The Heart Gets What The Heart Wants

I don't own Criminal Minds. Not for young readers.

Chapter 2

An hour later, JJ finishes with the call and wants to share the great news with team. She first goes to Hotch's office and knocks on the door.

"Come in." JJ opens the door and walks in to hear Hotch telling someone to think about it, then hangs up. "So, what's the news?" Hotch waits for an answer.

"Well, while I was on the phone, the LEO's went to her residence and found all three girls. They weren't harmed or scared. Valerie had told the girls that their parents went on vacation and asked her to watch them. The girls thought of it as a sleepover. They have been reunited with their folks and Valerie's at a nice hospital getting some help. We don't need to go. So, when do Hayley and Jack leave?" JJ says, still seeing the distraction in his eyes.

"Their flight was an hour ago." Hotch shifts around to hide the signs that he was hurting.

"Oh, I thought that you were on the phone with Hayley."

"No. It was my mother. She was giving me gruff about working too much. And how it cost me my family." JJ can tell Hotch's frustrated.

"Do you think she's right?" Hotch's shocked glance tells JJ she might have hit a nerve.

"NO! Hayley knew that my job was tie consuming. She knows that I need to do this. For me as much as for Jack. Also that this isn't just a job. That would be like making Hayley never leave the house again. For her to run the house the way she did, she had to do the shopping. She had places to go. My point being you can't do a good job at a job without putting yourself into it. Does that make sense?" Hotch looks at JJ for reassurance.

"Sure. Only your co-workers can really understand things like that. I'm sorry Hayley didn't understand. I'm really sorry about Jack leaving. I can't imagine how hard it is for you. Would you like to go out for a drink tonight? I think we both could use at least one." JJ says, sounding kind of sad herself.

"Why do you need a drink? What happened?" Hotch stares at JJ, trying to read her, like the profiler her is.

"Will called. It sounds like the 'we need to talk' talk. I think I'm going to be dumped. I'm calling him before I leave, so I can head to the closest bar and drink my troubles away. For tonight at least. I thought misery loves company. You up for it?" JJ had tears building in her eyes. It really didn't hit her that Will was leaving her until she actually said it out loud and to another person. She was thinking she was going to go alone. Hotch wasn't much of a drinker because of his father.

"I'm sorry to hear that JJ. Did you have problems and knew it was coming?"

"No. Maybe he's tired of the traveling back and forth. Not just him, but me too. That's the only problem I could think of. Unless…" JJ starts and then stops. Afraid to say it out loud. More tears build up. One escapes and slides down JJ's cheek. JJ quickly gets up and exit's the unit chief's office. Hotch's left there, staring at the door the media liaison rushed out. He can't recall seeing JJ that emotional. He feels bad for her.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Once JJ got to her office, she shuts the door and locks it. She needed to be left alone. She knew it was company time, but she had to talk to Will now that she had that terrible thought. She needed to know once and for all. She hit's the speed dial number that coincides with Will's name. It rang.

"JJ." Will answers his cell phone.

"Will, are you breaking up with me?"

"I'm sorry, but yes." Will's silent as well as JJ for a moment.

"May I ask why?" JJ asks, using her work voice.

"For starters, the distance. It feels like I spend more time traveling than anything anymore."

"What else?" There was a knock at her office door. "Will, hold on a sec." JJ storms to the door, unlocks it and opens it. It was Hotch with some paper work. He could see her eyes are red and she was on the cell phone that was still in her hand.

"Here's the paper work for the Reynolds's case. Could you stop by my office when you're through with your call?"

"Sure. I want be long. Thanks for the paper work." JJ's trembling a little. Hotch could tell it wasn't going good. Hotch walks away and JJ shuts the door and locks it again. She sets the paper work down on the table in her office and takes a seat on her office couch. "Sorry, please continue Will."

"Well, that right there. You always put that job before me. It's just a job Jennifer."

"Will, when has a case never spilled over into your life? Look at how we met. Your father was dedicated o his job. And you speak like it's flipping burgers! Will, I worked hard to get where I am today! Just like you worked hard to get where you are today. No one should have to work hard then have to give it up." JJ stops for a second to gather her emotions. Once under control she continues, "Are you seeing someone else?" It's quiet on both ends for several moments. JJ knew it was a conformation of what her fears were.

"It just happened." Was all Will could say.

"How long?" JJ silently cries now.

"A month." JJ's eyes close and she close the cell phone. Disconnecting Will and her call. She sat there, not sure what to do next. She sobbed hard into her hands for a brief moment. Then she remembered she was at work. So she transforms into Agent Jennifer Jearau. She dries her face, straightens her cloths and clears her throat. But before she moves, she takes a deep cleansing breath. Then gets back to work.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

About a half hour later, JJ makes sure the tell tail signs of her meltdown were gone, JJ heads over to Hotch's office as he asked. She knocks on the door.

"Come in." JJ opens the door, trying to keep her posture neutral.

"What did you need sir?" Hotch watches her carefully. She can tell he's profiling her.

"I wanted to tell you that I told the team about the Maine outcome. Strauss has given us a few days off as well. Hotch watches her reaction to the news. He's shocked when she shows no emotion. Happy or sad. He knew then that Will had said something to deeply hurt her.

"So, when do we report back?"

"We are due back on Wednesday. So how was the call? I'm assuming that's why your door was locked and you were on the cell phone. If it was work related you would've been on the office phone. So tell me." Hotch makes it almost sound like an order.

"Will and I are over. Thank you for filling the team in. Sorry, that won't happen again. I'll stay longer to off set the time I was on the phone. If there's nothing else, I have a lot of work to do." JJ goes to leave.

"Jennifer!" JJ turns around d, still emotionless.

"Yes?"

"You may leave early. We all get to. You can leave now if you want. I'm staying a little longer. If you'd like, I'd like to take you to dinner. We both could use the time away. It's on me, my treat." Hotch tries to lighten the mood.

"Thanks Hotch, if I'm still here when you leave, I'll go with you. I have a few things to finish. I don't want to leave them." JJ leaves. Hotch really is beyond worried now. He needed to find out what happened.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Half an hour later, after all the team, except Hotch had left, JJ was still working on some accounting problems. She wasn't getting the answer she knew she should be getting. Hotch's packing up his work and belongings that he knew he'd need over the long weekend. He'd planned to do some work at home to fill the void where his son used to be. Hotch stops in front of JJ's office door and sees a frustrated female agent start to slowly melt. She kept hitting the adding machine keys as if the harder she hit, the numbers would come out correct. Hotch watches, trying to profile her in the short time he had. Then he witnessed something he never thought he'd see. JJ, scoops up the light weight adding machine and hurls it at the wall without a window. She yells.

"Damn it! Why cant anything work?" Hotch knocks on the door while plastic's still landing on the floor.

"JJ, problem?" Hotch startles JJ.

"Ah, what?" Turns and watches him.

"JJ, what's going on? Talk to me. This isn't you. You don't have to temper problem. What did Will say to you?" Hotch moves into her office and sits on her brown leather couch.

"No Hotch. I'm not going to talk about it. I really need a drink. Let's go. You eat, I'll drink. Come on!" JJ grabs her purse and bag in one hand and Hotch's hand with the other. She pulls him and his stuff out of her office in a hurry to get to the closest place with booze for her and food for Hotch. Once they got to the elevators and were heading down to the parking lot, Hotch watches a clearly upset JJ shift antsyly about the elevator.

"JJ, maybe you should tell me what's going on. I'm one to have a drink with the best of them. But you need to eat and maybe not drink as much. You can talk to me. You know talking is better for you then drinking." JJ looked at Hotch with tears in her eyes. Hotch could see them.

"No Hotch. I don't want to think or feel anything for Will right now. I want to hate him and be angry," A tear escapes and runs down her cheek. Hotch reaches a hand up and wipes away the runaway tear. This act of kindness sends JJ into full out sobbing. It surprises Hotch. "I'm sorry sir. I don't know what's wrong with me." JJ tries to collect herself, but Hotch pulls her into a friendly hug. So JJ just cries on Hotch's big, muscular chest.

"Go ahead Jennifer, let it out." The door opened up at the lobby and Hotch holds JJ as they walk out of the FBI building. Hotch walks to his SUV and opens the passenger side door for JJ.

"Wait. I need to get my car." JJ wipes away the tears.

Jennifer, if you're drinking, you don't need to drive. I'll happily drive you home. I'm more comfortable drinking at home. So you can be more relaxed." JJ get into the passenger seat and puts her seatbelt on. Then watches Hotch walk around the SUV to the drivers side. He put his work stuff in the back seat and then climbs into the drivers seat. Buckling his seatbelt and the starts the engine.

"Where are we going sir?" JJ looks at Hotch while waiting for an answer.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then sit back and enjoy the ride." Hotch pulls out of the parking lot of Quantico and heads toward his house.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next few chapters are a little adult content. Sexual in nature. Thanks to all who have read and reviewed. I hope you still are reading and reviewing. Please let me know what you think and how you'd like to see the story go. Thanks again.