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BITTERSWEET
::  xi. | three months and two days

Three months had gone by. You would think the reigns household would be in a better place, but it's not. Vanessa is still struggling with Cole but one positive thing out of all of this is that she got Cole into therapy. It was needed. Cole didn't want to but it was the best decision. She's holding in so much anger and sadness if she won't talk to her mom about it, she'll probably talk to a complete stranger.

Cole has been there for a little over a month and still no progress has been made. As Vanessa tires to help her daughter, she's been helping herself as well.

Over the past couple of months, jj and Vanessa have gotten to know each other a lot more. She's been invited to quite a few of the team's get togethers and their spontaneous dinners after work at like two in the morning. In the midst of getting to know the team, she's also been personally getting to know another team member. His team usually describes him as a player, him never being able to keep a girl any longer than a week at most; the infamous Derek Morgan.

After one late dinner with the team, Vanessa got his eye and since then he couldn't help it when he was around her. Neither could she. It was quite obvious that they were feeling each other but jj was anything but happy about it. She actually had a lot to say. So when Derek approached her desk and asked her for Vanessa's number, jj had no problem speaking her worries.

"Do you think it's cool if I got her number? I like her and I'd like to get to know her more." He awkwardly smiled.

"So you could play her? You know, sleep with her then not call back." She bluntly said.

He put his hands up in defense, "Ok, I have done that in the past but Vanessa's different. She's definitely not someone you would meet in a bar." He pleaded, "Please?"

Jj sighed. She really didn't want him having her number but she's seen the way Vanessa looks back at him. So she concluded that if she didn't give Morgan Vanessa's number then there will be drama and jj just doesn't have the time for that right now. So she found scrapped paper, picked up a pen and scribbled Vanessa's number down.

She handed the paper to Morgan, "Break her heart, I break your face. That's a promise."

He lightly chuckled with a slight nod, "Noted and thank you. You won't regret it."

With a shake of her head and and eye roll, she turned back to the papers that lied on her desk. Jj bit the inside of her cheek as she had second thoughts of giving her number away. She didn't want to overstep in Vanessa's privacy or maybe it was more than that . . . ?

• • •

"Please tell me it isn't true?!" Cole stormed into her mom's room.

"That your grandma's coming to visit? Oh, it's true." Vanessa clarified in a more calming voice than her daughter.

"She's so judgey, though!" Cole began to head back to her room, "Why are you so set on ruining my life!"

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that!" Vanessa yelled back, "We're leaving in ten!"

"Ughhh!"

She heard Cole groan only rooms away from her's. She shook her head as she mumbled, "I swear this kid is going to be the death of me."

Vanessa finished getting ready for the day. As she put the final touches to her face, her phone dinged. She looked down and it was an unknown number but the text said that their name was Morgan and jj gave him her number. She smiled ear to ear reading the text. As much as she wanted to reply, she was kind of in a hurry to get Cole to therapy because then she had to drive to the airport to pick up her mother in law.

Soon enough, the two reigns women were out the door and getting into the car. Vanessa drove Cole to therapy then after watching her walk into the building, the stressed mother then began to drive to the airport.

It was a forty-five minute drive, the longest drive she's had in awhile. After parking on the curb, she got out and waited near the entrance for Miguel's mother. After five minutes, there walked out grandma reigns — the woman Vanessa didn't like in the slightest. She couldn't even pretend to be nice even if she tried because she's always being blamed for Miguel's stupid mistakes.

Vanessa and her mother-in-law said their hellos, then made their way to the car. The whole ride to pick up Cole was silence. Neither of them knew what to say or what to talk about. As Vanessa started the car and began to drive to pick up Cole, she just waited for the other shoe to drop because she knew it was bound to happen . . . it was the matter of when.

Once they pulled up in front of the building, Cole hopped right in. She just got out of the session and was beyond ready to go home.

"Hi, grandma." Cole greeted the woman on the passenger side, "How was your flight?"

"Horrible." She continued, "And the only thought that was crossing my mind is why you still have a boy's name? You're a girl." The older woman then turned to Vanessa, "Why you got to traumatized her like that?"

Before Vanessa could say anything, Cole beat her to the punch, "I don't know grandma. I like my name."

"So you're gay now!" She exclaimed.

"Mabel!" Vanessa finally spoke.

Cole leaned back with her arms crossed over her chest, "And you wonder why we never see you for Christmas."

• • •

As soon as they walked through the door, the two adults continued to argue about Cole and Miguel. Mabel telling Vanessa how to raise her child and her duty to her husband. Which then resulted in Vanessa reminding Mabel that Miguel is not her husband and she has no say on anything about Cole.

In the midst of the argument, Cole got out. She left to the BAU. She couldn't be in that house with both of them because just like every time, it's world war two in there. Besides, she just wanted to see friendly faces besides Mia for a change.

As usual, Peter let her in and got her through security. Within only minutes, she was off the elevator and heading towards the glass, double doors. She was only a few feet away when some of the team came walking through.

"Hey, guys." The teen greeted the agents with a smile.

"Cole— hey!" Spencer's smile was so bright, it can light up any room.

"You guys leaving?" She stopped in her tracks.

"We're actually getting burgers. Wanna join?" Derek joined in.

Cole smiled with a nod. Jj and the rest of the team began to head to the elevator and as they all waited for the elevator to open, a raven haired girl walked through the double doors with Hotch.

"Still getting burgers?" Hotch approached the team.

"Hope it's fine if I join." The newcomer spoke.

"You're apart of the team now, prentiss." Jj replied and soon the doors opened and they all stepped in.

Cole pressed the lobby button and soon the doors closed. The elevator began to go from the sixth floor to the lobby. The ride was anything but quiet. Cole introduced herself to Emily and then quickly asked about Elle, whom she grown to quite like. Hotch didn't go into detail of Elle's departure but enough to make Cole understand.

But don't worry that wasn't going to be the last of anyone seeing Elle.

a/n:
welcome Emily!!