#Disclaimer - I don't own anything related to Criminal Minds, unfortunately!

Hi so this is my next venture into fanfic land! It's just a friendship piece between JJ and Hotch but you're more than welcome to read more into it if you wish! I've got to thank the brilliant KDZL for beta reading, you are amazing

Difficult days lead to late night conversations

He's always known that she's the strongest member of his team. He just wished she realised that.

Kneeling on the floor in a dirty barren room, she had a hold of the young girl's hand and the tears were running free now. The lead detective was outside the room trying to control his nausea and Hotch, Rossi and Morgan were cautiously following the blood trail to the room where their colleague was struggling to cope. It had been an extremely long case and it had ended very badly.

Knowing that if the UNSUB followed his usual pattern, the BAU team had six hours before they'd get the phone call for the eighth time. While the profilers were focusing on the geographical profile, JJ and the lead Detective, Mack Grimshaw, had gone to inform Jeffrey Hancock of the death of his daughter over an hour ago. Hancock was obviously emotional, and as his ex wife lived over four hours away, the media liaison and lead detective had discreetly insisted that they'd stay with him for a little while longer. As he was the father of the first victim, the team been in constant contact with the greying man since they had arrived and he appeared grateful that he wasn't left alone.

Jeffery Hancock was a large man, he had speckled grey hair, wore glasses and he was apparently a dedicated angler. Around the living room there were many photos of Hancock's fishing trips, with him, centre stage in all of them. As JJ scanned the pictures, she found it odd that his daughter did not appear in any, nor did it seem apparent that any of her belongings were visible in his rather cluttered living room. On their first meeting, Hancock had come across as bashful and rather awkward but determined to find his teenage daughter who had been staying with him for the summer, but as Grimshaw was detailing the arrangements to let Hancock see his daughter, JJ realised he didn't even ask what had happened to her.

Unexpectedly, a loud clatter echoed through the house from one of the back rooms and Hancock's eyes abruptly transformed from a grieving father to a sinister culprit. JJ's hand immediately went to her side arm. Hancock did not fit the preliminary profile; he wasn't isolated, or impotent, nor did he have a previous record. But sometimes they were just wrong and the seasoned agent knew from the violent crime scenes, that this might not end well for anyone in the room.

Upon realisation that his company knew he was the one who had abducted, tortured and brutally murdered the young girls, including his own child, and his last victim was in his house trying to escape, he lashed out, knocking down Detective Grimshaw with a single blow, forcing JJ to protect herself. She killed him with her first shot.

Guns were drawn as JJ and the detective stepped over the lifeless body eager to investigate the frantic noise from down the corridor. Detective Grimshaw unlocked a bolted door where the noise emanated from. As JJ prepared to enter, a frenzied figure thrashed out trying to find her freedom, the young girl's brown eyes were wild like an animal that had unwillingly been held captive. Beaten and bloodied, their eighth victim, Molly, was thankfully still alive but she was also disorientated and scared. She fell backwards into the security of the far wall refusing to listen to the others in the room. As the guns were slowly being placed into holsters, Molly took advantage and pushed past JJ and intentionally avoided Grimshaw while she tried to find her own way out without the help of the two law enforcement officials. The whole situation wasn't looking good, Molly saw Hancock's limp body in the corridor and retreated back into the inhospitable dull room where she had been imprisoned. Noting Molly's dread of his presence, JJ silently communicated to the veteran cop to withdraw. Cooperating he turned his attention onto contacting the team and phoning for medics.

Molly was bleeding from where the restraints had been and the blood was getting everywhere as the seventeen year old tried to steady herself. Looking into her eyes, JJ could see how tired and frightened the young blonde was, desperately longing for the pain to end. Patiently and professionally the female agent had gradually managed to start a conversation with the scared teen and slowly Molly began to respond to JJ's empathetic words. Grimshaw appeared at the doorway, to let his counterpart know that help was on the way, he made eye contact with Molly and rapidly the rapport JJ had made with her disintegrated. Molly panicked, stumbling backwards and crying she reached out and took hold of sharp piece of glass and placed it to her throat.

The few minutes it took the medics to get there felt like hours and in light of the situation it would have had no impact. Hotch led his two male colleagues towards the small suburban house, passing the medics as they vacated the crime scene. Entering the living room it was obvious that there had been a struggle as photos were unbalanced, tables were destroyed and papers were carelessly scattered on the floor. Then the smell hit him. No matter how many crime scenes he walked, the coppery smell of death caused his stomach to churn with unease. Turning the corridor he met Rossi's eyes as they both mentally berated themselves for not identifying Hancock as the UNSUB sooner. His body was sprawled out and blood spatter radiated from his headshot wound.

There was blood everywhere and they could see the tall, well built almost fearsome detective finding it hard to control himself outside of a room at the end of the corridor that all three knew they'd rather not enter. When they did though, none expected to see what they did. Their strong and professional media liaison crouched over the body of the young girl they had so desperately tried to find. The detective struggled to control his emotions as he re-entered the room behind the three male agents who were focused on watching their female colleague sobbing. He respectfully spoke softly to the concerned profilers of the ordeal he had witnessed.

Morgan and Rossi remained still as they watched Hotch slowly approach JJ, crouching down and placing his hand on her back. He made soothing noises in her ear, telling his weeping friend that she had to let go of Molly's hand which she reluctantly did. JJ placed her now free hand on Hotch's arm and willingly sobbed into his chest. He told the other men in the room to leave and he sat with JJ until she pulled herself together. He knew that this must have been incredibly difficult for his colleague. JJ's emotions were clearly amplified not just because she had to go through what she did but also because he knew it must have brought thoughts of her older sister. He was well aware that she had recently broken up from the father of her child and was struggling to deal with the tolls of single motherhood and ultimately it didn't help any that none of his team had slept or ate very much since they arrived.

When JJ regained her composure they slowly left the small suburban home joining their friends on the lawn outside the crime scene tape. Morgan, Rossi and the detective were going to go back to the precinct to join Prentiss and Reid to close the case while Hotch told them he had to take JJ back to the hotel. All five watched as the coroner brought out the UNSUB and Molly's body and, in sync, they became stoic as the merciless reporters started to swam the neighbourhood. JJ became stubbornly adamant that she should stay and help deal with the onslaught of press but Hotch refused and practically forced her into the SUV. For thirty five minutes they drove in comfortable silence, Hotch kept stealing concerned glances towards his friend who was still silently torturing herself.

They got to the hotel in the city centre quietly making their way up to the floor where the team rooms were allocated. As they hovered outside JJ's room, Hotch broke the now laborious silence asking his fatigued co-worker if she wanted him to stay a while to talk but she refused wanting to shower and sleep so they parted at her door. She turned back when she heard her name being called in a whisper, Hotch almost pleadingly told her he'd be staying up late if she needed someone to talk to, which she thanked him for but said was unnecessary.

By the time the rest of team had all made their way back to the hotel, JJ had managed to get herself sorted and out of the shower. All of her team mates granted JJ her privacy, leaving her to wallow in her guilt. She phoned Garcia checking in on Henry and was about to curl up to watch 'The Daily Show' when there was an abrupt knock at the door. She knew who it was before she looked through the peep hole but still checked anyway confirming her assumption. Hotch stood there dressed in casual clothing and wore a concerned look to finish his appearance.

She opened the door. Hotch flinched, not finding comfort in what he saw. JJ's hair was still wet from her shower; her usually vibrant, electric blue eyes looked absently dark, sore and red. Tiredness and guilt was written all over her face and JJ's whole demeanour looked almost small and defeated. No words were exchanged. She just stood aside letting him in the room and shutting the door behind them both. They stood facing each other in the centre of the room neither entirely sure where to start the inevitable conversation they were about to have. After minutes of standing in easy silence JJ sat down on the end of the bed and Hotch sat next to her taking her hand in his.

"I tried"

This was something I've had in mind for a while, hope someone out there likes it, there is more to the story which should be up soon, this chapter is just to set the scene. Thanks for taking the time to read, please let me know what you think in a review.