You’re a menace.”

JJ smiled like the devil herself. “I’m a genius. We’re going to absolutely come undone on our wedding night.”

“I’m unraveling now,” Emily groaned. “I had a dream last night where I begged you to let me go down on you in a church confessional.”

JJ laughed so hard she almost slid off Emily’s lap.

****

The next few days weren’t any better.

By the end of the week, things didn’t just escalate—they detonated.

Emily couldn’t concentrate at work. JJ smirks. JJ’s ponytail. JJ’s freaking sports bra. It was a hazard. She’d taken three cold showers in one day and started snapping at vending machines. She was fraying at the edges.

So when Day Seven rolled around and JJ sauntered into the living room in her signature sleepwear—those soft shorts and a threadbare tank top that left very little to the imagination—Emily’s nervous system entered DEFCON 1.

JJ didn’t even try to be seductive. She just curled up with a sigh, legs tossed casually over Emily’s lap, remote in hand, like they weren’t on the brink of sexual ruin.

Emily stared at her fiancée’s bare thighs like they held the secrets of the universe. Her hands hovered—then settled politely on JJ’s shins. Safe. Harmless. Technically within the boundaries of the treaty they’d signed in a moment of insanity.

Then JJ stretched.

And that tank top rode up again, revealing a dangerous hint of hipbone and the smooth line of her lower back.

Emily didn’t stand a chance.

Her fingers ghosted upward—slow, reverent strokes that stopped just short of anything illegal.

JJ’s breath caught. Her fingers curled into the couch cushion, the only betrayal of how close she was to breaking, too. Her gaze stayed on the TV, but her voice was low and warning. “Em…”

“Just saying hi,” Emily whispered, brushing her thumb along the inside of JJ’s knee.

JJ’s chest rose a little faster. “That’s not how people say hi.”

“Maybe not in your world.”

Another inch. Another soft drag up impossibly smooth skin. JJ’s thighs tensed beneath her hand, and Emily leaned in, lips brushing just below her ear. “Still within bounds.”

JJ finally turned her head, eyes wide, pupils blown, voice wrecked. “You’re going to kill me.”

“Then at least I’ll die doing what I love.”

JJ let out a strangled sound halfway between a laugh and a whimper. Emily’s fingers were circling again—dangerously high. Almost respectful.

Almost.

When JJ finally caught her wrist, her grip was trembling. “Pillow. Hands. Now.”

Emily grinned, victorious even in defeat. “You're lucky I love you.”

“Remind me to revise this plan next time I get a romantic idea.”

With a groan, Emily shoved her hands under the nearest throw pillow and flopped back, glaring at the ceiling. “This is psychological warfare.”

JJ just stretched again, a wicked little smirk tugging at her lips.

“Hydrate, baby,” she said, eyes twinkling. “We’ve got days to go.”

****

Week Two

JJ thought she had the upper hand.

She really did.

She was the one who proposed the plan—four weeks of no sex, just touching, teasing, a slow burn to build anticipation for their wedding night. It had sounded clever in theory. Romantic. Strategic, even.

Until the dreams started.

Filthy, vivid dreams that had her waking up in the middle of the night, sweaty and aching and tangled in the sheets like they owed her a damn apology. 

She cursed herself. Cursed her restraint. Curse Emily for looking so goddamn good while unconscious.

She didn’t tell her fiancé. Couldn’t. Admitting it would mean surrender. It would mean acknowledging that this whole “wait until marriage” thing might not have been her brightest idea.

But she was unraveling.

At work, things weren’t any better.

She found herself zoning out in the middle of briefings. Mid-profile, mid-sentence—her brain would short-circuit, replace a suspect’s face with the image of Emily’s mouth. On her. Around her. Whispering her name like a sin while doing devastating things with her fingers. She’d blink and snap back to reality, heart pounding, throat dry.

Morgan caught her once. Saw the faraway look in her eye during a case consult and raised a knowing eyebrow.

She launched a pen at him across the table.

And Emily?

Emily was a walking offense.

She’d started parading around the apartment in boxer briefs and one of her old college T-shirts, stretched and faded and braless underneath.

One afternoon, Emily moaned—actually moaned—while licking peanut butter off her finger.

JJ had to excuse herself and go stick her head in the freezer.

That night, it all came to a head.

They kissed like it was the end of the world.

It started with a movie, something forgettable. Emily leaned in, just a little, and JJ made the mistake of turning her head. Their mouths met, and it was over. Heat roared between them instantly. Emily climbed onto her lap, straddling her thighs with practiced ease, her hands already beneath JJ’s shirt. JJ’s palms roamed over Emily’s back, tracing familiar curves and muscles, hovering at the waistband of her briefs but not crossing the line.

Emily rocked slowly—teasingly—her hips brushing just enough to make JJ shudder.

JJ pulled back, lips swollen, breath ragged. “I love you.”

Emily, equally flushed and wrecked, whispered, “I love you more.”

And still, neither of them crossed the line.

But sleep? Sleep was the real danger.

Emily had always been a cuddler. Usually, it was sweet. Endearing.

Now it was torture.

JJ would drift off, finally starting to relax, only to feel Emily shift behind her. That soft, sleepy sigh. The gentle pull of arms curling around her waist. And then—God help her—Emily’s thigh would slide between hers.

JJ went stock-still every time, her breath caught halfway to her lungs. One slight movement—one single grind—and she’d explode. But she didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. She just clenched her fists around the sheets and whispered curses into the darkness.

Then came the final straw.

Emily sighed in her sleep and slid her hand across JJ’s stomach, up under the hem of her shirt, and settled over her breast like it was the most natural thing in the world.

JJ’s eyes flew open. Her whole body froze. Her thighs trembled with restraint.

Every inch of her was thrumming with heat, her mind screaming for release. She could feel Emily’s breath against the back of her neck, her chest pressed to JJ’s spine, and that goddamn hand curled like a claw.

JJ nearly wept.

She wanted—needed—to turn around. To flip Emily onto her back and press her into the mattress and tear this stupid rule to shreds.

But she didn’t.

Because she had made the rule.

JJ Jareau was many things—stubborn, passionate, deeply in love—but she was not a quitter. Even if it killed her.

She lay there in the dark, wide-eyed, every nerve alive and begging, while Emily slept peacefully against her. JJ clenched the pillow with both hands and stared at the ceiling, mouthing silent prayers and promising herself that she could survive two more weeks.

Hopefully.

She might need to sleep in the guest room.

Or burn all the peanut butter.

But for now, she closed her eyes and let Emily hold her—her traitorous hand still resting where it absolutely shouldn’t be—and whispered into the dark:

“What the fuck was I thinking?”

****

By the final week, they were coming undone.

Every glance burned. Every brush of skin felt like a live wire. A stray touch across the back, a shared look over coffee—anything could spark a wildfire. They couldn’t be in the same room without something clenching tight inside them.

They were animals in heat.

Clothes became torture. Too tight, too clingy, too revealing. A back-arching mid-stretch. A glimpse of a hip bone. A collarbone kissed by morning light. It was all too much—and still never enough.
And their kisses? No longer sweet.
They kissed like they were starving—because they were.

They made out in elevators. In coat closets. In an empty interrogation room, where Emily had pressed JJ against a filing cabinet, tongue in her mouth, thigh wedged between her legs, whispering filth in her ear like scripture.

One morning, Emily licked whipped cream off JJ’s finger—slowly, deliberately, holding eye contact the entire time. JJ had to clutch the counter like it might save her from collapse.

They started sexting. Constantly. Relentlessly.

Last night, I dreamed you tied me to the headboard and made me beg for it.

You left marks down my thighs. I could still feel them when I woke up.

You’re going to fuck me so hard I forget my own name. Aren’t you?

Their bodies knew the choreography. But somehow—they kept stopping.

****

JJ had once straddled Emily’s lap on the couch, both of them in nothing but tank tops and underwear, lips locked, hips moving in slow syncopation. They kissed like they were trying to swallow each other whole.
When JJ finally rolled off, breathless and trembling, muttering “fuck” into the air, Emily just threw a pillow over her face and mumbled, “I've never been this horny.”

But then came the night everything cracked.

Three days left.

The bedroom was dark and quiet, save for the hum of the fan and the thunder of their hearts. The heat between them wasn’t just physical—it was thick, unrelenting, years of love and want compressed into every inch of space between them.

JJ lay still beside Emily, pretending to sleep, her body stiff with tension, when something inside her snapped.

Without a word, she rolled over, straddled Emily’s hips, and ripped the shirt off her.

Emily blinked, startled—then moaned, low and guttural.

JJ didn’t wait. She kissed her, hard and open-mouthed, biting at her lips, tongue demanding. Her hands slid over Emily’s chest, gripping tight, desperate. Her hips began to move—slow, heavy friction that left them both gasping.

Emily groaned, grabbing her by the waist, anchoring her, and holding on as their bodies ground together in chaotic, glorious rhythm. JJ’s hair tumbled around them like a curtain, her lips moving from Emily’s mouth to her jaw, to her neck, to her collarbone, trailing heat like fire.

Emily’s hands moved without thought—up her thighs, kneading, encouraging, one slipping beneath the waistband of her sleep shorts. JJ gasped into her throat and bit back a moan, grinding harder.

It was too much.
It was everything.

But then—somehow—Emily stopped.

“Baby… wait,” she panted, voice raw.

JJ froze, lips hovering over her chest, eyes wild. “What?”

Emily’s voice broke around the words. “We made it this far. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but… we can do it. We can wait.”

JJ looked like she might cry. Her whole body flushed and trembling. “Emily… I’m literally on top of you. This is what we've wanted for weeks."

“I know,” Emily groaned, rubbing slow circles into JJ’s hips. “I know. But we’re so close.”

JJ exhaled like it hurt and nodded, a tremor running down her spine. “Okay.” She started to shift off, muscles twitching with restraint.

But Emily caught her again—hands tightening at her waist.

“I mean,” she said, voice low and sinful, “we can still do stuff. As long as we don’t… finish. Right?”

JJ froze.

Emily’s eyes were half-lidded, her lips slick and swollen. “I just want to feel you,” she whispered. “No orgasms. Just… touch.”

JJ’s breath hitched. Her pupils blew wide. “You’re crazy.”

“I’m desperate.”

JJ groaned and dropped her forehead to Emily’s shoulder. “If I so much as breathe too hard—”

“I’ll stop you,” Emily promised, fingers already inching beneath the waistband of her shorts. “Just let me touch you.”

And then they were moving again.

JJ’s hips rolled, slow and deep, dragging delicious friction over Emily’s center. Emily’s hands wandered freely now—tracing ribs, palming the curve of JJ’s ass, her mouth kissing a slow, reverent path down her chest.

JJ arched into her. “God, you feel good.”

“You’re unreal,” Emily kissed along her sternum, biting lightly, sucking until she heard the sharp inhale she was chasing.

JJ’s hands twisted in Emily’s hair as her body moved in tight, practiced circles, grinding against her just enough to build pressure, just enough to set her aflame—but never pushing it too far.

They trembled together, sweat-slick and clinging, kissing like they didn’t care if the world fell apart around them. JJ’s lips found her ear, her voice a wrecked whisper: “I want to come so bad.”

Emily groaned, her forehead pressed to JJ’s chest. “Not yet. We’ve got three more days. Don’t you dare break me.”

JJ laughed—a broken, breathless sound—and rolled her hips again, riding that sweet, exquisite line.

They stayed like that for what felt like hours. Touching. Teasing. Letting the hunger simmer, grow, and ache without release. Everything inside them burned. Their thighs trembled. Their bodies buzzed with denial.

But they didn’t tip over.

****

When JJ finally collapsed beside her, breath short and shuddering, she buried her face in Emily’s neck and groaned like a woman in mourning. “We’re going to die.”

Emily laughed, hoarse and wrecked. “Right after we get married.”

JJ didn’t even lift her head. “I’m going to combust during the vows. Mid-aisle. Just—spontaneous combustion. Boom.”

Emily kissed her temple, fingers stroking down her back. “I’ll catch you.”

JJ flopped onto the pillow with a dramatic sigh. “Our wedding night better be the best orgasm of my life.”

Emily rolled closer until their foreheads touched, breaths mingling. “Oh, baby,” she whispered, voice low and electric. “It’s going to be a religious experience.”

JJ groaned again—but this time, it sounded a little like a prayer.

Emily closed her eyes, heart pounding, and whispered against her lips, “Soon.”

JJ just whimpered. “If I survive.”

Chapter Text

They did it.
They actually did it.

Thirty days of teasing.
Thirty days of slow kisses, denied orgasms, and near-unbearable restraint.
Thirty days of walking around with a pulse in their thighs and an ache that wouldn’t quit.

And now?
Now they were married.

JJ twirled once in the mirror; her silk reception dress shimmered. She could still feel the weight of her wedding gown in her muscles, the bouquet in her hands, and Emily’s eyes—hot, reverent, tracking her like oxygen.

The day had been perfect.

The ceremony went off without a hitch. Garcia cried. Morgan cheered. Rossi gave a toast so heartfelt even Hotch looked misty-eyed. It was everything they dreamed it would be.

But underneath all the joy and laughter, beneath the speeches and dancing… was hunger.
A deep, pulsing, desperate need that had simmered just under the surface for weeks.

Now they were alone.
Finally.

JJ had barely taken two steps into the honeymoon suite when the door clicked shut behind her. Locked.

She turned—and Emily was there.

Still in her dress, chest heaving, eyes fixed on JJ like she was the last thing on Earth worth worshiping. The silk hugged her hips, bare skin glowing in the soft golden light, lips kiss-bitten and swollen from earlier.

Emily’s voice was wrecked. “You are… insane. Cruel. Evil.”

JJ raised a brow, mock-innocent. “What did I do?”

“You made me wait a month to fuck my wife.”

JJ’s smile was slow and deliberate. “So do something about it.”

Emily didn’t hesitate.

She closed the space in three strides, grabbed JJ’s hips, and kissed her like claiming something eternal.

JJ melted instantly, fingers tangling in her hair, lips parting on a gasp. The kiss was all tongue and teeth, messy and greedy, a month of tension crashing at once.

Emily broke it just long enough to whisper, “I’m going to ruin you.”

JJ laughed breathlessly, body already trembling. “That’s the idea.”

Emily stepped behind her, trembling hands brushing JJ’s hair aside, mouth grazing her neck as she found the zipper. Inch by slow, torturous inch, she dragged it down. The dress slid off JJ’s shoulders with a sigh, pooling at her feet like a silk puddle.

Emily staggered back half a step.

JJ wore lingerie that was downright sinful.

Sheer ivory lace, barely-there cups framed with satin straps, a garter hugging her hips, and stockings clipped like the finishing touch on a fantasy.

Emily couldn’t speak.

JJ turned her head slightly, wicked smile. “You like it?”

“I want to live in it.”

Emily didn’t bother with finesse—she kicked off her heels and peeled off her own dress in seconds, stripping like every second without JJ’s skin on hers was unbearable.

Then wordless, she bent, scooped JJ into her arms, and kissed her like she was starving.

JJ gasped, arms flying around her neck, legs curling around her waist as Emily carried her to the bed.

“You wore that little thing,” Emily growled into her mouth, “knowing exactly what you were doing.”

JJ smirked, breath warm on her lips. “It’s our wedding night. You don’t get to complain.”

“I’m not complaining,” Emily panted, kissing along her jaw. “I’m trying not to come just looking at you.”

JJ laughed, low and breathless. “Good luck with that.”

Emily kissed her again hard and deep before laying her on the bed, standing over her for one long heartbeat. She let herself look—really look—at the woman she loved, lingerie-strewn and flushed, every inch a siren call.

She exhaled like she might fall to her knees.

Then she climbed over her, slow and hungry.

JJ lay there, already half-wrecked, breath shallow, lace panties barely hiding how wet she was. Her legs parted, inviting, anticipation vibrating off her skin.

Emily slid onto the bed with the grace of a predator, hands trailing fire up JJ’s body—hips, stomach, and ribs—until her mouth hovered just above her thigh.

“I waited thirty days,” Emily said, voice low and sinful. “You don’t get to rush me now.”

JJ whimpered. “Please…”

Emily bit into her inner thigh, dragging teeth across skin. “You made me sleep with your hand in my shorts and told me not to move. That wasn’t anticipation. That was torture.”

JJ let out a broken laugh. “I was setting the mood.”

“You were playing with fire.”

Emily kissed the skin beside the waistband of her panties, then slowly, so slowly, peeled the lace down, inch by inch, kissing every new patch like a promise.

When JJ was bare, Emily sat back and stared like she was holy.

JJ flushed, breath hitching. “You’re going to make me come just looking at me.”

“Good,” Emily said darkly. “Because I’m going to watch you come over and over until you cry.”

JJ moaned.

Then Emily dove in.

Her mouth met JJ’s center in a slow, greedy lick, and JJ arched with a cry.

Fingers tangled in Emily’s hair, hips jerking, thighs trembling around her head.

Emily moaned against her, tongue moving in slow, devastating strokes, hands gripping hips like anchoring her forever.

“Emily—fuck—don’t stop—oh my God—”

Emily slipped two fingers inside, curling them.

JJ shattered.

Screams echoed off walls, body clamping around fingers, thighs trembling, orgasm crashing like a tidal wave.

But Emily didn’t stop.

She kept licking, fucking her through it, dragging her right to the edge again.

JJ sobbed her name, clawing at sheets, unable to breathe.

Finally, Emily crawled up her body, kissing lips—slow and sticky, tasting herself on her wife’s mouth.

“I love you,” JJ panted.

Emily smirked. “You’re not getting off that easy.”

“I just came so hard I saw Jesus.”

Emily kissed her throat. “Good. Round two.”

She reached into the drawer and pulled out the strap—already harnessed, waiting.

JJ’s eyes went wide. “Oh my God.”

Emily grinned. “On your knees, Mrs. Prentiss.”

JJ moaned and rolled over, body shaking.

Emily moved behind her, running a hand up her spine, the other gripping her hip tight.

“You’ve been such a fucking tease,” she whispered, lining the toy against her soaked entrance. “Now you’re going to take every inch.”

JJ arched back, gasping. “Yes. Please. Fuck me.”

Emily did.

She slammed into her in one hard thrust, and JJ screamed.

The sound of skin against skin filled the room, filthy and wet, echoing JJ’s desperate cries.

“Fuck—you feel so good—so tight—” Emily gasped, rhythm relentless, fingers working JJ's clit in fast circles.

JJ sobbed. “Don’t stop. Please—Emily—don’t fucking stop—”

Her second orgasm hit like a freight train—louder, harder, body convulsing as she cried out, tears slipping down cheeks.

Emily kissed her shoulder and neck, holding her through it, whispering love into her skin.

Then she pulled out, flipped JJ onto his back, and slid back in with a single motion.

JJ screamed. “I can’t—I can’t take any more—”

“Yes, you can,” Emily growled, voice like fire. “Give me one more.”

JJ trembled, raw and burning, legs wrapped tight around Emily’s waist.

Emily kissed her, deep and devastating, hips rolling in smooth, punishing thrusts.

JJ broke.

One last orgasm, white-hot and wrecking, took her under, a scream swallowed by Emily’s mouth, body clinging and twitching beneath her.

When it passed, she collapsed into sheets, shaking, gasping, utterly ruined.

Emily held her close, kissing every inch of trembling skin, whispering sweet things against her cheek.

They stayed tangled and breathless, the scent of sex thick in the air.

****

Emily didn’t know when she lost the ability to move.
Maybe around JJ’s third orgasm. Maybe when her wife whimpered her name like a confession. Or maybe now—as she lay on her back, skin flushed, heart racing, legs still trembling from the last round.

JJ draped across her chest, trailing lazy kisses up her throat, fingers teasing circles over sweat-damp skin.

Emily felt blissed out. Feral. Full.
But not finished.

JJ shifted, brushing her nose along Emily’s jaw. “You good?” she asked, voice sticky-sweet, wrecked.

Emily nodded, her voice barely a whisper. “Yeah. You?”

JJ smiled. “Oh, I’m great.”

Then she kissed her again—slow, deep, nothing like before’s chaos. Reverent. Promising. Laced with intent.

Emily sighed into it, legs falling open instinctively, body aching for more.

JJ moved between them without hesitation, bare thigh sliding up against slick heat.

JJ smirked against her lips. “Well, fuck. Still aching for me.”

Emily blinked, dazed, breath catching. “You made me watch you in that lingerie for a month. What did you expect?”

JJ didn’t answer with words—just a slow, teasing smile as fingers trailed down Emily’s stomach, over her hip, stopping just at her inner thigh.

Lips brushed Emily’s ear. “I expect you to lie back and take it like a good girl.”

Emily let out a choked sound—half gasp, half moan.

JJ grinned wickedly. “Oh, baby. You’ve been giving all night. Let me take something now.”

She kissed down her wife’s chest, mouth hot and wet, tongue swirling over nipples tight and swollen. She sucked one into her mouth with slow, torturous attention—just long enough to make Emily squirm—then switched to the other, humming in satisfaction as hands slid down to spread her open.

Emily arched, hands tangled in JJ’s hair. “Jesus—”

“Nope,” JJ murmured against skin. “Just your wife.”

Then she was gone—sliding lower, down ribs, stomach, and hips—until lying between Emily’s thighs, breath ghosting over flushed, dripping skin.

JJ licked lips. “God, you’re soaked.”

Emily whimpered, hips jerking. “JJ—please—”

JJ didn’t make her wait.

She dove in, licking a slow stripe through slick heat, and Emily cried out—high and sharp, back arching like she’d been struck.

JJ moaned like she was taking her first breath underwater.

Emily tasted sweet—hot, wet, and already pulsing for her.

JJ didn’t tease—she devoured, tongue sweeping in long, deep strokes before shifting to fast, flicking passes over her clit. Then came the sharp, focused suck that made Emily’s hands fly to the headboard, her eyes going wide with shock and pleasure.

“Holy fuck, JJ—”

JJ slid one hand beneath Emily's ass, lifting just enough for the perfect angle, licking again—deep and dirty, tongue fucking with purpose.

Emily’s thighs shook.

Close—embarrassingly close—and JJ knew it.

“Thirty days of waiting,” she murmured, muffled between legs. “Now you beg.”

Emily gasped, head thrown back, sweat slicking skin. “I am—Jesus—I’m fucking begging—”

JJ slid two fingers inside in one smooth push; Emily screamed.

Her whole body bowed, heels digging into the mattress, hips rocking helplessly.

JJ curled her fingers, her tongue never relenting—fast, filthy, focused.

Emily shattered.

She cried out, her voice raw and ragged as her body clenched tightly around JJ’s fingers, an orgasm striking her like a bolt of lightning.

But JJ didn’t stop. She kept her mouth on Emily’s clit, fingers deep inside, moving with steady, relentless rhythm—dragging her higher, chasing the next quake. Emily clawed at the sheets, sobbing as her whole body trembled.

“I can’t—JJ—fuck—too much—”

JJ grinned wickedly. “You told me one more, remember? I’m just returning the favor.”

She kept her mouth on Emily’s clit and her fingers deep inside, working in perfect rhythm until Emily came again—louder this time, her thighs clamping around JJ’s head, her body jerking like she was possessed.

“FUCK—JJ—baby—please—”

Only then did JJ ease up—soft, gentle licks as Emily twitched with aftershocks.

She kissed her way back up, slow and adoring, worshiping trembling skin until lips met again.

JJ hovered, brushing damp hair from her face. “How are we doing, Mrs. Prentiss?”

Emily blinked, dazed and glowing. “You just turned my soul inside out.”

JJ kissed her sweetly and slowly, then bit her bottom lip just hard enough to make Emily gasp.

“That’s what you get for teasing me thirty days,” she whispered, voice low, dangerous.

Emily whimpered, hips jerking. “Worth it.”

They stayed tangled, slick, and wrecked, the air thick with sweat and sex.

Emily’s chest was still heaving when JJ shifted beside her.

“Are you okay?” Emily rasped, brushing a damp strand of hair from JJ’s flushed face.

JJ tilted her head, eyes gleaming. “You didn’t think I came into our wedding night unarmed, did you?”

Emily blinked. “What?”

With a smirk that could melt stone, JJ reached beneath the pillow and pulled out a vibrator—sleek, curved, and charged.

Emily’s eyes went wide. “Oh my God.”

JJ’s grin was wicked. "Are you ready?"

Emily groaned, hips twitching.

“Jennifer…”

“Uh-uh,” JJ purred, rolling them over, straddling hips.

She kissed her slowly and indulgently, tongue sliding into her mouth as their bodies synced once more.

Emily moaned beneath her, arching into the touch while JJ’s hand drifted down her stomach.

“God, you’re still so wet,” JJ whispered, grinding hips down, voice dark with lust. “You’ve been dripping all night, haven’t you?”

Emily nodded, barely coherent. “Since the vows.”

JJ chuckled low and sinful, flicking the toy on. A hum filled the room—almost innocent. Almost.

She slid it between Emily’s legs, teasing her folds with maddening precision, the vibrations skimming over swollen skin until Emily writhed.

“Fuck—JJ—”

“Shh,” JJ breathed, eyes locked on Emily’s face. “Let me take care of you.”

She pressed the toy to Emily’s clit, holding it steady as she watched her come undone.

Emily arched sharply, helpless, her mouth falling open in a silent scream as the vibrations zeroed in, relentless.

“JJ—I—I can’t—”

“Yes, you can,” JJ growled, biting the swell of her breast. “Your body’s been screaming for this for thirty days.”

Emily clawed at the sheets, her body trembling as the first wave tore through her—raw and devastating. But JJ didn’t stop.

She slid the toy lower—inside her—filling her with slow, grinding thrusts. Then she leaned down, kissed her deeply, swallowing the moan that slipped free.

Emily shattered again, crying out into JJ’s mouth, thighs trembling, breath catching in broken gasps.

JJ fucked her through it—steady, dirty, perfect—her free hand gripping Emily’s hip as the toy moved in a brutal rhythm.

Emily sobbed JJ’s name, her body jerking, skin slick and glowing.

When the final orgasm hit, it split her in two—white-hot and complete.

Her body seized, back arching, every nerve alight.

Only then did JJ ease off, fingers brushing soft and reverent over twitching skin as she turned the toy off and set it aside.

Emily blinked up at her, utterly wrecked—dazed, radiant, and completely gone.

JJ pulled the covers over them both, settling close against her wife’s side, cheek tucked into the crook of her shoulder, hand resting over the steady beat of her heart.

She leaned down and whispered against Emily’s lips, “Happy wedding night, Mrs. Prentiss.”

****

Hours later, they lay tangled in the sheets, skin sticky and flushed, the air thick with heat and something far more enduring.

JJ nestled against Emily’s side, her face tucked into the crook of Emily’s neck, one hand resting over the steady beat of her heart.

The room was quiet now, save for the soft cadence of their breathing—slow, syncopated, shared.

JJ traced lazy circles on Emily’s chest, grounding herself in the rhythm beneath her fingers.

She felt safe here. Home.

Emily pressed a kiss to JJ’s temple, her lips lingering like a promise.

“I love you,” she whispered, her voice rough with emotion—as if those words could ever be enough.

JJ tilted her head just enough to kiss the hollow of Emily’s throat. “I love you more.”

Emily smiled and tightened her arms around JJ. “Impossible.”

JJ pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. “You really want to argue right now?”

Emily chuckled, brushing a strand of hair behind JJ’s ear. “No. I just want to stay like this forever.”

JJ’s smile softened, her eyes shining in the dim light. “Then do.”

Emily leaned in and kissed her slowly, reverently—like worship.

When she pulled back, her voice was thick with feeling:

“I’m never going thirty days without touching you again. Never.”

JJ’s eyes shimmered. “Deal.”

They held each other in silence—no pressure, no teasing, just hearts beating in perfect time.

Tomorrow would come with its chaos and noise.

But tonight?
Tonight was sacred.
Tonight was theirs.
And it was perfect.

Chapter Text

The first time it happened, Emily barely noticed.

It was their first winter living together, and the heater in the apartment was more of a suggestion than a guarantee. Her side of the bed, closest to the window, was always colder. But Emily didn’t complain. She didn’t say anything at all, really. Years of hotels, field assignments, and bunker-style living had trained her not to expect much comfort. Cold air against her skin as she slid into bed was familiar. Expected. Normal.

JJ offered to switch sides.

Emily waved her off. “It’s fine.”

The next night, JJ asked again. “Are you sure? You were shivering last night.”

“I’m used to it,” Emily said, brushing it off. “Don’t worry about it.”

But on the third night, Emily came out of the shower to find JJ already in bed—on her side.

She paused in the doorway, a towel slung around her shoulders, a crease forming between her brows.

JJ looked up and smiled, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “This way, it'll be warm when you get in.”

Emily didn’t argue. She just stood there for a long moment, something unfamiliar blooming in her chest. Then she crossed the room and slid in beside her. The sheets were warm. So was something deeper.

JJ didn’t wait for permission after that. Cold nights meant she’d climb into bed first, burrow into Emily’s side, and heat it like a pre-warmed sanctuary. Sometimes Emily found her there half-asleep, curled around her pillow, her body molded into the space like it had always been hers. Emily would nudge her gently, and JJ would scoot over without even opening her eyes, mumbling something incoherent before settling against her again.

One night, Emily finally asked, “Doesn’t it bother you?”

JJ blinked, not quite awake. “You’d do the same for me.”

But that wasn’t what stayed with Emily.

It was what came after.

She started noticing the other things.

Like how JJ would always start the car on cold mornings before Emily left for work—the seat warm, the windshield cleared. Or how her favorite mug—the chipped one with the skyline of Prague—always made its way to the front of the cabinet by the time she reached for it.

How, when she got home late from a case, JJ had already draped her hoodie over the back of a chair or folded it neatly at the foot of the bed, sleeves tucked just so. How she remembered which throw blanket Emily preferred for reading or which takeout she silently craved after rough days—even when Emily never said a word.

It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t performative.

It was all so quiet. So intentional.

Like JJ had studied her—remembered her—not because she had to, but because she wanted to.

Emily had never been on the receiving end of something so consistent. So quietly devoted.

And then there was the flu.

Emily was feverish and miserable, curled up in bed wishing she could disappear. She remembered JJ’s hand in her hair, her voice soft and unwavering: “Shhh, I’ve got you.”

She changed the pillowcase twice a day without being asked. Refilled her water. Tucked her in with steady hands. Held her through the chills. Never once complained or left her for longer than it took to reheat soup.

When Emily muttered, “You don’t have to do all this,” JJ kissed her forehead and said simply, “You’d do the same.”

And eventually, Emily did.

She started heating JJ’s towel before showers. Left her favorite hoodie out on chilly mornings. Memorized how she took her tea on sleepless nights and the brand of lotion she liked in the dry winter months.

Not out of obligation.

But because she wanted to.

It became a language between them—quiet, fluent, and wordless. That’s what love became for them. Not declarations or sweeping moments, but the invisible thread of attention that tethered them together. A hand at the small of the back during difficult days. A note on the mirror. A light left on. A laugh was coaxed out after too many hours spent carrying the weight of the world.

Sometimes, there were no words at all. Just tired limbs and silence. But the care never wavered.

One night, Emily came to bed late. The lights were already off, and JJ was curled on her side of the bed, arm slung around her pillow like she was keeping it safe. Emily paused in the doorway, just watching her—the ease, the certainty, the love woven into something as simple as warming her space.

She didn’t say thank you.

She just climbed in, kissed JJ’s cheek, and nestled into the warmth that had been waiting for her.

And, as always, reached for her hand under the blanket.

****

Emily used to think love was something loud.
Something you earned by surviving the worst parts of life and still standing afterward.
She thought it came with grand declarations, with fireworks, with drama. With sacrifice.

But JJ taught her otherwise.

JJ taught her that real love was quieter than that.
Real love was a second mug of coffee already poured.
A sock drawer with her favorite pair always washed.
A phone charged by the nightstand because JJ had noticed it was at 12%.

It was a hand on the small of her back when she didn’t know she needed grounding.

It was a presence, not a performance.

Emily found herself learning this new language without realizing it—offering it back in return.
She’d throw JJ’s blanket in the dryer for five minutes on cold days so it was toasty when she wrapped up in it.
She’d pre-load JJ’s playlist in the car before long drives.
Leave small notes on case folders that say, “You’ve got this,” in crooked handwriting.

There was no scoreboard between them. No keeping track.

Only intention. Only awareness.

And love, of course.

Always love.

And now, every night, regardless of the season or temperature, JJ always reached for her hand under the blanket.
Even if they hadn’t spoken much that day.
Even if Emily had been closed off or grumpy or tired.
Even if JJ had.

The hand always came.

The love always stayed.

And Emily—who once never expected anyone to know her in this way, to see the quiet parts of her, the pieces she didn’t put on display—held on just as tightly.

Not because she needed saving.

But because she had been chosen.

In the hush of the night, she’d lie there—JJ’s fingers tangled in hers, their legs touching beneath the sheets—and feel something steady take root in her chest.

Something, for sure.

Home.

Chapter Text

JJ had been planning the weekend for weeks.

It was tucked away in a quiet corner of the woods, a cabin with no Wi-Fi, no case files, and no late-night calls about the unthinkable. One bedroom, a fireplace, a kitchen with mismatched mugs, and a back deck that opened to a private lake.

She hadn’t told Emily much. Just “Pack a bag. Three days. No phone.” And when Emily raised an eyebrow, JJ leaned in and kissed her. “Trust me.”

Now, with her arm looped around Emily’s waist, JJ turned the key and pushed open the front door. Afternoon sun spilled through the windows, dancing on the hardwood floors. It smelled faintly of cedar and something clean. Safe. Emily stepped inside, letting out a low whistle. “Okay… I’m impressed.”

JJ dropped her duffel on the couch and turned, cradling Emily’s face in her hands. “It’s just us this weekend. No interruptions. No blood. No press briefings or evidence boards. Just you and me.”

Emily’s mouth curved into a slow smile. “God, I love it when you talk dirty.”

JJ laughed and kissed her. “Just wait.”

****

They spent the afternoon unpacking, then curled up on the deck with blankets and wine, watching the lake ripple as a breeze slipped through the trees. It was quiet—no hum of traffic, no distant sirens, no buzz of incoming texts. Just the rustle of leaves and the occasional call of a bird dipping low across the water.

Emily leaned back in the Adirondack chair, a throw blanket draped over her legs, one of JJ’s hands resting comfortably in hers. Her head lolled back, eyes closed for a long stretch of time. Not asleep, just still.

JJ stole glances at her, watching her chest rise and fall in an easy rhythm. It was the first time in months she’d seen Emily truly relax—shoulders loose and uncoiled, jaw unclenched, fingers not tapping restlessly or searching for her weapon. That persistent tension—years of hardened instinct and layered trauma—seemed to slip off her like an old coat.

Her mouth curved into something light—not just a smile, but something softer.

JJ squeezed her hand. “Are you okay?”

Emily cracked one eye open and turned her head slightly. “I think I forgot what this feels like.”

“This?”

“This… peace.” She looked out at the lake again, her voice low. “Like my body doesn’t have to be ready for the next worst thing.”

JJ shifted closer, brushing her shoulder against Emily’s. “That’s why I brought you here.”

Emily didn’t answer right away. She just watched the sun scatter across the water, letting it reach her.

“I didn’t know how much I needed it,” she finally said.

JJ smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “That’s what I’m here for.”

And Emily melted just a little more.

****

As dusk fell and the stars began to prick the sky, they moved to the fire pit near the cabin. JJ had come prepared—graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate bars were already stacked on a little wooden tray. Emily eyed them with mild suspicion.

“What?” JJ asked, impaling a marshmallow on a skewer.

“I’ve never actually made s’mores before.”

JJ froze. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Emily said, a little sheepish, “we didn’t really do this stuff when I was a kid. I think I lit a marshmallow on fire once at some embassy barbecue and got in trouble for it.”

JJ laughed and passed her a stick. “Well, consider this your official lesson in civilian joy.”

They sat side by side on a blanket, the fire crackling before them, warmth flickering across their faces. JJ coached her through the delicate spin over the flames, stopping Emily’s instinct to just plunge it into the fire. “Patience,” she said with a grin. “Gold and toasty—not black and blazing.”

Emily rolled her eyes but followed her lead. When they finally assembled the sandwich, chocolate already melting beneath the marshmallow’s heat, Emily bit into it, brow lifting in surprise. “Okay. This is outrageously good.”

“Told you.” JJ leaned in and kissed a smear of chocolate from the corner of Emily’s mouth. “Can’t have you walking around like that.”

Emily grinned. “That was just an excuse to kiss me, wasn’t it?”

JJ shrugged, unrepentant. “Do I need an excuse?”

They laughed and fed each other bites between s'more-flavored kisses.

****

After the fire had faded to glowing embers, they ended up on the deck again, JJ nestled between Emily’s legs, her back pressed against her chest. A shared blanket was wrapped around them, cocooning them from the evening chill. Emily’s arms looped around JJ’s waist, palms resting low on her stomach, thumbs brushing idle patterns across the fabric of her sweatshirt. Their legs tangled naturally, bare toes peeking out at the edge of the blanket.

Above them, the sky opened in a spread of stars—so bright and so many, it almost looked unreal. No city lights. No noise. Just that vast stretch of silver and space.

“There’s Orion,” Emily murmured, lifting one arm slightly and pointing, her cheek brushing against JJ’s hair. “And that curve there—Cassiopeia. Looks like a W.”

JJ tilted her face toward Emily’s. “You really know this stuff?”

Emily smiled faintly, eyes still on the sky. “I taught myself. Books, mostly.”

JJ leaned her head back a little, resting it more fully against Emily’s collarbone. “Of course you did.”

Emily’s fingers slipped beneath the hem of JJ’s sweatshirt, fingertips cool against the bare skin of her stomach. “There was this old astronomy book I found in a library when I was twelve. It had a pull-out star chart and everything. I’d sit by the window for hours trying to find the constellations it talked about. Got obsessed with the Big Dipper for a while.”

JJ tilted her head slightly, her voice soft. “Why that one?”

Emily smiled faintly. “Because I could always find it. No matter what.”

JJ leaned back into her, heart catching a little at the simplicity of it. Her hand slid over Emily’s in the quiet, shared moment.

JJ smiled, soft and sure. She lifted a hand to Emily’s jaw and brought her in for a kiss—slow and lingering, lips brushing like a vow. When they parted, she didn’t move far, keeping her forehead resting against Emily’s.

“And that one over there?” Emily whispered a moment later, pointing toward a tight cluster of stars low on the horizon. “That’s the one I made up. I call it the Anchor.”

JJ blinked at the stars, then back at her. “The Anchor?”

“Yeah.” Emily shifted slightly, tightening her arms around JJ’s waist. “It’s what you are. You keep me from drifting.”

JJ’s throat went tight. She reached up and caught Emily’s hand, threading their fingers together and bringing them to her lips. She kissed the back of Emily’s hand, then her wrist, slow and deliberate. “You’re going to make me cry, Prentiss.”

“I’ll hold you if you do.”

JJ let out a laugh, then leaned fully into her. Her head tucked beneath Emily’s chin, one hand sliding along Emily’s thigh beneath the blanket. “I’m not really paying attention to the stars anymore.”

“No?” Emily asked, brushing her lips across JJ’s hairline.

“I’m too busy watching you.”

Emily’s smile was slow and full. She kissed JJ’s temple, then again just behind her ear, murmuring, “That’s cheating.”

“Not if it’s true.”

For a while, neither of them spoke. JJ rested quietly in her arms, tracing little lines on the inside of Emily’s wrist. Emily nuzzled the side of her head, content to simply hold her, to feel her there, real and solid and hers.

The trees rustled around them, the night cool and clear. Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted low and steady.

JJ turned slightly in Emily’s arms, just enough to look up and meet her gaze. “You know... I think this might be my favorite moment in the world.”

Emily looked down at her, brushing a strand of golden hair behind JJ’s ear. “Me too.”

They kissed again—slow and anchoring, a reminder of everything that mattered and nothing that didn’t. And when they leaned back to stare at the sky once more, JJ didn’t need to find the constellations.

She already had everything she needed, right there in Emily’s arms.

****

That night, tangled in the sheets, legs entwined, JJ rested her head against Emily’s chest, listening to the steady, grounding beat of her heart. The room was quiet except for the occasional crackle of the dying fire and the hush of their breathing. Emily’s fingers moved in slow, endless circles on JJ’s bare back, like she had nowhere else to be—like she never wanted to stop touching her.

JJ shifted slightly, nuzzling into Emily’s skin, her lips brushing the curve just below her collarbone. She sighed, the kind of sound that came from deep contentment. “I wish we could stay here forever,” she whispered.

Emily’s voice was low and close, her breath tickling JJ’s temple. “Then let’s forget what day it is. Just keep waking up like this.”

JJ tilted her head up, her palm resting flat over Emily’s heart. “Deal.”

Emily leaned down and kissed her, slow and certain, mouths moving in a rhythm only they knew—unhurried, undemanding. Just there. Just them. The kind of kiss that didn’t need to lead anywhere, because everything they needed was already here.

JJ smiled into it and tucked her face into the crook of Emily’s neck, breathing her in. Emily tightened her arms around her, burying a kiss in JJ’s hair, her cheek resting against the top of her head.

They stayed like that for a long time, whispering nothing in particular. JJ’s fingers brushed across Emily’s stomach in slow arcs, and Emily’s hand slid up to cradle JJ’s jaw, her thumb stroking lightly along her cheekbone.

At some point, JJ pressed a lazy kiss to Emily’s chest, then another to her shoulder, and Emily responded by shifting just enough to wrap both arms around JJ and pull her fully against her, like she couldn’t get close enough.

It was everything—the kind of closeness that made the world fade out. The kind that rewrote the ache of the past and replaced it with something steady and real.

This weekend had been perfect.

No phones. No crime scenes. No ghosts from the past or monsters lurking on a board. Just the two of them—kissing under stars, making s’mores by the fire, wrapped up in each other’s arms until the rest of the world felt like a distant hum they didn’t have to answer.

JJ pressed one last kiss to the hollow of Emily’s throat, her voice barely audible. “Thank you for this. For letting me love you like this.”

Emily’s hand tightened in hers. “There’s no one else I’d ever want it with.”

And when they finally drifted off to sleep, limbs tangled and hearts steady, it wasn’t just the fire keeping them warm.

It was love. Quiet. Constant. Undeniably theirs.

Chapter Text

JJ had found the room one night when the bullpen felt too heavy—when the silence, the weight of cases and memories, had settled into her bones. Past the filing archives and down a hallway no one used anymore was a forgotten storage space. The lock long since broken; the cameras had gone dark years ago. Even Garcia hadn’t flagged it.

She’d never told anyone.

Not until now.

Because today, Emily had been teasing her all damn day.

Lingering touches beneath the table. Fingertips grazing JJ’s lower back when no one was looking. A palm on her hip as she squeezed past her chair. And those looks—those slow, dark drags of Emily’s eyes down her body like she was already undressing her in her mind—had JJ wet before noon.

By 6 p.m., she couldn’t take it anymore.

So when the bullpen finally cleared, JJ stepped behind Emily’s desk and leaned down, her lips brushing the shell of her ear. Her voice was low, steady, and dangerous.

“Come with me.”

Emily’s breath hitched. She turned to face her—eyes narrowed, a slow smile creeping in. She didn’t ask questions. Never did when JJ used that tone.

She just followed.

Down the hallway. Around the corner. Past the darkened archives.

JJ opened the door to the storage room and tugged her inside.

The air was dusty, quiet, and dim. Forgotten. No surveillance. No interruptions. Just them.

Emily’s gaze roamed the space—metal shelving, old file boxes, and a long-forgotten chair in the corner.

But then she saw it: a folded blanket and a pair of pillows set neatly in the corner.

Her eyebrows shot up. “Been planning this, Jareau?”

JJ smirked, already walking over. She tugged the blanket open and dropped the pillows into place, smoothing them into a makeshift bed on the floor. “Maybe.”

Emily’s eyes burned. “You’ve been holding out on me.”

JJ turned to face her. “You’ve been undressing me with your eyes since nine a.m.”

Emily stepped in, crowding her until they were toe-to-toe. “That’s because I’ve been thinking about your mouth since nine a.m.”

JJ fisted her collar, yanking her in. Their mouths collided—rough, needy, all tongue and teeth. Emily’s thigh slotted between JJ’s legs, pressing up just enough to make her grind down.

JJ moaned into her mouth.

Emily’s hands found JJ’s hips, lifting her just enough to spin her, pinning her back against the cold metal of the door.

“Jesus Christ, Jennifer,” Emily breathed, voice thick.

“You’ve been teasing me all day,” JJ whispered, breath ragged. “I had to change my panties at lunch.”

Emily growled low in her throat. “Let me see.”

JJ didn’t hesitate. She unbuttoned her blouse, slow and deliberate, revealing the sheer black lace Emily always lingered on. Her nipples were already stiff, pressing against the fabric. Emily’s eyes went dark.

JJ let the bra fall to the floor. “No cameras. No rules.”

Emily dropped to her knees in one swift motion.

Her hands slid up JJ’s thighs, pushing her skirt higher until it bunched around her waist. When she saw the matching lace panties, soaked through, she let out a reverent, filthy sound.

“Fuck, you weren’t lying.”

JJ braced herself against the door, thighs trembling.

Emily hooked her fingers under the waistband and dragged them down slowly—watching, devouring. She didn’t even wait for permission before leaning in, mouth sealing over her.

JJ gasped, one hand flying to Emily’s hair.

Emily licked like she was starving. Long, slow drags of her tongue that turned into quick flicks and soft sucks. She mouthed at her clit like it was a promise and a punishment.

JJ’s head thunked against the door. “Emily—oh, fuck—”

Then fingers. Two of them, deep and curling just right. Emily knew every angle. Every tell. JJ bucked against her face, whimpering, lost to the rhythm of it.

Emily growled against her.

“Say it.”

JJ’s breath came in sharp, broken bursts.

“Say you’re mine.”

JJ’s whole body locked.

“I’m yours,” she gasped. “I’m fucking yours—always—Emily—oh—”

Her orgasm tore through her. Her legs locked around Emily’s shoulders, her body shuddering as she cried out, fingernails raking into her scalp. She came hard, wet, and unfiltered.

Emily didn’t stop until JJ sagged against the door—wrecked and panting.
She rose, face slick, lips flushed, and eyes dark with possession.

JJ grabbed her by the collar, pulling her up into a filthy, desperate kiss. She licked into her mouth, tasting herself, then slipped a hand between her legs.

JJ slid down the door to her knees.

“Take them off.”

Emily stared down at her. “Bossy.”

JJ smiled up at her, dark and hungry. “You love it.”

Emily stepped out of her heels, unzipped her slacks, and let them fall. Her panties were soaked through. JJ didn’t hesitate—her fingers slipped beneath the soft, soaked lace.

One stroke.

Emily groaned.

Another.

Emily’s knees buckled.

JJ guided her over to the blanket, lowering her onto it gently. The makeshift bed softened the concrete beneath her as she lay back, legs parting without resistance.

JJ knelt between her thighs, her fingers teasing and circling, then sinking in deep.

“God—JJ—” Emily moaned, hips jerking.

JJ kissed her belly, then her ribs, then her throat, working up to her mouth. “I want to feel you break for me.”

Emily arched up into her, fucking herself down onto JJ’s hand, eyes fluttering, lips parted.

“Just like that—don’t stop—don’t fucking stop—”

JJ didn’t stop.

Not until Emily shattered—legs trembling, nails clawing down JJ’s back, her orgasm flooding through her in long, wrecked waves. Her moan was guttural and unrestrained. She fell apart completely.

*****

Afterward, they lay tangled on the blanket, skin sticky with sweat, legs twisted together. Their breaths came fast, shallow, and overlapping. The pillows beneath them offered just enough comfort to keep them from moving.

JJ turned, watching the slow rise and fall of Emily’s chest as she came down.

Then—quiet, real—“I love you.”

Emily turned to look at her. Her face was flushed, her mascara slightly smudged, and her eyes dark.

“Say it again.”

JJ smiled. Reached out. Touched her cheek with the backs of her fingers.

“I love you.”

Emily leaned in, kissing her, their mouths brushing like a promise.

“You say shit like that,” she murmured, “and I’m never letting you go.”

JJ pulled her closer until there was no space left between them. Their bodies still humming, their skin still warm.

“That’s the idea.”

Chapter Text

For three endless days, the BAU had been a storm of chaos and heartbreak, every second stretching thinner and thinner. JJ was gone, snatched away like a ghost in the night, her absence a sharp, aching void that gnawed at Emily’s soul. Each day had blurred into the next, filled with frantic searches, dead ends, and the growing weight of desperation that threatened to shatter her.

Emily was barely holding it together. Sleepless nights had carved an ache in her chest, a raw, open wound. Her mind spiraled with every horrific possibility: What if they never found JJ? What if—

The team worked around the clock, scanning nearby towns, tracking leads, and interviewing witnesses. Garcia’s voice was the only thing steady, calm, and brilliant—a beacon in the dark. And now, after what felt like a lifetime of waiting, there was a break.

Her phone buzzed in Emily’s trembling hand. She snatched it up, eyes wide and desperate as Garcia’s message lit the screen: “Location ping near the docks. Move. Now!”

Emily’s breath hitched, lungs tightening. The docks are the heart of forgotten places, shadows deep enough to swallow screams. The perfect prison for the Unsub who held JJ.

She didn’t hesitate.

Emily burst through the police station they were using as their base, heart hammering against her ribs like a warning drum. “Let’s move!” Her voice was hoarse but fierce. Her teammates followed without question, their faces mirrors of raw determination and shared fear.

The drive to the docks was a blur, a surge of cold air whipping through the car windows. Emily’s fingers clenched the door handle, knuckles white, every muscle coiled tight with tension.

When they arrived, the docks were a labyrinth of rusted containers and looming warehouses, silent and ominous under the moonlight. The smell of salt and oil mixed with decay. The perfect place to disappear.

Emily’s boots thundered on cracked concrete, echoing like a war drum in the eerie stillness. Each step was a battle, her mind fighting the relentless tide of terror and hope. The cold bit at her skin, but inside, her chest felt like it was being crushed, the air too thick to breathe.

Her pulse roared in her ears as she neared a weathered warehouse. The entire team fanned out, weapons drawn, senses razor-sharp. Emily’s hand trembled as she reached for the door, pushing it open with slow, cautious force.

****

Inside, the darkness was suffocating, broken only by slivers of moonlight spilling through cracks. A faint sound pierced the silence—breathless, desperate.

Jennifer.

Emily’s breath caught in her throat. Every muscle screamed as she followed the sound, her heart shattering and soaring all at once.

At the center of the room, surrounded by looming crates and the metallic tang of rust, JJ sat bound to a chair—disheveled, pale, but with eyes that still burned with fierce, stubborn strength.

“JJ,” Emily whispered, tears blurring her vision. The weight of three endless days apart crashed over her in a flood of relief, anguish, and unyielding love. She stepped fully into the open space, chest constricting with the force of it all.

JJ lifted her head, gaze locking on Emily’s. Tears glistened but didn’t fall. “Emily…”

Before Emily could close the last few feet, the door slammed behind her with a thunderous bang. A figure stepped from the shadows, a cruel smirk twisting his face in triumph.

“Looking for your girlfriend?” His voice was low, venom dripping with menace.

Emily’s eyes narrowed, her body coiling like a spring ready to strike. “Let her go.”

The man laughed, pacing slowly like a predator toying with its prey. “Not yet. I’m not finished.”

Emily’s gaze locked with JJ’s first—silent vows passing between them, unbreakable and fierce. Then she stepped forward, planting herself between JJ and the danger. Her voice was ice, every word a razor-sharp warning. “You don’t know who you’re messing with. Hurt her, and I swear you’ll regret it.”

His grin faltered but didn’t vanish, his eyes flicking warily between Emily and JJ. Whatever came next, they would face it as one.

Suddenly, the man lunged, blade flashing through the dim light. Emily’s training and adrenaline surged. She caught his wrist, twisted, and slammed him down hard on the concrete floor. The fight was raw, brutal, and desperate—Emily using every ounce of strength and precision to keep the weapon away from him.

A crash erupted behind them—the door slammed open and the rest of the team poured in, weapons drawn, voices sharp and commanding. Emily kept the man restrained for precious seconds until Morgan was at her side, smoothly taking over and forcing him fully to the ground. Rossi wrenched the blade from his grip while Hotch barked orders, handcuffs snapping shut.

****

With the threat restrained, Emily dropped to her knees beside JJ, breathless and shaking. Her hands fumbled for the small blade she kept in her pocket, every knot a battle she refused to lose. Rope scraped her fingers, falling away in frayed pieces as she cut. “I’ve got you,” she murmured, her voice raw and unsteady.

The moment JJ was free, she collapsed into Emily’s arms, clinging like the world might rip her away again. Her whole body trembled, her breaths ragged against Emily’s neck.

“I thought… I’d never see you again.” JJ rasped, the words breaking on her lips.

Emily held her tighter, one hand cradling the back of her head, pressing a fierce kiss into her hair. “I would’ve torn the world apart before I stopped looking for you.” Her voice carried the weight of every sleepless night and every mile run.

JJ’s fingers twisted in Emily’s jacket, grounding herself in the only thing that felt real. “You found me,” she whispered, disbelief bleeding into relief.

Emily pulled back enough to meet her eyes—tired, fierce, and alive. “I’ll always find you.”

Cold and darkness pressed in around them, but in Emily’s arms, there was something stronger, unyielding, and alive.

She swept the warehouse with her gaze, instincts still wired for danger. “It's over now,” she said, the words an iron promise.

JJ leaned against her, the shaking easing fractionally. “I know.”

Their eyes locked, a silent vow sealing between them. Nothing, not even the worst night of their lives, could sever this. Emily kissed her, slow and consuming, reclaiming what had almost been lost.

When they broke apart, JJ’s forehead rested against hers, breath mingling. “I love you,” she whispered.

Emily’s throat tightened. “I love you more.”

But they weren’t out yet. Emily shifted her hold, her voice low but steady. “Let’s get out of here.”

JJ nodded, legs weak, and Emily supported her, one arm firm around her waist. They slipped through the shadows together toward the faint glow of the city.

Every step felt like a defiance of the darkness, a proof that they’d survived.

As dawn’s first light touched the horizon, Emily pulled JJ closer, hearts still pounding in sync.

“You’re safe now,” she said, this time with certainty.

JJ looked up, eyes shining through exhaustion. “Because of you.”

Emily managed a trembling smile. “Because we don’t break.”

And together, they stepped into the light—unbroken, undefeated, and unafraid.

Chapter Text

Emily Prentiss moved through the BAU headquarters like a shadow—efficient, purposeful, and commanding a room without needing to say more than a word or two. Her sharp eyes scanned every detail, her presence alone enough to silence noise and demand focus. To her teammates, to the field agents, and even to the most hardened criminals she faced, Emily was the embodiment of unyielding strength. Cool, precise, unbreakable. The steel in her gaze was the armor she wore to protect a heart only a few had the privilege to see.

But whenever Jennifer Jareau walked into the room, something shifted. It wasn’t just a glance or a smile—though there were plenty of those—but a subtle unraveling of that formidable façade. Emily’s posture would ease just the tiniest bit, her jaw unclenching, and her eyes, usually so sharp and measured, would light from a place no one else ever glimpsed.

That morning, as the team gathered around the conference table to review new evidence, Emily found herself watching JJ from across the room. JJ’s smile was infectious, but what caught Emily’s attention was the way JJ’s eyes briefly flicked to her—soft and steady, a silent beacon cutting through the tension. Emily’s lips twitched into a nearly imperceptible smile before her usual resolve snapped back into place. No one else noticed, but JJ did. Their eyes met for just a moment longer—a private exchange amidst the chaos.

****

When the team had scattered to prepare for the day’s mission, Emily caught up with JJ near the coffee machine. The faint scent of vanilla and citrus clung to JJ’s skin, mingling with the trace of lavender in her hair. Emily reached out with a casual touch—her fingers brushing JJ’s wrist as they passed. The contact was light, almost accidental, but it sent a spark through Emily’s veins, grounding her. JJ glanced up, her eyes twinkling with understanding, and squeezed Emily’s hand before moving away.

The mission briefing was intense, every detail demanding complete attention, but Emily’s mind kept drifting back to JJ—the curve of her smile, the warmth in her voice when offering reassurance to the team, and how her presence steadied Emily’s nerves better than any deep breath ever could.

After a long day tracking leads and piecing together clues, the team returned to the office. Emily and JJ found themselves alone in the quiet of the bullpen. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting a pale glow over scattered files and blinking computer screens. Emily leaned back in her chair, tired but alert, and caught JJ’s gaze across the room.

Without a word, JJ approached, her steps light and sure. She settled beside Emily, fingers curling around hers with a familiarity that made Emily’s breath hitch. The world shrank until it was just the two of them, the noise of the office fading into the background.

JJ’s thumb traced slow circles on the back of Emily’s hand, and Emily tilted her head slightly, resting it against JJ’s shoulder. The steady rhythm of JJ’s heartbeat under her cheek was a balm—something real and grounding after days spent chasing shadows and facing danger.

“You don’t have to be so tough all the time,” JJ whispered, voice low and warm, teasing but full of affection.

Emily smiled against JJ’s skin, the words sinking in deeper than she expected. “Someone has to be.”

JJ’s fingers tightened just a bit, pulling Emily closer until their bodies pressed together. Emily’s arms wrapped around JJ, holding her close, needing the tangible proof that this moment was theirs alone. She cupped JJ’s face with both hands, thumb brushing over her cheek, memorizing every freckle and line.

Their lips met slowly, a tender collision filled with all the things Emily rarely said out loud: love, trust, and safety. The kiss deepened with urgency, and Emily’s hands roamed, tracing the familiar curves of JJ’s back, pulling her even closer. Each touch was a vow, each sigh a promise.

They broke apart only when the world crept back in, but Emily’s fingers lingered in JJ’s hair, weaving through soft strands as she rested her forehead against hers. “You’re the only reason I let my guard down,” Emily admitted, her voice barely more than a breath.

JJ smiled, her own vulnerability shining through. “I’m not going anywhere.”

****

Later that night, in the quiet solitude of Emily’s apartment, the door had barely closed behind JJ before Emily’s hands were on her, exploring the warmth that had become her refuge. They moved with practiced ease, a choreography born from years spent learning each other’s rhythms.

Emily’s lips trailed down JJ’s neck, her fingers tangling in the soft waves of JJ’s hair. JJ’s hands slid beneath Emily’s shirt, skin warming beneath the touch, breath hitching in the silence between them. Their kisses deepened—more urgent, more claiming—yet always tender, balancing fire with comfort.

Emily pressed JJ against the cool wall, their bodies melding as the sharp edges of her day melted away in the heat of their connection. She whispered JJ’s name like a prayer, like a secret, before capturing her lips again—first hard and desperate, then soft and lingering.

In those moments, Emily was no longer the untouchable profiler or the unyielding agent. She was simply a woman who loved fiercely, trusted deeply, and found her home in the arms of another.

When they finally lay tangled together, breaths mingling in the dim light, Emily’s hand found JJ’s, fingers curling around hers, holding tight.

“Thank you for finding me,” Emily murmured.

JJ smiled, brushing a stray hair from Emily’s face. “Always.”

And in that quiet, unbreakable space, Emily’s heart beat steady—not steel, but something infinitely more beautiful.

Chapter Text

Emily woke to an empty bed, the faint imprint of JJ’s body still warm on the sheets beside her. A groan slipped from her throat as she dragged a pillow over her face, inhaling the faint scent of JJ’s shampoo. She already hated the day. JJ had slipped out before dawn for an early meeting, and Emily hadn’t gotten so much as a kiss—not even the quick brush of lips on her temple that always anchored her before a long day. That small daily tether, the one thing that steadied her, had been stolen by JJ’s schedule.

And Emily Prentiss did not do well without it.

By midmorning, she was practically crawling out of her skin. The bullpen hummed with chaos—phones ringing, Garcia popping her head out of her lair with new leads, and stacks of files landing on her desk—but none of it distracted her from the gnawing, itchy need under her skin. She caught glimpses of JJ across the room, blond head bent close to Hotch’s as they strategized, lips moving quickly in a way Emily couldn’t hear but couldn’t stop watching. Every time their eyes met, Emily tried to telegraph "I need you" across the distance, but JJ only gave her that tiny, professional smile polished enough to fool everyone else but sharp enough to slice Emily clean through. It was torture.

The day dragged, hour after hour. A stolen glance here. A brush of hands as they traded a file. Nothing more. It wasn’t enough. Emily’s jaw ached from how hard she was clenching it, biting back the urge to grab JJ’s wrist and pull her into an empty room. She imagined pinning her against the wall, kissing her until the whole BAU forgot what they were doing. The thought only made her more restless.

****

By the time the clock hit evening, she was raw with need. Emily had been running on glances and scraps all day, and when she saw JJ leave with Hotch, chasing a lead that couldn’t wait, something in her nearly broke.

She stayed behind, restless and fidgeting, flipping through files she couldn’t focus on, tapping her pen against the desk hard enough to splinter the wood. It was useless. She wasn’t reading the words. She was just replaying every moment she hadn’t touched JJ today.

The drive home was worse. Every red light stretched like an eternity. By the time she walked into their apartment, her chest was tight, her body a live wire wound too tight to breathe. The quiet felt suffocating without JJ’s presence filling it. She tried pacing, poured herself a glass of wine she never touched, and checked her phone three times. Her thumbs hovered over the screen, tempted to text. Come home. I’m losing my mind without you. She didn’t send it. Not because JJ would tease her but because Emily couldn’t bring herself to confess how crazy she felt after a single day without her. She was a grown woman, an FBI agent, and yet the lack of JJ’s kisses made her restless, almost shaky.

The sound of the lock turning nearly knocked the air out of her.

She was across the room in seconds, nearly tripping in her rush to reach the door. JJ barely had time to step inside before Emily was on her, arms locking around her body, pulling her close like she’d been gone a month instead of a day. Emily buried her face against JJ’s neck, inhaling deeply, before tilting her chin up and cupping JJ’s face with both hands.

Her lips crashed against JJ’s with an urgency that stole JJ’s breath, the kiss messy and desperate, teeth clashing before melting into something hungrier. Emily moaned low in her throat, pressing her body flush against JJ’s, not caring about bags slung over her shoulder or the fact that JJ was still half in her coat.

“I can’t—” Emily gasped against her mouth, kissing her again before she could finish the thought. “I can’t go a whole day without kissing you. It’s actual torture.”

JJ laughed, breathless, her lips chasing Emily’s like she’d been starving too. “You’re ridiculous.”

“You’re cruel,” Emily shot back, biting at JJ’s bottom lip, tugging it before devouring her mouth again.

JJ let her bag and coat fall where they landed, hands sliding into Emily’s hair, tugging until Emily groaned. “All day, all I could think about was this,” JJ whispered between kisses, lips brushing Emily’s jaw, her ear, and her throat. “You think you were the only one suffering?”

The words made Emily’s stomach clench, heat flooding her veins. She pressed JJ back against the nearest wall, hips grinding harder, kisses turning filthier and more demanding. JJ gasped, arching against her, and Emily growled into her mouth, hands gripping her hips like she’d never let go.

“You’re mine,” Emily murmured, half a threat, half a plea, kissing her so hard she could taste copper on her tongue.

JJ smiled against her lips, tugging Emily closer, breath hitching as Emily’s thigh slid between hers. “Then prove it,” she whispered.

****

The air between them snapped like a live wire. Emily pressed harder, pouring the ache of the entire day into JJ’s mouth, their kisses tumbling from desperate to consuming, from slow brushes of lips to open-mouthed need. JJ’s hands slid beneath Emily’s shirt, fingertips grazing up her ribs, making Emily shiver and gasp against her. Emily cupped JJ’s face like she was afraid to ever let it go, kissing her again and again, greedy and reverent all at once.

It was messy; it was fevered—teeth clashing, breath mingling—but threaded through it was something achingly tender. Every kiss said, "I missed you." Every touch said you’re mine. Emily broke only long enough to breathe against JJ’s lips, her voice rough and unguarded. “Never again. Never leave this house without kissing me first.”

JJ’s laugh was breathless and sweet, her forehead pressed to Emily’s as if she couldn’t bear any space between them. “Deal,” she whispered, before pulling her back into another kiss, slower this time, deliberate, sealing the vow with a tenderness that promised more. As JJ’s hands tightened around her waist and Emily melted into her, it no longer felt like making up for lost time but a reminder that they were something Emily could never live a day without.

Chapter Text

JJ had been teasing Emily all day, pushing boundaries, daring her to take control. Now she stood in the living room, pressed lightly against the edge of the couch, the city lights slicing across the hardwood floor in long, liquid streaks. Every glance from Emily made her shiver—sharp, commanding, leaving no room to hide.

“Brat,” Emily murmured, voice low, hungry, and threaded with authority. “Undress yourself. Strip. Now.”

JJ’s breath hitched, hands fumbling at the waistband of her leggings. Her pulse thrummed in her ears as she obeyed, peeling them down slowly, deliberately, letting Emily drink in every inch of revealed skin. Her blouse followed, arms trembling as she slipped free and tossed it aside. Naked now, she shivered under Emily’s stare, chest rising and falling rapidly, heat pooling low in her belly.

“Good girl,” Emily whispered, stepping closer, her presence heavy, magnetic. “Now… help me.”

JJ reached for Emily’s blouse, fingertips brushing reverently against smooth skin as she worked each button free. Emily didn’t move, her hands held still at her sides, giving JJ control, waiting to be touched. Carefully, JJ slid the fabric from her shoulders, revealing her collarbones, chest, and the subtle curve of her waist. Sparks ignited with every slow pass of JJ’s fingers.

Emily tangled her hand in JJ’s hair, pulling her into a kiss that was demanding, searing, and teeth-grazing as tongues tangled. JJ moaned into her mouth, pressing closer, surrendering to the dominance that rolled off Emily in waves. Emily pressed her against the wall, lips moving down her jaw to her throat, teasing, claiming.

“You’ve been a very naughty brat,” Emily whispered, teeth grazing her collarbone. “And Mommy doesn’t let that slide.”

JJ gasped, hips pressing forward instinctively. “I… I want… I’m yours…” she admitted, her voice trembling with the weight of it.

“You are mine, Jennifer. Every inch. And tonight…” Emily’s lips brushed her ear. “…you’re going to learn exactly what happens when you test me.”

JJ’s hands slid down Emily’s sides, knuckles grazing the hem of her blouse as if asking permission before slipping lower. The kiss deepened, breath mingling as JJ pressed her body against Emily. A low sound escaped Emily’s throat at the sudden boldness.

“Impatient, are we?” Emily teased, her voice rough with want.

JJ pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. “Not impatient. Desperate.”

****

The honesty burned hotter than the kiss itself. JJ’s hands slid lower, tugging at Emily’s slacks with desperate insistence. Emily let her, savoring the sight of her wife’s trembling determination. JJ shoved the fabric down with urgency, every touch electric, her need too sharp to disguise.

Emily’s breath caught as the cool air brushed against her heated skin. She tugged at JJ’s shirt in return, fingers working at the buttons until the fabric fell away. JJ didn’t resist, baring herself completely, her eyes never leaving Emily’s.

Emily traced her fingertips down JJ’s chest, over familiar lines of muscle and the scars she adored, before pressing her lips just above JJ’s heart. The kiss lingered, reverent. “Mine,” she whispered.

JJ tangled her hands in Emily’s hair, pulling her back into another kiss, fierce and consuming. Emily’s fingers slid lower, unfastening JJ’s pants with teasing slowness until the zipper gave way. JJ groaned, forehead dropping to Emily’s shoulder as she stepped free of the fabric, bare and trembling.

“God, Emily,” she breathed, raw and ragged. “I’ve missed this.”

Emily cupped her cheek, forcing her to meet her gaze. Her eyes were fierce, tender, and unshakable. “Then don’t ever doubt it again. You’re the only one. Always.”

The words shattered JJ’s last restraint. She kissed her harder, deeper, pouring jealousy, longing, and love into the desperate press of their mouths. Emily responded in kind, gripping her hips and pulling her flush against her until there was no space left between them.

They stumbled back toward the couch, not with frantic urgency but with inevitability, as though gravity itself was pulling them there. JJ went willingly, falling against the cushions with Emily above her. Her chest heaved, her eyes were wide and dark, and her lips were parted in breathless need.

“Spread,” Emily commanded.

JJ obeyed instantly, legs parting, body open. “Anything… whatever you want,” she whispered, her voice trembling with need.

Emily claimed her mouth again, rough and insistent, her hands roaming JJ’s body—sliding down her sides, brushing over her hips, teasing the places that made JJ writhe. She pinned JJ’s wrists above her head, kissing down her throat, biting just enough to mark.

JJ arched beneath her, surrendering with a moan, hips lifting, begging.

“Good girl. Take it. Accept it. Learn your lesson,” Emily murmured, hands exploring with deliberate precision, teasing, claiming, coaxing gasps and shivers. JJ responded instinctively, pressing closer, clinging to shoulders, hair, anything she could reach. Every movement was fluid—Emily guiding, JJ obeying—their rhythm a careful balance of dominance and surrender.

“You love testing me, don’t you?” Emily murmured, lips brushing her ear, fingers tracing teasing patterns along her side. “Pushing limits… knowing I’m in control… that you’re completely… mine.”

“Yes,” JJ gasped, shivering under her touch. “Yes… I do.”

Emily’s mouth curved against her skin, fierce and pleased. “Then show me just how much.”

****

Every motion after was deliberate, consent woven into dominance, desire threading every kiss and sigh. The apartment filled with gasps, whispered commands, and eager affirmations—two bodies moving in perfect, heated synchronization, testing and reaffirming each other’s boundaries.

When release finally left them trembling, they collapsed together, sweaty, tangled, hearts pounding in unison. JJ clung to Emily, her voice breaking as she whispered, “I… I’m yours… completely.”

Emily smoothed patterns along her back, lips brushing her temple and then her forehead. “Exactly where you belong. With me. Always.”

JJ tilted her head back, tears threatening but not falling, her smile soft and reverent. “I don’t ever want this to end. Being yours. Being with you.”

“It doesn’t have to,” Emily said, cupping her face, her voice tender now, grounding. “You’re mine, just like I’m yours. Every laugh, every kiss, every breath… forever.”

They tangled together, bodies softening into stillness, the earlier fire dissolving into something steady, profound, and eternal. Outside, the city carried on, but inside, desire had become devotion, possession had become love—and both women knew it was unshakable.

Chapter Text

For weeks, Emily and JJ had circled each other in a careful orbit, a rhythm of fleeting glances, subtle touches, and small smiles neither dared to name aloud. Every case, every debrief, carried an undercurrent of something unspoken, tension coiling tighter with every shared space, every brief brush of skin. Tonight, after a particularly grueling case in the field, Emily had suggested a drink. Just the two of them. A rare chance to exhale.

The bar was bustling, full of chatter and the clink of glasses. The scent of bourbon and citrus hung in the air, mingling with the low thrum of music. JJ sat tucked into a booth in the corner, angled just enough to see the entrance and the room beyond. Her blazer was folded neatly over the back of the seat, sleeves rolled at the cuffs, the crisp white shirt beneath showing traces of the day’s work. Her tie had been loosened, the stiffness of the office shrugged off, and her hands rested lightly on the table, fingers flexing as she assessed the scene. Her drink, a neat whiskey, caught the scattered light, untouched for the moment.

Emily moved with her usual assurance, threading between clusters of patrons at the bar, glancing toward the corner where JJ sat. Her coat hung from her shoulders, hair brushing just past the collarbone, eyes tracking JJ in a way that made her chest tighten. From her vantage point, she could see the way JJ shifted slightly in the booth, her posture casual yet alert, every small movement drawing Emily in. Here, away from the BAU, away from the chaos of profiling and crime scenes, the world narrowed until it was just the two of them.

Then he appeared.

A man slid into the booth beside JJ, grin sharp and self-assured, radiating entitlement. “Mind if I join you?” he asked, leaning in too close, hand brushing briefly near hers on the table. JJ stiffened, eyes narrowing, signaling clear boundaries, but before she could speak, his hand drifted along hers, pressing a little too firmly, trying to pull her closer. JJ froze, irritation flaring even as she weighed her options.

Emily acted before JJ could.

She crossed the bar with deliberate speed, heels clicking against the floor, the hum of conversation fading under her presence. Reaching the booth, she slid in beside JJ, pressing lightly against her side, letting her stance communicate possession without words. One arm found JJ’s waist, the other steady on her shoulder, fingers pressing just enough to anchor her.

“You need to step back,” Emily said, voice low but carrying authority, lips brushing the shell of JJ’s ear in a way that set her pulse racing. “She’s with me.”

JJ’s eyes widened, a cocktail of surprise, relief, and something warmer flickering across her features. Emily leaned in slightly, lips brushing the edge of JJ’s temple—a warning, a promise. The man faltered, uncertainty flashing across his features, and after a muttered, “Uh… right… sorry,” he melted back into the crowd, disappearing like smoke.

JJ exhaled, a small laugh escaping, her fingers twitching with residual tension. She pressed a hand to her chest for a moment, letting herself register both relief and the undeniable thrill of Emily’s protective claim. “You didn’t have to do that,” she said, voice low, chest still hammering.

Emily’s grin was teasing and mischievous. “I know,” she said, eyes glinting in the dim light. “But I wanted to.”

JJ shivered, letting herself relax fractionally. “Looks like it worked,” she admitted, the heat of adrenaline still thrumming through her veins.

Emily’s fingers threaded with hers, holding JJ just enough to steady her, brushing over knuckles with deliberate care. “Let’s keep it like this,” she murmured, tilting her head to press a fleeting kiss against JJ’s temple. “Just for tonight. Makes it clear to anyone else who might try something.”

JJ glanced toward the remaining crowd, throat tightening, before meeting Emily’s gaze. The closeness, the excuse, the spark—it all thrilled her, more than she expected. “Alright… pretending,” she echoed, voice softer, a nervous tremor betraying her. “For… protection.”

Emily leaned in, careful but intimate, brushing the small of her back against JJ’s chair, her arm resting across the bar’s polished wood behind her. Their thighs pressed lightly, the tension mounting, every touch charged with unspoken heat. Emily’s hand traced a slow path along JJ’s knuckles, fingers brushing against her palm, lips finding her cheek in ways that lingered, deliberate and possessive. JJ laughed softly, attempting casualness, but her wide eyes gave her away: alert, hungry, yearning.

The tension coiled further. Emily tilted closer, lips brushing JJ’s jaw, teasing along the edge of her mouth, then retreating just far enough to provoke. JJ’s breath hitched, chest rising as if she’d been holding herself in check for far too long.

“You do realize this is risky,” Emily murmured, brushing her lips against JJ’s in fleeting contact.

JJ swallowed hard, pulse spiking. “Risky?” she asked, breath shallow, trying to anchor herself in reason.

Emily pressed a corner of her mouth against hers, just a tease, electrifying. “Absolutely. And I have no intention of stopping.”

JJ’s hand lifted, brushing Emily’s jaw, threading through the strands of her hair, grounding them both. “Then don’t,” she whispered, steadier now, eyes bright with resolve. “Not yet.”

No hesitation remained. Emily claimed her lips fully this time, heat sparking through them, tension unspooling. JJ gasped, pressing closer, one hand gripping Emily’s arm, the other resting firmly on her back. Every nerve felt alive, months of careful restraint unraveling in the intimacy of a single kiss.

****

The hum of the bar faded, replaced by the shared rhythm of their breaths, mingling, overlapping. Every touch, every lingering brush of lips, became its own confession, a release of the months of tension that had been coiled tightly between them.

JJ pulled back slightly, breathless, laughter spilling out in a shaky exhale. “You’re relentless,” she whispered, eyes alight with a mix of exasperation and desire.

Emily grinned, teeth brushing against JJ’s lips, voice low and rough. “You love it.”

“Yes,” JJ admitted, shivering as Emily returned to her mouth, this time slower, more deliberate, savoring each moment. “I… love it.”

Hands tangled in hair, along backs, tracing shoulders and arms. Months of restraint, of carefully masked longing, poured out in waves. Each movement, each subtle press of skin against skin, made the intensity grow, desire spiraling higher.

Finally, Emily eased back, resting her forehead against JJ’s, both trembling slightly, breaths ragged but synchronized. “No pretense,” she murmured, thumb brushing JJ’s cheek. “Just this. Just us.”

JJ tilted her head, shoulder pressing into Emily’s, voice low and certain. “I could get used to this.”

Emily pressed a final kiss to her lips, lingering just long enough to claim the moment. “Good,” she murmured. “Because I’m not letting go.”

JJ leaned in, eyes bright, certain, and unshakable. Emily knew she meant it. After weeks of tension, restraint, and quiet longing, they had crossed the line together, intentionally. In that bar, away from the BAU, they existed solely in each other’s orbit, undeniable and free.

The bartender glanced past them, the music shifted slightly, and patrons laughed and moved around, but Emily and JJ remained in their own sphere, wrapped in a private orbit where nothing else existed. And in that instant, everything that had been unspoken became reality, fierce and undeniable, every glance, every touch, and every kiss finally claimed as theirs.

Chapter Text

The bullpen was alive with chatter, phones ringing, and keys clacking in steady rhythm. From behind the blinds of her office, Emily watched her team moving through the motions of late-day work, closing files, scribbling notes, and debating loose ends of the case. She should’ve been out there with them, or better yet, on her way home. Instead, her shoulders were tight, her jaw locked, and the weight of the job was pressing down harder than she’d admit to anyone.

Except JJ.

JJ hovered just outside the glass walls, eyes finding Emily’s with practiced precision. One look was all it took. Emily knew that the tilt of her lips and the spark in her eyes weren’t casual. It was a decision.

The door clicked shut behind her as she stepped inside, locking it without hesitation. Then, without breaking eye contact, JJ tugged the blinds closed, shutting out the rest of the world.

The muffled noise of the bullpen still drifted faintly through the walls, a constant reminder of how close they were to discovery.

JJ didn’t seem fazed. If anything, she thrived on it. Her smile deepened as she crossed the room, hips swaying deliberately. Emily tried for composure, leaning back in her chair, but JJ’s intent was already unraveling her resolve.

“JJ—” Emily began, but the word caught when JJ slid between her legs, hands warm on her thighs.

“Shh,” JJ whispered, lips brushing Emily’s ear. “You need to stay quiet. The team’s still out there.” Her voice was low, threaded with heat and something protective. “You’ve been wound so tight all week you can barely breathe. So I decided I’d help you with that.”

Emily’s smirk faltered, replaced by a sharp breath as JJ pressed closer. “You’re insane,” she hissed, though her fingers curled into the armrests like anchors.

JJ only smiled, her mouth curving with wicked tenderness. “Maybe. But you need this. You need me.” And with that, she sank gracefully to her knees, looking up with an intensity that made Emily’s heart pound.

****

The sight nearly undid her. JJ, immaculate and breathtaking even on the floor, looking up with hunger in her eyes, was a vision Emily knew she’d never deserve but could never resist.

JJ’s palms slid up her calves, over her knees, parting her legs wider. She pushed the skirt of Emily’s suit higher, exposing skin inch by inch until Emily’s breath caught. Then her mouth pressed to the inside of Emily’s thigh. Heat seared through her composure, each kiss working closer to where she ached.

Emily gripped the edge of the desk, knuckles white. She wanted to stay quiet, stay in control, but a moan slipped free when JJ’s tongue traced higher.

“Fuck, Jennifer…”

JJ glanced up, lips glistening, a wicked grin tugging at her mouth. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”

She hooked her fingers under the lace of Emily’s underwear and tugged them aside with deliberate slowness. JJ pulled Emily closer, guiding her to the edge of the chair until her thighs opened wider for her. Emily’s hips lifted instinctively, chasing more, but JJ held her steady with a firm hand.

“Patience, my love,” she teased, eyes softening with something deeper than mischief. “Let me take care of you.”

Then JJ's mouth was on her, hot and unrelenting, and Emily’s head fell back against the chair with a gasp. Sensation tore through her, sharp and consuming. JJ’s tongue moved with purpose, knowing every flick, every swirl that dragged Emily closer to the edge.

Emily tangled her fingers in JJ’s hair, guiding her, urging her on. A muffled moan escaped despite her effort to bite it back, the thick blinds their only shield from the bullpen just outside. Every sound she made was for JJ alone.

JJ slid one hand higher, fingers pressing against her slick heat before pushing inside with slow, devastating intent. Emily’s body jerked, a strangled cry caught in her throat as JJ’s tongue and fingers worked in perfect rhythm, wringing pleasure from her with merciless precision.

“God, JJ—don’t stop,” she gasped, voice breaking, barely more than a whisper.

JJ didn’t. She pressed harder, curling her fingers just right as her tongue circled and teased. The desk creaked under Emily’s grip as her body arched, every nerve set ablaze. She bit down on her lip, desperate to stifle the cry threatening to escape, the taste of blood sharp against her tongue as she shattered.

The climax hit hard, ripping through her control. Her thighs clamped around JJ’s shoulders, trembling as wave after wave surged through her. JJ held her steady, mouth unyielding, fingers thrusting until Emily sagged back into the chair, utterly spent, her breath ragged and broken.

For a moment, the office was silent except for Emily’s gasps. The blinds muted the outside world, the faint clatter of the bullpen a distant echo against the thunder of her heartbeat.

JJ rose slowly, sliding her hands up Emily’s thighs as she stood. Her mouth glistened, her expression equal parts smug and tender. She leaned down, kissing Emily deeply, letting her taste herself on JJ’s tongue.

Emily moaned into the kiss, pulling JJ into her lap. Her arms wrapped tight around her waist, unwilling to let her go. Her hands gripped JJ’s hips, tugging her closer until there was no space left between them.

****

“You’re insatiable,” Emily murmured, breathless, lips brushing JJ’s jaw.

JJ laughed softly, her voice husky with arousal. “Takes one to know one.”

Emily’s hands slid under JJ’s blouse, nails grazing her spine, pulling a sharp gasp from her throat. The hunger reignited instantly, her exhaustion replaced with a craving to give back everything she’d been given. For a moment she almost let herself tip over that edge, but then she stilled, her mouth at JJ’s ear.

“Grab your things,” Emily whispered, her voice dropping into a commanding growl, rough with want. “We’re going home. What I want to do to you… I don’t need the team hearing it.”

JJ’s eyes widened, desire sparking hotter at the command. Papers were still scattered around them, but the polished desk was suddenly forgotten. She bit her lip, a smile curving wickedly. “Yes, ma’am.”

Emily kissed her hard, the kind of kiss that claimed and promised all at once, leaving them both breathless. When she pulled back, her gaze was dark and unyielding.

“You’ve got two minutes before I drag you out of here myself. And the longer you make me wait…” Emily growled, brushing her thumb over JJ’s swollen lower lip. “…the rougher it’s going to be when I finally get you alone.”

JJ slid off Emily's lap, smoothing her blouse with shaky hands, the glint in her eyes equal parts love and anticipation. She reached for her bag, voice still trembling with laughter and arousal. “I'd never keep you waiting, baby.”

The bullpen still buzzed outside, oblivious. But the fire between them had shifted, contained only until they could unleash it properly, behind closed doors with no need for restraint.

Chapter Text

JJ stepped inside and immediately heard it—laughter spilling from somewhere deeper in the house, bright and unrestrained. She followed the sound, letting her feet carry her forward. With every step, the rich scent of pumpkin and cinnamon grew stronger, mingling with the faint, familiar trace of Emily’s perfume.

When she reached the doorway to the kitchen, she paused, leaning against the frame for a moment to take it all in. The room was alive with chaos—Henry perched on a chair at the table, tiny hands gripping a plastic carving knife with absolute seriousness, and Emily beside him, sleeves rolled up, guiding him carefully while laughing at his over-enthusiastic attempts. Pumpkin seeds and bits of pulp littered the table, spilling onto the floor like confetti.

JJ’s chest tightened as she watched: her four-year-old's whirlwind of energy and curiosity, her girlfriend patient and radiant, and the kitchen alive with the mess and joy that only family could create. For a second, she felt like she’d stepped into a perfect little bubble—a world where the horrors of her day—the chaos of her job, the cases, the travel, the stress—couldn’t touch her.

Emily looked up, eyes meeting hers, a smile spreading across her face. JJ grinned, letting the warmth of the moment wash over her as she stepped fully into the kitchen, smoothing her shirt.

“Hey, you two,” she said, voice low, tinged with awe. She bent slightly to press a quick kiss to Henry’s cheek, then straightened just enough to press another to Emily’s lips. “Looks like someone’s been busy.”

Henry wiggled excitedly, holding up the pumpkin for her. “See? A ghost! But it’s… funny.” He lifted it for inspection, revealing the misshapen face that made Emily snort with laughter.

Emily leaned back slightly, resting a hand on Henry’s shoulder. “It’s perfect,” she said, though her grin betrayed her amusement. “A ghost with… personality.”

JJ crouched beside Henry, brushing a strand of hair out of his eyes. “Personality is important,” she said, mock-serious. “That’s what makes a ghost scary… or funny.” She pressed a kiss to the top of his head, inhaling the mingled scents of pumpkin and autumn spice. “You two make a really good team.”

*****

“Mommy! Mommy! We saved a pumpkin for you!” Henry squealed again, bouncing in his chair, his little hands reaching eagerly toward her as if she were already part of the carving chaos.

JJ laughed and shifted closer, settling between him and Emily, rolling up her sleeves. “You did? Well, I guess I should help then,” she said.

Henry giggled and dove in, scooping out the pumpkin guts with unrestrained enthusiasm, letting strands of pulp and seeds spill across the table and onto the floor. JJ leaned slightly forward, laughing as she tried to catch some of the mess, while Emily leaned closer, pressing a kiss to JJ’s cheek.

Together, the three of them worked in a lively, chaotic rhythm—a symphony of laughter, sticky fingers, and playful mess. JJ dipped toward Emily for a quick kiss before returning her attention to Henry, pressing a few pecks to his cheek, making him squeal with delight each time. Pumpkin guts flew into the air, seeds clung to shirts and hair, but no one cared. It was messy, chaotic, and perfect.

Finally, after much scooping, laughing, and kissing, they stepped back to admire their creation: a pumpkin face with a crooked, charmingly lopsided smile.

“Perfect,” JJ declared, brushing pumpkin residue off her hands.

Henry grinned, pointing to the uneven grin. “It’s funny! Just like us!”

Emily wrapped an arm around JJ, pressing her lips to hers. “Exactly,” she murmured. “Just like us.”

JJ lifted Henry into her arms, holding him close as he squirmed with delight. She leaned back into Emily, and the three of them collapsed into laughter, kisses, and cuddles, surrounded by the cheerful chaos of pumpkin seeds and messy love.

****

Eventually, after a final round of messy giggles and kisses, Henry’s energy finally waned. His eyes drooped, and he yawned, curling into JJ’s arms. “I’m sleepy,” he mumbled.

“I’ve got you, little guy,” JJ said, carrying him upstairs while Emily tidied the kitchen and poured two glasses of wine. Henry’s small body relaxed against her as she walked him to bed, reading him a quick story and planting soft kisses on his forehead until he fell asleep, exhausted and happy.

JJ padded back down to the living room, glass of wine in hand, and sank onto the couch beside Emily. She rested her head against Emily’s shoulder, sighing with contentment. “I love seeing you and Henry together,” she murmured.

Emily’s hand threaded into JJ’s hair, brushing it back as she pressed a kiss to her temple. “I love that little boy,” she said, her voice full of warmth.

“We love you, Emily,” JJ whispered, leaning in closer.

Emily set their wine glasses down and pulled JJ fully into her arms, capturing her lips in a slow, lingering kiss. JJ melted into her, letting herself relax against the steady weight of Emily, feeling the love in every touch.

They stayed like that for a while, wrapped together on the couch, the quiet hum of the house around them, and the faint scent of pumpkin still in the air. Kisses were shared, hands wandered, and laughter bubbled up from happy memories of the evening.

JJ tilted her head, pressing her lips to Emily’s neck. “I never want this to end,” she murmured.

Emily smiled, capturing her mouth again. “It won’t. Not ever. We’ve got this… us.”

JJ nestled closer, arms looping around Emily’s waist, feeling the solid, reassuring warmth beneath her hands. “I love you,” she said softly, letting the words settle between them.

“I love you too,” Emily replied, voice husky, fingers tracing patterns across JJ’s back. “More than I can even say.”

They leaned back, bodies still intertwined, sipping wine, sharing kisses, and laughing softly at Henry’s earlier antics. Outside, the night was calm, but inside, the warmth, love, and chaotic happiness of their little family filled every corner of the room.

Chapter Text

Halloween in the suburbs was a special kind of magic, with porches glowing orange, leaves crunching underfoot, and laughter echoing down the streets. Emily could never quite explain it, but every year it tugged at something deep inside her. Maybe it was the way it made the world feel a little lighter, or maybe it was the sight of kids running from house to house with pillowcases full of dreams. But this Halloween was different. This year, she wasn’t just showing up for the holiday. She was showing up for them—JJ and Henry.

She took a breath on the front porch, running her palms down her orange skirt to smooth out the wrinkles. The outfit felt both ridiculous and perfect—an exact Velma replica from Scooby-Doo: orange turtleneck, red skirt, knee-high socks, and square glasses perched on her nose. She hadn’t even opened the door yet when she heard fast footsteps and an excited squeal from inside.

The door burst open before she could reach for the handle.

“EMMY!” Henry shrieked, launching himself at her tiny frame in full Scooby-Doo gear, ears flopping, tail wagging, and a big green collar around his neck.

Emily laughed, catching him easily and spinning him once before holding him close. “Scooby-Doo! Are you ready to go solve a mystery?” she teased, nuzzling his hair. The scent of chocolate and shampoo hit her, and for a second, everything in her life felt absolutely, breathtakingly right.

From behind Henry came a voice that made Emily’s heart skip. “Well, it looks like the gang’s all here.”

Emily looked up and froze.

JJ stepped out from the hallway in a purple dress that fit her like a glove, a lavender headband keeping her hair in place, and just the faintest smirk tugging at her lips. Daphne had never looked this good, not in any cartoon, not in any live-action movie. JJ’s blue eyes sparkled beneath the porch light as she came closer, slipping her hand to her hip like she knew exactly what she was doing.

“Jinkies,” Emily managed, adjusting her glasses as if they might help her focus. “Daphne… you’re beautiful.”

JJ arched a brow, amused and flattered. “You’re supposed to be solving mysteries, not making eyes at your partner, Velma.”

Emily grinned. “Pretty sure the mystery is how you look that good in polyester.”

JJ’s laugh came easy and light, and she leaned in, brushing a kiss against Emily’s lips—quick, familiar, and full of that quiet heat that never really cooled between them. Henry giggled in Emily’s arms, hiding his face in her shoulder like the world’s smallest chaperone.

“Alright,” JJ said, stepping back, still smiling. “Let’s go find some candy.”

****

The night wrapped around them like a storybook, with streets lit by flickering pumpkins, kids in superhero masks darting between houses, and the occasional bark of a dog mingling with laughter. Emily walked beside JJ, her hand brushing his every so often, a private rhythm they didn’t need to speak about. Henry darted ahead, his bucket swinging, his “Trick or treat!” echoing proudly across driveways.

They stopped at each house, Henry bounding up the steps while Emily stood ready at the sidewalk to admire his bravery. JJ watched, arms folded, her smile soft but her eyes brighter than the streetlamps.

“He’s got your confidence,” Emily said quietly.

JJ looked at her sideways. “And your stubborn streak.”

“I’ll take credit for that,” Emily said, flashing a grin. “He’s going to rule the world one day.”

JJ bumped her shoulder lightly. “You say that like you’re not already part of it.”

Emily gave her a look half disbelief, half something softer. “I’m just… happy to be part of this.”

JJ’s lips curved into something quiet and real. “You always have been.”

Henry came barreling back, holding up his bucket. “Look! I got TWO Reese’s!” he exclaimed, bouncing on his toes.

Emily gasped dramatically. “Two Reese’s? That’s like winning the candy lottery!”

Henry puffed up proudly. “I’m going to share one with you, Emmy! Like a Scooby Snack!”

JJ laughed, brushing his messy hair back. “That’s very sweet of you, baby.”

Henry nodded solemnly. “Scooby shares with the gang.”

“Then Scooby gets extra snuggles tonight,” Emily said, reaching out to boop his nose. Henry giggled so hard he nearly tripped over his costume’s paws.

****

They walked on, house after house, JJ occasionally slipping her hand into Emily’s when Henry wasn’t looking. Every so often, Emily glanced at her—at the way the streetlights caught the auburn tones in JJ’s hair, at the confident tilt of her shoulders in that ridiculous purple outfit.

Henry’s little feet slowed as they looped back toward JJ’s neighborhood, his candy bucket dragging slightly along the pavement. His yawns came in waves, his eyelids heavy with sleep and sugar.

“Looks like our Scooby’s running out of gas,” JJ murmured.

Emily crouched, scooping him up with practiced ease, holding him close. Henry mumbled something sleepy about solving one last mystery before he melted against her shoulder, hands clutching the candy bucket like it was treasure.

JJ watched them, her chest tightening with a familiar, deep affection. Emily held Henry as if he’d always belonged there, and in that quiet moment, JJ felt a surge of gratitude and love that made her heart ache.

“You’re good with him,” she whispered.

Emily pressed her lips to the top of Henry’s head. “He makes it easy,” she murmured.

“He loves you,” JJ said softly.

Emily’s eyes flicked to her, playful yet tender. “Yeah? His mom’s not so bad either.”

JJ chuckled quietly. “You always know what to say, Prentiss.”

They reached the porch, the carved pumpkins flickering in the low light. Inside, the house smelled of cinnamon and pumpkin. Emily carried Henry upstairs while JJ flipped off the light behind them. By the time JJ joined, Emily was tucking Henry into bed, adjusting the Scooby outfit. He stirred once, sighed in his sleep, and then drifted off completely.

JJ leaned against the doorframe, watching Emily smooth a curl from Henry’s forehead. Emily glanced up at her, a mischievous glint in her eyes, and held out a hand. “Come on,” she whispered.

JJ smiled, taking Emily’s hand. Emily guided her into the quiet hallway just outside Henry’s room, the glow of the nightlight casting shadows across the walls. 

Once they were alone, Emily straightened and turned to JJ, hands lingering on her hips, a teasing smile curling across her lips. “So tell me, Daphne… Does Fred know you’re here?” she murmured, wrapping her arms around JJ’s neck.

JJ laughed, leaning into the embrace. “Jeepers…didn’t you know? Daphne only has eyes for Velma.”

Emily pressed her lips to hers, playful yet lingering, letting the kiss deepen, fingers tangling in JJ’s hair. JJ responded immediately, arms winding around Emily’s waist, holding her close as if she could tether her to the moment forever. They pulled back just enough to catch their breath, foreheads touching, smiles soft but heated, the hallway feeling like its own little world just for them.

JJ tilted her head, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. “You really make a great Velma,” she murmured. 

Emily laughed, brushing a hand over JJ’s chest as she leaned closer. “Only when I have a certain Daphne to keep me on her toes,” she replied, voice low, teasing.

JJ’s breath hitched slightly at the closeness, then she closed the distance, lips meeting Emily’s in a slow, deliberate kiss, full of quiet heat and unspoken promises. Their lips met again, this time slower, brimming with warmth, laughter, and intimacy. JJ cupped Emily’s cheek, thumb brushing her jawline, while Emily threaded her fingers through JJ’s hair, holding her closer. Their laughter and kisses mingled in the hallway, a private echo of tenderness in the quiet house.

Emily adjusted her glasses, leaning into JJ, whispering, “Jinkies,” before melting into a long, lingering hug. JJ pressed her lips to Emily’s temple, nuzzling her neck. Then she tilted her head for another kiss—deeper, hungrier, yet intimate, just for them.

Chapter Text

Emily hummed as she pulled the mixing bowls from the cupboard, her hair loosely tied back, a few strands falling over her face. The kitchen glowed in the late afternoon sunlight. JJ leaned against the counter, arms crossed, watching her with that slow, fond smile that always made Emily’s chest tighten in the best way.

“What are we making again?” JJ asked, tilting her head, pretending to be thoughtful while idly flicking a bit of flour from the counter into the air.

“Apple pie,” Emily said, rolling her eyes, though laughter danced in her tone. “It’s autumn. Tradition. And you’re my sous-chef, like it or not.”

JJ grinned, stepping closer. “I like it. Very much.” Her lips brushed Emily’s cheek in a teasing peck, and Emily felt the tingle of electricity where she touched her.

The rhythm of them was easy, natural years of familiarity in every glance, every small touch. JJ measured the sugar while Emily sliced the apples, the crisp scent filling the kitchen. And then JJ dumped a little too much flour on the counter, sending a small cloud into the air.

“You’re making a mess,” Emily said, smiling, her hand brushing over JJ’s arm, tracing the muscle there.

“Oops,” JJ said, clearly not sorry, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Before Emily could react, JJ swept a dusting of flour across her cheek, leaving a white smear.

Emily gasped, startled, then leaned in, pressing a quick, fluttering kiss to JJ’s lips—sweet, but just enough to warn her. JJ responded instantly, tilting her head and letting the kiss deepen, lips teasing and claiming. Emily laughed into it, tasting the faint sweetness of flour and leftover snack on JJ’s mouth.

“Payback,” Emily said, scooping up a pinch of flour and flicking it at JJ. It hit her shoulder, and JJ squealed, spinning, sending flour flying everywhere. They erupted into laughter, the sound ringing against the walls, mingling with the scent of apples and cinnamon.

Breathless and giggling, they shook off the flour clinging to their arms and hands and returned to the pie, fingers brushing and lingering with every movement, sparks flying from each small touch.

They returned to the pie, but seriousness had evaporated. JJ leaned close, brushing a strand of hair from Emily’s face, fingers lingering. Emily guided JJ’s hands to knead the dough with her, their fingers entwining, sparks firing at every touch. Flour dusted their arms, and their foreheads pressed together as they worked the pastry, silent smiles passing between bursts of laughter.

When it came time to fill the crust, JJ picked up a slice of apple and held it teasingly close to Emily’s lips. “Taste test,” she murmured, eyes sparkling. Emily bit the edge, and JJ’s lips ghosted her ear, laughing softly. Electricity sparked through the simple, intimate contact.

“Why do I have a feeling this pie is going to be less about baking and more about kissing?” Emily murmured, hands pressing against JJ’s chest.

JJ smirked, eyes dark. “Maybe I like the way you taste more than the apples.” She captured Emily’s lips again, this time with a slow, greedy kiss. Her hands slid along Emily’s back, pulling her closer as they teetered on the edge of the counter. Emily responded with a low laugh, teeth grazing JJ’s bottom lip before she kissed her back, fiery and playful.

“We’ll never get the pie in the oven at this rate,” Emily said, half-laughing, half-breathless.

“Who cares?” JJ whispered, brushing her nose along Emily’s and letting her thumbs trace teasing patterns along Emily’s waist. “We’re already baking something better than pie.”

****

Eventually, they settled down to actually arrange the apples, but every brush of skin, every accidental graze of fingertips against one another, sent jolts of heat through both. Emily smoothed the crust edges while JJ brushed butter across the filling. Their hands met repeatedly, lingering, refusing to let go. Each touch made them pause, laugh, or shiver. Emily could feel the warmth of the dough and sticky sugar clinging to her fingers, and JJ leaned in with a teasing whisper: “Careful, you might be tasting me instead.”

As the pie went into the oven, JJ pulled Emily close, swaying slightly. Her lips found the hollow beneath Emily’s ear, nibbling lightly, eliciting a shiver.

“Promise me,” JJ whispered, voice low and husky, “that even if the pie burns, we’ll still have dessert.”

Emily tilted her head back, lips brushing JJ’s in a slow, teasing kiss. “Oh, we’ll have dessert,” she murmured, teeth grazing JJ’s lips in playful intimacy.

They curled up on the couch, legs tangled, JJ’s head resting on Emily’s shoulder. Fingers intertwined, small circles traced along wrists and forearms. Every touch left them sighing, smiling, and unable to resist glances that ended in soft, lingering kisses.

“Remember our first baking disaster?” JJ asked, voice low, teasing.

Emily chuckled. “The fire alarm went off. Flour everywhere. I think we scared Sergio more than anything.”

JJ laughed, rich and playful. “And yet here we are, safe, sane, and still kissing. Maybe a little better at making a mess together.”

Emily smiled, leaning into her. “The best part isn’t the pie; it’s this. You. Right here.”

JJ pressed her lips to the top of Emily’s head. “I could get used to this. Every fall, every evening, just like this.”

****

When the timer chimed, they reluctantly disentangled. Laughter spilled as they carried the pie to the counter, flour streaked across hair, cheeks, and clothes. Emily grinned, brushing a streak from JJ’s cheek.

“Worth it,” she said, holding up the pie.

“Completely,” JJ agreed, pressing a forehead to hers, stealing another quick, heated kiss.

They sliced the pie together, but every bite was paired with a kiss, a nuzzle, or a playful tug or pinch. Sunlight dipped lower, painting the kitchen in amber. Outside the little world they’d created, time paused. Inside, flour-dusted arms and cheeks, hearts full, mouths full of stolen kisses, and the warmth of being tangled together.

Emily rested her head on JJ’s shoulder, half-laughing, half-sighing. “I could live like this forever.”

JJ pressed her lips to Emily’s hair, unhurried and intimate. “And I would make sure we do. Every autumn, every day.”

The kitchen smelled of cinnamon, butter, and apples, but to them, it smelled of laughter, love, and every flirty, stolen kiss in between.

Wrapped in each other, with golden light fading behind the curtains, Emily and JJ knew the world was perfect, messy flour and all, as long as they were together.

Chapter Text

The hotel room door shut behind them with a heavy click, sealing off the chaos of the day. The muffled hum of city traffic faded into a hush, leaving only the sound of JJ’s unsteady breath as she leaned back against the wall, eyes closed, shoulders sagging. Emily dropped her go-bag by the bed and just looked at her for a moment—the curve of her jaw, the exhaustion in her face, the way she still somehow looked impossibly beautiful even after sixteen straight hours in the field.

Neither spoke. They didn’t need to.

Emily crossed the room in a few quiet steps, her hand brushing against JJ’s. JJ caught it immediately, pulling her closer until their bodies met chest to chest, breath mingling. Emily’s fingers found JJ’s hip, tracing over the line of her holster before it fell away. “It’s over,” she whispered, voice hoarse. “We made it through.”

JJ nodded, but her eyes stayed closed. “Barely.”

Emily lifted a hand to her face, her thumb brushing beneath her chin. “You’re shaking.”

JJ gave a small, humorless laugh. “Adrenaline crash. Or maybe I’m just tired of holding it together.”

Emily leaned in, her forehead resting against hers. “Then stop.”

****

That was all it took. The tension that had coiled in JJ’s shoulders all day snapped loose. She exhaled, the breath trembling out of her, and Emily caught her as she sagged forward, burying her face in Emily’s neck. The scent of rain and gunpowder still clung to her skin, but beneath it was something familiar, something that always pulled Emily home.

Emily pressed a kiss to JJ’s temple, then another just below her ear, feeling JJ melt against her. JJ’s arms wrapped tight around her waist, clinging like she was afraid to let go. Emily held her there, whispering nonsense words into her hair—just the sound of her voice, a rhythm meant to soothe.

For a while, neither moved. The world outside the hotel could wait.

Then JJ tilted her head up, and the look in her eyes undid Emily completely. There was exhaustion there, yes, but also heat—slow-burning, deliberate, and hungry. Emily didn’t have time to think before JJ kissed her.

It wasn’t a cautious kiss. It was desperate, the kind that came after days of danger and holding back. JJ pressed her against the wall, her hand fisting in Emily’s shirt, lips moving with a kind of need that was almost feral. Emily responded instantly, one hand tangling in JJ’s hair, the other sliding around her waist, pulling her closer. The kiss deepened, slowed, and then caught fire again—messy, gasping, real.

When JJ finally broke away, her lips were flushed, her voice barely above a whisper. “You scare me sometimes.”

Emily blinked, catching her breath. “Me?”

“Yeah.” JJ’s fingers trailed up the side of her neck, tracing her jaw. “How easily you make me fall apart.”

Emily smiled, her lips curving into something small and adoring. “You’ve been doing that to me since you joined the BAU.”

JJ laughed quietly—that laugh Emily lived for—and then she was kissing her again, slower this time, more deliberate. She pushed off the door, guiding Emily backward until the backs of her knees hit the bed. Emily sank down, and JJ followed, straddling her lap, her hands finding Emily’s shoulders like she was grounding herself. The lamp beside them threw amber light across their faces, catching the sheen of sweat along JJ’s collarbone and the dark strands of Emily’s hair falling loose around her shoulders.

JJ brushed her nose against Emily’s, smiling softly before kissing her again with smaller, lingering kisses between words neither of them needed to say. Emily’s hands slid up JJ’s back, tracing every line like a map she already knew by heart. JJ pressed her forehead to hers, their breaths mingling in a shallow, dizzying rhythm. Emily felt her chest tighten with something deeper than want—something that felt like belonging.

For a long moment, they just looked at each other, breathing the same air, saying everything without words.

Emily brushed a thumb across JJ’s bottom lip, her voice low. “You’re beautiful when you’re like this.”

JJ’s brow lifted slightly. “Like what?”

Emily’s smile was small, almost shy. “When you finally let yourself stop fighting the world. When you just… breathe.”

JJ’s laugh came out as a sigh. “You make that sound like a rare thing.”

“It is,” Emily murmured, leaning in until their noses brushed. “But I love every version of you—fierce, quiet, stubborn, brilliant—all of it.”

JJ’s lips curved, tired but amused. “You’re lucky I’m too tired to argue.”

Emily kissed her again, slower now—a kiss that stretched, lingered, and deepened until JJ made that tiny sound in her throat that Emily adored. JJ melted into it, her hands sliding down Emily’s arms, fingers tracing familiar lines. Emily trailed her lips across JJ’s cheek, her jaw, and the curve of her throat, each touch reverent and grounding. JJ’s breath hitched, her hands curling tighter in Emily’s shirt.

When Emily finally eased back against the pillows, JJ followed her down without breaking contact, the motion unhurried and fluid, their bodies finding a natural rhythm as they shifted into each other. JJ lay half on top of her now, their legs tangling instinctively, breath still mingling in the quiet between kisses.

They stayed like that until the exhaustion finally started to creep back in. JJ pulled away first, resting her head against Emily’s shoulder, her breath warm against her skin. “You know,” she murmured, voice thick with sleep, “I could stay like this forever.”

Emily smiled against her hair, her lips brushing the crown of JJ’s head. “Then don’t move.”

JJ chuckled, the sound small and fond. She shifted, curling closer, her body fitting easily along Emily’s side, her leg hooked over Emily’s as though she couldn’t stand an inch of space between them. Emily leaned back against the headboard, running her hand up and down JJ’s spine until her breathing evened out. Outside, a siren wailed in the distance, the city carrying on as though the world hadn’t just tried to fall apart again.

Emily kissed the top of JJ’s head. “You did well today.”

JJ hummed in response, half asleep already. “So did you.”

There was a pause. Then, softly, “You always make me feel safe, Em.”

Emily’s throat tightened. “That’s all I ever want to do.”

JJ lifted her head just enough to meet her eyes. “And what about you? Who keeps you safe?”

Emily smiled faintly, brushing JJ’s hair back from her face. “You do.”

JJ stared at her for a long second before leaning up and kissing her again, slowly and tenderly, sealing the moment. When she finally pulled back, she whispered, “I love you.”

The words hung there, simple and unguarded, the kind of truth that needed no response. But Emily said it anyway. “I love you too.”

JJ smiled, the corners of her eyes softening, and tucked herself back against Emily’s chest. Emily wrapped her arms around her, their fingers interlacing, their legs a tangled knot beneath the sheets. She pressed one last kiss into JJ’s hair, breathing her in—that familiar mix of shampoo and salt and skin that always felt like home.

They lay there tangled together, their hearts steadying in the quiet aftermath, the air thick with the scent of rain, hotel linen, and something sweeter that belonged only to them.

Emily glanced down at her, her hand still tracing slow circles along her back. “You know what I’m thinking?”

JJ’s eyes fluttered open, her voice barely audible. “Hmm?”

“That this—right here—might be the first time in days I’ve felt like I could breathe.”

JJ’s lips curved in a sleepy smile. “That’s because we’re finally home.”

Emily nodded, pressing a kiss to her temple, then another along her hairline. “Yeah,” she murmured. “We are.”

****

And for the first time since the case began, the noise in her head went quiet. There were no profiles to build, no monsters to chase, just the steady rhythm of JJ’s heartbeat against hers, the rise and fall of her breath, and the quiet reminder that after everything, they’d found their way back to each other again.

The lamp still burned low beside them, casting its glow over tangled sheets and tired smiles.

Inside, the only thing that mattered was those two hearts still beating, still choosing, still here.

And when sleep finally came, it came easy, tangled, content, and completely theirs.