Title: Anywhere Is Paradise
Author: wild-angel82
Pairing: Prentiss/JJ
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Criminal Minds. I wish I did, though.
A/N: This is so weird, but I got really depressed writing all the angst for my ongoing story and my previous oneshot that I needed to write a happier angst-free story and this is what came out. It was supposed to be really short, but somehow the ideas kept coming and the story ended up being a lot longer than I initially thought. I hope you enjoy!
A/N 2: Since the title of the story was somewhat inspired by the song "Anywhere Is Paradise" by Michael Kisur, I figured I'd put the song lyrics in the story as well, but it's not really much of a song fic.
Summary: As long as JJ is with Emily, anywhere could be paradise. Three crappy situations that Emily made bearable.

***

Why don't they understand

Maybe they never will

But if I could take your hand

I could run away and still be in your arms

I could stay in your arms

"You have got to be kidding me!" JJ shouted with a disgusted look on her face as the BAU team stood outside the shadiest of hotels that JJ had ever seen. The thing didn't even look like a hotel, except for the eye-piercing green "Vacancy" sign. "Gee, what a shock that this dive has rooms available." She added as she looked at the establishment with shivers all over her body at the mere thought of spending at least one second inside it. Outside, the building looked like hadn't been renovated for at least 30 years and JJ was sure that the inside was not much better.

"Maybe it's not going to be that bad." Reid tried to placate the situation, but he could see that JJ was fuming.

"One time! One time that we ask you to do something and this is what we get?!" JJ continued her rant, now directing her anger at the person responsible – Derek Morgan. "How hard is it to make a stupid hotel reservation without confusing the dates, so that we don't up having to stay at a dive like this, because of course there is some sort of a convention in town and no rooms are available anywhere else?" She took a deep breath and continued. "You're a fucking FBI agent, was it too much to assume on our part that you can tell time and read the calendar?!" JJ shot Derek another icy look and the entire team was sure that if looks could kill, Derek Morgan would for sure be dead right now. And even though Derek knew JJ was not really going to hurt him, he did take one step away from the angry blonde.

"I said I was sorry." He said with an apologetic look, although he had an inkling that this wasn't really going to mean much.

"So what if you did?" JJ was still enraged. "We still have to spend the night here!" She shuddered at the thought of entering the premises in front of them.

"You can always stay in the car." Derek suggested and he suddenly felt a blow to his left shoulder, and realized that Emily had to restrain JJ from taking another shot at him. "I swear to God, Derek…"

"OK, honey, please calm down." Emily pulled her girlfriend away from Derek to a safe distance, trying to prevent the liaison from hitting him again. "Just take a deep breath."

"Don't you 'take a deep breath' me!" JJ almost shouted. "Have you not seen this place?" She asked, looking at Emily meaningfully.

"I have and I'm not crazy about staying here, but we're going to be OK." Emily tried to reason with the extremely agitated JJ, but she knew it wasn't going to be an easy task. "Please just calm down and try not kill anyone, OK?" Emily placed her hands on JJ's shoulders. "OK?" She repeated the question and she could feel JJ quieting a little bit at her touch.

"I will try."JJ replied, but added after a moment, with a small laugh. "Though I can't promise anything."

"Guys, I'm really sorry about that." They heard Derek's apologetic voice again. "I don't know how I could get the dates mixed up."

"Come to think of it, it truly is astonishing." Emily laughed and turned to Derek. "You have no problem juggling three women at a time, but you can't remember a simple date to make a hotel reservation. Garcia is so gonna have your head for this one."

"Don't you think I know that?" Derek asked, really scared of what Garcia might do to him for not being able to fulfill a simple request from her. Not to mention JJ, who still looked like she was ready to jump him any second. Oh Derek Morgan knew he was definitely not a popular guy.

***

Emily and JJ stood outside their hotel room, a little hesitant and scared to go inside. Emily could see how mad JJ was and she was afraid seeing the inside of the room might really set her off. And Emily knew that a really pissed off Jennifer Jareau was not something she wanted to experience too often. And truth be told, she wasn't too keen on spending the night there either, but there was really not much that they could do, so she knew they had to just suck it up.

"It's gonna be OK." Emily said softly and slowly, as if trying to convince herself as well. "It's just for one night."

"Yeah, one night that's going to haunt me for the rest of my life." JJ replied, finally pushing the door and entering the room.

Just like the outside of the building, the room looked like nothing had been changed in it for at least thirty years. The whole décor looked like the inside of an antique store rather than a hotel. It also looked like the room hadn't been slept in or cleaned in quite a while, which really was no surprise.

"Remember it's just for one night." Emily reminded JJ as she entered the room as well and closed the door behind her. "And I promise that as soon as we get back home, I'm gonna take you to the most ridiculously expensive hotel for the weekend, just for the heck of it." Emily grinned as she walked up to JJ to give her a quick kiss. "OK?" She asked as she could see that JJ's expression was becoming a little less anxious. She was well aware of the fact that she had that effect on the blonde.

"I'll hold you to that." JJ sighed as she looked at Emily with an expression that clearly indicated that she was going to remember that promise.

"I'll make sure it happens." Emily promised, stealing another quick kiss. "Anything for you."

"Good." JJ smiled and looked around the room, still disgusted and shuddering a little. "I mean I went to college and I lived on a budget for a while, so I did have my fair share of questionable lodgings sometimes," She recounted, "But there came a point in my life when I just started caring where I sleep, you know? I'm not a careless college student anymore. And I know that staying here is the smartest solution as far as the case goes, because it's close to where we need to be early in the morning, but damn this place stinks!" JJ took a deep breath. "I swear to God, I'm gonna kill Derek Morgan. I'm gonna kill him!"

"I would really rather you not say things like that in my presence." Emily said grinning. "Because honey I love you, I really do, but I'm not gonna perjure myself for you. So if Derek ends up dead and the police questions me asking if he had any enemies, you know I'm gonna have to tell them the truth, right?" Emily looked at JJ trying to appear very serious, but JJ couldn't help but burst into laughter. "See, now there's the smile." A smile spread across Emily's face as well as she brushed the hair off of JJ's face. "Better now?"

"A little." JJ admitted with a sigh. "But the idea of spending the night here gives me chills. And not the good kind."

"OK, I'll tell you what," Emily finally started, "How about I use all the charm that I have in me to make you forget about where we are, OK?

"And how do you think you can do that?" JJ asked, slightly incredulously.

"Come here and I'll show you." Emily said, taking JJ's hand and leading her towards the bed. "Now lie down and close your eyes." Emily ordered and before JJ could protest, she added. "Do you wanna forget about where we are or not?"

"I so do." JJ replied.

"Then do what I say." Emily grinned and JJ did as she was instructed. She laid on the bed and closed her eyes. Soon, Emily laid next to her and took her hand in hers. JJ smiled at the pleasant warmth of her girlfriend's touch. "OK, what is the one place you'd like to be right now?"

"Why?"

"Don't ask questions," Emily ordered again. "Answer them. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you like to be?"

JJ took a moment to consider the possibilities and finally whispered, "Paris."

"OK." Emily smiled and continued. "Now imagine Avenue des Champs-Élysées in the summer, with all the green trees and hundreds of people making their way along the busy street… Can you see that?"

"Mhm." JJ replied with much contentment in her voice.

"Now imagine me and you walking towards the L'Arc de Triomphe, hand in hand, with the sun shining and stupid French wind blowing in our faces." Emily could see JJ chuckling at the mention of the wind. "Now imagine me and you at the top of the Eiffel Tower admiring the beautiful Paris skyline, wrapped in each other's arms."

"That's a nice image." JJ said with a dreamy smile on her face. "Really really nice."

"And now imagine me and you in a 5-star hotel room doing this." JJ suddenly felt Emily's lips on hers and soon after the brunette was on top of her, showering her with kisses on the lips and on the neck.

"Mhm." JJ moaned with pleasure. "I think I have a very vivid imagination." She added as she felt Emily's hand wander up her shirt.

"You do, don't you?" Emily grinned as her fingers started unbuttoning JJ's shirt, an action welcomed by the blonde with more moans.

JJ finally opened her already slightly foggy eyes and looked at Emily. "I love you." She whispered tangling her hand into Emily's hair and kissing her back to make sure Emily knew she was doing a great job making JJ forget about the shady hotel room they were in.

"I love you too." Emily smiled getting rid of JJ's shirt and sure enough it wasn't long before JJ forgot everything except for Emily's naked body on hers.

***

The next morning JJ awoke to the sound of her name called by, as she soon realized, Emily trying to get her out of bed.

"JJ, come on, we have to hurry. We're leaving in like 20 minutes."

"Don't wake me, please don't wake me." JJ begged, her eyes still closed. "I'm in Paris." She said in a dreamy voice and Emily couldn't help but smile at the memory of last night.

"I promise I will take you to Paris someday, but please get up now." Emily said as she walked over to the bed and placed a soft kiss on JJ's lips. The blonde's eyes opened instantly.

"Another promise, huh?" JJ grinned and Emily saw her eyes lit up, which was an expression that she loved so much. "I might just not regret staying at this dump in the long run."

"I'll make sure you'll get properly rewarded for the hell that you went through." Emily said pulling JJ to a sitting position and kissing her one more time.

"Well, it wasn't really that much of a hell last night." JJ grinned, flushing a little. "Some might even call it heaven." She added as she pulled Emily in for a passionate kiss.

"Mmmm." Emily moaned as she felt JJ's warm lips on hers. "As much as I would love to take you to heaven again," She used all her inner strength to break apart from JJ. "We are due downstairs soon and we really have to get ready." She got up from the bed, a little flushed and thinking that she would definitely rather get lost in those blue eyes and blonde hair than face another gruesome serial killer, but the job had to be done, so heaven was going to have to wait.

"I'm going, I'm going." JJ said as she finally made her way out of bed and into the shower. About twenty minutes and a quick shower later, she was ready to face another day.

When they got downstairs, the rest of the team was already waiting there for them.

"See?" Derek turned to Reid, Hotch and Rossi, "I told you that putting them in a room together was not the smartest idea."

"Oh shut up." JJ reprimanded him, although he could tell she was no longer as mad at him as she was the previous night. "You don't get to speak, since it is all your fault."

"OK, OK, I won't say a word." He sighed and grinned. "But I can see that you survived." He looked at his blonde colleague meaningfully.

"Let's just say that somebody worked really hard last night to make me forget the dump that we were at." JJ said mysteriously and grinned at Emily.

"Really?" Derek raised his eyebrows. "You made her forget about this God forsaken place? What's your secret? Maybe next time we sleep in a dive like this, Emily can help me me forget about it?"

"Oh oh, no way in hell!" JJ shouted and Derek shot her a confused expression.

"What?" he asked and Emily couldn't help but laugh.

"Let's just say that this particular method of making people forget where they are is reserved for one person and one person only." Emily looked meaningfully at JJ and saw that Derek immediately realized what she was talking about.

"Oh, in that case I'll pass." He said grinning. "Not that I would mind you making me forget…"

"Hey!" he didn't even manage to finish as he heard JJ's protest. "You keep your hands and dirty thoughts off my girlfriend!" She warned him. "And be thankful that you're still alive, because if it wasn't for possible murder witnesses, I don't know if you would be." She looked at him with a serious expression on her face and Derek decided it was no idea to piss her off again.

"Alright people, dive or no dive, we have a job to do, so let's go." Aaron Hotchner ordered finally and everyone gathered their things and left the lobby, if the room could even be called that.

"I'm so glad we're out of here." JJ said as she, Derek and Emily walked up to their SUV.

"Well at least you got some last night." Derek pointed out as he opened the door to the car.

"That I did." JJ smiled and stole a glance at Emily, thinking that maybe Derek wouldn't notice. But he noticed and as he saw Emily looking back at JJ, he realized that this was what real love looked like. Maybe someday he would find out what it is too, but for now he was glad that at least some of his friends have been lucky enough to find it.

'Cause anywhere is paradise

When you're with me, it's paradise

Can't you see

You and me in paradise

"No, no, no, please tell that the flight that just left wasn't our connecting flight for Pittsburgh." JJ looked at Emily imploringly, but she knew that Emily couldn't really tell her that, or she would be lying.

"I'm sorry." Emily said sadly and she could see the anger welling up in the blonde's eyes.

"Fucking delays in Milwaukee and stupid connecting flights in Chicago!" JJ ranted. "Why did it have to snow so damn much this morning in Milwaukee?"

"You're not seriously asking me this question, are you?" Emily laughed.

"No…" JJ said in a resigned tone. "I'm just really pissed. The next flight is in three hours and that won't get into Pittsburgh until 9pm."

"Yeah, I remember the schedule." Emily sighed. "But it's still what we're going to do, right?"

"I guess so. Better 9pm than not at all." JJ agreed and headed for the ticket office. "Come on, let's get our tickets." Emily joined her and couldn't help but smile as JJ was muttering under her breath. "Stupid Milwaukee… Stupid Chicago…"

When they got to the ticket office, JJ took out her credit card and handed it to the woman at the desk. "Hi, I'd like two tickets for the next flight to Pittsburgh."

"Hold on a second." The woman answered and started typing. "I'm sorry, but the flight is almost entirely booked, there is only one seat available." She explained.

"Are you kidding me?" JJ felt like her head was going to explode. This couldn't be happening, it couldn't.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but all the flights are pretty full around this time of year. It's Christmas, you know?"

"I do know, which is exactly why I need to get to Pittsburgh today." JJ's nerves were beginning to get the best of her and Emily could see that she was about to lose it. "And you're telling me that the soonest I can get to Pittsburgh is on a flight that gets there at 1 am?"

"I'm really sorry, but I'm afraid there is nothing that I can do." The woman replied and seemed like she really meant it when she said she was sorry, which was the only reason JJ didn't allow herself to get really pissed off at her. "You can always wait and see if any seats open up on that earlier flight and I can book you for the second one anyway."

"Or you can take the earlier flight," Emily chimed into the conversation, "And I will fly in later."

"Absolutely not!" JJ protested firmly. "There is no way I am going anywhere without you." She added and turned to the woman. "Please book us on that next flight."

"Of course." The woman replied and started typing in the information. A while later JJ and Emily walked away with their tickets and headed for the waiting area. JJ slumped onto the plastic chair and angrily kicked the bag in front of her.

"I can't believe this is happening." She sighed.

"I'm sorry, honey." Emily sat next to JJ and took her hand into hers in a comforting gesture. "I know how much you wanted to spend Christmas Eve with your family."

"I wanted us to spend Christmas Eve with my family. You know, get to know each other before the craziness of Christmas day and all that stuff."

"I know." Emily put her arm around JJ and she felt the blonde nestled into her arms. "I was kind of looking forward to all the Jareau Christmas Eve festivities." She grinned. "You told me so much about them."

"Well, they may not seem like a big deal, but they are pretty important for us." JJ smiled. "Our family is far from perfect, but somehow Christmas has always been the time when we sort of set aside all the conflicts and raid the kitchen together to prepare the Christmas meal."

"That sounds nice."

"It is." JJ agreed and looked up at Emily. "Which is why I wanted you to be a part of it this year. But of course we have to get called on a case to freakin' Milwaukee. And I don't know why I'm so mad about that since I was the one that chose this case." JJ said with a laugh, but Emily could see the anger coming back. "I don't think I've ever been on a flight that got delayed as much as ours did. Stupid snow!" She exclaimed.

"Oh I know you don't mean that." Emily grinned and looked at JJ meaningfully. "You love snow, you always have. At least ever since I've known you."

"I do love snow," JJ admitted, "But in normal amounts. Not the kind of snow that prevents planes from taking off. This is not the snow I love, this is stupid snow." JJ explained with a pout and Emily couldn't help but think how absolutely beautiful her girlfriend was. And that pout had always made her weak in the knees. Emily had seen that out in pictures of a 4-year-old Jennifer Jareau and she couldn't remember ever seeing anything cuter. And now, almost thirty years later, JJ was still the cutest creature ever. And sure she had grown up to be a breathtakingly stunning woman, but that pout made her look like she was 4 years old again and showing her disappointment over a Christmas gift that she didn't like.

"You're so cute when you're angry." Emily finally said with a grin. "Your eyes get so wide and even bluer than usual and your lips…"

"Thank you very much for this fascinating analysis of my facial expressions." JJ cut Emily short, not wanting to hear any more of her descriptions. "I'm glad to know that you like to see me mad."

"You know that is not true." Emily laughed and kissed the side of Emily's forehead. "But I can't help if I find you cute when you're angry." Emily grinned and quickly added. "Not that I don't find you cute otherwise. And of course I find you other things too, but I'm not gonna mention those since we are in a public place." She said and she could see a smile spread on JJ's face.

"You and your dirty mind, Emily Prentiss." JJ feigned indignation. "I don't know why I even put up with you." JJ shook her head in disbelief and she could see Emily chuckle.

"Because you love me?"

"No, that's not it." JJ pretended to be looking for another answer for a while before she stole a quick kiss on the lips from Emily. "Or maybe it is." She grinned as she rested her head on Emily's shoulders again. "You know, if I have to be stranded at an airport for a couple of hours, I'm glad I have you by my side." JJ gently stroked Emily's hand and she could feel Emily kiss the top of her head.

"Oh you know that I would gladly be stranded anywhere in the world with you." Emily replied and couldn't help but think how grateful she was to have JJ in her life. And indeed she didn't care much where she was, as long as she had Jennifer Jareau by her side.

***

"I hope you don't mind, but I told my mom that we are going to get a rental car?" JJ shot Emily a questioning look. " I mean she wanted to come pick us up, but that was before we knew that we'd be getting in at 1am. I didn't wanna tire her any more after what surely was a hard day in the kitchen."

"Of course I don't mind." Emily smiled. "We'll be fine on our own."

"I figured as much." JJ grinned and looked at her watch. "And since it's already after midnight, let me just say Merry Christmas, Emily." She smiled and leaned in for a quick kiss. "More of that when we get home." She promised.

"I shall hope so." Emily raised her eyebrows and smiled. "Merry Christmas, Jennifer."

"You're not mad that I'm dragging you all the way to Pennsylvania for Christmas, are you?" JJ asked hopefully.

"There is no place I'd rather be." Emily gave JJ's hand a gentle squeeze and JJ felt like the happiest woman on the planet.

I'll put my faith in you

And you put your faith in me

There's nothing they can do

To take you away from me

You'll stay here in my arms

You can stay in my arms

"Please tell me I'm not seeing what I think I'm seeing." JJ begged the BAU team, referring to a small boat that they were about to enter.

"I'm afraid you're seeing exactly what you think you're seeing." Emily said with a grimace on her face, knowing very well why her girlfriend would have a problem with travelling on a boat.

"There is no way I'm going on that thing! No way!"

"JJ, this is the only way we can get to where we need to be." Derek explained, but JJ was not about to listen to reason.

"I don't care! I don't care! I am not going on that thing!" She kept insisting and Emily knew that convincing JJ that she needed to go on the boat with them was one of the hardest things Emily had ever had to do in her life.

"You're an FBI agent and you're afraid of a little water?" Derek teased and JJ smacked him on the head with her purse.

"Don't you dare make fun of me, Derek Morgan!" She shouted, appearing to be angry, but also trying really hard to contain her laughter. "You know damn well that it's not the water I'm afraid of, but I hate what that damn rocking does to my stomach." JJ turned to Emily, hoping that maybe Emily would be on her side. "You know how I get on boats, don't you? I get nauseous and my head keeps spinning and I spend about 99% of the time puking so hard that I feel like I'm gonna puke my insides out." Emily could see the terror in JJ's eyes and she wished there was something she could do so that JJ didn't have to do this, but there really wasn't. "You remember what happened when we went to the Great Lakes last summer, right? Do you really want me to go through that again?"

"I remember and of course I don't want you to go through that again," Emily said sadly, trying not to think too much about the state JJ was in during the aforementioned trip, "but I'm afraid you don't have much choice. I mean you do want us to get the bad guy, right?"

"Of course I do!" JJ almost cried.

"And you know that in order to be able to do that, we have to cross the bay, right?" Emily asked and JJ nodded, absolutely terrified. "Well then put your bravest face on and get on that freakin' boat. The ride is supposed to be only about half an hour and I will be there to hold you the entire time, OK?" Emily looked JJ in the eye, making sure the blonde knew she was going to be there to make things easier for her. "You can do it!"

JJ sighed deeply as she finally said, "You're right, I can do it. I have to do it." She shuddered at the thought of getting on the boat, but she knew that her team mates were right, and she had to do it. She had to be there with them and work the case, instead of letting her fear get the better of her.

"That's my girl!" Emily smiled as she reached for JJ's hand, just like she had promised. Emily could feel JJ squeezing her hand tightly, still very anxious about the boat ride.

"Why do I keep doing this to myself?" JJ asked rhetorically. "First the freakin' blizzard in Milwaukee before Christmas, now a case where we have to go on boats… I really need to start being more careful when choosing cases." She added and the rest of the team laughed.

"Somehow I don't see you turning down a case because of bad weather or questionable means of transportation." Rossi noted as he sent JJ a reassuring smile. And he was right. JJ knew that her criteria for selecting cases were totally different than things like weather and her own comfort and well-being.

Nevertheless, as she was taking step after step towards the boat they were about to embark on, she was shaking uncontrollably and she could feel her hands getting sweaty. She was desperately holding onto Emily and Emily knew she couldn't let go of the media liaison or she would never forgive her.

As they stepped onto the gangway, JJ could already feel the boat rocking and she thought she was going to puke right there and then. However, somehow she managed to control herself and enter the boat, although she felt nauseous like hell and she could see the world around her starting to rotate.

"Oh God, the ride hasn't even started and I feel like absolute crap!" She cried, praying to God that she could just fall asleep and wake up on solid ground.

"Hang in there, JJ." Derek chimed in with a smile. "You're going to be OK."

"Somehow I have the hardest time believing that." JJ replied as she felt her insides turn upside down and she knew it wouldn't be much longer until she wouldn't be able to control her gag reflexes anymore. She sat in one of the seats and closed her eyes, hoping that maybe that would make the boat seem like it was rocking less.

"Do you need a bag?" Emily asked concerned, as she sat beside her girlfriend, still holding her hand tightly. The boat finally started to move and Emily knew that JJ was not going to last long.

"Uhm." Was all JJ managed to say as Emily handed her the bag and put her arm around the blonde. JJ held onto the bag, praying that she wouldn't have to use it, but almost 100% sure that she would. "This is ridiculous!" JJ said after a moment. "Normal people get sick when they see mutilated bodies and severed body parts, which is something I seem to tolerate to some extent. But put me on a boat and this happens."

"Honey, you're not the only person in the world who gets like that on a boat." Emily laughed. "It's actually pretty popular."

"Yet none of you get like that." JJ pointed out and Emily could see how pale the blonde was. "Please don't let me die here." JJ begged and even though Emily could see how much pain her girlfriend was in, she couldn't help but laugh.

"I promise I will not let you die on the boat." Emily looked at JJ meaningfully and as she suddenly felt the boat rocking hard, she suspected this was it for JJ.

And she wasn't wrong, because almost as soon Emily thought about it, she could see JJ leaving the contents of her stomach in a plastic bag, which she was now holding with both hands. Emily pulled JJ's hair back until the moment JJ appeared to be done vomiting. She handed her a tissue to wipe her mouth.

"How much longer do we have to be here?" JJ asked with desperation in her eyes.

"Just a couple more minutes." Emily promised as she was trying to come up with something to make the ride a little easier for JJ. "Just think about what we'll be doing tonight in our hotel room." She suggested, raising her eyebrows cockily and kissing JJ passionately, trying to make her forget about the rocking boat. "There. Better?" Emily asked with a disarming smile and she could tell JJ was indeed slightly less panicked.

"A little." The blonde admitted with s sigh. "But maybe you should do that again. Just to make sure I really am better." JJ proposed with a grin and Emily happily obliged, planting another kiss on JJ's lips, this time putting her arm around the media liaison and pulling her closer. She could see JJ closing her eyes, most likely to avoid catching a glimpse of the water surrounding them.

"Now?" Emily asked after a moment.

"Definitely better." JJ replied taking Emily's other hand into hers and squeezing it gently. "But I still absolutely hate being here. And if it wasn't for you I probably would have puked all over this stupid boat."

"Well I'm glad I could prevent that from happening." Emily laughed as she kissed JJ's forehead. She could suddenly feel the blonde in her arms shivering. "Are you cold?"

"No, it's not the cold." JJ replied. "It's the boat." JJ explained as she grabbed the plastic bag, afraid that she was about to need it again. "Jesus, my head!" She exclaimed as she pressed her shivering body closer to Emily's, hoping that it will take some of the horrible feelings and sensations away.

"I know you're feeling like shit, but if you open your eyes, I think what you'll see is going to make you a little happier." Emily said with a smile and JJ forced herself to lift her eyelids and look around.

"Oh my God, I can see the shore!" She shouted happily and Emily couldn't help but chuckle at JJ's excitement. "Please tell me it's not a mirage and that my mind is not playing tricks on me. Please, please tell me I'm really seeing the ground." JJ looked at Emily imploringly.

"You are really seeing the ground." Emily said softly and she could see how relieved JJ was.

"Oh thank God." JJ sighed as she buried her face in her hands, Emily's arm still around her. It took another couple of minutes before the boat reached the shore and the passengers were cleared to leave the decks.

As soon as JJ's feet touched solid ground, she let out an uncontrollable happy moan as she sank to her knees and started breathing heavily. The rest of the team got a little concerned, but Emily knew that JJ needed a couple of minutes to get back to her normal self.

"Geez, this feels like the most humongous hangover ever and I haven't even had anything to drink." She laughed as she continued to let out deep sighs. "Oh crap!" She continued as she finally stood up and turned around to face the rest of the team. "OK, I think I'm done now." She smiled. "Sorry about that guys."

"You have nothing to be sorry about." Hotch assured her. "It's not like you could help it, right?"

"I know, but still…" JJ sighed. "I feel bad that you had to witness all that."

"We've seen worse." Reid pointed out and JJ realized that it indeed was very true. But she still felt like an idiot.

"Are you sure you're OK?" Emily asked looking at JJ intently and noticing that the blonde was still a little pale.

"I'm fine." JJ replied. "Or at least I will be in just a moment. Don't worry about it."

"You know that's like telling the sun not to shine, right?" Emily grinned as she put her arm around the media liaison. JJ welcomed the comforting gesture with a smile on her face and pressed her body onto Emily's as the team started making their way away from the water. "Let's go catch the bad guys."

Still a little embarrassed about her weakness, JJ buried her head in Emily's chest, knowing that the brunette adored her even while she was puking into a plastic bag on a freakin' boat.

'Cause anywhere is paradise

When you're with me, it's paradise

Can't you see

You and me in paradise, in paradise

Paradise

You and me in paradise

***