A/N: Hello. So, sorry for the longish wait for this update. I hurt my neck and shoulder over the Christmas break, nothing major, but it's kept me from writing for about a week. I'm feeling better now, so I thought I'd give you guys a New Years update. Happy New Year everyone! Hope 2011 is the best for all of you!

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

Pre-Wedding 10:

JJ walked into the BAU through the glass doors feeling like she was coming home. Today was the first time she'd been back since she'd left. She felt like a weight had been lifted off her chest. Which sucked, because she knew once she left it would go right back into place.

She was there to see Hotch, but seeing her friends as well and her old workplace was an added bonus. As much as it hurt to leave the BAU, she still loved the place.

It had been over a week since she'd last seen Hotch, the day where she'd admitted that she did want him. He'd phoned her the next day after the talk to tell her that the team had been taken off of stand down. And they had a case in Montana. She'd assured him that that was ok and that they'd talk when he got back.

When JJ got his call yesterday, telling her he'd be back today and if she wanted to meet him at the BAU, he sounded so uncertain, as if he thought she'd change her mind. But, of course, she hadn't.

JJ went about that week a shadow of herself. Only when interacting with her son was she fully there. It was all because she couldn't stop thinking about Hotch. It was like the minute she'd admitted to him that she wanted him, that was it, there was no going back. And that feeling terrified her, but it also thrilled her to the bone.

"Hey there, my peach!" JJ heard.

She looked around and found Garcia standing on the raised platform looking down into the bullpen.

JJ waved at her friend and quickly took the stairs to meet her up there. Garcia gave her a big hug.

"What'cha doing here?" Garcia asked gleefully. "Are you back?"

JJ laughed at her friend's ability to jump to conclusions. "No, no just visiting…"

"Yay to visiting!" Garcia said enthusiastically. Except I'm the only one here."

"Just the person I wanted to see," JJ said happily.

Garcia grabbed her arm, pulling her in the direction of her office.

"Yay!" she exclaimed again. "Now, come on, you've got to fill me in on all the wedding details."

JJ frowned before realizing what she was doing.

"What?" Garcia asked, stopping them, midway. "I know Emily and I have been bad bridesmaids… we'll make it up to you, I promise."

The frown JJ had let slip had completely nothing to do with her two best friends, and she was sad that Garcia would even think that. But, she was glad that Garcia didn't get what it was really for. JJ didn't want to talk about her wedding while she was looking forward to seeing and speaking to another man.

"No, you and Emily are great! Don't ever doubt that," JJ said truthfully; she needed a plausible excuse for her frown. "The dress I bought got stained somehow… I've uh… got to go dress shopping again."

"Oh no…" Garcia exclaimed. "That dress was gorgeous!"

JJ nodded. That's why she was hiding it way in her office at work. Saving it for who knows what. She was one messed up person.

"Come on, let's go to my office," Garcia urged. "I'll do a search; see if we can find another one."

As they were walking away, JJ caught movement from the corner of her eye. She turned around to see the BAU team making their way inside the bullpen.

"Oh, they're back!" Garcia exclaimed.

JJ walked over the railing and leaned over to look down into the bull pen. She smiled. It was nice to see all her friends in the familiar environment. They were chatting with each other, though, less lively then she remembered them. When her eyes lit on Hotch she could understand why.

"Wh… what happened to him?" JJ stammered concernedly.

Hotch's right arm was in a sling and his face had cuts and bruises on it.

"Un-subs," Garcia said grimly.

JJ rushed down the stairs to meet the team. They all looked surprised to see her. And JJ noticed that Hotch wasn't the only one who looked bedraggled, albeit he was the worst off.

"What happened?" she asked quickly.

"We got ambushed," Morgan said unbelievably. "By a damned militia group."

"Are you guys ok?" she asked the group, but her eyes were only on Hotch.

"We're fine," Rossi assured. "Hotch got the brunt of it—"

"I'm fine," Hotch assured, brushing off the concern.

"He needs help changing the bandages on his arm," Rossi continued, ignoring his friend. "JJ, can you help him out?"

JJ eyed the man for second; Rossi's stare betrayed nothing. She still wondered for the moment why Rossi had asked her. But she didn't care. Hotch was hurt. She took hold of Hotch's good arm and said, "Sure, come on Hotch."

She pulled him in the direction of his office but Reid's voice stopped them first.

"Hotch, your bag."

JJ intercepted Reid's outstretched arm before Hotch could grab at it.\

"I can carry my own damn bag," he said grumpily.

"Humour us, Hotch," Emily added, amused by his outburst.

Hotch made for the bag with his left arm, but JJ held it away from him. "No," she scolded.

"You guys need anything?" Garcia was asking, amusement in her voice.

"Do you have a first aid kit in your office?" she directed at Hotch. He nodded, reluctantly. She turned back to Garcia. "We'll be fine."

A moment later they entered Hotch's office and JJ shut the door behind them. JJ could tell that Hotch was in a mood when he wordlessly stepped around his desk and started using his good arm to organize all the papers.

"Hotch, let me see," she demanded.

"I said I'm fine," he replied tersely.

JJ wasn't about to take no for an answer. She found his first aid kit and then turned back to his stubborn form.

"Aaron Hotchner, you get your butt over here right this second," she said sternly.

He glanced up at her in surprise. It wasn't often that she used her mother voice on grown men. She was pointing to one of his guest chairs. Seeing that she meant business he let out a long-suffering huff and did as told.

"I swear, you're worse then Henry," she said annoyed.

She was surprised to hear him chuckle.

"I'm happy you're here…" he admitted.

She smiled. "Me too," she murmured.

His suit jacket was thrown around his shoulders and she pulled it off. Then she helped him out of the sling.

JJ turned to the first aid kid, searching for some cut and scrape ointment. She used her fingers to gently dab some onto Hotch's face. She was so focused on making him better that she didn't notice the intense look on his face while he watched her. A second later he grabbed her hand, halting her progress.

"Hotch," she protested.

"JJ," he replied. "You came here to talk, not to nurse me back to health. So, let's talk."

JJ frowned at him. Impatient much? She pulled her hand from his grasp and continued. "First we fix you all up, and then we talk."

He didn't look pleased. She knew it wasn't often that he didn't get his way. At the moment, though, she didn't care.

She moved her hands to the buttons of his shirt. She had the top one unbuckled before he stopped her once again.

"JJ?"

"It will be easier without the shirt in the way," she said practically, although a blush still bloomed on her face.

He nodded, and allowed her to finish the job. JJ's face heated even more at seeing her former boss sitting there half naked. She had to force herself to focus on the task at hand and not on how toned he actually was.

Gingerly, she pulled at the bandage that covered the entire length of his outer arm. She had to stop herself from gasping out loud.

How did he let this happen? How was he not screaming in pain? The wound on his arm was a nasty burn. The skin looked red and blistery.

"Oh… Hotch," she groaned. "How did they do this to you?"

"A flame blower," Hotch said incredulously. "Can you freaking believe it?"

She shook her head.

"Did the hospital give you something to put on it?" she asked.

Hotch answered her question with a sheepish look.

"You did see a doctor for this, right?" JJ questioned; at his silence she exclaimed, "Aaron! You need to see a doctor. This isn't just a scrape I can put a band-aid on. This is a serious burn!"

"Ok, ok," Hotch relented. "I'll see one…"

"Good," JJ answered firmly. "I'll put some burn cream on it, and cover it up for now. But you need to go right away."

"After we talk," he added quickly.

She finished bandaging his arm and grabbed his shirt to put it around his shoulders. Yes, they needed to talk, but he needed to see a doctor first.

Just as she finished helping get his arms into the sleeves, she felt him tug on her arm. She let out a squeal in surprise when she suddenly landed in his lap.

"Sit JJ," he implored. "We need to talk."

"Ok," she murmured, blushing at his abruptness.

"Will a chair make you more comfortable?" he asked her politely.

JJ tentatively put an arm around his shoulder. "This… this is fine."

He smiled. "Good… I missed you."

"I missed you too," she assured, the other arm going around his neck.

"So…"

"So…" she echoed.

"JJ," he said, voice filled with humour. "You came here to talk, remember?"

She gave him a playful shove. "This is hard…"

He nodded. "I know."

She continued to remain silent. She really had no idea what to say. She did know that she felt absolutely comfortable sitting there in his lap, with his arms around her waist, hers around his neck. Probably, too comfortable.

"Look," Hotch started, letting out a sigh. "I know this is hard. I'm not expecting anything. I'm definitely not expecting you to say that you're leaving Will or anything like that."

She gave him a frown. "Hotch, you must be expecting something."

He tenderly pushed the hair away from her face, grazing her cheek with his fingertips. She found herself leaning into his touch.

"JJ, all I want to know is how you feel, ok?" Hotch implored. "And then somehow we'll go from there."

She nodded her head in understanding. "Did you really mean it?"

By the intense look on his face he knew exactly what she was asking. She took a deep breath and held it, waiting for his answer.

He simply nodded. And she let out the breath.

"Wow," she breathed out. It was a powerful feeling knowing a man like Aaron Hotchner loved you. It was also something not to be taken lightly. From what JJ knew, Hotch didn't give his love to just anybody.

Hotch chuckled. "Yeah…"

She smiled at him. She suddenly had an intense impulse to give him a hug. She was being selfish; she knew he was waiting to hear how she felt about him. But at the moment all she wanted was to feel how it felt to be surrounded by that love, engulfed by it. And as she felt his arms wrap around her, pulling her close, settling her into the crook of his neck, she just felt marvellous.

"I care about you Aaron," she murmured close to his ear.

He pulled away from her, not frowning, but not smiling either. "Care, not love?"

She panicked, thinking her words would drive away his love. "Hotch, please, I need—"

"JJ," he cut her off. "JJ, no expectations, remember? It's ok, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound pushy."

She shook her head. "It's ok," she paused. "This is hard… it's not just you and me. It's you, me, Jack, Henry, and Will."

"And Garcia, apparently," Hotch said grimly.

"What?" JJ practically squeaked out.

Hotch pointed to the tiny gap where his office blinds didn't close properly. There was a flash of red hair and it was gone a second later.

"Crap!" JJ exclaimed.

"I can talk to her later," Hotch assured. "But you're right; there are all of us… I know Jack loves you and I want you to know I love Henry."

She settled back into his hold, moved by his tender declarations. "Henry loves you too."

"But…" Hotch prompted.

"But… there's Will to think about," JJ said forcefully, as if forcing herself to talk about the man she agreed to spending the rest of her life with.

"Yeah, Will," Hotch said, not unkindly. "He's a great guy. I almost wish he wasn't, it would make all this a lot easier."

JJ nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, he is a great guy and a great father."

"And you love him," Hotch pointed out.

JJ couldn't bring herself to agree or disagree. She just didn't know which way was up or down anymore.

"I… I think I need to step back for a bit," Hotch said solemnly. "Step away."

"What?" JJ asked frantically.

"JJ, I've intruded on you life, I've—"

"No, you haven't," she denied. "I've asked you into my life. I want you in my life."

He let out a shaky breath. "But I'm pretty sure it was never for me to be the other man in your life. Look at us JJ, the last few times we've met we haven't been able to keep our hands to ourselves. I don't… I don't want the next time we meet to have consequences for you that might be irreversible. I think… we need to step away from each other until you know what you want, who you want."

"Hotch," she said. Her voice surprised her, it was thick with emotion and tears were just around the corner. "This isn't fair to you."

He leaned in and touched his lips to her forehead in a soft kiss. "JJ, I love you, no matter what you decide, ok?"

She laughed a mirthless laugh, at the incredulity of the situation. Tears were definitely streaming down her face now. "For how long?"

JJ needed to know how long he'd stay away from her. It was killing her, knowing that she wouldn't see him for awhile.

"For as long as you need, JJ," Hotch replied. "You didn't send me a wedding invitation?"

She laughed again. "It didn't seem right."

"If… if it's Will you want, all you need to do is hand me that invitation and I'll be there," Hotch let her know.

"Aaron," she protested.

"All I want is to see you happy," he insisted. "Whatever you decide."

She nodded, hard to get any more words out.

"Now," he said, suddenly sounding all business. "I should probably go talk to Penelope before I see a doctor."

"Yeah," she sniffled, getting out of his lap. "Yeah that would be good."

He turned to go but went back to his desk. He pulled out a couple of tissues and held them out to her. "Take a couple of minutes, all right."

She grasped his hand before he could turn away and pulled him down to her lips, crashing hers over his in a deep, passionate kiss.

Pulling back, he gave her a quizzical look. She shot him a sheepish look. "I couldn't help it, you're addictive."

She watched him grin, before composing his features and then exiting the room.

Man, this was going to be hard…

Well that's it for now. Hope you enjoyed.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed: Hotch Fan; hot4booth (welcome to the Criminal Minds fandom, you've definitely picked a great pairing to read!); canny-bairn (definitely a good idea :) ); CMFAN2009 (yeah, with Will still in the picture things aren't going to be easy); Zolidify; kurussom; and JJandHotch4ever96.

Thanks again. I'll try to update soon.

Happy New Year!