Disclaimed!
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Winter 2053: Hotchner residence
"Of course there were difficult times." JJ replied to her strong willed son. "Luckily we had each other and the team to get through them."
Elena looked at her two older brothers and sighed impatiently. "I can't remember the family ever going through anything as bad as you're all making it out to be... Until Uncle Dave, and now Dad, I guess."
JJ wiped a tear from her cheek and spoke softly. "We've been fortunate, for a long time now but we always did our best to keep you kids away from the bad stuff."
"Like my Mom. I know the lengths everyone went too, to distract me and to give me and Dad a proper family." Jack stated with a small smile.
JJ nodded in remembrance. "The whole BAU family, have faced a lot over the years, but somehow we made it to the other side unscathed and I had the chance to have a safe and happy family for the last forty odd years."
...
3rd March 2011; Alexandria, Maryland
JJ sat on her couch deciphering a classified document she was given that afternoon. Military terms were still relatively new to the blonde even though she'd been with the DOD for the last six months and had worked on dozens of similar cases.
She thought the FBI used plenty of anagrams and unique specialist terms, the Pennsylvanian mused, that the military took it to a whole new level.
Taking a sip of wine as she discovered the ins and outs of DARPA, JJ jumped at the soft knock at the front door.
Frowning, she glanced at the clock on the wall as she stood. It was after eleven and other than Henry, who was fast asleep upstairs, the paranoid former agent was in the house alone.
Tentatively walking down her hallway, JJ checked the peephole before placing the key in the lock. "Hotch?"
JJ stepped back as the Unit Chief of the BAU met her eyes once the door was opened. "I know it's late."
"Is everything okay?" The blonde ushered the shivering man into her warm home and led him into the living room.
Hotch looked around the busy room and froze. "Are you moving?"
"Will and I are... taking some time a part." JJ answered quietly, noting his gaze on the pile of boxes in the corner of the room.
Hotch closed his eyes briefly. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."
"It's okay, I haven't told anyone else yet, I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything." JJ stated softly, knowing Hotch would realise she was talking about Garcia.
Hotch nodded once. "Of course."
JJ smiled thinly, aware that they were both hovering awkwardly. "Do you want something to drink?"
"No, thank you." Hotch shook his head.
JJ bit her lower lip before gesturing to the couch. They both sat side by side in silence. JJ pulled her legs up so they were underneath her body as she watched Hotch's tired profile. "So what brings you over here at eleven o'clock at night?"
He ran his hand over his head. "Erm..."
"Hotch, are you sure you're okay?" JJ placed her hand on the profiler's arm in concern.
He leaned back on the couch, placing his hand over JJ's hand that was still on his arm. "I talked to the team today, about Prentiss."
JJ widened her eyes in shock at his admission. "What?"
"No, I didn't tell them anything, I just wanted to know how they're doing..." Hotch shook his head slowly. "I wanted to see if they suspect anything."
"Do they?" JJ asked worryingly.
The experienced profiler sighed dejectedly. "No. They're all angry and upset."
"They're going to be." JJ tilted her head in understanding.
"I know."
JJ watched her former colleague closely, seeing the stress in his slouched shoulders. "How are you doing?"
He straightened his back suddenly, the tension flowing though his body becoming contagious as JJ mirrored his posture. "I'm content in the knowledge that we had to do what we did. By hiding the truth about Prentiss we're protecting everyone."
JJ bit her lower lip beneath her teeth. "You don't have to rationalise it. You're allowed to feel..."
"Feel what? Guilty." Hotch scoffed.
JJ shrugged her shoulders while reaching for her glass of wine. "I feel guilty."
"You shouldn't." He met the blonde's tired eyes confidently.
JJ sipped her drink before placing the long stemmed glass back onto the table. "You're mad at Prentiss?"
"She should have come to one of us." The Unit Chief stated firmly.
The former BAU agent sighed, placing her hand onto the older man's shoulder. "Prentiss reasoned that the team would have been in more danger if she involved everyone. You don't have to agree with her but don't think we're not doing the same thing with not telling everyone that she's alive."
...
Winter 2053: Hotchner residence
Elena sat forward with wide eyes, interrupting her mom's story with a gasp. "Wait! You faked Aunt Em's death?"
JJ stared at her oblivious daughter with a frown. "Erm..."
"Why don't I know about this?" Elena looked between her mother and brothers accusingly.
Jack shrugged knowingly. "Everyone knows that Emily faked her death twice to get away from an Irish arms dealer."
"It's true sis, Aunt Emily's twice 'none death' is kind of common knowledge around here." Henry added in amusement of his little sister's shock.
"But..." Elena blinked a few times in uncertainty.
JJ sighed softly. "Your dad and I lied to the rest of the team to keep everyone safe. It also brought us closer together."
...
3rd March 2011; Alexandria, Maryland.
Hotch groaned in frustration picking up JJ's half full glass and downing the contents. "Why didn't she come to you? We all know you have a higher position in State now."
"She didn't want our help." JJ smirked as the usually composed agent slouched all the way down the couch so his neck almost disappeared.
Hotch shook his head in frustration. "But Prentiss got it anyway without her consent."
"Yeah, Em wasn't too happy about leaving her life behind again, but she understands and she's settled." JJ replied softly.
Hotch connected eye contact with the calm blonde. "How are you doing with everything?"
"I'm coping." JJ nodded solemnly.
Hotch raised his eyes in disbelief. "JJ."
"Work is taking its toll a little. Dealing with Prentiss was one of the easier tasks as of late. That less travel thing Strauss proposed when I was transferred was BS and Will is now living across town. We're trying to work it out but it's not really going well and on top of it all Henry has started to ask questions." JJ shrugged dejectedly.
Hotch closed his eyes at the look of defeat in the younger woman's eyes. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. How's Jack?" JJ asked swiftly changing the subject.
"He's doing well, I guess. It's his cousin's birthday tomorrow so they're having a sleepover." The single father answered with a soft smile.
The Pennsylvanian returned his smile warmly. "Is he excited?"
"He likes playing with the other kids..." Hotch's voice trailed off as he got lost in the warmness of the blonde's gaze.
JJ frowned at his sudden silence. "Hotch?"
"I miss you," The profiler started softly, "at work."
JJ smiled sincerely. "I miss you too."
"Dave and I were talking on the plane the other day, about getting you back." Hotch stated hesitantly.
JJ's eyes scrunched in surprise. "You have?"
"Maybe if you took some profiling classes..." Hotch was cut off by the shaking of the younger woman's head.
"No." JJ stated adamantly
Hotch moaned at her stubbornness. "It's an option JJ."
"I never wanted to be a profiler." JJ stated firmly, remembering the many conversations about the same topic, the pair had discussed over the years.
The profiler sat forward as the blonde moved off of the couch. "It would be easier to bring you back that way. I wouldn't have to use a chunk of the budget for communications..."
"Hotch, let's not talk about this anymore." JJ ran a hand through her hair and walked out of the room.
The tall agent followed the petite Pennsylvanian into the kitchen watching as she poured them both a glass of wine. "JJ, is it really a bad thing to become a profiler?"
JJ intense stare at Hotch softened as she began to talk. "I admire everything you and the team do. But being a Communication's Coordinator was my role. I loved my role and it was deemed unnecessary by the top brass."
Hotch shook his head in frustration. "You were always a vital part of the team, JJ, and I'm not sure how much longer the team can go on with not having a media liaison but in order to get you back I need to take a different approach. With Prentiss gone, we're down a profiler."
"Prentiss will come back eventually." JJ interrupted confidently.
The Unit Chief sighed knowingly. "She might not be able to. She did leave without giving notice and went rouge."
JJ inhaled deeply in realisation of her former supervisor's words. "Hotch..."
"Will you just think about taking the classes?" Hotch asked hopefully, thankful for the glass of wine she handed him with a small smile.
...
Winter 2053: Hotchner residence
"You didn't want to be a profiler?" Elena asked with a scowl.
JJ smirked at her youngest son's evident confusion. "For me, being a profiler meant giving up years of training and a job that I loved. Even though being the team's liaison was a tough job, it was worthwhile, and at the time I felt that being a profiler would mean I was letting a part of myself down by turning my back on my profession."
Elena huffed in annoyance. "Why am I the only one totally clueless about all of this?"
...
Thanks for reading!