Title: The Ambassador's Dinner
By: PALSTCB
Pairing: Prentiss/JJ
Rating: PG
Summary: Emily takes JJ to one of her mother's functions.

***

The two female FBI agents entered the brunette's childhood home, if you even call it that. It was just her parent's current home. Earlier in the day, they were to girlfriends, very much so in love, free to express it, now, though, they were two girlfriends pretending to be co-workers, best friends, and straight. Neither agent was happy to pretend, but the younger blonde was satisfied, meeting her lover's parents.

Emily reluctantly guided JJ through the house to find her parents, the greeting important to her parents' social status.

"Mom, Dad, hi."

A polite nod, "Emily."

The younger woman's face dropped slightly at the cold greeting her girlfriend received, but quickly recovered, thankful for the ease at which she could transform her usually emotional face into the calm, collected one she used in front of the cameras as she addressed the public.

"And you must be Agent Jareau."

"Yes, Mrs. Prentiss."

"Emily has told us so much about you, its nice to put a name to the face."

Both women nearly laughed at the Ambassador's words; they knew the truth in the statement. It was 'nice to put a name to the face,' simply because that was the polite thing to say. And as far as Emily talking to her parents? It's a rare occasion, and quite possibly the most forced conversation one could ever have.

"Please, go mingle, both of you, and Jennifer, is it?" A polite nod from the blonde, "Help Emily find a good man. I tell her every time I see her; she needs to settle down with a nice man, have kids."

Seeing the blonde tense at her mother's words, the older agent cut in, "We're going to go mingle."

As they walked away from the Ambassador, the brunette let out a quiet apology, knowing that her girlfriend was already on edge due to their 'best friend' status.

"JJ, you know I hate this, I do, but I can't…"

"I know, Em. I just wish…"

Neither woman needed to finish their sentences; both aware of the wish they didn't even need to think of these sentences that would always be hanging in the air between them when speaking of Elizabeth Prentiss.

"Jennifer, you know I always will, right?"

She smiled at her lover's subtle way of expressing her love that both knew wasn't necessary to voice, "Always, Em, always."

"That's good, 'cause I was getting a little worried."

"Oh, were you?"

A smirk, "I was."

An unfamiliar voice interrupted their conversation, "Do you two always speak in tongues?"

The blonde raised an eyebrow, "Do you always interrupt private conversations?"

"Only when the women speaking are as beautiful as you two."

The two women looked un-amused.

"Okay, just humor me."

The brunette shrugged her shoulders, leaving the decision up to the blonde, "Fine."

"My teachers always told me not to talk to strangers…"

"Then don't." The brunette deadpanned.

"Ouch…I was thinking more along the lines of an introduction…I'm Dan, by the way."

"I'm Jennifer and this is Emily."

"Hello, Jennifer and Emily…beautiful names, by the way."

The two women replied in unison, "Thank you."

"You're very welcome. So, what do you lovely ladies do?"

Emily considered answering the question, but then changed her mind; "I've got to tell you, Dan, you're too confident for my liking…an ex hurt your ego?"

Then the blonde continued, "I'm thinking his mother. She always neglected you, right? Then, you went off to college, but still, even though you excelled in all of your classes, it still wasn't enough."

"And now here we are, and you're a womanizer; even though you could never please your Mother, you try your best with women…you are, for all intents and purposes, a sexual predator."

"You like to be on top, to win, so I'm thinking maybe you're a CEO or lawyer."

The brunette smirked, "So, how'd we do?"

He turned around, muttering a string of explicit words as he walked away.

The two profilers looked at each other, laughing.

"I really like mingling with you, Jayj."

"Emily Prentiss!"

"Yes, Mother?"

"You just turned away a very nice man, husband material."

"Not really…"

"That's Dan Williams, he's the CEO at a very important company, Emily. He would've been a very nice addition to this family."

Turning to the blonde for a moment, Emily smiled, "Jay, you should really listen to Hotch and become an official profiler, not just press liaison, I bet Hotch could somehow make sure you keep that title, if you want."

Emily laughed lightly as she heard her mother sigh loudly and stalk away from her, "Come on, let's go eat dinner."

The two women sat at the table, opposite Emily's cousin, Samantha, her boyfriend Tom, and Haley, a family friend, only a year or two younger than the older agent. Throughout dinner, the five of them talked animatedly, laughing and teasing the other, even Tom and JJ joined in tentatively.

At one point, JJ leaned over to Emily and whispered, "Are you sure Tom is her boyfriend?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Just follow along, okay?"

"Yeah."

Speaking at normal volume, "Em and I are going to get some fresh air, interested?"

With smiles, the other three people followed the two women outside.

JJ smiled, speaking to no one in particular, "So, how long have you two been together?"

Both Haley and Tom answered at the same time, "Two years."

Then Haley looked panicked, "I mean, no, I meant."

"Whoa, relax, Haley, it's fine…but I'd just like to say on behalf of myself that," She turned to Emily, smirking, "I told you so."

"You didn't tell me anything, and plus you profiled them."

"Me? You're the actual profiler, so that excuse doesn't work, Prentiss."

"So it's Prentiss now?"

"Of course, Prentiss is your reasonable side."

Emily poked the younger agent in the side, making her squirm, "Hey! I could have you arrested for assaulting a federal agent!"

The brunette, refusing to stop poking the blonde, had fallen when the other woman had out maneuvered her.

"Oh, god. Emily, are you okay?"

She groaned, sitting up, "Yeah, but these bruises are going to be a bitch to explain to Hotch."

The blonde held her hands up in mock surrender, "I didn't do it."

The other three standing next to them laughed at their almost juvenile antics. "So, how long have you been together?"

"Officially, eight months."

"And unofficially?"

They smiled at each other, just barely stopping themselves from a kiss, "Two years."

Tom smiled at JJ, "So, how're you liking Elizabeth?"

"Oh, she's a blast."

Haley then interjected, "Your job to find her a husband, too?"

"Don't even remind me."

Tom grimaced, "Yeah, I saw you two with the mighty Dan Williams."

The two agents smiled, "Did you see the look on his face, though?

Samantha smiled, "Yeah, what'd you say to him, Emily?"

"God, it's good to be a profiler…well, press-liaison-slash-profiler, too."