Try to See it My Way

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and alerted. I'm going to try my best to get these next few chapters finished and posted so that this story can finally come to a close, there should only be one or two more. Any and all mistakes are my fault, sorry in advance.

This chapter mostly focuses on JJ and we will catch up more with Emily in the next one. It just seemed that so far we were mostly getting Emily's perspective and I wanted to mix it up. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 10

JJ was the first to arrive home; she had made dinner and patiently waited for Aaron. He had not called to let her know that there was a case, so the blonde expected him back with the hour. As she was sitting at the table instead of thinking of her fiancé, her mind was full of thoughts of Emily. Had the woman gotten the sandwich that Derek was suppose to bring back for her? The note that she had left with it? And most importantly did she know who it was from?

After she had returned from the restaurant, the blonde continued to reflect on the words that Emily had said to her and as a result had not completed any of her work for the remainder of the day. She just kept trying to see the situation Emily's way, from the other woman's perspective. Would she have done the same thing in Emily's situation?

Neither the scratching of the key in the lock or the opening of the door could tear JJ away from her musings on Emily. It wasn't until Hotch called out, "JJ?"

"In the dining room…"

The man entered the room and set his brief case down, "What's the matter?"

JJ cursed the agent, it's the problem with profilers you can't keep anything to yourself, it drove her crazy when they pried. Well it never bothered her too much when it was Emily doing the prying…JJ quickly banished those thoughts from her head, and spoke gently, "I need to tell you something, but it can wait until after dinner."

Aaron nodded but his eyes surveyed her as the pair sat and ate in silence. It was an awkward silence that the two had not experienced in ages, one that you may encounter when you are siting with a stranger. All that was heard was the scratch of forks on the plates and the soft chewing of their dinner. Finally when they were finished the meal and the dishes had been washed the two of them headed into the living room.

"What did you have to tell me?" Hotch asked while analysing the blonde.

"I ahh- well," JJ stuttered unsure of how to continue.

Aaron looked deep into her eyes, "Does this have anything to do with Prentiss?"

"Yes," JJ nodded knowing that she had to tell him the truth.

"Well?"

"I don't…"

The two of them had never had this much trouble communicating before and Aaron was starting to piece it together, "Just start at the beginning then."

JJ couldn't quite figure out where the beginning was exactly; was it in high school, Emily's first declaration, her second? Instead she blurted out, "Did you know Emily's gay?"

"Well she never exactly told me in as many words," Aaron said and as JJ still look at him obviously wanting him to continue, "but everyone had figured it out without directly being told."

JJ bet if she had looked at the brunette from an outside perspective she may have figured it out but as it always seems to go when you are close to someone you sometimes miss the obvious or simply fail to acknowledge it. After her outburst she decided to start talking, "I guess the beginning would be at the cabin, when I found out she's a lesbian and then right after she tells me she's in love with me! She kissed me but I stopped it. Can you believe that she kissed me? I just…this all so crazy!" Hotch sighed. "What?" JJ demanded.

"Just like that fact that Prentiss is gay, everyone could see that she's in love with you as well. Its public knowledge."

"Damn it Aaron. I'm not a profiler! I don't see the things that are "public knowledge!""

JJ yelled, "So you knew this whole time?!"

Raising up his hands in mock surrender, and calmly answering, "JJ as soon as I met you I knew, quite honestly I thought you two were together when she first introduced us but as the night went on I realised that the feelings seemed to be one sided," JJ gasped at the man, "I even talked to Prentiss but was adamant that there was nothing going on between you."

"But I-"

"I knew that she loves you and I could also see that you love her, JJ."

"I don't! Well I do she's my best friend. I don't think I love her like that…"

"I've seen the way that you two look at each other, the way that you interact. Sometimes I forget since she never wants to be around me when you're there but while we were at the cabin it was blatantly obvious again that you two shared something deeper. When I did ask you out, I was honestly surprised and humbled when you agreed to a date with me. I always thought that you would end up with her."

"I don-"

"JJ," Hotch gave the woman a stern look, "I was only ever hoping to win your heart, I've always known that it belongs to Emily, I was just wishing that over time you could learn to love me but I guess not."

JJ started to cry as she realised that Aaron's words were true. She had always loved the brunette, she was JJ's first dance date, her first hand holding, her first butterflies. JJ had never felt the way the she does with anyone else as she does when she is around Emily. She mumbled practically silently, "I do love her…" And then louder so Hotch could hear her, "Aaron, I'm so sorry! I never meant for any of this to happen."

"JJ you have no need to apologise, I knew exactly what I was getting into."

"Why didn't anyone ever tell me?" JJ asked.

"I think everyone just believed that if you hadn't figured it out thus far maybe you didn't feel the same as she did. At first I knew that somewhere deep inside you knew that you two were meant to be and that you'd probably figure it out. But after being together for four years and you made no indication that you felt like that towards her, I thought we could finally move on and that maybe you loved me as much as I thought you loved her."

Still with silent tears dripping down her cheeks, JJ slowly took the ring from her finger and placed it into Aaron's palm, "I am truly sorry, I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know," Hotch pulled his ex-fiancée into a hug and then said, with solemn aura surrounding him, "Go." Confusion spread over JJ, "I know you must want to see her, so go, we'll sort the rest out later. And before you ask, no I don't hate you, I could never hate you JJ. I love you. But sometimes that's just not enough."

xXx

She didn't want to go see Emily right after leaving Aaron that seemed rather tactless. So instead she decided she should go for a drive to clear her thoughts.

JJ couldn't believe what had just happened, one minute she had been living in a bubble where she was engaged and everything was good. Then Emily turned her world upside down, she no longer had a fiancé, probably no place to live since she and Aaron shared a house (although JJ knew that the man would never kick her out, she just didn't feel comfortable continuing to live together after they broke up).

As she navigated the streets she was thinking about Emily it's almost as though she always knew they should be together. No one ever gave her the butterflies Emily did or made her feel as safe. Emily was, for the lack of a better term, her soul mate. It's like when two people mesh so perfectly together, and sure you can love other people but the pull that you have towards this person will be over powering and nothing will ever compare.

JJ had broken up with a few boyfriends in her time and they always said, "You're picking Emily over me?" and JJ always knew that the answer would be yes. She should have taken that as a sign, that even her high school sweetheart never meant as much to her as Emily.

As she continued driving, with no destination in sight she, realised that she was heading over to Emily's place. It had always been Emily, and that's where her heart was leading her now. Even though she wanted to wait to speak to the brunette, it seemed that her subconscious wanted her to go now.

xXx

Emily could feel the note that was left on top of her sandwich burning a hole in her pocket. Just the fact that she had it with her created a permanent smile on her face. Emily knew that the note was from JJ, even if it hadn't been attached to the club that she knew the blonde had ordered for her.

The fact that JJ sent the sandwich back for Emily triggered her memory to a time when the brunette had been studying for her finals and JJ had come to her rescue with food. When Emily got caught up inside her head JJ was always there with a comforting hug or in this case a much needed lunch. It wasn't even the food that had impacted Emily the most it was the note on the napkin: A simple heart with an E and J inside.

This had been their symbol as kids before Emily had left the states. When she and JJ were young they would create crafts or leave secret messages for each other it was always marked with their symbol. They had of course stopped using it as they had gotten older but the simplicity and the nostalgia brought on by seeing it pulled at Emily's heart.

The only problem she was having was deciphering the message. Did JJ leave it as a promise that they would be talking in the future? Or was it left to signify the end, their friendship had reached its term and they were finishing it were they began…

A/N: Sorry that it's a bit shorter than the last one. And I did manage to squeeze a bit of Emily in there at the end. Tune in next time; will the women finally be talking to each other, what the meaning behind JJ's note? Let me know how you think!