Against All Odds
Two months later…
Holding a cup of coffee in his hand, Will opened the bedroom door and looked at the woman sleeping in the full bed. His heart squeezed with love as he reminded himself that JJ belonged to him. No one else could ever touch her.
He walked over to where she lay and sat down on the edge of the mattress. Softly he brushed a lock of hair from her face. He could sit and stare at her all day.
Moaning, JJ stretched and opened her eyes. "Morning," she greeted in a voice thick with sleep.
"Morning, belle chere," Will said and leaned down to kiss her. "You must have had a great dream; you were smiling."
JJ rubbed her eyes. "I was? I don't even remember my dream." She yawned and stretched again to get the blood flowing. She pushed herself into a sitting position.
"I brought you a cup of coffee. Then I think we'll go to the playground so Henry can play with his friends." Will handed her the mug.
"We do have the day off," JJ observed. She took a sip of the brew and grimaced. "Ugh. Did you change brands?"
"It's the same can we've been using."
JJ took another sip and forced herself to swallow. "It tastes different." She handed it back to Will. "Maybe I need to brush my teeth first." Suddenly the phone on the nightstand buzzed. Grabbing it, JJ hit 'Talk' and listened. "Okay. How bad? Where? Okay. Okay…I'll be there in a half hour. Bye."
"What's wrong?" Will asked.
"I have to go in." JJ pushed the covers back and stood up.
"This is your day off. You don't have to go in."
"I do. With Em gone, and Seaver out with Swann's team, they are short handed." She hurried over to the closet and began pulling clothes off the hangers.
"Damnit Jennifer," Will swore as he stood up to face her. "This is your day off! It's our two month anniversary! You can't go!"
JJ slipped the blouse on and buttoned it. "I do. I'm a profiler now, and part of the job means that I have to go when they call me."
"I thought we promised that you would start working on leaving the BAU."
Pulling on her slacks, she fastened them. Then she hurried over to the dressing table to brush her hair. "You made me promise. I never said that I would abandon the thing that makes me happy."
"You're happy running off every time they call you?" Will asked. "You're happy missing the little things that happen in Henry's life?"
JJ pulled her hair into a pony tail. "I won't let you drag me into an argument ten minutes before I have to leave. Henry is fine."
"He almost died!" Will raged.
JJ felt the anger rush thru her body. "He almost died because of something you did! Or have your forgotten that you let our son fall into the hands of bank robbers?" She stepped up to be face to face with him. "It was YOU who almost got him killed! I saved him! So don't you try to guilt me over something that was YOUR fault!"
"Your job…" Will began.
"My job," she spat, "is what kept us afloat while you sat on your ass from the time you resigned from the New Orleans department and got hired here! My job entails more than running around on a jet and hanging with my friends.
"You should have stayed with the State Department. At least those were normal hours."
"And I was kissing ass. I don't kiss ass. I'm not a politician. That is not who I am!"
"I don't know why you have to jump every time they call."
"Because I'm part of the team. Your job has taken you away," she threw back at him.
"Not for days and days so I missed the most important things in my son's life," he accused.
"I have not missed the important things in Henry's life." JJ stood with her hands on her hips. "Name one time."
"When he was ill…"
JJ held up her hand. "Stop right there. Don't go down that road." Her eyes flashed with fire. Turning on her heel, she slipped on her shoes, then she grabbed her phone and purse. "I have to go. I'm sorry you don't approve, but there are three missing children in Boise. They may be part of a sex slave trade…if that means anything to you."
Will's cheek flexed. "Of course you would put a stranger's child's life ahead of your son."
JJ's head spun around to glare at him. "I am going to pretend that you didn't just say that."
"I think that I should talk with Erin Strauss about getting you reassigned."
"You do that, and you'd better move out." She rushed to the door. "I would love to stay and finish this argument, but I have to go."
"Henry and I will have fun. Don't worry," he called out. "Not that you would."
Swallowing the retort that threatened to come out, JJ blinked back the tears as she blindly reached for the front door. Hurrying out, she slammed the door behind her.
********
"Oooo, Angel Face, you look like hell," Garcia remarked as JJ hurried into the War Room.
JJ set her items down. "Just another wonderful morning in the La Montange household." She sighed and sat down.
"Is the Ragin' Cajun giving you a hard time?" Pen soothed.
JJ shook her head. "I wonder if coming back here was a good idea," she grumbled. "Today is our two month anniversary and Will had something planned, but this came up. We had a fight."
"But we'll be back and you two can still have your day. I'll even throw in free babysitting," Pen offered.
"I don't think that will be a good idea, PG. Will's fit to be tied. And that's being kind." She sipped from the water bottle. "He threatened to go to Strauss."
Garcia's eyes widened. "No he didn't!"
"He did. Maybe after this case is over I can put in for a reassignment…"
"NO! I lost Emily twice and you once! I can't lose the both of you! I refuse to lose you!" the tech analyst retorted smartly.
JJ laid a hand on her best friend's shoulder. "We have to successfully finish this case first." Yawning, she ran a hand over her face.
Garcia's look of anger was replaced with worry. "Are you okay?"
"Just tired. I slept too much last night. I think when I get back I'm going to start hitting the gym."
"You look alright to me."
"I've gained a couple of pounds. I guess marriage really does put the weight on," JJ joked.
"You look great! You were too skinny when you got married. A couple of pounds never hurt anyone. Trust me, men like curves," Garcia chortled.
"They sure do, Mama," Morgan remarked with dancing eyes. He took the chair opposite the two women and sat down.
"Any way," Garcia turned back to JJ, "I think when this is over, we need to go out and get a drink."
"Thanks. Here comes the team."
As the rest of the team filed in, Hotch closed the door behind them. "Okay, we don't have much time. The girls turned up missing last night while they were playing at the playground. This is the fourth abduction in just as many weeks. We need to start questioning everyone if we are going to bring them back alive."
"Any leads?" Rossi asked.
"None. That is why we need to get a move on it. Wheels up in ten." He looked at his team, but his eyes rested on JJ. Turning on his heel, he rushed out of the room.
"See you on the plane," Garcia said.
"Yeah." JJ gathered her computer pad and followed the team out of the room.
