Why This Life?

Chap 9 "New Changes"

Jae's POV

Two years had passed and there hasn't been another incident. Prentiss has called a team meeting at eight in the morning as I was getting ready. I grabbed my bag and headed to the office. Once I got there, I went straight to the conference room. "Everyone know what's going on?" I asked.

"No, this meeting was out of the blue," JJ replied. "Everything okay with you?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," I nodded. "I'm just sticking to the single life for awhile."

"You and Noah haven't worked things out?" Garcia asked.

"Noah and I are fine, but we agreed to stay in a brother and sister relationship," I replied. "I just didn't want to make things any more complicated that it is."

"I'm glad you all were able to meet this early," Prentiss replied. "I would've called it at seven, but I wanted you guys to have an hour of your morning to yourselves."

"Now, if it was our day off, I probably would still be here," I stated. "I really don't have anything else better to do."

"I called you all here because there are going to be some new changes to this team," Prentiss stated. "As a few of you have heard, Garcia is no longer going to be with us."

"What?" I asked. "It's not going to be the same without you."

"Of course it won't," Garcia sighed. "But I accepted a job at a nonprofit organization that's not too far from here. So we can still have our girly nights and sleepovers." I smiled. "I just want everyone to promise me, that no matter where we go, what we do, we have that feeling of us being a family here in our hearts. Let's not be strangers, okay?"

"Girl, I will come bang on your door at six in the morning if I have to," JJ replied. "Don't take me lightly because I will round up Jae, Tara, and Prentiss, and we will kick that door down."

"Kick down my door, you buy me a new one," Garcia pointed at JJ.

"Already got the check written out if needed," I replied. "It just needs to be signed and dated."

"There's our checkbook," Tara smiled.

"On top of that, I have decided to not take that job in New Orleans," JJ stated. "It just wouldn't feel right. Plus, you guys are my family."

"Why do I feel like someone other than Penelope is leaving?" I asked.

"Because there is, and it's me," Prentiss stated. "I have accepted the position as the Director of the FBI." I smiled. "Because of that, I'm going to promote JJ to the unit chief. So, Jae, your position as the media liaison has been bumped to a full-time field profiler. We all do a little media time here and there so don't lose that spark." I nodded. "Also, I know you recently put in an application to be promoted to SSA."

"Why do I feel like there's a but coming?" I asked.

"There isn't, because you got the promotion," Prentiss smiled. "SSA Jaelyn Schnacky."

"Wait, you changed my last name?" I asked.

"It hasn't been pushed through," Prentiss replied. "All you have to do is sign if you want it."

"I think I'll keep Finley," I replied. "It makes it harder for Noah's fans to track me."

"Well, it'll keep them from looking you up when they find out you're an agent of the FBI," JJ replied.

"Yeah, still no," I smiled. Through the day, we helped Emily and JJ move offices. I went to sit at my desk and Matt walked over and sat on my desk. "Can I help you, Agent Simmons?"