Author's Note: I can tell that I'm winding down on this fic because it's getting harder to get chapters out. Thanks for hanging with me! Special thanks to Monkeywand, RubyDragonJewel, Kimd33, tannerose5 (I'm fine missing out on it; it simply no longer holds my interest without Thomas Gibson (I boycotted the year without AJ Cook, too), BAUProfileQUeen, hcky202141, Lalina92, Flames101, Casie01, limnamae, Jenny Crum (my 1000th review!), Christiangirl, nebula2 (who should totally hook up JJ WITH Hotch and Will in her fic – she knows which one!), spk, and CheshireKitKat for the reviews!
I was lucky enough to win Best Characterization of Jennifer Jareau and Best JJ/Hotch fic in the 2016 Profiler's Choice Awards so thank you to all who voted!
Chapter Fifty-Two
"Please tell me that's the last of it," Rossi begged from his position on lounging on the couch as he watched Morgan bring in a heavy box. It was moving day for the Hotchner-Jareau family and they had enlisted the entire BAU team to help them. What had started early in the morning with lots of enthusiasm had faded quickly as the day wore on.
Morgan put the box down with a huff. "Tired yourself out with those three boxes that you moved?"
Rossi glared at him. "I helped a lot more than that!"
"That's right," Garcia soothed. "It was at least six boxes."
"I don't know why I talk to any of you," Rossi grumbled while Garcia, Morgan, and Reid laughed.
JJ bounced into the living room. Having entered her second trimester, she had rebounded on energy and the extra high of moving into the new house had seemed to amplify that energy twofold. "Are you guys picking on Rossi again?"
Morgan raised his hands in mock defense. "I was just pointing out that I carried a few more things than Rossi."
"Leave him alone," JJ ordered. "We're just lucky that he didn't break a hip."
"Hey!" Rossi shouted. "Hotch, get in here and take control of your baby mama!"
Henry popped his head in, followed by Hotch and Jack. "What's a baby mama?"
Hotch rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Dave." He looked down at Henry who was looking up at him, expectantly. "It's just a nickname that Uncle Dave calls your mama."
"Mama's nickname is Jennifer," Henry informed his uncle.
"Oh? Then what's her name?" Rossi teased.
Henry pulled a face. "It's Mama. Duh."
Fighting to keep her composure, JJ admonished, "Henry, we do not say 'duh'. Apologize to your uncle."
"Sorry, Uncle Dave," Henry pouted.
"So," Garcia said to change the subject and ease the tension seeping in the room, "is that the last of it?"
JJ turned to Hotch, having a quick conversation with their eyes. "Yes, that's it. We really want to thank you for everything that you've done for us."
Hotch added, "Not just today, but everything."
"We were going to offer to take you out to dinner, but we figured after such a long day that you probably wouldn't be up for that."
"You got that right," Rossi told them while the others nodded.
JJ chuckled. "So, we were thinking that we could just do a smorgasbord for dinner: pizza, Chinese, Thai."
Rossi stood from the couch. "Add some Italian to that; I've got wine in the car."
"I brought beer," Morgan announced.
"Tequila and margarita mix," Garcia offered.
Reid turned red when eyes turned to him. "I didn't know bringing alcohol to a moving day was a thing."
Hotch waved it off. "It's not; these people just drink too much."
"Honey, why don't you go grab the menus from that packet in the kitchen that that real estate agent left us?" JJ asked, rubbing Hotch's arm. "Before our very generous friends decide to take you out back and show you what that alcohol can do."
"Yes, ma'am." Hotch kissed her temple. He gathered the boys and headed towards the kitchen, but not before smirking at his team.
Garcia grinned at JJ once Hotch was gone. "He is such a different person now. He's… he's..."
"He's happy," Reid interjected.
"Yes." Garcia nodded, vigorously. "Happy. Laid-back. He's teasing!"
Rossi hugged her with one arm. "You are very good for him."
Swiping at her eyes, JJ asked, "Does that mean you've all forgiven me for the lies that Haley and I told?"
"Of course!" Garcia and Reid raced to console her.
"Okay, if this is going to turn into a big tear fest, I'm going to hang out with the new carefree Hotch," Morgan threatened.
Garcia walked towards him with a twinkle in her eye. "I knew you were getting a crush on our boss."
Morgan pointed at her. "Woman!"
"Mom?" Jack called out, scurrying into the room. "Dad wants to know if it's safe for him to return yet. He has all the good menus."
"Tell him it's fine." JJ stopped him when he turned to leave. "Jack, I want you and Henry to go start unpacking the boxes of toys in your room until we call you for dinner."
Jack looked bemused. "Is Uncle Dave going to say things that we shouldn't overhear?"
Rossi frowned while JJ shrugged. "There's a good possibility."
"Henry, we have to go upstairs because Uncle Dave's gonna be inappropriate again!" Jack yelled, heading back to the kitchen.
"But I like it when Uncle Dave says ina-pops-ate things!" They heard Henry complain as he and Jack trudged up the stairs. "He makes Hotch turn red and Mama giggle."
Hotch re-entered the room to find Garcia and Reid giggling and Rossi looking smug. "I'm going to ignore whatever's going on here and just say that I've got the menus."
While the men poured over the menus, Garcia sauntered over to JJ, pulling her onto the love seat. "So, Jayje, tell me: how nervous are you about starting the new job in a few weeks?"
"Terrified!" JJ breathed out with a quick glance to make sure Hotch was still engrossed in ordering. "I've never worked in the private sector so this is going to be a completely new experience. You're going to have to let me know how my replacement works out. I didn't really get a say in who they hired. Hotch didn't either and it's making him incredibly nervous."
"Oh, no." Garcia cringed. "That's not going to be good for any of us! You're going to have to make sure that he's relaxed every morning." Garcia shimmered, laughing.
JJ's eyes widened and she slapped Garcia's arm. "Penelope!"
Garcia laughed even harder when the boys' eyes were on them. "I'm just saying that the way he was right after your vacation was perfect."
"What are they talking about?" Reid queried, looking toward Morgan.
"Trust me, you do not want to know!" Morgan advised, shaking his head at Garcia.
Rossi wrapped an arm around Reid's shoulder and faced Hotch. "Our little Garcia is just trying to get our boss laid. Every single day."
Rubbing his forehead, Hotch grumbled, "We should have hired professional movers."
"We're just trying to help you out, man," Morgan baited. "If JJ's not going to be there to calm you down and give you bits of, um, sugar throughout the day-"
"Which all of us have walked in on at some point, by the way," Garcia threw in.
As Hotch's face turned a deep red, JJ quickly jumped in to save him. "I will keep my man plenty happy, thank you. Now, I suggest you boys get moving on that food before this baby mama starts gnawing on your arms."
Hotch blew her a kiss as Rossi, Morgan, and Reid focused on the menus, cowed by JJ's irritated voice. He mouthed "I love you" before ducking his own head.
"You have him well trained," Garcia whispered.
JJ sat back and grinned. "I know."
