A/N: This is the end of this story, thank you all so much for reading. Slight spoilers for 5x13, "Risky Business."
Hotch sat in front of the headstone, flowers in hand. He stared at the markings and tried to squash any feeling that presented itself. It had been a year, a full, damn year since that horrible day; and everyday, he still heard her voice, her laughter.
He had heard it over and over again, that with time comes healing; and he knew it was true. He had thought back to what she had told him that day on the jet, how she had informed him of her sister's suicide. He remembered what she had told him, word for word: "Losing someone is never easy... but one day, you'll remember her and you won't hurt." He could only hope her words were true.
At the two year mark, Robert Patterson was sentenced to death. Not one tear for the man was shed in the court room that day, and for the rest of his life, Patterson never had a single visitor.
At the five year mark, Rossi surprised the entire team, Will and Henry by helping unveil the new children's hospital, the Jennifer Jareau Children's Hospital. It had taken five years to complete, and had opened its door on the fifth anniversary of JJ's death. It was ten year old Henry who got to cut the ribbon, and Henry who smiled when he saw the beautiful photo of his mother hanging in the lobby. The most advanced children's hospital in the area, now carried his mother's name.
At the ten year mark, Rossi had stood with Hotch and Reid at JJ's headstone. He had always considered Reid and JJ to be his children, and losing JJ felt as though he had lost one of his kids. He had lost one of his two kids, and by God, he would not let that happen to Reid. Reid, his wife, or his three young children.
When Henry graduated medical school, Hotch was there standing proud next to Will and Emily, next to Blake, Morgan, Rossi and Garcia. In the twenty years since her death, Hotch had learned something. He had learned that his family, regardless if they were blood or not, regardless if they were still working with the FBI, his family was there.
Thirty years later, Hotch laid in a hospital bed, surrounded by his son and grandkids, by Henry and his kids and wife. "Say hi to mom, alright, Hotch?" It was the last words he heard, and as he took his last breath, he realized that while he had brought JJ her justice a long time ago, that he had not just brought justice to her, but to thousands of others.. And when his time of death was called, when he walked through this amazing gates, he was immediately embraced by the team members who had gone before him- and he was embraced by JJ.
"Hotch." She started.
"JJ.. I'm sorry."
"Hotch. You have nothing to be sorry for." As he looked at her, he realized she knew something he didn't. "Hotch, you were with me that day, my family was with me. You took care of Henry and Will, you were there as a mentor for my grandkids. Hotch, I don't care about the man that shot me, I don't care that he was never caught. My life wasn't him, my life was Will and Henry, and the team. Hotch, I couldn't be angry at you, you continued my life by taking care of those I lived for."
Hotch had no words, he simply stared at the beautiful blonde.
"Welcome home, Agent Hotchner." Spoke the voice, he swore he would never hear again. "Welcome home."