A/N: Hello friends! I got a few requests to add more to this story so I wrote another chapter and I want to know what you guys think should happen. Should I continue this? Should Hotch and JJ be a thing? How far we takin this? Hit me up with ideas and maybe requests?
After her bath, Hotch got JJ settled in the bed sitting up, and sat down next to her.
"Are you hungry? We could order room service." He asked.
JJ looked down and shook her head, causing Hotch's brow to furrow.
"JJ, why don't you want to eat? Are you still feeling sick?" He asked gently, tilting her head up.
"m' not hungry." She mumbled without meeting his eyes.
"Okay honey let's just get you laid down then. You should rest some more. I'll order us some food and you can eat when you wake up, okay?" He smiled at her and guided her head down onto the pillow. Going to stand up, he was stopped by her quiet whisper.
"Can you stay with me for a while? Just till I fall asleep?" She asked him shyly. He sat back down on the bed and rested his hand on her upper arm.
"Yes, of course Jayje." He reassured her. He rubbed her back softly as she drifted off, her body exhausted from fighting off the illness.
"You're okay sweetheart, just go to sleep. That's it, shhh."
Once he was sure she was asleep, he stood up and ordered room service, before calling Emily to update her on JJ.
"Hotch, is she alright?"
"She's got a high fever, 101. She's confused and scared but she took a bath and now she's asleep. How's everything going there?"
"'Bout the same as when you left really. Reid's working out the geographical profile and Morgan's following a lead."
"Alright. Let me know if anything changes."
"Will do bossman. Take care of our JJ."
20 minutes later, the food arrived and Hotch set it up on the table. He had gotten soup for her, hopefully easy on her stomach. He decided to let her sleep some more. He busied himself doing miscellaneus activities for about an hour, before he decided to wake her up and see if she could eat now. She awoke with a start, and he met her panicked eyes.
"Hey, hey Jayje, it's alright. You're okay. Can you try and eat something for me?" He asked gently, still rubbing her back. He watched as she meekly nodded her head and swung her legs over the side of the bed, looking down.
Hotch led her over to the small kitchenette in his hotel room and settled her in a chair, he warmed her soup up for her and placed the bowl in front of her when it was ready. He was rewarded with a small "thanks Hotch", and he smiled at her kindly.
They ate together in comfortable silence, interrupted by Hotch's phone ringing. He took the call and put it on speaker. Him and JJ listened as Morgan updated them on the situation. They had apprehended the unsub, and were on their way back to the hotel now. The jet would be there in a few hours.
"Do you have your key card Jayje?" Hotch asked a groggy eyed JJ. She seemed to consider this for a moment, before shaking her head.
"Well I'm sure Emily has hers so you can go pack up your things when the team gets here. In the meantime, how are you feeling?"
"I think I'm okay. I don't feel nauseous anymore but I'm still dizzy." She answered.
"Okay, well let me know if it gets any worse. We'll be home soon and you can sleep in your own bed. How's that sound?" He asked her with a small smile.
"Good. Really good, actually." She laughed
Two hours later, they were on the jet.
JJ was seated next to Hotch, who was questioning the others on the arrest and filling out a report. JJ was covered in a blanket, curled up in the window seat. The jet had hit some turbulence and Hotch heard JJ's rapid breathing. His hand moved to her hand under the table without stopping the conversation and he soothingly rubbed his thumb over her fingers.
JJ found that the small gesture grounded her and helped her spinning head. She was too sick to think further into this right now, so she just soaked in the comfort of his presence and fell into a light, fitful sleep. Hotch watched her drift off out of the corner of his eye, he was grateful that she was going to be able to get some more sleep on the flight. One by one, the rest of the team scattered across the jet and fell asleep. They were all exhausted, some more than others. All but one.
Hotch was reading files for the next case when he noticed everyone else asleep and decided he'd wake JJ up and move her to the couch where she could rest more comfortably. He leaned over to her slightly but his hand hesitated above her shoulder. She looked so peaceful, but he could still see the exaggerated paleness of her skin. He stood up and took a quick look around the jet to make sure everyone was still asleep, before carefully lifting her into his arms.
He found that she was concerningly light. JJ was thin, but she was also tall, and Hotch felt her weight was comparable to Jack's. She snuggled into his arms and he carried her over to the couch, shushing her gently when she whimpered after he set her down.
He smoothed down her hair and straightened out the blanket on her before returning to his seat and falling asleep himself.
Hotch awoke to Reid somewhat frantically shaking his shoulder.
"JJ's sick in the bathroom and she's asking for you." He said worriedly.
Hotch jumped up out of his chair and walked over to the bathroom cautiously. The door was closed most of the way but Hotch could see JJ's boots. He pushed the door open carefully and stepped inside, taking in the picture.
JJ was sitting up against the wall, gasping for breath with tears in her eyes. She had vomit on the front of her shirt and some on her pants as well.
"Oh Jayje, honey." he said concernedly, kneeling in front of her.
He grabbed a washcloth and wet it before cleaning her up as best he could. He could feel her shaking underneath his hands.
"Can I help you take these off and I'll go grab you some new clothes out of your bag?" He asked her tentatively and was moderately surprised when she just nodded without looking up at him.
He gently undressed her, setting her clothes on the counter, and went to go get her new clothes. When he entered the cabin, he was happy to see only Reid awake still. JJ did not need an audience for this. He was happy she even trusted him enough to let him in like this.
He returned to the bathroom and helped her redress, before guiding her out into the cabin and sitting with her on the couch.
She looked him in the eyes for the first time in what felt like a while, and the vulnerability that he saw in them prompted him to reach out for her and pull her into his arms. She willingly melted into him and he felt her body relax.
He knew that he was her boss, and her friend, but it felt good to hold her close. He justified it as a friend comforting another friend, and a superior looking after his charges.