Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds.

Chapter 3

Today was the day, and Aaron Hotchner was nervous. Today was the day where he was going to tell a certain coworker that he wanted to be more than friends, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she might not respond as well as he hoped.

Passing Morgan as he made his way towards JJ's office to ask her to dinner, he asked, "Hey is JJ back from lunch yet?"

"Yea Hotch. I just saw her get off the elevator. We catch a case?"

"No, I just need to ask her something." Hotch evaded. "Thanks for letting me know she's back."

"Anytime man." Morgan said curiously, hurriedly heading towards the bullpen to see if Emily or Reid knew why Hotch was acting so strange today.

"Hey, you guys got the 411 on what's up with Hotch and JJ?" Morgan asked as he approached the two other profilers.

"The 411?" Emily asked smiling, "What are you, in the eighth grade?"

"Funny." Morgan smirked, "No, really, what's going on with them?"

"I have no idea, why?"

"Hotch just burst around the corner like something was on fire asking for JJ, then walked calmly to her office."

"And I thought nothing exciting was going to happen today!" Emily squealed.

"What?" Reid asked, looking up from his file obliviously.

"There may be a relationship going down here that we are all supposed to pretend doesn't exist." Rossi said walking up to three agents, a smile threatening at the edge of his lips. At the words, Emily let out a squeal of glee, not believing that life could get any better.


"Hey Hotch, what's up?" JJ asked, standing in front of her desk to water the small potted lily she'd received a few days earlier.

Aaron Hotchner was not normally a man that ever got caught off guard, he could count the times he had been on one hand, but the way her hair was fixed, the simple red dress that she wore in honor of the current holiday, and her bright smile stopped him in his tracks.

"Hotch?" JJ questioned again, unsure of what was going on.

Deciding that the risks were far less than what the gain could be, he did the one thing he'd wanted to do for what felt like forever. Confidently walking over to where she was, he let his hands thread through her soft hair as he leaned in to kiss her--and when she started to respond, her small hands going around his waist as she allowed him to deepen the kiss, he felt more relieved that he previously thought possible.

When they finally pulled away, foreheads pressed together as they tried to catch their breath, JJ whispered, "What took you so long?"

"Sorry." Hotch smiled.

"You should be." JJ teased, leaning up and giving him a quick peck on the lips. "You kept me waiting for a while." She loved how his fingers felt running through her hair. The feeling of contentment she was feeling at this moment was unimaginable. It all felt so right. JJ had been worried for months that her feelings would never be reciprocated. Now, she knew they were.

"So does that mean you'll let me take you to dinner tonight?"

"As long as Garcia is available to watch Henry." JJ promised, stealing a small kiss from him.

They both burst out laughing when they heard Garcia and Emily both agree to watch JJ's young son for the night. "Somehow I don't think you're going to have any trouble finding a sitter." Hotch mused happily.

"I don't think so either." JJ smiled, leaning in to kiss the man of her dreams once more.