Hope for the Hopeless [Jemily]

Sad As It May Be

August 3, 2007
— Emily's POV
I have to admit it kind of worried me that JJ was so reluctant to tell the team about us. I mean our relationship has been in the works for so long, and now that we're official she doesn't want to be official? Something was just off to me. Nevertheless, I have to work with her and act like nothing's wrong. Nothing is wrong. I guess I'm just a little anxious.

"Emily, what was JJ like as a teenager?" Spence asked me from his computer, which was conveniently across from mine.

Derek put his pen down and hopped up to sit on my desk while smiling, "For real, Em, we'd all love to know. Was Ms. Prim-and-Proper always prim-and-proper?" Oh if only they knew, I thought.

I chuckled and leaned back, "Well she's always been gorgeous, I can tell you that. When we first met I was shocked she was my age; she was just so much more mature and together. Like someone in their mid-20s."

Derek laughed, "Sounds like JJ to me."

I nodded, "She hasn't changed a bit to me. She's still the girl I fell in l-- Uh. F-Fell into trouble with as a kid. We loved to run around Paris aimlessly." Phew, almost let that slip. I sighed and gazed off, "She was really something."

Derek scoffed and looked at Reid, "If I didn't know better, pretty boy, I'd say Emily here's in love with blondie." He looked over to me, "You sound pretty sweet on her, princess."

I blushed and stammered, "W-What? Me? That's not true, w-we're just friends. Good friends."

JJ walked into the BAU and smiled as she passed me, "Hey, Em."

"Hi, Jayje." Derek hopped down and got a mere inch from my face before staring me in the eye.

He yelled, "HA!"

Reid glanced up, "What? Any dilation?"

"You bet. Your pupils just doubled in size, Em." He teased, "Do you wuv her?" 

I questioned, "Huh?"

Reid explained, "The love hormones, oxytocin and dopamine, have a large effect on pupil size. When they're activated, say when looking at someone you care for, they can grow significantly. Morgan's insinuating that you have feelings for JJ because of the chemical response in your body that made your pupils dilate."

I rolled my eyes, "That's ridiculous."

Morgan furrowed his brow, "Is it?" I shook my head in dismissal and got back to work. I barely scratched the surface of my case file when Hotch burst out of his office with JJ and called us all into the conference room. JJ debriefed us on a case we'd been tasked to go to in Austin, Texas. A killer was at large targeting young female college students on campus. We flew out there right away. The first day was hectic, and we didn't uncover much. I sat alone in front of the crime board around 7:00 that evening, mulling everything over. A knock on the door made me turn around; it was Hotch.

"Good evening, sir."

"Prentiss." He shut the door behind him-- bad sign. He looked at me sincerely and quietly said, "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Of course, sir. Is there a problem?"

"Not unless there has to be. Is um... Is something going on between you and JJ? Something I'd have to document?"

I lied through my teeth, "No, sir. Agent Jareau and I are very close but that's all. If you've misinterpreted something I'm sorry." I hated lying. I was ready to come clean but JJ's not okay with putting everything out there yet. Luckily, I've become a skilled liar over the last 29 years, for a variety of reasons, and he actually bought my fib.