"Hotch, what does it matter- you gave me the go ahead." Emily sighed, holding JJ tightly in her arms as they soared back to D.C. on the plane.

Agent Hotchner had been interrogating Emily about whether or not she had pulled the trigger before he had said to shoot.

Rossi intervened. "Lighten up, Aaron. It was as clean a shot if I ever saw one."

He shook his head. "I know that, but I need to know if Emily's motives were about her teammates' safety or her wife's safety."

"Is there a difference?" Rossi asked.

Hotch glared at them both. "A big one."

He walked away, leaving Emily to stare st Rossi. "What's his problem? He literally told me to take the shot."

"Yeah, but he also told you to wait for his say-so. And I think he's worried that you went rogue. Even if it was the right call."

Emily straightened in her seat, livid. She stopped squirming as she realized that JJ's eyes momentarily fluttered open. "I saw her aim at JJ and I waited to see if she was going to take the shot. And she was.. So I fired. At the same time, Hotch came
/through the headset and gave me the green light. I don't know if he said to as I pulled the trigger or not, but I remember his command registering as the gun kicked back into my shoulder. I can't believe he's pulling this shit."

"Relax, Princess." Morgan whispered, motioning his head towards JJ. "You know he can't document anything if it was clean and it was. And, for the record, I know you would have taken that shot regardless of who was down there."

"Exactly!" Emily collapsed her head into the seat, exasperated. "To insinuate otherwise… it's insulting, especially coming from him. Strauss, I can understand. But Hotch?"

JJ mumbled without opening her eyes, "Emily, I'm either going to kill you or kill Hotch. I don't care which. Just someone make it quiet." She yawned and buried her head further into the brunette's chest.

Emily couldn't help but smile. "Yes ma'am." She whispered, enjoying the weight of her wife in her lap. Looking to Rossi before closing her eyes, she added "I just can't believe him."

"You really stepped in it this time, Aaron." Rossi taunted, swirling the ice in his glass. He was sitting on the arm rest of a chair across from Agent Hotchner. The rest of the team was passed out on the other side of the plane.

Hotch didn't say anything.

"Seriously, Aaron, what's up with you? You've been moody this entire case, and I don't think it's a full moon this week."

He sighed, knowing that he couldn't avoid the topic forever. "Beth is moving. To New York."

"I see." Rossi said, waiting for elaboration.

"She asked me to join her."

There it was. "What did you say?"

He frowned. "That I'd let her know when we got back."

"Well for what it's worth, you and Beth make a fantastic couple. And I've been married enough times to know what a good couple does and doesn't look like."

"But my job- my life- it's here."

"You've got one hell of a decision to make, my friend." Rossi smiled sympathetically. "But-"

Hotch shook his head, "I know. How mad is she?"

"On a scale of 1 to Garcia, I'd say Garcia." He laughed.

Hotch looked up and saw that Emily was awake and staring out the window. He nodded, rising to his feet and preparing for battle.

"Emily, can I have a word?" He asked, being mindful to keep an appropriate distance.

Prentiss nodded, her facial features set to stone.

"I just wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have questioned your judgment."

Emily nodded again, but her expression warmed. "Thank you, sir."

"No, really. I truly am sorry. I haven't been the most welcoming person since your return, and you were only doing what I instructed. You know that I think highly off you, Agent Prentiss, and I don't want you to believe that my actions tonight have anything
/to do with your conduct or competency as an agent. If anything, it's my competency that should be questioned at the moment."

She softened. "What's important is that Ashley Ortega is alive and recovering, and that we're all safe. But thank you for the apology."

Hotch shifted uncomfortably before nodding in agreement and heading back to his seat, where Rossi was waiting with a drink. "Cheers." His old friend smiled.

He accepted the glass and clinked it against Dave's. "Cheers." He repeated, downing the drink.

"New York is only a plane ride away, you know." Rossi said, refilling the whiskeys. "Or a few hours by train."

Hotch tapped his refilled glass against Rossi's before knocking it back once more. He sighed. "I know. We talked about it."

"And?"

Hotchner glanced back at his team. "You know the answer already, Dave. I can't leave here. Neither of us can."

"That's right," Rossi smiled. "When we die, we'll be chasing serial killers' ghosts."

JJ and Emily crept into the house as to not disturb Matthew or Garcia. Penelope had her own half of the house outside in a detached apartment, but she also had a bedroom on the main floor for nights when the two agents were away on a case. They

tiptoed past her open door.

Emily started to unpack their bag but was stopped by JJ, who knocked it off the bed and onto the floor. She pulled back the blanket, motioning to the empty space beside her. "Leave it for tomorrow, Em. It's been the longest day we've had in forever and
/all I want is to curl up with you."

"Well how can I turn that down?" Emily grinned. She peeled off her jeans and sweater, stripping down to pantries and a tank top before climbing in bed.

JJ nestled into her chest. "You know, a year and a half ago, I didn't think this was possible. I didn't think I could be this happy." She ran her fingers across Emily's cheek. "But you saved me. This job- it was my life, and it was killing me. I was killing
/myself, between everything with Will and the way I let the cases bother me."

"JJ, I-"

"No, let me finish. I worked so hard in high school to get to college. And in college, I worked hard to get into grad school. But in every step, I was drifting. I was waiting for that moment where life became passionate. And the more I waited, the more
/I waited for the pieces to fill themselves in, the more of myself that vanished. Emily.. you brought that back. You were what was missing. I love you."

"I love you too, Jen. Now and forever. I never had a family before I met you, and now that I know what it's like- you're something I could never give up. I don't know what our future holds, but I know that whatever it is, it's going to be you and me."

"And Matthew." JJ smiled, trying to blink away the tears forming in her eyes.

"And probably Garcia."

JJ laughed, nodding. Their family was eccentric and special and weird, but in all the right ways. And it was perfect just the way it was.

"I love you, pretty girl. Now get some sleep." Emily kissed JJ goodnight passionately, wrapping the blonde tightly in her arms before closing her eyes.

"I love you more, Em." She whispered.

Emily smiled, her eyes still closed. "Not possible." Together, they drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

A/N: Wow, it's taken 3 years (well, part of that was a 2 year hiatus) to get to this point. Thank you to everyone for reading and for following along for so many chapters. I've loved all of the feedback you've given, and I promise to use it in the next FanFic I write. Which will be posted shortly. So be sure to follow me if you're interested in reading more. If not, this is where I leave you! Again, thank you all so much! You've been amazing! :) **Update: for more Jemily action,check out my latest story, I'd Spend My Life Waiting For You***