Against All Odds

JJ knocked on Hotch's office door lightly.

"You wanted to see me?" she asked.

Raising his head, Hotch looked at the beautiful blonde and nodded. As she walked toward him, memories of their night together flashed thru his mind. Shaking the images of her wrapped around him, calling his name as they came together as one out of his head, Hotch stood up.

"Take a seat," he gestured with his hand. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," she replied automatically.

"No serious after effects of the flight home?" he inquired.

She shook her head. "No…other than losing a couple of pounds," she joked weakly. Avoiding his eyes, JJ looked down at her hands. She had tried not to remember the night they spent together, and she had been pretty successful…until she had to be alone with him. She could feel his eyes boring into her until she had to shift in her chair.

"So, what is this about?" she asked finally breaking the heavy awkward silence.

"We've always been truthful with one another," Hotch began solemnly, "and I would like to think that we trust one another that if there was something going on, we could confide in one another without fear of retribution."

JJ nodded slowly. "Yes."

"How are you and Will?"

"We're good. A couple of bumps, but we're working on it."

"Bumps?"

She shrugged indifferently. "Nothing more than usual. I think he's coming to grips with my job."

"I wondered how he was going to handle marriage to a profiler."

"It's a struggle," she confessed.

"What about children?" Hotch asked out of the blue.

She may have been a profiler, but she was far beyond seasoned, and there was no way JJ could mask the look of shock that darted across her features.

"Children?" she echoed.

"Yeah, children. Now that you and Will are married, there is no need for you two to practice safe sex. You can have as many children as you want," he pointed out.

"We're…we're still discussing it. Although Henry stated he wants a brother," she laughed cynically.

Hotch studied JJ for any signs that might give him a clue as to what her physical status might be. He thought maybe her face had a glow to it or her blue eyes were shinier, but it could have been make-up and lighting. When she was pregnant with Henry, she had managed to hide it for nearly three months before Will let the cat out of the bag. Unlike Haley, JJ carried her pregnancies well.

"If you and Will decided to have children, you would tell me?" he hinted, hoping to give her that opening to confide in him.

"I would," she agreed.

"Are you pregnant?" he asked bluntly.

Even though the stick said one thing, nothing was official until she had a blood test and doctor's confirmation. She didn't want to say yes, and then jeopardize her status with the team - only to find out that it was a negative. Plus, she didn't want to say yes until she knew exactly how far along she really was.

"I don't know," she replied honestly.

"You don't know?" Hotch raised an eyebrow in question.

"I have an appointment on Wednesday."

"And you will tell me the results?"

JJ swallowed nervously. "Yes."

"Okay." He pushed some papers aside. "You may go now."

"Is that all?" she asked in surprise.

Hotch considered her question thoughtfully. "Is there something else?"

"I thought…" She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "I thought that maybe we might talk about that night."

"What about it?"

"I'm not sure."

"Have I treated you unfairly?" he asked.

"No."

"Made you go above and beyond the rest of the team expectations?"

"No."

"Have I singled you out?"

She swallowed again. "No. I just wanted to know if maybe you…if you thought about it."

"Do you?" he challenged.

"No. Not really. You?"

"Not really," he stated sincerely.

JJ tried to look at Hotch but her eyes couldn't meet his. Twice she tried to find something to say, but the words failed her. Nodding, she stood up.

"I…I have to go. Paperwork to file," she excused.

"I have to finish up this report."

"I'll see you later."

"Okay," he dismissed her and turned back to the file on his desk. Blinking back the sudden tears, JJ made her way out of the office. On automatic pilot, she walked down the short staircase to her desk.

"Are you alright?" Morgan asked with concern.

JJ cleared her throat. "Yeah." She pressed a finger to the corner of her eye. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" He studied her closely. Something was off, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Yeah," she laughed. "Just female hormones."

Morgan held his hands up defensively. "Uh oh. You don't have to say another word. I understand."

"It's not that bad," she retorted.

"Unless you're an UNSUB who gets on your bad side over the next 7 days," he remarked.

JJ picked up the folder and took a swipe at Morgan's fore arm. "Oh! That was sexist! Take it back!"

Morgan pointed to the folder. "My point was proven. So, can I buy you lunch to make up for my thoughtless statement?"

"I guess. I have to get these filed."

"See you at noon." Morgan went back to his desk and let JJ return to her work.
****

"What did you and JJ talk about?" Dave asked.

"Is the question curiosity speaking?" Hotch returned.

"No," the older profiler sat down, "I'm being purely nosey."

"We just talked about the flight the other day."

"And…" Dave prompted.

"I asked her if she was pregnant. She said that she wasn't sure but that she and Will were thinking about giving Henry a baby brother," Hotch relayed the earlier conversation.

"Oh."

"What does that mean?" Hotch asked as his eyes narrowed.

"I'm not sure, Aaron. You tell me."

"I would, if I knew what you were implying," Hotch leveled evenly at his best friend.

"Do you want JJ to be pregnant?"

"I want her and Will to be happy."

Dave thinned his lips in thought. "How are things with you and Beth?"

"Alright." Hotch shrugged. "We're thinking about getting away for a weekend."

"That would do you guys good," Dave affirmed. "I can loan you my cabin."

"Thanks."

"After work, you want to go out for a drink?" The question wasn't meant to be refused.

"Strauss doesn't have plans?" Hotch returned.

"She has a meeting that is supposed to go into the night. She'll probably call me when it's over."

"The world of politics. I'll take that offer of a drink."

And then I'll finally get to what is bothering you, Dave finished silently as he left his friend to finish paperwork.
******

"I have to work late, Chere," Will's voice came over the line. "Two of the detectives are down with the flu and we're shorthanded."

"What about the reservations I made?" JJ asked as she unlocked the door to the apartment.

"See if you can reschedule them. There are plenty of reservations you've missed," he reminded her.

"I know. There was just something I wanted to tell you. And dinner would have been the best time to do it."

"Tell me now," he said.

"I can't do it over the phone," she reasoned. "I have to tell you in person."

Will laughed softly. "I think I know what it is, but I can wait until tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Give Henry a hug from me."

"I will."

"I love you, Chere."

"I love you, too, Will. Stay safe."

"You too."

The phone line was disconnected. Thinking everything through, JJ picked up the phone and dialed. She really needed someone she could talk to. Someone who wouldn't hold her in judgment and understand where she was coming from. She needed to get that one night stand off her chest if she was going to move forward with Will and make a family.

The phone rang three times before it was answered.

"Hello?" the voice sleepily greeted on the other end of the line.

"Emily? It's JJ. Did I wake you?"

"No. No. What's up?"

Tears filled JJ's blue eyes. "I need someone to talk to."