I promise I tried to post this the other day but ff wouldn't let me for some reason. Anyhow, i'm working non-stop (literally, im doing nine straight full days) so I may not post again for another couple of weeks- Apologies.


After a day of sleeping—well, on Jessa's part it was just a day—the women of the BAU, and Haley Hotchner, left for four days of pampering at the spa resort Penelope had suggested.

The five women piled in to Jessa's truck for the journey. Jessa was excited to get away from her life for a few days with her friends, but she couldn't get Jo's words out of her head, especially with Haley in the car.

"Jessa?" Emily snapped her fingers in Jessa's face to get her attention.

"Sorry, what?"

"Wow," Penelope giggled from the shotgun seat, "You shouldn't be that zoned out while driving."

"I just asked if you could turn this up." Emily laughed. "I love this song."

Jessa smiled and turned up You Give Love a Bad Name, trying to drown out the off key singing from the backseat.

"An angels smile is what you sell," Emily hollered, "You promise me heaven, then put me through hell."

"Chains of love got a hold on me," JJ joined in, "When passion's a prison you can't break free."

Jessa laughed at their antics, but couldn't help joining in. "Woah!" She sang, "You're a loaded gun. Woah, there's nowhere to run."

"No one can save me, the damage is done." The three of them chorused.

Garcia and Haley joined in for the chorus, and the voices of the five women practically drowned out Bon Jovi. "Shot through the heart, and you're to blame. You give love a bad name."

"I play my part!" Garcia yelled.

"And you play your game." Jessa sang.

"You give love a bad name." Emily followed.

"You give love a bad name." JJ finished.

"You paint your smile on your lips, blood red nails on your fingertips. A schoolboy's dream, you act so shy, your very first kiss was your first kiss goodbye!" Haley shouted, surprising all of them a bit. "No one can save me, the damage is done."

"Shot through the heart and you're to blame, you give love a bad name. I play my part and you play your game, you give love a bad name." Five voices butchered the song.

"You give loooooooooove…" Jessa hit the note perfectly as Emily launched into a haphazard rendition of the instrumental on air guitar.

"Shot through the heart and you're to blame, you give love a bad name. I play my part and you play your game, you give love a bad name."

"Bad name." JJ echoed.

"Shot through the heart and you're to blame, you give love a bad name. I play my part and you play your game, you give love a bad name."

"Bad name."

"You give love, you give love." Haley sang.

"A bad name," Garcia and JJ backed her up.

"You give love, you give love." Emily had her turn.

"A bad name."

"You give love, you give love, a bad name." They all finished as the song faded out, and they erupted into a fit of giggles.

"Okay, okay." Emily wheezed as she wiped tears from her eyes, "Jessa, I did not know you could sing like that."

"Sing like what?" She asked, feeling a little heat on her cheeks.

"That well." JJ supplied, "You're seriously good."

"Ha. Well, I don't do it often."

"Then you're lucky I caught it on camera." Penelope smiled, slipping her phone back into her pink fluffy handbag. They had all been so engrossed in the song that no one had noticed her videoing.

They lapsed into a short silence, and Jessa tapped her hands on the steering wheel to the beat of Metallica. It wasn't until Emily made an awkward sound from the back seat that she started paying attention.

"Jessa, I don't want to ruin the mood or anything…" She trailed off looking concerned for her friend, "But why do you have a stash of guns under the seat?"

"What?" She glanced in the mirror to see Prentiss holding one of John's old pistols. "Oh that. This was my dad's car. He was sort of into being ready for anything."

"And that includes a stash of guns in his car?" Haley seemed a little shocked.

"I thought I got rid of them all. Sorry."

Emily put the weapon back in its hiding place, and Jessa just prayed they wouldn't discover the actual stash in the bed.

Conversation turned to lighter topics and Jessa smiled, content in being with her closest friends. She watched in the rearview mirror as JJ and Emily joked with Haley, and Garcia would say something sassy. She loved seeing everyone so happy. It wasn't often they got to forget about the world around them, especially in their line of work.

"Okay, Jessa, Hun, we love you but this is unacceptable." Garcia said out of the blue, placing a hand on her arm.

"What?"

Garcia gestured to the radio that was playing music from Jessa's favourite homemade mix.

"Johnny Cash?" She asked, "What's wrong with that?"

Penelope gave her an 'are you serious?' look so Jessa turned up the volume.

"I'm stuck in Folsom Prison, and time keeps draggin' on." She sang in her best attempt at Johnny Cash's deep voice, "But that train keeps a rollin' on down to San Antone."

"Please no!" JJ said, hitting her head on the window. "Make it stop."

"Oh, come on." Jessa whined, "What would you guys like? More Bon Jovi?" She was only joking, but all four women chorused 'yes' so she skipped ahead a few songs until she got to another Bon Jovi hit.

The five of them sang along to 'It's My Life' with more enthusiasm than before, and by the time the song finished, they were pulling into the spa resort.

Turning off the car, Jessa slid from the driver's seat and stretched out her leg. She knew she probably shouldn't have driven that long in one go, and the ache in her thigh agreed.

"Are you alright, Jessa?" Haley asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I will be in a moment."

"Here." Emily tossed her cane.

"Thanks." Leaning on the cane, Jessa straightened up before fishing her cigarettes from the car.

"Really?" JJ asked her.

"What?"

Garcia plucked it from between her lips and squashed it under the toe of her spiked black boots. "You know the best time to quit smoking?"

"Before you start?" Haley suggested.

"Well I'm thirteen years late to that party." Jessa told them light-heartedly.

"No." Garcia scolded, "The perfect time to quit is right before a fantastic spa weekend where you'll be far too relaxed to even contemplate killing yourself with these things." She snatched the packet and lighter from Jessa.

"Fine." She conceded. "No more smoking."

"Now that that's dealt with, can we please go check in?" JJ asked, "I'm in desperate need of a mud bath."


As soon as they were shown to their rooms Garcia disappeared and returned a few minutes later with mimosas. Jessa cheered her thought process and snagged one, downing it in one.

"Woah." Emily laughed, taking a sip of her own. "Slow down, girl."

"I just want to put this out there, I told Garcia when we came up with this idea that I'd be getting drunk, no matter what we're doing." She grabbed the three litre bottle of water from her bag, "I'm prepared," Digging through her clothes she produced a bottle of whiskey, "For absolutely everything."

JJ laughed, "I like the way you think."

"I have to say," Haley chimed in, "I'm having my first kid-free getaway since Jack was born so I am making the most of it."

After an hour long hot stone massage, and an hour in the sauna, Jessa never felt more relaxed. She was currently reclined in what was called a 'milk and oatmeal bath'. At first she had been disgusted by it when she found out what Penelope had signed them all up for, but it felt amazing.

She closed her eyes as she relaxed and sipped on her fifth mimosa.

"I can't believe we have to go back to work on Monday." Emily sighed.

"Monday doesn't exist." Penelope said, "At least until we leave on Sunday."

"Mmmm," JJ, Haley, and Jessa agreed.

They sat in complete silence as they soaked, and for the first time since the accident, the pain in Jessa's leg completely disappeared. She found herself walking back to her room with no aid from her cane, and only the slightest of limps. Here, at the spa, nothing existed but them and the resort. There was no other people, and no outside world.

"You're walking better." Haley commented as they walked toward the rooms, both women hanging back a little behind the others.

"There's no stress." Jessa smiled, "I don't think I've ever felt this at peace."

"Can we have a word, Jessa?" Haley stopped walking and grabbed Jessa's hand to stop her too.

"What's up?" Jessa saw the concern in the other woman's eyes and was instantly worried. "Is everything okay?"

"No." Her eyes filled with tears. "Listen, out of all the people Aaron works with, I consider you a friend."

Jessa gulped, "Of course."

"I think he's seeing someone." Haley finally blurted out, a single tear spilling down her cheek. "I mean, we've been growing apart for a while now and I'm just scared he's found someone else."

"Haley, Hotch is a great guy and he loves you. He wouldn't do something like that." Even as she spoke, Jessa could feel the guilt at her dishonesty. Hotch had kissed her—just after John died—and here she was assuring his wife that he wouldn't ever do that. "But right now, you're having a Jack-free weekend and you're going to enjoy it. The outside world doesn't exist here, remember?"

Haley wiped a tear away and smiled slightly. "You're right. But I should call home and check on Jack."

Jessa chuckled and put a reassuring hand on the other woman's arm, before continuing up the hall to their rooms.

Haley entered a few minutes later, and Jessa's guilt deepened.

"I'll be right back." She told the group.

"Wait, where are you going? It's after hours." Penelope asked.

"Just into the hall. I promised Dean that I'd call him."

Once in the hall, Jessa kept walking and it wasn't long until she came to a fire door leading into the back parking lot. She slipped through and into the darkness of the night. She took a few deep breaths of the crisp air before pulling out her smokes. It hadn't been difficult to swipe the pack back from Garcia through the day, but when she put one between her lips she was overcome by the guilt of lying to them. She had promised her friends that she would quit this weekend. With a heavy sigh she slipped the cigarette back into the pack and pulled out her phone instead.

"Harvelle's Roadhouse." Ellen answered.

"Hey, Ellen, is Jo there? I really need to speak to her."

"Sure, honey, I'll grab her."

Jessa heard the sound of the phone being handed over before Jo's too happy voice came down the line, "Jessa, what's up?"

"You were right." She ran a hand over her face, "I can't believe it, but you were actually right."

"Jeez, don't sound so surprised." Jo laughed, "But right about what?"

"The whole Hotch thing. You were right, I'm in love with him." She hadn't even admitted it to herself when she told her sister. She sighed, "What the hell do I do, Jo?"

"I don't think there's a whole lot you can do. I mean, if you love him. Those feelings don't just go away in a hurry."

"Ask me where I am." Jessa was getting increasingly irritated about it.

"What? Where are you?"

"I'm at a spa resort in Pennsylvania… WITH HIS WIFE!" She yelled the last part.

"Gee, Jessa. Calm down. You need a drink, or a smoke or something."

"I quit."

"Again?"

"For good."

"Again?" Jo repeated. Jessa had quit 'for good' quite a few times in the past.

"For good for good, Jo. I'm done."

"Good for you." Jessa could hear her grin, "Listen, I have to go, Mom is giving me the stink eye. Call me whenever you need, okay?"

"Will do, thanks."

She hung up.

Walking back to the room, Jessa knew exactly what she needed—to hit something.

When she pushed the door open to the room, she was greeted by three very mad looking faces.

"Where have you been?" Penelope demanded.

"Here." Jessa tossed her the smokes. "Relax, I didn't have one. I mean, it was my intention, but I didn't."

She grabbed her duffel and walked into the bathroom, quickly changing into her yoga pants and a tank before walking out.

"Where are you going?" JJ asked.

"I need to clear my head." She took the bottle of whiskey as she left.

Jessa walked for close to an hour through the deserted corridors of the resort, until she came across a gym. The lights were all off, but the door was unlocked so she let herself in.

Spying a punching bag, she made her way to it and set the almost-half-empty bottle of whiskey at her feet before she began pounding her bare fists against the bag in an even rhythm.

When her knuckles turned red, she stopped for a drink before resuming her work out. When the skin was peeling away, she stopped for a drink, but she didn't stop for good until she was leaving smears of blood on the grey punching bag.

"I don't think you're supposed to be here." A male voice sounded behind her.

She spun around, ready to defend herself, but she backed off when she saw him relaxed against the doorframe. He wasn't a threat. "I needed to hit something." She swiped her hand across her sweaty forehead, unknowingly spreading blood. "I'll go."

"Don't bother." He smiled, stepping fully into the room, the light giving the illusion that his blond hair was shining. "I was just coming for a work out before I headed home."

"You work here?"

"Sometimes." He told her as he opened a cupboard and tossed her a towel. "You got a bit of…" he gestured to his forehead.

"Thanks." She wiped the blood away.

"So what brings you here to hit something this late at night…?" He trailed off.

"Jessa." She supplied.

"Noah." He smiled, "So?"

"Just working through some stuff."

"Anything I can help you with?" He was closer to her now, and up close Jessa could see that his eyes were a pale blue.

"A complete stranger?"

Noah shrugged, "Sometimes a stranger is easier to talk to."

Jessa laughed. "I'm just here with someone I'd rather not be here with."

Noah was close enough to touch her, and he reached out to grab her hand. Surprisingly, Jessa didn't flinch away and Noah slipped a boxing glove over her battered hand. "You don't like her?"

"It's not that." Jessa turned back to the bag and punched it while Noah held it in place. "Haley's great, it's just her husband I have a problem with."

"Ah." He smiled, "In love with another woman's man. I've seen that before. It never ends well."

"Hence why I'm here."

"With a bottle of whiskey."

"With a bottle of whiskey." She confirmed. "What about you? Did you always want to sometimes work at a spa resort?" She teased at his earlier vague comment.

"Ha! No. I'm a Marine. My sister works here, so I help out with the training when I've got leave. You've got good form." He commented offhandedly.

"Marines, huh?"

"Yep. Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Harper."

"Impressive."

"Speaking of, where did you learn to punch like that?"

"Quantico." The comment was driven home by one last solid punch against the canvas.

"FBI?"

"Uh-huh."

Jessa took a large sip of whiskey and sat herself on the floor, feeling the effects of the alcohol. She offered the bottle to Noah but he declined.

"Where're you based?"

He smiled, "Same as you."

"Quantico?"

He nodded.

After a short silence, Jessa held out her hands for him to help her to her feet. "I should get back to my room."

He smiled at her, the kind of lopsided smile that made his eyes crinkle at the sides. "I'll see you around, Jessa."


The next couple of days were the best of Jessa's life. The issues of her heart were the furthest thing from her mind as she was pampered to a near coma.

Sunday came too quick, and the five women grudgingly made their way to the check-out desk.

"Back to reality, my sweets." Garcia said when she returned their room keys.

"Can we never leave?" JJ asked, staring longingly down the hall.

"I don't know, I'm kind of glad to be going home." Haley said. "Don't get me wrong, I had the time of my life, but I've never been away from Jack this long. I miss him."

"Leaving so soon, Jessa?" Jessa turned to see Noah emerge from the hall.

"A vacation can't last forever." She smiled.

"If only." He returned her smile, and was about to say something when someone called his name. "I'll see you." He smiled, looking annoyed to be called away, and disappeared back down the hall.

"Who was that?" JJ quizzed as they walked back towards the truck. "And how did you meet him?"

"He was totally cute." Penelope added.

"Not to mention into you." Haley chimed.

Jessa rolled her eyes, "His name is Noah, he works here sometimes. I met him Thursday night when I went for a walk." She reached her truck and she unlocked it and climbed in, "Plus, he's not into me."

"He so is, it's obvious." Emily laughed.

"Obvious? You guys witnessed a ten-second interaction which he was called away from."

"Aw, sweetie," Penelope cooed, "It's so cute how blind you are when it comes to men. He wasn't smiling until he saw you, plus, did you see him curse when he got called away? He wanted to stay and talk with you."

JJ, who was sitting in the front, turned to Penelope with a look of shock that perfectly matched Emily and Haley's. "How are you not a profiler?"

Garcia smiled and waved her off, blushing at the compliment.

"Let's not talk about my non-existent love life, okay?"

They agreed, and lapsed into a comfortable silence, the only sound was Bon Jovi singing Always from the radio.

Back to reality, Jessa thought, glancing at Haley in the rearview.