I spent the next few days with JJ and her mom, still barely talking to Rosaline. Like I had said, it was going to take a lot for me to trust her again, especially after the truth came out about what she did to JJ. Sandy took me in as one of her own, and opened her arms to me quickly. JJ and I were gearing up to leave so we could head back to my place for New Years when Rosaline stopped me.
"What do you want, Rosaline?"
"I know you won't forgive me but I want to apologize again." she sighed. "I was in the wrong."
"Ain't that the truth?" I scoffed. "You hurt not only her, but me too. You being scared doesn't give you the right to act like a bitch."
"And I know that now. And I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did."
"But you did, and now it's over. You're not getting off that easily." I stared her down. "It's going to take a lot for you to get back into my good graces."
"I know. I just want you to know that I'm sorry."
I didn't grace her with a response, instead thanking Sandy for letting me stay and meeting JJ at the car, squeezing her hand as we got ready to go back to mine. I could tell she was nervous about everything that had happened, and I reassured her that we were going to be fine. We weren't going to let someone's jealousy get in the way of us being happy. We drove home in a comfortable silence, every now and then bursting into conversation. The kids were anxiously awaiting our arrival, hovering around the front door in an effort to be the first one to hug us. Matt and Kristy helped us get the kids off of us so we could get inside, dropping our stuff off in my room before we went back out. The kids pulled us into the living room and told us about everything they did while we were gone, and showed JJ all of their new toys. Matt signaled for me to go into the kitchen and I excused myself, saying I was getting a glass of water.
"So, how'd it go?"
"Hm? Oh. Well, she did it because she was scared I was going to hurt JJ. And she was jealous."
"Really?" Matt raised an eyebrow. "Interesting."
I shrugged. "It's understandable that she felt that, being the older sister and all. She's not getting off that easily, though. She's on my shit list."
"I'm glad you got that sorted out." Matt smiled, bumping me with his shoulder. "What are you guys planning on doing on New Years?"
"Well, we were going to go to Elle and Emily's, but we decided that we'd just rather stay here. Enough excitement has happened and since I start my job on Monday, it's probably better that I'm down here anyway."
"Oh that's right, you do start on Monday! Are you excited?"
"Very. I'm picking up my badge and stuff tomorrow afternoon. Luke's gonna help me get situated into my office and we're going to get everything set for when I start."
"That's awesome." he paused. "I'm really proud of you, bubs."
"I told you one day I was going to be working for the FBI. I upheld my end of the bargain."
"That you did."
"I think you owe me something." he tilted his head to the side. "If I remember correctly, you said... let me pull up the direct quote." I opened the notes app on my phone. "'If you get a job at the FBI before you turn 25, I will do all your laundry and dishes for a year and give you free rides anywhere you want.'" I turned to him, and smirked. "You still going to uphold your end of the bargain?
Matt simply chuckled, placing a kiss on the top of my head as he went back out into the main room, me following shortly after him. We spent the rest of the day huddled together in the living room, spending the day playing board games and eating goldfish and trying not to get the kids to throw them at each other. JJ and I were tasked with putting the kids to bed, reading them a bedtime story and helping them get dressed and stuff. We sat down in the main room with Kristy and Matt, telling them everything that happened while I was in Pennsylvania. Our night was spent cuddling, just basking in the limited time we had left with each other before I started my new job. I was pretty damn nervous to start my job, if I were being honest. The fact that I would be away from the people I love was the worst part of it all, but the whole night JJ insisted that she'd be there with me every step of the way, through every up and down and every potential injury that I could acquire. She whispered sweet nothings into my ear as I curled into her side, slowly causing my anxiety to go away.
I woke up nice and early the next morning and slipped out of JJ's grasp, sneaking out and into the bathroom to go get ready. I didn't want to wake her up, since Luke wanted me to be at the office around 8am to go get my ID photo taken and finally turn in the rest of my paperwork to get me set up for payroll. I put some coffee into my togo mug and wrote JJ a note telling her where I went, slipping back into the bedroom and placing it on the dresser where she could see it before I left, embarking on my journey to Quantico. I met up with Luke and Tara outside, them bringing me upstairs and taking me to get my Id photo. Within the hour my new badge was printed, and I was getting ready to go over to HR and turn in my paperwork. Tara escorted me there, smiling and talking to the lady behind the counter as she explained what was going on.
Around ten am I was able to officially go into my office, which was just off of the bullpen. It was nice and small, and had a small couch in the corner. I had some shelving behind my desk, and Tara left me to set up my new place, and I grabbed the box of stuff that I had shoved in here earlier and started setting up. I put pictures of my family and friends on the shelves behind me, and made sure I left some room for various things I would be acquiring as time went on. I pulled out the picture that JJ and I took at our Christmas party and smiled, running my hand over the glass lightly as I put that one right on my desk.
I smiled as I pulled out a couple more things the kids had given me to put in my office, including cute little pictures that they had drawn. I hung them up on the open spot on the wall, smiling and stepping back as I looked at my new home away from home. I got a couple of fake plants from Hobby Lobby last night, and set them up on the windowsill in a row and placed some of the notebooks and stuff I had picked up on the left side of the desk. Adjusting everything so it was perfect, I stepped back and pulled out my phone, taking a picture of everything so I could show the kids when I got home. I knew for a fact they'd love to see the office, as would JJ.
JJ. If I hadn't met her, I wouldn't be as happy as I am today. There were so many things that happened to us, but in the end we prevailed and we were happier than ever. The past three and a half months were pure enjoyable bliss, and I was so happy that I was spending this portion of my life with her. I was in love with the woman of my dreams, had the job I had worked towards my whole life and everything was going just how I wanted it to.
"Hey, Y/L/N." Luke poked his head in the door. "How's it coming?"
"I think it's coming along nicely. I just have a couple more things to set up, if I'm being honest."
"That's great. Hey, Tara wants to re-introduce you to the team, whenever you're ready."
"Yeah, of course. I'll be out there in a second."
Luke patted the door frame as he walked out, and I stood back for a second, looking at everything surrounding me. I couldn't believe I was here. A few years ago, I never would have dreamed that I would make it this far, and now I was standing in the one place that I had wanted to be in my whole entire life. I actually made it. If only Mi-Young could see me now.
Mi-Young. My heart dropped as I remembered everything that happened, and I held back tears. She would have loved to see me flourishing, and I wished she was still a part of my life in that way so I could tell her everything that had happened. There was so much I wanted to talk to her about, and so much I could talk to her about. Without thinking, I grabbed my phone and dialed her number, putting it to my ear.
"Mom? It's me. Can I talk to you?"
---
I got home around one, still reeling from everything that happened earlier. I went inside, smiling to myself as I saw all the kids playing outside in the backyard. I set down my purse and slipped off my shoes, going into the kitchen and joining JJ, Matt and Kristy as they talked.
"Ah, there she is!" JJ opened her arms and I crawled right into them. "Have you been crying?"
"Tears of joy, baby. Tears of joy." I smiled. "I talked to her. To my mom."
"What?!"
"Yeah. We uh... we talked. I told her I got into the FBI." I sniffled. "She cried."
"You talked to her?"
"She's not ready to meet JJ yet, but she says she wants to try, and that she feels bad that she cut me out. She wanted to talk to me for a while now, but never mustered up the courage to call."
"Baby, that's amazing!" JJ squeezed me tight, placing a kiss on the top of my head. "And your mom can take as long as she needs. I'm not leaving you anytime soon."
I let the tears of joy continue to fall as I was trapped in a group hug, everyone pulling me into their arms. Everything was perfect. I had the love of my life by my side, my family and even my mom trying to come back into my life.
I was finally, truly happy.