A/N: Posting this now as I've just written it and thought I'd update before I just head out. I'll check back over it later so I apologize if you're reading it now and there's any typos etc... I'll go over it asap.

JJ paced nervously on the spot. She'd rushed straight back from work to her apartment, and changed clothes instantly. She had brushed her hair back into a bun, and applied a little lipstick, ignoring all the warning signals going off in her head. There was something about the way she cared about her appearance around Hotch now, more than ever.

Eight o clock on the dot, the doorbell rang. Trying to refrain herself from practically sprinting to the door, JJ finally reached it and opened it to reveal the very person who had been dominating her thoughts all day. Hotch smiled, and JJ detected something else behind it. Is it possible he could look...shy?

"Hotch! Come in." JJ said, motioning inside as he walked into her home. He was wearing his work clothes, but his jacket and tie were off; his shirt loosened around the neck a little. She smiled. Hotch held out a bottle of wine.

"Returning the favor from Halloween." He explained as JJ took it out of his hands, her skin brushing past his. "And, please, Aaron like we talked about." He chided gently and JJ felt her skin go pink. It was still hard to think of her boss as the same person as Aaron. They seemed miles apart.

"Thanks...Aaron." She blushed whilst leading him into the kitchen. He settled himself down on a chair, obviously comfortable in this environment after everything they'd been through here.

"Are you hungry? I didn't order yet because I had no idea what you'd want." JJ said, proffering him the menu from the local Chinese takeout. Hotch took it from her, his eyes scanning over the writing.

"I'm starving actually. You know what, I haven't eaten junk food in so long, I'm actually excited for it." He chuckled lightly and JJ felt her heart flutter at the sound before she did a reality check and tried to shake the feeling off.

"I'm so sorry. If I wasn't so lazy I would have made something. Just work with work and everything-" She tried to explain but Hotch cut her off.

"It's fine," He waved dismissively, "Plus I don't exactly know if I can trust your cooking." JJ scowled at him playfully and Hotch looked up from the menu grinning.

"One day, I will prove you wrong, and that I can cook." She mumbled but secretly enjoyed the teasing remarks between them.

"Hey! And it's our last few days off work before we start that new case, so we have an excuse to drink this." JJ said, pointing towards the bottle, and turning around to the cupboard to get out a couple of wine glasses. Hotch shook his head.

"I have to drive! And have you seen the weather out there?" He murmured, looking out of the kitchen window. The snow was starting to fall a tad heavier than the last couple of days.

JJ poured the wine carefully into the glasses, handing Hotch one before taking a seat down next to him and glancing over the menu herself, even though she already knew what she wanted.

Hotch scooted it along the table to her. "Think I'm just going to go for classic sweet and sour chicken." He said. JJ laughed.

"What?" He asked, mock surprise on his face.

"The irony." She muttered, and Hotch gave a half smile, his eyes lighting up.

"It's nice to hear you laugh." Hotch whispered suddenly, taking JJ off guard. She wasn't even sure she had heard it.

"It's nice to laugh." She replied before she could think about it.

After ringing up the restaurant and ordering, JJ and Hotch continued to sit at the table chatting casually until the doorbell rang half an hour later, indicating that their food had arrived. As JJ took the food off the courier, she suddenly saw Hotch appear beside her, taking out his wallet.

"How much?" He asked, and JJ immediately pushed him gently, looking at the man outside.

"Doesn't matter, this is mine." She replied, and quickly fished out some money out of her pocket, practically thrusting it into the poor guy's face before Hotch could.

Once she had taken it back through to the kitchen and set out the table with plates and cutlery, Hotch spoke up.

"Thanks JJ, but it was okay, I could have gotten it."

"Don't be stupid. This is my treat." She dismissed, prising the lid off her Chow Mein and taking the seat opposite Hotch at the breakfast bar. Hotch did the same with his, and fished it onto his plate.

"So, where's Jack?" JJ asked, trying to be polite and make conversation.

"Jessica has taken him to see his Grandma before Christmas. They'll be back tomorrow. We'll all be around for Christmas day at mine." Hotch said nonchalantly. Suddenly his eyebrows drew together as he realized.

"Will you be on your own? You can come over if you like." He added, snapping his chopsticks apart before dipping them into his food.

JJ felt her body flood with warmth. Had Hotch really just asked her to spend Christmas with his family? All of this was so sudden, it was moving too quickly. This was not an action from just a friend surely. Following the warmth though, followed guilt.

"No no, it's okay. I'm probably just going to spend it with Garcia. She doesn't really have any family to spend it with either. Thank you though." She explained, trying to use her own chopsticks with not as much success as Hotch's deft movements of his. "Besides, I wouldn't want to intrude, it's a time for you to be with your family and loved ones." JJ added, trying to justify the declination of such a lovely offer.

"JJ, I think you fall into that category." He said, as he made a swift lift of his food with the sticks into his mouth. Which category? She'd was dying to ask. The two were so similar but so far apart, which one did he mean? JJ continued to fumble with hers.

"You're as bad as Reid." Hotch said playfully and leaned over the table, resting his hand on top of hers that were holding the chopsticks. "Look, try it like this." He suggested, moving her fingers into an easier position. JJ's breath hitched as she suddenly couldn't look up at him anymore.

"Better?" Hotch asked, before returning to his own.

"Much, thanks." JJ spluttered, as she reached for a gulp of her wine. Her and Hotch had now finished the bottle between them.

"So I hate to talk work at dinner, but it's all been cleared. You can come with us, provided you talk to your therapist about it before we leave. You know coping mechanisms and all that stuff." Hotch said, changing the subject. JJ felt her heart sink at the less personal talk appearing, but was glad overall that she was finally being where she wanted to be again.

"That's fine. And I'll stay behind at HQ, work the press from there?" JJ asked, just to make sure they were on the same page. Hotch nodded.

"Do you think you're up for heavily grieving families yet?" He asked quietly, but JJ could tell it was more of a rhetorical question. She sat further upright, scooping a mouthful of noodles in, and swallowing hard. It would be tough, she knew, but she could do it. She was strong.

"I can do it." She reiterated. Hotch looked confused for a moment, before deciding not to push any further.

"Okay." Was all he replied. And they finished the rest of their dinner in a comfortable silence. Presumably both musing over similar thoughts. Eventually, when they were talking some more, JJ told Hotch about how her mother had rung up to say that she wanted to see her. Hotch seemed happy for her about it and encouraged her to do it, despite JJ voicing her concerns.

"Why do you want me to so much?" She asked, mildly curious as she tidied away the plates into the dishwasher with Hotch's help.

"I think maybe...she needs you right now more than you need her." He said with trepidation. JJ scratched her forehead and sighed.

"Ever the profiler." She responded and Hotch smiled. "You know what, you're right. I'll call her in the morning and see her after our Portland case is over." JJ voiced her thoughts, and Hotch seemed content that he'd been able to convince her.

Once they were finished tidying away, Hotch picked up his car keys from the top and headed over to the door, announcing it was probably time for him to make his way back. JJ realized that she actually didn't want him to go, as pathetic as it sounded. Whenever he was with her, he made her feel...human. She walked with him through the apartment, opening the door to look outside. What they both saw, was a shock.

The whole ground was covered thick with a heavy layer of snow. It completely submerged Hotch's and JJ's SUVs. The trees' bare branches strained under the weight of the white powder and the sky, though dark this time of night, gleamed with the reflection of the bright surface, highlighting the moon full and high above them. Even standing inside, JJ could feel the bitterness of the air's temperature, and she immediately realized the same thought that Hotch did at that moment.

He was not going home.

Hotch groaned a little at the sight of it, before closing the door of JJ's apartment shut to keep the cold out. He stashed his keys back into his pocket.

"Maybe a cab driver will come out?" JJ suggested, but already she was thinking of how perfect timing this was. Just to have him stay a little longer...she felt selfish and guilty but at the same time, there were stirrings of happiness. Hotch caught her eye and laughed, and JJ burst out laughing too. This was so bizarre. Hotch snowed in at her place. The office would surely have a laugh at this after Christmas, she had no doubt it would spread in one way or another.

"Right. If my SUV is this useless, I doubt their cabs would work." Hotch snickered to himself, and JJ saw that he didn't actually look that angry himself despite the situation.

"Hotch, I'm just going to put this out here because I know it's late and it's the holidays so we don't have to work...but you can always take the couch. They'll probably come by and clear it in the morning." JJ said, her voice shaking as she said the words. She didn't want them to be interpreted into something else. She tried to gage his reaction. Eventually, he shrugged his shoulders and grinned.

"Guess I don't really have a lot of options right now. I hope Jack and Jessica can get home..." He suddenly mused, as he walked back into the lounge and plonked himself into his usual chair. JJ collapsed onto the couch opposite.

"Don't worry, main roads will be okay." She muttered, and saw Hotch rubbing his face wearily.

"Hey, how about I get some more wine from the fridge. May as well drink if we have nothing else to do?" She asked tentatively. To her surprise, Hotch looked up and nodded his head.

"I think that's actually a great idea." He replied.

...

"No, no, I really shouldn't have anymore." JJ protested, slurring her words a little. Hotch didn't look in that much of a better state than her. His eyes were coming down drowsily after they were just finishing the second bottle that JJ had happened to have in her kitchen.

"I always knew you were a white wine woman." Hotch exclaimed as he ignored her and poured the remainder into her glass. She took it without complaining and drank a little.

"Like I knew you were a red kinda guy." JJ replied, feeling braver in her words. She'd tried so hard to be polite with him, to keep it professional even through their unusual 'friendship', but now that the alcohol was flowing between them, both of their barriers were coming down even more.

Hotch laughed. "Exactly. I think we do know each other too well though." He mumbled, finishing the last drop in his glass. JJ put down hers on the table at these words. She was getting sick of all these cryptic messages.

"We're just good at our job." She muttered, trying to figure him out and after a moment, he nodded, his eyebrows raised.

"Right."

JJ stifled a yawn that suddenly overcame her, not wanting to go to sleep even after these extra couple of hours with Hotch than she'd intended. Something about him being here, in her home, felt so right. The holiday feeling was running through her veins, and she was suddenly over come with happiness.

"Thank you for everything this year. I know I may have said it before but I just want to let you know how much I needed everything you did. No one else could have done it the way you have done." She whispered, picking up her glass again in need of something to occupy herself with whilst she began to open up.

Hotch gave her a warm, hazy smile. "You're always welcome JJ."

Another yawn overcame JJ. "I haven't had this much to drink in quite a while." She said, giggling. Hotch laughed.

"Maybe we should sleep it off now. You look tired, go to bed." He said, care tinting his tone. JJ felt the current stir within her.

She had to make it stop.

"You're right, I should." She mumbled as she heaved herself up off the sofa with an effort. The room spun slightly and before she knew it Hotch had grabbed onto her arm with a firm grip.

"Steady." He warned.

"I'm not even drunk." She quipped back, and smiled. JJ turned her head up to him, and as she stood so close, she could see that his dark eyes sparkled. Under this glowing light of the one lamp on beside them, his features looked softer and more detailed. She could smell the wine on his breath as well as her own as she breathed out. His hand was still on her arm, but suddenly it wasn't gripping her anymore, it was holding her. His other arm came up to her other side, and soon she was enclosed by him. She felt her stomach flutter as the electricity lit up inside her at his touch.

"Hotch..." She started, not knowing what else to say, but knowing what she wanted to happen next. She moved in closer to him, feeling his warmth radiate off his body and onto hers in the coldness of the room. He seemed to make no move to separate himself from her.

"Aaron." He corrected gently as he too, moved closer now, and bent down his head to make his lips touch hers.

Before JJ knew what was happening, she thought that this must have been a dream. Because nothing felt this right that was so wrong, and nothing had felt this good in such a long time. His lips were surprisingly soft as they traced hers, and she felt the intensity grow, becoming more and more urgent on each end.

"Aaron." She hummed between breaths, reiterating his request. The name so freely floated from her mouth. Emily's voice resonated in her head but she stopped it impatiently as she reached up and wrapped her own arms around his neck, playing with the small hairs on the back of his neck. His skin felt so hot to the touch, and JJ knew hers was the same. His own arms encircled her tighter, and she pressed herself into him.

Eventually he pulled himself away, but not without a groan of loss from JJ. She stared up into his face, trying to see what was the matter. She didn't care about the consequences right now. With the wine circling her system and disrupting her judgement, and her true feelings showing through she couldn't think ahead. This was right here, right now, and this was what she wanted.

Hotch closed his lips and removed his arms before taking a step back.

"I should probably get some sleep now." He muttered bashfully and JJ saw him touch his lips with his fingers before shaking himself out of whatever had come over him.

"We've both had too much to drink, and we're both obviously just stressed from work." He carried on talking, but JJ didn't want to hear it. Why did he have to ruin and stop from what was supposed to happen?

"Aaron." She started forcefully, knowing this would get his attention. "Please just tell me, do you have feelings for me? I know this is against the rules, and I know you're my boss but this can't all be one sided." JJ shook her head in disbelief, feeling herself getting angrier at him. "Please tell me it isn't."

He shook his head and stepped back again.

"I'm sorry JJ. I shouldn't have done that. Goodnight." He said, ending the conversation and offering no further explanation.

Embarrassed and confused, JJ stumbled back into her own room, where she didn't even bother to take off her clothes before collapsing into bed.

A/N: Quite short in terms of content. I've been on vacation/holiday for the last little while which is why I haven't updated. Although it was amazing, it is even more so to have wi-fi again which I realize makes me a little sad ;)

Trying not to rush this relationship, or whatever it's going to be. Hope you're still enjoying it.