But to love is to hurt. (Criminal Minds)

On the Plane

A/N: Bring your tissues 😭

JJ was sitting beside Emily as the two flew through the air. Emily was exhausted and there were dark circles under her eyes. Emily had just been released from the hospital. Grace was nestled in Emily's arms, a spot she hasn't left since they boarded the plane JJ was able to get a hold of.

Emily said looking down at her chest "Why does the brand hurt worse than the stabbing?"

JJ looked up at her, her eyes were soft "I don't know baby. Maybe that the branding left an emotional wound while the stabbing was the ultimate victory over your pho why suffer a pain you're proud of?." JJ reached across grabbing her wife's hand.

"When did you become a profiler?" Emily asked

JJ shrugged "Or you could always get another tattoo." JJ smirked

"You'd like that, wouldn't you? Emily smiled

"Something transformative like a phoenix" JJ said

Emily laughed at her wife's antics as JJ continued "Or a blackbird."

Emily laughed, throwing her head side to side saying "I love the song but something tells me I shouldn't tread in your waters. Baby, you can't do that. I know your transfer was a backstop but you can't play the I can't trust anyone but myself face. I invented it, baby."

"Do you ever feel like you are in way over your head?" JJ asked quietly

Emily nodded knowingly "Every single day my love."

"You are dead. Our two-month-old daughter is asleep in your arms completely oblivious to the fact she may never see her Mama again."

Emily caressed her daughter's cheek "Hey hey we still have a few days. We will always have Paris."

"Yes, we will." JJ smiled before turning somber "Oh Emily what do we do?"

Emily stood up walking over to the car seat in the chair across from them placing Grace in her car seat kissing her cheek. She sat back down saying "Come here."

"What?"

"Come lay with me?"

"What if I hurt you."

"Honey you could never!"

"Promise?"

"Always."

JJ gingerly went and laid in her wife's arms. Neither could bring themselves to close their eyes. Neither wanting to waste a second together. They flew through the air in each other's arms until Grace's wailing caused them to break apart. JJ stood up walking over and she gingerly lifted Grace. JJ lifted her top and unclasped one side of her bra Emily watched with a soft smile as her daughter suckled off her wife's breast getting all the nutrients she could ever need. JJ turned around to see her wife staring she smiled with a light blush saying "What?"

"Nothing. I just really love you two."

There is a lot that Emily is going to miss about her wife. The way she walks into the room and commands the attention of everyone around her. The way she walks with a gun strapped to her side. How she is the best shot on the team but hates to fire her weapon. The way her body looked when she was pregnant and how she still hasn't returned to her formal size but that doesn't matter to Emily because she thinks she's more gorgeous now than ever. The way she rolls out of bed at 2 a.m. to get Grace. The way she floats to the ground to sit cross-legged in front of their daughter. The way she looked on their first date. The way JJ melts into her when they kiss or when they have had a long day. The simple things like the little touches she would place on Emily throughout the day. The way she would let Emily come and work with her. The way she made sure Emily had eaten and most amazingly the way she kept Emily from going into her boxes. JJ saved Emily and Emily has no idea what she is going to do.

Emily said, "You two come here."

JJ floated over to Emily Grace nestled in her arms still suckling. Emily opened her legs as JJ laid between them leaning back gently her back pressed into Emily's front. Emily wrapped her arms around JJ letting one hand come up to rub Grace's back. Emily leaned forward kissing JJ's ear saying "I love you." Then she kissed her ear again before moving to JJs other ear doing the same thing. Over and over she told JJ how much she loved her. JJ sat in silence, eyes closed, tears streaming down her face as she listened to her wife's sweet voice and enjoyed the weight of her daughter in her arms.

JJ asked, "Baby do you remember that game we used to play?"

Emily stopped kissing her saying "Strip poker?"

JJ laughed saying "No baby. Scrabble"

"Yeah, why?"

"We could play."

"Now? You want to play scrabble now?"

"No. When you are in Paris then I can make sure you are okay and I can talk to you."

"Yeah, baby. We can play scrabble all day baby."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

A/N: The next chapter may take me awhile.