DISCLAIMER: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The title of this fic and the lyrics to the song Emily was singing belong to Melody Gardot's Lover Undercover
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
FEEDBACK: To author18[at]live.com
Lover Undercover
By mel
Emily Prentiss squinted hard at the rapidly disappearing stretch of pavement, desperately trying to focus on the treacherously snowy and icy road that was being hidden under a swirling curtain of falling flakes that seemed to be racing toward their windshield. Ten more miles, she told herself. Just ten more miles until you get to Podunk Main and you can interview the police who investigated the first scene. She was so focused on what she was doing, in fact, that she'd forgotten that there was even anybody else in the vehicle with her until the telltale chirping of a cell phone shattered the silence.
"Hey Pen, what's up?" Jennifer "JJ" Jareau answered quickly, her eyes flicking up from the display back onto the perilous road they were traveling.
Emily risked a glance over at the beautiful woman who had a cell in her left hand while her right was wrapped tight around the 'oh shit' handle above the passenger side door. She caught JJ's eye and arched a brow questioningly, to which she was answered with a shrug and a quick eye roll. Unfortunately the momentary lapse in concentration was enough to send their small SUV into a slow uncontrolled skid toward the side of the tree lined road, thankfully the snail's pace she was driving at made it easy enough to recover from.
"Nothing Pen, the roads are just shit. … Yeah, why am I not surprised. Can you find us somewhere to hole up in town? … Yeah, we were headed down to interview the responding officers for the first one. … Yeah, I'll wait. … You found something? You're a goddess. I love you. … Well, yeah, but we all know that one isn't going anywhere."
Emily risked a quick glance at the blonde who was studiously avoiding her gaze. Well this is interesting, too bad I can't hear Garcia's half of the conversation.
JJ sighed loudly. "No Pen, you think it's possible, I'm too much of a realist to side with you. Send me directions to the place you found and we'll head straight there – no point trying to get to the police station in this mess, odds are they sent all nonessentials home anyways," JJ said to the woman on the other end of the line, ending the call with a few short pleasantries before turning her attention to the stunning dark haired beauty piloting their vehicle. God she's so beautiful.
"Damn I hate snow," Emily grumbled to herself as she twisted the steering wheel ever so gently to the left.
"You don't mean that," JJ chuckled. "You love the snow."
Emily looked over at the blonde woman in the passenger seat and offered a small lopsided grin. "Not right now I don't," she stated, nodding her head for emphasis. Once again, her momentary lapse in concentration had the SUV slipping into another slow skid. "Shit," she seethed as her attention was once again snapped forward as she struggled for control. Once she finally had the SUV headed in the direction she wanted it to go instead of where it wanted to go she asked tightly, "What did Garcia want?"
"Um, a blizzard is headed right for us. She found us a place to stay once we get into Ellsworth," JJ reported.
"And nobody could have told us this before we left civilization," Emily groaned, torn between complete annoyance about being sent out in this mess in the first place and an overwhelming joy about being able to spend just a little more time with the beautiful – albeit clueless – object of her affections.
"Better than sliding off the road and dying of hypothermia," JJ drawled. She could tell that Emily wasn't particularly annoyed, just stressed from the driving conditions. "Besides, is there anywhere else you'd rather be than spending some quality time with yours truly?" she teased, her voice light as her body tensed in anticipation of the brunette's response.
Emily chuckled softly to herself as she quickly weighed her possible responses, finally settling for the truth. "Nowhere else on earth that I can think of," she answered quietly.
JJ cocked her head inquisitively, trying to figure out if the brunette's words were just playful banter or the truth, as she replied softly, "Me either. I mean, with you, of course. Not me. Because I'm always with me … it's just … I'm shutting up now," she huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, a faint blush tinting her cheeks.
"Did Morgan slip a little holiday cheer into your coffee back there?" Emily teased in an attempt to break the tension that had suddenly filled the car.
"I wish," JJ groaned as she ran a gloved hand through her hair. "I could go for a stiff one right now."
"Is that what you'd really like?" Emily smirked. "A big stiffy?" she asked with a wink.
JJ gaped at the brunette for a moment before she broke out into uncontrollable peals of laughter. "Oh … God … Em … that … ," she gasped as she fought to recapture her breath. "God no," she replied once she'd stopped laughing. "A stiffy is definitely not something I crave," she assured the brunette, her gaze open and serious.
Emily bit her lip as she appraised JJ out of the corner of her eye. Hmm, I wonder. "Good to know," she murmured softly. "Good to know."
And another hint is blatantly ignored, JJ smiled sadly at Emily before she turned her attention to the map Garcia had sent to her phone. She studied the map for a moment and then looked up to study their surroundings, finally spotting the dangerously narrow road that would take them down to the inn off to the left. "Turn there," she instructed, pointing at the drive.
"You sure?" Emily frowned.
JJ glanced back down at her phone for a moment before nodding. "Yup. That's it."
"If you say so," Emily muttered as she carefully maneuvered their SUV into the narrow driveway.
The gravel drive actually provided a bit more traction than the slick roadway and Emily's death grip on the steering wheel lessened as they wound their way down the road. She let out a loud sigh of relief once they stopped in front of the split log inn and killed the engine. She turned to face JJ and smiled. "We made it."
"Thank God," JJ sighed as she climbed out of the car, letting out a small scream as she disappeared from Emily's sight.
"Fuck!" Emily hissed as she threw her door open and jumped out. "JJ, are you okay?" she called out as she quickly rounded the front of the vehicle. She found JJ sitting on her ass on a patch of black ice with her head in her hands. "Jay?" she murmured softly as she crouched down next to her friend.
"That's gonna bruise," JJ groaned.
Emily fought the urge to laugh, knowing that it would not be appreciated in the slightest. "Jennifer, honey, let's get you inside."
Embarrassed blue eyes peeked out between sheltering fingers. I love it when she calls me Jennifer. "Okay," she sighed as she reached up and took the brunette's hand. "Thank you for not laughing at me."
"I was more worried about you than anything," Emily replied as she placed a steadying hand under the blonde's elbow. "Come on, let's go check out the Bates Motel."
"Not funny Em," JJ chastised as she walked through the door that Emily was holding open for her. "Wow," she observed quietly as walked into the room. The main room of the inn consisted of a large open space with vaulted ceilings, comfortable overstuffed furniture upholstered in warm hues of burgundy and gold, and what had to be the biggest fireplace JJ had ever seen. The hearth was tall enough that she was pretty sure Morgan would be able to stand in it with plenty of room to spare.
Emily was also impressed at the condition of their lodgings, the place was much nicer than she'd been expecting. "Not bad," Emily noted as she moved past JJ toward the front desk. "Hi, Agents Prentiss and Jareau," she smiled at the older woman behind the counter. "We were told there was a reservation for us here?"
"Of course," the woman behind the counter smiled. "I just got off the phone with Penelope – you two are all set," the older woman held out a key – an actual key, not an electronic keycard. "This is for your cabin."
"Cabin?" Emily frowned as she automatically reached out to take the key.
"Just head out through those doors," she pointed at a pair of French doors off to the right. "And follow the path. The cabin is just past the row of trees on the left."
"Cabin?" Emily repeated herself.
The older woman smiled. "Yes dear. We rent small vacation cottages, there aren't any traditional rooms on our property. Now, the pantry in your cabin is stocked with soup and other non-perishables and I had my husband run down a loaf of bread and some coffee and tea for you. There's a half cord of wood on the side of the cabin should the power go out – or if you're just in the mood for a fire. It should all be more than enough to get you through the storm," she smiled.
"How many bedrooms is this cabin?" Emily asked as she pocketed the key.
"Just one, but I promise you there's plenty of room inside. It has a lovely sitting room overlooking the woods and a small creek," she informed Emily, hoping that that fact would alleviate any of the raven haired woman's concerns. "The woman who called and made your reservations, Miss Garcia, told me to give you this message as well," she held out a plain white envelope.
"Thank you," Emily replied distractedly as she tore open the note. Hey Princess, tell her before I do it for you! She smiled slightly at the triple underlined 'tell her'. "Jesus Garcia, you're going to be the death of me yet," she muttered to herself as she folded the note back up and slipped it into a pocket of her coat. "Down the path on the left?" she double checked.
"Exactly dear," the older woman smiled. "Good luck," she winked.
Yeah, I'm going to need luck, Emily grimaced. It's hard enough hiding how I feel about her when we're surrounded by the team, now I gotta figure out how to do it when we're alone? "Thanks," she nodded at the older woman before she turned to find JJ standing in front of the oversized fireplace warming her hands with the flickering flames. She walked across the room slowly, quickly typing out a message to Morgan, the only person on the planet besides Garcia who knew how she felt for the beautiful blonde press liaison. Ran smack into a blizzard & P booked us a 1 room cabin.
She'd only taken a few more steps when Morgan's reply came through. Tell her and tap that! ;o) Seriously E, just talk to her – now's as good a time as any. Fingers crossed for you.
Unbeknownst to Emily, JJ was also having a mini-texting conversation with Garcia back in Virginia. JJ groaned as she read Penelope's latest message, Go get some girlfriend! "Pen, you're going to be the death of me yet," she muttered to herself as she punched back a quick reply, Behave!, and turned to find Emily smiling at her.
"Ready?" the dark haired agent asked with a smile, deciding that what's been done has been done and that there's no reason to fret over it and make JJ uncomfortable. "We," she arched a brow playfully, "have managed to score a cabin all to ourselves. Did Garcia tell you anything about this when you spoke to her earlier?"
A cabin? "Nope," JJ shrugged. "But I'm sure it was a matter of taking what she could find. She said this place was the closest to where we were when I spoke with her that had an opening. So, where's this cabin of ours?"
Emily motioned toward the doors to the right of the massive stone hearth. "Out there, just past the trees on the left," she relayed the directions as she dug the key out of her pocket. "Why don't you go unlock it and I'll grab the bag out of the car."
"Em, why did you pack a bag?" JJ asked.
"It got Reid to shut up," Emily shrugged. "He was going on and on about the statistical advantages for survival of individuals who had extra layers of clothing to put on while stranded in subzero temperatures. So I just ran back up to my room while you were talking with Hotch and grabbed my go-bag."
JJ laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like Spence."
"I think he was just worried about me not brining you back to him in one piece," Emily winked.
"That poor boy just can't take a hint," JJ groaned. "Well, on the bright side we have extra clothes … so let's go get them."
"I'll just run out and grab the bag Jen," Emily dug the key out of her pocket and handed it to the blonde. "You can go unlock the cabin and see if you can find the coffee that's supposedly in the kitchen."
"Em," JJ warned.
"Jaaaaaay," Emily sang back at the now scowling blonde. "Look, there's no reason for both of us to spend more time than necessary out in that mess. Just go to the stupid cabin Jareau."
"Fine," JJ huffed.
"Good," Emily replied, pleased that JJ was allowing her to win this one. "I'll be there in a minute," she assured her with a soft smile as she pulled her gloves out of her pocket and slipped them back on. She turned away from the petulant blonde without another word and quickly crossed the room to duck back outside, immediately noticing that the storm had gotten exponentially worse in the small time they'd been inside the inn.
Emily ducked her chin into the collar of her parka and hurried over to the back of the car, quickly lifting her go bag out of the hatch before slamming it shut with her elbow. Realizing that the wheels would be useless, she slung it over a shoulder and hastily moved back toward the front doors of the inn, anxious for the protection from the elements. She paused for a moment to stomp the snow off of her boots as she pushed the door open, quickly ducking inside and closing it with her foot as soon as she was clear. She offered a small wave as she passed the owner of the inn who was stoking the fire and tucked her chin back into her parka as she stumbled back out into the storm, hurrying through the wind and the snow toward their home away from home until this storm blew through.
JJ was puttering around the kitchen digging through the cupboards in search of mugs for the coffee that was brewing when Emily crashed into the small cabin in a small cloud of snow. "Goddamn, Garcia wasn't kidding when she said this was going to be a blizzard," Emily grumbled as she ripped her gloves off and tossed them into the corner before bending down to untie her boots which she kicked off rather unceremoniously in the direction she'd tossed her gloves.
JJ leaned back against the counter and smiled at her friend struggling to get out of her snow gear. "Everything copacetic Agent Prentiss?"
Emily looked up as a small shudder rolled through her. Not from the cold she'd just escaped, but from the sight of JJ standing there so casually with a warm smile tweaking her perfectly kissable lips and her blue eyes twinkling with amusement. She's gorgeous, she thought to herself before she replied with a small smile and a noncommittal "Yeah."
"My hero," JJ drawled, noticing the slight shiver that rolled through her friend. Incorrectly assuming it was due to the cold, she immediately pushed up off the counter and began helping the brunette out of her coat. "Here Em," she murmured as she reached for the zipper on the brunette's parka. "Let me help," she offered with a small smile as she easily slid the zipper down. "There was a fire already burning in the fireplace, go sit in front of it and warm up."
Emily was frozen in place as JJ's fingers ghosted over her breasts, the force of her reaction to the blonde's proximity holding her still as the younger woman's hands reached up and guided the jacket off of her shoulders.
JJ worked the coat off of Emily's frozen form and hung it on an empty hook beside the door. "Go get warmed up," she urged the brunette with a gentle smile. "I'll be in with some coffee in a minute."
Emily nodded dumbly, finding her voice enough to offer a husky "Thanks" before she shuffled down the short hall to the living area in her socks. As soon as she rounded the corner into the cozy room she felt the warmth from the fire and couldn't help the smile that tweaked her lips at the comforting heat. She spied a tartan throw on the back of the couch and picked it up to wrap around her shoulders as she moved closer to the flames. "You can do this Prentiss," she gave herself a quiet pep talk. "Just like any other trip. Keep the walls up, keep everybody out."
"You can do this Jay," JJ muttered to herself as she found the mugs stashed away in the cupboard beside the sink and set them in front of the coffee maker. "It's no different than spending time at work," she tried to convince herself while the nagging voice inside her head argued, Yeah, except at work there are mutilated bodies and helpless victims to focus on – now all you have to focus on is her. Desperate for something to keep her occupied while she waited for the machine to finish brewing she dug around the cupboards in search of something to snack on. She giggled softly when she found one of the old style Jiffy Pop popcorn kits and eagerly pulled it out and set it down next to the mugs that were now ready to be filled.
JJ tucked the popcorn package under her arm to free her hands for the mugs, stopping for a moment at the doorway to the living room to observe her friend for a moment, drinking in the sight of a completely unguarded Emily Prentiss. She smiled to herself at the way the firelight warmed the brunette's patrician features, enjoying the subtle grace that Emily somehow managed to exude even in stillness, wishing that the walls the brunette put up to protect herself would stay down once she made her presence known. "Hey," she murmured, announcing her presence so as to not surprise Emily as she entered the room. "Feeling better?"
Emily turned from the fire and pulled the blanket she'd draped over her shoulders a little bit tighter in an unconscious move of protection. "Much, thank you," she smiled, the warmth of the gesture never reaching her eyes.
JJ returned the smile, appearing happy on the outside while she cringed inside. I wish she'd let me in. "Good," she handed off a mug. "Coffee, as promised."
"You're a lifesaver Jennifer," Emily murmured as she wrapped her hands around the pale blue ceramic mug. She lifted the cup to her lips and breathed in the warm steam before blowing gently across the surface and taking a hesitant sip, moaning softly as the warmth of the drink trickled down her throat and began to warm her from the inside.
JJ's breath caught in her throat at the sound of Emily's quiet moan. Okay, she keeps making sounds like that and I will not be responsible for my actions.
"Hey, what's that?" Emily asked, finally noticing the silver package tucked under JJ's arm.
"Oh, popcorn," JJ smiled as she grabbed the handle and held the package up for inspection. "I thought we could pop it in the fireplace if you'd like a snack."
Emily frowned at the item in JJ's hand. "That's popcorn?"
JJ cocked her head and smiled at her friend. "Didn't you ever make Jiffy Pop as a kid?"
"No," Emily shook her head. "If I wanted popcorn I'd ask the chef and he'd make me some."
JJ nodded definitively to herself as she set her mug down on the table. "That's it. We're going to correct that egregious oversight immediately."
"We are?"
"Yes," JJ winked, easily falling back into their typical playful banter. "You, my dear, had a deprived childhood and we need to make up for it now. Everybody should know the joy of holding a tinfoil popper over a fire. Come on," she grabbed the brunette's hand and dragged her over to the fireplace. She let go of Emily's hand and ripped the paper off the top before handing the popcorn over to the brunette. "Here"
Emily took the package and studied it. "What do I do with it?"
JJ rolled her eyes. "Put it over the fire, genius."
"Put it over the fire, genius," Emily mocked as she followed the blonde's directions and placed the foil package over the flames. She stood there for a minute before asking, "Now what?"
"Shake it a little."
Emily arched a brow. "Are you screwing around with me Agent Jareau?"
"Not yet," JJ smiled as she reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Maybe later if you're lucky," she teased.
Emily's heart jumped into her throat and she swallowed hard to move it back down into her chest. "Really?" she arched a brow questioningly, her eyes boring into the blonde's baby blues as she tried to figure out whether or not JJ's statement was serious or more of the blonde's innocent flirting.
JJ noticed the flicker of uncertainty in Emily dark eyes and licked her lips as she looked down at the floor, suddenly supremely interested in the pattern on the rug. I didn't see that, did I? "I forgot napkins," she muttered and quickly spun on her heel to retrieve some from the kitchen.
"Way to ruin the moment with your stupid pipe-dream Prentiss, you know she's straighter than straight," Emily chastised herself quietly as she shook the foil package again, jumping slightly in surprise at the quiet pop the move elicited. "Huh, she wasn't kidding," she smiled as she shook the package again, the movement creating yet another series of quiet pops.
JJ ripped a couple paper towels off of the roll beside the sink and took a couple deep breaths in an attempt to calm her racing heart. She was about to head back into the living room when her phone rang. "Jareau," she answered briskly.
"Hey sweetie," Penelope Garcia's voice greeted her. "Have you unwrapped your present yet?"
"No Pen," JJ sighed. "I told you – I don't even think she feels that way about me," she muttered softly, cupping her hand over her mouth in an attempt to keep her voice from carrying and further than the handset.
Garcia sighed. She really wanted them to figure this out on their own without her having to outright tell one of them that the other was crushing just as badly. It was like high school all over again, except this time everybody was armed. "Honey, I am the Goddess of All Knowledge and I'm telling you to go profess your undying love and unwrap your present! You know she's too guarded to make the first move, it's up to you my blue eyed girl."
"Goodbye Pen," JJ replied, ignoring her friend's directions as she hung up.
Emily glanced over her shoulder to see JJ reenter the room. "I heard the phone – is everything okay back in Bangor?" she asked as she gave the popcorn another jiggle.
"It was Pen," JJ replied dryly. "She just wanted to check in on us, make sure we got settled," she lied.
"Okay," Emily shrugged, deciding to ignore the blonde's obvious lie in deference to the team's promise to not profile each other. "Popcorn should be ready soon," she changed the subject as she pulled the popper out of the fireplace to show JJ the domed top.
"Very impressive Em," JJ smiled, the emotion never reaching her eyes.
Emily frowned as she returned the popper to the fireplace. "Are you sure everything is okay?"
Not at all. But there's nothing I can do about it. "Yeah, yeah," JJ shrugged. "Do you mind if I go take a quick shower?"
Emily studied the suddenly weary blonde and nodded. "Of course not. There should be some stuff in my go bag that'll fit you – just take whatever you need."
"Okay … thanks," JJ replied. Shit, so now I gotta try and keep this all in while I'm wearing her clothes? "You know, you probably should take that off the fire now," she gestured at the popcorn that had stopped popping. "It's probably burning."
"Oh," Emily turned her focus to the foil package. "Okay," she set it down on the brick hearth and stared at it for a moment, trying to figure out what was supposed to happen next. "Now what?"
"Tear it open and let the steam out," JJ rolled her eyes.
Emily did as she was told and jumped back waving her hands in an attempt to cool them off after their impromptu steam bath. "Sonofabitch that hurts!"
"God," JJ sighed as she reflexively moved to capture the brunette's hands in hers, What am I doing?, reveling in their soft texture as she studied the pinked fingertips. "Next time don't use your bare hands," she lectured gently.
Emily felt like a horde of butterflies had suddenly taken flight in her stomach as she reveled in the feeling of JJ holding her hands. "Of course," she muttered. But it burning myself gets you to touch me like this, it might not be such a bad thing.
"You're fine," JJ whispered, brushing the pads of her thumbs over the brunette's palms and fighting the urge to drop a quick kiss to each injured tip. And amazing, and beautiful, and you have my heart in your hands Emily Prentiss and you don't even know it.
God I want to kiss her, Emily thought to herself as she shifted uncomfortably. The tender feel of the blonde's hands on hers was doing wonderfully dangerous things to her body … not to mention her self control. "Yeah, I know. You can go take that shower if you want, I'm just going to hang out and watch the snow fall."
Realizing that she was still holding the brunette's hands, JJ stepped back and let go. "Of course. I'll just be a minute," she murmured.
Emily smiled. "Take your time Jennifer, it's not like we're going anywhere."
"I really like it when you call me Jennifer," JJ whispered, looking for a moment as if there was more she wanted to say before she shook her head and turned away without another word.
Emily remained standing in front of the fireplace until she heard the door to the bathroom click shut. She groaned and dug her phone out of her pocket as she flopped back onto the couch, waiting until she heard the sound of running water before she dialed up her partner and best friend.
"Morgan," the BAU Agent answered curtly.
"Asshole," Emily laughed.
"Bitch," Morgan replied easily and Emily could hear the smile in his voice. "What's up? How's it going with the lovely Miss Jareau?"
"God Morgan," Emily groaned. "This is like my own personal hell – everything I want in the world and unable to touch. I feel like a diabetic in a candy store."
"You gotta tell her how you feel Em," Morgan lectured gently. "You can't keep trying to ignore this thing you have for her and hope it goes away. At least if you do it now you two are A, stuck in the middle of a blizzard with nowhere to go so she can't get overwhelmed and run away from you and B, if she reciprocates you'll alone in the middle of a blizzard with nobody to interrupt you."
"You forgot option C," Emily muttered darkly. "She freaks out and we're stuck in this tiny cabin for God knows how long in an uncomfortable situation with no way to escape it."
"She won't do that Emily and you know it."
"What about the anti-fraternization bylaws – Strauss will have our heads," Emily tried to reason.
"We won't let her know about it, and if she does find out you know Hotch has both your backs," Morgan replied, easily falling back onto his standard counterargument to Emily's fear of being transferred out of the BAU.
"You're not going to tell me what I want to hear, are you?" Emily groaned.
"You know I'm not, Princess. Now, I'm going to tell everybody that I lost you to the storms so you two will be left alone for at least the rest of the day. It's not like you can really do anything from where you're at anyways. Text me after you talk to her and let me know how it goes … or call me in the morning and tell me how she was," he chuckled.
"You're such a guy," Emily laughed. "Even if that were the case – which I don't see happening – you should know by now that I don't kiss and tell."
"Please," Morgan scoffed. "You haven't done any kissing since you spent ten minutes alone with Miss Jareau and you know it."
"Yeah, I've been pretty well hooked from the moment I saw her."
"Good luck. Talk to her or I'm gonna kick your ass – got it?"
"Uh huh," Emily groaned as she leaned her head back onto the cushions and closed her eyes. "Thanks bud, I'm gonna need it."
"Talk to you tomorrow kiddo."
Emily disconnected the call and set it down on the couch cushion beside her leg as she stared out the window at the falling snow. "So now what?" she murmured quietly to herself, desperate for something to take her mind off of her situation if only for a few moments. "Music," she decided as she picked up her phone and opened up her favorite Pandora station.
JJ rifled through Emily's go-bag as considerately as possible, unable to keep from feeling like she was snooping through a girlfriend's closet. She groaned softly when her fingers found an exquisite pair of black lace underwear, Hmm, wonder who she wears these for?, before finally finding a pair of FBI issue sweats that she pulled on commando style because she didn't want to have to borrow the dark beauty's underwear as well. Because that would be the definition of awkward, she thought to herself, walking around in the underwear of the woman you're in love with … who's oblivious to the fact that you love her.
She found Emily's toiletry kit and pulled out a brush, figuring that she was told to take what she needed and at this point in time the easiest of her needs to satisfy was combing her hair out. She returned to the bathroom to finish up, taking the extra few minutes to prep herself for spending time alone with Emily without any distractions. The cabin didn't even have a television they could turn on and pretend to watch.
"Alright," she sighed as she set the brush on the counter and pressed her hands flat onto the surface on either side of the sink. She stared hard at herself in the mirror and lectured, "You can do this. She is your friend and you do not want to ruin that. And, for the love of God Jareau – no more touching!" she nodded emphatically at her reflection to drive the point home before pushing up off the counter and wiping her palms off on the front of her borrowed sweats. "Here we go," she muttered as she opened the door to the bedroom.
She'd taken only a few steps into the living area of the small cabin when the sight that greeted her froze her in her tracks. She was surprised that the brunette hadn't heard the bedroom door open, but she wasn't going to argue with the fates that offered her this moment to observe Emily stretched out on the couch singing softly with the music coming from her phone that rested on her stomach.
"Why you wanna leave when it's so easy just to stay … lying wrapped up in my arms until the break of day, so … whenever you need a soft touch … know my demands are small … make me a lover, undercover … or don't ever love me, at all," the brunette's husky voice matched perfectly with that of the woman singing.
"Who is this?" JJ asked softly, unwilling to raise her voice and risk shattering the moment. Emily just looked so … real, she was hoping that it would last this time.
Emily sat up with a start and smiled tentatively at JJ. "Melody Gardot," she offered quietly as she quickly shut down the music app.
"I've never heard you sing before," JJ smiled as she rounded the end of the couch and sat down so she was leaning back against the arm. "You sing beautifully Em," she stretched her left arm across the tops of the cushions and she lightly played with the fabric under her fingertips.
Emily turned to sit in a similar manner – bending her right leg and tucking her foot under her as she draped her arm over the back of the couch leaving her fingers scant millimeters from the blonde's. "No I don't," she shook her head and shrugged. "But that's one of my favorite songs and I always end up singing along. I see you found something to wear in my bag alright," she observed, trying to change the subject to less intimate ones – she was still feeling a little raw, there was something about that particular song that JJ'd overheard that always tore her walls down a little more completely than any other and she desperately wanted the time to recover.
JJ saw the walls slowly going back up in Emily's dark eyes and before she could stop herself she whispered, "Don't shut me out Em."
"I have to," Emily muttered sadly as she looked away, knowing that was the only way she'd be able to resist the silent begging in JJ's brilliant blue eyes.
Breaking her self-imposed rule, JJ reached out and tentatively covered the brunette's hand with her own. "Why?" she asked softly.
Emily closed her eyes and drew a deep breath and when she looked up again the unrestrained longing in her eyes was enough to take JJ's breath away. "Because you don't want to see this," she murmured as she allowed her gaze to show the full force of her desire to the startled blonde before focusing on the fabric of the throw pillow cradled on her lap and slowly pulled her hand out from under JJ's.
"How long?"
The question was vague, but Emily knew what the blonde press liaison was asking. "Thirteen months, three weeks, and six days," she answered quietly, easily doing the math back to the day she started with the BAU and JJ walked her through the team's protocol and procedures.
JJ smiled softly in what would have been a supremely reassuring expression were the embarrassed profiler actually looking at her. "Thirteen months, three weeks, five and a half days," she whispered as she reached out and gently lifted the brunette's chin with a fingertip.
Brown eyes full of heartbreaking vulnerability focused on soothing serious blue, the questions swirling in their dark depths at the same time disbelieving and full of hope.
"Yes," JJ smiled and nodded as she answered the brunette's unspoken queries. "This is real."
Emily offered a sad smile and whispered, "Why is it that I'm afraid to believe you?"
JJ sighed softly and scooted closer to Emily, as she moved her hand from under the brunette's proud chin to cup her face tenderly. "This is real Em," she repeated herself, her voice as soft as the brush of her thumb over Emily's cheek.
A single word spilled from the brunette's lips on a breath, "Jennifer."
"Emily," JJ smiled gently as her touch against the brunette's jaw became more firm and she leaned in closer until their lips were a mere hair's width apart. "I want to kiss you," she whispered, her words dancing across the brunette's parted lips as she stared into warm mahogany eyes, waiting for a sign from the profiler that her advances were desired.
Emily, still frozen in place by her debilitating fear of rejection, could only whisper a broken, "Please."
That simple six letter word was all the permission JJ needed as she closed that final distance separating them, her eyes fluttering closed at that first soft brush of lips. The kiss was over in seconds, but the heat and the tingling in her lips from that brief moment of contact was enough to let her know that she would never tire of kissing Emily Prentiss.
"God Jennifer," Emily moaned softly her eyes full to overflowing with liquid desire as she finally moved, finally moved to gather JJ in her arms and pull the blonde in close for another kiss, a firmer kiss full of promise and devotion.
JJ moaned appreciatively at the feeling of Emily's suddenly confident lips moving against her own, each languid caress a quiet declaration of love and devotion that became hotter and full of need as her lips parted to allow the brunette's tongue access. She felt her heart skip a beat at the first brush of Emily's tongue against her own, felt her body respond definitively as that invading tongue stroked hers ever so tenderly.
When the need for air forced them to separate Emily rested her forehead against JJ's and gazed adoringly into the blonde's stormy blue eyes. "Jennifer," she whispered tenderly as she lifted her right hand to gently frame the blonde's face in her palm, her thumb rubbing gently over a well defined cheek.
JJ licked her lips and smiled softly. "I love it when you call me Jennifer," she whispered as she tilted her face up to once again taste the brunette's exquisite lips.
Months of pent up desires poured from the women as they fell easily into another kiss which led to five, ten, twenty more. Hands moved slowly in gentle exploration until JJ leaned back onto the couch, her grip on Emily pulling the brunette down on top of her. She smiled into Emily's lips as the brunette settled atop her, their legs scissoring automatically and causing the profiler's toned thigh to press firmly to her center. "Em," she gasped approvingly as the brunette flexed the muscle against her.
"Jennifer," Emily murmured as she felt the blonde's leg lift into her, pushing tight to her core.
JJ hummed appreciatively at the brunette's reaction, delighting in the familiar and oh so desired feeling of firm breasts pressed into her own. She couldn't help thinking that their bodies fit together as perfectly as she'd imagined they would as she felt Emily's weight shift slightly above her and a tentative hand began playing at the bottom hem of her shirt. Beyond the physical, she also reveled in the emotional – the nearly overpowering feeling of how the love and devotion of their kisses grew stronger and stronger while each caress of their lips remained languid and awed.
Emily groaned into JJ's mouth when the blonde's hands slipped from her waist to settle inside the back pockets of her jeans, beginning a slow kneading massage against the muscles hidden under the denim as she slipped her hand under the hem of JJ's shirt to trace her fingertips over the warm smooth skin of the younger woman's abdomen.
JJ shuddered as the hand on her stomach began to slowly slide upwards and she broke away from the brunette's lips with an encouraging gasp as tentative fingertips brushed the underside of her naked breast.
"God Jay," Emily moaned softly as she felt the warm firm flesh of the blonde's breast.
"Em, please," JJ husked as she dipped her back into the couch in an attempt to indirectly force the teasing hand higher.
Emily pulled back to gaze lovingly into JJ's electric blue eyes as she slowly, purposefully slid her hand higher to palm the blonde's breast, her eyes fluttering closed of their own accord and her forehead falling to rest against JJ's at the sigh that fell from the younger woman's lips as her thumb brushed over the hardened tip. The touch was electric, sending twin currents of desire through their bodies to settle in their cores and igniting a slow burning firestorm of movement between them as they fell into an easy rhythm of slow seductive kisses and gentle kneading of captured flesh, their hips rocking against each other in a slow steady grind as the need growing between them grew.
"Jennifer," Emily husked as she squeezed the breast in her hand and rocked her hips forward.
"Hmm," JJ hummed, taking advantage of Emily's desire to speak as she began trailing hot open mouthed kisses down the column of the brunette's throat.
"God that feels good," Emily groaned as JJ's mouth latched onto the pulse point in her neck.
JJ's only response was to nip gently at the spot before soothing the pinched flesh with her tongue.
"Fuck," Emily hissed, her eyes rolling back in her head for a moment and she nearly forgot what it was she wanted at the delicious pain/pleasure that rolled through her. "Jennifer stop," she ground out, hating herself for having the gall to utter those two simple words.
JJ reacted as if she'd been shot, immediately stopping her kisses and dropping her head back to the couch. "I'm sorry," she apologized, a slight crease of confusion furrowing her brow as she tried to figure out what it was that she'd done wrong.
"Don't be sorry," Emily smiled reassuringly as she withdrew her hand from JJ's shirt. "I just …," she paused as she searched for the best way to express what she was feeling. "I would like to move this," she leaned in and kissed the blonde gently, "to the bedroom. I want to love you properly, Jennifer. I don't want our first time to be a ground-out grope-fest on a couch. Is that okay?"
JJ bit her lip and smiled as she nodded and slipped her hands out of Emily's back pockets, her heart clenching wonderfully at the look of pure adoration in the brunette's dark eyes – the look declaring loudly words that had yet to be expressed out loud, I love you.
Emily pushed up off of the couch and held a hand out to her new lover to help her to her feet. As soon as JJ had reached her full height Emily wrapped her arms around the blonde's trim waist and pulled her into a tight embrace, sighing contentedly as the press liaison's arms snaked around her neck and returned the gesture.
JJ buried her face in the crook of the taller woman's neck and breathed deep Emily's expensive perfume. "Take me to bed," she whispered, smiling as she felt the woman in her arms swallow thickly and nod.
Emily loosed her grip on JJ's waist enough to slowly back the blonde across the small living area and into the bedroom, each step slightly more distracted than the last as she once again began to slowly, thoroughly kiss the woman in her arms. She stopped their progress at the foot of the Queen sized bed and slipped her hands under JJ's shirt to splay her fingers across the blonde's toned abs.
"You're sure?" Emily whispered, her gaze questioning as she made sure that this was what JJ desired.
JJ bit her lip and nodded, "Yes."
Emily smiled and leaned in to kiss JJ softly as her hands slid up the blonde's ribs, her wrists catching the fabric of JJ's shirt, higher and higher until gentle fingers ghosted over upstretched arms and the thin top was discarded without a backwards glance.
"You're beautiful," Emily murmured as she took half a step back and allowed her eyes to explore every inch of newly exposed skin. "So beautiful," she whispered reverently as she gently cradled JJ's breasts in her hands.
"Em," JJ groaned as she reached out and grabbed Emily's hips, forcefully drawing their bodies together as she hungrily claimed Emily's lips with her own and began quickly unbuttoning the brunette's shirt. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she managed to remove Emily's shirt and bra and she was finally, finally, able to touch the proud firm breasts that had haunted her dreams for months. And it was heaven, more than she could have possible imagined and she needed more, she needed to taste. "My God Emily," she moaned as she leaned down to capture an already erect nipple between her lips, sucking hungrily against it.
"Fuck," Emily hissed as she felt JJ's warm mouth surround her breast. She arched into the touch, trying to force more of herself into the blonde's hot wet mouth, moaning loudly as a nimble tongue began flicking over her tip.
JJ pulled back enough to blow gently over the sensitized nipple before she lifted her lips to the brunette's. She kissed Emily long and deep as she slowly slid her hands down the flat plane of Emily's stomach. "Do you have any idea," she murmured as she began working at Emily's predictably slanted belt, "how completely distracting you are when you wear your belt with the buckle off center like this?"
"I never noticed you looking," Emily smiled and licked JJ's lips playfully. "Should I apologize?"
JJ nodded. "Every time you'd walk by me it was all I could do to not stare at it," she ripped the now open belt out of its loops and tossed it carelessly aside. "It was like a giant cosmic tease," she purred as her fingers quickly flipped open the button on Emily's jeans. "Like you were daring me to look," she growled softly as she slid the zipper down.
"You can look all you want Jennifer," Emily murmured and leaned in to kiss the blonde soundly.
JJ smiled into the kiss and shook her head. "I want to touch," she muttered as she slid a hand inside the brunette's pants, cupping her firmly over the thin barrier of her satin panties.
"Jennifer," Emily hissed, her hips automatically pushing herself down into the blonde's touch.
"Mmm," JJ hummed as she pressed up with her hand, marveling at the heat emanating from Emily's core and the amount of moisture that had completely ruined the brunette's panties. Wanting more, needing more, she pulled her hand out and hooked her thumbs under the waistband of Emily's jeans and panties and quickly pulled them down over trim hips and firm thighs until gravity took over and carried them to the floor.
Emily quickly stepped out of her clothes, her breath catching in her throat as JJ reached boldly between her legs to trail an exploratory finger through her swollen dripping folds. "Fuck Jay," she hissed as the questing fingertip brushed over her clit.
"You feel so good," JJ hummed as she shifted her hand slightly to repeat her movement through Emily's sex. "God Em," she moaned as a fresh wave of arousal coated her finger.
Emily groaned loudly as her need skyrocketed and she wasted no time ridding JJ of her remaining article of clothing and sinking her own hand into a veritable ocean of want and desire.
They fell onto the bed in a tangle of arms and legs, lips crushed together hungrily as tongues thrust, stroked, and massaged in an almost frantic fight for dominance. Teasing questing fingers simultaneously slid into hot waiting velvet as muscles clenched and relaxed, trying desperately to draw the invading digits deeper. Moans, gasps, and mewls punctuated the stillness of the room as slow steady thrusts increased in tempo as their shared need, want, and desire was driven higher and higher, effectively, slowly, higher until with one last long deep thrust they tumbled over the edge of release together on a shared cry of pleasure as waves of pleasure rolled, pulsed, and contracted around curling, scissoring fingers.
Breaths danced over parted panting lips as heartbeats slowed and became regular, and solemn oaths of affection were whispered between slow languid kisses until the stress of the day, the stress of their confessions overwhelmed their bodies and they fell into a spent slumber still wrapped in each other's arms.
2 days later…
Emily tossed her go-back into the back of their newly excavated SUV and slammed the hatch closed with a resounding smack. She turned to face her lover and smiled apologetically as she informed her, "Now that the storm is past and we've been dug out, I do need to call Morgan."
"Go for it," JJ grinned, the bright winter sun turning her blonde hair into golden silk. "You do realize that the minute he finds out he's calling Penelope or vice versa," she chuckled. "I honestly can't believe that Pen has left me alone since the day we got here."
"I spoke with Morgan when you were in the shower that day and he told me that he was going to tell the rest of the team that we lost service until I called him back. He probably told Garcia as well."
"They are completely incapable of keeping a secret from the other," JJ laughed. "I still can't believe they were both telling us to go for it."
Emily shrugged and smiled as she leaned in and kissed JJ softly, still amazed that she could actually do it. "It all worked out well in the end, right?"
"Better than I'd imagined," JJ replied honestly as she ran the back of a hand over Emily's jaw. "A thousand times better than I had ever dared to dream."
"But now it's back to the real world huh?" Emily whispered regretfully as she leaned into her lover's touch as she felt JJ's head bob affirmatively against her own. "When we get back home can I take you out on a proper date?"
"I would like nothing more," JJ murmured against Emily's lips before tenderly recapturing them with her own, finally pulling back after a long minute with a regretful sigh and a nod at the brunette's phone. "You should call him – they're expecting us in Ellsworth in thirty minutes."
"Okay," Emily smiled gently as she called her partner who picked up on the first ring as if he'd been expecting her call – which he probably was. "Hey Morgan."
"Hey yourself Princess," Derek Morgan replied as he ducked into an empty office at the Bangor Police Station. He turned his back to the door as he continued in a hushed whisper, "Long time no talk."
"Indeed."
"So, I've been dying here girlfriend – did you talk to her?" Morgan asked in a hushed whisper, unable to contain his curiosity any longer.
"I did," Emily replied cryptically, a small smile tweaking her lips as she let her eyes rake JJ's form.
"C'mon!"
"I don't kiss and tell," Emily replied with a laugh, knowing that the seemingly cryptic response would be more than sufficient to enlighten him as to what had happened.
"Yes!" Morgan hissed and Emily could picture the rugged agent pumping his fist victoriously and doing his dorky celebratory happy dance. "Can I tell my girl?"
"Go for it – it'll save JJ the trouble. We're on our way to Ellsworth now, ETA thirty minutes. Tell Hotch we should be back in Bangor by dinner."
"I want details!"
"It's good to want things," Emily laughed. "Keep it to you and Garcia for now, we want to be the ones to tell the rest of the team."
"Of course. I'm happy for you Princess."
"Thanks partner. I'll call you when we're on our way back," Emily replied before disconnecting the call and slipping the cell back into her pocket. "You ready Agent Jareau?" she smiled at her lover.
"Ready if you are Agent Prentiss," JJ smiled as she walked around to the passenger door. "Let's go catch a monster."
"My girlfriend says the most romantic things," Emily chuckled to herself as she followed JJ's lead and climbed into the car thinking to herself that their brief sojourn from reality had been nothing short of perfect.
The End