Different Measures – Part Twenty Five

Authors Note: Sooo. Jasper was born and I sped it up a bit.
This is the last chapter. I hope you like it, and I hope you liked it enough to review.
Thank you! Review please.
I'm sad this Is over, but it had to end! I hoped you liked it though, I truly do.

I really enjoyed writing this story and it IS sad to see it come to an end.

The ending isn't the best, but I had to finish it somehow!

Pleaseeeee reviewwwww. :D

X X X

"Okay, that would be great. I will get that letter of recommendation to you by the end of the week." JJ said into the phone. "Have a good day." she said as she hung up the phone. She took a deep breath, it was 5 days later and the team got back two days ago. She felt butterflies in her stomach as she got off the phone with someone from the Pentagon, who was going to be her new boss. She took a deep breath as she got up and walked to Strauss' office. JJ had to tell her about the job at the Pentagon and had to tell her why she was accepting. This decision was really hard for her, the people at the BAU are her family. But her real family, Jasper, whom she hardly gets to see needs her around more than her team. She grabbed the papers she had to fill out for her departure and she had to ask Hotch about writing the letter of recommendation, which Strauss told her that he would definitely write her because she's done such a great job with her job. JJ walked down the hall.

"There she is," Derek said with a smile as JJ walked by, JJ gave him a half smile as she walked into her office, Derek gave her a confused look and followed her. "JJ," he said as he walked in and closed the door. JJ put the papers on her desk and looked at him. "What's been up with you lately? You've been distant." He was going to continue, but JJ cut him off.

"I got a job offer. At the Pentagon." she told him, Derek froze. "Look, I love this job and I love everyone here. But this is not working for me. One of us needs to be there for Jasper and with both of us traveling all the time isn't the best for him. I mean, my sister has been more of a mother to Jasper then I have. I've made the decision to take the job, for me. I need to be a good mom to Jasper. And I feel like this is the only way I can be." she told him, she couldn't tell whether Derek was angry or happy or anything. His facial expression didn't change at all. Derek understood where she was coming from. He'd do anything to make her happy and she seemed pretty sure about this as he was telling her, Derek nodded slowly. "I'll talk to you more about it when we get home, I have to talk to Hotch." she told him as she walked past him. JJ knocked on Hotch's door as she opened it slowly and looked in the room.

"Come in," Hotch told her as he hung up the phone. "Sit down, I just got off the phone with Strauss." JJ shut the door and sat down across from him, she opened her mouth to start with an apology. Hotch knew it. "I know that you're going to start with an apology, JJ. You don't need to be sorry. It's hard being a parent and having a family when you're traveling all the time. Especially when both of you aren't there for him all the time. I understand it was a tough decision. When did they say you could start?" Hotch asked, JJ was taken off guard by his sincerity.

"In a month." She answered.

"You can leave by the end of the week." Hotch told her.

"But, that doesn't give me enough time to train someone, that takes a month by itself." JJ told him.

"We're not replacing you. JJ. You can leave by the end of the week." he told her, JJ was taken completely off guard by this and she nodded and stood up. "I will have a letter of recommendation to them by the end of the week." JJ nodded.

"Thank you, Hotch." she told him, Hotch gave her a smile and she walked out of the room. Hotch wanted her to have a few weeks with Jasper before she started working again. JJ smiled as she shut the door, she had to tell the person it would hurt the most first, Penelope. She let out a breath as she walked over to her, she was getting coffee. "Hey... Pen." she said, Penelope looked at her and smiled.

"Hey JJ, how are you doing?"

"Fine," JJ smiled. "Can we talk..." she asked as she stepped closer to her and said it quietly, Penelope looked at her, she was confused, but nodded as she walked into her office with JJ following her. JJ told her what was going to happen. Penelope's eyes were watering, but she understood.

"You're leaving... in four days?" Penelope asked, JJ nodded slowly.

"Yeah.." JJ said. "But don't worry, we'll stay in touch. Don't worry."

"We'll make plans for a set day every week, then we wont be able to one time and we'll never end up seeing each other again." Penelope said as she started tearing up.

"Pen, that's not going to happen. You work with Derek, we'll see each other. A lot. Alright?" JJ asked, Penelope nodded.

"JJ," Hotch said as he opened the door, JJ looked at him. "We have a case." he told her, JJ nodded as she smiled at Penelope and walked over to him. "You can come, if you want." JJ looked at him, it would be her last case. She smiled and nodded. This case was going to be her last case with her family, she was not about to pass up that offer.

X X X

It felt so unreal, to JJ. She was looking out of the window in her office, they were back from the case Los Angeles. She was holding an ice pack on the back of her head. Once she got home today, she wasn't coming back to the office again. It was Friday.

"Of course you'll hurt yourself on the last case," Emily laughed as she looked at JJ. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I figured I'd go out with a bang." JJ joked as she let it drop in the garbage can as she grabbed her bag and sighed. That was the last time she was going to see that view of the city beneath her.

"You ready?" Emily asked, JJ nodded as she walked out the door and looked at her office one last time. "Wanna walk out with me?" Emily asked, JJ shook her head.

"I have to take care of one more thing." she said, Emily nodded as she walked away. JJ looked at Derek who watched her as she walked down the hall to Strauss' office. She put the papers on her desk, it was 10pm and she wasn't there, she walked over to Derek who put an arm around her shoulder. JJ took a deep breath as they walked out of the glass doors. JJ took one last look at the doors.

"C'mon baby girl." Derek said as he turned her away and kissed her head, while walking into the elevator. JJ let out a sigh as she looked at the BAU office again, it was dark, JJ felt her eyes start burning. It wasn't like she was never going to see them again, but she just couldn't think about not seeing them every day. Derek kissed her temple, JJ gave him a half smile. The elevator doors closed as JJ caught her last glimpse of the office. She was leaving her second family to be with her real family more often, it was a really hard decision, but it was one that had to be made.