COMMON SENSE . jennifer jareau

1.2

The car in the corner of the parking lot had arrived almost half an hour ago, but the driver - who was gently hitting her head against the steering wheel - remained seated. She let out a soft groan as she stopped her movement, feeling the cold of the wheel sooth the pounding that had begun to swell in her head. Last night was a blur for Jennifer, she'd drunk more than she normally would with her friends and was beginning feeling the consequences of that decision. Moments would come to the surface and, for a second, she would stop drowning, but that feeling of comfort never lasted long as the current would then pull her under once more.

Pulling her head away from the wheel, Jennifer tried to find enough pieces to understand the previous night. If she could just find some tequila soaked memories, maybe she could work out the order of events; maybe she could understand how she woken - to the scent of cherry and vanilla - in a random woman's apartment wearing only an oversized t-shirt. Even after trying for half an hour, there were very few distinctive memories from the bar, but she could remember a satin 50's smiles; the same sweet intoxicating smell as the apartment; and a slight New York accent. Everything that Jennifer could recall from the night before was about Anna.

Perhaps, she could only think about the woman because every breath she took was filled with vanilla. Having been wrapped in Anna's cardigan - due to the sudden drop in temperature over night - Jennifer was still draped in a reminder of the woman. Stripping the item from her arms, she repeated the thought to herself, desperately trying to conceive herself that it was the only reason she was focusing on the women's perfume. Though, it didn't help to explain why every time she closed her eyes, Jennifer saw her lips pulling into an amused smile and the glint in her eyes as she laughed. However, she decided that she could push that away and bury herself in her work. Then, by the end of the day, she would have forgotten the red lipped woman from the bar.

Before she left the car, Jennifer pushed her ring back onto her finger. Despite having shared the news of her separation to Anna, she wasn't prepared for her friends to know. To begin with, she had to come to terms with it herself. Her confidence the night before - where she defended her position - had been created by the tequila and maintained by the constant array of moments she could pinpoint Will's discouragement. However, sober Jennifer remembered all the moments that he had built her up, and the times he had swept her off her feet. The tequila fuelled hate had been easier to feel than the sober regret that came with hiding the tan line.

Swearing to herself, she crossed the parking lot well aware that she was about to be late for work. The day before, Aaron had told them all to ensure they were on time the following day, and she was running across the parking lot fifteen minutes after she should have been at her desk. If she were prepared to tell him the truth, Jennifer was sure he would have understood her position; had he have known the events happening in her home, Aaron would have allowed her to take as much time as possible. However, she didn't want special treatment or a spotlight to be shone on her personal life. So, she settled for being reprimanded for her tardiness.

Around her, people where whispering to each other as they fixed their attention to the speed walking blonde. For a moment, she thought it was in her head and that it was her own guilt that was causing the paranoia. However, when she reached the elevator and she could see her own reflection she knew that it had all been real. Unlike everyone around her, she was unkempt and seemed disorganised. Her blonde locks were sticking up in tufts and her blouse was creased, there was also a distinct aroma of tequila that seemed to follow her. She had never been so thankful for the knowledge that her go-bag was tucked safely in her desk.

Patting down her hair, she left the elevator and began to jog across the bullpen towards her co-workers. Instinctively, she called out - her lie barely able to stand any depth of investigation, "Sorry, my car broke down."

Turning to her, Aaron cleated the blonde's view of the figure at the centre of the crowd. Jennifer wanted to scream, curse the universe for the tricks it played against her. Ruby red lips had curved into a smile, the scent of vanilla and cherry having once more filled her senses as the New York accent declared, "It's good to see you again."

"We met last night, at the-" Jennifer trailed off, becoming distracted by the difference in Anna's stance. She seemed nervous and reserved, though she put it all down to the nerves and professionalism of a first day.

Before her, the brunette believed she had pieced together the reason for the blonde's inability to answer, "Supermarket. Last night, I'd run out of washing powder and we ran into each other at the till."

Forcing a grin to her face, Jennifer nodded her head in agreement. Telling the truth, at that point, was not an option, so she took Anna's lead hoping that no-one would question it. For a moment, the atmosphere told her she had gotten away with it - no further questions leaving her friends lips gave her a false security. It was the withheld smirk from Emily that told her that there would be further questions.

"Well, Cameron, your desk is opposite JJ's and since you know each other she can show you the ropes." Aaron explained nodding to his co-workers as he turned back to his office. "If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask."

Jennifer was trying to decipher the glance between Aaron and Anna, the man's words seeming to have a double meaning that they couldn't understand. She wondered whether they knew each other before Anna made the decision to join the BAU, but convinced herself otherwise when she remembered he had called her Cameron. Though, the faux professionalism from Aaron wouldn't be anything new, he had acted the same way countless times before as a way to keep the team at arms length.

Suddenly, the blonde's eyes widened and she turned to the woman from the bar, "You're the Annalise Cameron?"

"Guilty." Anna mused, trying to withhold a laugh in reaction to Jennifer's expression. "Though, I really don't look like the photo the reporters always seem to use."

Shaking her head quickly, Jennifer placed her bag onto her desk, "If I'd have known-"

"But you didn't, actually you accused me of being a serial killer." Emily had flicked her attention to the two women, shocked by the statement. "I offered a lift home, she wasn't too comfortable giving me and address."

Within a split second, Jennifer had silently convinced Emily to leave the duo alone. The darker haired woman left them, muttering something unbelievable about coffee as she turned her back. However, she could tell from the pleading I'm her friends eyes that something needed to be discussed between the two women that she could not be a part of. While it did hurt Emily, she understood that - sometimes - telling your friends the truth was the hardest thing to do.

Taking a seat at her new desk, Anna sighed, "You're wearing the ring."

"I'm going to wait to tell them until I know what's going on properly." Jennifer explained, twisting the burning piece of metal. "I used to love how it felt, but now it's like it's someone else who smiled every time they saw it."

The brunette nodded her head, "I've got family photos that make me feel the same. The woman in them, she isn't me, not anymore. She put up with way too much bullshit." There was a silence, Anna trying to make sense of Jennifer's apprehensive nature, "I'm not going to tell anyone, Jennifer, about what you told me or last night in general. But, if you do need anyone, I'm at the other end of the phone, since I do already know."

"Maybe, next time, I won't be drowning in tequila." Jennifer joked. "And you can call me JJ, everyone else here does."

She nodded, "Jennifer is the woman I met at the bar, not the woman I work with."