Disclaimers: All original property is owned by CBS and The Mark Gordon Company, and we do not infer that any characters, creations or the concept of 'Criminal Minds' are our property and the following fan fiction has been written purely for entertainment purposes only.

Pairings: Emily/JJ Slowburn

Rating: T

Trigger Warning: This story does deal with the horror of having to deal with watching someone you love succumb to an illness that cannot be beat.

Somebody To Lean On

Part One

"Good morning, sorry to do this to all of you." Hotch actually had a vague look of apology to his face as he walked into the conference room where his team were gathered minus a rather obvious member, it was as the others glanced around that they two made the same connection. "I'm afraid we'll be a team member down for a week, maybe more."

"Please tell me Princes is on a beach somewhere soaking up the sun for all of us." Morgan put forward making the easy calculation as everyone else did as to who was missing. He made the rather playful remark hoping it would prompt Hotch to give them a little more explanation for the unexpected absence of the tall agent.

"I'd like to do that." Hotch glanced at him. "But..." He shook his head slightly. "With Emily's permission I can tell you this..." He paused for a moment to reset the mood. "Ambassador Prentiss, was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer five months ago..." He revealed, his voice heavy. "Her condition has seriously deteriorated."

A intense sad silence shrouded over the room instantly, some of them looking at each other to confirm the seriousness of their reaction while JJ's head fell slightly as she stared at the closed file folder in front of her on the desk feeling as if the air had been sucked out of the room.

"What can we do?" Garcia finally asked in a shaky voice. "Emily must be so devastated."

"Emily has asked for some time to be with her mother, and I assured her we will cover her role here in the office." Hotch looked at Garcia and then around at the rest of the team. "She says she will try and come in when she can. The Ambassador has been moved to the Prentiss estate here in Washington, so Emily is still in town."

"We'll cover for as long as we need too, I hope you told her to stay with her Mother." Reid's frown was pronounced as he couldn't help but understand how he would feel if he had been given the same news about his own mother.

"I did." Hotch nodded. "She has asked that she be called in if we are called away, with you still being based at Quantico." He looked at JJ briefly.

"Clearly we're not doing that right?" Morgan pointed out before anyone could say anything, blue eyes had barely had the time to look up and react to her modified duties being pointed out.

"Without Prentiss we don't have a full team to work out of office, I'm afraid I will have no option but to bring her in." Hotch shook his head. "I'm sorry to have had to start the day like this, and I know that you will all need some time to process it yourselves." He took a breath. "Take a few minutes, talk among yourselves, or take a moment privately, be back at your desks by ten."

It seemed to only take until Hotch had left the conference room, Rossi following closely behind that Garcia finally spoke again.

"This is horrible, why didn't she say anything to anyone? Do you think her Mom hadn't told her what was going on?" She fretted. "And we have to do something, flowers? Balloons just seem wrong... so do cupcakes... but she has to know that we're thinking of them both and love her." She looked around at everyone expecting some help.

"I don't know Baby Girl." Morgan answered honestly breathing out a deep sigh as he backed away a little and shook his head, his mind obviously going over some things. "She's been Prentiss, a little more guarded maybe, but still on point, I've not noticed anything." He was almost talking to himself.

"I think all of us need to take Emily's lead on this." Reid offered his insight. "She's the one dealing with this, she needs to do it her way... like here at work. She can avoid paperwork but she'll need the focus of field work. We all know that when life is chaotic sometimes work is the only thing we have that grounds us, no matter how chaotic our work actually is."

"Yeah, maybe you're right." Morgan looked at the younger Agent. "I don't know about anyone else but I need a real coffee, any one want a trip to the coffee house?"

"I do." Garcia nodded pressing up to stand and Reid nodded standing up as well. "Jayge?"

"Yes." JJ answered quietly clearly deeply effected by the news that Hotch had given them all.

-x-

With a soft breath out JJ stood feeling a little out of place holding the large covered casserole dish standing on the front porch of the enormous Prentiss home. She knew that probably the last thing in the world they needed was the homemade meal, she could only guess that a nutritionist and a chef were probably on call to fulfill the Ambassador's every need but it was just something she was used too. A tradition in her hometown to try and ease the family's burden of day to day life while underlining they weren't alone. Friends, neighbours were there to help if they could.

The door was opened a moment by a tall younger looking man, dressed not in a uniform, but in a very smart looking set of clothes.

"Agent Jareau." He said in greeting, the blonde having already given her ID at the gatehouse.

"Yes, hello. I was wondering if Emily was available for just a minute." She shifted the dish in her hands with a soft smile, glad that so far Henry was asleep and behaving in the newborn sling she had tightly cradled to her body.

"This way please." With a soft nod the young man led the blonde through into the large grand hallway and then into what was obviously a 'reception' room of some kind, decorated in a soft muted taupe, with a simple neutral coloured couch and two matching arm chairs, two matching end tables, and a coffee table in a deep teak wood, with a selection of magazines and a vase of fresh lilies on it. The hard wood floor partially covered by a rich rug of neutral tones. "Miss. Prentiss will join you shortly."

"Thank you." JJ said standing still while he left, putting the dish down carefully on the coffee table and fussed with Henry for a moment as she waited.

The door that he had partially closed was pushed open again just moments later by Emily, the dark haired beauty was dressed down in a pair of soft cotton pants with a long loose button through over shirt, her hair obviously recently washed rolled over her back and shoulders in loose waves, under it all though she looked exhausted.

"Jennifer." A small smile came to her lips as she eased the door closed behind her, her eyes falling on the blonde. "And my favourite man in the world." Her dark gaze dropped just a little to the bundle strapped around the blonde's body.

"I tried to dissuade him but he insisted that we bring over a little something to offer our support." She moved the small loose cover to fully expose Henry's head and face. "Do you want to hold him?"

"You know he terrifies me." Emily smiled tenderly, instantly leaning in closer to rub her finger tenderly over the baby's cheek, forehead and then down the tiny slope of his nose. "He's just too tiny." She looked up again into blue eyes. "What did you bring?" She glanced at the large pot.

"Tuna casserole, with the crispy topping you always claim to like when I make it for pot luck at work." JJ smiled at the tender way that Emily interacted with the small infant. "You probably don't need it just, where I'm from it's just a way to show your support when friends are going through something like this. How is she?" She asked the last question in a soft tender voice.

"Do you want to say hello, she likes visitors." Emily replied, stroking her hand over Henry's soft blonde curls.

"Yes... is she as afraid of babies as you are or would a visit with that new baby smell make her smile." JJ nodded wanting to do whatever she could to bring a little light with her visit.

"She would love a visit." Emily shook her head but then frowned. "Jennifer..." She paused. "Mother.." She paused and stood upright again, wiping one hand on her pant leg. "She can't talk, not clearly...I can understand most of what she tries to get across..." She frowned as she explained. "She has palsy, on the left side..." The brunette explained a little more.

"Emily..." JJ reached out and put her hand on the taller woman's arm. "I'm not in a rush, she can take as much time as she needs to gush over Henry." She gave a gentle understanding smile. "We work on her schedule and according to what she needs."

Emily looked up to the ceiling for a second and pulled in a slightly shaky breath.

"If you're in no hurry, then I'll take a few minutes for myself then." She moved and settled into the closest chair. "I'll risk a seated cuddle if you will."

"You know I trust you more then you trust yourself." JJ reminded her and eased the baby out of his sling and moved him into Emily's arms. "See... you're a natural."

Emily settled the baby against her body slightly and moved her hand to press down his top that had ridden up slightly.

"He is so perfect JJ." Dark eyes glanced up at the blonde but were filled with tears.

"Why didn't you tell any of us Em?" JJ perched on the edge of the coffee table so she could put her hands on Emily's knees.

"What could you do?" The brunette replied with a soft shake of her head. "There's nothing I can do." She shook it more.

"Support you, support her." JJ addressed the idea in a soft voice. "I know it might not seem like a lot but you're not alone in this. The whole team... Henry... me... we're here for you both."

"Then I'll be okay." Emily gave a brave smile, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"You don't have to be, especially not right now." JJ assured her and squeezed her right hand over Emily's knee. "Have you been getting any sleep, eating?"

"A little to both." Emily admitted. "Since mother's seizure it's been harder..." The brunette admitted, leaning back in the chair slightly, bringing Henry with her, the sleeping baby didn't so much as murmur. "I'm not sure until then she...we believed it."

"She has always seemed invincible." JJ nodded that she understood. "I can understand how you would have trouble believing what a bunch of doctors are telling you both." She added wanting Emily to understand that while she'd wished the brunette had told her earlier, she understood completely her reasons for having not done so. Some things, no matter how absolute, weren't the things you could admit to yourself when there was still the chance to 'ignore' them.

"Exactly." Emily agreed with a soft nod. "And there are just so many people who want to see her to pay there respects..." The brunette rolled her eyes slightly. "And she won't disappoint any of them so at the moment I am literally organizing her day planner into fifteen minute 'visit' slots for old 'friends'."

"I don't think I'd have enough visitors to fill a half day." JJ admitted with soft amusement. "She's touched the lives of a lot of people." She added the truth. "But she needs to make sure she doesn't over do it."

"Try telling her that." Emily rolled her eyes. "I don't know how I am going to manage to cope, I don't do well with people at the best of times, and this isn't the best of times." She sighed. "But that's why I'm the Ambassador's daughter, I was bred for this." She sat up a little, making Henry fuss a little, which in turn made the brunette frown slightly and look to JJ for direction.

"Just rock slightly." JJ encouraged her knowing that it was just likely a wiggling readjustment from the small child. "How about you let me help you help her?" She offered softly.

"You have enough Jenn." Emily shook her head, sitting up more and beginning a soft almost textbook rock, adjusting her hold on the infant, who reached up a small hand and wrapped it around a long dark lock that happened to fall within his reach.

"Please Emily." JJ lowered her voice. "Especially since the only reason you'll have to go on case is because I can't." She admitted the guilty fact that had been eating away at her since Hotch had pointed it out.. "If I could pump enough or ship it cross country I'd have already told Hotch I'm back on full duty so you can be here."

"Don't be ridiculous, your place is near your son." Emily frowned shaking her head more. "I can do this, I'm just out of practice." She admitted. "Though maybe if I can maybe pencil you in for an occasional fifteen minute slot, say once a week?" She offered glancing at the blonde.

"He'd be with me and he sleeps a lot." JJ shook her head back. "I know accepting help isn't something you're in practice with either but please, consider this the exception to every rule."

"Nothing I am doing right now is familiar Jenn." Emily was honest. "I spent part of this morning being talked through the functions of a multitude of medical machines that have been installed in what used to be the 'state room', but that is now my mother's bedroom. There's a litany of medications, each with side effects, that I need to be mindful of, and then there are the symptoms of the actual tumour." Emily took a quick breath. "I'm juggling official visits, personal visits, medical visits and her nap times, all while reminding her that she is sick and needs to take it easy." The brunette sighed. "I'm also running the estate, which I have little to no idea about, and tomorrow we meet with her lawyer."

"Which is exactly why it's okay to let me help." JJ pointed out to her. "Starting with heating up the casserole so you have something in your stomach." She offered the example. "Are you okay with him for a little bit?" She checked. "I'll get this in the oven and go say hi to your Mother, see if there is anything she needs." She squeezed her hand again over Emily's knee. "I know it isn't the same but when my Nanna got sick, my dad's mother, she spent her last months with us Em. There is a lot to do and sometimes nothing to do but sit ruminating in what is going on around you. Accepting help is part of the process." She acknowledged. "Now be good for Emily Henry." She ran her hand down the one Emily had cradled around him. "And don't worry he starts screaming the house down and I'll be back in a flash."

"The kitchen is straight across the hall from here, past the main staircase." Emily looked for a moment like she would fight the offer, but didn't. "Mother's in the room with the double doors, you'll pass it on the way to the kitchen."

"Perfect." JJ smiled moving to pick the dish up again.

-x-

"Ambassador?" JJ pushed the door open tentatively after knocking lightly, trying to make sure she didn't awaken the sick woman beyond unnecessarily if she didn't need too.

"Agent Jareau." The title wasn't exactly clear, but was easily discernible as the ever perfectly presented Ambassador, beckoned JJ over from her place propped up perfectly in a large state of the art hospital bed. Though the tapestry work quilt that covered it, and the expensive suit jacket and silk blouse the older woman was wearing most certainly weren't hospital standard.

"JJ please." The blonde moved in with a soft smile up to the perfect high backed chair that was at the side of the bed. "How are you doing? Do you need anything? Emily is just having a little time with Henry, my newborn..." She added not sure if the older woman would remember the obscure detail. "And I had brought tuna casserole over, which is warming up and was wondering if I can entice you into having some with your daughter." She decided that of course while remembering 'who' this woman was, she was also just a person, probably a tired scared one in some degree of pain and discomfort and she deserved to be treated with both respect and concern in equal degrees.

"I'm afraid after 6pm I am forbidden to eat." Elizabeth Prentiss managed to make her reply fluid and intelligible, even giving JJ a slight eye roll at the absurdity of the idea.

"Forbidden?" JJ repeated the word almost surprised by the severity of it. "I'm sorry..." She glanced around at the IV equipment and monitors. "But is that because it makes you feel ill or some silly rule they've given you to keep you from eating crackers in bed late at night?" She asked with a one sided smile.

An uneven smile pulled at the Ambassador's lips in return.

"My daughter..." It was obvious the words were harder to work at being more free flowing and not so 'ordinary or rehearsed' but still the older woman pressed on. "Likes time tables..." She brought her hand up, with a tissue to dab at the paralyzed side of her mouth when a tiny amount of spit gathered there threatening to spill onto her chin. "Routine." She added. "I dine at 7:30, 12:30 and 5:30."

"Are you always hungry at those times?" JJ didn't even stop to think as she moved up out of her chair and around to a small glass fronted cabinet off to the side full of fresh linens, taking out a bright white soft face cloth which she folded as she moved back into a long tube almost then folded in half. "Try this, the tissue is drying out your skin." She moved it over Elizabeth's hand on the same side which seemed to be less coordinated but clearly was still working despite the paralysis, the shape made it easy to hold onto and looked almost as if she was simply holding a handkerchief around her palm.

"I suppose one has to be." Elizabeth tried out the 'new' method with a soft smile. "It's what the hospital told her to do, she follows orders very well."

"She does." JJ nodded that she understood why Emily would have stayed to a regime, even if that regime was in place because a hospital had to feed a thousand patients in a small time frame three times a day. "But I think under the circumstances, you're a grown woman who can eat when she's hungry. So... can I interest you in some homemade tuna casserole? Even just a little, to keep your strength up."

"Sounds intriguing." The ambassador nodded slightly. "I don't know if I've ever tried to casserole fresh tuna."

"You're either in for a treat or you'll be calling security on me." JJ joked softly moving back to her chair. "Emily hadn't ever had it either until I brought it to a unit pot luck one day, since then it's what she always asks me to make her for any special occasion."

"I see." Again the older woman nodded slightly. "You're back at work she tells me, after having Henry."

"Yes, modified duties, I'm in house only and not working any field cases." JJ nodded as she explained. "Once he's a little older and on solid foods I'll go back on field work."

"You miss your work, even with your new son?"

"Yes, I miss the team, the good we do." JJ agreed. "It's hard to leave Henry some times but it's important to find a balance. Would you like to meet him? Your daughter I have to admit is hilarious with him, she can deal with the most dangerous people without flinching but she'll only hold him if she's sitting down. He wiggled earlier and she wanted to give him back in case she'd done something wrong."

"I would love to meet Henry." Elizabeth nodded slightly and smoothed her 'good' hand over her hair.

"How about I get Emily to bring him in and I'll see about your after dinner snack tray?" JJ pressed up with a smile. "Do you need anything else? Water, glass of wine?" She checked with a smirk.

"I have everything, thank you." The Ambassador's smile was gentle as she shook her head.

-x-

"Here we go..." JJ pressed into the Ambassador's room carrying the only tray she could find, which to her dismay seemed to be silver. There had been four of them carefully stacked on the side as if every meal the woman ate was carried on one. She had a small bowl set for the Ambassador herself to try the 'new' food, and a plate with Emily's on it. Along with three cups of coffee. The look of relief on Emily's face, who was still holding Henry was obvious, though if she was right at reading the scenario Elizabeth was enjoying the small baby even if he wasn't doing more then cooing and pulling ever so often on Emily's hair. "Let me get your Mother's ready and then I'll rescue you Em." She put the tray down on the movable over bed tray that was off to the side of the hospital bed and began to prepare things.

"Take your time Jennifer, I'm not as petrified as I look, it's a ploy." The brunette replied with a soft smile in the blonde's direction. Though as she spoke she actually shifted off the edge of the bed where she was resting and stood up with Henry, shifting him in her arms to compensate for her change in stance. "I heard about your break from the regime, which has only been in place two days." She cast a look between the blonde and her mother and back again. "And I didn't forbid food after six, I just wanted there to be a certain cohesive structure to things." She defended herself, moving away from the bed so JJ could move freely around it if she needed to.

"Of course, just... with that amount of medication trying to keep your stomach on a schedule might be hard." JJ moved the tray around and then pulled a large cloth napkin off to drape it over the Ambassador's lap. "And maybe Em she doesn't want you to know she likes chocolate after nine." She winked at the older woman more to emphases she was teasing the younger Prentiss.

"A shot of brandy around then would be nice." Elizabeth chuckled.

"I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to be drinking with the medications mother..." Dark eyes went from JJ to the Ambassador and then back again with a certain 'look what you did' shine to them.

"Of course they don't, but we're not taking in excess, just a little something to help you relax to be ready to sleep." JJ looked back at Emily with the same almost challenge she would have at work.

"A nip my old friend Bertram would have called it." Elizabeth backed up JJ's point.

"Bertram Manning was a Scottish alcoholic who died of liver disease." Emily pointed out.

"Well your mother doesn't have to worry about liver disease, so I think a nip wouldn't hurt." JJ moved the other plate to the side for Emily moving over to offer her arms to take Henry so she could eat. "Would it?" She looked at Elizabeth for her input.

"It won't cure darling, but it's not going to kill me any faster now is it?" The Ambassador looked at her daughter with a soft smile seeming to have less moments where the words slurred as she relaxed.

"Fine." Emily shook her head as she looked towards JJ. "You have to take him, there is no me passing him to you, that would involve free movement of his oh so wobbly head."

"We've gone through this... you slip your hand under his head..." She moved her hands up to guide the brunette. "There we go... so it doesn't wobble and then we hand him over." She finished the transfer. "Now eat." She urged her softly, moving him to settle against her shoulder with one arm like a pro.

Emily moved slowly and eased down where JJ had put her food, at first putting a tiny amount on the end of her fork, barely enough to cover the tip, but as soon as she tasted it, her body remembered how hungry she was and just how much she loved the blondes tuna casserole, the next fork was filled with a generous helping of the creamy mix.

The Ambassador also seemed to be enjoy smaller amounts of the dish, her attention seemed to be torn however between eating and watching both her daughter and the young boy in JJ's arms, who was happy to just wiggle, gurgle and occasionally pull on her collar or hair.

"He's a very alert baby." Elizabeth noted.

"He is, makes me wonder if I'm going to be in trouble later on. Luckily he's a good sleeper too." JJ made a soft walk to the side of the bed, bouncing him lightly. "Was Emily alert when she was a baby?"

"Oh she was into everything." The ambassador nodded. "She was actually born in Marrakesh, did you know that?" As JJ didn't even seem to notice the three attempts it took her to get Marrakesh out, the Ambassador didn't stiffen at the challenge as she might have with others.

"I didn't know that." JJ smiled as she glanced to Em who rolled her eyes as she ate, reminding the blonde of when they'd been on long cases and when they'd finally gotten near real food even the brunette couldn't completely keep up the illusion she hardly ate. "Was it a hard labour? This guy was over 21 hours."

"Oh no Emily was in a rush to get out into the world." Elizabeth laughed softly. "Just three hours and that included finishing the meeting I was in and the trip to the hospital."

"Hear that Henry, three hours would have been great, less than ten would have been wonderful." JJ teased the infant who merely gurgled with a light laugh.

"Have you ever been to Marrakesh JJ?" Her next repetition of the hard city name was a tiny more fluid.

"No, I've never had the pleasure." JJ shook her head. "I haven't actually been to anywhere in the Eastern Hemisphere. My family rarely got out of Pennsylvania." She made the admittance with a soft shrug. "The places that Emily talks about living, when she does share, they sound fascinating."

"Marrakesh was beautiful then, full of colour, life and vitality, with the Atlas mountains rising just miles behind it.." The ambassador reminisced a hint of memory and longing in her eyes. "We have been to many beautiful places." She nodded, glancing at her silent daughter and then back at JJ. "But I am sure Penn..sylvania is lovely too."

"In it's own way yes, not as exotic but in the fall, the trees all turning a thousand different shades of red, orange and yellow. It is a sight I would suggest to anyone." She underlined. "I keep threatening your daughter that one day when we have time from work, I'm going to drag her there just to enjoy her first Animal Fair or Harvest Festival."

"You shouldn't make her work so hard Emily." Elizabeth gently chastised the brunette.

"I don't make serial killers go on rampages mother, but I'll do my best to curtail them in the future." Emily nodded with a smile. "I'm not avoiding a Harvest Animal festival or whatever that is, I just can live without ever having worn gingham over-alls or any kind of apron." She shook her head and paused from her eating. "And I wouldn't know a good pig from a bad one so my participation in any kind of event that judged such would be negligible." She pointed out another flaw. "Wouldn't JJ benefit more from me taking her to Marrakesh?"

"A pig should have good toes, a good nose and a nice full barreled body." Elizabeth put forward blinking at her daughter with a certain amount of mirth, even if the word barreled gave her trouble.

"Guest judge in the making." JJ grinned at the older woman's accurate appraisal.

"Is this a conspiracy?" Emily looked between the two women with a genuine smile, lifting her coffee mug and taking a sip, cursing softly as the phone on her belt began to ring. Pulling it free she glanced at the screen and briefly closed her eyes. "I have to take this." She apologized to both woman and pushed towards the double doors.

"So your honest appraisal of tuna casserole?" JJ sat in the chair she had just vacated, adjusting her grip on Henry.

"It definitely has a unique flavour and texture." The Ambassador nodded. "What kind of cheese is this?"

"American cheddar." JJ smiled at the very polite appraisal. "Pre-shredded" She added with a soft chuckle. "It's quite okay to tell me you don't like it Ambassador, I understand it might be something a little unusual for your palate."

"Unusual yes, but not unpleasant." The older woman shook her head. "And your appraisal that my daughter likes it is highly accurate." She smiled slightly. "I haven't seen her eat that much for a long time."

Before either woman could continue one of the doors pushed open again as Emily moved back into the room, her face full of tension and anxiety.

"There's a case." She looked first at her mother and then at JJ. "I have to be at the airport in the hour." She seemed to hesitate for a moment just in the doorway.

"Duty calls then dear." Elizabeth chin went up as she spoke to encourage her daughter. "Have one of the aids call the nursing staff, I'll be fine in your absence."

"I can stay until they get here Emily." JJ offered immediately. "Clean up from dinner, make sure she gets her nip." She smiled trying to relieve the brunette's tension.

"I'll call the staff." Emily shook her head to the idea that she would get the aids to do it, as she pushed further into the room, crossing directly over to a roll top writing desk, pulling open the top drawer and taking out a folder which obviously contained notes and contact details. "Hotch told me to ask you to be in the office as usual in the morning to meet up with Garcia and catch up on all that we have." She glanced over her shoulder at JJ as she flipped open the folder and began flipped through papers inside it. Obviously finding what she was looking for the brunette pulled it free and moved back towards the double doors. "I'll make this call, and finalize some other arrangements for the time I'm not here. I know you wanted to start seeing people but without me here I don't think it's a good idea." Emily tucked her hair behind her ear as she pulled open the door. "I'll do this, get my go bag and be back."

"Yes darling." Elizabeth nodded and wasn't surprised when the younger woman seemed to dart away. She gave a sigh of discontentment that JJ would have had to be blind to miss.

"Are you okay? Agent Hotchner wouldn't have called if it wasn't unavoidable." JJ moved closer to the bed with a soft frown.

"Of course." The answer was accompanied by the older woman attempting to sit herself more upright, as if somehow JJ had seen through a demeanor she wasn't meant to.

"I'm sure you'd rather have her here though." JJ saw the very classic 'Prentiss' reset and frowned wishing she'd said something that wouldn't have caused this. "She understands what you need without having to ask I bet, is better at dealing with people that you're not up to dealing with."

"She understands the things that need to be done." The reply didn't quite fall into line with what JJ had offered but the message was similar. "And I worry." She added, the older woman's voice dipping to a quieter tone in honesty.

"About her in the field, or that she won't be here with you?" JJ asked softly, no tone of judgment but only soft sadness at either worry.

"Both." The ambassador nodded. "She's all that I have."

"She loves you very much." JJ nodded that she understood. "How about I leave you a few numbers, so that if tonight, tomorrow, anytime in the future you need Emily or even if I can help, you just call. Wherever she is I can get her back to you in a few hours if you just say the word."

"Oh no, I understand that like I did Emily chose a profession that asked of her more than many others would ask. I know that right now, out there someone else needs her more than I do." Elizabeth's dark eyes misted over. "I suppose when you have a mother who puts you after the needs of a nation, you learn the concept of self sacrifice."

"Ambassador..." JJ shifted slightly moving closer to the bed. "She is your daughter, you are her mother... if for any reason you need her here, you are going to call me and I am going to get her home to you." She outlined without wavering. "It's that simple."

"Do you still have both of your own parents Jennifer?" The ambassador asked her voice as soft as she could manage without losing it completely.

"I'm lucky I do, my father had a scare with his heart a few years ago, he has to be very careful but so far we've been lucky." JJ nodded giving the soft context.

"They must be very proud of you." She nodded softly.

"They are, sometimes." JJ acknowledged with a soft chuckle. "They would prefer I hadn't joined the Bureau because it's dangerous and that I wasn't a single mother, but those were my choices and they've come to accept that."

"Emily tells me that you and the baby's father are still friends, that perhaps in the future there may be more?" Elizabeth queried for a moment.

"I don't know, right now... Will is a good man, he tries to be a good father." JJ shrugged softly. "Having Henry was never dependent on whether I wanted to marry Will or not, he was just an unexpected blessing."

"Yes." As JJ had come closer to the bed the Ambassador was able to reach out far enough to just lightly touch her finger tips to the back of Henry's baby shirt. "Such a blessing."

"Would you like to hold him? He still has new baby smell, which every woman knows is addictive." JJ smiled at her.

"Yes, thank you." The Ambassador instantly prepped her 'good' arm into the perfect baby receiving position.

-x-

Garcia looked from the impossibly busy wall of computer monitors in front of her to the blonde beside her who was reading through a crime report with a fixed scowl on her face and then at the tiny infant who was sound asleep in his baby carriage between the two of them.

"Go home Jayge." The rather more buxom of the two blonde's said with a soft lull in her voice. "If the team calls in again tonight I'll call you with anything they have that's important, but it's day three and right now they're as frustrated as we are here. Hotch has probably sent them all to the hotel already to read through everything we have again and wait for the five lines we have out in the water to tag on anything." She turned fully away from her keyboard and reached down to tuck in Henry's baby blanket just a touch. "You're hating being left behind aren't you?"

"Of course I am, I should be out there so Prentiss can be at home with her mother." JJ breathed out hard as she made the honest admission. "But you're right... you promise to call if there is anything? I don't care how small." She challenged a little too desperately.

"I promise, though talking of our Princess, has she called?" Garcia checked her tone more personal.

"No on both fronts. Do you think I'd be breaking every rule on earth if I just popped round to check on her?" JJ questioned seriously.

"Does one pop in on the Ambassador?" Garcia gave the other blonde a look of genuine query. "On any Ambassador?"

"One who is dying and too stoic to admit she wants her daughter by her beside." JJ corrected the parameters. "My inner me says yes, but I think that just might be my small town girl me, because yes if my co-worker and friend was away on business I would pop in on their sick mother to check she was okay and didn't need anything."

"Then pop in, I'm sure they have a secret code that means release the hounds on unwanted guests." Garcia teased with a smile. "Or just take Henry with you, he's eleven pounds of pure unadulterated adorable right there, which no one can refuse." She wiggled his toes through his tiny socks. "You said the Ambassador was taken with him."

"She was." JJ remembered how long she'd ended up staying even after Emily had left for the airport, the Ambassador insisting on holding Henry as she regaled them both with stories of her various postings and mishaps at official functions most often caused by 'young' Emily. JJ had to admit at some points she wasn't sure if she was really the one being told them, or if she was just a lucky bystander as the Ambassador spun tales of foreign lands to Henry. "You're right... we're going to go. What do you think she'd like more, ice cream or flowers? With Em it's always ice cream." She gave a soft laugh.

"The Prentiss estate has fresh flowers delivered every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from Forever Expressions, Fifteen different arrangements and bouquets, I think flowers are covered." Penelope chuckled.

"Ice cream it is." JJ grinned as the decision seemed made. "She'll either think I'm mad or enjoy it. Either way I can have a visual report for Emily when they check in tomorrow." She seemed to nod and agree more with herself. "Just call if there is anything." She underlined as she began to ready Henry to move.

-x-

"I apologize but I didn't know what flavour might be your favourite so I went with Emily's which is boring Vanilla, mine which is gold medal ribbon, and Garcia's Tiger Tail." JJ moved to unpack the small cartons she had picked up from a local specialty shop on her way over, Henry already happily in the Ambassador's arms at her immediate request. All in all the blonde felt good about her choice to 'pop in', the hounds hadn't been released and the older Prentiss seemed genuinely pleased to have company at this hour.

"Emily always loved Vanilla, even as a small child." Elizabeth smiled more as JJ set out the small tubs on the tray. The Ambassador had the infant nursed in her 'bad' arm and was fussing him with her right one, though she seemed to have a little more strength in her left side, and her speech was sightly clearer. "She had a brief love affair with Strawberry when we lived in Italy."

"Gelato, yes she still goes for Strawberry when we've had that type of ice cream." JJ nodded remembering the two times they had gotten the special treat, the first because she'd admitted she'd never had it and the second because Rossi had brought it in special for one of his dinner parties. "And I have to say... which medicine do you find is helping? Or have you been being very good about your exercises?" She noted the change immediately wanting the Ambassador to feel the 'positive' was being celebrated.

"Trayvan is very thorough and is working me like the old dog I am." Elizabeth gave a short bark of a laugh. "I'm exhausted afterwards, and the speech therapy reminds me of the dreadful elocution lessons I had as a child." She chuckled more. "But I can't bare to feel helpless."

"Well all that hard work must be celebrated." JJ grinned more at her. "Which flavour can I interest you in?" She wiggled one container.

"Well tell me more about them, I can't imagine what you would put in this one." She tapped the tub with slight remnants of bright orange around the top.

"Tiger tail is actually a wonderful mixture of orange ice cream, with small stripes of black licorice ice cream mixed in." JJ explained. "While Gold Medal Ribbon is a mixture of half vanilla, half rich chocolate with a ribbon of golden caramel going through both."

"What kind of people think of these flavours?" The Ambassador smiled simply at the descriptions. "I don't think I'm going to the risk the tiger, though it does sound exotic that's for certain. But I will try this ribbon one." She nodded to the small tub. "I wonder do they do anything with pecan, I do love a pecan."

"Next time you will have pecan, I know just the flavour." JJ vowed picking up the three. "If you get brave about the Tiger's tail I'm going to leave it in the freezer for you. Be right back."

-x-

"Simply put you must stay." Elizabeth shook her head slightly and glanced at the window as another flash of lightening lit up the sky, followed hastily by an impossibly loud crack of thunder, and in turn by a wail from Henry. "Take Emily's room."

"I don't want to impose, he's liable to be at this until the storm ends." JJ tried to rock him in her arms and use a light blanket to shield his eyes from the changes in lighting. "You need your rest."

"And so do you. When's his next feed? Do you have milk expressed and is it cooler packed in his bag?" The Ambassador shook her head, and had already pushed at least two separate buttons that were in easy reach of her bed.

"Usually this time of night I use old school methods and express in the morning for when he's at the sitter." JJ admitted watching her press the buttons not exactly sure what they did, suddenly remembering Garcia's 'release the hounds' joke as Henry gave another wail.

"Breast feeding is very much coming back into vogue isn't it?" Elizabeth glanced at JJ as the double doors opened, a nurse in scrubs hurrying in and what JJ assumed was a 'domestic' helper of some kind. "Austin, would you go and check that Emily left her room inhabitable and find Miss Jareau some nightwear. Janeen..." She focused on them in turn. "My friend will be needing cleaning wipes, sterilization equipment, in fact all things baby." She gave out the orders precisely and quickly. "Oh and Austin, take the rocking chair out of the library and move it into Emily's room, and take the quilt from out of the Japanese suite for it."

Both helpers nodded immediately and seemed to scuttle off.

"Thank you." JJ said seriously realizing any objections were moot at this point and simply seemed impossible unless she wanted to look completely un-thankful and callous.

"Not at all, there are black out blinds in Emily's room so hopefully within a little while we'll have your young son sleeping peacefully and you can settle down and get a little rest yourself." The ambassador shook her head. "What time do you have to be at the Bureau?"

"For seven, unless the Team has something big break on the case then Garcia will call me." JJ filled in the information. "They're having a hard time with this one, but I'm sure Emily has hinted at least to that fact when she's talked to you."

"Yes, she seems quite... frustrated." Elizabeth nodded slightly. "I'll have Austin leave word that breakfast should be ready for you at six, or do you prefer to eat before you shower?"

"No, but please there doesn't need to be anything else special done, everything you've arranged is more than enough." JJ shook her head, happy for a moment that Henry had stopped wailing but was now just fussing non stop. "I was supposed to be the one coming to help you, not the other way around."

"This is helping me, I may get something other than dreadful oatmeal if there is someone else to cook for." The Ambassador looked at the blonde with a certain sparkle in her eye.

"They are torturing you with oatmeal?" JJ screwed up her nose. "Wait... Emily's orders? Because the hospital made it?" She rolled her eyes. "We'll get you a better breakfast menu... you need fresh fruit, organic yogurt and sugary cereals." She outlined.

"I was rather hoping for bacon." Elizabeth chuckled brightly. "Take your young son up, while there is a break in the weather Jennifer, and see if you can't settle him. I will see you in the morning."

"Bacon, noted." JJ nodded reaching to pick up the small carrier she'd brought in from the car with Henry's baby bag.

-x-