My Heart's Been Borrowed

Chapter 1: Gorgeous

A/N: This story is a labor of love. I'd like to give a big shout out to my friend Emma for her encouragement (and for checking my grammar). ILYSM. Jennifer Jareau is one of my favorite characters of all time, and I hope this story does her justice. This will eventually be a Jemily story, but I think it's important to see how past relationships and experiences affect both JJ individually and her relationship with Emily. Please let me know what you think in the comments <3

Jennifer Jareau splashes water onto her face, trying to do anything she possibly can to make herself just a little more alert. Really, she should've known better than to go out on a work night, but when Penelope had promised to buy the first round, how could she say no?

But now...yeah, she is definitely regretting her decision. Actually, regretting multiple decisions is more accurate. Sure the tequila shots were not a good idea, but making out with the random guy in a flannel and cowboy hat was much, much worse. At least she stopped it before it went any further. Judging by the terrible kissing, anything more would have been wildly unsatisfying.

The dark circles under her eyes are not getting any lighter, so extra concealer it is. By the time she throws her blonde hair into a bun and throws on a pencil skirt and blouse, she's already running late. Of course, the new member of the team starts today too because why wouldn't she? Nothing says good first impression like an obvious hangover. She sighs, grabbing her bag off the coffee table and pushing through her front door.

Traffic isn't absolutely atrocious for once, so she actually makes it to Quantico right on time. Unfortunately, her bun didn't. Why on some days her hair will do exactly what she wants and on others it has a mind of its own, she will never understand. Before hopping out of her car, she pulls the pins from her hair and runs her fingers through it. This'll have to do.

Ten minutes later, she breezes through the bullpen, offering a tight smile to Spence as she passes his desk.

"Good morning, JJ!" She softens at his voice, stopping for a moment to give him a real smile.

"Morning, Spence!"

"You okay?" he asks, concern on his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Because you look like shit!" Derek Morgan's arrogant tone brings her irritation back immediately.

"Funny, I don't remember asking for your opinion, Derek."

"Oh, feisty this morning, are we? Well last week was shark week, so it must be a hangover." His dark brown eyes sparkle with mischief and the slightest hint of curiosity.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She tosses her blonde hair over her shoulder, giving him an eye roll for good measure. Thankfully she makes it into her office without further incident and shuts the door, something that happens extremely rarely.

As she boots up her computer, she grabs the still-open file she had abandoned on her desk the previous evening. A picture of a woman with dark hair and even darker eyes stares back at her. Elle Greenaway, the newest member of the BAU. JJ has to admit, she's pretty excited to add another woman to their team. It's a long-running joke that the BAU is a boy's club, but it's true. There's only been a handful of women on the team since it was founded decades ago. Perhaps this is a step in the right direction.

Just as with every time she'd looked at the file before, JJ couldn't tear her eyes away from the image of the woman. The confident smirk on her face makes JJ's stomach twist in a way that's both too familiar and completely foreign at the same time. There's a knock at her door, interrupting her thoughts, and she shakes her head to clear it before Aaron Hotchner pokes his head inside.