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BITTERSWEET
:: lxiv. | that forever kind of love

Jj had everything planned for that night and was excited for when she got back from a case that she was working with her team. She was very optimistic and couldn't wait to get back to Virginia. However, she knew she wasn't going to get back before Vanessa did, so with that in mind, she had a plan.

After stepping away from the team to go to the bathroom, she quickly texted Cole once she got there. That text was a question asking if Cole could put up decorations, candles, and picking up dinner for what she had plan. Cole had no problem with it, she responded back with a smiley face.

In that moment, jj gave Cole a sense of responsibility and urgency. Which Cole felt good about, it felt like she was needed and she likes that feeling. So jj returned back to the team and Cole was on her mission to gather supplies and set it up.

But of course first, Cole had to reach someone who could watch Henry while she went out. Lucky for her, Arlo didn't mind. So after twenty minutes of waiting, there was a knock on the door.

Cole went to go answer it from the living room and just as she thought, her good friend was standing before her. She let Arlo in and quickly explained before heading out. She told her it would be at least a little over an hour.

She went to about two stores, than a grocery store. She picked up all the ingredients for the dinner she would be making. She wasn't one to cook, but for jj and her mom, she'll give it a try —— at least with the help of Arlo.

By the time she got back, she now only had about less than five house before her mom would get home. So she had to act fast and be persistent with everything she did. Messing up was not an option.

"Ok, so Henry's asleep and we only have a few hours to spare so no breaks." She told Arlo.

Arlo picked up the bags with the decorations, "I'll decorate and you cook. Kill two birds with two stones."

Cole shook her head, "I don't think that's how the saying goes."

"How else was I supposed to say it, coley?" Arlo began teasing her.

Cole rolled her eyes, "I hate when you call me that."

Arlo innocently shrugged, "I know."

The two then went separate ways. Arlo began decorating the living room and Cole began going through all the ingredients and pulled out the cookbook to find that meal jj was talking about.

The teen never cooked a day in her life and well, there's a first time for everything. Since she wants this evening to go well between her moms, she's going to try and make sure the food tastes good before saying it's done.

• • •

Cole had texted about almost an hour ago that everything was prepared and that she added something else to their special evening. After making the meal, Arlo helped her make a cake. She felt like it was needed and jj gratefully appreciated it.

Jennifer hoped that they would wrap this case really soon and though hope can only get so very far, it was looking almost like maybe she might missed that dinner that she planned. But again, she was hoping really bad that wouldn't be the case.

As the team was figuring the rest of the profile, the unsub had already chopped and blocked another victim. But this victim, they were the last of the puzzle piece to piecing the profile together.

Though now the team was prepared to give the profile, they were nowhere close to solving the case in time so jj can go through with her surprise. She had everything thought out and even timing, but then again, the team never knows what kind of case they would be getting into.

And soon jj realized that she prepared this surprise prematurely. Time was not on her side anymore. But there was nothing she could do about it.

So after the profile was given and jj noticed how late it was becoming, she went and sat a desk to use the phone. She had to call Vanessa and explain everything.

After dialing the house phone number, jj held the phone to her ear and waited for it to be picked on the other end. Only two rings later was it answered and just as she suspected, her girlfriend was on the other end.

"Nessa, im so glad it's you. I know you're probably wondering why the place looks the way it does." Jj continues, "I had something planned but my time management was way off."

"Well the effort always counts and besides we could have an early morning dinner."

"I just had something really special planned and now it's ruined because I'm not even there."

"Let's do it now then. At least don't have me eating alone."

She sighed, "Over the phone? That's the least bit romantic."

"Come on, jj." Vanessa practically begged her, "Ask me."

"You know, don't you?" Jennifer lightly chuckled.

"I mean, my favorite meal was cooked and it was your idea." Jj couldn't see it but Vanessa was smiling, "Just ask the question."

Jj smiled, "You sure?"

"Yes, then you ask me again later in person."

The blonde lightly chuckled, "Deal. So with that said . ." Jennifer deeply sighed, "I can't picture spending forever with anyone else. I knew you were going to bring something in my life the moment I met you and I just didn't quite know what that was yet. Then one day, we were hanging out and something washed over me —— that's when I knew I was in for a wild ride. I love you so much, Vanessa." Jj finished, "Will you marry me?"

"You didn't even have to ask —— yes."

A smile appeared across jj's lips and the next thing she knew, her name was being called. So with a quick i love you, jj hung up before heading back over to the team.

Apparently, something new came up in the case —— another person was taken. He's a teenage boy who was standing at a bus stop with his little brother in the rain.

How more sad could it get than that?

• • •

After the case wrapped in the earliest of the morning, the team was finally on the jet headed back to Virginia. Once those few hours passed, the team was finally back in Virginia. As usual, they drove back to the BAU to gather their things before heading their way home.

By the time jj got home, it was around two in the morning. After opening the front door, then clicking the light in the kitchen on, she found Vanessa sitting at the kitchen table with a ring.

"Hi, cutie." Jj greeted her girlfriend as she placed her things on the table.

Vanessa got up from the table, approaching jj before getting on one knee. She then took jj's hand in her's, "You know we have that forever kind of love? I knew that immediately when feelings started growing and they wouldn't stop. It was overwhelming but in a good way. Then the amount of kindness you showed towards Cole was so incredible and very important to me." Vanessa continued, "Never thought in a million years I would fall for a woman but I did and I wouldn't change any bit of it. So, Jennifer Jareau, will you marry me?"

Jennifer got down on her knees as well with a smile across her lips, "This is not what I thought you meant by in person, but I'm not mad about it either."

Vanessa lightly chuckled, "I'll take that as a yes."

"You better."

The two leaned in and connected their lips for only a couple of seconds before pulling away. Vanessa once again picked up jj's hand and slid the ring on. The now happily engaged couple made their way to the bedroom where jj dug around for that engagement ring she had bought Vanessa. After finding it, she slid the ring onto Vanessa's ring finger.

The two eventually got into bed and fell asleep after talking for a good hour or two. The conversations were anything but light. They dug into the future and whatnot since they're moving upwards in their relationship. Marriage is something that neither of them take lightly.

Especially since this is jj's first and since Vanessa's first wasn't exactly how she thought it was going to go.

a/n:
we're nearing the end
of this book )):