A/N: Hello all. Here's number 7 for you. It takes place during and after, Season 6's season premiere The Longest Night. So, if you haven't watched this one, there are some minor spoilers to be had. The title of this chapter comes from Smallville's season 7 episode Fierce (number 3). Hope you enjoy!
Episode: Fierce (season 7, episode 3)
Fierce:
"Hotch," JJ said tentatively into the phone. "What if I mess up?"
He could hear her fear at letting him down. But she never had and he knew she could never let him down.
"Don't worry," he said with conviction. "You won't."
Hotch knew what she didn't, that she was truly capable of anything. JJ was the heart and soul of his team. She kept them together when a case was so horrifying that it threatened to tear them apart. She saw everything that they didn't. She was gentle and caring. But Hotch knew that she was fierce, too.
%$%
Hotch stood in the room with his team, along with Detective Kurzbard, listening to the radio. JJ's voice wavered as she started to speak. He knew he'd put her in a tough position. But he would never have suggested it if he knew she wasn't up to it.
"See, I'm not a hostage negotiator… uh… I've never done anything like this, at all, ever, but um sometimes circumstances it's—"
He listened to her hesitate, cutting herself off.
Come on JJ, I know you can do this, he thought to himself.
She let out a breath, collecting herself. "Look, you can tell I'm not a hostage negotiator, but I am a mother. And I… I know what your mother did to you when you were little…"
And there was another reason he knew she could do this, knew that she could empathize with Flynn's pain. JJ was a mother. And some of the strongest people he knew, JJ, Hailey, even Erin Strauss, were strong because of their children.
"… it's just not fair. And… and no one… and no one can make that better. I wish I could, I do…"
The thing he liked most about JJ was that she was never fake, never untruthful. Every word she spoke was truly what she meant and felt. Hotch could always see that and he knew other people could instantaneously hear the genuine sincerity in her voice. That's why choosing JJ to do this was a good choice. Billy Flynn would believe her because it was the truth.
"… That's what mom's are supposed to do. They're not supposed to be the cause of your pain; they're supposed to make it go away. They're supposed to hold you, and tell you everything is gonna be all right. They're supposed to tell you that thunder is angels bowling," she paused to chuckle. "And that it's ok to be afraid of the dark, and… and it's not silly to think there might be monsters in your closet. And that it's ok if you want to climb into bed with them just this once, 'cause it's scary in the room all alone…"
She let out a breath, and Hotch found himself smiling at her speech. He could imagine her saying all of that to Henry.
"…They're supposed to say it's ok to be afraid. Not be the thing you're afraid of. But most importantly, they're supposed to love you no matter what…"
Hotch wished everyone could have a mother as loving as JJ.
"… I'm supposed to empathize with you. Sympathize. Understand…" she trailed off. "But I can't; uh that… that would be a lie. The truth is I don't understand…"
And there it was her fierceness. Yes, she did not like what had been done to him. She'd change it if she could, but she couldn't condone what Flynn had let his pain turn him into. Couldn't even pretend to. Hotch realized she was going off-script, but the truthfulness to her words, to her scorn, was powerful. Hopefully, powerful enough to convince Flynn to let the child go.
"…You can choose letting her go. You can choose teaching her that, yes there are monsters and it's ok to be afraid of them. But it's not ok to let them win. And it's not ok to be one."
%$%
JJ went silent on the radio. Her speech was powerful, truthful, and fierce. Hotch knew it had to have had an affect on Flynn.
When Detective Kurzbard's phone rang Hotch knew it would be the good news they'd hoped for.
"He let her go…"
Hotch got on his phone immediately. She needed to know that she'd done it. "JJ… I don't know if you know, he let her go… You did it."
He heard her breathe a sigh of relief. She'd had doubts, but he never did.
%$%
Hotch couldn't sleep. He hardly ever could on the plane ride's home. He looked around the plane to see almost everyone passed out. Everyone, except for JJ. She was sitting alone, flipping through the file of the case, going back and forth. He knew what she was thinking, processing all of her 'what ifs.'
He went to her; she looked up to see him giving her a small smile.
"Hotch," she said in surprise.
He sat across from her. Her hands never stopped flipping the sheets of paper. He reached across and put his hands over hers, effectively stopping her nervous fidget.
She looked up at him from under the fringe of her long lashes. Her cheeks were tinged pink. "Hotch?" she questioned breathlessly.
"You," he started slowly, making sure to enunciate every word, "are one of the strongest people I know."
She chuckled, looking off to the side, trying to make light of his comment. But her cheeks turned redder and he knew she took his praise to heart.
"Don't ever doubt that," he finished.
He pulled back, reluctantly disentangling his fingers from hers. He sat back in his chair, watching her.
She pulled her hands into her lap, looking down at them.
"Thank you," she murmured.
Well that's it for this one. Hope you liked.
Thanks to everyone who's reading and reviewing: Hotch Fan; canny bairn; angel85qcca; kdzl; SkySydfan24; deeda (we had similar troubles on our vacation to Lebanon a few years ago. Power kept going out at night because of the heat. We had to sit in the dark until it was time to go to bed; thanks for the review); JJandHotch4ever96; jekkah; and DracoMalfoysSweetGirl92.
I'll try to update soon!
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.
