BULLETS | JEMILY

introductions

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How can I keep myself away when I'm falling on for you

I've never known this kind of love I

Can't help that I'm falling on for you.

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I've never had a moment's doubt. I love you. I believe in you completely. You are my dearest one. My reason for life.

Ian McEwan - Atonement

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Our eyes lock and I hope she doesn't say anything to Aaron Hotchner. Luckily, she understands and turns to him. "Uh, we have a case, sir. Everyone's ready." She leaves without another word. Agent Hotchner looks down at his desk and then back at me. "Emily, I'm still looking into this, okay, but would you like to consult on this case in the mean time? If you have a go-bag ready?" I smile. "Deal." I follow him out to the briefing room, where the people from the bullpen are already gathered. "Guys, this is Agent Emily Prentiss, she'll be consulting on this case. Introductions can wait, JJ, what's the case?" So the blonde is called JJ? Hmm, interesting. She introduces the case and I study the file, trying to block out her honey-sweet voice that's singing in my ears. Something catches my eye. "The unsub's a woman." I say out loud. The dark man looks puzzled. "How could you possibly know that?" "This isn't the work of a sexual sadist or rapist, it's about a woman who's struggling with her sexuality and hates herself for having undesirable thoughts about being with other women, so she hurts them instead of having sex with them. There's no sign of sexual assault on any of the victims, and all of the bodies were dumped in private areas, away from the public. They were gently laid to rest and covered, showing that the unsub, in their own way, cared for each one of these women." I explain. The room is silent for a moment. "Good observation. We can discuss more on the jet. Wheels up in thirty." Hotchner says and the room clears. The blonde hangs back and I pretend to drop the file. She bends down to help.

"Hey." She says. I look at her. "I didn't know you work here." I say. "You didn't ask last night. Nor did I. But, well, it's nice to know your name, Emily." She smiles and hands me the file. "I'll see you on the plane." She walks out, leaving her scent of vanilla behind. I shake it off and follow her out, heading down to the bullpen. "Hey, Prentiss, I'm Morgan. Derek Morgan. And that's Spencer Reid. He's our resident genius. You'll meet our tech analyst soon, Penelope Garcia. She's crazy, but in a good way." He chuckles. "Nice to meet you guys." I say politely, still thinking about the blonde. "Hey, where's the blonde, um, JJ, is it?" I ask. "She's probably in her office, just out the doors, and down the hall on the right." "Thanks." I get up and follow his directions until I reach a door with the nameplate Jennifer Jareau on it. That could be JJ, right? I knock on the door, and am rewarded with her sweet voice saying, "come in." "Hi, Jennifer." I say and shut the door behind me. She looks up and puts her bag down. "First of all, only my mom calls me Jennifer. It's just JJ. Second, what can I do for you?" She asks as I walk towards her desk. "Well, I'd like to know more about you and the rest of the team, and I was also wondering if you could show me to the plane?" I smile. She laughs, "Right, of course, no problem. I was heading there myself, anyways." 

We walk to the elevator together and ride down to the basement. "So, how long have you worked here?" I ask her. "This is my sixth year with the BAU. I used to be the communications liaison, but I got a promotion after SSA Gideon left, so I'm a profiler now, but I usually handle the press anyways." "Nice, I've worked for different field offices, mainly based around Chicago area, you know, but I got transferred to the BAU literally yesterday. I wanted to work here years ago, but you need years worth of experience before you even get considered." I explain. "Yeah, I heard that. Well, you see when I applied, I only applied to be the press liaison so I didn't need ten years with the bureau. I only had basic training and about a year in the field." "That's an impressive achievement, then, to be working as a profiler." I say with true admiration. "Yeah, it's not all fun and games, though, it... it took a toll on my marriage." She says with a sad voice. Suddenly, the sparkle goes from her eyes and I see the same look of sadness that I noticed at the bar before we spoke. "You-you're married?" I ask in surprise. "But you don't wear a ring." She holds up her hand and I see the faint indentation where there used to be a ring. "Mm, I haven't for about six months now. We're not divorced or even separated, but it's only a matter of time. The love is gone, it has been for months now, I guess we're just scared to move on, out of this rut we've been stuck in for so long." "Oh, I see..." I don't know how to respond. Should I be supportive and offer sympathy? Or should I tell her it's for the best and she should move on? She laughs and brushes it off. "Sorry to unload right now, we should focus on the case, right?" "Y-yeah, probably." I say, and we walk in silence.