Rachel had yet to get down off Morgan's shoulders, so Jack still didn't know what was wrong with her. He was very determined to figure it out, so he needed a plan to get rid of Morgan and Garcia for a while. Jack tugged on Garcia's shirt and the bubbly blonde leaned down to him with a smile.
"Can Rachel and I go get some ice cream?" He asked.
"Sure pumpkin, hang on we'll head over there in a minute."
"No! I mean just me and Rachel, its just right over there, you'll be able to see us the whole time." Jack said pointing over to the ice cream stand only yards away.
"Oh, I dunno buddy..." Garcia began. Jack made what Garcia called his 'puppy dog face' and Garcia smiled. "Okay, here's some money, stay where we can see you."
"Okay! Come on Rachel!" Jack yelled up to her. The brunette girl glanced down, reluctantly taking her eyes off the elephants.
"Come on for what?" She asked in a huff.
"Ice cream! Get down!"
"Ugh, fine." Rachel huffed. "Morgan? Can you put me down now please?" She asked. Morgan grinned as he lifted Rachel off of his shoulders and set her down on the ground. Jack reached over and grabbed her hand, the money safe in his other and the two of them took off running. "Garcia let us go by ourselves?" She asked, slightly in shock at the fact. Jack nodded happily as they stepped into the line. "How come?"
"Cause we're awesome and together we make a fourteen year old!"
"I don't think it works like that." Rachel said skeptically.
"Sure it does, so, what's making you mad?" Jack asked, jumping right into it. Rachel glared at him and yanked her hand away, crossing her arms. "Come on, we're best friends, sorta cousins, I won't tell." Jack said softly. Rachel turned and looked at him, her anger lessening a little.
"They don't want me." Rachel whispered. The tears began to well up in her eyes and she wiped at them furiously. "And I think Emily might die."
"From her cut? Nah, they get hurt sometimes. My dad got stabbed, real bad by the guy who...well the bad guy that killed...killed my mom. They get cuts and bruises all the time, Aunt Emily's really tough." Jack and Rachel moved forward in the line and Jack glanced back at Rachel. "Why do you think they don't want you?" He asked quietly.
"I just know." Rachel whispered, her eyes down at the ground.
"How? What did they say? What did they do?" Jack insisted.
"Its...its hard to explain, but I know. My dad was right, no one ever really wants me. They were really happy before I came and now I think they might fall out of love and its my fault!" Rachel yelled. She quieted down as they approached the end of the line. Jack picked two chocolate ice cream cones for the both of them and passed the money over. Handing one cone to Rachel he began to lick the other happily. Jack shoved the remaining change into his pocket and took Rachel's free hand with her own, despite her protests.
"Emily won't die. She got hurt and went away a while ago but she's okay now. Aunt Emily and Aunt JJ like each other better than any grown up I know! They won't fall out of love." The two of them walked slowly back to Morgan and Garcia, taking their time and licking their ice cream. "Plus, I knew them before you did, they're a lot happier now that you're here. Everyone is!"
Rachel managed a small smile. She wanted very much to believe Jack, she almost did, but a small part of her still latched onto the fact that she wasn't wanted. She remained quiet the rest of the trip, through the polar bears, the reptiles, and the dolphins. As they made their way back to the car, Rachel climbed into her seat without protest and leaned her head back, exhausted. Garcia looked back and smiled as she watched Rachel nod on and off into sleep. She quickly made sure Jack didn't wake her as they dropped him back off to Hotch and as they pulled out of the driveway, she was out cold.
JJ paced back and forth glancing outside the window twirling her hair in her fingers nervously. Emily watched from the couch, unable to pace, she simply bit her fingernails and told JJ to stop making her dizzy.
"Jen, she's been gone a few hours please relax."
"You're one to talk, I've caught you looking out the window every few seconds too so shut up!"
Emily hid a smile, JJ had her there. Hearing a car door slam JJ jumped up and Emily stood as quickly as she could manage with her back. JJ opened the door to find Rachel sound asleep in Morgan's arms, Garcia a finger on her lips. JJ smiled as the two of them walked inside quietly. She was itching to reach out and take Rachel from Morgan's arms.
"She fell asleep on the way home." Garcia whispered. "How's your back Em?"
"Better, JJ forced pills on me." Emily said with a laugh. "How was she?" Emily asked. She noted the slight frown on Garcia's face and the look she shared with Morgan. "Penelope, how was she?" She asked again.
"What!" JJ asked, glancing back and forth between her friends worriedly. "What happened? You said you would call me!"
"It wasn't anything big Jayje, she was a little quiet and something was bothering her but she wouldn't say what. She might have told Jack though, but she wouldn't tell me. We had a great time otherwise, she loved the elephants." Garcia said with a smile.
JJ sighed and walked over to Morgan holding her arms out. "I'll go put her to bed."
"I can do it." Morgan insisted. JJ frowned slightly but Morgan headed up after sticking his tongue out at the blonde. Morgan had grown quite a soft spot for the little girl and was reluctant to end the day with her just yet. Very gently he carried the Rachel upstairs and placed her in the bed. He removed her shoes and tucked the blankets over her with a smile. Goddamnit, Morgan was turning into a total softy. He stood up and headed back downstairs to find his friends sitting on the couch, drinking coffee. "Out cold." He announced as he sat down next to JJ and placed his arm around her.
"Thanks." JJ said, resting her head on his shoulder. "So, what was wrong? How did she seem?" JJ asked him.
"She was quiet, back to not looking us in the eye, stuff like that." Morgan said simply. He didn't want his friends to worry, he figured Rachel would have a couple of regressions along the way. Emily bit her fingernails again and JJ reached over and swatted her hand away. Morgan and Garcia laughed. "She loved the elephants. Didn't take her eyes off them for like half an hour."
"She also didn't let go of Jack's hand for most of the day." Garcia said wriggling her eyebrows at Emily.
Emily made a face. "Seriously? They're seven Garcia."
"Puppy love! Adorable, adorable puppy love!" Garcia yelled. JJ reached over and smacked her best friend.
"She is seven Penelope. She is going to stay adorable and innocent and young and not go anywhere near boys or girls until she is 37." JJ said firmly. Emily and Morgan shared a look and both tried to hide their laughter as Garcia pouted. The four of them hung out a little while longer before Morgan drove Garcia home. JJ sat on the couch and motioned for Emily to come over to her. The brunette situated herself comfortably in JJ's arms and sighed at the slight pain in her back. "You should take the pills again." JJ said as she ran her fingers through the raven hair. Emily shook her head and JJ frowned at her. "Em, it will help you get better faster."
"Do you think that's what's bothering her? That I'm hurt? I thought she was okay after we talked to her last night." Emily asked softly.
JJ looked out at the view of DC from their window. She hadn't fought Emily about moving in instead of finding their own place because she loved looking out that window. She wasn't sure what was going on with Rachel, only that something was bothering her. She had been clingy at first and then very distant as she left to go to the zoo. JJ just wasn't sure what else they could do. They had told her over and over that they loved and wanted her, they hugged her, they listened to her, they played with her, she didn't know how else to prove to Rachel that they wouldn't leave. "I don't know." JJ answered her wife. "The lawyer called, everything is almost finalized the social worker needs to come check up on her and get the reports from Dr. Yang."
"Okay, did he say when he would make an appointment?"
"Next week sometime, he'll call."
Emily and JJ headed up to go to bed. After checking on Rachel they happily climbed into the warm covers and fell asleep.
Rachel woke up the next morning from a nightmare. Her mother had snuck into Emily and JJ's apartment and killed herself in their bathroom. Her father had followed her and killed Emily and JJ and taken her away with him again. Rachel woke up crying and wet. Embarrassed that she wet the bed again, she tried to get the sheets off and into the wash herself, not wanting to be a bother to the two women. Rachel figured the more she could do herself, the less of a bother she would be, and the women wouldn't mind letting her stay with them longer. As she tried to drag the sheets down the hall, she was surprised to be met with JJ. Usually the blonde wasn't up this early and Rachel bit her lip nervously.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'll wash it."
"Rach, its not a problem, come on, I'll help." JJ said with a warm smile. Rachel hesitated but handed over the sheets and walked with JJ to the laundry room. While JJ started the wash, Rachel shed her soiled clothes and changed into new ones. She stole glances at the blonde every once and a while, her emotions mixed with wanting to be held by JJ and wanted to yell at her. "Are you hungry?" JJ asked once they were all set. Rachel just nodded and followed JJ quietly. "Morgan and Garcia said you really loved the elephants?"
"Yeah." Rachel answered as she climbed up onto a stool. "How come you're awake so early?"
JJ laughed as she began making scrambled eggs. "I am capable of getting up early despite what Emily might have told you. I want Em to rest, and I wanted to spend some time with you." JJ said with a smile.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Rachel whispered into her hands.
"Yes." JJ said firmly. She let the eggs cook for a moment and turned to face Rachel. "I promise she is going to be fine."
"When my mom got cut all her blood spilled out and she died." Rachel said with tears in her eyes. "What if her bandage doesn't hold it in?"
JJ froze realizing how terrified Rachel was. Seeing her mother like that so young had damaged her more than anyone could really know. JJ turned the burner off and walked over to sit next to Rachel, taking her hands and waiting for her to meet her eyes. "Rachel, I need you to listen to me very carefully, Emily is going to be fine. I wouldn't lie about that to you, I promise. Emily has a cut on her back, its being held together by stitches and the bandage. She's also got a lot of medicine making her body fix itself, she is not going to bleed to death. When she wakes up, I'll need to change the bandage and I can show it to you so you can see for yourself okay?"
"Okay. So, so you're taking care of her?"
"Of course I am sweetie, she's my wife that's my job."
"But...but you weren't as worried when she got home, I thought you were mad at her and you were gonna fall out of love like Tommy's dads."
JJ's eyes widened and she licked her lips. "What? Wait, who's Tommy? Why..why did you think that?"
"Tommy goes to my school. We play together at recess, he has two dads but they stopped loving each other. He said they used to kiss and be happy all the time like you guys but not anymore. You were mad at Emily."
JJ sighed and pulled Rachel into her lap, hugging her tightly. "Rachel, I'm very sorry that your friend's parents got a divorce, that is sad when it happens but I can promise you, I love Emily more than anything and I have no intentions whatsoever of getting a divorce. And I wasn't mad at her, I was worried and once I saw that she was okay, I wasn't as worried anymore that's all."
Rachel mashed her lips together, realizing that Jack had been right about everything and feeling stupid. She turned herself around to face JJ and looked up at the blonde sheepishly. "So, you guys still want me?" She whispered.
JJ bent down and kissed Rachel on her freckled nose. "Rachel, I will say it as much as you need me to, but I promise you, we are always going to want you. We love you we want to adopt you officially. In fact a social worker is going to come next week to check up on us and then once we fill a few forms, you will legally be ours. Is that something you want?"
"I thought my dad wouldn't let that happen?"
"He was fighting it, but he doesn't have any right to, not with the things he's done. He lost his parental rights, that's why it was taking longer than we hoped."
"So, when you sign those papers, you and Emily will be my moms?" Rachel whispered.
"Yes." JJ said hugging Rachel to her. "If you want it."
Rachel was silent for a few moments, relaxing into JJ's hug and thinking about everything the blonde had told her. She believed her. Almost completely. "JJ, my dad is in jail right?" Rachel asked. JJ nodded. "Can I...can you take me to see him?" Rachel asked so quietly that JJ almost didn't hear her.
"I don't know if that's a very good idea Rachel, but I'll talk to Emily and we'll think about it."
"Okay." Rachel said quietly. The two of them remained in the same position for a few more moments before Rachel turned back around to face JJ. "Can I go see if Emily is awake?"
"Sure, just be careful of her back and if she's asleep don't wake her up okay? She needs her rest and I need you to help me make her take it easy."
"Okay!" Rachel said happily, jumping down off JJ and running up the stairs. She slowed down as she reached the top and tip toed to the master bedroom. Opening the door as quietly as she could, the little girl was delighted to see Emily sitting upright, setting her glass of water back on the nightstand. Emily beamed as she caught sight of Rachel.
"Good morning Munchkin, is JJ downstairs?"
Rachel nodded and slowly walked forward. "Can I please see your cut?" She asked.
Emily frowned. "Kiddo, I..."
"Please? I need to make sure you're not going to bleed as much as Mommy did. JJ said you would show me."
Emily froze at the statement. She hadn't heard the conversation that JJ and Rachel had had downstairs, but she knew enough to figure some of it out from that alone. "I can't actually reach it myself, why don't we head downstairs and JJ can change it for me and you can see it then?"
"Okay."
Emily stood up slowly and walked over to Rachel, taking the little girl's hand. She couldn't bend down to Rachel's level without hurting herself but Rachel thankfully looked up and met her eyes for once. "Rach, I don't know what you and JJ talked about, but I'm fine. I won't bleed that much, its stopped bleeding now I promise."
"JJ told me." Rachel said giving Emily a small smile. "Can we get a big poster of an elephant for my room?"
"Sure we can." Emily said as Rachel gingerly lead her downstairs.
JJ turned and greeted them with a smile. "For once you're the last one awake." She smirked at her wife. "Coffee and eggs. Rachel pop up while its still warm."
"Can I see Emily's cut first please?" Rachel asked, refusing to let go of Emily's hand. The brunette glanced at JJ, raising her eyebrows in question. JJ just shook her head, wordlessly telling her wife she would explain everything later.
"Sure, you grab the bandages, they're right over there." JJ said, pointing. Rachel released Emily's hand and ran to get the first aid kit. JJ sat Emily down on a stool and gently raised her shirt and began pealing the gauze off. Emily bit her lip and made sure not to wince or make any sign that it hurt, worried that it would scare Rachel. The little girl came back with the first aid kit and stared at the large cut on Emily's back. JJ saw her eyes widen in fear and she reached over and pulled her closer. "See these black marks? Those are stitches, they are holding the skin together. They make sure that it heals see?" JJ asked. Rachel nodded and watched as JJ applied the ointment and carefully placed a new gauze pad over it. "See, all done!"
Rachel glanced up at Emily. "Does it hurt?"
"Nope, I took the pills when I woke up and its been almost two full says now, I'll be good as new soon enough."
Rachel held out her pinky finger and waited. Emily smiled at JJ and connected her own pinky to Rachel's. "Okay." Rachel said, satisfied with her answer. The three of them ate breakfast together happily, Rachel seemingly getting back to her old self. She went on and on about all the animals she saw. Explaining information she learned about the tigers, dolphins and elephants eagerly. Emily and JJ listened happily loving the smile that grew on Rachel's face as the day wore on.