Author's note: This is based on an article that was in this month's Cosmo – as Tonnie said, "Who knew Cosmo could be so inspirational?" As always, many, many thanks to my writing friends ... I couldn't do it without you!

Jennifer Jareau sighed and closed her eyes as she rested her aching head on the soft pillow she'd grabbed on her way to the front of the cabin of the BAU's jet. She needed to be alone, needed time to think. Just as she and Will settled in for their first weekend together in three months, Hotch called. They had a case, and they had to get to Phoenix, Arizona, right away. She knew Hotch was serious when he told her that there was no time to lose. The call had come directly to him.

The hurt and angry expression on Will's face wouldn't leave her. She had been looking forward to their weekend too – things hadn't been great between them lately – and she felt terrible about having to leave, but what choice did she have? Work – important work – called. On her way out the door, she'd told him as much, asked what he would do if she were in New Orleans and he got called out to a scene. But there was no time to get into a deep discussion, no time to wait for his reply. The jet, and the team, would be waiting.

She knew a nap was what she needed, both to ease her head and quiet her mind, but trying to drift off for even a little while was an impossibility – too much chatter going on behind her and too much turbulence. Deciding that light reading might help her relax, she reached into her carry-on for the latest issue of Cosmo. Before she could open the magazine in which she hoped to immerse herself, David Rossi sat down beside her.

"Hey. You okay?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied, doing her best to offer him a convincing smile. If she didn't, he would know that she was not okay, and he would do his damnedest to find out what he could to do make whatever it was better. "Just tired."

"I can see that." He continued to study her, looking for signs as to what might be her trouble. "Not exactly the way any of us wanted to spend our weekend."

"No," she said, dangerously close to tears, but determined to fight them, determined not to break down in front of her closest friend and confidant. Since he'd been back at the BAU, he had become that and so much more, and at times she found herself wanting to just throw herself into his arms and be done with it, get the attraction they both seemed to feel out of their systems. When she struggled with a case, when Strauss was on her back, when she and Will had an argument ... he was the person she wanted to talk to.

Rossi was aware of JJ's plans for the weekend, and if he was a betting man, he'd say that the other man in JJ's life, as he preferred to think of Will, had not taken her sudden departure well. "Talk to me," he implored, his voice low. "He isn't happy with you, is he?"

That simple question was her undoing. "No," she whispered, wiping away a tear. "I told him to stay until Sunday, as he'd planned, that I might be home by then, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's writing me a Dear John letter and booking a flight back to Louisiana as we speak."

Rossi bit back a curse. He hated to see JJ hurting, but it was clear that she wasn't happy with Will either, and he knew that this was not an isolated incident. "Honey," he said hesitantly, half of him afraid of upsetting her even more, half of him afraid of giving himself and his own feelings away, "if it isn't working for you, you should break it off."

She nodded her head. "I know. But we have a lot invested in our relationship, and I don't want to be wondering, five years down the road, if I should've tried harder, been more willing to – "

"Jennifer," he interrupted her firmly, taking her small hand in his larger one. "Don't. Don't do this to yourself. Trust me – I know that it accomplishes nothing."

She shook her head. "I guess you should."

"I do," he assured her. "Listen ... I've got to go work on the profile, but I'll come back and check on you when we finish. Promise me you'll ease up on yourself. If Will doesn't know what he has, your crazy job aside," he added, hoping to get a genuine smile, "he isn't worth your tears."

~*~

Eased after her chat with Rossi, JJ returned to her Cosmo, thinking that sleep might come easily now. The magazine was full of the usual articles, but when she turned to "Why More Chicks Are Cheating" she stopped, intrigued.

According to M. Gary Newman, author of The Truth About Cheating, "Women feel entitled to pleasure, so going outside the relationship is no longer taboo if it satisfies needs a parter isn't meeting," she read.

How true, she thought to herself, except she would add that it wasn't all about pleasure. It was about sharing one's life, the good and the bad, the ups and the downs, with another person, and Will simply had not been that person for her lately. They began their relationship understanding it wouldn't be easy with his job and hers but still committed to trying to make a go of it. Now, after months of trying, it didn't seem worth the effort. She often called too late, he was often unavailable, and when they did connect, neither one was very patient with or understanding. There was plenty of blame to go around, and in the end, it was shared more or less equally.

The article went on. "Compounding that license to cheat is a whole new world of enticement. Today, women kick more ass than ever at work. But the demands time at the office and on the road, rife with temptations like a 'work spouse' or cute guy at the bar."

"Work spouse." Garcia and Morgan often used that term for each other, in their own joking way, but, JJ decided, it could be applied to herself and Rossi. He always had time for her, no matter how many other things demanded his attention, and she never told him to come back later when he needed an ear and she had a mountain of files on her desk. She brushed it off as what friends did for each other, but that simple dismissal was getting harder and harder to acknowledge. She laid out the national and local sections of the newspaper for him; he laid out the comics, horoscopes and TV listings for her. She knew he liked his coffee with just enough cream; he knew to order her whiskey sour when they met up for a drink or were out for happy hour with the team. She understood that when he had a bad day, he'd come to her when he was ready to unload; he understood that when she had a bad day, supper at her favorite diner and a movie would set her to rights. She knew to rescue him when a female fan tried to hit him up for conversation or make advances; he knew to place a protective yet gentle hand to the small of her back when men came on to her.

It was all the little things they did without even thinking that qualified her as his "work wife" and him as her "work husband." Not that she would ever say that to him, though – she could imagine him cringing at the terminology. But if only he would give me a real sign, she thought as she drifted off to sleep.

~*~

The jet arrived in Phoenix in the middle of the night, and instead of going straight to the police department, the team went to their hotel to rest, Hotch wanting everyone to be ready for what the day ahead might bring. Hotch, Emily, Reid and Morgan claimed one of the SUVs waiting for them, and Rossi and JJ took the other.

"Feeling better?" he asked once they were alone.

"Yeah," she said, glancing over at him. He was so handsome in the dim light of the SUV, so warm and caring, she fought mightily the urge to lay a hand on his thigh. "Thanks for the chat earlier. You always know just what I need."

He started to answer that comment, but stopped himself. "You're welcome. Not that you would want to take serious relationship advice from me...."

She laughed and whacked his arm playfully. "And why not? You've 'been there, done that' enough."

"Jennifer, you wound me," he replied, feigning hurt feelings, though she could see that he was smiling. "I'll thank you to not make light of my past. I'm a changed man."

"You are?"

"I am."

"In what way?" she pressed, hoping for more details.

He sighed and shot her a quick look. "You really want to know?"

"Yes! I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

"Okay," he said slowly. "I'm older. I'm wiser. I don't see something I want and take it. I don't think only of myself when I'm with someone."

At that, JJ snorted. "Maybe you could give Will a few lessons in that area."

Rossi had to tell himself to take a deep breath, to choose his words carefully. He could speak to that comment too, but he wouldn't, not now, not when the smart, beautiful petite blonde next to him was still with that clueless punk. "It's an acquired skill," he settled for saying.

"I'll keep that in mind."

He cursed Will again, hating to hear her so resigned, and deciding he couldn't hold his tongue any longer. He could give her advice without crossing any lines, right?

"Jennifer," he said slowly, "I meant what I said earlier. Don't stay with Will just because you feel obligated – it isn't like you're married and have kids. Don't settle. You can walk away. You deserve better."

"You're right," she agreed, contemplating his words.

"Then what's the problem?"

That was a loaded question if there ever was one; it gave her the perfect opportunity to lay her cards on the table, but again, she shied away, unsure of his reaction, so she settled for a half-truth. "The problem is that I'm used to him. He may not always be the best listener, or the best communicator, but he's all I've got."

"How can you say that?" Rossi finally exploded. "You've been so focused on Will, you don't even know who else is out there, just waiting for someone like you. End it, Jennifer. You'll feel a hell of a lot better if you do."

"Why are you so adamant?"

Rossi kept his eyes on the road.. His efforts to keep their conversations from going this deeply this quickly had been for both their sakes, but that task was becoming easier said than done. "Because it kills me to see you so unhappy. Because when you're not happy, I'm not happy."

"And why is that?"

"You don't stop with the questions, do you?"

"No, I don't," she said, her voice rising. "Not when my best friend won't level with me!"

"What do you want me to say?" he exclaimed.

"I want you to say what you want to say."

"What if I don't think you're ready to hear it?"

"Dammit, Rossi!" She slammed the dash with the heel of her hand. "Enough with the games!"

"What games?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know ... this ... this ... whatever it is! If you can say it, I can take it!"

By this time they had arrived at the hotel. As he put the SUV in park in front of the doors so they could unload their bags, he turned to her and looked deeply into her eyes. "I can't. It isn't right."

"Why?"

"I told you that I was a changed man, didn't I?"

"Yes," she said softly.

"There's your answer – I don't go chasing after women who are taken, no matter how tenuous that connection to another man might be."

Against his better judgment, he leaned forward and kissed her hard on the lips, but just as quickly exited the SUV, leaving her to wonder what the hell had just happened.