Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. If I did, Emily and JJ would have hooked up back in Season 2 and the show would go year round, none of this 'season finale we'll resume in 4 or 5 months' non-sense.

Author's Note: I haven't written anything fiction since high school English classes several years ago. I'm a software developer, not a writer... but I promise it's not going to suck. Who knows, you might actually enjoy my crude vernacular and sense of humor. It's going to be unlike other stories you read on here, and if you give it half a chance I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I changed it from T to M at chapter 10 so it's not dirty until then. Also, comments are open to non-members so send all of the love it/hate it reviews that your heart desires.

The jet returned to the airstrip at 8:45 pm ensuring most of the team members wouldn't get to their homes until nearly 9:30. In hopes to get a few hours of sleep before returning to begin another week, no one chose to stick around to do any necessary paperwork before heading home to unwind.

Jennifer Jareau walked through the already deserted bullpen and called out to her friend, Emily Prentiss, as she was about the board the elevator down to the parking garage, "Hey, did you want to go get a quick bite to eat before heading home? Maybe a beer?"

Emily looked up into beautiful blue eyes, smiling inwardly at the gesture, but politely declined, "no thanks Jay, I just want to get home, take a bath, and get some sleep. I'm exhausted, and I'm sure you are too." Seeing the look of defeat written all too clearly on JJ's face, she offered "Rain check?"

Rain check, really? You're going to use that one on me again? Have you forgotten I have a handful of your 'rain checks' already? Jesus Christ, Prentiss, just fucking admit it already that these days you'd rather have dinner with the evil witch Strauss than me. Instead of voicing her thoughts, she plastered a fake smile on her face, "Yeah sure, of course."

The ride down the elevator was agonizingly long, and once the doors opened, Emily all but threw herself out the door, hurrying to her car. She called over her shoulder, "see you tomorrow JJ."

JJ walked into her office early that following morning, attempting to wipe the sleep from her eyes before the hustle and bustle of the day arrived. One could hope the nation's serial killers would take a brief hiatus to allow her team a slight reprieve. She dropped her briefcase alongside her desk and pulled out three files that she'd been keeping an eye on recently then proceeded to check her voice mail. Thankfully, the voicemail messages were only informative, none requiring urgent attention. After a review of several case files and determining who they should be handed off to, her cell phone began ringing. A quick glance to her watch informed her it was already 8:27 am. She knew it was too much to ask for to allow this week to start slowly.

"Agent Jareau" she answers professionally.

"Agent Jareau, this is Deputy Police Chief Tom Sanders from the Avon, Colorado Police Department. We spoke on the phone on Friday. Have you had the chance to review my file?" His voice sounding hopeful that she'll be able to provide him some much needed assistance.

"Yes sir, I have. I've handed it off to Special Agent Derek Morgan to develop a profile which should be done later today if we don't get called out." JJ assured, with a half-hearted smile knowing this was not the answer he was hoping for.

"There's been another body discovered in the same area and a young woman reported missing within the last hour from the same ski lodge. I've faxed over the information, but we could really use your help." came his rushed reply, hoping to change her mind quickly before she tried to get him off of the phone.

JJ asked for some more specific details and any additional findings that may be of use. She advised him she'd need to review the information and put the files together to brief her team before they could leave, but that he should be expecting their arrival early in the afternoon.

Emily had gone home on Sunday night and grabbed herself a bottle of wine and a glass. She had needed a drink when JJ offered but just couldn't allow herself to cave. She had carefully constructed the walls protecting her heart before she'd fully finished the foundation. The structure was wobbly and on the verge of completely collapsing at the hands of one Jennifer Jareau if she wasn't careful. Months ago, she opted to try to tuck away the thoughts that were running through her mind into a tiny compartment.

This compartmentalization was becoming increasingly difficult, and felt it may be easier to write them in a journal since she certainly couldn't tell anyone about the thoughts taking hold of her. Maybe if she had written them down and gotten them out then that's where these unwelcome thoughts and feelings would stay. Out of her mind. She started writing and then soon, the words wouldn't stop. Unfortunately for her, once the words were on paper, realization took over and there'd be no denying them, so she shoved them into a drawer and slammed it shut before pouring herself another glass of wine.

Waking up later than expected, Emily ran a brush through her hair quickly, brushed her teeth, and ran out the door. She walked into the office and plopped herself down at her desk, facing away from Derek with her head in her hands.

Derek opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Emily's muffled voice coming through her hands, "Don't even start Derek."

"What?" came his automatic reply, his lips turning up into a wide smile. This should be fun, he thought.

"You know what. You know that you were about to grill me. Save it. I'm just a little under the weather." Sighing internally, she could only think, they call it love-sick for a reason.

Clearly, Prentiss is either tired or hung-over. Assuming one was the result of the other, he decided to push. "Late night, huh, Prentiss? A few too many drinks, woke up at a random guy's house when you realized you didn't have time to get home and then to work on time. That's why you're still wearing what I saw you in yesterday." Morgan replied with a smug looking grin on his face.

Emily looked at herself, Shit! I didn't fucking change, great. Now I do look like I just came from an all night fuck fest. If only that were true. "No! Stop profiling me, I did nothing of the sort." Half-truths are still truths, right? If only it had been that easy to explain away. I did definitely have a few too many drinks and woke up with too little time to shower. I can't believe I didn't even think to change. I probably stink.

"The reddening of your cheeks says otherwise, Prentiss."

"No! You're wrong." Emily replied, getting even more worked up. She just wanted him to shut the hell up, the throbbing of her headache making her even more uncomfortable.

Walking out of her office to the fax machine, JJ overheard Emily vehemently denying something Derek had said while taking in her unusually disheveled appearance. She lingered for a few moments to try to determine what had Emily so worked up this morning.

Emily glanced over and saw JJ slowly moving towards them from the fax machine and lowered her tone, "Can we please drop this?"

"Oh, no, no, no. No way Prentiss, you're not getting off the hook that easily. How about we ask JJ? JJ, doesn't Emily look like she just spent the entire night drinking and . . ."

JJ, noticing the increased reddening of Emily's face and lack of eye contact decided to intervene and perhaps probe for answers later. "I'm sorry to interrupt this obviously, completely work-appropriate conversation, but we have a case. Meet in the conference room at 9 am."