Disclaimed!

Sorry for the long delay, again.

Let me know what you think!

...

Prentiss followed the blonde agent through the bathroom door and hovered back as JJ leaned against the sink, focused on her reflection in the mirror.

Sighing, the brunette profiler adjusted her tightly fitted bandaged dress down her thighs. "I really feel over dressed."

JJ looked over her friend's appearance as she stared into the mirror. "You look great."

"I didn't realise you had a meeting otherwise I wouldn't have gone home to change." Prentiss added as she slowly moved to stand next to the blonde.

JJ closed her eyes tightly. "Right, the meeting."

Hearing her colleagues mumble, Prentiss frowned. "Was everything okay at the meeting?"

"No, not really." JJ shrugged.

"Oh." Prentiss blinked a few times unsure why she was feeling so awkward with her friend who had done so much for her over the years.

JJ turned to face Prentiss for the first time since they entered the bathroom. "I'm sorry for being confrontational out there. I really have no problem with you and Will."

"I know and I get it. You want Henry to spend time with Will. Last weekend, the thing with my mom, was my fault not Wills'. I didn't think you'd want Henry meeting my mother." Emily stated apologetically.

JJ took a few calming breaths and sighed. "Last weekend wasn't a big deal, Em, it's just Will used to spend every day with Henry and now he rarely spends more than a few hours a week with him. I sometimes feel like I'm raising my son with the nanny, I know I work too much as well. But I've got used to you being in my son's life as something more than his BAU aunt."

"I'm not trying to take your place, Jayje. But Will is feeling like Hotch is taking his." Prentiss added softly.

JJ nodded slowly. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do about that. I get that Will is busy but I don't think there's any more I can do. It's up to Will now."

"I know and there isn't anything else you can do." The brunette smiled. "This is a learning curve for all of us."

JJ scoffed quietly. "Things are pretty strained out there."

"Yeah." Prentiss looked down to the ground.

"I've been asked to go back to the State Department." JJ blurted out quickly.

Emily's eyes widened. "Permanently?"

"Just for on a month's loan. There's some stuff going on." JJ replied vaguely.

Prentiss tilted her head slightly to the side. "Is it something to do with what the kidnappings?"

"Yes."

"Does Hotch know?" The experienced agent asked.

"No, not yet." JJ cringed. "I'm going to tell him after dinner."

"So you're going back to State?" Prentiss pushed.

The blonde shrugged her shoulders and frowned. "I don't really have a choice. I was asked as a courtesy."

"Just don't get yourself kidnapped this time, okay?" Prentiss smirked.

JJ chuckled softly. "I'll do my best."

An awkward pause fell between the two women. "So what are we going to do about tonight?"

"I was planning on ordering another martini and a few tequila shots." JJ retorted in humour.

Prentiss leaned against the sinks. "JJ, Will really loved you, and he's feeling a little jealous about you and Hotch..."

The blonde interrupted her friend quickly. "Will and I will always have a connection because of Henry, Em, but he isn't in love with me anymore and neither am I, in love with him."

"I know that but he loves Henry and its killing him to see how close he's become to Hotch and Jack." Prentiss added.

JJ ran a hand through her blonde hair. "What do you suggest I do?"

"I honestly don't know." The older profiler responded. "I just want what's best for everyone."

JJ nodded in understanding. "We should get back out there."

...

Hotch and Will watched their respective partners manoeuvre through the tables towards the restrooms at the back of the restaurant.

As the two women disappeared, Hotch returned his focus back to the scotch in his glass. The feeling of the younger man's gaze on him, dragged the Unit Chief's eyes up to meet Will's serious expression. "Maybe this is the right time to get some things off of your chest?"

Will snorted at the older man's suggestion. "I don't have a problem with you, Hotch."

"I didn't say you did." Hotch retorted dryly.

"I have a problem with Henry being too attached to another father figure and the fact that after a month with my ex, you've far surpassed JJ's barriers, something that I hadn't even accomplished after nearly five years together." The detective admitted slowly.

Hotch nodded understandingly. "This situation isn't ideal for you, I know."

"I feel as though my family has moved on without me and I don't know how to fit in with the new arrangements." Will looked down into his glass dejectedly.

The profiler paused momentarily, feeling awkward at the younger man's openness. "We should work on that."

"What do you suggest?" The detective asked unsurely.

Hotch sat back in his seat and shrugged. "Henry isn't my son, Will. I love him, just as much as I love Jack and I'd do anything for him. But JJ and I are working full time, we go home to the boys every night we can after they've spent the day at school, preschool or with the babysitter. We have them all weekend and then we do it all over again."

"What's your point?" Will asked pointedly.

Hotch frowned sombrely. "No one is stopping you coming over to see Henry, especially when we're on a case. No one is stopping you from picking him up from preschool to take him for ice cream, or taking him for a day out on a Saturday."

"I don't want to intrude." Will took a sip of his beer before looking around for the two women.

"Then you need to decide what you do want. Blaming JJ and blaming me isn't going to get you more time with Henry." Hotch replied sternly.

"You think the way I'm feeling right now, is my own fault?"

"I do." Hotch smiled, as he watched the two female agents return to the table, and stood to hold out the chair for JJ.

JJ cleared her throat sensing the tension at the table. "So what were you guys talking about?"

"We were just clearing the air." Hotch replied with a soft kiss to his partner's cheek.

The blonde profiler eyed the older man suspiciously. "Oh really?"

"You know I don't think this was such a good idea after all." The silent detective tensed.

"Will." Emily and JJ hissed at the same time.

Hotch met the younger man's eyes and sighed. "I get it okay. When Hailey left me it took me a long time to adjust to not being able to see my son whenever I wanted. But I made the effort. For a good two months, the only time I saw Jack was when he was asleep and that was only after I managed to get Hailey's sister to let me in the house."

"Aaron." JJ placed her hand on the Unit Chief's arm supportively.

The profiler sighed as he continued. "Henry needs you in his life Will. I can never replace you just like Prentiss can never replace JJ in that little boy's life. I know you have a busy work schedule, so do we but the kids come first and we need to put whatever differences we may have aside in order to focus on them."

"My shifts are becoming more permanent now, I work four till midnight for the rest of the month. Maybe I could take Henry to preschool from now and pick him up before I go to work."

"He'd like that Will."

"The only reason I've been staying away is because I don't know where I stand anymore." He admitted reluctantly.

JJ raised her eyes accusingly. "Really, here I thought it was because of a certain someone."

"We have been spending a lot of time together, Jayje, but I don't want to get in the way of Henry and Will." Prentiss replied hastily, taking JJ's sarcasm as a dig.

"I know Em, Henry really does love you, you know. It's just going to take some adjusting for him to get to know you better and for me to come to terms with all the changes." JJ loosely entwined her fingers with Hotch's.

Will exhaled slowly. "So maybe one weekend, next month when I have some time off, Henry can come and spend the two days with me and Emily?"

"Sure, I guess." JJ nodded numbly, the headache that had been lingering being dragged to the surface as they continued to hash out custody plans.

...

JJ clung to Hotch's arm as she swayed while they waited for their cab to arrive outside the restaurant. Hotch bent his head down slightly so he could whisper in the blonde's ear. "Tonight wasn't so bad, was it?"

"I guess not." JJ pouted. "I wish sometimes that things had ended badly between me and Will so I could actually have justification to be pissed at him and keep Henry all to myself."

Hotch chuckled understandingly. "How are you feeling?"

"A little tipsy." JJ placed a finger to her lips to keep her obvious revelation a secret.

He laughed once more. "After we sorted out Henry's schedule you got a little quiet."

"Aaron, the State department is ordering me back so I can work with one of my former teams to profile a section of a terrorist group who's planning a very... bad thing." JJ blurted out drunkenly.

Hotch froze. "What? When did you find this out?"

"Earlier this evening, in the meeting." JJ sighed heavily.

"Do you have any choice in the matter?" Hotch demanded.

JJ scoffed harshly. "Right, choice... that indicates I have free will, which we both know I don't."

"Is it safe?" Worry emanated in the Unit Chief's voice while they hovered on the sidewalk.

"Sure, probably..." The blonde agent sighed while shrugging. "I don't honestly know."

Hotch wrapped his arms around the petite agent's waist and dragged her body into his, so her chin was resting on his chest. "I don't want you to go."

"You don't have a choice either babe, they want me, so I'll be going." JJ closed her eyes and pouted.

Hotch kissed her moist lips and moaned dejectedly. "How long do they want you for?"

"A month, maybe longer." JJ answered sombrely.

The profiler's arms wandered up JJ's back as she turned her head so her cheek was resting above his heart. "Will you have to leave the country?"

"No."

"Good." He breathed out a sigh of relief.

JJ manoeuvred out of his arms as the cab pulled up next to the couple. "It's not really, if I did have to leave the country then the terrorists would be farther away."

"JJ." Hotch's fearful expression brought the blonde out of her drunken hue.

Smiling weakly JJ began to walk to the cab. "I should stop talking before I land us both in jail."

Hotch grabbed her shoulders and dragged her into a heated kiss. Pulling away, JJ rested her body against his and moaned in contentment. "Take me home Agent Hotchner."

"My pleasure." Hotch kissed her forehead softly, attempting to quell the anxiety that was taking hold of his body, as he opened the taxi door for them both.

...