A/N: Another chapter. Hope you all like it!

Special thanks to samcarter1980, jenny crum, Rid3ThatChocob0, DebbieOz and guest!

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I don't own criminal minds.

Chapter 25: The confrontation

Three weeks later…

JJ had picked up her life in DC again. She moved back into her old apartment. She hadn't been there for a long time and it was still weird for her. Everything was the same. There were pictures of her and Nathan all over the place. It were the little things that could make her cry. There were little pieces of Nathan's life all over the apartment. JJ knew she had barely dealt with his dead. They never even had a funeral for the dead team members because it was too dangerous for the CIA to find their bodies and after the five months that JJ was held captive they knew there was no way of finding them. JJ had been back in DC for one week. Her last two weeks in Chicago were spent saying goodbye to her good friend Jimmy. He was one of the only person who seemed to be able to lift her up in her darkest days. She promised to call him once a week. JJ hadn't seen Hotch since her breakdown in front of him. She was relieved about that fact. He had given her mixed feelings about everything. She knew she didn't feel the things for him she used to feel. She was still in love with Nathan, even though he wasn't alive anymore. He was all she could think about when she went to bed but she always seemed to wake up with the same nightmare. She would always be back in front of that bar where her team died. That one second ruined her life. She had lost the only family she ever had in her life. She took one more chance at talking to her parents when she was twenty. She just showed up at their doorstep but her father didn't let her in. Now she didn't even know if they were alive or not. If she was honest with herself she didn't even care anymore. Her parents had become a closed chapter in her life. Just like she closed the chapter with Hotch.

JJ was walking through the long hallways of Langley. The people she had seen stopped her to let her know they felt for her. JJ didn't work with a lot of people in the CIA. She only worked with one unit. But the deaths of the agents were known through the entire CIA but no one knew where or how they had died. JJ walked around the corner and she stopped in front of the door where she hadn't been in fourteen months. Behind that door was the place where she had worked with her team. It was the place where she felt at home. JJ gathered up the courage and she finally opened the door. She saw people sitting at their desks. They were all standing up and applauding when they saw JJ. JJ gave them all a thankful nod. A lot of people came walking towards her. There were twenty-one people left in the unit. They were the people she had worked with for two and a half years but JJ also reminded herself that the possibility was big that one of them was the mole. She didn't want to think about it but she knew it was an option.

JJ turned around and she saw James looking at her with a proud face. JJ and James had always been just co-workers but after what happened they became close friends. He was still her boss but they just had a good personal relationship together. JJ made her way towards him. She shook his hand and she followed him into his office. She sat down in one of the chairs across from the desk.

''How are you?'' James asked.

''I am okay, thank you. How have you been?''

''I am good, JJ. I have something I want to talk to you about and I am afraid you aren't going to like it at all. You are going to continue to track down the terrorist but in the meantime there is no one who is looking into the mole. The entire unit thinks everyone is cleared. I know someone within the agency has to be the mole and I need people to lead a separate investigation into that.'' James explained.

''I understand. Who were you thinking about?'' JJ asked curiously.

''I was thinking about the BAU.'' James said and JJ's face turned pale.

''Are you kidding me? The BAU?''

''I am not kidding, JJ. They have a good reputation. We need them. You will be overseeing their investigation as well. You will be working together with Aaron Hotchner and his team.''

''Sir, isn't there another option. I can't do this.''

''Listen! I am your boss and you do as I say. I am ordering you to work with the BAU. I already called Section Chief Erin Strauss and she is informing them as we speak. They will not have any knowledge about the details of this operation.''

''Fine!'' JJ said angrily as she was rising from the chair.

''JJ, we need fresh eyes on this. We have a mole in this agency and as long as he or she isn't caught, you will be still at risk. I am doing this for you.''

''Right.'' JJ said.

''You will get the office at the other side of the bullpen and the BAU team can use the empty conference room. They are putting desks in there so they have enough room and privacy to work here.'' James said before JJ left.

''Okay. I have to go to inform the unit about their new tasks.'' JJ said, knowing that is wasn't going to be easy to head a unit with twenty-one people in it. Leo Hawkins was the one who did it before her and he was really good at it. JJ was only 28 years old and she was already a supervisor. She was also the only field agent in this unit and she knew they were going to need new agents.

JJ walked back into the bullpen and she stepped onto platform where all the screens were for when they were going over a new operation or a new plan. JJ sighed deeply before she was going to talk.

''Team! May I have your attention, please!'' JJ said loudly to get everyone's attention on her.

''I know we have been through a hard period. We lost six of our own last year. But that is exactly why we need to get to work. We need to get justice for the losses we suffered. I hope everyone agrees with me.'' JJ continued and she saw people shaking their heads.

''Good. I want everyone to start looking through the files that were made when I was undercover in Iraq and Afghanistan. We need to process that information before we start tracking the cell again.'' JJ said and she left the platform when everybody went back to work. JJ made her way to her office and she grabbed her things. She needed a break and she needed to talk to someone before everything was going to become official.

BAU, Quantico…

The team had a busy day that was filled with catching up on their paperwork. Hotch was working in his office and he got a call from Strauss to meet her in her office. He rose from his chair and he made his way through the halls of the building until he reached the office of the woman he almost hated. He always had something against Strauss because she was always trying to get him down in some way. Hotch knocked on the door and he didn't wait for an answer. He walked in and he kept standing in front of her desk.

''What is going on?'' Hotch asked when Strauss finally looked at him.

''Your team is put on stand down. The CIA requested the help from this team with an extremely important case. It is a case that concerns National Security.'' Strauss explained.

''Who requested our help? Who is the case agent?'' Hotch asked with astonishment.

''James Carter requested our help but Agent Jennifer Jareau is the supervisor of the unit.'' Strauss replied.

''Are you sure they requested our help? And what kind of case is it?''

''I don't know. Your team is expected to be at Langley in an hour. Someone will debrief you there. All I know that this case needs your priority.''

''Okay. I will tell the team what is going on.'' Hotch said and he left the office to get back to the team.

In the meantime JJ had arrived at the BAU because she wanted to talk to Hotch in private before their teams were becoming involved together. They needed to make some rules. JJ knew she couldn't stay mad at him once they were working together. JJ stepped from the elevator when she was at the right floor. She saw two glass doors and she was about to step into the bullpen when she saw a very familiar face. A face that she hated for the past ten years. It was the face of the woman who had broken her relationship with Hotch. JJ didn't want to pay any attention to Haley so she was walking further when she suddenly started talking.

''You!'' Haley said loudly when she recognized JJ from somewhere.

''What?'' JJ said as if she didn't know who Haley was.

''I know you from somewhere.'' Haley said as she stopped in front of JJ. Her eyes looked at the blonde woman in front of her. She could definitely not deny her beauty. Haley was never impressed by women in general but JJ did impress her.

''Yes, you do. I am Jennifer Jareau. JJ!'' JJ explained and she saw the anger appear on Haley's face.

''What are you doing here?''

''I am here for work. I am going to work with your husband's team.''

''He is my husband! I want you to stay away from him. You aren't going to get him.'' Haley said with a bitching voice.

''Let me tell you something, Haley. I don't even want him. He is all yours. I haven't thought about him in years. What the hell makes you think that I would want a man like him back? You two deserve each other!'' JJ said, knowing that she was lying when she said that she didn't think about him.

''Don't say that. He choose me because he loves me. I was always better than you. You were just a stupid little girl. You were his rebound, from what I have heard.'' Haley said with a smirk on her face.

JJ felt the anger boil inside and she wished she could hit her but she kept her anger inside. She just wanted to prove Haley that she was the bigger person in this.

''Maybe I was. I don't even care what I was to him. He can't be trusted. I hope you two are happy because I wouldn't wish you any less.'' JJ said and she was about to walk away when Haley pulled her back by her arm. JJ yanked her arm away and Haley stumbled backwards in the process. JJ turned around to face Haley and she was about to walk closer to the other woman when two arms wrapped around her waist and she was lifted up. From the cologne she knew it was Hotch. She started to struggle against his grip and he finally put her down.

''Let go of me. I just wanted to make sure that she was all right.'' JJ said when Hotch stepped in front of her to keep JJ away from Haley.

''Don't touch her, Aaron!'' Haley said with jealousy.

''It is fine. Calm down, Haley.'' Hotch said to assure his wife and he finally walked towards her.

JJ was already walking into the bullpen because she didn't want to stay in the same space Haley was in. She walked up towards the desks and she noticed the team. She decided to walk towards them to get to know them a little bit. JJ recognized them all immediately. Reid was the genius, Morgan was the hot guy, Emily was the kind woman and Rossi was the renowned author, JJ reminded herself. And Hotch was… She didn't have any words for Hotch. He wasn't her friend but he was going to be her colleague for god knows how long and she needed to find a way to work with him.

''Hey JJ!'' Emily said kindly as she rose from her chair to meet the blonde halfway.

''Hey. How are you?'' JJ asked as she stopped in her tracks.

''I am fine. Thank you. What are you doing in DC?'' Emily asked surprised. She had no idea why JJ was in DC. She only knew that JJ worked for Interpol in Chicago.

''I got transferred here. I am heading an old taskforce. It is actually weird to be back here.'' JJ said honestly.

Hotch was able to get Haley into his office while JJ and Emily were having a conversation. He closed the door behind him and saw that Haley was really angry. He couldn't believe that Haley and JJ attacked each other.

''What the hell is that slut doing here?'' Haley asked angrily.

''Haley! JJ is everything but a slut.'' Hotch said and he saw that she became even angrier.

''What? Are you actually defending her?''

''No, I am not. I just don't think you should call her names.''

''Why is she here? Is she here for you? Do you love her?'' Haley asked with a desperate tone in her voice.

''We have to work together. It means nothing, Haley. I choose you ten years ago and I don't have any regrets about that. I love you. JJ and I just have to work together. Nothing is going on. I promise.'' Hotch lied. He did have feelings for JJ and he did have regrets about his choice ten years ago but how was he supposed to tell JJ that. Or how was he supposed tell that to his wife?

''I trust you, Aaron. Just come home tonight.'' Haley said and she walked out of the office. Hotch followed her because he wanted to know why JJ was at the BAU. He saw that JJ was standing around the desks of his team members. It looked like they were having fun together and Hotch didn't expect it to be any different because the JJ he used to know was friendly and kind to everyone.

''JJ, can I talk to you in my office?'' Hotch asked when he was standing on the catwalk.

''Of course.'' JJ said after she had turned around. JJ made her way up the short flight of stairs and walked into his office. His office was impressive and JJ took in everything that was inside. She was startled when his door was slammed shut with a loud thud. She spun around and she saw Hotch with an angry expression on his face.

''What did you say to Haley?'' Hotch asked angrily.

''What are you saying to me?'' JJ asked with extreme disappointment in Hotch.

''Haley was extremely upset, JJ. You must have said something! And why did you attack her?''

''Really? That is what you think about me? Your wife is a master manipulator, Aaron. She broke us up ten years ago and even now she can convince you. I will tell you what I told her. I told her that you two deserve each other and that she can have you because I don't care anymore. I don't want you. I am over this.'' JJ yelled angrily.

''JJ, calm down. I am sorry. I didn't know what happened. I am sorry for Haley's behavior. You don't deserve to be treated that way.''

''No, I don't. Did you already get the request?'' JJ asked.

''Yes, we will be at Langley in an hour. You can debrief us when we get there. We can talk later, JJ. I have to finish some paperwork.''

''Okay, I will see you soon. Goodbye!'' JJ said and she left his office. She couldn't believe what happened with Haley. JJ never wanted to see her. She didn't want to see Hotch but her life had turned into events that she never wanted to happen. JJ started to live life day by day since the explosion in Iraq. There was no other possible way for her to survive in any other way.