AN-This is my first ever fanfic . Prompt: JJ/Anyone JJ feels insecure about her body post-pregnancy
It was sheer luck that Emily had looked up from her phone as she entered the resteraunt bathroom, otherwise she would have missed her friend with her shirt hiked up under her bra and a frown on her face. JJ had finally given in to the teams disire to celebtrate with her and had agreed to one short meal'; uneasy about being away from her new born baby too long.
As soon as the door creaked open, JJ pushed the shirt back down lightning fast and plastered a smile on her face that Emily was disturbed to find she would have taken as genuine under different circumstances.
"Hey." JJ said, full of false brightness.
Confused but making herself smile, Emily responded. "Hey. Is everything okay?"
Placing her hands in her pockets and widening her eyes slightly, JJ again brightened, "Yeah. Fine." At Emily's friendly but skeptical look, JJ rolled her eyes and said. "Really, I'm fine."
Unwilling to play this unwise game of false assurance and more than sure that something was wrong with her friend, Emily stepped forward and said softly, "JJ, come on. What's going on?"
JJ held her composure for a few minutes before her smile fell and she looked down, swallowing, "It's nothing, I'm just .. a little self concious, after ..." She finished her sentance by waving her hand in the general direction of her stomach.
'The baby?' Emily thought to herself. She knew that it must be difficult adjusting to the radical changes ones body goes through during pregnancy but she hadn't noticed this insecurity while JJ was pregnent. "JJ. You look as amazing as you ever did." She added a wide smile to that but suddenly wondered if she was being too dismissive. "I mean, what's brought this on?"
A rather unwelcome thought popped into her mind that this kind of previously absent insecurity could be a sign of postnatal depression but she would have seen it right? Suddenly, she wasn't so sure and the thought terrified her.
With a sigh, JJ said, "It's not really what I see, it's Will. I mean, I'm not really up to .. you know." She rolled her eyes at her own immaturity at the short hand for sex and Emily smiled a little. "But, he doesn't seem to be either. He hasn't tried anything more than giving me a kiss."
"JJ, honey, that's because you picked yourself a sweatheart. I'm sure he know's that you're not up to anything yet and just doesn't want to make you feel pressured." When JJ smiled tightly, and looked into the corner, Emily changed tactics. "Did he say why?" She asked, moving to prop herself up against the sinks next to her friend.
Shrugging, JJ said, "I haven't said anything about it, but ... I don't know, he's been kind of tired." When Emily raised her eyebrow in question, JJ smiled and looked down and her shoes, "He's erm, been taking the nightshift so I can rest." She was smiling with the last part. Grunting in frustration, JJ rubbed at her eyes. "I know he's just been a good boyfriend and father, I really do know that, there's that little voice in my head saying he just doesn't want me and it will *not* shut up."
JJ breathed out an unamused chuckle before looking down and shaking her head so Emily, wrapping an arm around her, said. "I understand that, but you need to know something, from an outsiders perspective." When her friend looked at her, Emily continued. "The way that man looks at you, JJ, it's like he's stranded in the desert and you are a taaaal glass of water." Drawing out the word, Emily was pleased when JJ laughed throatily.
"I know he loves me, and I trust him to be honest. I'm just so tired and ... these thoughts refuse to go away."
Squeezing her shoulder, Emily asked, "Next time you go to the doctors for your and Henry's checkup, mention this. I mean it's only been ... what? *Less* than two weeks since you gave birth? I'm sure you're just exhausted."
JJ didn't say anything else, just hummed her approval of the idea and let her head fall onto Emliy's shoulder. The two stayed like that for a few minutes, quiet in the empty bathroom before heading back out to the rest of the team. Soon enough, JJ was laughing with them, her smile genuine and Emily was conviced she'd be okay; she'd make sure of it.