A/N: Hello again! Here's the next chapter; brace yourself for a bit of angst and a lot of drama! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

Pre-Wedding 8:

"We going to Aunt JJ's house?" Jack questioned his dad from the back seat of his father's SUV.

"Yeah buddy," Hotch answered; glancing into the rear-view mirror, he was surprised to see the pleased smirk on his son's face. "Uh… Henry wants to see you. He misses playing with you."

"And you miss Aunt JJ, right daddy?" Jack asked knowingly.

Hotch let out a sigh as he pulled into JJ's driveway. He put the car into park and swivelled in his seat.

"Jack, you understand that Aunt JJ's going to marry Uncle Will, right?" Hotch wondered out loud. "Uncle Will is Henry's dad; they're going to be a family."

Hotch didn't want to be the one to burst his son's bubble, but it was clear to him what line of thinking his son was on. And no matter what Hotch hoped would become of his and JJ's relationship in the long run, he couldn't let his son falsely hope. Not after what happened to his mother. He couldn't set Jack up for that kind of disappointment, not ever again. And at the moment all Hotch had was hope for him and JJ; he had absolutely no idea what JJ felt, especially after that kiss.

"I know daddy," Jack assured, nodding his head emphatically. "Uncle Will is funny."

Hotch smiled. There had been many occasions where the man had entertained Jack as well as his own son. There was no doubt in Hotch's mind whether Will cared for Jack or not. And that added a new wave of guilt to his thoughts and feelings.

"But, daddy," Jack was still talking. "You still loves Aunt JJ, right?"

Hotch let out another sigh, marvelling at his son's perceptiveness. "Yes Jack, I love JJ."

Before his son could pry further, Hotch was unbuckling his seat belt and jumping out of the car. He went to the back door and started to get his son out of his booster seat. Once out of the restraints, Jack jumped out of the car, running to JJ's front door.

Hotch shut the door behind him and called out, "Wait up, Jack!"

He laughed at his son's sudden exuberance, getting a slight taste of how JJ felt with Henry. He reached his son's side and rang the doorbell which Jack had been reaching for. They waited a minute for someone to come to the door. Hotch couldn't hear Henry rushing through the house, which was a little weird.

When the door finally opened, Hotch was surprised by the person opening the door.

"Morgan?"

"Uncle Derek!" Jack exclaimed, happy to see Hotch's fellow Bureau agent.

Hotch had known the man had left the building at lunch. He hadn't known it was to come here, though.

"Hey Jack!" Derek replied enthusiastically, scooping him up to give him a hug. "How's it going?"

Jack just shrugged happily.

"Still practicing our secret handshake?" Morgan asked smoothly.

Hotch chuckled, watching Jack and Morgan perform a series of hand movements that were almost a blur to his eyes, they ended with a fist bump.

"You still got it!" Morgan said proudly. He put Jack back on the ground. "Henry's upstairs getting changed," he informed and they watched Jack rush off, leaving the adults alone. "Henry had a little run in with some bad plumbing… JJ's getting him changed."

"Oh," Hotch said simply. He didn't know what else to say.

"I've been here since lunch," Morgan continued to explain. "JJ needed some help with her plumbing… it was a lot more complicated than I thought it would be…"

Hotch just nodded, wondering why Morgan was giving him an intent eye.

"I'm going back to the BAU," he assured. "Why don't you head up there? JJ's waiting for you, you know?"

Hotch eyed the younger man strangely. Did he know something?

"See ya," Morgan said simply, walking around Hotch. "Have fun!"

Have fun? Hotch wondered. What the heck did the man know? He was just here for a play-date for his son's sake...

… And to get to the bottom of that kiss, of course. No fun was going to be had, no siree, definitely not the kind of fun he'd had last night that was for sure.

"Henry, hold still!" JJ said tersely.

Henry continued to wiggle. "But mommy I hearded the doorbell!"

"Uncle Derek will get it," JJ added. "And you should listen when mommy tells you to stay put."

"I know mommy," Henry answered solemnly, surprising JJ.

"So, the next time mommy tells you 'don't go in there, because you'll get dirty,' what are you going to do?" JJ asked him.

"I listen to mommy," Henry answered.

"Good," she said pleased.

They heard footsteps coming their way, just as JJ managed to get Henry into some pants. A second later Jack burst into the room.

"Hey Henry!" Jack greeted.

"Yay, Jack," Henry shouted, getting away from his mom's grasp. "Let's play!"

Jack smiled, but ever the polite boy, he greeted JJ first. "Hi, Aunt JJ."

JJ smiled at the little boy she'd come to love. "Hi Jack, come give me a hug."

The little boy wrapped his arms around her and she squeezed him tightly, placing a kiss on the top of the boy's head.

"I've missed you," she said affectionately.

Jack beamed. "I missed you to Aunt JJ."

JJ smiled. Man, she hoped Jack's manners rubbed off on her son. God knew he sure needed a lesson or two.

"Daddy missed you too," Jack said politely.

He caught JJ by surprise, just as his daddy's voice did a second later.

"I did miss you."

JJ looked up in the direction of Henry's bedroom doorway. Her eyes instantly locked onto Hotch's. And for the life of her she couldn't tear her deep blue eyes away from his chocolate brown ones.

He was watching her with such intensity that there was no mistaking on JJ's part what was on his mind. And suddenly she was reliving the kiss all over again. Remembering how good his lips felt over hers, how his hands pulled her close and moved over the curves of her body, how much he'd wanted her…

"Mommy, mommy," she heard through the fog that was her brain. JJ tore her gaze away from Hotch to see her son pulling on her sleeve.

"What is it Henry?" she asked, noticing how dry her mouth felt.

"Mommy, your in the way, move," Henry elaborated.

JJ frowned at her son. So much for manners… She heard Hotch laugh and she turned to look at him. He was smiling at her.

"Come on JJ, let's let the boys play," Hotch told her. He held out a hand to her and she took it.

He pulled her up off the floor. Once standing, she noticed he didn't waste any time letting go of her hand. The signals he was sending were confusing the hell out of her. But she followed him, nonetheless, down the stairs and then she guided them towards the kitchen.

Wordlessly, she watched him take a seat on the bar stool pulled up to her kitchen island and she went to the stove top, turning her back to him as she went about preparing some tea. She was well aware of the heavy silence that weighed down upon the room. But she also had no desire to be the first to speak. First of all, she had no idea what she would say. Second, she had no idea what it would bring.

"JJ?" he said softly.

It was now or never, she thought. She braced herself for what was to come. She turned around and was struck still by the warmth of his smile for her. It was a smile full of so many things, not least of all affection.

"Hi," he said simply.

JJ smiled back. She was grateful to him suddenly. He knew that this talk would be difficult for her, but he wasn't forcing it.

"Hi," she said back, surprised by how one word could be filled with so much feeling.

She turned back around, finishing pouring two mugs of steaming hot tea. She came around the island, placing one in front of him and pulling herself into the stool next to him.

They continued like this in silence, taking sips of their tea, staring off into space, quiet, but seemingly waiting. It was a comfortable few minutes. It was what they both needed before, she knew, things got uncomfortable.

She heard Hotch let out a sigh and JJ knew it was time. She put her mug down and turned in her seat; she watched Hotch do the same and then he was facing her. Their knees touched, and JJ had the urge to move away because their proximity just seemed too intimate. But of course, they were just knees, and she didn't move.

"We really should talk…" he told her.

She nodded. "I know…"

But even though they both agreed that they had a lot to talk about it seemed neither of them were eager to get the ball rolling.

JJ surprised herself when her mouth opened and she started speaking. And it was on topic!

"I… I guess you're wondering why… uh why I kissed you… uh back," she started. Hotch just nodded. "And I'm…I can't stop thinking about… why you kissed me."

"JJ…" Hotch started. "I kissed you because I wanted to."

JJ couldn't help her gasp. She hadn't known what he'd say, but she hadn't really expected an out right admittance.

"Hotch, I—" she tried to say, but he cut her off.

"Wait JJ," Hotch said emphatically.

JJ let out a sigh. This was important to him, she realized. Looking into his eyes, she could see that he needed to say something to her. And just because she was frightened it wasn't fair to him to shut him down right away.

She nodded for him to continue.

"JJ, I wanted to kiss you," Hotch was admitting to her. "I've wanted to for awhile now… Last night, I just couldn't hold back anymore. You were so unhappy, I know you'll deny it, but you weren't happy… and I hate seeing you sad. I hate it and the moment I kissed you… I just wanted you to be happy again."

"Ok…" she trailed off. He'd just kissed her to make her feel happy, that was it. That's all, she could handle that. Except…

Except, you told a friend a joke to cheer them up, not kissed them. There was more to it than just this.

"But… but…" she stuttered. "How'd you know… how'd you know I wouldn't um… push you away?"

She asked the question but she wasn't sure she wanted the answer.

Hotch reached out and took her hand, a simple friendly gesture, but she was struck by how intimate it felt.

"JJ, I knew because… because every time you said you were happy, that everything was all right, I knew you were lying," he told her.

He was accusing her of being a liar; she should be yelling at him, denying what he said. She wasn't a liar! Except, everything he said was true. Except…

That still didn't explain it all. "But Hotch why'd you risk it? We have a great friendship. Why would you risk messing that up?"

"Because… I care about you. I lo—"

With his next sentence, he was going to irreversibly change everything. And that's why she did what she did next, just to cut him off.

JJ tugged on his hand pulling him out of his stool to stand before her. She pressed her lips against his in a forceful kiss. She felt Hotch attempt to pull away, but she wasn't about to let him finish what he had to say.

She ran her hands through his thick, silky hair, surprised by how good it felt through her fingers. She used her tongue to coax his lips apart, to let her have entry.

JJ couldn't help losing herself in his kiss. His arms snaked around her body and she parted her legs so he could get closer, coming to stand between them. He was attempting to pull back again, but she wrapped her legs around his body pulling him intimately against her. JJ was shocked to feel how much he wanted her and suddenly she wanted him just as much.

She felt him wrench his lips away from her plundering mouth, but she wasn't ready to let go of him. She nipped at his lips, not relenting her hold on him.

"JJ…" he murmured. "JJ wait… we need to talk… ok…"

She pressed her lips to his, kissing him again. He kissed hr back until he pulled away from her, taking his seat again.

If the profound sense of loss of his arms around her body were any indication, JJ was starting to realize how intense her feelings for Hotch really were. She ran a shaky hand through her mussed hair. Why, why did he have this effect on her? It wasn't fair that he could cause her to get so hot, so fast.

She snuck a glance at him; he was looking away breathing harshly. And JJ was ecstatic to see that she had the same effect on him.

"Aaron…" she called to him, pouring all the affection she felt for him into his name.

He turned to look at her and the smouldering intensity of his gaze sent a heat through her entire body.

"JJ," he whispered. "I love you."

Oh no, she thought sorrowfully. She was shaking her head. No, this could not be happening. She got out of her seat and walked around the island, putting as much distance as she could between them.

"JJ?" he questioned; she could hear the hurt in his voice.

What was she doing? If the kiss last night hadn't ruined their friendship, this was sure too.

She wrapped her arms around her body, still shaking her head. How could she be so stupid, kissing him like that?

This was all so wrong!

JJ should have jumped three feet into the air when she felt him wrap his arms around her from behind; instead, she melted into his embrace. She wrapped one of her arms around his, feeling comfort by being held so close.

"JJ tell me how you feel…" he was murmuring into her hair. She felt him kiss the top of her head. "JJ I know… I know… but I need you to say it…"

He wanted her to admit that she cared for him, that she l—

JJ pulled away from him. "Aaron… I'm sorry… I can't… I love Will. I'm marrying Will."

"JJ—"

She shook her head and she saw the sudden flash of anger in his eyes.

"Hotch," she tried again.

He shook his head and was stalking out of the room. She stood still for a second and then she started to follow him. He was heading towards the door.

"Hotch wait!" JJ called.

"I'll be back in an hour for Jack," he gritted out.

And then he was slamming the door behind him.

JJ stood there, waiting, hoping, he'd come back. But... nothing happened. Tears were streaming down her face.

That was so not how the talk was supposed to go.

Well that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'll be updating soon, let me know what you think!

Just wanted to say I'm loving the response I've been getting for this story! And thanks for the lovely reviews: Hotch Fan (Yeah, I think I surprised a lot by having Morgan speak with her, but I think I explained the reasons in the chapter. Everyone else would blab, Morgan was most likely not to.); canny-bairn; kurussom; deeda; kdzl; JJandHotch4ever96; celticgina (you and JJ are definitely not the only ones :D); Zolidify (yeah I love writing the kids); and CrimStudent47.