Disclaimed!
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and review. Hopefully you like how I've decided to end the story. I was in a mood for a happy ending of sorts, after killing Prentiss!
Enjoy and let me know what you think...
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##~Five Years Later~##
"This plaque will remain here in honour of the fallen, may their sacrifice never be forgotten. Your duty to the Bureau and to your country is inspiring and your dedication to our fallen comrades is extremely moving. Thank you all for coming today" Hotch nodded his thanks when he finished his speech, a roar of applause erupted in the new building for training new FBI recruits, dedicated to the fallen in memoriam. He was quickly surrounded by an abundance of Senior FBI agents, field agents, analysts and state officials, all reaching to shake the newly promoted, Section Chief's hand.
"Nice speech, my captain of all of this fair land" Garcia beamed as the swarm of people parted. The now, purple headed analyst came crashing onto the profiler's side as she dragged him into a hug.
"Thank you for coming, Penelope. I wasn't expecting you here though. I thought you had to take Dylan to the dentist?" Hotch kissed her cheek in greeting, glad to be talking to a more of a friendly face.
Garcia's jaw dropped mockingly, "What and miss your first big speech as fancy pants Section Chief of Quantico? I made my husband take our son seeing as his boss was here and not in the BAU. Obviously Kevin wanted to come down instead, but you know who wears the trousers in our house"
"Oh I'm sure I do." Hotch smirked as a hand patted him on his shoulder firmly. "You know the speech was a little long winded in my opinion"
"Well I'm glad no one was asking for your opinion Dave" Hotch glared at Rossi's smug face, as the older man pulled him into a congratulatory hug.
Morgan came up onto the stage to stand with his former colleague and boss, and then placed his arm around the retired profiler. "Nah, don't listen to him Hotch, the speech was great, besides, he doesn't even work here anymore"
"No, but he was invited as a former member of the BAU and a world renowned author and pro..." Reid looked back at the concerned stares "You were joking"
"Yeah kid I was" Morgan smirked as his close friend blushed. "Erm, sorry"
"You were amazing" A voice called out from the bottom of the stage stairs, as she watched the familial group interact with each other. Garcia and Reid were linking arms, Morgan and Rossi had their hands on each other's shoulder, in a fraternal hug, while Hotch made his way towards her enthusiastically.
"You think?" He smirked as he skipped down the few steps to envelope his girlfriend in a hug and kissed her softly.
JJ smirked as her partner placed his hand on her growing stomach lovingly. "Those private speech practicing sessions worked, huh?"
Morgan raised his eyes suggestively while he and the rest of the team joined the couple at the bottom of the stairs. "They sure worked for you Miss..."
"Choose your words very carefully Unit Chief Morgan, after that waddling comment you made earlier, I'm feeling very emotional today" JJ pointed at the supervisor warningly, causing the rest of the group to laugh at Morgan's, 'what-me' look.
He sighed loudly, "I was going to say Miss gorgeous baby momma, because you are glowing more and more as your pregnancy continues"
JJ rolled her eyes at his attempted smoothness. "Uh-huh"
"How is my niece this morning?" Garcia asked in concern as JJ shifted Hotch's hand to rub along the bottom of her enlarged stomach.
JJ groaned through the pain of her baby's kicking. "She is most definitely going to be a soccer player"
"Or a dancer" Hotch suggested happily, with his other hand running up and down, JJ's aching back soothingly.
Morgan nodded, watching the loved-up couple smile widely at each other. "She's going to have one hell of a shot, that's for sure"
Hotch's jaw set as he began to speak. "Emilia is getting nowhere near a gun, neither will Jack, Henry or Matthew for that matter"
Rossi scoffed, "That's what you think, I was talking to my eldest nephew the other day and he was adamant that he was following in his dad's footsteps and becoming an FBI agent"
"Over my dead, cold body" JJ quipped sternly. Everyone laughed at her glare towards the retired agent, the common joke in the group now, was JJ's emotions being as up and down as a rollercoaster and it seemed Rossi and Morgan were usually on the receiving end.
Garcia rubbed JJ's shoulder sympathetically. "Have you guys eaten lunch yet?"
"It's not even eleven yet, baby girl" Morgan bumped her side with his playfully.
Garcia chuckled at his grin. "Well I'm hungry now. I didn't have enough time to eat breakfast this morning with all the craziness"
Reid scrunched his face in thought. "What craziness?"
Garcia sighed and ran her hand through her short, plum-purple hair. "You try and sort out, four year old twin boys, one of whom seemed to lose every right shoe he has while the other decided the bathroom needed decorating with loo roll. Then my needy and cranky husband lost his car keys, again, and I had to try and find our hyper dog, Bowie, that ran out of the house when I went to get the mail. All on a Monday morning, when the alarm clock accidently went off thirty minutes later than it's supposed too. Technology is supposed to be my friend, genius boy wonder. Instead this morning, I was ready to become one of those loonies, who think technologies going to be end of us all"
"Okay!... Can you guys spare the time to have lunch with us less worthy people, who no longer work for the FBI?" Rossi turned his gaze from the ranting Penelope Garcia to Hotch, Morgan and Reid.
"Speak for your-self David Rossi... huh, less worthy my gooseberries!" Garcia stated mocking disbelief while JJ continued to glare at him making him shift uncomfortably in his spot.
Hotch smirked at the women's response. "Seeing as I am their Section Chief, I guess I can make it a business lunch"
"Great cos your daughter wants pancakes" JJ entwined their fingers as the group turned to head out the exit.
Garcia patted Hotch on the back before adding her wants. "And your daughter's fairy godmother wants fries"
Morgan raised his hand, "Seconded by your daughter's uncle"
"Okay then, where do you all want to go?" Hotch chuckled at the jovial spirit of everyone. Rossi cleared his throat as he suggested a venue. "I know a place on Elmore. I went with Fran last week"
"Oh, Fran's looking more and more like wife number five, huh Rossi?" Morgan suggested teasingly as the grey haired man shrugged indifferently. "Marrying wife number four was a mistake, but you spend that much time with your publicist on a book tour and things happen"
Hotch scoffed wistfully, "But Fran, the twenty five year old wine expert, could be the one"
"Mock all you want my friend," Rossi lifted his hand in surrender at the group's laughter, "but you aren't that far behind me, Agent Hotchner"
Hotch glared and tightened his grip on JJ's hand unnoticeable to the rest of the team. "I've had one failed marriage, Dave. Compared to your four divorces... "
Garcia and Morgan exchanged humorous smiles before the former analyst giggled, interrupting the experienced agent. "Yeah, yeah boss man, but you could be on your second attempt at marriage, so when are you making my JJ an honest woman? You've been together far too long and are onto your second kid..."
"Hey, we just don't like wedding cake as much as Dave does" Hotch smirked towards the retired agent as he frowned at the statement, "it's the honeymoon I like, not the cake."
JJ rolled her eyes at the wedding talk and turned slightly, noticing there was one member not with them. Letting the others past, JJ stood at the door, shouting back to her statue-like friend, who was staring at the newly uncovered plaque hanging on the freshly painted wall. "Are you coming, Spence?"
Reid nodded and walked slowly towards the very pregnant mother, of soon to be four, who waited patiently at the door. "Do you ever think what it would have been like if we hadn't lost Prentiss?"
JJ smiled warmly, "Everyday Spence"
"She would have made fun at your boyfriend's speech earlier." Reid smiled back at the blonde as she giggled. "Yeah, well, we still have a lunch to get through. I'm sure we can channel our inner Prentiss's and think of something snarky to say"
"You guys ready?" Hotch walked up to the pair as they hovered in the doorway.
Reid nodded and silently walked over to Garcia, who was trying to explain to Morgan and Rossi the need for bumblebees in the world, leaving the couple alone. JJ rose onto the balls of her feet and kissed him tenderly. "Yes my love, we're ready"
"Good, because my daughter wants pancakes" Hotch whispered placing himself behind JJ to guide her towards the small gathering.
JJ pulled an unsatisfied face, "I'm thinking she wants a chocolate sundae now"
"I'll buy her both" Hotch bent down to kiss her cheek from behind.
"Aren't you a little push over?" JJ smirked as she turned to face him, stopping Hotch in his tracks. "I am a push over for you" He stated softly, with an affectionate grin appearing on his lips.
"Aaron Hotchner, you really were amazing today. I'm so proud of you. I love you" JJ placed her hands on his broad chest and looked up at his hazel eyes, dotingly.
"I love you too, babe" Hotch traced her cheek softly with his thumb before faintly kissing her lips.
A wolf whistle parted them, followed by Garcia, who gesticulated towards the stationary couple enthusiastically, making them laugh. "Guys come on, stop being sickening, the fries are waiting!"
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The end, for now anyway! Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read and review.
A special thanks too; angry penguin, ReadingRed and Flames101!
