The Usual Rules

Chapter 4

"This is going to be very interesting." Garcia said with a grin.

"Oh shut up." Emily laughed and went to go find her wife.

Hotch had given them the rest of the day off and they spent every minute of it getting ready for Rachel's arrival. They had been afraid to really get anything set beforehand, in case something fell through. Now that it was real, that Rachel was actually going to be theirs, both women were freaking out. It had been too difficult for both of them to fall asleep that night, they spent the entire time restless and frustrated. The flight had gone on forever, and Emily had bit her nails almost down to the nubs.

"What's taking so long?" JJ asked as they sat waiting for the social worker to bring Rachel down to them.

"Jen, we've waited a week, a few more minutes won't kill us."

JJ glared at Emily.

"Emily and Jennifer Prentiss?" A man said, standing in the doorway with Rachel. Emily and JJ leapt up and smiled at the shy brunette. As usual, she was looking down at her feet. Emily vowed to get her more comfortable with them as soon as possible.

"That's us." Emily said, shaking the man's hand.

"Its nice to meet you in person, I'm Charlie. Rachel's all packed and ready to go, I just need you to sign a few papers and you are all good to go." Charlie pulled the paperwork out for them and Emily and JJ quickly signed and initialed where he instructed while Rachel watched on curiously. "Congratulations." Charlie said shaking their hands. "We'll miss you Rachel, have a wonderful time okay?" Rachel nodded. Emily gently placed her hand on Rachel's shoulder and lead her outside and to their rental car.

"Shit, is she supposed to be in a car seat!" JJ whispered as they reached the car.

"She's seven."

"But she's tiny, isn't there a weight limit or something?" JJ asked worriedly. "Shit, we're already failing as parents!" JJ exclaimed.

"Jen!" Emily said grabbing JJ by the shoulders. "She will be fine for a twenty minute ride to the airport. I will drive more carefully than I ever have in my entire life. When we get home, we will check to see if she needs a car seat, and we'll get one okay?"

"Okay." JJ nodded. She looked into the car and saw that Rachel had climbed in and buckled herself. She was sitting patiently with her hands folded in her lap, her gaze forward, bitting her lip adorably. JJ noticed that it looked oddly a lot like how Emily did when she bit her lip; and it made her smile. "I'm freaking out a little." She admitted. "Why aren't you?"

"I am." Emily said with a smile. "I'm just better at hiding it."

"I hate you." JJ moaned.

"No you don't."

"No I don't." JJ agreed.

"Come on, let's get her home okay?"

"Okay." JJ mumbled. Emily climbed into the car and turned around, surprised when JJ climbed into the back to sit next to Rachel. "What?" JJ whispered. "If we get into an accident I can grab her." JJ insisted. Emily just shook her head and pulled out of the driveway. An extremely overprotective JJ was certainly going to be interesting.

Rachel was terrified of the plane. She had been fine as they boarded and took their seats, but once the plane began to take off, she began to shake and cry. "Rachel, sweetie its okay, JJ and I fly on planes all the time, its sort of like a ride."

"Yeah, here, take our hands, and if you get scared, you can squeeze them as tight as you need to." JJ said, holding her hand out for the girl.

"No, I'm okay." Rachel said, tucking her hands under her legs and setting her face with a grim look of determination. Emily and JJ glanced at each other over her head and sighed. They knew it would take time for Rachel to trust them, she had been let down by everyone she'd ever met so far. It wasn't just something she would get over in a few hours. Despite Rachel's fears, she calmed down considerably once they had leveled out and only grew a look of slight panic as they began their descent. Thinking quickly, JJ began pointing out bits of DC as they came into view, trying to distract Rachel. It worked, but the little girl was certainly eager to get off the plane as soon as possible.

Emily opened the apartment door, carrying Rachel's bag, she made a note to buy Rachel a lot more new clothes; the bag was practically empty. Rachel looked around the large apartment in wonder as JJ and Emily watching grinning.

"Want to see your room?" JJ asked.

"I get my own?" Rachel whispered, a look of complete shock on her face.

"Yup." JJ motioned for Rachel to follow her. "Come on, it's upstairs." Rachel followed shyly behind JJ with Emily trailing behind them. JJ opened the door and let Rachel walk in first. "We left the walls white for now, because we wanted you to be able to pick whatever color you want. We can paint it this weekend." Rachel slowly made her way around the room, taking everything in. Emily and JJ had filled it with some of their favorite books from when they were kids, new toys, and some new clothes in the closet. They hadn't wanted it to be bare, but they didn't want to get everything without knowing what Rachel liked first.

"Are you hungry?" Emily asked. Rachel shrugged. Emily mashed her lips together and smirked at JJ. "Jayje? You hungry?"

"I'm starving." JJ said grinning over Rachel's head. The two women began to leave the room, and smirked at each other as Rachel trailed slowly behind. "So, what do you guys want?" JJ asked the brunette duo as she opened the fridge.

"What do you like Rachel?" Emily asked. Rachel stood in the doorway, silent, she simply shrugged. Emily sighed and looked to JJ, this was going to be a lot of work. "Do you have a favorite food?" Emily was met with another shrug. JJ closed the fridge and walked over to Rachel. She bent down and sat on her knees, looking Rachel in the eye.

"Rachel, I know you don't know Emily and I very well yet, but we want you to know that you can trust us. Okay?" JJ asked. Rachel nodded, but refused to look either woman in the eye. JJ bent over and placed a quick kiss on Rachel's head as she stood up; surprising both Rachel and herself. Instead of making a big deal out of it, JJ went back to the fridge and opened it up again. "How does spaghetti and meatballs sound?"

Rachel looked over to Emily and then to JJ, she nodded once and then looked back down at the floor. JJ glanced to Emily and smiled, it was a start.