Caffeine at Midnight -

He stood by the coffee machine, waiting for his mug to finish filling up, granted it had just past midnight but he knew that he would be unable to sleep. They had been away for eight days, trapped in freezing cold Portland whilst they hunted and eventually captured the serial rapist. Finally the coffee finished spouting out the steaming hot brown liquid as he grabbed the mug and looked down the jet at the rest of the team who were sleeping. Morgan sat slumped at the back of the plane, wearing his familiar large headphones allowing the heavy beats to fill his mind and allow him to drift off to sleep. Reid was sprawled out on the couch, his long thin limbs all tangled together as he clutched onto his messenger bag like a teddy, twitching cat like as he dreamt. Sitting in the seats in front of Morgan, Hotch had even given up the paperwork, the exhaustion of the last eight days had caught up with him as he had grabbed a pillow and leant against the window, probably dreaming about seeing Jack once he was back home. Dave lifted the mug up to his mouth and took a sip of the hot liquid, glad that they had yet to encounter any turbulence, he moved his gaze to Emily who had taken the seat next to Hotch and had mirrored his sleeping position, the two of them growing closer than ever since Foyet's attack. Dave smiled as he started to walk down the plane, heading towards the one person who was not sleeping soundly. JJ had been busy filling out paperwork and sifting through the case files that she had had faxed over whilst they had been working hard in Portland, but eventually it had all become too much for her as she had collapsed fast asleep, her head resting on the papers that were strewn across the table.

Dave sighed as he walked towards JJ, they had all changed before boarding the flight and JJ was now wearing tight blue jeans and a short white cotton t-shirt, looking down at his own attire, jeans and a checked shirt, comfortable and casual. Reaching up he stroked his beard and placed his mug on the table, he had to keep his feelings as neutral as possible, he was just going to look after a dear friend and colleague, nothing more. Everyone on the team knew that when JJ did fall asleep on the plane she liked to have a blanket over her, one that she always kept in her go bag. Carefully and quietly he reached across and picked up JJ's bag that she had stowed on the seat opposite and found the soft cream coloured blanket, bending down he took the seat next to the sleeping media liaison.

"JJ, come on...you can't fall asleep like that."

Dave leant in and talked quietly into JJ's ear, not wanting to either startle her too much or arouse anybody else from their slumber. Dave then sat back as he felt JJ beginning to stir, he didn't want to alarm her.

"Come on JJ, sit up."

JJ groggily lifted her head, immediately reaching for her neck.

"Have we landed?"

"Sorry no...I just couldn't let you sleep like that."

Dave pointed to the papers strewn on the table and then lifted his right hand up and started to gently massage JJ's aching neck.

"Uh thanks Dave, I just wanted to get a couple more files finished but I guess..."

"JJ look around...everyone else on this jet is sleeping, stop trying to prove yourself to us...we all know how hard you work and you are allowed to take a break every now and then."

Dave smiled as he continued to massage JJ's neck, moving slowly down to her shoulders, he could feel the tension in JJ's body as she turned slightly to face him.

"And what about you Dave? Why are you still awake?"

Dave slowly removed his hand and reached across for his mug of coffee, bringing it up to his lips he gave JJ a quick smile and wink before taking a long sip.

"Surely by now you'd realise that this old guy rarely sleeps...especially on this thing!"

Dave waved his left arm around to emphasise the fact that they were at least twenty thousand feet from terra firma.

"You don't like flying?"

JJ laughed loudly and then quickly put her hand to her mouth as she didn't want to wake the others. Dave frowned and put his mug back down on the table.

"Flying I'm fine with, even in this tiny tin can, it's the sleeping on it I don't like."

JJ looked in mock seriousness at the profiler.

"Well ok that makes sense!"

JJ then noticed her blanket on Dave's lap and a look of curiosity crept across her face, Dave noticed the change in direction of JJ's bright blue eyes and picked up the soft blanket before passing it over to JJ.

"I thought you might like this."

"Thanks Dave."

JJ smiled as she gratefully took the blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders, draping it down to her thighs.

"Why don't you rest against me and go back to sleep, I'm sure I make a good pillow especially better than the plastic table! We've got a couple of hours before we land."

JJ gratefully nodded as she shuffled her body into a more comfortable position, nestling her head into the crook of Dave's neck as he wrapped his right arm around her waist, resting his hand on the soft blanket. Dave stayed quiet, listening intently to the rhythmic breathing coming from JJ, only relaxing when he knew that JJ had gone back to sleep. Smiling as he took another sip of his now almost cold coffee, he rested his head against the seat, lost in his own dreams of how he would stay in this position for the rest of his life, looking and loving the woman he cradled in his arms.