Disclaimer: I don't own them
AN: Thans for the reviews, they do encourage me to write more. :o) Is this one within the hour requested? :op
Chapter 12
JJ had been getting more tense about meeting Will as time went on. She couldn't think of anything that he could say that would make it better. When it came down to it, what had happened was done. There was no going back and no changing it. Whenever the thought of what happened flashed in her memory, she could almost feel his arm on her neck. The longer she waited, the worse the feeling of dread got. Hotch came back into the conference room. "Any news from Garcia?"
"Not yet." Reid replied looking up from the file he was reading.
"Ok, take a break for a while. There's nothing more we can do until we get some news back from that list."
The team got up to head out for an early lunch. When she got to the door, Emily looked back to see JJ still sitting at the table. "You not coming Jayj?"
The blonde looked up at her. "I've got an errand I need to run. I'll meet you back here later." Her tone was distant. Emily was worried by the change in the woman. She opened her mouth to question what the errand was when JJ stopped her. "I'm fine Em. I just need to pick up some bits for Henry as his day bag doesn't contain that many clothes." She offered a weak smile, hoping it would be enough for the brunette. She needed to get this talk with Will over and knew that Emily wouldn't want her to go. As much as she wanted to confide in the older woman about where she was going, she knew that Emily would be against it and would try to talk her out of going. Part of JJ wondered if that would be for the best but she buried that thought quickly.
The brunette looked back at the blonde. She knew she had to trust JJ to keep herself safe. She knew that if she tried to be overprotective then she might inadvertently let on to her real feelings towards the younger woman. Something that she was not ready to do, not with the current situation. JJ had enough to occupy her mind and worry about without that being thrown into the mix. Instead she ignored the warning lights flashing in her head and nodded her acceptance to the blonde. "Call me if you need anything?"
"Sure." With that JJ watched as Emily turned and left the precinct. Sighing she opened her phone and made a call she didn't really want to make. She waited as it rang…once…twice…She nearly hung up, her nerves almost getting the better of her. Then just as she was about to give into them he answered.
"Hello?"
"Meet me in 20 minutes at the café on 7th? Bring some of Henry's clothes too." She asked. No pleasantries, just straight to the point.
"I'll be there." With that, she hung up. Swallowing down on the feeling of dread that washed over her she stood from her seat and headed out to find whatever answers she was offered.
JJ pulled up outside the café. She'd picked it as it was quiet enough to give them some privacy without being isolated. Not the thought process you should go through when arranging to meet your fiancé JJ, she thought to herself. Part of her wanted to just drive away again. To call him and say she had been called back to work. She got as far as getting her phone out when he pulled up next to her car. Knowing that she had to go through with it now, she sighed and put her phone away. Silently hoping that the phone would ring and she'd have to head back to work. She opened the door and got out of the SUV.
"Hey JJ." His voice was soft. He almost looked nervous, he kept playing with the citrine ring on his finger. Maybe that feeling of dread had been wrong after all. He seemed like the old Will again. The pair made their way into the café and took a seat at a table near the back to give them some privacy. They ordered when the waitress came over and then a silence sat between them.
"JJ…I know this sounds pathetic and can't ever make up for what happened but I'm sorry." He looked at her like a lost puppy. "I shouldn't have been drinking." He stopped, looking at her and trying to gauge her reaction. "I made the biggest mistakes of my life that night." His head dropped forwards as he broke the eye contact with the blonde.
"Why Will?" Of all the things rushing through her mind, that was all that could come out. It was the one thing she needed to know the answer to. The one thing that no matter how many times she went through the events, she just couldn't figure out.
"I…I wish I could tell you why JJ." His eyes looked back up into hers, pleading with her to try to understand. "I just…there is no excuse for what happened. I know that. I have no right to ask for anything from you after what I did." He stopped, half expecting her to get up and leave when he didn't answer her question. Yet she stayed. Just as he was about to continue, her phone rang.
She shot him an apologetic look and then answered. "Hey Em, what's up?" She watched him as she spoke on the phone. Saw something flash briefly through his eyes but it was gone before she could pin it down. "Ok, I'll be right there." She clicked the phone shut. "I have to go. I'm sorry Will."
She stood to leave but stopped upon feeling his hand on her arm. "Can we finish talking later?"
JJ searched his expression. He looked like the old Will, he was acting like the old Will. Part of JJ wanted to believe that what had happened had been a one off, out of character action that would never happen again. The bigger part still wasn't sure. "I don't know. It depends on work." She watched as he nodded but there was something that flashed across his face again, just for the briefest of moments. He moved his hand off her arm and watched as she left.
"Jordan Norton." Hotch put a picture on the screen. "He started seeing Mr Connor after his wife left him for someone she worked with. She took out a restraining order against him after he assaulted her."
"Do we have an address?" Morgan asked.
"We sure do my chocolate chip cup cake. Apartment 15, Union Row on 14th Street." Garcia's voice came across the speaker phone.
"Thanks baby girl."
"Let's move." Hotch replied. With that the team all rose to get ready to arrest their unsub.
They pulled up outside the apartment building. The team divided to ensure there was no escape route. Hotch, Rossi and JJ went up to the front door while Morgan and Emily headed around to the back to cut off any escape routes.
JJ and Rossi stood to the left of the door, Hotch to the right. He knocked on the door. At the moment they only had their suspicions. They needed to take him in for questioning. They certainly didn't have enough for a warrant yet. The door opened and a young looking guy stood there. His sandy brown hair was messy and falling into his eyes. He looked at Hotch, confusion evident on his features.
"Jordan Norton?" Hotch asked.
The guy looked very scared. "Yes."
"We need you to come with us."
"What is this about?"
"The murders of several women."
The colour drained from his face. "You think I did what they were talking about on the news?"
"Sir, we need you to accompany us to the station."
Suddenly his expression changed. "This is because of that stupid bitch." Hotch changed his grip slightly on his gun, preparing himself to have to use it at any moment. Sensing the change in the agents around him, he visibly reigned in his emotions. "Let's go so I can clear my name." He stepped out of the apartment and into the hall, allowing the agents to lead him down to the waiting police car.
Hotch and Rossi had questioned their suspect for a couple of hours. As time went by, the sinking feeling that this wasn't their unsub grew. Eventually they got confirmation that he wasn't the right guy when his alibi checked out for 3 of the murders.
Since it was late in the day and they were again waiting on any further hits from the patient list Garcia had, Hotch dismissed the team for the night. As they started to head out to the cars, Emily saw JJ walking to one of the other SUVs. She frowned slightly, confused about why JJ was heading to a different vehicle. "Jayj? You not want a lift?" She didn't want to say too much with the rest of the team around. She knew the blonde didn't want anyone to know what had happened to her.
"I need to go and pick up Henry." She watched as the others got into the other vehicles and then added, "Plus I need to go past home and get some clothes." The second the words were out of her mouth, JJ knew she should have kept that part to herself. Emily had a thinly veiled look of panic spreading across her features. Sensing what argument was about to come from the brunette JJ quickly added, "Will won't be there. I'll be over in a couple of hours."
Reluctantly, Emily watched JJ head off offering a silent prayer that Will was going to be out. She considered following her for a split second before realising that JJ wouldn't forgive her for that lack of trust. Sighing she got into her car and headed home.
