A/N: Hello. This latest story of mine is a response to the New Years Challenge on Chit Chat On Authors Corner. It's my first ever JJ/Morgan story and let me tell you this was super hard to write. So, please go easy on me, I definitely know it's not perfect.

The premise of this story lies in the episodes where JJ proposes a case based on her feelings or instincts and Derek immediately sort of questions her judgement. A couple of those episodes are North Mammon, A Higher Power, and Mosley Lane.

Assignment: JJ/Derek; fireworks, marriage proposal, countdown to midnight.

Summary: After continuously arguing case points with her former colleague, Derek Morgan, JJ finds that she has no idea what exactly Derek's problem with her is. After attributing it to her not being a Profiler, Derek decides to correct her of this assumption.

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

Midnight Apology:

JJ was utterly exhausted, physically, but mostly mentally. She'd just arrived home from a joint case with her unit at the Department of Defence and Quantico's Behavioural Analysis Unit. She knew once she'd left the BAU that there would be occasional instances where her new job and her old job would clash—even terrorists could be psychopaths. And clash she did, a lot with her former colleague—and, she thought, her friend—Derek Morgan.

After all the years of working with him she still could not figure him out. He could be kind, gentle and compassionate one minute and the next he'd be hard, stern and obstinate.

Obstinate was a good word for him. She would definitely describe his behaviour towards her as being obstinate. During the case, JJ felt that he would counter whatever she said at every turn. Sometimes she felt he was arguing with her just for the sake of arguing.

It had happened a few times before in their professional career together. JJ would pick a case, a case that she knew was a long shot, but in her gut she knew that they needed to help. And then he'd question her. The Sarah Hillridge example was the most recent. Sarah had come to her with new information that connected her son's abduction with a new abduction years later. Morgan scoffed at her believing the woman, even suggesting it was because she was a mother that she believed the woman. That hadn't been the first time he'd put her thoughts down, and apparently, it wouldn't be the last, if this newest case was anything to go by.

Why was she wasting her time thinking about Derek Morgan? It was New Years Eve, Will had Henry for the weekend, and she should be out there ringing in the New Year in style. God only knew that Derek probably already was.

She put down her pint of double chocolate chip ice cream and glanced at her watch, ten to ten, she still had enough time to get dressed up and find some event or other to crash. As a high profile member of the Department of Defence she'd been invited to many parties that night, she'd only have to choose.

"Morgan," Garcia began, "You're a great profiler, but when it comes to other people's feelings, yeah, sensitive, you are not."

Morgan glanced up at his office door to see the red-headed analyst looking at him in disapproval.

"Baby girl," Morgan began, amused. "What are you talking about?"

He watched as Garcia crossed her arms over her chest. Uh oh, she was definitely not happy.

"I'm talking about our girl, JJ," she blurted out.

Morgan let out a groan. He'd been thinking about JJ ever since she and her team had left the BAU offices. And all he kept thinking about was why it was so difficult to work with her now? They used to get on so well. So what changed?

"Did you have to disagree or argue with everything she said?" Garcia wanted to know.

"Me?" Morgan exclaimed. "She's the one who was arguing with me."

Garcia shook her head. "Well you started it. God, you two were bickering like an old married couple!"

"We were not,' Morgan argued, realizing he sounded just like a child.

"We want her to want to come back here Derek, putting her down and hurting her feelings isn't going to help with that," Garcia continued to scold.

Crap.

"I hurt her feelings?" Morgan inquired, bewildered.

Garcia shook her head again. "Men, you are all so clueless." She turned to go. "Happy New Year, Derek."

He hadn't meant to hurt her feelings. He had just wanted to make sure they'd hashed everything out. A lot of lives were at risk tonight and he hadn't wanted to leave anything to chance. So, if he was a little hard on JJ it was only because lives were at stake. She had to know that, right? Of course, she knew that. Didn't she?

JJ had showered and gotten all ready to ring in the New Year. Her hair was pulled back in waves, her make up was dramatic, and she was dressed in a flaming red dress that just screamed 'kiss me at midnight.'

She hadn't really decided on where she was going when her doorbell suddenly rang, completely surprising her since she was not expecting anyone at all. She grabbed her purse and made her way to the door.

Without looking out the peephole—a misstep that showed how exhausted she really was—she opened the door.

"Derek!" she exclaimed.

And then without even realizing what she was doing, she started to shut the door. She guessed she really had had enough of Derek Morgan.

"JJ?" Morgan said in surprise, blocking the door before she'd gotten it closed.

There was no use in trying to hold him off, so she let out a groan and let go of the door. She turned away from him, crossing her arms over her chest. She didn't want him to see how upset his presence was making her.

"JJ?" Morgan questioned after he'd stepped inside, shutting the door behind him.

She didn't turn around. Childish? Yes. Too tired to care? Definitely.

"Shit," she heard him swear. "Garcia was right."

What he was talking about, she didn't know. But she really did not want to be doing this right now. She turned around to shoot him a scornful glare.

"I'm sorry Derek," she began bitterly. "But I've got somewhere to be."

She watched him as he gave her the once over, top to bottom. She struggled not to squirm under his intense stare.

"I uh… see that," Derek said tentatively. "Where you off to?"

She shrugged. "It's New Years Eve," she reminded him, glancing at her watch. "And the countdown to midnight's an hour away. What do you want Derek? I thought you would have had enough of me this past week…"

She said it so bitterly that he knew that this ran deeper than just this past case. He'd done this to her before… and he'd been too much of an idiot to realize it.

"I came here, JJ," he began, "to apologize."

"You know Derek," she started angrily. "I may not have taken the classes to make me a profiler, but I've been doing this for a long time. Sometimes… sometimes I know what I'm talking about. So excuse me for not being an all mighty profiler."

She couldn't help herself from unleashing exactly how she felt. He'd scoffed at her ideas one too many times before.

"Is that what you think…JJ, I don't argue with you because you're not a profiler."

She turned to look at him with wide-eyed blue eyes. "Then why?"

He let out a sigh. This was hard for him; though every member of the team would say he was a good guy, fun to be around, good to talk to, he wasn't ever really open about himself. Talking about his feelings just was not what he did. But he realized if he didn't at this moment, he could lose JJ as a friend forever.

"JJ, I don't think there's anything wrong with you not being a profiler. You're great at what you do. I mean, look where it's gotten you, the freaking Pentagon!"

She tried to suppress the flicker of a smile that wanted to overtake her face. She was still mad at him after all.

"Ok, so what is it then?" Is it me? I always thought we were good friends, but maybe…" she started insecurely.

Impulsively, he grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. "JJ, of course we're friends."

She gave their entwined hands a look, marvelling at how her hand was lost in his large one. Bringing her eyes back up to meet his, she implored, "Then what Derek?"

He let out a sigh, taking hold of her other hand, briefly thinking about how nice it felt to just stand there, holding her hands. But he could tell from her shiny eyes that she needed an answer.

"JJ, one of the things I admire most about you is the size of your heart. You don't only care about your friends and family, you've got the unique ability to care about complete strangers. You're power to empathize with people you barely know is unlike anyone I've ever known," he complimented.

"Ok…" she said, confused at how this was an explanation for why he bantered with her.

"But, sometimes, I think you let your heart do too much of the thinking—"

"Derek," she protested.

"Wait, hear me out," he took over. "And I'm afraid that one day that's going to get you in a situation where you can get hurt, physically and mentally. And I don't want to see that. The last thing I ever want to see is you hurt."

"Oh," she said simply.

"Yeah, and I'm sorry, all I ended up doing was hurting you," Morgan continued. "So… I'm sorry."

JJ nodded. He was right of course; sometimes she did let her emotions come into play. Like when she'd actually believed that psychic had information on finding a kidnapped girl. It had turned out ok, but Rossi had reminded her that it could have also gone terribly wrong. But all she had wanted was to believe that someone could help.

She looked down, not knowing what to say. And Derek waited apprehensively to see if she forgave him or not.

"Would it help if I added that you're super smart and beautiful, and I'm a complete idiot?" Morgan attempted to alleviate the tension.

JJ laughed, hugging him close, taking him by surprise. After a second's hesitation on his part, he wrapped his arms around her small body.

"Yeah, it helps," she murmured into his chest. "You're not an idiot…"

"Yes I am," he assured.

"No you're not," she retorted.

"Yes—" he cut himself off. "Garcia was right; we do bicker like an old married couple."

She laughed. "Maybe we should make it official, surprise Garcia," JJ replied, joking.

"JJ, are you asking me to marry you?" he replied, amused.

JJ pushed him away, laughing.

"I'm glad you came over," she told him affectionately, "and told me all that."

"Me too," he added.

She took hold of his hand this time. "Come on, let's watch TV, see if we can find some fireworks…"

He gladly let her lead him into the living room where he took a seat on the couch and waited for JJ to follow. She kicked off her heels and took a seat close to him. Picking up the remote she turned on the TV and started flipping.

"Did I mention you look amazing tonight?" Derek asked, not so surreptitiously slipping an arm around her shoulders.

"No," she said, smiling. She allowed herself to snuggle into his side. "But, thanks."

They found a local channel broadcasting the night's fireworks. Before the countdown began, JJ grabbed a bottle of champagne she had in the back of her fridge. Derek popped the bottle open and poured each of them a glass. And then ten minutes later they were counting down to midnight.

"10, 9, 8, 7…" they chanted together. "… 3, 2, 1."

"Happy New Year!" JJ exclaimed, giving him an impulsive hug.

He hugged her close.

"Happy 2011," Derek murmured into her hair.

JJ pulled away first, surprised by the tone of his voice, low, husky, full of… desire? She glanced into his eyes and was struck by the intensity of his gaze.

And then he was pressing his lips to hers and she was kissing him back. And at that moment they both had the same exact thought: 'I hope 2011 is full of moments just like this.'

So, I hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you think. It was my first attempt at JJ/Morgan, and after giving the pairing a shot, I think I just might try for another one.

Thanks to ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969 for organizing the lovely challenges on Chit Chat on Authors Corner.