I'M ACTUALLY GONNA CRY OMG
THIS OMG OMG OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG...
The tragedy of Emily and JJ in canon is that they are two halves of a whole but that whole never comes together at the right time. JJ wants a love that will stay, a love that will fight for her even when she pushes them away, and Emily will leave if it means it will ease even a bit of pain.
Emily wants a love that sets her free, a love that will embrace who she is even when she hates herself or does bad things, and JJ will love if it means making someone feel truly seen.
JJ flees East Allegheny convinced that leaving is the only way she will keep the part of her they can never take away alive, Emily leaves Italy convinced that leaving means she left a part of her she can never take back behind.
Oh, they meet.
They get to know each other and JJ sees in Emily someone steadfast and true, and she hopes Emily will stay. Emily sees in JJ the light she thought she lost and realizes leaving meant finding her way home. They are home, for a while, but they never understand what that means. Not really.
Will appears. JJ pushes him away. Hard. But he comes back and comes back and isn't that what she wanted? Someone good who will fight for her? Someone good who will stay? She chooses.
It makes Emily uneasy. She doesn't know why. But she does. Half of her world is missing, her heart has caved in. And it hurts but she can't tell you why.
Emily wants someone who will stay, who will know everything about her, a love that will fight for her even when she pushes them away.
Then, the light goes out. For both of them.
They lose the world.
A miracle gives it back.
JJ seeks a light she thought she lost. JJ wants someone who will see her, and see who she is, but also let her know that the light has never gone out.
They walk away, they come together.
But never quite in the way they should.
Emily goes to East Allegheny. JJ goes to East Allegheny. Emily holds the light so JJ can walk her path, with all of her. JJ is steadfast. Oh, but she leans. "Give me something so I won't freeze."
The space in between, being seen. Grazing.
That's the thing about blackbirds. They're loudest in that in between, where day and night meet.