A/N: This chapter is pretty short. There might be some parts that are out of character for JJ and Hotch. I hope you all like it!

Special thanks to samcarter1980, the guest reviewer, Twilightangell and MollyR!

Thanks for reading!

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I don't own criminal minds.


Chapter 4: Comfort

JJ felt better when she was walking in the cold air. She let out a big sigh and she just kept walking. She turned a corner and she had no idea where she was going. JJ walked along a row of houses and she walked into a little park with trees and benches. JJ curled up on one of the benches and she shivered because of the cold. The tears were stinging in her eyes and she had to fight to not let them fall down her face. Once she was sitting there for a while the memories were rushing back to her.


Flashback 1989

Little Annie was playing outside in the backyard of the little home that her parents owned. She was a happy seven year old girl. She loved her parents and they loved her. Annie was sitting on a swing when she heard yelling from inside the house. She ran inside to see her mother with a suitcase in her hand and her father was yelling and almost crying. Susan Walters started walking outside and Annie and Clark followed her to her car.

Annie didn't understand what was going on until she heard her father begging for her mother not to leave.

''Mommy'' Annie cried out and Susan Walters turned to her daughter.

''Annie, I love you so much little girl. Don't ever forget that'' Susan said.

''Where are you going?'' Annie asked.

''I am going away for a little while and you have to stay with your dad'' Susan said and she started to walk away.

Annie ran after her mother and she hugged her tightly for the last time. The little girl was crying and she didn't want to let go. Her mother eventually pushed her away and she was about to ran after her again when she felt the strong hands of her father around her.

''Annie, it's okay. I am here'' Clark said to his daughter.

''Daddy, why is mommy leaving?'' Annie cried out.

''I don't know. But we are going to be okay! I love you!''

''Do you promise?'' Annie asked.

''I promise. Always and forever, remember?'' Clark said.

''Always and forever'' Annie said and she flew into her father's arms while she watched her mother drive away.


The tears were now falling down JJ's face. She was shivering at the memory and she stood up to start walking again but it was like her body had no energy left for it. She felt like she couldn't move, so she sat back down. JJ let her head lean on her two hands and she was bent over. She was still trying to fight the tears but there was nothing she could do. The memories hurt. It was too much for her to handle. JJ never knew who she was. It was like half of her was missing and she never found her other half. While still fighting the tears she heard a car drive by and stop. JJ was suddenly hyper vigilant and she moved one of her hands towards the gun when she heard footsteps coming closer. JJ stood up in one fluid motion and she turned the gun on the person that was coming closer to her.

''JJ, it's me'' Hotch said and he watched as JJ was slowly putting the gun down. He also saw the tears in her eyes.

Hotch walked closer to her and he took the gun from JJ's shaking hand. He put the gun on his ankle where is own second gun always was but he left it in the hotel vault this time. He looked at JJ and the hurt in her eyes made his heart break. The last thing he wanted was to see her cry. He had seen JJ cry before but not like this. Not with so much pain. She looked almost lifeless in a way. Hotch moved closer and he let his hand reach her face to wipe away the tears. He took of his suit jacket and he hang it over her shoulders.

JJ kept looking at the ground and shivered when she felt Hotch touch her arm. It was like he brought her back to life with his touch. The electricity was overwhelming.

Hotch stepped closer and his body was almost touching JJ's body. He put one of his hands on her back and his other hand came around to lock his hands. He pulled JJ against his chest and she let her head fall against his shirt.

His touch seemed more than friendly to JJ. His touch was gentle yet filled with a force of passion that she had never felt before. She told herself that she was imagining it all.

They kept standing in each other's embrace for a long time until JJ finally pulled away from him. She knelt down to get her gun from Hotch's ankle.

Hotch couldn't help but think about JJ when she was so close to him. God, does this woman know what she does to me. I want her so badly. I need her badly. I want to know what she is thinking and why she has been crying. I want her to be mine in every way. I want to listen to her, I want to be her everything. Hotch thought to himself and he watched JJ stand back up in front of him.

''Thanks again. I am so sorry, Hotch'' JJ said.

''Please don't apologize JJ. Never apologize'' Hotch said as they started walking towards the black SUV.

Hotch opened the door for JJ and he closed it behind her when she was sitting inside the car. He stepped inside the car and drove back to the hotel. The drive was silent. JJ looked through the window. There were parts of the city that she still remembered like it was yesterday. Kansas used to be her home. It used to be her happy place until it turned into the worst nightmare. JJ's breathing was hitching and she felt Hotch's hand on her shoulder and she let her head fall back against the seat and she started to relax at the touch of his hand. His hand started to slide down her arm and his hand was somehow on her knee before she was realizing what was happening. His hand started moving from her knee towards her thigh. His touch was making JJ dizzy in a good way. It was almost as if reality was drifting away from her and she was being pulled into a dream world. JJ sighed out when his hand pulled away because they pulled up in the parking lot of the hotel.

They both stepped out of the car. The team's rooms weren't on the same floors but JJ's and Hotch's coincidentally were. JJ walked past Hotch's room to go to her own and she felt a hand on her wrist. JJ turned around and she looked at Hotch.

''I want you to stay with me tonight. We still need to talk, JJ'' Hotch said seriously.

''We can talk but I don't have to stay with you the entire night'' JJ replied.

''Okay, fine. But I need to know what is going on with you if it's going to affect your work'' Hotch explained.

''Okay''

JJ walked through the opened door and she put her bag down on the bed. The team went from the airstrip straight to the police station. They hadn't been in the hotel the entire day. Only Morgan went there to get all of them checked in and to get the keys to their rooms. JJ sat down on the edge of the bed and she watched as Hotch was coming from the bathroom. JJ was feeling uncomfortable because there was a tension between them. JJ grabbed her bag and stood up from the bed.

''Where do you think you're going?'' Hotch asked.

''To the bathroom. I would like to change or should I change in front of you, sir?'' JJ asked and there was sarcasm behind her question.

''No, it's okay'' Hotch said with a flushed face. JJ's question made him blush because everything in him told him to answer to that with saying that she could change wherever she would like but the unit chief in him was able to keep control. He just didn't know how long he could keep the control around her. JJ was in a vulnerable state right now and he would never want to do anything to take advantage of that.

While JJ was in the bathroom to change, Hotch was getting some drinks from the mini bar. He was tired but he wanted to know what was going on with JJ.

In the meantime JJ was going through her go-bag realizing she didn't take sweatpants with her. She expected to be in a hotel room all alone so she only took shorts with her to sleep in. JJ put on the short with a tank top and she decided to put on a baggy sweater over it. She stepped out and she saw Hotch sitting on the bed with a glass of scotch in his hands.