The Usual Rules

Chapter 14

JJ paced back and forth in front of her bed while Emily packed her things. "I can't do this. What if something goes wrong? What if she thinks I'm leaving? What if this sets back all the progress she's been making? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Emily stood up and hesitated, trying to gauge if JJ was really done ranting or not. When JJ glared and placed her hands on her hips, she decided that she was in fact supposed to speak now.

"Jen, I can be the one to go first if that will make you feel better."

"Then we will still have all of our problems just with you!" JJ yelled throwing her arms into the air. They had been deciding who would leave on their first case back for the entire weekend. After discussing it over and over they hadn't been able to reach a decision so they had done the only sensible and mature thing they could think of; rock, paper, scissors.

"Jen, we're going to have to leave sometime, unless you want to get a different job. From what I understand, you mostly hated being at the Pentagon."

"Hate is a strong word."

"Do you want to go back?" Emily asked softly. She had missed JJ horribly while she worked there. It hadn't hit her how much having JJ there while they worked kept her spirits up until she was suddenly gone. She couldn't complain though, she had known where JJ was the entire time, she could call her and come home to her. When Emily had to leave, JJ had to pretend that her wife had died, she only had ideas of where Emily was, and they could only communicate in an online word game. The two couldn't really compare.

"Not a chance in hell. I love being a profiler, I missed you guys too much. I learned a lot at the Pentagon, and in a way I don't regret going, but I don't want to go back. I just...this sucks. Can't we take her with us?" JJ moaned. Emily grinned as JJ flopped down onto the bed and slammed her head into Emily's lap. She ran her fingers through the blonde silky hair.

"Jen, as much as a part of me would love to shut out the world and the three of us stay home with each other forever, we would get bored and we can't. If you're really not ready, I can go and you can stay."

"No, I lost, you can't go against rock, paper, scissors; its a law." JJ said seriously. Emily hid a smile. JJ was in fact quite serious when it came to rock, paper, scissors and pinky swearing. It was one of those childlike things she retained up to adulthood, and Emily loved her for it.

"Okay then, you are all packed, lets go talk to Rachel."

JJ reluctantly let Emily pull her up and the two of them went to Rachel's bedroom. JJ knocked softly on the door and pinched the bridge of her nose. She was not looking forward to this. Rachel had been happy and comfortable with them all weekend. A little clingy, she would follow them in and out of rooms, never wanting to be by herself. Which was part of the reason JJ was so worried about leaving.

"Rach?" JJ called through the door. "Can we come in?"

"Yes."

JJ and Emily walked inside to find Rachel sitting on the floor, Emily's copy of the Wizard of Oz in her lap. Rachel was very determined to be able to read by herself and practiced all the time. To their delight, she was learning very quickly, but she still needed quite a bit of help. "Hey sweetie, can we talk to you?"

"I didn't mean to!" Rachel said quickly. JJ saw Emily frown. It was difficult to have Rachel seem to move forward, only to jump back every once in a while.

"Didn't mean to what?" Emily asked.

"Umm..whatever you're mad about?" Rachel asked as she bit her bottom lip.

JJ smiled softly and crouched down to sit across from Rachel. "We're not mad about anything, we just want to talk to you." She explained. Emily sat down as well and Rachel relaxed a bit. JJ took a deep breath. "Rach, you know how Em and I have been going to work while you're at school?" Rachel nodded. "Well, usually, we travel with our work, not all the time, but a lot of the time. You know how we met you while we were on a case?" Rachel nodded again and began fidgeting with the bottom of her t-shirt. "Well, we've been given some time off from traveling because we wanted to get you settled in, but we are going to have to start traveling again. This week in fact."