Disclaimer: Not Mine…
A/N – I started this before Halloween thinking I could make it a Halloween fic I had even originally named it Trick or Treat. However, it never got finished and I would revisit it when I got stuck in other stories so it's kind of evolved into an epic. I reserve the right to follow up with an epilogue…
A/N 2 – I didn't come up with any fancy plot as to why Will bailed and I realize that it is OOC for the character but this is fanfic and I'm a Hotch and JJ gal.
Halloween 2012
Taking two young boys Trick or Treating was exhausting. JJ smiled at the boys, passed out in Henry's room and partially closed the door. Inviting Jack Hotchner had been pure inspiration. Henry didn't mention Will once during the evening.
Moving to the living area she turned the fireplace on, it was a cool evening in Northern Virginia, winter was just around the corner and she wondered if the mild winter last year meant they were in for another Snowmageden this year. She considered picking up a book or putting on the TV but found it was nice just sitting in front of the fire sipping wine. The slight knock on the door threw her.
Making her way to the entrance of her home she attempted to glance at the drive to determine just who was at the front door. She pulled her glock from her purse as a precaution. Her home had been invaded before it wasn't going to happen again. The thought that it might have been Will flittered through and was easily dismissed. She frowned at the identity of the late night visitor.
"Hey. I thought we agreed that Jack was spending the night?"
Aaron Hotchner shrugged sheepishly. "I know." He glanced behind her at the quiet, dimly lit house. "Are the boys already asleep?"
JJ nodded and ushered him in. "I swear we walked five miles tonight. You would not believe the amount of candy that they hauled in." She maneuvered them to the living room after harnessing her weapon once more. "Would you like a glass of wine?"
He made a face before asking, "You wouldn't happen to have scotch would you?"
"I have a bottle that Rossi gave Will somewhere." She smiled at him. "Go on, they are in Henry's room - top of the stairs to the left." She flipped on the hall light. "I'll find the scotch."
She was waiting for him on the couch when he came back. "So, what brings you by?"
Hotch took an appreciative sip from his tumbler. "I was suffering from bad dad syndrome. I should have been the one walking five miles collecting loot with Jack tonight."
"I don't know if this will help or not but we had an awesome time tonight. Jack had a blast." She smiled at him. "Henry didn't mention Will's name once this evening. Not once."
He smiled at her obvious glee. "It doesn't really assuage my guilt." Hotch admitted.
JJ tilted her head. "Was your date that bad?"
"All I could think about was Jack and wondering if it bothered him that I bailed on him." Hotch leaned over and squeezed JJ's hand, thankful that his son had a good evening. "Sounds like it didn't."
"I may be requesting him every weekend. Henry likes to emulate Jack and I end up with two, well behaved, sweet boys." She grinned happily. "You wouldn't believe the compliments I got on the beautiful manners my children exhibited."
Hotch laughed, "You didn't correct the assumption?"
JJ just laughed. "Hell no, I smiled and said thank you. Tonight totally makes up for Henry's scene at IHOP."
Shaking his head at the memory Hotch felt it necessary to note, "JJ, he was two and he was teething."
"And he threw a well-aimed spoon at the waitress. He hit her in the head. We can never go back there."
Hotch laughed, easily recalling the scene. It was a good day. They had a successful conclusion to a case with no casualties and the entire team, plus Henry, had been present for breakfast. "That's absurd. He lobbed it at her at best, and we gave her a very good tip. Rossi may have even gone a little further than a tip."
JJ chuckled. That was very likely. "She did get a good tip." She leaned back in the couch and smiled over at him. "I'm sorry you felt bad, you could have come with us tonight. Those bags are heavy!" She took a drink from her glass and sighed. "Honestly Hotch, tonight is the first night that has been this good in a long while. Makes me believe everything is going to be okay."
"Everything is going to be okay." He stared at her for a minute. "I'm sorry for intruding on your evening."
JJ popped up, "You're not intruding. You are always welcome here. Especially if Jack is over, which really, I do hope is often."
They sat in companionable silence for a while enjoying the fire and their drinks until Hotch suddenly asked, "Do you miss him?" They didn't talk about Will LaMontagne often since the man decided that he needed to move back to his home and left JJ and Henry behind without a backward glance. It had taken JJ completely by surprise as it had been he that was so adamant about relocating here in the first place.
JJ considered the question for a minute before answering. "He left the best part of him behind so, no. Not anymore."
"I still miss Haley some days." He confessed then shrugged. "Don't get me wrong, I like Beth, she is a very nice woman. But there are times when something happens or I see something and my first thought is what Haley would say or think about it." He wondered if he would ever get beyond that.
"Hotch, that's only natural, I mean, you were betrothed at birth," JJ snickered, before admitting, "I do miss the sex."
Hotch choked on the mouthful of alcohol he just drank as JJ scooted closer to slap his back at the same time warming to her theme. "I miss hot, deep kisses and just letting go." A combination of the lateness of the evening and the wine had loosened her inhibitions. She exhaled deeply and mumbled. "God, I need to get laid."
Neither was quite sure how it happened but their eyes had met and held on JJ's last statement. The attraction that had always existed between them caught and sprung to life. Hotch calmly removed JJ's wine glass from her hand and along with his glass sat it on the coffee table. Then his hands were in her hair and his mouth was on hers.
Not content with the contact JJ lifted up and straddled Hotch on the couch, needing to feel all him. The evidence of his arousal had her groaning. Her hands moved quickly making fast work divesting him of his tie and working the buttons of his dress shirt. Her mouth nipping and kissing at his neck and throat as the skin appeared.
"Jesus JJ." His hands weren't idle, slipping under her shirt and moving to palm her breasts. "Are you sure about this?"
"I'm pretty sure if you stop now I'll cry or get my gun." She teased looking up at him, her blue eyes pleading but apparently showing him what it was he needed to see.
"You wouldn't be the only one in tears." He murmured pulling her back to him. Her hands on his belt snapped the little control he had, they were both adults and they both wanted this. "I have no intention of stopping."
He groaned as she continued her sweet assault down his body. It was a new experience for him. He had always been both the initiator and the aggressor with Haley. JJ believed in taking what she wanted. She was heading further south when he stopped her. "If you want this to be any good for you, you'd better slow down."
"We can worry about slow later right now I need it fast." The words barely escaped her mouth when she found herself flat on her back and his body pressing in to her in all the right places.
It should have been awkward lying naked on her couch, intertwined with her boss, but it wasn't. Maybe it was because she felt too damn good to feel anything else. "That was…"
"Incredible, amazing, stupendous..." Hotch offered.
"Exactly, I'm having difficulty coming up with just one adjective too." She grinned up at him. "It was really that good."
It pleased JJ more than she cared to admit that Hotch seemed content to remain snuggled with her. "This couch is surprisingly comfortable."
"It is," she nodded. "Now we have completely concluded the list of good things that came from my relationship with Will. Henry and the couch."
"So would you say that another piece of furniture, like your bed for example, is not as comfortable?" His hand was making lazy circles on her arm.
"My bed?" JJ giggled, ridiculously pleased by the suggestive and playful inquiry. "My bed is fantastic. Now, it is new so I'm not sure how it is going to hold up to naked twister, but I'm willing to test it if you are." She leaned forward and nipped his shoulder. "It's king size so there is a lot of room to be inventive."
Laughing he pulled them to their feet. "You might not know this, but I am very creative." His hands were offering her a demonstration and before she knew it she was lifted up and was wrapping her legs around his waist.
"Oh," she breathed out on a sigh, "I had hoped as much. But Hotch?"
"Um." He muttered his mouth already too occupied for a verbal answer.
"I don't think I'm ready for slow yet."
He stopped his assault to grin at her. "Thank God."
~CM~CM~CM
Quite some time later as they lay trying to catch their breath Hotch leaned over and pushed a strand of hair from JJ's face. "I'm not really sure what just happened here. I kind of think maybe I should apologize but I really wouldn't mean it."
His confession made her laugh. "What would you be apologizing for? I was an active participant," she asked puzzled. "I was the one who told you I needed to get laid." She grinned up at him. "Thank you."
"This doesn't feel weird does it?" He questioned, mirroring her earlier thought. "I'm probably going to have an attack of conscience later."
"Why?" JJ questioned, "We're both consenting adults. It was mutually satisfying."
"I am ridiculously satisfied." His hand made a sweep through her hair, letting the strands glide through his fingers. Then, as if an afterthought occurred to him, "But it doesn't change the fact that I am your boss."
"We're not in the office," JJ argued.
"So do you think we can we separate the two?" He asked, hopefully. "I don't want things to be weird."
"You just said they weren't weird." JJ grumbled, getting frustrated by his rambling. "Now you're just making it weird." She made a move to get out of the bed when his hand stopped her, wrapping around her arm.
"Come here." Hotch tugged gently and moved her back into his embrace. "The absolute rightness of this is weird. I don't know what that means. I should feel guilty for showing up here tonight and …"
Her head popped up from his shoulder. "What? Why should you feel guilty about anything? We didn't plan for this to happen, are you saying you're sorry that it did?"
He looked at her for a long second making her a bit nervous. "No." Hotch leaned in and kissed her, a deep, drugging kiss that ended on a sigh. "I don't feel guilty for what happened here tonight. If anything I feel guilty that I left a woman that I've been seeing the past couple of months at her door with a chaste kiss when she was giving me every indication that I was welcome in her bed." He admitted, finally vocalizing what was truly bothering him.
JJ found that she didn't like the thought that tonight almost didn't happen. "Well I'm not going to apologize that you ended up in mine." She snapped, coming out of her lust haze.
"Obviously this is where I wanted to end up." He leaned in and kissed her again to sooth her temper and ended up groaning. "Every taste of you makes me want more."
"Is that bad?" It couldn't be when she felt the same.
"You've brought out something in me that I can't explain; something that I didn't even know existed." That might scare him down the road but at present he was just too content.
"So maybe instead of questioning this we just see where it takes us." JJ suggested.
"Do we keep it to ourselves?" His mouth was already marking a path down her throat.
"I don't think we need to advertise." She grinned as he lifted a brow at her questioningly. "No, I'm not ashamed of this," she commented, answering his unasked question, "I just don't want to listen to everyone else's opinion. Can you imagine what Garcia would have to say about this?"
"Fair enough." He was done talking anyway, his body already moving hers into position to accept his.
She waited until they were joined and bracketed his face with her hands. "One more thing, while you're with me, you're only with me." She smiled at his oblivious confusion, content in the knowledge that Aaron Hotchner didn't have a deceptive bone in his body. She kissed him then got straight to the point. "Beth is nice, dump her."
The heat in her eyes had his pulse racing. "Is it wrong that it turns me on that you're possessive?" He leaned forward and nipped her mouth. "I'm where I want to be JJ, and while I'm with you, I'm only with you." He confirmed.
A few months later…
JJ was on a tear. Returning to the office from their latest case to find Beth ensconced in the War Room with Garcia had taken an emotional toll. She wasn't necessarily mad at Hotch, although had the man been a little more assertive in his break up this probably wouldn't have happened. She did, however, want to rip the bubbly brunette apart. She knew she'd been given her walking papers.
Then there was Garcia, sure, running into Beth had been a completely innocent fluke and she wasn't aware of the change of status between the two of them, but she still should have known better than to suggest Beth come in to meet their plane.
The look on Hotch's face should have been funny and it probably would have been had Beth not moved forward and planted a welcoming kiss on him. She'd known full well that Hotch was too much of a gentleman to do anything to embarrass the woman. It was the fact that JJ couldn't do anything due to the secret nature of their relationship had completely rankled.
The ringing of the phone broke JJ out of her reverie. Sighing at the screen she answered a bit sharply. "Hello."
"JJ. Oh my god, Jay, did you know?" The fact that Garcia was completely agitated was evident in her voice.
"Help me out here Pen, did I know what?"
"Did you know that Beth and Hotch are no longer an item?" Pen moaned. "Jayje, Hotch is so pissed at me!"
That particular bit of news brightened her own mood considerably. "Really?"
"Oh Jay, I swear the vein on the side of his head was throbbing." She groaned as JJ let out a peel of laughter. "Honestly I thought I was doing something nice for Boss Man."
"So Beth never indicated that she and Hotch were no longer together?" That little factoid had her seeing red.
"Not a peep." Garcia paused a moment before continuing. "That's odd right, I mean, why bother if the man has already cut you loose?"
JJ grimaced, "Maybe she thought that kiss she laid on him would bring him back around." The visual that accompanied that comment had her cringing. She did not like it one bit. The sound of someone knocking at the door snapped her out of it. "Hey Pen, I got to go someone is at the door."
"Okay Peaches, but I might need you to run interference with me and the Boss." She requested. "I swear I think you're the only one who knows how to handle him."
JJ opened her door to find the man they were discussing standing there. "No problem Pen, I'll do what I can to smooth things over with Hotch." She quickly said goodbye and dropped the call. "Well, hello stranger. What brings you to my neck of the woods?"
Hotch moved through the open door and closed it behind him. Then he was quick to pull JJ into his arms. "How mad are you?"
JJ rolled her eyes. "I'm not mad." She lifted her hand and wiped a thumb over his mouth. "I mean, I'm mad that the little twit put her mouth on you and I had to sit there and watch like it was no big deal."
"But other than that…" Hotch prompted, feeling there was a little more that the blonde was reluctant to admit.
Sometimes she really hated the fact that he could read her so well. "Then you escorted her up to your office and closed the door." She met his eyes. "Okay, I am a little mad. Why didn't you just have security escort the nutbar out?"
"You are so cute when you're jealous." He leaned down and fused their mouths together. "It drives me a little insane."
"I'm glad you're enjoying it." She reached for his hand to pull him out of the foyer and further into the house. "One day maybe you'll see what it's like, this isn't a pretty emotion. It messes with your head. I wondered all the way home if maybe that kiss sparked something and you wondered if maybe you should be in a relationship that wasn't so complicated or you know, secret."
"Hey." He pulled her back to him and kissed her hard. "I thought I made it clear weeks ago that this is where I wanted to be, you are who I want to be with."
"You did." She agreed.
"That hasn't changed, JJ. Not for me." He looked at her questioningly.
"Well I certainly wouldn't want to rip Beth's head off if it had changed for me." She admitted, feeling marginally better. They had moved into the family room and settled down on the couch.
"I can't stay. I need to get home to Jack but I had to make sure we were okay." He winced at the disappointment evident on JJ's face. "You know, you could pack yourself and Henry up and come over for a sleep over at casa Hotchner."
The idea was intriguing. Most of their encounters occurred at JJ's home. "Would there be any sleeping?" She asked, coyly.
"As little as possible." Hotch promised.
"My favorite kind of sleepover." JJ whispered as she closed the distance between them and kissed him sweetly.
"So you'll come?"
She grinned wickedly. "Hopefully more than once."
"Why aren't you packing already?" Hotch groaned, before adding quickly, "I'll get Henry."
~~CM~~CM~~
Later, as they lay intertwined in his bed, she smiled up at him. "You know, Garcia thinks I'm the only one that knows how to handle you."
"It all has to do with a firm, yet soft grasp." Hotch nipped at her throat. "You handle me very well."
JJ rolled her eyes. "She's not the only one that has been questioning our closeness. Or hinting there might be something more to it."
"Does that bother you?" He was aware that the team had been watching them closely. He didn't care. Jennifer Jareau had become necessary to his happiness. He could not imagine life without her.
JJ cocked her head not quite sure of the emotion that she was reading in his eyes. "Aaron?"
"I love you, JJ. I'm in love with you." He clarified as he watched her eyes well up. When she didn't say anything he added, "I know that this was supposed to be something fun and easy and I'm sorry if I just screwed this up…" His rambling was stopped by JJ's mouth pressing urgently against his.
"Thank God. I thought it was just me." She cried.
"Just you what?" He asked stupefied.
"I love you, I love you so much," JJ kissed him again. "I worried that you would never feel the same way but it didn't matter, I figured I loved you enough for both of us."
"JJ." Hotch thumbed the tears from her cheeks. "Why would you think I wouldn't love you? Here I was worried I was being too obvious."
"You didn't want anything serious." At least that was what she thought.
"I thought that's what you wanted to hear." Hotch kissed her gently on the lips. "I didn't want to scare you away. If that meant playing it cool, that's what I was going to do. I just forgot to take into account the fact that I'm not cool."
His remark had her giggling. "God we are such idiots."
He grinned. "I love you."
JJ grinned back. "I love you, too."
A New Year….
The next few weeks passed by with alarming speed, it was an incredibly busy winter and they were constantly on the go. They missed the boys but were comforted by the fact they had each other. They were still keeping the details of their relationship a secret but they were very much a couple in love.
Rossi looked over at his friend as he studiously worked through paperwork. They were on the jet returning from their last case. While the rest of the team scattered about the plane in various stages of decompression Aaron was quietly, steadily, still working. "You should be taking a breather like the rest of the team."
Hotch sighed and looked up for the file he was working on. "I get this done and I'll be able to drop it off and go as soon as we hit Quantico. Then I'll be able to spend my weekend with my son, hopefully uninterrupted."
Nodding Rossi started to speak, "So, I know that things didn't work out so well with Beth, but I have a friend…"
"No." The refusal was firm. "I'm not interested Dave."
"You didn't let me finish."
"I don't need you to finish, I'm not interested." He repeated. "I appreciate the thought, but no."
"You barely dipped your toe in the dating pool. So you don't want a relationship, at the very least you need some adult companionship." Dave wiggled his brows at Hotch.
"Frankly that's a bit scary. I'm flattered, but the answer's still no, Dave."
"Har-de-har." Rossi rolled his eyes. "It would do you a world of good to get laid. You wouldn't be so tense all the time." Rossi decided not to push the issue and headed back to the kitchen to refill his coffee letting his friend think on his comments.
"Dave's profiling skills must be slipping." JJ quipped as she slid into the seat beside him. "If he only had a clue how you were awoken this morning. Tense my ass; I work hard to keep you relaxed."
Hotch grinned up from the file he just completed. "And I truly appreciate your efforts, sweetheart." He would have said more but Rossi was back with his fresh cup of coffee.
"I was thinking." He began.
"Never a good sign."
"You're both single." Dave continued.
"Dave, everyone on the team is single." JJ pointed out.
"Right, but the rest of the team aren't antisocial like the two of you." Rossi smiled at them. "Failed relationships happen, the important thing is not to let it discourage you. You need to get back out there, get back in the game."
JJ stared at him. "What makes you think we're not?"
She enjoyed the frown that crossed his face. "Are you?"
"Are you?" She countered. "I haven't met any of your significant others. Why are you so worried about Hotch's and my sex life?"
Rossi looked to Hotch for help but the man wouldn't meet his eyes. He could see the ghost of a smile gracing his lips. "I wouldn't put it like that. I just think you would both benefit from adult company. Hotch is planning on spending the weekend with Jack which is nice but…"
"That is nice." JJ smiled and turned to Hotch. "Henry and I were going to go and see that new animated movie tomorrow would you two like to join us?"
Hotch looked up, thoughtful. "Sure, we could make an evening of it, maybe go for pizza?"
JJ nodded. "Henry and I would like that. Have you ever gone to…"
"You know," Rossi interrupted, "you're never going to meet anyone if you continue to use each other as a crutch. Even when you go to places where you might meet other single parents neither of you will get approached because people assume that you're a couple."
JJ wrinkled her nose. "Do you really think so?" She looked innocently at Hotch.
"I never considered it but I guess that's possible." He responded back with a somber expression.
JJ gave him a frown. "Gosh, I didn't either. Does that bother you? I mean, if you wanted to go trolling for available women at a children's movie I do not want to stand in your way." She couldn't keep a straight face and ended up busting out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Morgan wanted to know.
"Dave was giving us advice about dating and suggested that Hotch and I shouldn't spend time together with the boys because it interferes with Hotch's game." JJ wiped at her eyes.
"I was just saying that when they go out together people view them as a family not two single parents." Rossi repeated.
Emily looked at him. "And that's bad why?"
"Well, he's worried about our sex life I think, he thinks we both need laid." JJ answered.
"I didn't say that."
"You told me that." Hotch disputed.
"Well I'm all for a healthy sex life, but you know neither of them necessarily need a partner to have that." Emily stated.
Morgan's head whipped around. "You take care of yourself, Prentiss?"
"I'm a big girl, Derek. I don't need a man to get the job done."
"Damn." He gave her a long appraising look. "I think I need something cold to drink." Morgan turned towards the kitchen. "Possibly a cold shower too," He mumbled as he walked away.
"But isn't it more fun with a partner?" Rossi asked Emily.
"Not always Dave." She shook her head. "I have to admit, I've had a few disappointments."
"You know I would be willing to make up for any shortcomings suffered on the behalf of my sex." He gave her a look that had worked for him in the past.
Emily threw her head back and laughed, "I'll keep that in mind if ever I can't get the job done myself."
"That happens you make sure you call me first." Morgan yelled from the back of the plane. "Three ex-wives makes me wonder if he's more myth than legend."
Hotch shook his head as the group migrated to the kitchen area of the plane leaving him alone with JJ. "For a minute there I thought maybe Dave was on to something."
"Does that worry you?"
Hotch shook his head. "Not in the slightest." If anything he was ready to stop the pretense that he was single.
Present day…
JJ stared at her phone in annoyance. Before she had an opportunity to respond it was buzzing again and her scowl deepened.
"Problem?" Hotch was sitting across from her on the plane engaged in his new favorite hobby, JJ watching.
Lifting her eyes to his she felt the tension slide away. "Will."
The one name response had his shoulders tightening. The Louisianan had recently reentered the picture and was working hard to get back in JJ's good graces. He showed up after Easter looking for forgiveness and wanting to reclaim his family.
"You okay?" JJ kept her voice low. There were times now when she thought the team must surely know that there was something going on between the two of them, but if they did no one called them on it.
"What does he want this time?" The muscle on the side of his face was twitching. The man had been showing up at JJ's house at all hours. Lately he started making noise about the amount of time he had been spending with JJ and his son.
"He wants to know why I have Henry staying with Penelope while he is back in town and able to watch him. He doesn't fully understand full custody." She rolled her eyes then scanned the plane to see if anyone was in listening distance. "He also wants to understand my relationship with you."
"What did you tell him?" His tone was deceptively low.
"That even if I used little words and explained it slow he wouldn't understand."
"Ha!" Hotch barked, his tension easing. "Well he suspects something," he noted, "and here I didn't think he was that good of a detective."
"I'm fairly certain you wouldn't require any detective skills to determine what we were doing the last time he dropped by." They had both been a bit disheveled when JJ had answered the knock.
"Maybe it would help if he didn't feel the need to just drop by." Hotch growled.
JJ tilted her head and watched him for a moment. "You know that I'm not going to get back with Will." She stated softly, and watching his fist clench she gave in and moved across the aisle beside him. "You know, maybe it's time for you and I to reconsider this secrecy thing."
The slight grin on his face had her blushing. "Just because they haven't said anything doesn't mean they don't know. Everyone has started to remark on the amount of time we spend together. I'm not sure anyone still believes it's just two single parents looking out for one another anymore."
JJ looked up to where the rest of the team was situated in the plane. Emily and Reid were engrossed in a game of chess, Morgan was listening to his ipod, his eyes were closed and he was most likely asleep. Rossi was enthralled with a book he was reading. No one seemed to care that the two of them were huddled together. Feeling bold she reached for his hand.
The sight of her small hand encased in his larger one did much to bolster his mood. "I'm not pressuring you, Jay. We'll tell the team when you're ready."
"I thought you liked sneaking in and out of my room, and the occasional inappropriate grope at the office." JJ teased.
"I'd be groping you right now if I thought you could be quiet." He chuckled as she bit her bottom lip.
"Hey, is everything alright?" Emily questioned as she dropped into the seat that JJ had vacated looking pointedly at their joined hands.
"Hotch was just reassuring me. Will is texting me wondering why I didn't leave Henry with him. He's making noise about custody."
"Maybe he should have considered that before he just took off." Hotch growled, reluctantly releasing JJ's hand.
"He was pretty confident that you'd follow him to New Orleans. I'm surprised that he's not trying to rekindle the romance." Emily responded carefully watching the pair's expressions.
"He is trying to rekindle the romance." Hotch commented dryly. The man had also taken to the habit of coming over bearing gifts for both Henry and JJ. It was driving Hotch nuts. He knew what the other man was trying to do. Hell, considering it was JJ he was trying to win back he couldn't even fault him for his persistence.
"So why don't you just tell him that JJ is already in a relationship?" Emily questioned drolly.
By this time the team had gathered around overhearing the conversation. Apparently they had only been playing disinterested before.
"JJ's in a relationship?" Hotch looked at JJ curiously but she only shrugged.
"Really?" Emily looked at the two of them. "Honestly, we're profilers you think we don't know the two of you are in a relationship?"
"We're very good friends…" JJ started only to be interrupted.
"I saw you sneaking out of your friends' hotel room." Morgan said. "I guess you thought it was safe to sneak across the hall wearing only his shirt." He winked at JJ. "Nice look by the way." That comment earned him the patented Aaron Hotchner glare.
"At least you weren't in the hotel room beside them." Reid smirked at the two of them. "You should be aware that there is only thin drywall separating the two rooms, you would be surprised what you can hear on the other side."
"Oh God." JJ mumbled.
"Precisely." Reid affirmed, making the entire group laugh.
"Why didn't anyone say anything?" Hotch wondered.
"Well, we figured you would tell us when you were ready." Rossi responded. "Although, the boys are pretty much a dead giveaway as to how much time the two of you are spending together, or should I say the four of you?" When JJ and Hotch shared a questioning look Rossi continued. "Superbowl Sunday when Jack ate too much and was suffering from a stomach ache he went to JJ immediately. Then when Henry got tired he didn't bat an eye when he saw JJ was busy with Jack, he just turned around and climbed up you." He smiled as JJ smiled warmly at Hotch. "But for me the real dead giveaway was when you just hugged him close and dropped a kiss on his head. You weren't even aware you were doing it."
"Plus," Penelope concluded having popped up during the conversation, "I run a program every night to determine where my family is. Your and JJ's signals are always together." She looked at the pair. "Like always. They're never apart."
"Well now I just feel stupid." JJ mumbled.
"Like Rossi said, we figured you'd tell us when you were ready." Derek shot Emily a chastising look.
"I was trying to save them some embarrassment, they are getting lazy. I don't know how anyone that sees the two of them together can't figure out that they are a couple."
From the laptop screen Penelope nodded. "She's right you know. We may have bought your line a few months ago, the whole we're just two single parents pulling together and helping each other out yada, yada, but you've clearly moved past that."
Hotch chuckled, "You're right, Penelope, we have."
"What does that mean Aaron?" Rossi wanted to know.
"It means almost have JJ convinced to take the next step with me." He brought the hand he had recently relinquished to his mouth and kissed it. "I was hoping to be able to pull it off before anyone tried to talk her out of it."
"What's the next step?" Garcia excitedly demanded to know.
"Why would we talk her out of it?" Emily asked.
"He's teasing." JJ blushed, unable to believe they were discussing this with the team. "He knows that once I say yes there will be no going back I'm making sure he's ready for that."
"OMG!" Garcia squealed.
"You asked JJ to marry you?" Rossi asked, stunned that Hotch had been able to keep it a secret. They'd all been pretty much clueless for quite some time about their changed relationship.
He grinned at the woman in question. "Asked is pretty tame. I've begged, pleaded, cajoled, and blackmailed, she's still thinking it over."
"What's there to think about?" Morgan wanted to know looking from one to the other.
"You know there are advantages to creating a pro and con list." Reid suggested helpfully.
"We could totally help with that!" Penelope shouted, ready to assist in any way she could. "Pro – Hotch is an awesome dad."
Reid, getting in to the spirit of the activity offered, "From what I didn't want to hear you are apparently sexually compatible so that would be a pro."
"I don't need you guys to make up a list for me." JJ argued, and looked pleadingly at Hotch.
"Already did it?" Emily teased.
"No! I don't need a list. I am very well aware of how wonderful he is." She stated softly.
"So what's holding you back, Peaches?" Garcia asked the question all of them were wondering.
"Once burned, twice shy?" Rossi suggested. "Don't let that stop you."
"No, nothing like that, she knows she's going to marry me she's just a little freaked out at how quickly everything happened." Hotch stated, seeing her embarrassment and not liking that she was being put on the spot.
Emily laughed. "Quick? Please, we've been betting that you would fall into bed for years."
"Honestly I thought it would happen when you were served divorce papers." Morgan admitted, looking at Hotch.
"I thought it had happened a long time ago." Rossi shrugged. "Turns out that was a different secret you were sharing." He winked over at Emily.
JJ smiled over at Hotch, her hand grasping his. "So you guys are okay with this?" She had been unnecessarily worried about how the team would take the news.
"We think it's fantastic, Peaches." Garcia answered for the team. "What do the boys think?"
"They're happy. I don't know if they think anything. We've gotten to the point that they expect that we'll always be together." JJ shot a nervous look at Hotch. "Which is why we moved in together over President's Day."
"Wow." Emily laughed at the surprising revelation. "And Will still believes he has a shot?"
"He thinks JJ is going through a phase and she'll eventually see that I'm no good for her." The muscle on the side of his face twitched.
JJ's hand covered Hotch's. "It doesn't matter what I say to him. Will prefers to think I'm doing this to get back at him for leaving me. I've told him, repeatedly, that I am in love with you and that's not going to change."
Morgan wasn't a big fan of any man that would walk out on his family regardless of the reason. "I bet an invite to the wedding would be loud and clear."
JJ scoffed. "I don't want him at my wedding."
"But you do want a wedding?" Garcia asked pointedly.
This time JJ responded directly to Hotch. "Yeah, I do." She gasped as he suddenly pulled her to his lap and kissed her with abandon.
"Wow, who would have guessed that Boss Man could be so demonstrative?" Garcia muttered.
Rossi snorted. "I'm going to go out on a limb and guess JJ."
"I don't want a long engagement." Hotch announced when they broke for air.
"You know," Reid shared with a smile, "I am an ordained minister. I could marry you right now."
Morgan looked at his announcement with a puzzled frown. "Why?"
Reid knowing the question was directed at him shrugged. "I was bored one evening and I stumbled across an article about it. It intrigued me. I found it very interesting the reasons that people gave for looking into it and before I knew it I was certified myself." He looked over at JJ and Hotch. "I'm not saying you have to…"
"Do it." JJ said before Reid could finish his sentence.
"Wait!" Garcia objected from the tiny screen she was projecting from. "Don't you want it to be somewhere special? Don't you want to wear a dress? Have flowers?" Then, voicing her real complaint, "What about me? I'm not even there!"
Hotch ignored her and asked Reid. "Are you licensed for…" He looked out the plane window. "Do we even know where we are?"
Reid winced. "I'm only licensed in Virginia."
The words were barely out of his mouth when Emily darted off to the cockpit. She raced back within a few short minutes. "We're about 30 minutes away from Dulles but we are definitely in the state of Virginia." She said with a wide smile.
"Really?" Gracia grumbled. "You're totally going to do this without me?"
"Baby Girl, stop pouting you're right here with us." Morgan looked at JJ and Hotch. "Well?"
JJ grinned at Hotch. "What do you think?"
"Are you sure you want to do this?" As much as he wanted to make her his, Garcia's comments had him thinking maybe she would might something more extravagant for her wedding than the BAU jet.
JJ's eyes narrowed. "Really, now you're going to hesitate?"
"The boys aren't with us." Hotch pointed out. "I don't want you to make a hasty decision and then regret it later. This is your wedding we're talking about."
His hesitation was only because he was worried about what she wanted. Realizing that, JJ leaned in and placed a soft kiss against his lips. "It won't matter to the boys, all they care about is the fact that we're together and they're together. I don't need any fancy trappings, the only thing I need is you." She stated matter of factly. "So what's it going to be? Put up or shut up."
Hotch chuckled. "You know, I think I've loved you since the day you so eloquently told me you needed laid."
JJ smiled at him brightly. "What a coincidence, I think I've loved you since the day you so expertly took care of my needs."
Hotch turned to Reid. "I think we're ready."
The young doctor responded enthusiastically, glad he was going to get an opportunity to actually conduct a wedding ceremony. "Really?"
"You're on Pretty Boy." Morgan chuckled, slapping his friend's back.
"Okay. So do you want traditional vows or did you want to say your own?" Reid asked.
Rossi laughed. "I think they just did."
JJ snickered as she repositioned herself on Hotch's lap. "What's going to get me married faster?" She asked.
~~CM~~
"So we're sure this is legal, right?" JJ asked as they left the jewelers wearing matching wedding bands. She was eyeing hers admiringly.
Hotch smiled down at her. "Would you feel better if we went to the JP just to be safe?"
"It couldn't hurt." She frowned as Hotch chuckled. "What's so funny?"
He shrugged. "Here I was worried that I was never going to convince you to marry me, and now you're ready to marry me again." He halted suddenly. "This just isn't to get Will off your back is it?"
JJ frowned up at him, slightly miffed at suggestion. "Wow, are you in a rush to have our first marital fight?"
Her annoyance appeased him. "I don't think so." He grinned. "Is make up sex involved?"
JJ wasn't ready to be charmed. "Why would you ask such a stupid question?"
Hotch lifted a shoulder as he claimed her hand. "I don't know, maybe I have a little bit of insecurity lingering. I still can't believe you're with me. I guess I told myself you hesitated because you weren't sure I was what you really wanted."
"You really are spoiling for a fight." JJ huffed.
"What? No."
She ignored him and continued, "I realized today I was stupid for worrying about what the team thought, what being openly involved with you would mean to my job – which we probably should consider that I may no longer have a job – the only thing that mattered was the fact that I loved you and you loved me. I'm disappointed that I even hesitated at all." She said sadly then leveled him with a glare. "I can't believe that you would think I spared any thought to what…."
They had reached the car and Hotch backed her up to it and captured her mouth under his not caring that they were creating quite a demonstration for passersby. "I'm sorry." He told her as he rested his forehead against hers.
"You know," JJ told him, wrapping her arms around his waist to keep him close, "Make-up sex sounds like a really good idea. We should probably hurry home." Her hand glided down over his ass.
Hotch chuckled and dropped a kiss on her nose. "You know the team is waiting at the house, right? They're all going to be there when we get home. Rossi and Emily probably got the booze and Morgan and Garcia focused on food and Reid's probably entertaining the boys."
JJ gave a slight pout. "Are you sure?"
He raised a brow.
"Yeah, you're probably right." She conceded with a sigh. "I guess we should probably get going."
"Don't worry I'll make it up to you tonight." Hotch promised as he opened the car door for her.
"Oh, I'm not worried." JJ assured him. "In fact, if you if you fail to meet my expectations I'll give you a lifetime to make it up to me." She offered magnanimously.
Grinning he laughed down at her. "Have I ever failed you before?"
"No, but now that you've got me," She said, wiggling her ringed hand at him, "You might not extend as much effort." She told him cheekily.
"Keep it up smart ass and you might be making it up to me tonight." He closed the door and walked around to the driver's side. He groaned as he felt her hand land on his knee and started to travel up his thigh.
"You're right, you know. It shouldn't just be you taking care of me. We should be taking care of each other." JJ gave him a wicked grin as her hand almost reached its desired destination. "I do so enjoy taking care of you."
Hotch's hand covered hers before she could claim her victory. "So do I sweetheart, but I'd like to live to enjoy it. You try that on the road and I'll probably wreck." He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly. "How about you sit over there and think about where you want me to take you on our honeymoon."
JJ twisted on the seat. "We're going on a honeymoon?"
"Anywhere you want to go." Hotch promise her, starting the engine and putting the car in gear.
"Just the two of us or are we bringing the boys?" She asked excitedly already considering the near endless possibilities.
Hotch smiled over at her. "Whatever you think is best."
As he pointed the car in the direction of home JJ ran a few scenarios through her mind. A slight frown puckered her brow as she turned to Hotch. "I do like the idea of cavorting with you naked on some tropical island, but, I also like the idea of going somewhere with the boys as a family."
Hotch nodded in agreement. "So what we need to do is figure out a way to do both." He told her simply.
JJ smiled in appreciation and relief. "Have I told you recently how much I love you?"
"I never get tired of hearing it." He assured her. "I love you, too." He chuckled as he pulled into their drive and took note of all the vehicles that were already there and in front of their home.
JJ noticed where he was looking and smiled. "It looks like we're having a party." She stated opening the car door.
Hotch exited his side of the vehicle and went around front to meet her, taking her hand in his he commented. "Today is just the beginning."
Thanks for reading!