Say It Again

Chapter 10: The Next Step

I lift the warm cup of coffee from the table in front of me and take a sip. Thank God I only had a few drinks tonight. Trying to catch a psycho while drunk does not seem like the best combination.

I chat and laugh with my team while we wait for JJ to let us know why our night out was interrupted. We aren't left waiting for long, though. She walks briskly into the room, frustration and nervous energy radiating off of her.

My eyes linger on the exposed skin between her shirt and jeans. I wish the kiss we just shared in the car wasn't a one time thing. She was a good kisser. Actually, she was a really good kisser...

I snap back to attention as JJ flicks the screen on and starts bringing us up to speed.

"Georgia. The Kyles, Dennis and Lacy, were murdered an hour ago in their suburban Atlanta home," JJ looks around the room as she speaks.

"An hour ago?" Hotch looks up, confused.

"Police were on scene unusually fast," JJ continues.

"Why?" Morgan asks, stirring his coffee absentmindedly.

"One of the unsubs called them and told them that the other was about to murder the victims."

"You're kidding," Morgan looks at her, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"From inside the house," JJ's face is solemn, and her tone is steady.

The briefing continues, and I can't help but notice that JJ is avoiding eye contact with me and ignores almost everything I say. I try not to let it bother me, but I definitely need to talk to her. Hopefully we can take a few minutes on the jet away from everyone else.

...

Thirty minutes later, we're already in the air. We couldn't waste any time getting to Georgia since these unsubs are really on a mission. I run my fingers through my hair, getting rid of the few tangles that have accumulated over the past hour or so.

Morgan sits down next to me and nudges me with a smile. I can't help but smile back before we return to looking at the case file in front of us.

"I just don't understand how people are even capable of things like this," Morgan says, shaking his head. "We see it everyday, but it never stops surprising me."

"I know. I really can't understand it either. It's disgusting. These poor people..." my voice trails off as I look at the crime scene photos again. Ugh, I don't know if I will ever have an appetite again after seeing this.

JJ and I don't speak for the first bit of the ride. The team discusses the case and our delegations once we arrive in Georgia. Hotch tells us to try to rest for the last half hour of the flight, but I stand and make my way to the back of the jet where JJ is sitting on the couch.

Morgan put in his headphones a minute ago, and I see Reid dozing off. Hotch and Gideon are sitting across from each other, still going over the case. We should have enough privacy for this conversation, I think.

"Hey, Jen. Can I sit here?" I smile softly before she nods.

"What's up?" JJ's tone is too casual. Literally anyone could tell it was forced.

"I think we might want to talk about what happened in the car considering you haven't even made eye contact with me for two hours now..." I glance at my already-too-short nails and almost start picking at them again. I love that I have an annoying nervous habit.

"I'm sorry, Em. I'm not trying to ignore you on purpose, I promise. I'm honestly still processing. You have no idea how important you are to me, and I never want to do anything to mess us up," Jennifer's eyes meet mine, and I see the worry and confusion in them.