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BITTERSWEET
::  liii. | the storm

Jennifer was up really early the next day. She told Vanessa that she was going out for a jog, which wasn't a lie but wasn't the whole truth. She was meeting Strauss somewhere where they would be private and that's not the FBI headquarters.

She jogged all the way to their meetup, which was a coffee shop. Strauss was sitting at an outside table when Jj approached. She sat across from her boss, laying her bag on the table.

"You ask to see me? Somewhere private, Jennifer." Strauss spoke.

Jj pulled out the yellow envelope, then passed it to Strauss, "Did you get one of these last night?"

Strauss began opening it, "I thought I was the only one." After looking through the photos and sliding them back in the envelope, she continued, "Just proceed with caution and if things get too out of hand, we will tell the team."

Jennifer leaned forward, practically whispering, "These photos are practically threatening. He knows where we live, Erin."

Erin shook her head, "It may not be him, it could be just a coincidence. Until the other shoe drops —— "

"We're sitting ducks?"

Erin began getting up, "Everything will be fine. But I'll look into it."

With that, Erin was headed to the office and jj began jogging back home. It took her a bit longer than she left because a majority of the way, she walked to think things through. She had to make sure what she was doing was going to be right for her family. Her conclusion —— they don't need to know —— yet.

• • •

By the time jj was walking in, Vanessa and Cole were walking out. The babysitter was already there, so Vanessa could take Cole to school. Of course, jj and Vanessa gave each other a see you later kiss as they passed each other.

After dropping the kid off, Vanessa was on her way to work. And just when she was about to drive off, she noticed someone in the distance staring at Cole as she headed in the school. In result, Vanessa got out the car and began to make her way to this stranger.

"What do you want, bucko!?"

As Vanessa was getting closer, the guy disappeared in a van that quickly sped off. Vanessa then headed back to her car and as she began her way to work, she made a slight detour. Vanessa was now on her way to the BAU.

After her twenty minute drive, she parked on the curb. She got out the car and rushed into the building. By then, everyone practically already knew her. The people at the desk sent her up to floor six. Once getting off the elevator, she stormed in through the glass doors.

As her eyes wandered the big room, an agent approached her.

"Vanessa, agent jareau is in a case debrief." Anderson spoke.

"Yes, well it's important. Do you mind getting her, please?"

He kicked his feet a bit, "I don't think I can interrupt."

"Grant." Vanessa only ever used his first name when she was dead serious, "Please."

With a look in her eyes, he was able to see she was serious and nervous about something. Not only one moment later did he quickly nod his head before going around the desks to walk up to the conference room.

He lightly knocked on the door before opening it.

He peeped his head in, "Sorry to interrupt, but agent jareau, Vanessa is here to see you."

Jj turned her head, looking through the big glass window. She saw Vanessa standing near the entrance, eyes looking all around.

She stood up from her seat, "I'll be back." She told her team.

• • •

Jennifer met Vanessa by the entrance. She noticed her girlfriend had that serious look in her eye. Jj knows what that means when Vanessa looks like that.

"Everything ok, Nessa?" Jj treaded slowly.

"No." The burnette practically whispers, "Someone is watching us."

Jj squinted her eyes, "Watching us?"

"Yes." Vanessa nodded, "Someone was watching me and Cole at her school. When I tried to confront him —— "

"You tried to confront him?" Jj's eyes grew wide, "Babe, we talked about this. No more running into danger."

"If it's for the sake of my family, then I happily will." Vanessa continued, "Anyway, he got into a van and sped off before I can get a warning in."

Jj sighed, "What did the van look like? The man?"

"Average height, black hoodie and the van was black." She finished, "They were too far for me to get a better look or a license plate."

"Ok." Jj grabbed her hands, "I'm sure it was nothing, but if it would make you feel better, after my case I will canvas Cole's school on my way home."

Vanessa nodded happily, "It would make me worry less."

Jennifer smiled, "Good. I have to go. Stay out of trouble."

Vanessa playfully rolled her eyes, "I'll try my best."

And with that, the two shared a quick kiss before Vanessa began her way to the elevator. Just as jj turned around, her team was leaving the conference room.

As she went to approach them, Anderson intervene.

"You didn't tell her you love her?"

Jennifer just smiled, "She already knows that."

"Jj!"

She turned her head in the direction of her name and saw her team getting on the elevator. She looked back to Anderson before parting ways and meeting her team in the elevator so they could get on the private jet.

• • •

As they were working the case, at the crime scene, jj was examining the body that laid on the ground with Spencer. They both were looking at it, trying to find things out of the ordinary.

And as they did so, Spencer sparked up conversation.

"So, how's everything with Vanessa?"

"Great." She responded as she examined the victim's eyes, "Hey, Spence? Did you notice her eyes?"

As Spencer leaned forward a bit to get a closer look, that's when jj's phone began vibrating in her back pocket. She stood up and pulled the gloves off, before reaching for her phone. She soon answered, bringing it up to her ear.

"I was just about to call you soon." Jennifer spoke to Strauss.

"Good. I went to grab lunch, came back to my office and there's another envelope. More pictures." Strauss told jj.

"We have to tell the team. It includes them." Jennifer spoke.

"I'll give Hotch a ring, stay focus on that case for now."

With that, the call ended but jj had to make one more call. She called Vanessa and to warn her of staying vigilant. She told her that there maybe an envelope at their door and whatnot.

Jennifer didn't exactly know what this was, but she had an idea and she was going to make damn sure her family was safe.

a/n:
any ideas of what's to come?
let's be honest, there's only
one more act left )):