Disclaimer – I own nothing related to Criminal Minds.
Reposted under a different title and a little more added because I didn't like the thought of just reposting the same story.
This is one idea to address how the team, in particular JJ and Hotch, will react to Prentiss returning.
Let me know what you think!
...
JJ leaned against the unlocked closed car door, her eyes instantly shutting the moment the rain began running down her face.
Opening her eyes momentarily to stare at her unlit house in the middle of the street, the liaison threw her car keys in sudden fit of anger.
The sound of metal hitting the wet concrete was quickly followed by a loud groan as the blonde took off her coat and flung it towards the floor dejectedly before kicking off her black high heels that had been causing significant pain, since she left for work two days earlier.
The rain began falling harder, causing JJ's blouse to cling to her body and her soaking blonde hair to stick to her face.
Turning, the Pennsylvanian opened the back door of the silver sedan and reached for her handbag. Returning to face her house, JJ chucked her black leather bag in the same direction as her coat, shoes and keys.
Banging the car door closed, JJ felt the anger ripple through her body.
Car headlights shone brightly in the dimly lit street as JJ slammed her hands against the roof of her car.
The black SUV pulled up and parked behind JJ's car, the driver instantly switching off the lights and engine before getting out.
JJ's breathing was heavy as the rain continued to do nothing to cool her emotions.
Meeting her colleague's dark eyes, the blonde shook her head and raised a hand. "I don't want to hear it."
"JJ." He took a step forwards towards the petite agent, his concern evident as his gaze fell to her stocking covered feet on the water logged pavement.
The liaison shook her head and blinked away her tears. "Hotch, I told you not to come after me. This isn't your problem."
"Let me make it my problem." The unit chief took another step in the blonde's direction while simultaneously taking off his jacket to hand it to the liaison.
JJ shook her head in refusal of his offering and stepped back tentatively. "Hotch, I screwed up."
He tilted his head at the quiver in his colleague's voice. "No, you did what you had to do."
JJ chuckled. "Everyone hates me, I hurt so many people."
"The team will accept Prentiss coming back, JJ. Once she's here, everything will be fine." Hotch insisted firmly.
JJ ran her small hand through her damp hair. "No, Hotch, it won't be. Prentiss is a different person now and the team went through so much because of what I did."
"What we did, JJ. We were protecting our family." Hotch concluded assertively.
JJ raised her hands emotively. "Look around Hotch, my family isn't here anymore. Henry's at Will's for the weekend. Garcia slapped me. Morgan said all those things..."
"They're angry JJ and they will be for a while but they'll come around just as I'm sure you and Will can sort things out. Every couple goes through rough patches."
"He's moved on and I don't blame him." JJ scoffed, her voice growing louder as the rain became heavier. "I should never have come back to the BAU."
Hotch hesitantly walked to stand in front of JJ and rested his hands on her shoulders reassuringly. "JJ, please, I know you're upset."
"I'm not upset. I'm pissed at myself." JJ explained while rolling her eyes.
Hotch wrapped his arms around the soaking wet blonde and dragged her into an unwilling hug. "JJ, I'm so proud of everything you've done over the last twelve months and I'm so glad you're back at the BAU."
She shook her head stubbornly. "You're just saying that..."
"Because it's true. Work isn't the same without you and I've missed being able to see you every day. I know how the BAU can affect your personal life, probably better than anyone else on the team and yes the team are pissed and Prentiss has been through hell, but JJ if it weren't for you she'd be dead. God knows how many of us would have been dead." Hotch kept the liaison tightly against his chest as she clung onto him.
JJ sniffled. "I'm so cold."
The profiler brought his jacket that was lying limply in his hands around the blonde's shoulders. "You're going to catch a cold standing out here in bare feet."
"The firing range was closed." JJ shrugged. "I needed to let my anger out somehow."
Hotch nodded slowly in understanding. "They'll come around JJ, just give them some time."
JJ pulled away from the profiler and picked up one of her shoes. "What if they don't?"
"Then we'll wait some more until they're ready." Hotch answered with a small smile while following the blonde.
JJ drained some of the rain water out of her black high heel, as she picked up her discarded possessions, up the pathway towards the empty house.
JJ left Hotch in her dimly lit living room when she jogged up stairs tiredly to get a towel each. Returning to her supervisor, the liaison handed over the extra towel as he looked over her range of photographs on the fireplace mantel.
The blonde ran the towel over her wet hair, all the while, keeping her gaze on the profiler whose white shirt was sticking to his chest. "Hotch?"
The Unit Chief looked up from the photograph of Henry, when he was just a few hours old, and he met JJ's inquisitive blue eyes with a raised eye of his own. "Yeah?"
"I told you not to come after me." JJ bit her lower lip as they faced each other in her relatively quiet home.
The only noise came from the hum of the fridge in the next room and the rain pelting against the window. "JJ you need someone right now."
The Pennsylvanian wrapped her arms around her gently shaking body and sighed. "I don't need anybody."
"Stop being stubborn. I know how this ends." Hotch stated firmly.
JJ frowned slightly with a tilted head. "What?"
"You'll end up sitting on your couch, alone, staring at a blank TV screen while drinking scotch and wallowing. I know you will JJ, because you and me, we're alike." The profiler exclaimed as he held the damp, white towel in his hand after doing his best to dry his soaked skin.
The blonde scoffed at his knowing gaze. "I prefer gin."
"I don't want you to feel guilty for doing your job, JJ. I care too much about you to let you destroy yourself." Hotch said warmly as they hovered opposite each other.
JJ smiled solemnly. "You won't let anyone help you."
"Maybe I should." He whispered while shrugging.
JJ's smile widened slightly. "I'll help, if you let me?"
"Only, if you let me help you too." Hotch smirked as she rolled her eyes.
"Do you want some gin?" JJ asked while moving towards the kitchen.
Hotch chuckled lightly. "I usually drink scotch."
"Oh trust me Hotch, gin, does just a good job as scotch." JJ retorted playfully as she moved past him.
When the blonde agent got two glasses out of the kitchen cupboard, she heard the TV click on in the room next door making JJ smile a genuine smile, as for once she was truly grateful, that Hotch pushed through her defensive emotional walls, and made her problem his.
...
Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last time; EmmaBerlin, Daisyangel, crazyobsession101, angry penguin, JJandHotch4ever96, jekkah, mindspsychoaddict and mummacass!