An/ Hey, this is just a short little four part story. I'll try to post the remaining parts next week after my vacation, but I make no promises. Thanks for reading.
Part 1—The Announcement
It is a legend roundly told that man can tell when catastrophic events are in store for him that day. It's a phenomenon often noted with tsunamis and typhoons, where an eerie aura rears its ugly head, letting humankind know that it is there to wreak havoc. This was not the case for JJ however, who was blindsided by an awful presence.
When she walked into the BAU that Monday morning, she assumed that nothing would be different. She however, had been very wrong. Initially walking past a lime green flyer taped to one of the cabinets in the break area, a word caught her attention, causing her to go back to it.
"FBI bachelorette auction." JJ read inaudibly to herself. "What the—"
"So you've seen it." Emily muttered bitterly from behind.
"What is this?" JJ asked, more than a little terrified. She took a sip of her dark, rich coffee, hoping for some form of comfort, but it was all in vain. Apparently not even the gods of caffeine had the capability to raise her weary heart.
"We are going to be put up on the auction block, like common cattle, and be bet on by a bunch of drunken idiots." Emily said, trying to contain her wrath. This was just another example of the rampant chauvinism that the Bureau displayed.
"We?" JJ stammered, turning to face her friend. "But I have a boyfriend."
"Talked to Strauss, any unmarried, preferably straight woman in the BAU is "heavily encouraged" aka required to attend." Emily informed.
"Oh no." JJ panicked, her cheeks flushing with anticipation. "Oh no."
"What are you worried about?" Her brunette counterpart scoffed. "You have Will."
"Yeah, if he shows up." JJ retorted, instantly blushing. She hadn't let anyone at the BAU in on the domestic tumults that she and Will had recently been subject to. They were coming upon the part in their relationship where things were no longer sunshine and roses. So for JJ, it was a very real possibility that Will would just decide to not come.
Emily pondered for a moment whether she should pound JJ for details or continue on her crusade for gender equality. Having her indigence out way her usual need for information at the moment, Emily let it slide temporarily. "We have to talk to Hotch, see if he can fix this."
"Yeah Ems, what is he going to do?" JJ ridiculed. "Like he's going to go over Strauss's head."
"It beats the alternative of actually having to go." Emily insisted. "What's the worst that could happen?"
Hotch could profile me and realize how badly my relationship is really going if I'm fighting the auction that hard. JJ thought to herself, though she showed no outward sign of her worry. She merely shrugged, acting as though everything was normal.
"Come on." Emily commanded, grabbing JJ's hand and pulling her towards Hotch's office. "We can't let this happen without a fight. This is just they type of thing that Elizabeth Cady Statton and Susan B. Anthony tried to stop. Gloria Stienman is going to be all over this."
"Emily, this isn't about Women's right to vote, I mean, it is just a stupid auction." JJ tried to soothe as she felt her arm begin to be yanked out of its socket. "Its even for a good cause."
"I'm sure the Make-a-wish foundation doesn't want funds contributed by a misogynist set of means." Emily maintained, knowing that she was getting a little out of hand. It wasn't her fault that the Bureau was setting her up for a night of terrible agony. She had to stop it now before she ended up spending a night with a crazed IAB agent. She knocked forcefully on Hotch's door with the hand not busy pulling along JJ, the sound resonating her voice that she would not go away until this matter was resolved.
"Come in." Hotch said apathetically, no doubt pouring over the mounds of files that daily appeared on his desk. Aaron Hotchner was the type to get tunnel vision, once something had his attention, he thought of nothing else until it was completed. It left JJ some hope, like maybe he wouldn't notice how pathetic she was.
"We have a matter to address to you." Emily said formally, plopping down in the chair across from her boss's desk. Looking at JJ, who stood hiding behind the door, Emily grew annoyed. "Come on JJ, come here girl."
"Oh stuff it." JJ muttered under her breath reluctantly sitting down in the chair next to her friend.
"What can I help you two with?" Hotch asked cautiously. It was very apparent that he was taken off guard by Emily's redness in the face. JJ on the other hand was completely blanched and pale. Something was definitely going on.
"You have got to stop this madness." Emily pleaded. Granted, Hotch definitely made her list of slightly sexist men, but he certainly had to understand how low this was.
"What madness?" Hotch questioned, beginning to wonder if he should've pretended to not be in his office when she had knocked.
"The bachelorette auction!" Emily hissed. "It is low and everything that this country has aimed to overcome is in vain if the FBI participates in such activities."
JJ stifled a chuckle at Emily's urgency. Her friend was in what Morgan liked to call "Debate Barbie" mode, where Emily became increasingly agitated and argued to the death. Also, she always compared her side to American ideals, something that caused the entire team to laugh heartily. Her eyes met with Hotch's for a moment, communicating the humor of the situation.
"Erm…There's a bachelorette auction?" Hotch said, gaining his composure after breaking out with a grin for no more than a millisecond.
"Oh like you didn't know there was an auction." Emily scoffed derisively. "You have to stop it."
"Is it for the BAU or for all of Quantico?" Hotch said, trying to humor her though he had no idea what she wanted him to do.
"All of Quantico." Emily informed quietly, hoping that this wouldn't ruin her perfectly laid out case.
"Then I'm sorry Prentiss, there's nothing I can do." Hotch shrugged. "I don't have the authority to call off agency wide charity benefits."
"But Hotch, this is just another example of the chauvinist underpinnings of American society…"
"Prentiss, its for a good cause." Hotch shrugged.
"So if I mugged someone and then gave it to the poor, I'm justified? There are deeper morality issues at hand!" Emily cried indignantly.
"Prentiss, I'm sorry." Hotch said sincerely. "There's nothing I can do."
"Yeah right." Emily muttered getting up from her chair. As JJ went to follow, Hotch put out his hand crossing guard style.
"JJ, can you stay for a moment?" Hotch asked, settling deeper into his seat.
"Sure." She said, sitting back down. As she watched Emily walk out of the office in a huff, she wondered what Hotch had to say.
"Are you alright?" He inquired softly, his eyes surveying her as he spoke.
"What do you mean?" JJ said with a false grin, hoping that some form of vibrato could protect her from the dark, peering eyes.
"You just don't see like yourself." Hotch noted, thinking of how timid she was being. JJ was a lion, not a lamb, he didn't know what was with her today.
"Oh, its nothing." JJ deflected listlessly. "I just didn't sleep well."
"I know there's a rule against profiling you, but that doesn't mean I can't tell when your lying." Hotch said evenly.
"Its just this auction mess." JJ admitted quietly. "I shouldn't worry about it but—"
"JJ, you have Will." Hotch said, mentally kicking himself for thinking JJ needed reminding of that. Of course JJ had Will. Hotch had never been so alert of one of his colleagues love lives before. But just because he was painstakingly aware of who JJ went to bed with at night didn't mean that JJ didn't remember.
"Sure I do." JJ lied jadedly, not noticing that she was being entirely unconvincing.
"So what are you worried about?" Hotch inquired, trying to fight the protective urges he held for the blonde liaison. It wasn't his responsibility to quench her fears, it was Will's, but part of him wished it was.
"Will might not come." JJ admitted bashfully, closing her eyes so she wouldn't have to see Hotch's expression at her confession.
"Is he working?" Hotch asked, noticing how JJ bit her lip. When JJ bit her lip, it meant that she was nervous or hurt or feeling some form of unpleasant emotion. This just further fueled Hotch's curiosity.
"Maybe." JJ shrugged. "Or maybe he has to watch Henry. I can't just leave my son alone while I go get auctioned off."
"I can find you a sitter." Hotch offered, not believing he was actually aiding JJ in a way where she could go have a night on the town with Will.
"That's really nice of you but I think my mom can take him if Will decides to come." JJ dismissed, not wanting to be a bother.
"Well, if you need anything, just let me know." As Hotch said the words, he knew he meant them wholeheartedly. JJ was someone that no matter what the task, he would do anything for. It was hard when that meant watching her be with Will, but that didn't change his level of devotion.
"Thanks Hotch." JJ said, slightly touched. Awkwardly making her way out of the door, she tried to ignore the feelings she held. She couldn't think of Hotch in the way that moment like that made her. Hotch would forever be her boss—an excellent boss, but still eternally unattainable. Huffing about her bad luck, JJ went to her office, trying to distract herself from the looming task before her. What she didn't know was that one little auction was going to make a big change in her life.
An/ Thanks for reading, let me know what you thought.