A/N: Hey all! So sorry for the wait. Anyways, I've got sort of a plan for this one. I'll be interchanging the chapters between JJ focused and Emily focused, with a combined Emily/JJ wedding focused chapter interspersed every so often. With that, I think I'll be changing the pairing filter each time I update to reflect who the current chapter is about. This chapter will be a JJ focused one. I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.
Chapter 2:
JJ slid a heavy box back on the high shelf as she teetered unsteadily on the three-step-up footstool she was using. She reached for the next box over, sneezing twice as dust flew up in the air. Pulling at another box, she had to turn it to see its label, which was an awkward move to do in three-inch heels.
She was searching for some of her old case notes for the Smith case—Benjamin Smith, 42, accused of serially killing three women all in their twenties; that much she could remember. JJ would be leaving in a week for Seattle where she was charged with testifying against Smith. She wanted her notes to refresh her memory; the case was almost a year old.
Unfortunately, according to Garcia, that particular file was currently unavailable to them electronically, due to something or other. JJ had to confess, when it came to technical talk she tuned it all out and only asked 'does it work?'
Under normal circumstances she hated this kind of thing. She much preferred the catching of a un-sub to the prosecuting of them. However, once in a while one or two of the team was tasked with this responsibility. This time around it happened to be her and Rossi's turn.
Finally getting the box turned around, she cursed out loud when it didn't turn out to be the right one.
"Having trouble?" a voice said from behind.
Startled, JJ turned to see who had snuck up on her, only too late realizing that she was three feet off the ground. She let out a girly scream as her arms flailed to grab onto the shelves before her with not much luck.
She was going fall. She was so going to fall! And it was going to hurt!
"Whoa," came that voice once again. "Easy there."
Along with the voice came a pair of hands; steady, solid hands caught her up about the waist, holding her there, perched on the stepping stool.
It took her more than a second to process what had almost occurred. She was going to fall… She was about to fall… but, she hadn't? Someone had saved her…
Blinking her blue eyes once, twice, she finally focused long enough to see that someone had indeed saved her. And that someone was looking upon her with a mixture of concern and amusement on his face.
"Hotch!" she exclaimed.
The amusement won out, he grinned at her blatantly. "Hi."
It was then she fully took in the position she was in. Not only were his large hands firmly around her waist, but she realized that she had gained purchase to stop herself from falling. Hotch's broad shoulders, she had a death grip on them.
"Oh," she breathed out. "I should… I should uh… oh—"
JJ gasped in surprise when he lifted her effortlessly up into the air and placed her feet back on the ground.
"You ok?" he asked worriedly when she wobbled.
"Yeah… uh… yeah…"
Jeez, JJ, get a grip! That's when she remembered that she did have one; she was still holding onto him. She pried her hands from his body, letting them hang limply by her side. "I'm fine."
His dark eyes ran across her face, searching for any sign of untruth, before meeting her gaze. His eyes held such warmth, she felt herself heat up under his stare, ready to melt into a puddle.
"Hmm… maybe you should go home. You seem to be in shock."
She flushed scarlet at his assessment. "I am not!" she scolded.
He chuckled. "There she is! Back with us now?" She attempted to glare at him, but failed miserably. She smiled back at him, and she didn't think it was her imagination when his own smile turned up another watt or two.
Hotch let go of her then and the loss of his touch was almost unbearable. He moved past her, climbing the small footstool. She frowned at his back, wondering what he was doing, before her eyes involuntarily made contact with his butt. She couldn't help it, it was right there, before her.
Man, he's got a nice ass, she thought to herself. Her head tilted to the side as she continued to appreciate his assets. Suit pants, jeans he looks firm in anything… The sound of scraping jarred her back to reality. Oh man, JJ, snap out of it. You are so sexually harassing your boss right now!
"JJ?" Hotch asked quizzically.
Once again, she jumped, only to see him just looking over his shoulder, or so she hoped. Staring up at him guiltily, she figured if he'd caught her ogling his body he wasn't letting on. "Yeah…" she answered, trying for an unaffected tone.
He raised an eyebrow at her. She'd clearly missed something. "I asked, what are you doing in here, but you didn't hear me. Maybe you are in shock."
"Aaron," she warned him, not wanting to start that up again.
"Ok, ok… So?" he added pointedly.
"Oh, I was searching for my case notes for the Smith case, you know, for next week."
He grimaced, clearly remembering the case. He turned back around and then came down with a box. "I think this is the one."
Setting it down before them, a quick glance told her that it was undeniably the correct box. "Thank you," she said gratefully.
"You're welcome."
JJ was taken aback when Hotch was suddenly crouched on the ground before her. She glanced down to see that he had opened the box and was now rifling through it.
"Uh… what are you doing?" she asked dumbly.
"I'm looking for my case notes to the Smith case," he answered.
His case notes?
"Why?"
Hotch straightened up, a look of surprise on his face. "You don't know?"
"Know what?"
He sighed. "I'm going in Dave's place. Erin felt that with the wedding just around the corner that she couldn't spare him unless absolutely necessary."
JJ's mouth dropped open right after his first sentence. They'd be going away together!
"I know, that was Ivy's reaction too. She's not very happy that I'll be away most of next week with little contact."
Ivy! How could she forget his girlfriend? Especially after she'd been the one to stupidly introduce them to each other.
"She does understand about your job, doesn't she? Our work is pretty important," she gritted out, barely containing her animosity towards the woman.
She liked Ivy, she really did. She wouldn't call her a friend if she didn't. The girl had moved from Texas to their town when they were just beginning middle school. That was right after her sister had passed. For a long time, Ivy was one of the only people who had treated her normally. It had been refreshing having her as a friend. Sadly, they'd drifted after high school, but had reconnected about a year ago, just when her marriage to Will began to crumble.
The thing about Ivy was she was the complete opposite to JJ. Where JJ was strong-willed, spoke her mind, and outgoing, Ivy was a people-pleaser, content to let others have the last word, and a lot quieter than JJ. In a word, she'd describe her as gentle and in comparison she always came out coarse.
They even looked different. Ivy had Mediterranean coloring, dark hair, and eyes. Dark to her light.
"Oh, she's starting to, believe me." He grimaced. There was more to this story, she could tell. She'd get him to open up a little more, later. "Anyways, at least I'll be going with my favorite profiler."
His tone had become so affectionate suddenly it hurt. Just who was this person who had claim to that title?
"Who?" she said indignantly.
"JJ, it's you," he stated, chuckling.
"Oh," she said sheepishly, just before it hit her. She was his favorite profiler. She was just happy to be his favorite anything.
You're his best friend, a voice in her head reminded her. Well, aside from Rossi…
That's just not the same, she despaired.
Hotch replaced the box on the shelf after finding their two files and then came to stand before her. She did not expect him to do what he did next. His cool, callused hand pressed gently to her forehead. "Hmm…" he murmured.
"Aaron, what are you doing?" she said, exasperatedly, trying to bat his hand away.
"You do feel a little warm. Maybe you should go home and rest. Wouldn't want to miss tonight…" he chided gently.
She smiled brightly at the mention of their movie date that night. Ok, not their date, but the kids'. They'd gotten to spending a night a week together, just the four of them, watching movies and having dinner. They were currently on a Disney movie kick; tonight's movie was Aladdin. Still, even if they met with the kids' in mind she still greatly treasured the time together. If she lost herself in the moment, she could just pretend that they really were a family.
"I'm fine. And I'll be there. Henry's been looking forward to it all week," she assured.
"That's great." He always got a fond sort of expression at the mention of her son. Hotch loved him, she was sure. He included Henry whenever possible; she'd be forever grateful to him for that. He was like a second father to her son.
"Hotch, I hope you know how much Henry appreciates you and Jack." How much I appreciate and love you and Jack…
He threw her a kind, heartwarming smile. "I do. We enjoy his company immensely, JJ."
She frowned a bit. She'd hoped for a little more, something along the lines of: "He's the second son I've always wanted. And hey we should get married and make that official…"
Ok, now she was being delusional.
"Speaking of tonight…" he started slowly, as he lightly put a hand to the small of her back and began guiding her out of the room. "I hope you don't mind, I invited Ivy to join us."
JJ was glad that they'd started back and that she was staring straight ahead. She was sure all the blood had drained from her face. She felt sick to her stomach all of the sudden.
"JJ?"
Say something! "Oh, uh… that's great! I can't wait!"
Reaching the bullpen area, she just couldn't take a minute more of his company. How could she love him so much and he be so oblivious? It hurt. It hurt way too much. She spotted her desk, her lifeline, across the way.
"You know what," she said hurriedly. "I've got a lot of work to finish before tonight. See you later."
She rushed from his side as quickly as humanly possible without actually running. Running would tip him off that she was upset. More than upset. She didn't want him to know that his happiness made her want to cry. It was supremely selfish on her part.
Dropping into her chair, the churning in her stomach hadn't subsided. Luckily, there was only one person to notice her unceremonious arrival.
"JJ?" Emily said in alarm.
She looked up into her best friend's pale face and couldn't fake it anymore. "I think I'm going to be sick."
"Bathroom," Emily announced authoritatively.
"No." She shook her head violently. "I don't want him to see."
Emily looked over her shoulder, a grim look settled upon her. "What happened?"
"Ivy happened," she practically sobbed.
She couldn't hold it anymore. Emily came swiftly to the rescue. She grabbed a case file and came to stand at JJ's right, effectively covering her from Hotch's view. For good measure, Emily opened the file in front of her face. She began to point and talk loudly, JJ's cue to let loose if she needed to.
Fortunately, she managed to contain it to more than a few sniffles and just a few tears. She wiped at her eyes with the tissues Emily had surreptitiously handed her.
"Ready?" Emily asked after a bit.
"Yeah," JJ confirmed.
She dropped the case file back onto the desk but didn't move away. Emily looked down at her in concern. She opened her mouth to speak, but JJ already knew what she was going to say.
"I know… I know… I just can't get him out of my head," JJ murmured sadly.
Her best friend did the right thing then. Emily retook her seat at her desk and let her be. JJ just needed a few moments of quiet to ponder what she was going to do.
What was she going to do? As the days went by, Ivy would become more and more involved in Hotch's life and JJ, she was sure, would be phased out with every passing moment.
What would she do when she became irrelevant in the life of the man-she-loved?
That's it for this one. I hope you enjoyed the mix of a bit of humor and angst. Next chapter will be Emily/Morgan. I hope to have that one up soon.
Oh and I'm completely ignoring the Replicator nonsense in this story. Season 8 happened, just not with that crappy ending. So yeah, Alex exists in this story (who says there can only be two women profilers on the team at one time? Not me.).
Thanks to everyone who's been reading and to those who reviewed the first chapter: jekkah; Guest (Resistance is Futile is next on my updating list); Sarahgirl12384; red2013; canny-bairn; SuzySorrowLess; RealMe07 (definitely will be coming up in the next chapter); rmlawson78; jhplug; and Pielmorena.
Thanks again!
