Consequences

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas.

This is a follow on from my story 'Reflections'. Sorry it has taken so long but my muse escaped me on this one. Obviously I am not sticking to close to series 7 or I would just be retelling someone else's story.

. . .

When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile.

Author Unknown

. . .

Sat at the breakfast bar Emily watched the young boy who was staring at her. Henry LaMontagne just sat and watched Emily watching him. She had to smile, the young child was definitely his mother's son, he may be barely ending toddlerhood but already he was very astute in his surroundings.

JJ came rushing in to join the two in the kitchen, Will a step or two behind. Grabbing a half empty coffee cup as she passed the smooth surface JJ ruffled her son's hair.

"You okay Kiddo?"

Henry nodded, not taking his eyes of Emily.

"Good, because Mom is off to work and Daddy is taking you to kindergarten, so I guess I'll see you later, Little Man."

JJ leant in for a kiss. Henry kissed his Mom lightly, his eyes still fixed on Emily as he angled himself to see her around his mother.

JJ hovered by Emily.

"You going to be okay here on your own today?" she asked, concern evident in her face, "I'm sure Hotch will soon agree to a way we can introduce you to the team without causing heart failure."

Emily nodded silently, watching Henry the whole time, smiling in a hope to reassure the young boy who hadn't spoken to her since she arrived at the house with his mother less then twenty-four hours ago.

"Good," JJ paused looking at Will, more than aware of the thick tension hanging in the air since she had returned.

"Come on Henry, let's go at the same time as Mom," Will helped the lad down from the counter seat and nodded a goodbye to Emily.

Left alone Emily sighed out. She had known that returning would never be easy, but so far it had been worse then she had imagined. Within hours of being at JJ's she had seen Henry disintegrate into a bundle of tears and JJ and Will suffer their first argument about her.

Emily knew it was the first as she had heard the second last night after she had gone to bed, and the third this morning before she got up. Well at least she assumed they had stopped to sleep in between the second and third arguments – though it was possible, from the look on JJ's face this morning, that they had continued through the night.

At least Henry had stopped crying by the time he woke, Emily tried to think positively.

She could understand Will's point of view. How did you explain to a toddler that someone who was dead, isn't? It was at that point in the previous evening's debate that Emily had realised the extent of the lies JJ had had to tell to cover for her.

Obviously Emily felt bad about her lying to the team, but she had never thought about the lies to her family, to Will and Henry. Or that Hotch would have had to lie to Jack. God this was a mess – her mess.

Sighing she got up, stacking the items off the counter into the dishwasher; well at least she could try and be useful.

. . .

JJ hated having to wait; she kept glancing up at Hotch's office from her new seat in the bull pen. Strauss had been in with Hotch from before she had arrived at work, and over an hour later she was still in there. Subconsciously she tapped the pen in her hand against the pile of files on her desk.

Spencer Reid looked around the divide at his returned colleague, concern evident on his features.

"You okay?" he asked gently, reaching for his recently filled cup of coffee.

"Uh?" JJ spun suddenly to face him, previously unaware of his presence.

"Are . . . you . . . okay?" he repeated slowly, moving round to perch on the edge of her desk. Spence loved JJ being back in the team, she had been a huge support to him over the last few months and her being around brought some normality back to his ever spinning world.

"I fine, really, I'm fine," JJ said, without looking at him.

"Really? You are presenting as if you are nervous about something. The constant tapping, avoiding looking at me when you speak to me, the unusually high pitch of your voice; should I continue?"

"No," JJ snapped, crossing her arms to stop the tapping, she now realised she was doing, "I thought there was a ban on inter-team profiling?"

"There is," an innocent look appearing on his face, as he shrugged, "Guess it my way of telling you I'm worried, that's all."

"Well don't be," JJ forced a reassuring smile, as she reached out to squeeze his hand, "Honestly I'm fine."

"Okay," Spence added, returning to his seat.

JJ opened the top file, and tried to focus on the words in front of her. If only she could speak to Hotch then everything would be fine.

. . .

Seizing the first opportunity of the day, JJ slipped into Hotch's office, hovering by the door, waiting for him to acknowledge her existence.

"How can I help?" Hotch asked, looking up from the manila file.

JJ made sure the dark door clicked behind her, before she approached the seat opposite her superior. Taking a huge breath, she looked Hotch directly in the eye.

"Emily is at my house," she waited for a reply.

"Sorry?" he questioned his forehead furrowing.

"The call I received last week, as I explained it was related to a case when I was in the Pentagon. It was Em's case. As you know I had to go away for a few days, it was to talk Emily into coming home. Doyle is dead."

"Why was I not informed?" Hotch snapped.

"Because you were never meant to know she was alive," JJ closed her eyes, "Aaron I couldn't have done this without your help, but I was not supposed to let anyone in on the secret with me. I just couldn't lie to you."

Opening her eyes, she looked directly at him; "I need your help to explain this to the team."

Hotch's back straightened, as his usual mask crept across his face. Behind it he camouflaged the fact that he had honestly believed they would never see Emily again. In fact he had begun to convince himself she was dead. It would be easier if she was, but she wasn't and now it was safe for her to return.

"Do you have a plan of action?" he asked flatly.

JJ squirmed a little, her usual confidence crumbling under the scrutiny of her older colleague.

"I think it would be best to talk to them all together, and as soon as possible," she waited while Hotch nodded his acceptance, "Then we offer them the chance to come and see her, I don't think we should force Emily upon them, and she definitely isn't ready to face them all in one go. She is going to stay with me for a while; it's a neutral meeting place, for those who are ready to accept her back."

Hotch breathed deeply, trying to consider the option JJ had presented. Nodding silently, he stood.

"Let's get the team together."

. . .

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