FIC: Let Me Prove It To You (20/23)
Title: Let Me Prove It To You 20/23
Pairing: JJ/Emily
Summary: It’s been months since Emily Prentiss left the BAU and the US for that matter. It’s also been months since she last saw Jennifer Jareau. But what happens when Emily gets a call that JJ has been in an accident?
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don’t own Criminal Minds or its characters. I wish I did, though.
A/N: Alright, there are only a few chapters left of this story. I still have one little obstacle planned and one important event, but other than that I have used up all of my ideas for this story, so I will slowly be bringing it to an end. I hope you’ll hang in there for the last couple of chapters! :)
Chapter 20
“So how do you guys like living together?” Garcia asked as she sprawled herself on the couch at JJ and Emily’s apartment. Her and Derek had decided to pay the girls the first visit ever since the two of them had moved in. Derek and Garcia were now sitting on the couch while Emily and JJ sat on the floor leaning against the coffee table, a spot that for some reason became one of their favorite in the apartment.
“It’s going great.” Emily said and for a moment made a funny face that JJ couldn’t really identify. “Except that she snores.”
“I do not!” JJ elbowed her and pretended to be offended.
“Yes you do, honey!” Emily insisted and turned to Garcia and Derek. “She does. But she more than makes up for it before we fall asleep.” Emily said grinning and JJ hit her again.
“I think that’s a little more information than they need, don’t you think, honey?” JJ looked at Emily with a sweet smile on her face.
“Oh no no!” Derek protested. “Please elaborate!” He grinned and turned to Emily. “Whatever do you do before you fall asleep?”
“You pig!” Garcia said laughing and hit him on the head.
“What? She started it!” Derek shot back pointing at Emily.
“I’m afraid we’re gonna leave all that to your imagination.” JJ looked at the man meaningfully. “Just don’t start imagining until you leave.” She asked with a grin.
“OK, OK, I’m shutting up.” He gave up and placed his hands in front of his face in a defensive manner. “Just please don’t hit me.” He begged and the three women laughed.
“But seriously,” Emily finally started, “It has been working out well. We’ve been having fun, haven’t we?” She looked at JJ with a smile.
“That we have.” JJ agreed. “Plus, now I have someone to help with the cooking and cleaning.” She grinned and Derek and Garcia laughed. They looked at their friends and couldn’t help feeling really happy that Emily and JJ had found their way back to each other.
***
“Emily?” Emily heard JJ’s voice coming from somewhere in the hallway. JJ had just come back home from doing shopping. “Can you give me a hand?”
“Sure.” Emily shouted from the living room and made her way to the hall to help JJ carry the groceries into the kitchen. When they put everything on the table, Emily noticed a weird expression on JJ’s face. Something was clearly bothering her.
“Emily…” JJ started, but she didn’t quite know how to say what she was about to say. Emily was so not going to like it, she thought to herself.
“What is it?” Emily asked, suddenly a little more concerned about JJ.
“I talked to my mom on the phone.” JJ explained as she made her way to the living room and Emily followed her. “She wants to come visit over the weekend and I couldn’t say no to her.” JJ admitted and waited for Emily’s reaction.
“Let me guess? You haven’t told her about me moving in and you need me gone over the weekend?” Emily said half joking, but the truth was she was a little scared that it might be the case.
“No, Emily, of course not!” JJ couldn’t believe Emily would even joke about this. “My mom knows all about you moving in. I just wanted to warn you about her coming for a visit.”
“Oh.” Emily was a little relieved, although the idea of spending the weekend with Mrs. Jareau scared the crap out of her. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. She decided to share her fears with JJ, “Maybe it would still be better if I’m not here.” She wondered. “I don’t think your mother is a fan of mine.”
“How do you know? You’ve never even talked to her!” JJ protested, but when she looked at Emily, she noticed that something was wrong. “Emily? What is it?”
“Well…” Emily started and took a deep breath before she continued. “There was this one time.”
“What time? When?”
6 months earlier
Emily was still asleep when she heard her cell phone ringing. For a moment she thought that maybe it was all in her head, but when the noise wouldn’t stop, she realized that her phone was indeed ringing.
“Hello?” She answered, still a little out of it.
“Is this agent Prentiss?” She heard a woman’s voice on the other end of the line.
“Yes, this is her.” Emily answered sleepily.
“I want you to leave my daughter alone!” Emily heard the other woman say and she kept trying to figure out whether she should recognize the voice. But she couldn’t really place it anywhere.
“Who is this?” She finally asked, realizing that if she doesn’t know that, there is a chance that the entire conversation wasn’t going to make sense.
“This is Jennifer’s mother.” The woman finally explained and everything started becoming more and more clear to Emily. “And I want you to leave my daughter alone. She has a nice man in her life and she is happy and I don’t want you poisoning her mind with this… this lesbian nonsense!” Emily could tell that the woman was very nervous.
“Mrs. Jareau, I…” Emily wanted to say something, but Mrs. Jareau wouldn’t let her.
“Please just leave her alone and let her be.” Was the last thing Emily heard before the call disconnected.
JJ looked at Emily with horror in her eyes. She could not believe her mother had done that. It was bad enough that JJ had hurt Emily with her indecisiveness and fear, but to learn that her mother had tormented Emily made her so mad. And it made her feel so bad for Emily.
“I had no idea.” JJ whispered. “I’m so sorry, Emily. I had no idea.” She took a moment to gather her thoughts. “I don’t even know how my mom knew about you. I never really told her. Not in so many words…”
“It doesn’t really matter now, JJ.” Emily said softly.
“Yes it does!” JJ was adamant. “And she should never have done what she did!”
“Well, she was worried about you. She thought I was poisoning your mind.” Emily sighed as she recalled her conversation with JJ’s mother.
“I’m gonna kill her!” JJ was really angry now, but she realized that none of that would have happened if she had fought for Emily from the get go, instead of trying to repress her feelings for the brunette. She looked at her girlfriend and repeated once again, “I’m sorry. I know this was partly my fault and I will never forgive myself for causing you this much pain.” Emily could see JJ’s eyes getting a little wet as the blonde became more and more emotional.
“Hey.” Emily quickly put her arm around JJ. “Don’t beat yourself up over this. It’s OK now.” She said in a soothing voice as she pulled JJ closer to her.
“No it’s not,” JJ still couldn’t believe the conversation Emily had had with her mother, “but thank you for saying that.” She smiled gently and added after a moment, “I understand if you don’t wish to see my mom this weekend. I can tell her that you’re on a case or something.” JJ suggested in case Emily wanted to avoid meeting Mrs. Jareau.
“No.” Emily protested. “She is your mother and no matter what she thinks about me, I cannot avoid her forever.” Emily assured her, but after a moment she asked, “Unless for some reason you don’t want me to meet your mother?” She looked at JJ with a questioning expression on her face.
“Of course I want you to meet her. But only if you feel comfortable doing it.”
“I think I’ll be fine.” Emily smiled. “It’s not like she’s gonna shoot me, right?” Emily joked, but after a moment she looked at JJ with a more serious expression. “Is she?” Emily asked and JJ chuckled.
“I don’t think we have to worry about that.” JJ replied and looked at Emily with affection. “Are you sure you wanna do this?”
“I’m sure.” Emily answered. “You know I would do anything for you, Jennifer Jareau.” She squeezed the blonde’s hand and kissed her gently on the lips.
“I love you.” JJ whispered, because the emotions she saw in Emily’s eyes almost made her lose her voice. “I love you so much.”
“Well then you might just be in luck, because I happen to love you too.” Emily softly stroked JJ’s face. “More than you will ever know.”