A/N - This is my first attempt at a multi-chapter story. Not going to lie; makes me kind of nervous. I have a few chapters already written but I don't have an ending figured out yet. I'm not sure how quickly I'll update because I have a horrible habit of re-reading and completely re-doing what I've written, which is why I have always done one offs and why this is so scary for me. So keep your fingers crossed and wish me luck!

I do not own Criminal Minds.

Chapter One

Emily looked at the results in her hand with wide eyes. What the hell had she done? Her decision to go out with a bang, literally, was coming back to bit her in the ass big time. There was only one person that she knew she could turn to.

JJ frowned at the unfamiliar number that crossed her mobile screen. "Jareau."

"Jay?"

Recognition registered immediately. "Hey…"

"Don't say my name." Emily was quick to speak not wanting it to be known that she was on the other end of the line.

Puzzled by the request JJ uttered, "O-kay."

"Are you alone?"

JJ looked up to find a room full of seasoned profilers and a technical analyst staring at her. "No."

"Can you go somewhere private?"

Now seriously concerned she stood up from the conference room table and looked at Hotch. "I'm so sorry, I need to take this." She nodded at the phone.

"Go ahead." He replied, watching her curiously. Something he made a habit of doing since she pulled a runaway bride at her surprise wedding. At first they believed it was just the idea of having the event thrust upon her but in truth she had been regretting her spontaneous action at the hospital and the surprise wedding had forced her hand.

Hotch sighed heavily, losing focus for a brief moment. His entire team was in a state of flux. Emily had made the decision to leave the BAU for Interpol. Garcia was still struggling with the breakup of her relationship with Lynch. Something was bothering Morgan but he hadn't been able to ascertain what the root cause was; the normally upbeat man was decidedly melancholic. Rossi was carrying on a not so secret liaison with the BAU Chief. Only Reid seemed to be taking the changes in stride.

JJ moved into an empty conference room and closed the door, her heart racing wondering what could be going on with her friend. "Okay. I'm alone. What's going on Em? Are you okay?"

Emily moaned out a harsh. "No."

The sob sent a frisson of ice up JJ's back. "Is it Doyle? Did one of his associates find you? Where are you?"

"No, no, I'm okay, it's nothing like that. That I think I could handle." Emily groaned. "God, JJ, I don't know what to do. You're the only person I could think of to call."

This was a side of Emily that JJ never faced. "Okay sweetie, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on." JJ prodded.

Emily half laughed half sobbed and quietly confessed. "Jayje, I'm pregnant."

On the other end of the line JJ blinked. "Okay, I'm going to need you to repeat that, I could have sworn you just said you were pregnant."

"I did." She confirmed for her stunned friend.

"What! Are you sure?" JJ questioned.

"A doctor just confirmed what four home pregnancy tests told me." She curled up further in a ball. "I want you to come to London."

JJ looked at her phone, sure that it wasn't working correctly. "Okay, I really think I'm hearing things. I swear you just told me you wanted me to come to London."

Emily didn't bother to reassure her this time she just started in with her cajoling. "Can you Jayje, can you please? I can swing you a position here for as long as you want one, and it will help you get away from everything there."

It was JJ's turn to groan. "You can say his name you know." Emily was the only one that knew how truly antagonistic her relationship with Will had gotten once she said she couldn't marry him. "Can you imagine how Will would react to the idea of me taking Henry to England?" A small part of her, however, was intrigued with the idea of just getting away.

"But if you were able to get Will to agree to it, would you consider coming over here with me? Just until the baby is born and I get settled." The proficient profiler that she was Emily heard the tone in JJ's voice that she was looking for.

JJ sighed heavily torn between desire to help her friend out and the improbability of what she was asking. "Em, there's a large part of the story you're not telling me. Like, who the daddy is?" She knew for certain that Emily hadn't dated in a long while. She was aware of every man that she'd gone out with while they were working together and they spoke frequently enough to know that there was no one recently. She couldn't imagine that her friend had a one night stand but guessed anything was possible.

"I'll tell everything you once you get here." Emily bribed. "It's a long story, it would probably be best told with a bottle of wine. For you, of course, I'll have milk or something equally boring."

She couldn't believe that the idea of picking up and getting away from it all was actually appealing to her. She jumped at the knock on the door and sighed when Hotch popped his head in the opening.

"Hey. Are you okay, JJ?" His eyes were warm and concerned.

She smiled, the man was tuned in to his team and it was just like him to check up on her when she didn't return to the meeting. "I'm fine, Hotch, I'll just be a few minutes longer. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay." With that he backed out of the room.

Then suddenly the idea of getting away from it all didn't look so appealing. "Emily, I can't just leave Hotch. The team is still struggling with your being gone again."

"It's interesting how you say you can't leave Hotch before you mention the team." She commented drily.

JJ rolled her eyes. "Well, he's my boss and he's the one that deals with the brunt of the crap from the team."

Emily didn't concede. "JJ, sometimes you have to do what's best for you. I know that I'm asking you for a huge favor, but this could also be a good thing for you." She waited a minute before adding. "You know, this would also look really good on your resume." She reasoned. "Besides, it's not like you owe any loyalty to Aaron Hotchner."

The comment sounded a touch bitter and a horrible thought came to JJ. "Please tell me he's not the father." She blurted out.

"What?"

"Emily I need you to tell me right now before we go any further, is Hotch your baby's father?" She needed to hear Emily deny it the mere idea of it was making her own stomach clench.

"God no." Emily scoffed.

Still not certain she pressed again. "Are you sure? What was that crap about not owing him any loyalty?"

"JJ, all I meant was when the State Department pulled a fast one he didn't save your job. He allowed you to be transferred." Her voice was steady and clear.

Not putting a name to the undeniable relief she was feeling she mumbled, "It was out of his control."

"You know," Emily added, not having missed the anxiety in JJ at the thought that he was responsible for her fate, "If you come to London you might be able to work through the fact that you're in love with him."

"I am not." The denial was automatic, but feeble.

Emily chuckled slightly. "Oh, JJ, you totally are. If I were sitting across from you right now I could call you out on how you're biting your bottom lip." She could visualize the blonde well enough to know that her comment would have caused JJ's eyes to widen and her mouth to drop. "I guess that, coupled with everything else, it's no wonder things didn't work out with Will. So, how long, Jay?"

Knowing that there was little use denying it JJ hung her head. "It's a long story, Em. However, mine probably requires a bottle or two of wine, at minimum."

Emily fully laughed at that. "Come to England JJ. I'm having a baby and I'm completely unprepared."

JJ snickered, "I'd make a comment about that being what happens when you aren't careful, but people in glass houses…"

Emily stared again at the confirmation she'd received at the doctor's office. "No, this shouldn't have happened. The doctors were sure this wouldn't happen, that I couldn't conceive, and even with that we did take precautions." She argued.

"Yeah, been there, done that." JJ sighed. And when she'd needed someone Emily had always been there. She was supportive throughout her pregnancy and again when she bailed on her wedding. She and Hotch were the only ones that didn't try to talk her into changing her mind. They accepted that she knew what it was she wanted to do.

Emily knew JJ well enough to know that she was considering what she'd just asked her and that she had to let JJ come to the decision on her own. "I can make it happen." She repeated softly.

"I know." It scared her how much she was seriously considering the possibility. Maybe a little time away might be beneficial.

"JJ?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll respect whatever decision you make but I need you to keep my pregnancy out of it. I'm not ready to share that news." Emily also knew JJ enough to know that she valued her own privacy and she wouldn't violate Emily's.

"Understood." She blew out a breath then asked, "When do you need to know?"

The smile was evident in Emily's voice as she responded, "It will take me a few days to get the ball rolling so the sooner the better."

"Okay. I'll get back to you soon." JJ disconnected the call and sat in stunned silence. She still had a lot of details she needed to work through but she was going to London.

Thank you for taking the time to read. Please let me know what you think! Reviews are sincerely appreciated.