This if my first attempt at Criminal Minds fanfiction. I've always enjoyed watching the show, and I've seen every episode, but I don't know if I've gotten the characters quite right. This takes place right after Season 7, Episode 2: Proof. This is what I wish we could have seen. Let me know what you think.
The cooking lesson had done all the good Hotchner thought it would. And Reid slipped into his coat, feeling very full and much less angry and hurt towards JJ. He couldn't help but smile at Garcia and Morgan's flirtatious banter as they stepped out into the street to make their way to their respective homes. Even Rossi seemed to have enjoyed the night, even if he had been halfway ordered to play host by Hotchner.
He didn't know why he did it, but when JJ approached the door with a handful of leftovers he held her coat up for, and she smiled as she slipped one arm and then the other into the sleeves. She pulled her blonde hair out from under the coat and let it fall back onto her shoulders. She slipped her hand into the crook of his arm and pulled him towards the door.
Together they stepped out into the rapidly cooling night, and in silence walked down Rossi's front steps, until they came to stand on the sidewalk. Reid didn't know what to do now. He wanted things to go back to how they had been, but he wasn't sure they could. At least not overnight. Tonight had made things better, but the hurt was still there. He cleared his throat, trying to get words to come out.
"Spence, I never wanted to hurt you."
"I know."
"Emily's life depended on it."
"I know."
"You're like family to me, Spence. It's tearing me up inside that there's this...this gap between us. And I don't know how to fix it. I don't know how to make it right."
"We'll talk. Not tonight. But we'll talk." And he looked at her for the first time since leaving Rossi's house. Her eyes were damp, like she was holding back tears. She was smiling though, which confused Reid even more.
"You promise?"
"Yeah."
And before the word had even left his mouth, JJ pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. It felt wonderful, as always, to be hugged by JJ, and he hugged her back.
1 one thousand, 2 one thousand, 3 one thousand, 4 one thousand… Reid counted in his head. It had become a very long hug, and she didn't release him until he had reached 25 one thousands.
"You know, on average hugs last about 3 seconds." Reid told her, not sure what else to say. JJ was grinning at him though. "It's actually a pattern that can be see-" JJ's hand clamped over his mouth, forcing him to stop telling her about the three second pattern seen in much of life.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Spence." She told him. He nodded, because her hand was still covering his mouth. She smiled again, removing her hand as she turned and walked towards her car. Reid stood there for a second, mulling over what had happened.
He came back to the present, as she was about to climb into her car.
"Good night." He called.
She just smiled and waved goodbye. He shrugged his coat closer, and stuffed his hands into his pockets as he turned and ambled over to his own car, once again lost in thought.
That bit of hug trivia was found at .com/hug-three-second-rule/. I don't know how true it is, it was obtained via a Google search after all. Very interesting if it is however. Reviews are loved, especially if my characters are terribly out of character (Or perfectly in).
