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Chapter Text

Seattle

Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital was already in full swing by the time Skye stepped inside. The familiar rush of controlled chaos, the scent of antiseptic and coffee, the distant beeping of monitors—it all grounded her in a way she hadn’t realized she needed.

She barely had time to grab a chart before she felt the familiar weight of multiple pairs of eyes on her.

She sighed, bracing herself as she entered the attending lounge to grab coffee. Sure enough, her colleagues were already gathered, watching her like she was a bomb about to go off.

It was Amelia who spoke first. “So, how was the convention?”

Skye raised an eyebrow. “Are we talking about the part where I gave a speech or the part where a bomb went off?”

The tension in the room cracked slightly as Callie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, we heard about that little detail.”

“Emphasis on ‘heard,’ ” Meredith added. “Because someone didn’t call.”

“I texted,” Skye countered, pouring coffee into a mug.

Addison scoffed, crossing her arms. “Yeah. A single text. ‘I’m fine’ ” She fixed Skye with a look. “What part of that was supposed to be reassuring?”

Skye exhaled. “The ‘I’m fine’ part?”

Arizona sighed, shaking her head. “You’re impossible.”

“You’re not wrong,” Skye admitted, taking a sip of her coffee.

Addison wasn’t amused. “Skylar Alexandria Knight—”

“Oh, full name? That’s serious.”

Addison ignored her. “You were at a medical convention that was literally bombed, and you didn’t think maybe, just maybe, we’d want to hear your voice instead of getting a lazy text?”

Skye winced slightly at the use of her full name. “Okay, when you say it like that, it does sound bad.”

“It was bad,” Meredith pointed out. “We saw the news. People were injured. Some died.”

Skye sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I know. And yeah, it was a mess. But I was helping with the wounded, and then the FBI handled the whole thing.”

Callie studied her. “Of course you did. That’s not the point.”

“The point is, we were worried.” Amelia said.

Skye let out a breath. “I know.”

“Next time, you call.” Addison folded her arms. 

Skye held up a hand in surrender. “Fine. I’ll call.”

She knew the conversation was over when Addison gave her one last pointed look before sighing and grabbing her own coffee. The others slowly followed suit, though Arizona still shook her head at Skye like she was a particularly difficult surgical case.

“Alright, enough of the intervention,” Callie said, stretching. “We actually have work to do.”

Skye raised her coffee cup in mock salute. “Glad to see someone remembers we’re doctors.”

Addison rolled her eyes but didn’t argue as everyone started heading out for their respective cases.

BAU’s Office - Quantico, VA 

Quantico, BAU Headquarters

JJ took a deep breath before stepping into the bullpen, already bracing herself for what was coming. She knew— knew —that the teasing was inevitable. The BAU was many things: brilliant, relentless, highly skilled at reading people. But most of all, they were nosy as hell.

And JJ had not been subtle.

She had barely crossed the threshold when she heard it.

“ Well, well, well. ”

JJ exhaled through her nose before turning toward the source. Morgan, sitting on the edge of her desk, arms crossed and grinning like a man who had way too much ammunition.

Beside him, Emily looked just as smug, sipping her coffee like she had all the time in the world.

JJ set her bag down, rolling her eyes. “Let’s just get this over with.”

“Oh, this is gonna be fun,” Morgan said, shaking his head. “I mean, I knew something was up in Seattle, but then D.C. happened, and suddenly, our girl is distracted .”

Emily smirked. “Completely and utterly distracted.”

JJ shot them both a look. “I was not distracted.”

Emily raised an eyebrow. “Really? Because I distinctly remember you ignoring your own coffee order because you were too busy checking your phone.”

Morgan chuckled. “And let’s not forget the way she went full protective mode when a certain doctor refused medical attention.”

JJ huffed. “I was just making sure she was okay.”

Morgan grinned. “Oh, we know.”

Emily smirked. “And so does everyone else.”

JJ frowned slightly at that. “Wait—”

Just then, a voice cut in.

“So, who’s Dr. Skye Knight?”

JJ turned slowly, finding Garcia leaning against her desk, looking far too interested.

JJ sighed. “Oh, God.”

Garcia gasped. “ Oh my God. It’s real. You are seeing someone.”

“Technically,” Reid chimed in, looking up from his tablet, “we don’t have confirmation she’s seeing her. Just that she’s interested. ”

“Oh, please,” Emily said, smirking at JJ. “Morgan and I already confirmed that part.”

JJ groaned, rubbing her temples. “You told them?”

Morgan shrugged. “I mean, they were gonna find out anyway.”

Garcia clapped her hands together. “Okay, so spill. Who is she? Where did you meet? What does she do? How hot is she? ”

Rossi strolled in just then, raising an eyebrow at the commotion. “We talking about JJ’s mystery doctor?”

JJ shot Morgan and Emily a look. “Seriously?”

“What?” Morgan grinned. “We talk. ”

Rossi smirked, taking a sip of his coffee. “I’m just saying, if she’s got you this flustered, she must be something. ”

JJ exhaled slowly, shaking her head. “You guys are impossible.”

Garcia beamed. “And yet, you love us. Now, spill.”

JJ sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Her name is Dr. Skye Knight. She’s a trauma surgeon at Grey Sloan Memorial in Seattle. She treated me when I got shot a while back, and then we ran into each other again in D.C. during that whole bombing situation.”

“And you went out with her after,” Emily added helpfully.

JJ shot her a look.

Reid tilted his head. “So… how did that happen?”

JJ hesitated, then shrugged. “I don’t know. We just… clicked. She’s—” She stopped, searching for the right words.

Emily smirked. “Hot?”

JJ rolled her eyes. “That’s not—”

Morgan grinned. “ Smart? Witty? Knows exactly how to push your buttons? ”

“Okay, yes, all of the above.”

Garcia sighed dreamily. “Ohhh, I love this for you.”

JJ shook her head, but there was a small smile on her lips.

Then, Rossi smirked. “So, when are you seeing her again?”

JJ hesitated, glancing at her phone. “Honestly? No idea.”

Garcia pouted. “Aww, long-distance romance?”

JJ shrugged. “Kind of. We both have insane schedules. I don’t even know when I’ll have time to breathe, let alone fly to Seattle.”

Morgan raised an eyebrow. “That sounds like an excuse.”

JJ crossed her arms. “Oh, really? ”

Morgan grinned. “Yeah. If you wanted to see her, you’d find a way.”

JJ narrowed her eyes. “You do realize you’re the one who always says relationships are complicated with our jobs, right?”

“True. But I also know you, Jareau. And if she’s got you this caught up, she’s worth the effort.”

JJ held his gaze for a moment before sighing. “Yeah. She is.”

Emily smiled. “Then you’ll figure it out.”

JJ exhaled, nodding slightly. “Yeah. I will.”

Garcia beamed. “ Ugh, this is so exciting. I need pictures.”

JJ blinked. “I—there aren’t any pictures.”

Garcia gasped in horror. “ Excuse me? ”

Reid frowned slightly. “Statistically speaking, most people take at least one photo when they spend time with someone they’re interested in.”

JJ huffed. “Okay, first of all, not helping. And second, it wasn’t that kind of—”

Emily suddenly grinned. “Wait a second.”

JJ froze. “What?”

Emily leaned forward. “Did she take a picture?”

JJ opened her mouth, then shut it again.

Silence.

Morgan grinned. “ Ohhh, she totally did.”

JJ groaned, rubbing her temples. “I hate you guys.”

Garcia gasped. “SHOW ME.”

JJ shook her head. “Nope. Not happening.”

Garcia pouted. “That’s just cruel.”

Morgan chuckled. “Come on, Jayje. What’s the harm?”

JJ crossed her arms. “Because it wasn’t a date.”

Emily smirked. “And yet, you let her take a picture.”

JJ sighed, muttering, “I didn’t let her. She just… did it.”

Garcia was practically vibrating with excitement. “Okay, but how ? Was it a sneaky candid? A cute selfie? Did she catch you mid-bite? Details, woman! ”

JJ groaned. “God, why am I friends with you?”

Morgan grinned. “Because you love us.”

“Come on, ” Emily drawled. “We’re not asking for, like, intimate pictures.” She smirked. “Unless you have those.”

JJ shot her a glare.

Morgan grinned. “Just one, Jayje. Let us put a face to the name.”

JJ huffed before pulling out her phone. “Fine. But just one, and then you all drop it.”

She scrolled for a moment before landing on a photo she had definitely not meant to show them—but somehow, it was the one she kept coming back to.

It was from the morning after the bombing, when she had brought Skye breakfast.

Skye, sitting across from her in her hotel room, holding a coffee cup with an amused smirk. The lighting had been soft, the morning glow making her sharp features look even more striking. But what stood out most—what JJ hadn’t been able to stop looking at—was the way Skye had been looking at her.

Not just amused. Not just entertained.

But curious.

Interested.

And maybe—just maybe —something more.

JJ hesitated before finally turning the phone around. “Here.”

The room was silent for exactly three seconds.

Then—

“Oh, damn. ” Morgan let out a low whistle. “Okay, I get it now.”

Garcia clapped her hands together. “JJ. She’s stunning. ”

Emily raised an eyebrow. “No wonder you’re all flustered.”

JJ rolled her eyes. “I am not flustered.”

Garcia smirked. “Honey, your ears are turning red.”

JJ groaned, snatching her phone back. “We’re just friends.”

Morgan chuckled. “Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that, Jayje.”

Emily smirked. “We’ll check back in a few months.”

JJ sighed, shaking her head—but as she tucked her phone away, she couldn’t help but glance at the picture one last time.

Just friends.

Right?

Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital - Seattle

Skye had barely finished her coffee when a nurse poked her head into the lounge. “Dr. Knight, you’re needed in Trauma 2.”

Skye nodded, setting her mug down and following the nurse out. She could feel her colleagues’ eyes still on her, but thankfully, no one stopped her.

The hospital was running as usual—controlled chaos, rapid footsteps, hushed conversations, the sharp beeping of machines. Skye felt herself slip into work mode with ease.

By mid-morning, though, something strange happened.

It started in the ER when an intern, looking frazzled, hesitated before approaching her. “Dr. Knight?”

Skye raised an eyebrow. “Unless there’s another one running around, yeah?”

The intern blinked. Was that… a joke? From Dr. Knight?

“I—uh, I just wanted to confirm the suture method for the lac repair in Bed 6?”

Skye considered it, then nodded. “Simple interrupted. Go slow; make sure the edges are approximated well. If you screw it up, I’ll make you do it again.”

There was no snap, no sharpness. Just straightforward instruction.

The intern nodded quickly, still thrown off. “Yes, ma’am.”

Skye watched them scurry off and shook her head with a faint smirk.

Later, during a consult, she caught Arizona giving her a side-eye.

“What?” Skye asked.

Arizona sipped her coffee. "You're not scaring the interns today.”

“I scare the interns?”

“You terrify them,” Callie chimed in, not looking up from her tablet. “Pretty sure one of them considered dropping out of medicine last week after you yelled at him.”

Skye rolled her eyes. “That’s dramatic.”

Arizona leaned on the counter. “So, what gives?”

Skye frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”

Callie exchanged a glance with Arizona before setting her tablet down. “You’re weirdly calm today.”

“Not as broody,” Arizona added. “Less ‘I will destroy you if you mess up’ energy.”

“Wow. That’s how you see me?”

“Yes,” both women said in unison.

Skye huffed. “Unbelievable.”

Addison walked in just in time to hear that. She glanced between them. “What’s unbelievable?”

“Dr. Knight is in a good mood,” Callie said, sounding borderline suspicious.

Addison narrowed her eyes at Skye. “Did you hit your head in D.C. and forget to tell us?”

Skye groaned, rubbing her temples. “Can’t I just have a decent day without being interrogated?”

Meredith, passing by, smirked. “No.”

Skye sighed dramatically and walked away before it turned into a bigger mess.

Noon

By lunchtime, word had spread.

“Okay, what the hell is going on with Dr. Knight?” One of the interns whispered to another as they stood outside the ER.

“She didn’t bite my head off this morning,” another added. “She just explained what I did wrong and moved on.”

The first intern looked around, as if making sure no one would overhear. “You think she hit her head in that explosion?”

Before they could speculate further, Skye walked past them, flipping through a patient’s chart. She didn’t glare at them; she didn’t even seem to notice their nervous glances. She just kept moving.

Which was very weird.

Attending Lounge

“You’re different today,” Addison commented as she sat across from Skye in the lounge.

Skye took a bite of her sandwich, completely unfazed. “Wow. You guys really need new material.”

“No, seriously.” Addison leaned forward, studying her. “You’re… dare I say, pleasant ?”

Skye rolled her eyes. “Don’t exaggerate.”

“I’m not.” Addison smirked. “Did something happen in D.C.?”

Skye paused for half a second before replying, “Other than the bomb ?”

“I mean after that.”

“Not really.”

She could mention JJ. She could say something about the blonde FBI agent who had a way of getting under her skin, in a way that didn’t make her want to push back.

But where would that get her?

Nowhere.

It would only lead her to be teased by her friends.

So instead, she smirked and took another bite of her sandwich. “Maybe I’m just growing as a person.”

Addison scoffed. “As if.”

Skye just chuckled. 

Addison wasn’t letting this go.

Skye could feel it even before the redhead leaned forward, setting down her coffee like she meant business. “Alright. Talk.”

Skye blinked. “About what?”

Addison narrowed her eyes. “Don’t play dumb. You’ve been… weirdly calm since coming back from D.C.”

“I told you, I’m growing as a person.”

Addison didn’t even blink. “Bull.”

Skye sighed and sank further into the couch. “Can’t a person come back from a bombing and just… enjoy breathing without being accused of emotional sabotage?”

Addison crossed her arms. “ Not when that person is you. ”

Before Skye could offer a witty retort, her phone—face-up on the table— dinged with a new notification.

Agent Terrible Judgement : My team is unbearable. This is your fault. Hope yours are also as unbearable as mine.

Skye’s eyes widened. She snatched the phone like it was a live grenade and turned the screen face-down. But it was far too late.

Addison leaned in slowly, a wicked grin spreading across her face. “Agent. Terrible. Judgement? ” she repeated, like she’d just found gold.

Skye muttered, “It’s a nickname. It’s not what you think.”

Addison sat back with a smug expression. “Is Agent Terrible Judgement the reason you've been walking around here all zen and mildly delightful?”

Skye didn’t answer—just glared, cheeks beginning to tint the slightest shade of pink.

Right on cue, the door to the lounge opened and Amelia, Callie, and Arizona walked in mid-conversation. They stopped when they saw Addison grinning like a cat with a trapped mouse.

Callie blinked. “Okay, what did we just walk into?”

Amelia cocked her head. “Why do you look guilty, Skye?”

Arizona pointed. “And why is Addison looking like she just won the Powerball?”

Addison, still beaming, announced, “We were just discussing Agent Terrible Judgement. ”

All three women stopped in their tracks.

Amelia’s eyes lit up. “ Wait. Who’s Agent Terrible Judgement?”

Skye groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s… a contact name. In my phone.”

“Yeah, we got that,” Callie said. “ Why is that their name?”

Arizona leaned in. “And why do you look like you want to crawl under a table?”

Skye shot Addison a glare, but the woman looked utterly unrepentant. Resigned, Skye finally muttered, “Fine. You want the story?”

Everyone sat or leaned in, giving her their full attention.

Skye exhaled and leaned back. “You all remember that FBI agent I treated about a month ago?”

Amelia’s eyebrows shot up. “The hot one ?”

Arizona smirked. “The one we teased you about?”

Skye nodded, looking mildly pained. “Yeah. Her. ”

A brief moment of stunned silence. Then—

“OH MY GOD.” Arizona gasped.

Addison leaned back, victorious. “I knew it.”

Callie gasped, clutching her imaginary pearls. “ You saw her again? ”

Amelia’s grin widened. “Dr. Knight, you dog. ”

Skye groaned and dropped her head briefly into her hands. “It’s not like that.”

“Oh, it’s exactly like that. What happened?”

Skye resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “She was one of the agents in charge of the bombing at the D.C. convention. We ended up working together—helping people, coordinating triage, clearing the building. It was chaos, but we handled it well.”

Amelia looked unconvinced. “Uh-huh. Keep going.”

Skye looked away, as if annoyed with herself. “After things settled down, she asked me if I wanted to grab a drink. I agreed.”

The room exploded .

Amelia gasped. “You agreed ?”

Arizona adds. “Skye, that’s basically a date .”

Callie leaned forward, eyes gleaming. “Was she wearing the FBI windbreaker? Be honest.”

“Does it matter?” Addison asked. “Of course she was. That thing probably never comes off.”

Skye rubbed her temple. “Do you want to hear the story or not?”

Everyone fell silent again.

Then Skye speaks again, a bit more quietly. “We talked. And that’s it.”

Callie was already shaking her head. “That is not it. Keep going.”

Skye scowled. “She brought me coffee the next morning. Breakfast too.”

Amelia’s voice was a little too gleeful. “ In your hotel room? ”

Skye groaned. “Yes. We had breakfast. Together. In my hotel room.  It wasn’t a big deal.”

Callie made an exaggerated fan motion with her hand. “I think I’m swooning.”

Addison blinked. “ Wait. She brought you breakfast in bed? ”

Skye gave her a flat look. “I was dressed. It wasn’t—”

Addison held up a hand. “Nope. Don’t ruin it. That’s adorable. And romantic. And very not-just-a-casual-coffee thing.”

Arizona agreed, “ Breakfast in your hotel room? That’s kind of romantic.”

Skye rolled her eyes. “It was just food. And that was it. She had to fly back. I flew back. Nothing more.”

“Uh-huh,” Addison drawled. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”

Skye glared. “There was no hooking up. It wasn’t like that.”

Amelia squinted at her. “But you like her?”

Skye hesitated. “I don’t not like her.”

Arizona grinned. “That’s basically a confession.”

Callie grinned at Addison. “No wonder she’s been mellow. She’s infatuated. ”

“I am not infatuated.”

Addison raised her brows. “What do you call putting someone in your phone as Agent Terrible Judgement but still texting them anyway? ”

“A coping mechanism,” Skye muttered.

Arizona leaned back with a knowing smile. “So. What now?”

Skye shrugged, sipping her now-cold coffee. “I don’t know. We’re… talking. Texting. Not sure where it’s going.”

Amelia grinned. “Well, wherever it’s going, it’s working. You’ve been downright tolerable lately.”

“High praise,” Skye deadpanned.

But despite the teasing, the corner of her mouth twitched with the beginnings of a smile.

Addison reached for a fry from someone’s tray and popped it in her mouth. “So… when are we meeting her?”

Skye didn’t answer.

Amelia wiggled her eyebrows. “She is real, right? Not just a coping mechanism you conjured after the trauma?”

Skye gave her a dry look. “Yes, she’s real. No, you’re not meeting her. It’s… new.”

Addison smirked, leaning back in her chair with the kind of satisfaction only older sisters and lifelong friends could muster. 

“You say ‘new,’ but you’ve been hung up on her since she got shot in your ER. You literally yelled at a cardiothoracic surgeon for getting in your way that night.”

Callie nodded. “And don’t think we forgot that you didn’t yell at her . Even when she bled all over your floor.”

Skye groaned. “Okay, I get it, you’ve all been waiting for this moment.”

Arizona held up her hands. “Hey, we support your mysterious fed romance.”

“She’s not mysterious,” Skye muttered.

Addison sipped her coffee, then pointed out calmly, “You haven’t even told us her real name. You keep calling her ‘Agent Terrible Judgement.’”

Amelia leaned forward. “Yeah, what is her real name?”

Skye hesitated for a beat too long.

Callie’s mouth dropped open. “You do know her name, right?”

“Yes,” Skye replied quickly. “Jennifer Jareau.”

“Jennifer Jareau?” Arizona repeated. “Wait. JJ? ”

“Yeah,” Skye admitted. “You know her?”

“Oh, I think everyone who used to watch the news knows her,” Addison said, her tone amused. “She’s basically famous.”

Skye blinked. “…She is?”

“She was like FBI’s media face and their field asset. Gorgeous. Blonde. A sweetheart,” Arizona said, ticking off with her fingers. “No wonder you’re spiraling.”

“I’m not spiraling.”

“You’re spiraling adorably, ” Callie said with a grin. “It’s cute. Like a puppy falling down a flight of emotional stairs.”

Skye buried her face in her hands again. “Please kill me.”

Addison smiled and leaned closer. “We’ll consider it—if you introduce her to us.”

“We promise we’ll try to behave.”

Skye gave them a pointed look. “You say that now, but I know you.”

“Aww come on, we’re not that bad.”

“I hate all of you,” Skye muttered, trying not to look too affected.

“Oh no,” Amelia said with a laugh. “You love us. Just not as much as you love—”

“Don’t say it,” Skye warned.

Addison handed the phone back. “It’s okay. We’ll let it go. For now. ”

Skye narrowed her eyes. “You’re not going to let it go.”

“Not a chance,” Callie confirmed, grinning.

Arizona raised an eyebrow. “So when are you seeing her again?”

Skye blinked. “I don’t know. We didn’t plan anything yet.”

Amelia snorted. “You’re a trauma surgeon and she’s in the FBI. The chaos writes itself.”

Addison said, more seriously, “But if she makes you feel good… if she makes you feel seen, Skye… don’t run from it.”

The room suddenly felt quieter.

Skye stared at her coffee for a beat, then nodded. “…I’m not running. I’m just walking slowly.”

Arizona smiled. “Well. Let us know when you decide to pick up the pace.”

Skye snatched her phone again, muttering, “I’m going back to work.”

But as she stood and turned, Arizona called after her, “Tell Agent Terrible Judgement we said hi!”

“Shut up,” Skye called over her shoulder, but they could hear the smile in her voice as she walked out.

Once she was gone, Addison exhaled, a thoughtful look settling over her face.

Amelia noticed. “What?”

Addison shook her head. “Just… glad to see her like this.”

Arizona nodded. “Me too.”

Callie leaned forward again. “But when she does bring JJ around, we are absolutely grilling her.”

“Oh, without mercy,” Amelia agreed.

“Obviously,” Addison added.

They clinked their coffee cups together like it was a pact.

And just outside the lounge, Skye stood hidden behind the door for a second longer than necessary, looking at her chat with JJ.

Skye’s thumbs hovered over the keyboard for a moment before she typed back.

Dr. Pain in the Ass: You have no idea. Mine just staged an intervention over you.

And it only took a few seconds for the typing bubbles to appear.

Agent Terrible Judgement: Intervention?

Dr. Pain in the Ass: Yeah. Like, a full committee meeting. Addison found out you exist, then somehow Arizona, Callie, and Amelia shows up at that exact moment and they join with Addie to interrogate me. 

Agent Terrible Judgement: …Should I be concerned?

Dr. Pain in the Ass: Yes. Absolutely. My group is worse than yours. They’re like… vultures with coffee. And scrubs.

Agent Terrible Judgement: Bold of you to assume my team doesn’t own scrubs.

Dr. Pain in the Ass: Oh no. You’re that kind of FBI team?

Agent Terrible Judgement: We adapt. We improvise. We borrow hospital laundry.

Skye snorted quietly to herself, leaning against the wall just outside the lounge.

Dr. Pain in the Ass: Well, my people already planning an inquisition if you ever set foot in Seattle.

There was a longer pause this time before the dots reappeared.

Agent Terrible Judgement: Good to know. I’ll bring my interrogation countermeasures.

Skye’s lips twitched. She didn’t even notice the smile until it was already there.

Dr. Pain in the Ass: Good luck with that. You’ll need it.

Agent Terrible Judgement: Bring it on, Doctor.

Skye locked her phone and finally pushed off the wall, heading back toward the elevators, still feeling the faint hum of amusement in her chest.

Her shift wasn’t over yet—but suddenly, the day felt lighter.