'
Once again, I'm poor and own nothing. All mistakes are mine.
Wither'
It had been a long night finishing up a case. A case in which JJ was pretty close to being seriously injured or even dead. The way JJ saw it is that she had a hunch that she could talk the unsub down and if she succeeded she would have saved a little boys life. Of course, if she failed then her life would be hanging in the balance now. Fortunately, JJ had made the right call, The child was safe, the unsub was apprehended and she would live to see another day. Hotch, however, seemed to not be in as high spirits as her. The rest of the team had gone home to relieve stress and JJ had asked Hotch to stay behind so they could talk. Hotch had agreed with a grimace. JJ understood he was probably mad because she took a risk that she hadn't cleared with him before hand but that was no reason to treat her the way he had for the past few hours. It was just strictly professional, not even a measly I'm glad your okay, JJ. JJ enjoyed the close friendship that she and Hotch had developed along the years and greatly cherished their professional relationship but this distance between them had to be fixed, as soon as possible. They were both standing near Hotch's car waiting for the other to speak. JJ decided to bite the bullet and commented on the weather. It looked like it was going to storm soon. Hotch simply nodded in agreement. JJ was quickly losing her patience.
JJ sighed. "Hotch, you know I have nothing but respect for you, and I know you must be angry I took a risk without informing you but everything worked out for the best."
Hotch looked at her intently for a few minutes before he spoke. "While that's true, JJ, it could have easily gone another way."
JJ sighed again. "I know that, Hotch. I put my trust in you guys to have my back in case it did go horribly wrong."
Hotch let out a derisive chuckle. "JJ, we may be the best in our field, but accidents happen. You could have been killed! I can't go through that again. Don't you understand?"
JJ looked momentarily startled. She realized Hotch would be upset if something had happened to her, she hadn't anticipated this kind of reaction. As inappropriate as it was, she felt almost pleased.
"I get it Hotch. I didn't mean to worry you. I can't say I regret though. I saved that boy's life." JJ stuck to her guns.
"I applaud you for that JJ, I do." Hotch said. JJ saw he looked like he was contemplating what to say next, like it physically hurt him.
JJ pushed him. "Hotch, it's okay. Say what you have to say, I can take it. " JJ readied herself for her verbal punishment. It never came.
Hotch wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. His heart was pounding. His earlier anger had depleted some. After a tense minute, he began to speak again. Slowly and quietly.
"I didn't want to lose the woman I love again." JJ almost didn't hear him.
"You love me?" JJ looked up a Hotch with a mixture of shock, intrigue and lust. The rain had started to pour down and neither had yet to notice.
Hotch continued after looking in her eyes and not seeing complete dismissal. "Yes. I'm in love with you, JJ. I've tried to fight it all these years, tried to push the feelings away. Don't get me wrong, I loved Haley. I thought she was the one for me. A part of me will always love her and when she died a part of me died with her. When I'm around you, I feel complete again. It's not because you're breathtakingly beautiful, or because you're smarter than you give yourself credit for or even because you're a great mother and Jack adores you. It's because you make me happy. I know that me telling you this is highly inappropriate, we work together and you're with another man but when I almost lost you today I just had to tell you." Hotch finished finally realizing the rain.
JJ noticed it too and laughed. Hotch was almost offended until he saw the kindness dancing in her eyes, so he let himself go and laughed with her in the rain.
"Hotch, while it may be inappropriate because of our working relationship, it's not inappropriate because of Will. We ended things months ago. " JJ revealed vaguely hearing thunder in the distance.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Hotch asked, curious.
"Will had given me an ultimatum, the BAU or him. I chose the BAU. Will also seemed to think I was too attached to you. I told Will that was ridiculous. It wasn't. Will was right. I thought you were attractive the moment I met you but then I found out you were married and I threw that thought out of the window. Then, when you were finally single again, I found Will and then there was Henry and I just never thought you'd feel the same way I did."
Hotch smiled. "Then we're both misinformed. How about we get out of this storm and finish this conversation somewhere warmer?"
JJ smiled back. " Okay. Just two more things, Hotch. I love you too. I've dreamed of this moment for years, even when I shouldn't have been. And this." Hotch wondered what "this" was supposed to mean when he was grabbed by the wet lapels of his shirt and kissed by the woman of his dreams in the pouring rain.