FF: What the Rain Washes Away 6/13 (Criminal Minds) JJ/Emily NC-17
Chapter Five…
It's time we saw a miracle
Come on, it's time for something Biblical
To pull us through
And pull us through
And this is the end
This is the end of the world
They'd been moved to the back of the temple so that everyone else not holding a gun could have a seat. Plastic cups had been handed out, wine jugs brought in. Cyrus poured a little wine in each person's cup himself. The self-serving symbolism made Prentiss want to laugh. Instead, something else caught her eye as Cyrus started to drone on and on.
"Look at Jessica's body language, the way she looks at him."
"She literally worships him," Reid noted, watching as the girl stared at Cyrus not just with puppy-love affection, but full-on devotion. "There's no way she made that 911 call."
Cyrus walked toward the front; Kathy moved to take his place, standing over her daughter and ignoring him as he continued to preach.
"Look at how she comes between Cyrus and her daughter," Emily said, the pieces starting to fall into place. They might have been hostages and at the mercy of a cult leader, but that didn't mean they couldn't also do their jobs. "She's inserted herself between them."
"Acknowledge Him in all things and He will guide your way. Drink to acknowledge Him, and I will guide our way."
Only the lull in Cyrus' constant sermon drew their attention from Kathy and Jessica as the church drank their wine in unison. Emily frowned, finally paying attention again to Cyrus. Wine alone wasn't traditional to the Eucharist for either Protestants or Catholics. There was always a bread or wafer, something to symbolize the body of Christ…
"We drink also to acknowledge our fallen loved ones. We honor they're sacrifice and know that we will be with them soon… We've drank the poison together."
Prentiss turned to Reid, Cyrus' words sinking in slowly. "What do we do," Emily hissed as Cyrus started to preach again, mixing the 23rd Psalm with Revelations, somehow finding a way to make mass suicide and the end of all things sound soothing.
"Nothing."
"We have to do something, these people just took poison."
"No," Reid said slowly, "Cyrus just told them they did. And I think he's bluffing."
"Why do you think that?"
Reid nodded to the front of the church. "Just after he told them about the poison he waited for them to start to react, then he nodded to Cole. And he started writing. Look… They're scanning the audience, looking for reactions."
"They're writing down the names of the people crying."
"It's a loyalty list."
"So he knows who will follow him to the end," Emily finished, disgusted. "Unbelievable."
"Be still, there was no poison," Cyrus said eventually, walking back up to the altar. "Instead, a test of faith, because your adversary, the Devil, walketh about as a roaring lion! Choosing whom he may devour."
Beside her, Reid flinched as Cyrus's voice echoed through the room. The words, the religious rhetoric, were a little too close to Tobias Henkel's and she knew it had hit a nerve with Reid. Emily reached out, squeezing his arm. "Don't go there… It's okay."
"I'm okay…" Reid breathed slowly. "I'm okay."
"Watch each other for signs of weakness… you are your brother's keeper."
Prentiss sniffed derisively. You can say that again.
*
Four Months Earlier…
Penelope Garcia wasn't a trained FBI profiler. She didn't even play one on TV. But she knew things about people.
She knew that Morgan wasn't as much of a playboy as what he portrayed; she knew Reid used his intelligence as a shield to keep himself from getting hurt one more time by the people he trusted; she knew Hotchner really was that much of a hardass, but every once in a while could surprise you with his tenderness; she knew Rossi had a soft spot for Prentiss and treated her more like family, more like a daughter, than any one else on the team; she knew that JJ had always kept a piece of herself back, even from the team, as a way of protecting herself and she knew that the only person she'd ever seen break through all of JJ's walls was Emily - right from the start; she also knew, without reservation or equivocation, that Emily was completely head-over-heels in love with JJ, and she was pretty damn sure JJ felt the same way.
Which was why, after a month of watching them oh-so-casually walk in five minutes after each other every morning, of sharing lunches and longing glances, it was hard not to miss the way it all suddenly stopped.
The longing looks were still there, but only from JJ, and only when Emily wasn't looking. The lunches were shared - with the team - and most the time Prentiss had a book open, pretending to read. JJ, who had always been one of the first of the team to arrive in the morning, started to show up later. Prentiss got to work early and left late.
All these things taken separately didn't mean much, but Garcia knew people, she knew her friends, and she knew something was wrong.
There was really only one way to handle it.
"Come on," she demanded, handing Prentiss her jacket, "we're going drinking."
"Oh, Garcia, that's nice but I really-"
"-No arguments. Let's go."
"I'm kind of tired-"
"Not taking 'no' for an answer," Garcia insisted. "Get your bag, hurry up."
Emily gave her a look and then gave in.
They avoided the regular bar the team frequented and found a quiet hole-in-the-wall Garcia swore made the best Long Island's in Virginia. Prentiss took her word for it and ordered a beer instead.
"You and JJ broke up, didn't you?"
"What? How did you-" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Mentally, Prentiss slapped herself. It was a classic interrogation technique and she'd walked right into. God, she really was off her game. "Nicely played."
"I have my moments," Penelope smiled triumphantly. "So spill."
"Garcia, I really don't want to talk about it."
"I understand that, but if you don't talk to me you're going to end up talking to Hotch."
"You'd rat me out to Hotch?"
"Sweetie, you've been walking around for two weeks looking like someone kicked your puppy. You think Hotch hasn't noticed?"
Emily took a long drink of beer, looking miserable. "That noticeable, huh?"
"I've seen people on hunger strikes happier than you are right now." That earned Garcia the slightest smile. "It helps to talk. I promise."
"There's not much I can tell you."
"Did you have a fight," Garcia prompted. "Did she leave the cap off the toothpaste? Did you leave your shoes on the bed? Something must've happened."
"Something did happen, but I can't tell you. JJ's just going through something right now and she needs to be the one to tell you about it."
"What? Is she pregnant or something?" Emily choked, sputtering beer. "Oh shut up!" Garcia handed her a napkin, helping wipe up the table. "How the hell did she… she didn't cheat on you did she? No, can't be, JJ wouldn't do that."
"It happened before we got together," Emily ground out, wiping herself off. "I don't know the details," she lied. JJ had never been open about her relationship with Will, and although Emily guessed that Garcia probably knew, she wasn't going to confirm anything without JJ's permission. "And you can't say anything," she warned.
"Cross my heart," Garcia answered easily, completing that very gesture. "God, this is so much worse than someone kicking your puppy."
"You can say that again," Emily muttered.
Garcia flagged the bartender down and ordered another round for them both. "So what are you going to do?"
"What do you mean?"
"She's pregnant, she's not unconscious. You need to fight for her."
"That's the last thing I need to do right now."
"Are you kidding me? JJ's a sweetheart but she's got more firewalls than my laptop. Don't let her push you away just because she's scared."
"So, what, I should show up outside her house with a stereo and play Peter Gabriel all night?"
"Of course not," Garcia snorted. "That only works on me."
"That only works in movies," Prentiss countered. "The real world doesn't work like that. Sometimes we have to accept things as they are and… move on."
Garcia fixed her with a hard look. "Tell me something kiddo, do you love her?"
The answer was clear enough in Emily's eyes. "It doesn't matter what I want anymore. She made her choice."
Garcia sighed, knowing nothing would change Emily's mind - she loved JJ too much. She loved her enough break her own heart. "She made the wrong one."
"Well, maybe someday she'll figure that out."
"I'll drink to that."
*
JJ swallowed roughly and flushed the toilet. Whatever bastard had come up with the name 'morning sickness' - and JJ was certain it had to be a man - needed his ass kicked. It wasn't 'morning sickness' if it lasted all god damn day. She took a breath, straightened her shirt, and opened the stall door.
And found Garcia waiting for her with a Sprite and box of crackers.
"Oh, shit."
"Sorry, mama, you're busted."
"How'd you find out?"
The question was simple enough, but Garcia heard the real question underneath: What did Emily tell you? "You think I can't see the signs when you rush to the bathroom every afternoon at this time and come into work looking green every morning."
It wasn't completely a lie. Once Garcia knew what to look for it wasn't that hard to figure out, all the signs were there.
JJ moved to the sink, splashing water on her face and rinsing her mouth. "Does anyone else know?"
"Not that I've heard." Garcia handed her a dry paper towel. "You should tell Hotch."
"I will, I just… I can barely believe this is happening, you know? One minute I'm the happiest I've ever been and then… it all changes."
"You could still be happy," Garcia said gently. "With Emily."
JJ didn't even bother asking how she knew that as well. "I can't force this on her, we were barely together a month. She didn't sign up for mommy-duty."
"Oh, sugar, you can be so dumb sometimes," Garcia said, rolling her eyes. "You weren't just together for a month. You two have been together for a lot longer than that."
"We were only-"
"-From the minute she got here," Garcia continued. "You guys go together like PB and J, like M&Ms and popcorn, like hookers and STDs… okay, maybe not that last one. The point is, mi amiga, you belong together."
JJ gave her a look. "Hookers and STDs?"
"A slight miscalculation on my part, but the broader point stands."
Maybe Garcia was right, maybe she wasn't. Either way, it didn't matter anymore. "It's too late, Garcia." She picked up the Sprite, and smiling sadly, walked out the door.
"It's never too late," Garcia said after the door closed. "Not when it comes to love."
Chapter Six