The Moment I met you

chapter 1

Emily Prentiss was in her car on her way to her mother's engagement party. Her mother Elizabeth had, after her divorce from Emily's father 15 years ago, mostly been alone. Sure there had been a few nice men here and there but nothing ever turned into something serious. Emily chuckled thinking about the countless times she'd talked to her mother on the phone, it always turned into the same conversation: her mother's constant self pity about her non existing love life and that she would spend the rest of her life alone. Needless to say, it was a very surprised Emily who received a phone call from her mother two weeks ago. A mother who was bubbling with joy and excitement and Emily had a hard time trying to figure out what her mother was telling her through her squeals of joy. When she'd finally calmed down a little Emily would learn that her mother was in fact engaged to be married to a Mr. Jack Jareau and she was head over heels in love. Her mother had mentioned earlier that she'd met someone but it was still so new, knowing that most of her mother's 'I've met someone' never turned into something more, Emily hadn't shown too much interest. So she had no idea who this Jack Jareau was, but by the sound of her mother he was someone who made her incredibly happy and that was all Emily needed to know. Later on she'd learned that Jack Jareau was a widower who'd like Elizabeth, been mostly alone since his wife past away 8 years ago. He was a sailor but due to a serious knee injury last year he had to leave the sea and was now retired. He also was a proud father of two children, a daughter and a son. He'd proposed to Elisabeth a month after they'd met on a cruise and now, Emily was on her way to finally meet this man and to celebrate with the rest of their family and friends.

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Emily turned off the engine and got out of the car. She retrieved her bag from the back seat and as she looked up at the house she saw her mother stepping out on the front porch. Elizabeth wrapped Emily up in her arms the second her daughter stood in front of her.

"I'm so glad you're here sweetie. You look beautiful." Elizabeth pulled away and gazed lovingly at her daughter.

She put her arm around Emily's shoulder and turned her towards the front door.

"Come on, let's get inside. I can't wait for you to meet Jack." Elizabeth said with a huge smile on her face.

Emily had to admit, her mother was absolutely glowing. She couldn't even remember ever seeing her this happy. They stepped inside and Elizabeth lead Emily in to the dining-room which was beautifully decorated with burning candles and newly picked flowers. The first word that came into her mind as she saw the room was 'perfect' cause it really was perfect. It wasn't too much but still it wasn't like any ordinary dinner setting. The whole atmosphere was so romantic and so much like her mother that Emily's heart just filled with warmth and she pulled her mother in for another hug.

"I'm so happy for you mom." Elizabeth smiled and held her daughter a little tighter.

"Now I'd really like to meet this man who's made my mother so happy." Emily continued.

"He's in the kitchen, I'll go get him." Elizabeth said.

A minute later her mother returned with her arm linked through her fiance's, beaming like never before.

"Emily honey, this is Jack. Jack, this is my daughter Emily." Before Emily had a chance to open her mouth, Jack had engulfed her in a big hug.

"Emily! I've heard so much about you! I'm so glad to finally meet you." Jack said and released the daughter of his fiancee.

"Nice to meet you too mr. Jareau, I've heard so much about you too." Emily said.

"Call me Jack please, 'mr Jareau' makes me feel old." Jack said.

Elizabeth put an arm around her fiance's waist and smiled. Emily watched the pair and saw how her mother looked at the man beside her and saw nothing but love.

"You have a lovely house Jack. Is there anything I can help you with now?" Emily asked.

"No, everything's finished. The guests will be here in about an hour so why don't you relax in the backyard for a while. You've had quite a drive." Jack said kindly.

"Okay, but if there's anything I can help you guys with, don't hesitate to ask." Emily said back with a smile.

"Thank you Emily, will do. Now go pour yourself a glass of wine and relax, take your mother with you. I'm sure you have some catching up to do." Jack said and kissed Elizabeth's cheek before he left the two women alone.

Elizabeth wrapped her arm around Emily's waist and walked them out to the backyard. Emily took a seat in the shadow under a huge oak tree while her mother went back inside to get the wine. It was a warm afternoon, Emily leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. She opened her eyes when she heard the chair next to her squeak and was met by her mother's warm smile.

"It's really beautiful here mom." Emily said and picked up the wineglass her mother had put down on the table in front of them.

"Yes, it is. I love being here. Jack bought this place a year after his wife passed away, he said the old house carried too many memories so he wanted a fresh start." Elizabeth said.

"I can understand that. So when will you be moving her?" Emily asked and winked at her mother.

"He asked me to move in after he asked me to marry him. We haven't decided if I'll move in before or after the wedding. There's no rush really, there's a lot to take care of. I have to sell my apartment and organize a lot of other things but honestly? I can't wait to move in here and start the rest of our lives together." Elizabeth said.

"You know I never thought I'd say this but I'm actually a little jealous of you. All those talks about never finding love and spending the rest of your life alone, look at you now. You're so happy and in love and I'm so so happy for you mom but now it's like I'm the one whos never going to find somebody to love." Emily said and took another sip of her wine.

Elizabeth reached for her hand.

"Just because you and Sarah didn't work out doesn't mean you wont find love again." Elizabeth said sincerely.

"I know, it's just... being surrounded by all this love just makes me wonder if I'll ever be lucky enough to find the same kind of love, you know? I loved Sarah but she wasn't the right one for me, we just weren't meant to be." Emily said.

Elizabeth leaned closer and placed a kiss on Emily's temple.

"You'll find it honey, I know you will. Look at me? The hopeless case is now about to get married. Who would've thought?" Elizabeth said with a smile. Emily chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah, who would've thought?" She said.

"Jack seems like a really nice man, and he's quite handsome too, for someone his age." Emily said and winked.

"Hey! He's only four years older than me, he's not that old." Elizabeth said resentfully.

Emily laughed.

"That means he's 62 mom, so yeah, that is a bit old." Emily said and continued laughing. Elizabeth shoved her daughter playfully.

"Seriously though, I can tell he makes you very happy and I'm so happy for you. You deserve this mom and I can't wait for the wedding." Emily said.

Elizabeth was just about to respond when Jack appeared on the back porch calling for their attention.

"Elizabeth, Emily? My daughter and her fiance just arrived, I want you to come and meet them." Jack said brightly.

Emily and her mother left their wine glasses and walked up to Jack who lead them in to the house where his daughter and fiance was waiting.