A/N: Here's next chapter. I hope you all like it.

Special thanks to jenny crum, red2013, Sophia0665, Snowbeardolphin, Christiangirl and Westie80!

I don't own criminal minds!


Chapter 27: Sorrows

The next night JJ was still worrying about Griffen. She hadn't seen him since his outburst in the office. She had never imagined that a man like him used to be a family man. She never thought he had suffered such a big loss. His past made JJ doubt every judgment she ever made about him. After everything she had been through she should've known he suffered a traumatic loss. She was supposed to notice, yet she didn't and it made her hate herself. She blamed him for their problems, but she realized she was just as much to blame as Griffen was. If anything he was trying to do the job he was meant to do and she almost screwed it up in the process.

It was almost midnight and JJ had been drinking the remainder of a bottle of scotch she shared with Sean earlier. But after he left to go out with Tracy, she decided to drown herself in her own pity, hoping to forget what had happened the day before. She wanted to make herself more useful because she felt like she had no meaning to anyone. Her entire life was one heartbreak after the other and it seemed like she could never catch a break. The death of her parents and sister started the downwards spiral and JJ realized she never got out of it. Sure, there were many times she felt happy but they were always cut short by something else. She needed a break, or rather she needed someone to remind her of everything life was about. All the good that was in it and the good she still deserved.

In her drunken condition she somehow was able to get over to Parker & Watson because she realized she had forgotten a case that she needed to work on. She stumbled through the doors and was on her way to the elevator when she realized she forgot her ID. She yelled out in anger and alerted the security guard of her presence.

''Ma'am, can I help you?'' he asked kindly, noticing the drunk blonde. ''Have you been drinking?''

JJ dropped down to the ground and leaned with her back against the wall as she burst out in giggles. She felt like she was a kid again and she couldn't help her banter. She was drunk. More than she had ever been before. ''I need my lawyer, sir!'' she called out. ''Give Griffen West a call for me please. He'll come and save me. Believe me!'' JJ blurted out before passing out on the floor.


About half an hour later Griffen walked through the doors of the massive building, wondering what the hell had happened. He had locked himself in his apartment with a waitress he picked up at a fancy restaurant, but his night was destroyed when he got a call from the office. Well, from the security guard. He had no idea what had happened, but he decided to go anyways.

He sighed deeply as he stopped in front of the front desk. There was no one there. He turned around the corner towards the elevators where he saw JJ laying on the floor in tears. Her body was shaking of its own volition and each move made him cringe. He had never seen her so damaged or hurt. He immediately rushed to her side and kneeled down next to the security guard who was watching her. ''Thanks for calling me, Ed!'' Griffen said thankfully as he put a hand on JJ's shoulder. ''I'll take her home.''

He sat down on the floor, not caring about his suit or anything else. He was solely focused on JJ. ''Jennifer?'' he asked. ''Are you okay?''

JJ looked up when she recognized the voice for the first time. Through the blurry tears she saw the compassionate eyes of her boss staring into hers. She never expected him to show up to help her. It wasn't exactly her proudest moment. It was actually one of the worst if she was honest with herself. ''Griffen…'' she mumbled, feeling her energy leave her body again. ''Home! Take me home.'' she whispered.

He rose from the cold floor and leaned down to help JJ up. Once she stood on her feet, she immediately fell into his arms. He lifted her up and made his way out of the building and to his car. He put her on the ground, holding her with one arms as he managed to open the door to the passenger's side. He carefully put her in the car and put the seatbelt around her tiny frame. He hurried to the driver's side and put the keys in the ignition.

During the drive to JJ's apartment, JJ had fallen asleep and Griffen tried to enjoy New-York city at night. But his only thoughts were his worries for JJ. She was all he could think about and as he watched her from his side of the car he realized she had never looked so fragile before. And he swore to himself he would protect her from anymore hurt that would come her way. He couldn't see her heartbroken, especially not at the hands of Aaron Hotchner.

Once he reached the building, he took JJ from the car and lifted her up in his arms again. He walked inside the building and took the stairs to the second floor, realizing he was about to step into his subordinate's apartment. It wasn't exactly professional but he couldn't just leave her alone. So he managed to find her apartment and get the keys from her purse. He immediately searched for the bedroom and the first door he opened was the one to the bathroom.

He cursed in anger when one of JJ's feet hit the wall as he turned around to walk to the other door. ''Damn it!''

JJ started to regain consciousness after hearing the voice so close to her. ''Griffen?'' she mumbled. ''Griffen?''

He silently pushed open the door and put her down on the bed. His hands were under her body and he couldn't deny the sparks he felt. ''Get some sleep.'' he whispered while he put the covers over her body. ''I'll call you tomorrow.''

JJ noticed he was about to turn away, so she croaked out a few words. ''I don't want to be alone.'' she managed to say. ''Please stay!''

He turned around and kneeled down next to the bed. ''I'll stay. I promise.''

He stayed next to the bed until JJ's eyes finally closed. He watched her sleep for a few minutes to be sure she was doing fine. Afterwards he retreated back to the living room and dropped down on the couch. He pulled the blanket over his body and pulled up his knees so he was able to sleep on the couch. And it wasn't before a few thoughts crossed his mind that he finally fell asleep.


JJ was stirring in the bed as the sunlight shined through the curtains. She turned on her side because the light hurt hear head. She groaned, remembering her drinking the night before and she realized how stupid she had been. But the big question was how she ended up in her own bed. Sean went out on a date with Tracy and…there was no one else who could've helped her. She jumped from the bed carefully and rid herself from the clothes she wore the previous night. She changed into her sweats and tank top, feeling a bit more comfortable. She turned towards her door when it suddenly swung open. She jumped back in shock and ended up with her back against the wall, only to see Griffen standing across from her with a smile on his face.

JJ moved away from the wall in surprise. ''What are you doing here?'' she asked, trying recall the events that led to him being in her apartment. ''Did we…did…did we…you know?'' she stumbled through the words as her face became flushed.

''No, we didn't.'' he assured in an instant. ''Ed, the security guard at Parker & Watson, found you drunk and he called me.''

JJ put her hands in front of her head as a response. She had never felt so humiliated in her entire life. There she was standing in front of her boss in sweatpants with a hangover. ''I wish you didn't help me.''

''It's okay, JJ.'' he said sweetly, realizing he just shortened her name. ''Do you want to talk about it?''

JJ shook her head as she watched Griffen move towards her nightstand. He picked up the last picture that had been made of her family. She never got rid of it. It was the last part of them she had left. ''I just miss them so much.'' she whispered as she sat down on the edge of the bed. ''Their deaths were so unnecessary.''

''It'll never get easy, JJ. You'll never forget the moment you hear the words. You won't.'' Griffen began. ''It's been twelve years for me and I haven't forgotten.''

''I'm so sorry for you loss, Griffen.'' she whispered when he sat down next to her. ''I wish I'd known before I yelled at you.''

He gently put his hand on her leg and really looked at her for a moment, letting her know she had nothing to apologize for. ''It's alright. We all have moments when we need to yell.'' he smiled. ''Yours was yesterday.''

''I still remember the smell of the hospital, the feel of the bed, but most of all I remember how I felt when I got the news.'' she cried out. ''My world just stopped.'' she croaked out. ''And then I met Aaron. He turned everything around and for the first time since my family's deaths, I was able to be happy.''

Griffen nodded, squeezing her leg in the process. ''Until he broke it off.'' he interrupted.

''How am I ever supposed to forgive him?'' she asked. ''He crashed my world. He broke my heart.''

''You don't have to forgive him, JJ. You just try to move on.'' Griffen implied, knowing JJ still had feelings for Hotch. He hated him, but there was nothing he could do about it. He wished he could, but he didn't want to interfere again. ''You haven't changed much.'' he commented as he looked at the picture again.

''Yeah,'' she agreed in a silent whisper. ''Thanks for being here.''

''Always, JJ.'' he said gently.

As the day went on they talked about their most painful moments in life. They both had suffered major losses and it was something that they shared. They could talk about it openly and for the first time in a long time both of them felt what it was like to truly connect to someone in an emotional way. And it was something that had just started. Their relationship took a different turn that day and put them in a different direction.