Author's Note: The holiday season is upon us once again and just like last year, I would like to give a present to all of my fellow JJ/Hotch shippers. This should have seven short parts (admittedly, it is not finished) and my goal is to do one chapter a day until Christmas. Happy Holidays, everyone! Here's to many more JJ/Hotch scenes in the new year!

SEVEN WAYS TO SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS

DECEMBER 18TH:

Hotch glanced at his watch for the fourth time a quarter of an hour. He sighed when he realized just how slow time was dragging. He supposed that he should head home, but there was nothing waiting for him there. Not for the first time, he cursed himself for letting Jessica take Jack with her to visit her parents in Albany. They left two days ago and wouldn't be back until after Christmas. Initially, it seemed like a good idea: there was a fifty-fifty chance that the team would be called away on a case and Jack hadn't seen his grandparents in over a year. But, then, the team was placed on stand down, leaving Hotch all alone at Christmas.

Shaking his head, Hotch chastised himself for such morose thoughts. He wasn't completely alone. The team was spending the 23rd together and he had been invited to spend the holidays with Dave, Erin, and Erin's children. Rossi and Strauss. That was a pairing that he was still getting used to, though he couldn't begrudge them as they both seemed to be happier than he could remember before. He, himself, had long since gotten over his break-up with Beth. He had liked her a whole lot, but it hadn't quite progressed into a deep love and the distance between them had ended their relationship without drama.

Sighing again, Hotch turned back to his paperwork. He hadn't touched any of it in quite some time, lost in his own musings. He rubbed his face with his hand and poised the pen to start making notes on one of Morgan's reports.

"Hey, Hotch," JJ said, cheerily, bouncing into his office.

Hotch jumped, his pen falling first to the desk, then to the floor. He gasped, "JJ! What are you still doing here?"

She chuckled at his actions. "I had some paperwork to get caught up on and figured I would do it while Henry's with Will for the night."

"That's a good plan." Hotch leaned forward, placing his arms on his desk. He let his eyes rove over her body, taking in her black skirt and tight blue sweater, his favorite combination on her. He blushed when he noticed her eyebrows raised. "So, um, how is Henry handling everything?"

"Better than either Will or I," she replied. "He loves having his daddy all to himself when they're together without any yelling or tension. Will and I are still finding our way. So, why are you here so late?"

Hotch sighed, recognizing her diversionary tactic. "Jack is with Jessica visiting his grandparents until after Christmas." He sighed again when she frowned. "I thought we would be away for the holiday. I hadn't anticipated Strauss' generosity."

JJ stared at him with steady, sympathetic eyes. Suddenly, she leapt forward and pulled Hotch from his seat. "Come on, boss. Time for you to go home."

"JJ, what-"

"Nope. I am ordering you to leave right now," JJ demanded. She prodded him towards the door, leaving him just enough time to grab his coat and bag on their way to the elevator. "You are to go home and do something Christmas-y."

Hotch shook his head as they got into the elevator. "Christmas-y?"

She nodded. "Bake some cookies. Sing a carol. Watch a movie. Anything, as long as it has to do with Christmas."

"Okay, okay," he conceded, after she threw in a hand on her hip and a raised eyebrow. They split up just outside the building. "Hey, JJ? Thanks."

The memory of the brilliant smile she shot him as they parted stayed with him the entire way home. He was still grinning as he walked up the steps of his porch. Hotch paused at the front door as a bit of green to his right caught his eye. Cautiously, he turned his head to find a Christmas tree leaning against the porch. There was a red envelope on one of the branches.

"What in the world?" Hotch muttered. He grabbed the envelope and pulled out the letter inside. It simply read "Merry Christmas." Hotch shrugged as he hulled the tree inside, figuring he'd thank Rossi tomorrow. Idly, he wondered if putting a tree into a tree stand counted as Christmas-y enough. He figured he should watch a movie, too, just in case.