The Usual Rules

Chapter 39

Emily rolled over in bed and was met with Rachel's smiling face. "Hi Mommy." She whispered. The little girl was sitting cross-legged on the floor, the first Harry Potter book in her lap.

"Hey sweetie, what are you doing up so early?" Emily whispered back, not wanting to wake JJ before seven.

Rachel shrugged. "I woke up."

Emily smiled and tucked her arms under her head. "And came in here to read in the dark?"

"I have a book light Spence gave me." Rachel shivered and Emily pulled open the covers. Rachel grinned and crawled up into the bed, tucking herself into Emily.

"Jezz you're toes are cold." Emily whispered, giving her a kiss. Rachel giggled and tickled Emily's legs with them again causing the brunette to suppress a squeal. "If you wake up your mother I will make you deal with her." Emily warned. Rachel smiled and wrapped her arms around Emily's neck, laying still. She knew better than to wake JJ up anytime before nine. The two stayed quiet for a few minutes, Emily thought Rachel must have fallen back asleep and was very close to doing so herself when Rachel softly whispered.

"Mommy?"

"Hum?" Emily didn't open her eyes.

"Did you and Momma talk about me seeing Frankie yet?" She asked nervously.

Emily shifted a little and opened her eyes. Rachel's face was inches from her own and she was bitting her lower lip nervously. Emily sighed, wishing that JJ were awake so she didn't have to deal with this particular subject alone. Truthfully, it was all they had been talking about for the last few days, but they had yet to really reach a conclusion. Neither woman wanted that man anywhere near their child ever again, but it seemed important to Rachel and they didn't want to just say no.

"Can you tell me why you want to talk to him?" Emily asked.

Rachel dropped her gaze to Emily's chin and began twirling her hair in her little fingers, rather than look her mother in the eye. "I need to tell him some stuff." She said vaguely.

"Can you be anymore specific, or tell me why you need to tell him something?" Emily sighed in frustration. "We just...your mother and I want to understand why you need to talk to him. Is it something you don't want to ask us?"

"No, I don't need to ask him anything this time. I just..." Rachel grew frustrated and wasn't sure how to get the words out to explain her need properly. Her frustration grew to anger and she lashed out. "He's my dad and if I want to talk to him then you should just let me!" She yelled pushing herself away from Emily and trying to crawl out of the bed. Emily bumped into JJ who had begun waking up at the sound of Rachel yelling.

"What's going on?" JJ asked rubbing her eyes.

Emily ignored her, trying to reach out and grab Rachel but the little girl was quick and moved out of reach. "I want to talk to my dad and you can't stop me. I'll go by myself again if you won't take me." Rachel threatened as she crossed her arms and stamped out of the room, leaving a very shocked Emily and an extremely confused JJ behind her.

"Okay...I repeat, what is going on?" JJ asked, sitting up and leaning against the headboard.

"She wants to see Frankie, and as much as I don't want to...judging from her little meltdown, I think we should take her."

JJ pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. She hated it, but she agreed with her wife. "Fine, but she can't yell at us like that."

"I agree. Which is why I'm going to go find her, make coffee and put her in time out." Emily leaned over and kissed JJ then went off to find Rachel. JJ sighed and slumped back down into the bed, flinging the covers over her head with a groan. Today was not starting out well, and it was only 7:08 in the morning.