Disclaimed!
Sorry for the delay but after having a very strong coffee, I found some inspiration to write the next chapter, hope people are still interested. Let me know what you think!
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JJ sat with Henry watching Garcia type away frantically as numerous pages of code, flashed over the various screens that hung on the wall in Garcia's office. "He doesn't know what's going to hit him when I'm through..." Garcia mumbled under her breath, her attention focused solely on the screens.
Hearing her friends menacing words, JJ looked up from her squirming son on her knee to Garcia as she rolled on her chair from one end of the large desk to the other. "What are you doing? Pen I told you not to do anything... I am actually handling this... God why can't you people just let me deal..."
"Sunshine, with all due respect, leave the diminishing of that southern dirt-bag to the professionals" Garcia turned from her computer to the flustered blonde innocently smiling as she spoke.
"Penelope, look at your godson" JJ's voice was stern as Garcia looked down at the four year old, sitting on the floor playing with his toys.
The analyst sighed heavily before looking back at her best friend. "I'm doing this for him"
"I'd rather things were done by the book, so my son and I can move on with our lives without his interference" JJ stressed the 'his,' not wanting to actually name the man she had once thought she loved.
Garcia rolled her eyes at the liaison's attempt to calm her. "JJ, Will needs to be destroyed"
"Pen, I'm filing for full custody, the fact that I'm taking his son away from him, is punishment enough" JJ's voice softened, for the Pennsylvanian it had been a tough decision to call a family lawyer, but she wasn't going to put her son in any danger, especially from his father.
The pair of women stared at each other daringly for a few seconds in silence, both jumped slightly as Garcia's office phone rang loudly, echoing of the walls in the small lair. Garcia pressed the speaker button on the phone before answering. "Speak or be ignored"
"It's me baby girl, I need you to track Will's financial activities and phone records over the last 24 hours" Morgan's voice seemed urgent and concerned as spoke quietly down the phone.
Hearing his uncertain tone, JJ leaned in closer to Garcia's desk and closer to the phone. "Morgan what's going on?"
"JJ, erm, hold on a minute" It went silent for a minute although mumbling could be heard in the background.
Hotch took the phone and cleared his throat while trying to keep his voice as neutral as possible, but his frustration didn't go unnoticed by the media liaison. "JJ, Will's not in his apartment and it looks as though his personal belongings are gone"
Garcia placed her left hand on top of JJ's as she informed them of what she had found in the short search. "He made a large cash with drawl around nine thirty this morning, at an ATM on his street but other than that there hasn't been any other movement, no out-going calls on his cell, no admissions to any local hospitals or arrests, do you want me to put out BOLO for his vehicle?"
"Yeah thanks Garcia, and JJ get Rossi and Reid to talk to Will's supervisor again, see if he's made any contact I'm on the way back to the office now" Hotch waited in silence for a reply from JJ instead Garcia was the one to reply as JJ distantly stared down at Henry.
"Okay Hotch" Garcia hung up the phone and squeezed JJ's hand she had hold of. "So... what's going on with you and Hotch?"
"Nothing that concerns you" JJ looked warningly to her prying friend.
Garcia rolled her eyes and smirked. "JJ if something was going on with you and Hotch, it'd be a good thing"
"Right now, we're working so just let it go okay?" JJ pleaded before standing above her young son and leaned down to kiss his head warmly.
"Fine killjoy" Garcia quipped and stuck her tongue out, receiving her a laugh from her impressionable godson.
An hour later, JJ sat alone in her own office staring at the same case file she had begun reading when she sat down. She could feel his eyes piercing into her yet still the sight of him leaning against her office doorframe still made her jump. "Where's Henry?" Hotch asked in concern as JJ's cheeks blushed a soft pink while she controlled her breathing.
"Playing Pac man with Garcia in her office" The liaison smiled thinly, the stress of the morning's events evident on her face.
Hotch retuned the smile warmly before taking a seat opposite the experienced agent. "How are you doing?"
"My son's arm is broken because of his own father, my ex, who might also be a serial killer and the fact that he ran doesn't make it look as though he's an innocent bystander in all of this. I have a number of observant reporters on hold that want to know why we're investigating the whereabouts of a Maryland detective, who was at the centre of a homicide last night and Kellie Harper's parents are on the way in to ask me why their daughter was killed. The team are gossiping about us, Strauss was buzzing around earlier and we're out of coffee again" JJ let out a long breath as she finished her analysis of her thoughts.
"So you're good then?" He smiled softly, easing some of JJ's stress with the simple gesture of humour.
JJ stared as his hazel eyes while they sought out her clear blue ones, "Hotch, do you think he did this?"
Hotch shrugged, "I don't know yet but I know I need to make sure you and Henry aren't in any danger, maybe you should stay with me tonight"
"Aaron..." JJ bit her lower lip before she was interrupted.
"If you feel more comfortable I was going to sleep in Jack's room, he's not back till tomorrow morning"
JJ smiled at his consideration while trying to explain her position. "It's not that Aaron, thank you for offering but Prentiss already asked us to stay with her tonight and it's probably for the best, I know we said we didn't regret what happened..."
Hotch's eyes widened slightly, "You regret what happened?"
"No, no of course not, I just think we need to take it slow, especially now." Seeing his disappointment JJ sighed. "I don't want to hurt you Aaron but everything that's going on with Will, will distract me and being the centre of gossip, isn't something I deal with very well"
The unit chief nodded in understanding before freezing. "If you want out..."
JJ instantly shook her head at the suggestion but couldn't manage to meet his eyes. "I don't want out Aaron, I just need a breather. Once this case is over with my head will be clearer and we can focus on us but right now I need..."
"You need space?" Hotch added as her sentenced trailed.
Shrugging her shoulders, JJ sighed quietly. "I need to take things slow"
"Okay I can understand that, but if you need anything?" Hotch stood tensely, hesitant to leave the liaison's side when she was probably too stubborn to ask for his support.
JJ smiled warmly towards him as he lingered in front of her desk, "I know who to call"
The rest of the day was mostly unproductive, Will was in the wind, no other suspects had been identified and the local police were uncooperative without actually saying so. Hotch had sent everyone home for the evening after Henry had dragged most of the team into Hotch's office to eat pizza and distract the team from the case load.
When JJ arrived with Henry and Prentiss to the brunette's home, they had immediately put the four year old to bed and opened the wine. The blonde had tactfully avoided the 'Hotch' conversation all night even when the profiler prodded her as they stood outside the guest bedroom. JJ looked towards her sleeping son as she leaned against the doorframe, his broken arm was raised on a cushion yet he managed to sleep through the pain. "Thanks again for letting us stay the night Em"
"Its fine Jaje, remember I'm just down the hall if you need to talk about anything. The case? Will? Hotch? Anything, okay?" Prentiss rubbed JJ's arm reassuringly.
JJ smirked at her friend's sly name dropping. "Night Emily"
Prentiss swiftly got herself ready for bed, it wasn't unusual for JJ or Garcia to spend the night but the weight load of the day's case had been at the forefront of both of the agents mind as they sat together earlier that night. Silence came as soon as the profiler switched off her bedside lamp, the occasional shadow moved across the darkened room and quickly Emily succumbed to the BAU exhaustion, they were all accustomed too.
A few hours later Prentiss's eyes flickered open. It sounded like a loud broom handle snapping, then realisation hit her. A gunshot rang out, disrupting the tranquillity. Hearing a struggle, Prentiss jumped out of bed, she armed herself and took a breath as she felt the adrenaline pulsing through her tired body.
Cautiously, the profiler cleared the upstairs rooms; an unknown man lay on the guest room floor, not breathing. Making her way onto the darkened landing she paused at the top of the stairs, before tentatively making her way downstairs, suddenly she became aware of someone to the right of her and before the profiler could react, a fist collided with her face.
A cold breeze ran over the still body on the living room floor. Prentiss felt a gentle tug on her shoulder, followed by a strange voice. "Ma'am can you hear me?"
Slowly opening her eyes, the brunette cringed at the pain shooting through her head. Blood had dripped down the side of her face as she felt the swollen area on her head. Looking towards the female paramedic, the agent struggled to remember what had happened and became grateful that a familiar voice called her name. "Prentiss are you okay?"
"Hotch, what's going on?" She slowly turned her head towards her nervous appearing supervisor as he crouched down next to her, as she sat still on her living room floor, with the paramedic steadying her as she moved.
Hotch looked at her in concern before answering the injured agent. "A neighbour called the police after hearing gunshots. There's a man with a bullet hole in his head upstairs, it looks as though it came from JJ's gun..."
Prentiss eyes widened in fear, upon hearing her close friend's name, "where are they?"
Hotch closed his eyes briefly as he spoke. "JJ and Henry are gone"
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Thanks to everyone who is still reading and reviewing, especially; midmac, kdzl, schokokaffee, crazyobsession101, mummacass, HotchFan and deeda... you're all awesome!
