Disclaimer: I own nothing with Criminal Minds except for my dvds. I don't own Monsters Inc, SyFy (or their "Mega" movies, though I highly recommend them), "Ring Around the Rosie", or "Itsy Bitsy Spider."
Author's Note: AU after 5X13 – Risky Business. Takes place a few months after, but I want to ignore everything after Risky Business. This is my first attempt at multi-chapter fic and I honestly don't have an ending yet. That scares me a bit. LOL. Hope you enjoy.
ANNA POPPINS
Of Introductions and Picnics
"Hey, who's Hotch talking to?" Morgan asked, walking up to Garcia and Reid in the middle of the BAU office. They were sitting against Reid's desk spying through the window of Hotch's office.
"No idea," Reid admitted, startled by Morgan's appearance.
"Whoever she is, she's actually making him smile," Garcia added.
Prentiss dropped her bag at her desk, causing all three of them to jump. "What's going on?"
"We're spying on Dad," Garcia answered, nodding to Hotch's office.
"Who's in there?"
"We're not sure," Morgan said. He moved to stand beside Garcia.
"She has beautiful hair," Prentiss commented, admiring the mane of red, curly hair on the woman's head.
"Who has beautiful hair?" JJ asked, walking up to them with a stack of folders in her arms. Now, all four of them jumped.
"The woman in Hotch's office," Morgan told her.
"Oh! That's Jack's new nanny," JJ explained, chuckling at the four of them. "Her name is Anna. She's very nice."
"Nice, huh? That's like the kiss of death."
"I thought Haley's sister was watching Jack?" Prentiss said.
"She got a promotion that was 'too good to pass up' and moved away," JJ replied, trying to control her eye-rolling. She knew that Jessica had every right to live her own life, but part of her couldn't understand why she had promised to help Hotch out only to leave him in the lurch a few months later.
"So, Hotch went and got himself a nanny," Morgan grinned. "My man!"
"He really seems to like her," Prentiss commented.
"She is really making him smile," Reid added.
JJ laughed, placing the folders in her hands on each of their desks. "For profilers, you sure are unobservant."
"What do you mean?" Reid asked. They all turned to look at JJ, all but Garcia had a look of perplexation on their faces. Garcia just looked amused.
"That is Hotch's 'Jack' smile,'" JJ explained. "She brought Jack by to see Hotch before we leave."
"Ice cream!" Jack shouted, throwing the door open and running out. His golden brown hair bouncing as he ran towards the stairs. "Ice cream! Ice cream! Ice cream!"
"Whoa, Jack!" Anna shouted, chasing after him. She caught up to him right before he reached the stairs and tossed him in the air. Anna whispered in Jack's ear, "Say 'good-bye' to Daddy."
"Good-bye, Daddy," Jack repeated. "I love you."
"I love you, too, buddy," Hotch replied, taking Jack from Anna and hugging him, tightly.
Anna turned and did a double-take at seeing nearly the entire BAU team staring at her, not bothering to hide their curiosity.
"Um, hi," Anna said to them, her cheeks blushing slightly. She ran her hand nervously through her hair.
"Here, let me introduce you to my team," Hotch offered. "This is Dr. Spencer Reid, Agent Emily Prentiss, Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia, Agent Derek Morgan, and, of course, you know JJ."
"It's good to see you again," JJ told her with a smile.
"You, too," Anna replied, flashing a bright smile, her deep blue eyes sparkling. Anna grabbed Jack's hand. "We should get going."
"Good-bye, Jack. I will call you tonight," Hotch called after them. "Okay, team, briefing in five minutes."
JJ rushed to catch up with Hotch as he walked back towards his office. "So, Jack really seems to be liking Anna."
"Yeah, they're like two peas in a pod." Hotch followed her into his office and sat down in his chair. He smirked slightly when JJ perched on his desk. "Sometimes a little too much."
"And the living arrangements? That's working out?"
"It's a little strange having another adult there all the time, but it's worked out nicely when I've gotten called away in the middle of the night." Hotch shifted. "I think the fact that I've known Anna so long is helping to ease the awkwardness. It's been an interesting month."
"She seems pretty easy going. Henry was smitten with her. I think Will was, too." JJ recalled a conversation she had with Will a few days ago after Anna and Jack dropped off some toys for Henry that Jack no longer used. She grinned when she saw Hotch's eyebrows raised. "Henry's going through a shy phase right now. The only people he'll go to are me, Will, Garcia, and Miss Ruby at daycare. So, the fact that he'll go to Anna means a potential baby-sitter."
"I'm sure she'd love to watch Henry anytime. She doesn't really know anyone here so she has a lot of free time."
"Yes, just what every young, single woman wants to do on her time off. You should have a barbeque when this case is over and invited the team." JJ laughed when Hotch raised his eyebrows a second time, both at JJ's change in topic and the topic she switched to. "It'll give Anna a chance to know some people."
"I'll think about it," Hotch agreed. He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, though his demeanor remained relaxed. "How are things with you and Will?"
"Surprisingly good," JJ sighed. "I think we were always better off as friends. We decided to remain in the same house so that we're not splitting Henry's time. It's good to have another adult to talk to, also. We've been talking a lot more since the pressure of 'making us work' is off. It's actually nice."
"Have you told anyone yet?"
"Oh, God, no! Either they're going to give me weird looks for the arrangement we have or they're going to try to set me up with a million guys. I'm not looking for either one right now."
Hotch shudder slightly, recalling a none too subtle conversation he had with Garcia about dating. He opened his mouth to say more, but paused when there was a knock on the door and Morgan stuck his head inside.
"Uh, guys, we've all been assembled for about ten minutes."
"Coming," JJ said as Hotch said, "On our way."
"So, you'll think about the barbeque?" JJ asked as they left Hotch's office. Hotch sighed, heavily, but nodded his head. "Good."
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"Do you even know how to cook on a grill?" Anna asked, coming out of the townhouse with a bowl of fruit salad in her hands, her ponytail flying out behind her. Jack followed close behind her with a bag of chips.
"I'll have you know that I used to barbeque every weekend when I was a prosecutor," Hotch told her, repressing the urge to stick his tongue out. He frowned slightly trying to figure out what it was about Anna that turned him into a twelve-year-old.
"Why are we doing this again?"
"Because JJ thought it would be a good way for you to meet some people."
"Right. 'JJ thought...'" Anna let her voice trail off, but she flashed Hotch a mischievous grin that he chose to ignore.
"Anna, spin me!" Jack begged. Anna grabbed his hands and let him away from the grill and tables. She held him under his arms and spun in a circle while they both laughed. Anna gently collapsed them both to the ground.
"Sp-in! Sp-in!" Henry called out from his mother's arms as they entered the Hotchner backyard. JJ put Henry down and he toddled to Anna.
"Miss JJ!" Jack shouted, running to hug her. He had developed a little crush on JJ over the few months as she and Henry became more of a presence in his life.
"Hi, my Jack." JJ kissed his forehead, causing him to giggle. "Are you having fun with Anna?"
"Yeah. We're spinning! Look, Henry's spinning, too."
"Why don't you make sure he knows how to do it right?"
Jack squirmed to the ground and ran off. "Okay!"
"No Will?" Hotch asked JJ as she came to stand beside him. He glanced sideways at her, taking in her casual attire. Her hair was in a half-ponytail and her eyes were dancing.
"He had to work, though, honestly, I think he may have asked for this shift so we didn't have to explain anything." JJ absently handed Hotch the plate of raw burgers while keeping an eye on Henry.
"Hey, baby cakes!" Garcia said, hugging JJ as she, Kevin, and Reid arrived in the backyard. She signaled to Kevin to put the containers he was carrying on the picnic table. "Where's my little guy?"
"Being absolutely mesmerized by Hotch's new nanny," JJ replied, pointing to Anna and the two boys. Anna was leading them in a round of 'Ring Around the Rosie.'
"He's not the only one," Hotch chuckled, nodding his head at Reid, who was standing nearby with his mouth slightly open.
"See something you like there, Spence?" JJ teased, taking the platter of cookies from his hands and placing them on the table.
"Uh, yes. Uh, no," Reid stuttered, looking between JJ and Anna. "She just, uh, looks familiar."
"Who looks familiar?" Reid turned to see Morgan standing behind him.
"Apparently, Anna does," JJ answered, taking the potato salad from Morgan and putting it with the rest of the food.
"It's the hair," Anna told them, walking up the group. She had Henry on her hip while holding Jack's hand. "All red heads look alike."
Anna and Hotch burst into laughter when they all stared at her, trying to determine her level of seriousness. Garcia, Reid, and Morgan exchanged glances. Their boss was not one to laugh readily.
"Well, well. Anna and Aaron are laughing while everyone else stands around looking bewildered," Rossi said, also joining the group. "Let me guess: the red head joke?"
"It's a classic," Anna countered with a saucy grin. She kissed Rossi on the cheek. "How are you, Dave?"
"Can't complain. Sorry I haven't gotten around to seeing you before this."
Anna waved him off. "It's okay. I know you're a big, bad profiler and I'm just the lowly help."
"Funny. I forgot how funny you think you are."
"Hey, where's Emily?" JJ asked, glancing around.
"Right here," Prentiss replied, walking up behind her. "Sorry, I'm late. My mother called as I was walking out the door."
"How'd that go?"
"Anna, can we play football?" Jack asked, tugging on her hand.
Anna handed Henry to Garcia. "You got it, HJ."
Jack giggled at the nickname as he ran off to grab a football. Anna turned back to the group. "Who's in? You? You? Come on, Dr. Spencer Reid."
Reid shrugged and followed Anna. Prentiss and Morgan glanced at each other before joining Reid, Anna, and Jack. Garcia bounced Henry up and down on her knees, cheering for both teams. It wasn't long before Anna and Jack pulled Kevin and Rossi into the game, lining Anna, Jack, Prentiss, and Reid up against Morgan, Rossi, and Kevin.
"What?" Hotch asked, realizing JJ was staring at him.
She blushed slightly at being caught. "You laughed."
"I'm sorry?" Hotch tilted his head in confusion.
"You and Anna with that joke, you laughed. I just haven't heard it in a long time."
Hotch half-shrugged, looking embarrassed. "She turns me into a child again. It's like I'm suddenly twelve and she's my bratty little sister."
"Hey! It's touch football, not tackle!" Prentiss yelled, drawing Hotch and JJ's attention. Anna was helping Reid up from the ground, where Morgan had tackled him.
"I'm sorry! I tripped," Morgan apologized, unconvincingly. They lined up again, Morgan taking quarterback. Anna darted forward, slamming Morgan to the ground. She got up, chuckling.
"Sorry, I tripped." Anna offered her hand to Morgan as he got up. He picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and spun her around. Their laughter filled the air.
"She's a bit of a spitfire," JJ muttered to Hotch. Hotch rolled his eyes in agreement. Jack jumped up and down in front Morgan, wanting to be spun next.
"Burgers are done!" Hotch called out. He passed the plate the JJ, briefly brushing her fingers. He shivered at the contact and wondered curiously about that response. He never had that reaction to a simple touch from JJ. In fact, he hadn't had that reaction from anyone since he and Haley were first married.
"Hotch?"
He glanced down to see JJ staring at him with a concerned look on her face. Her blue eyes were sparkling in the sunlight. Had they ever been that blue before? Hotch shook his head to clear his thoughts. He would examine this later when she wasn't standing so close to him with her soft skin and plump lips and...
"Sorry!" Hotch spat out. "I guess I just got lost in thought."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah." He looked up to see Anna standing near the table with Jack. She grinned and winked him. Hotch rolled his eyes again, but this time in annoyance.
"Anna, your phone's ringing," Jack told her, picking her phone up from the picnic table. Anna glanced at it, before hitting ignore and pocketing it. She ignored the concerned and curious looks.
"What do you want on your hamburger, Jack?" Hotch asked.
The group made small talk while they ate. Jack insisted on sitting between Hotch and JJ while Henry happily remained on Garcia's lap, ignoring the talk between Kevin and Garcia. He monopolized JJ's conversation with stories of his neighborhood friends. Hotch, Rossi, Morgan, and Prentiss were discussing Rossi's latest publicist and debating the likelihood that she was to become wife number four. Anna listened intently while Reid rambled on about the latest books he had read.
Anna noticed the mood of the table changed from relaxed to inquisitive as the meals finished up. She pursed her lips, half in annoyance and half in amusement, as she saw a look skip from Morgan to Prentiss to Garcia to Reid. She braced herself for what was coming next.
"So, where are you from?" Morgan asked her.
"Have you always been a nanny?" Garcia added.
"How do you know Hotch?" Reid questioned.
Prentiss leaned forward on the table. "Got any embarrassing stories to tell us about him?"
"What's your story?" Morgan pried.
Anna breathed loudly to stop them, her eyes growing big. "Wow. That is a lot of questions coming at me all at once."
"Yes, it is, and you are under no obligation to answer any of them." Hotch glared at his team as he, Rossi, and JJ joined the conversation.
"It's okay," Anna told him with a smile, trying to quell his over-protectiveness. She absently pulled her phone from her pocket as it rang again, chose ignore, and placed it back into her pocket. "I, uh, was a witness in a case about... twelve years back. Hotch and I became friends after that. This is my first nanny job, but I've always loved kids. I have a few nieces and nephews. And, no, sadly, I do not have any embarrassing Hotch stories. Anything else, you're just going to have to earn."
Anna stood from the table. "I'm going to grab dessert from the fridge. Jack, why don't you come help me?"
Jack jumped up eagerly as Henry called out, "I help! I help!"
"Okay, little man. You can help." Anna picked Henry up from Garcia and hurried the two boys into the house.
"I'm going to tell you this once," Hotch growled, bringing focus of the entire team to him, "do not go digging into her past. She is my friend and that is all you need to know."
Reid, Garcia, Morgan, and Prentiss muttered apologies while JJ and Rossi shared a look. Morgan got up from the table and followed Anna into the kitchen. He found Henry and Jack sitting on the counter while Anna sang "Itsy Bitsy Spider" complete with dance moves. He leaned against the other end of the counter, waiting for her to finish. Morgan clapped along with Jack and Henry when she was finished.
"Didn't your mother teach you it wasn't impolite to sneak up on people?" Anna teased, her hand on her hip.
"No, no!" Henry told Morgan, also putting his hand on his hip.
Morgan threw his hands up in peace. "Sorry, but, man, girl, you have some moves. You are going to have to come out to the club with me and Emily."
"I'll pencil that in." Anna helped Jack and Henry down. "HJ, can you do me a big favor and take Henry out to Miss JJ? I'll bring the cake out in just a minute."
"Sure." Jack took Henry's hand led him outside.
Morgan raised an eyebrow. "HJ?"
"Hotch, Jr. It fits."
"I came to apologize. We shouldn't have ambushed you like that."
Anna smiled at him. "Hotch lay a smack down on you?"
"Something like that," Morgan chuckled.
"It's okay." Anna pulled the cake from the refrigerator. "You're a team of FBI profilers. And you're very protective of your boss right now. I didn't expect anything less."
"True, but we could have done it better."
"Look, the only thing you need to know is this: Hotch knows all my secrets." Anna jumped slightly as her phone vibrated again. She handed the cake to Morgan. "Can you take this outside for me, please?"
"Sure thing."
Anna waited until Morgan left through the door to look at her phone. She hit ignore again only to have the phone vibrate once more. She threw the phone, groaning as it sailed into the living room and bounced off the couch.
"I'm guessing you really didn't want to take that phone call," Reid said, walking up behind her.
"It's nothing, just someone who doesn't know when to stop calling." Anna waved it off. She linked her arm through his, leading him outside. "So, tell me, Dr. Spencer Reid, are you a fan of the SyFy 'Mega' movies?"
"The what?"
Hotch and JJ stood in the kitchen several hours later after everyone had gone home. They were packing up the leftover food and chatting about their kids, the picnic, Anna's adjustment, and occasionally work. JJ was in the midst of explaining Henry's new obsession with fire trucks when Anna walked back into the room. She had changed from the casual ware of earlier to jeans and a sleeveless black shirt with a plunging neckline.
"Both boys are down. They're curled up in my bed; fell asleep after five minutes of Monsters, Inc. I doubt they'll wake when you move them," Anna told them, shaking her red curls with hands.
"Thanks, Anna." JJ smiled at her.
Hotch frowned as he critically eyed Anna's outfit. "What's with the clothes?"
"I'm meeting some friends. I don't know why you think I don't have friends, Hotch." Anna's tone held a hint of amusement.
"Maybe because you spend all of your time with a four-year-old?"
"I spend all my time with a four-year-old because the four-year-old has had a lot of changes lately and needs some consistency." Anna smirked at him. "Besides, he's more fun than most adults."
"Hard to argue with that," JJ muttered.
"Thank you. JJ, any time you or Will needs a baby-sitter, Jack and I will be happy to help out. Jack really loves being protective. Wonder where he got that from?" Anna and JJ shared a delighted look. "Anyway, I'm out of here."
"Don't-" Hotch started.
"I won't be late. I'll be sure to reset the alarm and double-check the locks." Anna turned with a wave. "I'm going to be late picking up Spencer. That guy needs some friends."
Hotch turned towards JJ, who was grinning at him. "What?"
"She so has your number." JJ put the last of the food away. "I guess I should be getting Henry home. It's getting late."
"Uh, yeah." Hotch searched his brain trying to come up with a reason for her not to go, but nothing sounded plausible. "Let me help you out."
Hotch secured Henry in his car seat before turning to JJ. Anna had been correct when she said Henry wouldn't wake up. "Thanks for coming, JJ. And for helping to clean up. And for setting this up in the first place."
"You're welcome." She placed her hand on his arm and he felt that same electricity that he had earlier in the day when their fingers touched. Again, Hotch marveled at that reaction. "I think your first BAU barbeque was a success."
"First?" Hotch repeated, slightly alarmed. JJ just chuckled as she got into the car. He could see her laughing as she rounded the corner and disappeared from sight. Hotch sighed as he entered the alarm code. He could still feel JJ's hand on his arm.
He had always liked JJ, respected her. He knew they had a slightly closer relationship than he had with the members of the team other than Dave and Gideon. That came strictly from the hours working alone trudging through case after the rest of the team had gone home. It was hard not to form some sort of bond. It was hard not to notice she was beautiful either. He noticed the beauty in Prentiss and Garcia, too, though the latter was a bit unconventional. Still, JJ was definitely his type and he knew that, too. But he never saw her, never allowed himself to see her, as anything other than a colleague, a subordinate, a friend. At least, he hadn't until that touch this afternoon.
Closing his eyes as he lay in bed, his overactive mind wouldn't release the image of JJ as she stood next to him: the sun beating down on her, bringing out the shimmer of her blond hair, enhancing the twinkle in her eyes. He saw the way her lips pulled down slightly while she worried about him and was startled to find he wondered what it would be like to kiss the frown away. His thoughts latched onto that as he drifted off to sleep, imagining running his fingers over her arms, her neck, her face. He would worry about what it all meant tomorrow. Tonight, he was going to dream.
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Author's Note 2: Well, that picnic scene was a bit heavy on dialogue, but I hope you'll forgive me. I needed to get Anna acclimated to BAU group and didn't want to spend too much time on it. It also went on longer than I thought it would.