Disclaimed!
In this chapter there are mentions of the Season 3 episode, Tabula Rasa (one of my favourite episodes) in particular the flashback case, mostly to give a reason as to why JJ wasn't featured in the flashbacks of the episode.
Let me know what you think!
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Quantico, Late November 2004
For the next month, JJ and Hotch stepped on eggshells around each other as they attempted to bring the BAU back up to full strength.
Gideon had sent his assistant over to the bullpen to start life as a profiler and had impressed everyone with his unlimited knowledge and had turned Morgan's attention from questioning JJ's position with the team to playing annoying older brother to the young protégé.
JJ took a deep breath, as she always did as she wandered into the bullpen and up the few steps. Knocking on the unit chief's office door, the liaison waited for a reply before she entered and handed him a file. "Another body has shown up."
Hotch's eyes diverted from the mountain of paper work to the wide eyed liaison. "Roanoke?"
"Yeah. Female, brunette found in a shallow grave in the park. Locals finally want us in." JJ replied quickly.
"Great, get Reid and Morgan and we'll make our way over there, now." Hotch state decisively as he stood.
JJ frowned. "What about your budget meeting with Strauss?"
Hotch froze, eyeing the blonde hopefully. "Erm, could you..."
"Hotch, seriously again?" JJ moaned as she ran her hands through her hair.
The profiler tilted his head apologetically. "You can manage the press from here right?"
"Sure but if they bug you at the scene or one of you guys make an inappropriate comment, I'm not to blame." JJ bemoaned as she turned away from him. "Try and keep the new kid from sprouting insensitive facts to strangers."
Hotch rolled his eyes as they moved towards the bullpen. "Some things are out of my control, JJ."
"Yeah well you can deal with the fallout this time." JJ whispered before she nodded to Reid and Morgan and left Hotch's side so he could brief the pair about the case, while she dealt with Strauss and the press.
By the end of the day, Morgan and Hotch had intercepted their UNSUB, Brian Matloff who ended up in a coma after a chase.
With the three male profiler's, at the hospital with their unconscious suspect, JJ decided to dish out the latest case files and try to organise the bullpen before wrapping up the case paperwork.
The liaison strolled into the empty bullpen with her case lot with her heels echoing around the silent room. Hearing a clatter from the briefing room, the agent, went to investigate the commotion.
Jogging into the roundtable room, JJ caught a woman as she stumbled off the table. JJ steadied the blonde woman and met her eyes in concern. "Are you okay?"
"I'm good, I'm good." The startled woman announced.
JJ took a step back as she watched the unfamiliar face catch her breath. "What are doing in here so late?"
"I'm hooking up the TV to the camera feed so..." Seeing the liaison's confused stare, she smirked in amusement. "Penelope Garcia, I'm the ridiculously clumsy new technical analyst for the BAU."
"Jennifer Jareau...JJ." The Pennsylvanian held out her hand so they could sake. "I'm the unit's Communication Coordinator."
"I'm so glad there's another girl around here, the office seems pretty butch." Garcia remarked with raised eyes.
JJ chuckled softly. "It can seem that way at first but you'll settle in. Do you want some help?"
"No, no dearie I'm all done. But thanks." The analyst stated gratefully.
JJ stared at the cheery blonde momentarily before heading towards the door. "Well my office is just down the hall if you ever need anything."
"Thanks sunshine." Garcia beamed as she carried on with untangling cables that were haphazardly displayed on the table.
JJ smiled at the technical analyst's enthusiasm as she walked over the balcony, noting the darkened figure entering the bullpen. "You're back."
"They moved Matloff to a secure ward. So I sent Reid and Morgan home." Hotch answered as he made his way to where JJ stood outside his office.
Hearing gentle humming from the briefing room, the pair exchanged amused eye contact. JJ pointed over her shoulder as they entered the unit chief's office. "The new tech has a fun personality."
"How did the meeting with Strauss go?" Hotch instantly dismissed the liaison's statement, wanting to know what he'd missed.
JJ shrugged as they stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. "Fine, she wanted to know where you were so I covered for you."
"But you got things sorted?" He raised an eye curiously.
JJ nodded before her eye line became concentrated on her black high heels. "She asked me to stay... With the BAU."
Hotch met the liaison's hypnotic blue eyes knowingly. "She might have mentioned something to me. I told her it was your choice."
"Why, you could have just got rid of me in an instance?" JJ frowned slightly. "Everything is so awkward with us."
"You're the best Communication Coordinator I know. We're becoming a team again and you're a vital part of it. The way you've transformed a broken unit..."
JJ interrupted him confidently. "You did that Hotch. I just helped with the paperwork and media requests."
Hotch scoffed at the younger woman's humble statement. "Well, I couldn't have done it without you."
"So," the liaison chewed on her lower lip nervously, "do you want me to stay?"
"I do."
"Because I'm good at paperwork and handling the press? There aren't any ulterior motives?" JJ raised an eye in disbelief.
The profiler took a step back and leaned against his desk. "I don't know why you would think I would have ulterior motives?"
JJ smiled unconvinced of his act. "Okay."
"JJ, I would be lying to you if I said my life wouldn't be easier without you here. If I didn't see you every day, I could do my best to pretend that Seattle never happened and I could be the husband Hailey wants me to be and I could pretend not to feel guilty about her and you. However, I don't want you to leave. I'm kidding myself if I think not seeing you every day would make any of this any easier and honestly the prospect of never seeing you again kills me." Hotch stressed.
"Aaron." She eyed him warningly.
"I could tell you that I want to be selfish and I want to be able to spend time with you even if nothing could happen. But it would be unfair on you if that were why I was asking you to stay. You're the best at your job JJ, and we need the best."
"I should leave. I should take the job furthest away from here." She admitted hesitantly.
Hotch nodded in understanding. "You probably should. Although I hope you don't. You're going to have a great career ahead of you if you stay here and I can tell how much you like the job. Also the team wouldn't be the same without you."
"I don't want any regrets." JJ whispered vulnerably.
"You won't." Hotch replied. "If you stay, I won't give you any reason to regret your decision."
"I guess I could stay a little while as long as we remain professional." JJ smiled warmly. "I've kind of got used to Virginia."
Hotch grinned widely. "Good, we'll finalise things tomorrow."
JJ nodded but before she left, she hung onto the doorframe, meeting his caring eyes curiously. "Just because I don't want any more drama, what are you going to tell Hailey?"
"I have no idea." Hotch replied stoically, waiting until he left his eye sight to exhale deeply, calming his nerves about the inevitable argument that was too come.
Washington D.C suburbs, August 2004
Hotch stacked the last box of his belongings into the garage which was attached to the house he had bought with Hailey back in 1999, when their relationship was going strong, despite his sudden move into the FBI after years working for the State's Prosecutor.
The FBI agent stepped back and looked at his work. Most of his belongings that he brought back from Seattle were in the house. His clothes were in the wardrobe in the master bedroom. His desk ornaments were in the study upstairs and the rest of his mementos were scattered throughout the house.
But these last few boxes were relegated to the garage. Most of the contents were from his childhood or teen years, such as his yearbook or his old drama class costumes. However, he had hid the one box, he didn't want his wife finding behind those sentimental objects.
One brown, nondescript box labelled Seattle contained what was left of his joint life with JJ.
There were photos, clothes that reminded him of the blonde beauty along with CD's, DVD's and mundane notes she had left around their apartment such as her asking him pick up some milk after work. He kept the stuffed bear JJ had given him on Valentine's Day with the card that read, 'This is as mushy as I'm going to get' in that box, along with the photo album he had created and the engagement ring he had planned to give JJ on her birthday, a few weeks after his divorce was supposed to be over with.
"Are you all done?" Hailey's voice behind him made the former SWAT leader jump.
He turned and smiled thinly. "Yeah, I'm all moved back in."
"Good. Maybe we could celebrate tonight?" She asked hopefully. "We could do something fun to try and get back on track."
"Sure." He said with a shrug.
"I'm so glad you're home, Aaron. This time everything is going to be perfect." Hailey smiled warmly. "You'll see."
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Thanks for reading!