Disclaimer – not mine!

I think I begun to write this the same time I wrote Cosmic Love, It was probably one of my first versions of Cosmic Love, but it was nowhere near finished, so as I'm stuck in the house with the plumber and the person who tiles and it's thundering and lightening and pouring down with rain outside, I thought I'd finish this off. Its unbeta'd and it's very noisy here so all mistakes are entirely mine but hopefully Jotch lovers who need a fix like it! Let me know what you think.

...

It had been a bad case for the whole team. Actually it had been a bad two months for the small BAU team. Case after case came and went, blow after blow knocked the team until they were all empty shells walking around with dark eyes and pale skins, the promise of their own beds taunting them for days now. It was the height of summer and the rumbles of thunder roared above in the dark sky as the team left the grey building one by one, all anticipated the two day rest bite they had been rewarded with after the tedious flight home.

Hotch's heavy eyes began to shut as he leant back in his leather chair but the friction of his suit trousers on the slippy material startled him enough to decide it was time to head home to his lonely apartment. Shutting the office door, Hotch jumped slightly at the flash of lightening illuminated the darkened and vacant bullpen.

He stood at the elevator as his mind began to question whether or not to take the stairs, the last thing he wanted was to be stuck in the small box if the power went out but as he heard the clip clop of high heels wandering down the corridor his mind reasoned with him. 'I wouldn't mind being stuck in the elevator is she was with me.'

The footsteps stopped and the unit chief realised she was standing closely behind him. "Hey you haven't left yet?" JJ asked sleepily trying to hide the yawn.

The elevator doors opened and he stepped aside letting the blonde enter first in politeness. "Erm, no, Jack's with Jess and her family at his grandparents and, I don't know, paperwork needed to be finished and... Why haven't you left yet?" He closed his eyes briefly, knowing it wasn't like him to be so forward and forthcoming but lately his relationship with JJ had began to change and he was determined that he wasn't going to close himself off from her if he could help it.

"Honestly I fell asleep at my desk, the thunder woke me up. Henry's at Will's for the weekend while he has the time off work, so I'll be going home to an empty house and in this weather it doesn't really seem... appealing" JJ shrugged as she caught his eye from the side of hers.

"No it doesn't" Hotch mumbled quietly as the doors opened on the basement level, he felt a slight pang of disappointment that he wouldn't be able to spend more time with her in such close proximity.

They both paused, hovering at the door of the parking lot making small talk about the last case. Hotch watched as JJ tiredly rubbed her eyes while she spoke, "So I told Mary at CNN that if she wants to keep on my good side she shouldn't pass on our victim's addresses to Rick at the Post..." JJ yawned again, slapping Hotch feebly on the arm as he laughed at her inability to hide her tiredness.

"I'll drive you home" Hotch suggested with authority, making it sound more like a statement rather than the question he intended it to be.

JJ shook her head, smiling softly. "No Hotch you don't have to do that I'm fine"

"You can't even keep your eyes open" He reasoned as she bit her lower lip.

"You need your eyes to drive?" JJ queried with sarcasm.

Hotch smirked letting his hand press softly into her lower back to guide her towards his silver sedan. "JJ let me drive you home, please. The last thing I want to happen is for you to be in an accident after not sleeping properly for the last few weeks when I could've prevented it"

JJ shook her head as they walked slowly through the quiet car park. "But it's out of your way..."

"I don't mind" Hotch stopped at the passengers' door, looking at the blonde stubbornly.

They paused for a seconds just looking at each other through hazy eyes before he opened the door for her. "Are you sure?"

"Just get in the car JJ" His dimples appeared as he smiled back to JJ who nodded and got in the car. She slipped her seatbelt on and watched in the wing mirror as Hotch hurriedly placed his go bag in the trunk and walked around to the driver's side. Hotch placed his own seatbelt on his arm rubbing slightly against JJ's and the Pennsylvanian felt the familiar knot in her stomach as she did every time he accidently touched her.

"Ready?" Hotch asked he switched the engine on. JJ nodded before they pulled away, she smiled softly as she watched his knuckles turn white with the pressure of his hold on the steering wheel.

They drove through the Quantico security posts keeping the conversation from earlier going but after the case talk had died and JJ turned the radio on without asking, they drove in comfortable silence listening to the late night call in show, the topic was about the best and worst first dates and the pair of agents listened intently until the low rumble of thunder distracted them and JJ realised they were outside her home.

"So" Hotch turned in his seat turning the engine off as they sat.

JJ smiled at the awkward turn of events. "So... who the hell takes a girl to a strip club on the first date?"

He laughed at her question that related to one of the women who had called into the radio show. "Who the hell takes a woman to a strip club on any date?"

JJ smirked at Hotch's relaxed demeanour. "I thought I had some bad first dates"

He nodded in agreement watching as she undid her seatbelt. As she turned, her skirt slightly shifted upwards and he could feel his cheeks becoming hotter, coughing, he changed his gaze towards her small suburban house. "Thanks for driving me home"

"Anytime" Hotch smiled quickly, he tried to control his heartbeat that had quickened when she moved moments earlier but the sight of turning once more made the beating of his heart, or something, throb through his entire body.

JJ shifted again this time to open the door she let her hand hover over the door handle, while looking at the reflection of him in the window. "I'll see you Tuesday"

"Yeah" Before she could leave Hotch gently placed his hand on her arm. "Erm, JJ..."

He paused once more, letting JJ sit back in her seat so she was facing him again. There were still no words as he continued to let his eyes wander around the car, looking everywhere apart from her deep blue eyes. He flinched suddenly as he felt JJ's hand cup his cheek but stilled when her fingers began tracing his features.

They'd been dancing around each other months now, probably longer, but since JJ and Will separated they'd become closer making it apparent to everyone that there was something there between them. Will and JJ's relationship ended amicably, they simply wanted different things. He wanted marriage, she didn't. He wanted more kids, she didn't. He wanted to move, she didn't. From the big stuff to the little problems neither could agree so decisively they separated and JJ had found peace with the decision but Hotch was the one who had been there to hear her regrets after late nights in the office and on long flights home, unsurprisingly JJ's regrets were very similar to his own.

The unit chief and media liaison bonded over the experience but both studiously avoided the line that stood between friendship and more. Now as they watched each other, the trepidation of what could happen if they voiced their feelings, the thing that had paralyzed them from taking a chance, subsided and they knew in that moment that the fear provoking yet invisible line was about to be blurred.

...