Disclaimed earlier I think – I don't own anything anyway!
Hi to everyone still reading, I thought I should try and move the story along a bit so for anyone who was wondering where they went, the tapes from a few chapter's ago are back and will be explained shortly!
Let me know what you think...
...
Hotch looked up from the mass of paperwork on his desk that had accumulated over the month he was forced to take off, to see JJ leaning against the closed door. Hotch tilted his head as she continued to smirk at his affectionate gaze. "How did it go with the shrink?"
"I passed with flying colours, you had doubts?" JJ asked with humour in her voice as she took a seat opposite the unit chief.
Chuckling at her mocking glare, he shook his head, seriously. "Of course not"
Crossing her legs and placing her hands on the chair arms, she bit her lower lip in thought before speaking. "So when do I get to come back to work, boss?"
Scoffing at her half hearted attempted professionalism, Hotch raised his eyes suggestively. "You know you can call me that at home if you want too?"
JJ giggled in amusement. "Oh you'd like to think you we're in charge wouldn't you?"
"I know where I stand" He admitted with a smile quietly, while looking at his hands that were flat on the desk in front of him. "How do you want this, us, to work in the office?"
Sensing his unease about talking about their relationship in his office, JJ caught his moving eye line and smiled warmly. "I don't expect to be treat any differently to the others especially while we're on a case"
Nodding, he held her determined gaze and responded hesitantly. "JJ, while I'll try my best to remain objective around you I don't think I can promise that I won't..."
JJ waved her hand, interrupting his explanation. "I know but I hope you understand that I love my job and respect your position and your own work ethic. I don't want our relationship to interfere with either of our abilities to continue our careers in the BAU"
"Okay" Hotch nodded in acceptance, a small smile surfaced as he watched JJ completely miss his agreement. "We're both able to work in a pro...Okay?"
Smirking, Hotch leaned back in his leather chair and watched JJ's confused gaze disappear. "I've had feelings for you for a long time now JJ, I'm sure I can attempt to remain impartial as long as I know you're safe"
JJ's eyes widened in surprise at Hotch's rationale, "Well, look at you Aaron Hotchner attempting a relationship with a subordinate, how inappropriate of you"
"I'm pretty sure you where the first one to be inappropriate" Hotch stated smugly.
JJ uncrossed her legs and sat forward, pointing at the self satisfied agent. "You were definitely inappropriate first. It was raining and we were outside of my house. I remember it very, very clearly"
Hotch sighed, crossing his arms defensively and neutralising his expression. "Well I can't be in an inappropriate relationship with an agent in my charge. I guess the relationship is off"
JJ frowned and tilted her head in thought. "It was nice while it lasted"
"It was, plus we got some good stories out of it" Hotch responded almost sincerely if it was not for playful eyes staring at the relaxed blonde.
"Oh sure there was sex, fights, kidnapping's, creepy concierges and murder trials. It would make a good movie or TV show" JJ pondered in amusement.
Hotch stood and walked to the front of his desk, huffing melodramatically before he continued. "We'd have to inform the boys and the team that we're over"
JJ shrugged and sat back, comfortably in her seat, looking up at the unit chief that who was leaning against the wooden desk, lovingly watching her. "That's far too much hassle"
Hotch nodded and straightened his posture. "Fine, we'll just have to stay together"
"If you can get passed the inappropriateness of the situation then I'm sure I can" JJ giggled through her words as he crouched down and placed his hands on the arms of her chair, bringing his head closer to hers. "Good, it's settled then"
They both chuckled into a sweet but nonetheless desperate kiss. Moaning, as Hotch pulled back and went back to lean against the desk opposite her, JJ ran her hand through her golden hair and sighed. "I like relaxed you. You're funny"
Their lustful eyes were caught in a hypnotic dance, before Hotch could break their serine silence with a response, a knock on the door startled, the engrossed pair. "Hey Hotch, oh hi JJ, I didn't think you were in till next week sometime?" Morgan strode into the office but hesitated at the sight of the team's communication coordinator smiling back at him.
"I passed my physical yesterday and the shrink just signed off on my stable emotional health so I'm trying to persuade Hotch for an early return" JJ explained as she stood, taking a place next to her boyfriend, leaning against the desk, so she could face the interrupting profiler.
Morgan nodded and grinned towards the obviously happy unit chief. "Sign the damn papers, man. If I have to talk to 'substitute JJ' again about giving police officers my personal home phone number and email, I will have to kill her"
"Agent Quinn is a newbie qualified cadet, cut her some slack, Derek" JJ countered softly, dissipating Morgan's threat through his gritted teeth. "I want you back girl, the sooner the better"
Hotch cleared his throat and addressed reason of the profiler's presence. "What's going on Morgan?"
"The DA from the Craney trial is in the briefing room, he wants to go over the tapes again" Morgan stated without haste, looking between both of his loved-up colleagues as he spoke.
JJ's eyes scrunched in curiosity after not being able to remember much about the whole ordeal. "What tapes?"
Morgan looked at Hotch in confusion as the unit chief threw him a warning glare and quickly explained. "Reid found some tapes of Craney beating women and injecting them with Stax-4 at his apartment when we raided his place"
JJ groaned in disgust. "God, twisted bastard"
"Yeah he is" Hotch muttered while trying to warn off the Chicago born profiler's unsure expression being directed at him.
Avoiding the subject of the sudden awkwardness in the room, JJ placed her hand on Hotch's forearm and looked at him expectantly. "So are you going to reinstate me or do I have to talk more about being inappropriate?"
"I'll talk to Strauss and the doctor's this afternoon, you'll be back behind your desk by the end of the week" Hotch smiled down encouragingly at the petite blonde.
"Thank you" JJ kissed his cheek and grabbed her handbag that was rested on the floor next to her chair. "So, I'm going to get my son back from Garcia then I have to take Henry to his doctor's appointment. The boys and I will see you at home later on after work. Bye Morgan" Hotch nodded contently and watched JJ pat Morgan on his arm as she stepped past him to get to the door. "Bye JJ"
"So?" The younger agent quizzically stared at the unit chief whose attention had returned to the heap of paperwork on his desk.
"What?" Hotch looked up from the file in his hand.
Morgan looked at the experienced agent in disbelief. "You didn't tell her about the other tapes yet?"
"JJ was injured Morgan, and she's been through hell, I didn't want her to have to worry about those tapes yet. Especially seeing as we have no idea what's going on." Hotch answered sternly, hoping the sudden authority in his voice would shield him from Morgan's need to pry.
"Hotch we've been on the case since you were told to take time off and we're no further along. Rossi's talked to Craney a dozen times now and he's not giving us anything more than what you beaten out of him in the interrogation room"
Cringing at the reminder of the sudden loss of his temper a few weeks ago, Hotch sighed loudly. "I know Derek"
Briefly seeing the unit chief's deeply hidden desperation, Morgan scrubbed his face before replying. "Hotch, man, those tapes prove we don't know half of what is going on. Craney and, possibly Will were working for someone and we don't know who. JJ might not be telling us something. She might be trying to protect us or she might not even realise what she knows is important"
"I don't want JJ to think we can't protect her and the kids" He stressed in fatherly and spousal concern.
Morgan closed his eyes uncertain whether or not he should continue, knowing his supervisor would not like what he had to say. "Hotch we don't know if we can. What are you going to do when she realises you've got agents guarding your apartment 24/7, if she hasn't already? Do you really want a relationship built on lies?"
"No of course not but I have no idea how to protect her or the boys. I have no idea what I should be doing to help her." Hotch snapped harshly, and turned his gaze off the younger profiler and back to the folder in his hand.
Physically taking a step back, Morgan raised his hands in surrender and softened his voice. "She hasn't noticed that you haven't left her alone or without an agent being near her since the case?"
"Oh she's noticed, she keeps calling me overprotective" Hotch scoffed and placed the file back down onto his desk with force and avoided Morgan's eye line when he took his seat back behind the wooden desk.
Morgan smirked in response. "You are, but you need to tell her why"
"I know and I will" Hotch stated sincerely and looked up from the report towards the retreating agent. Morgan signalled over to the door. "Are you coming to the meeting?"
"Sure, just give me minute" Hotch smiled thinly and waited until Morgan exited his office to take out a thick file from the top draw of his desk. Opening the file, Hotch drew in a deep breath as his fingers ran through a pile of video stills Garcia had printed out for him off of the haunting tapes. His stomach rolled unnervingly at the time stamp of one particular photo before he closed the file and placed it back into the security of his desk as he stood to go and join the rest of his team.
...
A huge thanks to; crazyobsession101, ReadingRed, mummacass, Speed Girl87, angry penguin, Luvliacd and Hotch Fan... Thank you for reviewing!