Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds and no copyright infringement is intended
A/N: My submission to the challenge to write JJ or Prentiss last moment
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JJ stood, her arms crossed in front of her, and looked out the window of her office one last time. The leaves were starting to change color, some already starting to fall. Soon the ground would be awash with colors, red, orange and gold, a prelude to the snow that would soon follow. How many seasons had she seen change from her place behind her desk? How many days had she seen turn to nights while she'd tried to decide which unsub they would chase and which would have to wait for another day. She grinned slightly; she should ask Reid. He could probably tell her. She was totally confident she'd made the right decision. This last case in LA had convinced her of what had been floating around in her mind for a while. Gideon's beloved friend Sarah's life had been brutally taken at the hands of Frank Brightkopf. George Foyet had robbed Hotch and Jack of Haley, and in LA, Billy Flynn had executed Matt Spicer and taken his daughter Ellie. Sometimes the monsters they hunted, hunted them.
She loved her job with a passion, as much as anyone could love something that put them in daily contact with the worst of humanity, but, she'd finally admitted to herself, she loved Henry more. She couldn't risk that someday some unsub would come after her child. She looked at the five stacks of files that Anderson had helped her sort through. They would go to the five profilers until they found someone to fill her post. She didn't envy them the heart wrenching decisions they would have to make and she wished them luck. Jordan Todd had come from counter terrorism to say goodbye and had told her she would not be easy to replace. Been there, done that, she'd said.
Hotch had been very understanding and had not tried to get her to reconsider. He knew the bitter truth, hell, he'd lived it. He had asked what she planned to do and she had joyfully replied, "For a while, nothing." Just to get up each morning knowing that all she would have to look at was her beloved guys, would be heaven. She wouldn't have to face what some sadistic monster had done to another human being. She wouldn't have to go to bed at night imagining she heard their cries.
She would enjoy playing with her son and watching him grow, instead of having to see his first steps on video. The time passed so quickly and he seemed different every time she saw him. Will had been itching to get back to work and he had a good chance of getting on with DC metro or he'd considered working for a PI, lord knew there were enough of them in Washington. Either way, they would see each other every day.
All the good things about what she was about to do flew from her mind briefly as she thought about abandoning her other family, with whom she had shared laughter and pain, happiness and sorrow, blood, sweat and tears, like all families do. She'd miss them terribly.
Who could brighten anyone's day more than Garcia with her flamboyant style and her upbeat attitude? She was like a rainbow in the storm that was often their lives. She would miss her beloved friend dearly although she'd most certainly see her after she'd been on some marathon shopping trip and ended up on their doorstep with more treasures for Henry.
And Emily, they'd been through so much together as teammates and friends. They'd vowed to continue their girls' nights out and JJ was grateful for that. She'd always admired Emily's abilities. Besides her beauty, she was smart, confident, sensitive and kind, but also tough enough to keep up with the guys, definitely not what you'd expect of an ambassador's daughter. She grinned; Emily could, as Brad at the bar had so succinctly put it, kick criminal ass.
Morgan loved to kick in doors didn't he? She'd watched, what she could only describe as a muscle bound dynamo, do it many times and bring an unsub down. If there was anything physical to be done, he was there. She knew now that it was a shield to hide the softer heart inside, one that had been irreparably broken by watching his father die in front of him and being abused by a mentor. He only wanted the world to see the tough, hard ass, lothario. He made a big thing of teasing Reid mercilessly, but she knew that, deep down, he loved him like a brother; he just couldn't show it.
Rossi, she thought. He'd given up a lucrative life as an author and lecturer to come back to this, all because an unsolved case still haunted him after twenty years. It wasn't because his ego didn't want to admit he'd failed; it was to find closure for three children, now adults. His vast, almost never ending, experience was something they'd all learned from. He'd challenged them, not only to reach farther, but also to look deeper within themselves. She'd miss that and his quick wit.
Reid, oh Reid, he'd fascinated her in the beginning with the facts and figures he could spout off with just the slightest provocation. Then she'd learned, like Morgan, it was a way to prevent the others from getting to the damaged heart and psyche that lay beneath. He'd spouted less in the last few years and she hoped it was because he trusted them enough to realize he didn't need to hide from them. She smiled, thinking of physics magic, and that she'd never see another Redskins' game and not think of him. With all he knew, had seen and experienced one would expect him to be jaded, she thought, but his eyes still held an innocence about them. She lifted her eyes heavenward. Don't let him lose that, she prayed. Let him keep just a little, always.
Hotch, well she couldn't even think of words for Hotch. He had always been strong, even through what had happened with Haley and Foyet, courageous and steadfastly loyal to his team. She'd called him a bully once, but if he was it was because he had to be. He just had the weight of the world on his shoulders and expected them to lighten it a little. He'd taken all the hits over anything that happened with the team. He never smiled. Maybe that was an occupational hazard and, if so, perhaps it was best that she was leaving now.
She turned from the window and looked around her office one last time, her hand brushing the back of the chair where she'd sat and made the most heart wrenching decisions. She wiped away a tear that began to trickle down her cheek. It took a lot of strength to do this job, but, surprisingly, she felt it took more to walk away. She had that strength, the strength of a bear protecting her cub. She trusted these six people, who she loved, would find the monsters that might threaten her baby boy and catch them. But if they couldn't, she'd be ready.
She reached for her badge and placed it on the now empty desk, and nodded, as if confirming once again she was doing the right thing, walked to the door and picked up a box filled with her belongings. She stood in the doorway and looked, one more time, at the office that had been hers, reached up to turn the light off and silently closed the door.