Lead the Way - Chapter 096 - Expectancy Met
I was scared. I was scared that after Amplification you guys might be mad at me because Will was going to show up again and after JJ had told him she loved him, no less. I'm glad to see that some of you forgave me and trusted me not to mess with Emily and JJ's lives.
Well obviously there'll be some messing because otherwise I could just end the story right here at chapter 096 :) Before I let you read that I have one more thing to say. Remember when Emily was on the prowl? When she was picking up women left and right? Remember what she called that? Playing chess. Just saying... :P
Lead the Way - 096 - Expectancy Met
Emily was playing chess again. She had to admit it had been a while. Too long for her taste. And this weekend was the perfect opportunity for a nice game with a strong opponent. She had missed the battle of wills more than she had known. She focused so hard on the task at hand she completely forgot about JJ.
JJ had left her behind to go and tell her family about Emily. She was going to come out to them and she had decided that it would be best, if Emily met them another time. Although she was a little hurt by that the profiler understood.
JJ had no idea how her family would react and if it was embarrassing or hurtful to Emily she wanted her out of the line of sight. She didn’t ask for her support or her comfort, just to stay away. So Emily had resorted to playing chess.
It wasn’t really an act of revenge, she wasn’t hurting JJ. And it was the only thing to keep her mind off of the blonde. So she indulged herself.
“Check mate,” he said.
She lay down her king and congratulated him. “Want to go again?”
“Yes, Father.” She reset the pieces without even really looking.
She remembered playing Gideon on the plane. How she had understood that gesture to mean that he accepted her as a team member, that she could bring something to the table. She felt as if she’d grown a foot or two. Recognition and acceptance by a parental figure. She didn’t need to be psychic to know that she always craved that.
But how could her parents accept her for who she was if she never told them? She had to admit that she hadn’t made it easy for them. Her mother obviously had no interest in getting involved in her private life, or so she had thought until a couple of months ago and her father was a mystery.
He rarely spoke a word and when he did, it was most likely a quote. He wasn’t who she would confide in when she got her heart broken. She loved him just the same, albeit knowing that fathers and daughters lived differently in other homes, talked to each other, knew each other.
If she wanted that kind of relationship, she had to work on it. She was no longer a child, staring longingly out of a window, waiting for a miracle to happen. It didn’t matter who made the first move, as long as a move was made.
“Father?”
“Yes, Emily?”
“I have to tell you something.”
“Should we turn off the clocks?” He was referring to the two clocks next to the board that showed how much time each player had used up while strategizing.
“Yes, please.” He pushed the button, leaned back and took a sip from his Scotch.
“Father, I don’t really know how to say this, but I have to.”
He didn’t respond.
“There’s someone in my life. Someone special. And I would like you to meet them, but I don’t want you to be shocked or uncomfortable, so I have to say this right now. I’m gay, Father, I’m seeing a woman.”
He put down his glass, got up and left the room without saying another word.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Alright, let’s hear it.“
JJ sighed. She had dreaded this moment the entire drive up to East Allegheny. The first step in her “coming out”, as people liked to call it. Her siblings. Well, Lauren already knew. Sort of. Brad… Brad was… difficult.
The Jareau siblings were sitting in their tree house they built as kids. Now that they were grown up it was too small to be relaxing, but the sentimental value overshadowed a little discomfort. Lauren had brought beer and Brad a flashlight. It was almost like all those summer nights up here had never stopped. As if Lindsay was going to barge in any second. As if she hadn’t died.
“Well, Brad, it’s actually good news.”
“Really? ‘Cause you make it sound like someone died.”
“Shut up Lauren.” JJ said, punching her sister lightly. “I’m dating someone.”
“That’s what this mystery meeting is all about? You knockin’ boots with someone?”
“Erm, it’s a little more complicated than that. It’s a woman.”
For a couple of minutes, he sat there staring at his baby sister. Lauren took Jenny’s hand in her own and squeezed. Brad and Lauren decided to speak at the same time.
“What’s her name?”
“What in God’s name are you thinking?”
JJ looked at her brother and said: “Right now I think: Why can’t he be happy for me?”
She turned to Lauren and said: “Emily.”
“Again?”
JJ nodded and Brad spat at his sister: “What do you mean, again? You knew about this? How long has this been going on?”
“Calm down, moron. They dated around Christmas and then things went sour, from what I heard and now, obviously, they’re back together. You should be happy for her. If that’s what she is?”
She looked to Jenny for confirmation, but before she could react their brother shouted: “HAPPY? Are you insane?” He jumped to his feet, barely missing the ceiling with his head. “How could you let this go on? I knew you always had your little secret girls’ club and I wasn’t allowed in. I’d ruin everything, remember? A fat load of good it did Linny, didn’t it? Naturally, you’d know about this! Unbelievable. I don’t even know who is more despicable. Keeping a thing like that from a brother, who could fix it or not even considering how Mom and Dad are feeling.”
“Shut up you idiot. You don’t know what you’re saying.” Lauren defended her sister, not mentioning that he was still jealous about their girl talks, back when they were teenagers.
“No? So is she a dyke now or not?”
“If you ever use that word again, I swear to God…” Lauren rose to her feet, no less intimidating than her younger brother.
“What? You’re going to threaten your own brother?”
“If you keep talking to my sister like that, you aren’t my brother.”
“Guys, please, calm down.” JJ tried to diffuse the situation. She was touched that Lauren was so protective of her, especially considering that she hadn’t been all that thrilled when she met Emily. Brad’s reaction had struck a chord and she was angry and hurt. She also didn’t want them to wake up their parents or get into a huge fight, over her.
Lauren felt Jenny’s hand on her arm and calmed down a little. Brad was still on his feet, his chest heaving, his heart pumping. Neither had seen him this agitated since their sister had killed herself.
“I can’t even look at you.” And with that he left the tree house and drove back to his wife.
Well obviously there'll be some messing because otherwise I could just end the story right here at chapter 096 :) Before I let you read that I have one more thing to say. Remember when Emily was on the prowl? When she was picking up women left and right? Remember what she called that? Playing chess. Just saying... :P
Lead the Way - 096 - Expectancy Met
Emily was playing chess again. She had to admit it had been a while. Too long for her taste. And this weekend was the perfect opportunity for a nice game with a strong opponent. She had missed the battle of wills more than she had known. She focused so hard on the task at hand she completely forgot about JJ.
JJ had left her behind to go and tell her family about Emily. She was going to come out to them and she had decided that it would be best, if Emily met them another time. Although she was a little hurt by that the profiler understood.
JJ had no idea how her family would react and if it was embarrassing or hurtful to Emily she wanted her out of the line of sight. She didn’t ask for her support or her comfort, just to stay away. So Emily had resorted to playing chess.
It wasn’t really an act of revenge, she wasn’t hurting JJ. And it was the only thing to keep her mind off of the blonde. So she indulged herself.
“Check mate,” he said.
She lay down her king and congratulated him. “Want to go again?”
“Yes, Father.” She reset the pieces without even really looking.
She remembered playing Gideon on the plane. How she had understood that gesture to mean that he accepted her as a team member, that she could bring something to the table. She felt as if she’d grown a foot or two. Recognition and acceptance by a parental figure. She didn’t need to be psychic to know that she always craved that.
But how could her parents accept her for who she was if she never told them? She had to admit that she hadn’t made it easy for them. Her mother obviously had no interest in getting involved in her private life, or so she had thought until a couple of months ago and her father was a mystery.
He rarely spoke a word and when he did, it was most likely a quote. He wasn’t who she would confide in when she got her heart broken. She loved him just the same, albeit knowing that fathers and daughters lived differently in other homes, talked to each other, knew each other.
If she wanted that kind of relationship, she had to work on it. She was no longer a child, staring longingly out of a window, waiting for a miracle to happen. It didn’t matter who made the first move, as long as a move was made.
“Father?”
“Yes, Emily?”
“I have to tell you something.”
“Should we turn off the clocks?” He was referring to the two clocks next to the board that showed how much time each player had used up while strategizing.
“Yes, please.” He pushed the button, leaned back and took a sip from his Scotch.
“Father, I don’t really know how to say this, but I have to.”
He didn’t respond.
“There’s someone in my life. Someone special. And I would like you to meet them, but I don’t want you to be shocked or uncomfortable, so I have to say this right now. I’m gay, Father, I’m seeing a woman.”
He put down his glass, got up and left the room without saying another word.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Alright, let’s hear it.“
JJ sighed. She had dreaded this moment the entire drive up to East Allegheny. The first step in her “coming out”, as people liked to call it. Her siblings. Well, Lauren already knew. Sort of. Brad… Brad was… difficult.
The Jareau siblings were sitting in their tree house they built as kids. Now that they were grown up it was too small to be relaxing, but the sentimental value overshadowed a little discomfort. Lauren had brought beer and Brad a flashlight. It was almost like all those summer nights up here had never stopped. As if Lindsay was going to barge in any second. As if she hadn’t died.
“Well, Brad, it’s actually good news.”
“Really? ‘Cause you make it sound like someone died.”
“Shut up Lauren.” JJ said, punching her sister lightly. “I’m dating someone.”
“That’s what this mystery meeting is all about? You knockin’ boots with someone?”
“Erm, it’s a little more complicated than that. It’s a woman.”
For a couple of minutes, he sat there staring at his baby sister. Lauren took Jenny’s hand in her own and squeezed. Brad and Lauren decided to speak at the same time.
“What’s her name?”
“What in God’s name are you thinking?”
JJ looked at her brother and said: “Right now I think: Why can’t he be happy for me?”
She turned to Lauren and said: “Emily.”
“Again?”
JJ nodded and Brad spat at his sister: “What do you mean, again? You knew about this? How long has this been going on?”
“Calm down, moron. They dated around Christmas and then things went sour, from what I heard and now, obviously, they’re back together. You should be happy for her. If that’s what she is?”
She looked to Jenny for confirmation, but before she could react their brother shouted: “HAPPY? Are you insane?” He jumped to his feet, barely missing the ceiling with his head. “How could you let this go on? I knew you always had your little secret girls’ club and I wasn’t allowed in. I’d ruin everything, remember? A fat load of good it did Linny, didn’t it? Naturally, you’d know about this! Unbelievable. I don’t even know who is more despicable. Keeping a thing like that from a brother, who could fix it or not even considering how Mom and Dad are feeling.”
“Shut up you idiot. You don’t know what you’re saying.” Lauren defended her sister, not mentioning that he was still jealous about their girl talks, back when they were teenagers.
“No? So is she a dyke now or not?”
“If you ever use that word again, I swear to God…” Lauren rose to her feet, no less intimidating than her younger brother.
“What? You’re going to threaten your own brother?”
“If you keep talking to my sister like that, you aren’t my brother.”
“Guys, please, calm down.” JJ tried to diffuse the situation. She was touched that Lauren was so protective of her, especially considering that she hadn’t been all that thrilled when she met Emily. Brad’s reaction had struck a chord and she was angry and hurt. She also didn’t want them to wake up their parents or get into a huge fight, over her.
Lauren felt Jenny’s hand on her arm and calmed down a little. Brad was still on his feet, his chest heaving, his heart pumping. Neither had seen him this agitated since their sister had killed herself.
“I can’t even look at you.” And with that he left the tree house and drove back to his wife.