"Look, Agent Hotchner, I understand that Agent Jareau was a friend of yours, but you're going to have to accept that she's gone sooner or later. She was taken by the unsub over three months ago and he never kept his victims for longer than a couple of days." Strauss stated over the phone with a hint of sympathy in her tone.

"I know that Chief Strauss, but we haven't found her body, so we can't be sure that she's..." Hotch couldn't say it. That word. Because if he said it, he'd have to accept the truth. That Agent Jennifer Jareau went missing 3 painstakingly long months ago and was most likely... dead.

Erin Strauss, understanding that Hotch couldn't complete his statement, carried on. "Aaron," she said his first name softly as to show that she wasn't trying to be professional in this discussion, "she was your friend. Your team member. I know that. I was quite fond of her as well. But we have to face facts. Jennifer was abducted by the unsub in Florida, and 2 days after that another woman went missing. I know the body hasn't been found, but his other victims were only found because a storm washed away the shallow graves they were in. Their bodies weren't meant to be found, and since he realized that, he probably... disposed of her some other way. I'm sorry Aaron, I really am."

Hotch took a deep breath and willed the surfacing tears he could feel coming away. He knew all of this in his mind. He knew that it was highly unlikely JJ was still alive. He knew that him holding on to hope was only making this experience harder. He tried to keep his voice even when he said, "I'm aware, ma'am, but we still haven't caught the guy."

"The case went cold after the girl consequent to Jennifer was taken, Aaron. He probably thought your team was closing in on him, so he disappeared. I want to catch him just as much as you, but it's going to be near impossible to catch him until he starts up again." She replied.

She continued, stricter this time, "You've been on 3 cases since Jennifer's disappearance and all of them haven't ended as hoped, Aaron. You need to pull your team together or I will be forced to take action. The director is breathing down my neck about this and the situation won't end well if he gets involved. I apologize that I have to do this, but Jennifer wouldn't have wanted you to be so preoccupied with her that you don't put your full effort into helping others."

Hotch sighed. She was right. JJ would be furious with all of them if she knew they'd practically fallen apart as a team since her abduction.

Garcia can barely focus anymore and has paid several visits to the Bureau therapist, even after the whole team was evaluated. She has definitely been the most emotional about the situation, having been caught sobbing in her office on several occassions.

Prentiss barely speaks to anyone and has a very short temper when she does. She constantly stares at a picture of herself and JJ on Emily's 38th birthday where JJ had planned a surprise party for her, even after she explicitly said she didn't want one. Despite her annoyance at the party at first, she quickly gave in and had an amazing time with her colleagues and would give anything to experience it again.

Rossi has tried to compartmentalize his emotions and be the glue to keep everyone together, but he barely cracks jokes anymore and spends most of his time in his office nowadays. Hotch knows he isn't as nearly as okay as he seems to be.

Reid has completely fallen off the wagon as he can barely focus and has a permanent pair of dark circles under his eyes. Hotch suspects that he goes home and reads through the case file about JJ's disappearance for hours and tries to find out where the bastard who took her could have gone, causing him to get no sleep.

Morgan has a very tiny threshold for anger management, as could be seen on their last case where he yelled at police officers who he deemed weren't doing their job adequately. He spends most of his time at the gym, working off his never-ending rage.

And Agent Hotchner himself has put his full effort into investigating the case, determined to find the unsub who ruined his team. He doesn't act as a leader anymore, efficiently conducting and managing his fellow agents. Instead, he leaves everyone to figure out where and what to do on their own.

"You're right, ma'am. I will tell the team." He said, desperate to end the conversation. He still had the overwhelming urge to look through JJ's case file for the thousandth time, but he now was aware that he needed to help his team. He needed to be a leader again. JJ would've wanted that.

"Good. I'll speak to you later Agent Hotchner." She stated, using her professional tone, and then hung up.

Hotch sighed again and fell back in his chair, putting his head in his hands. The weight of the last 3 months was suffocating. It was like a repeat of when Haley died. He was devastated, angry, hopeless, and most of all, so damn guilty.

It was his fault JJ was taken. He shouldn't have sent her to interview the parents of the third victim alone. He should have gone with her. Because of his ignorance, she was gone.

And he hated himself for that.

Hotch was pulled out of his thoughts by his desk phone ringing.

Ugh who is it now? Another Bureau official calling to scold him on how much of a terrible unit chief he's been lately? Yeah, no thanks.

Hotch considered not answering the phone, and acting like he was busy or doing something important. But he knew that he would have to deal with them eventually anyway, so he might as well get it over with now.

He answered the phone with a dull, "Agent Hotchner."

"Hi, Agent Hotchner, my name is Melanie Malcolm and I'm a doctor at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland." Hotch grew confused. What did a doctor in Maryland want to do with him? They didn't have any recent cases there, and even if they did, it was highly unusual for a doctor to call him directly.

"Um, yes. What can I help you with?" Hotch asked, confusion evident in his tone.

As the woman over the phone spoke, Hotch almost dropped the phone out of his hand. He was shocked. It couldn't be? Could it?

Once she had finished, he stayed silent for a solid ten seconds before rushing out a "We will be there as soon as we can" and hanging up. He barreled out of his office and yelled for the BAU team to meet in the conference room. They all stared at him, confused to see the sluggish and dull Hotch for the last three months be so animated.

When they remained still for a few seconds he yelled, "Now!" and continued to rush to the conference room. They all exchanged bewildered glances before following him. The team made their way to the chairs in the center of the room, assuming they were being briefed for a case.

"There's no time for a briefing. We need to go now." Hotch rushed out, pacing in the front of the room.

"What's going on, Aaron?" Rossi asked, still wondering what had happened to change Hotch's attitude so quickly.

He stopped pacing suddenly and turned to face the group, looking all of them in the eye before speaking.

"She's alive. JJ's alive."