Hope for the Hopeless [Jemily]

Misfortune

"Nope. We're sharing."

"Oh."

"Is that okay? There's only one bed."

"Yeah yeah it's fine I just... I didn't know. But it's all right." I walked in a few more feet and set my bag down before kicking my heels off, "When did you get back?"

"About half an hour ago with the rest of the team. Where have you been all this time?"

I smiled and replied, "Talking to Will in the station."

"Will?"

"Oh uh, Detective Lamontagne."

Emily sat up on the edge of our one bed, "First name basis with that guy, huh?"

"Yeah he's pretty cool. He's been flirting with me basically all night"

She raised her eyebrows, "He has?"

"Surprised?"

"N-No it's just... No, I'm not surprised. How did it um, how did it make you feel though?"

"I liked it. I might give him my number."

"Really?"

"Yeah, why not?"

Emily mumbled as she stood up, "Sure, why not."

I got up and stopped her before she could stomp into the bathroom, "Emily, hey. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just-Just give me a minute." She walked in and shut the door behind her, right in my face.

— Emily's POV
"'Why not?'" I mocked Jennifer as I paced back and forth in our tiny hotel bathroom. My palm slammed into my forehead repeatedly, expressing my utter frustration with myself. I really fucked this up. I shouldn't have been so hands-off with Jennifer. I shouldn't have hidden my feelings about her. I shouldn't have let her go to the bar with "Will" instead of me. I shouldn't be having so many regrets. I never thought I'd ever get her back and no sooner am I letting her get away again. I swallowed all my fears and opened up the door, but any plans to confess anything to her were thrown out the window when I heard her talking on the phone.

"Yeah.... Yeah, I know!... No, that's what I said!... Will, shut up!... I'm being serious!" Her tone was all bubbly and giggly, and it made me sick to my stomach. I took a deep breath and just pretended like it didn't bother me as I climbed into bed next to her. She glanced over at me and then said into the phone, "Okay I gotta go now... Yeah... Yeah, sure... All right, goodnight... See you tomorrow." Jennifer set her cellphone onto her nightstand and then rolled onto her back in bed before saying, "Are you gonna go to sleep or stay up for a bit?"

I looked over at the TV, which was playing some program, and then responded, "Nah I'm gonna hit the hay. This day kinda sucked."

She shifted onto her side, leaned up on her elbow, and asked, "You wanna talk about it?" My eyes mindlessly traveled down to Jennifer's pajama shirt, which was all but a loose fitting black tank top that poured out a significant amount of cleavage. I felt my cheeks starting to heat up so I quickly looked away.

"I don't think so."

"You're sure? I'm right here."

"I know. I never thought you would be." She laid her head down on her pillow, still facing me.

"Me neither." My hand was conveniently laying right under Jennifer's face, so I gently reached up with a single finger and stroked the side of her cheek. Her eyes darkened at the feeling, a reassuring sign although there was scant hope left for me it seemed. She cleared her throat and squeaked out, "What did you... What did you think when I left?" The tone of her voice indicated she was almost embarrassed to ask me that, like it was something she's always wanted to know but never wanted to probe.

I sighed and pulled my hand back, "I thought I'd never be that happy again. As happy was I was with you. When you left I just lived. Not happily, but... tolerably. That night you left I uh, I just kinda sat in the Garden for a while. I couldn't move. I didn't know what to do."

"Me neither. I was so broken." She looked at me warmly and confided, "I didn't wanna go, Emily."

"I know, mon chéri. I know." I took a deep breath and the quietly asked, "Would giving Will your number make you happy?"

"How do you mean?"

"I mean like... If you stayed in touch with him and like... started something. Would you be happy?"

"I think so. He's a real sweetheart and he's definitely shown a lot of interest. I'd like to think he'd be good to me."

"Good. If you're happy the I'm happy." Never mind the fact that I'm currently holding back tears. Jennifer nodded somberly and then curled her face into her pillow, signaling she was ready for sleep. I scooted toward her a few more inches and draped my arm over her midsection.

She smiled softly and whispered, "Goodnight, Emily." If she was so broken, why not let me put her back together?

The next night
— JJ's POV
Will secured our killer's weapon and successfully got her out of the scene, away from her victim. I wrapped up some final details with the EMTs before letting them drive off in the ambulance. Then, I set off to find Will. I saw him leaning back against a cop car, looking in need of some reassurance. I walked up to him, "Hey."

"Hey there."

"The medic says that her victim's gonna be okay." He nodded but still looked shaken. "I heard what you did in there. Your dad would be really proud."

"It's weird. I spent all this time focused on closing this case for him... and now it's over."

"Yeah."

"I thought I'd feel happy, but I just feel lost."

"Because you gotta move on." That's something I've been telling myself the last few days. Maybe it's time to take my own advice.

He looked up at me, "And now you're leaving? How will I survive a woman like you going so far away?" I smiled shyly and looked off into the distance, contemplating my next move and if I really wanted to take it.

After a short moment of reflection, I pulled off the band-aid and said to Will, "Well despite what you may have heard... Cell phones can be very good for your health." He took my business card from my outstretched hand, smirking when he realized I'd written my cell on it. I nodded. "See ya," and then walked off to an SUV. Let's see where this goes.

A/N- this chapter contains dialogue from Season 2 Episode 18- "Jones"