A/N: This is going to be my new story. I hope everyone will like it! The genre of this story will be hurt/comfort/friendship/romance/drama.

This story will be at the end of season five. I am not planning on letting JJ leave for the pentagon. Henry and Will are in the story but JJ and Will won't be together. This story will be starting off with a JJ/Hotch friendship but I promise that it will become more in the future.

I want to thank MollyR for everything. I couldn't have done it without you!

I am sorry for the long author's note.

Thanks for reading!

Please review!

I don't own criminal minds.

"I have seen children successfully surmount the effects of an evil inheritance. That is due to purity being an inherent attribute of the soul."

Gandhi

Chapter 1: Another day

JJ stepped into her newly bought apartment and she let her go-bag fall to the floor. She walked into the kitchen and she filled a glass with red wine. She sat down on her couch and put on the TV. JJ sighed deeply as she was trying to focus on something other than the case the team just discussed at the BAU. The case was about young boys disappearing after school. The team unanimously decided to send the profile to the police department since it was clear that the unsub had to be someone who knew the children. The case made JJ think about Henry and how she couldn't imagine losing him. Henry was spending the weekend with his father. JJ really needed to see him but she knew Will would complain to her about interrupting his time with their son. JJ had broken up with Will when he still wanted her to leave her job. Will wanted JJ to be a stay at home mom when he knew that her job was important to her. JJ's job was more important to her than anyone would ever be able to imagine. She wanted so badly to make the world a better place. It made her feel like she could make up for some things. Will never understood JJ's passion for the job and JJ realized that well enough to decide to break up with him. She and Will separated four months ago and she hadn't even told someone on the team. The team always told JJ that they were the cutest couple and that Will was perfect. But as JJ had gotten to know the real Will she knew he wasn't perfect and neither was she but she couldn't live with the constant irritations anymore. JJ knew that she and Will had only stayed together for Henry but they couldn't keep going the way they used to.

JJ was extremely frustrated and she turned off the TV. She stretched herself on the couch and pulled a blanket over her. There was always a part of her that hated herself. She blamed herself for the break up with Will and for leaving Henry without a mother when she went on cases. JJ tried everything to keep her life together but there were often moments when she felt like she could fall apart. She had one of those moments five weeks ago. JJ flashed back to the memory.

JJ was just walking into the bullpen when she saw all eyes on the TV. JJ turned around and she started listening to the news reporter who was standing in front of the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth in Kansas.

''The Night Ripper a.k.a. Clark Walters escaped during a transfer from Leavenworth to Cascade Medical Center after the renowned killer was having severe seizures. Police and FBI are already involved and they are currently not commenting'' the reporter said.

The color was drained from her face and she was standing frozen in her spot and she felt like she couldn't move. Luckily the team's eyes were all on the TV because they were listening to the shocking news of the escape of one of the most prolific serial killers in the US.

JJ snapped back into reality when she heard a knock on the door. JJ stood up without realizing that she wasn't exactly wearing clothes to answer the door with. JJ looked through the peephole and she saw Hotch standing on the other side of the door. JJ was surprised to see him. Hotch had never been in JJ's home before. JJ opened the door for him.

''Hey'' JJ greeted.

''Hey JJ. Oh, sorry I didn't mean to interrupt'' Hotch said when his eyes travel down JJ's body. He saw that JJ was wearing a baggy sweater that partially covered her legs. Hotch tried to look away but his eyes kept looking at her. Oh god, Aaron, not again! Hotch thought to himself while he tried to tear his eyes away from JJ. She has a fiancé. She will never be interested in you! Hotch said to himself. He always had certain feelings since the moment he met the blonde standing in front of him. Hotch suddenly thought about the first time they met.

Hotch was sitting in his office, waiting for the new media liaison Gideon had hired. Hotch wasn't happy about the fact that Gideon hired someone without his knowledge but he had assured Hotch that the woman was perfect for the job. Hotch was imagining an arrogant young rookie agent who just came out of the academy.

Hotch heard the knock on the door and he told the person to come in.

''Come in'' Hotch said.

The door opened slowly and a young blonde woman walked into the office. She was the exact opposite of what he had imagined her to be. She had blonde hair and she had an amazing smile on her face that made Hotch want to smile even more. Hotch noticed her beauty the second she came walking into his office.

Hotch stood up and he walked towards the woman to make the introductions.

''You must be Agent Hotchner'' the blonde said confidently.

''Yes I am. You can call me Hotch'' he said.

''It's an honor to meet you, sir. I am agent Jennifer Jareau. Everyone calls me JJ'' JJ said as she shook the man's hand. JJ was pleasantly surprised by his hotness but when she saw the ring on his finger she knew he was already taken by someone.

''Well, have a seat JJ'' he said and he walked back towards his own chair.

''Hotch!'' JJ said.

''Hello Hotch!'' JJ said again when he still wasn't responding to her.

''Oh sorry JJ. I was just thinking for a sec'' he said back to her.

''Of course you were. It looked more like you were daydreaming'' JJ joked.

Hotch stayed silent and the tension started to feel awkward and he was about to talk when JJ beat him to it.

''Why are you here?'' she asked somberly.

''I want to talk to you about your behavior over the past month'' he explained and he walked inside her apartment when JJ gave him the gesture to do so. He looked around and the atmosphere was very comfortable. It was clear that JJ valued comfort over appearance in her apartment.

''My behavior?''

''Yes JJ. Since a couple of weeks ago, you have been on edge the entire time and I would like to know why''

''I haven't been on edge. Do you want some wine?'' she said, knowing that drinking wine with her boss wasn't appropriate.

''Yes, that would be great. And you have been on edge. You jumped when Reid came up from behind you today. I noticed it, JJ. I just need to know what's going on'' Hotch said while he turned to JJ's face. JJ was sitting crawled up on the couch and Hotch could see that she was struggling with something. Hotch moved slightly and JJ stood up from the couch and she started walking towards the kitchen. Hotch walked into the kitchen as well and he saw JJ sitting on the counter.

''JJ, where are Will and Henry?'' Hotch asked when he realized that JJ was home alone. JJ told the team that they moved into a new apartment but he looked around and there was nothing around that would suggest that Will was living there.

''Oh, they are with Will's parents in New Orleans for the weekend'' JJ lied, knowing that Henry was with Will at their old apartment that they used to share. JJ remembered that Will insisted on keeping their old apartment because he was the one who signed for the rent, so JJ had no choice but to move out.

''Okay'' he said suspiciously as he started to move closer to JJ when he saw a flash of pain in her eyes.

''JJ, what is going on?'' he asked again.

''Nothing. I am fine Hotch. Maybe you should leave. This was a bad idea'' JJ said as she climbed of the counter.

''What is a bad idea?'' Hotch asked curiously because he had no idea what JJ was talking about.

''Thanks for coming over'' JJ said as she followed Hotch to the door. JJ felt her heartbeat rise when Hotch turned around and gave her a smile. JJ loved to see him smile because it was pretty extraordinary to see him do that.

''Always JJ. Whenever you feel like talking, I am here for you, whatever it is'' Hotch said softly and he pulled JJ into an unexpected hug.

JJ put her head on his chest and she listened to his beating heart while Hotch held her tightly against him. It was a surprising move for JJ but she felt so comfortable in his embrace that she didn't want to pull away but she knew she had to.

''Thank you Hotch. See you Monday'' JJ said as she pulled away.

''Yeah, uhhh, I….uhh…will see you on Monday'' Hotch said with confusion.

He didn't expect JJ to be okay with the hug but he was extremely happy that she didn't pull away.

''Bye'' JJ said and she closed the door behind him.

JJ went back to the couch and she crawled up in a little ball and she just let her mind go. This time she wasn't thinking about serial killers or her job. This time she was thinking about the one and only Aaron Hotchner. The man that had become a rock to her without his own knowledge. JJ and Hotch had always been close and there were small things that he did to help her through a bad day. JJ loved everyone on the team and she would never deny that because every single one of them was her family. There was just something about Hotch. She had a crush on him for a long time and that slowly faded away over time but it came back when they had an almost kiss during their hunt for an unsub. JJ still felt the tingling in her body when she thought back to that one moment that made all of her feelings for the stoic unit chief resurface again.

The team was on a case in Alabama. Garcia found the home of the unsub and the team went to the home right away. They were all paired up. Morgan and Prentiss, Reid and Rossi and of course JJ and Hotch.

The team knew that this unsub wouldn't go down without a fight. His motives would probably be suicide-by-cop.

The team went into the house at the same time. JJ and Hotch had the backdoor and JJ followed Hotch inside. They cleared the kitchen and they suddenly heard a gunshot coming from another room. Hotch instincts kicked in and he pushed JJ against a wall and he covered her with his entire body. Hotch was relieved when he heard Morgan yelling from the other room that the unsub was dead.

JJ on the other hand felt the heat radiating from Hotch's body and he still didn't move when Morgan let them know what happened. Instead he started to lean down towards JJ's lips while his hands started to slide down her back. JJ could swear that she felt his hands squeeze her ass slightly but she kept telling herself it was just a dream. Hotch was an inch away when Prentiss called out his name from the other room and he pulled away from JJ.

JJ kept standing against the wall and she felt her entire body tingling from the previous closeness. She thought he was about to kiss her but in the end she told herself it was just an imagination. But it was one that made her feel all those feelings again.

JJ sighed deeply when she went back to the memory. It had happened just after Hotch and Haley got divorced. JJ was with Will at the time but things weren't serious between them because they were dating for three months and JJ got pregnant five months later. Even if Henry wasn't planned she has never had a single regret about him. Henry is the one constant in her life and she loves him with all that she has. JJ does worry sometimes. She worries about who he might become when he gets older and what will happen with him. The one struggle for JJ growing up was that she was afraid of who she really was and even now she still doesn't know and that makes her feel incomplete in away.