A/N: Sorry for the late-ish update. Family stuff got in the way; we're in the process of moving and it's a big pain in the ass. So, my laptop got shoved in a corner for the past few days and I was finally able to reach it. I hope you guys enjoy this update!

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

The Wedding: Part 2:

JJ stood there, right where Hotch had left her, staring down at his unconventional wedding gift. She smiled as she turned the ball in her hands.

Before he'd left the room, she had really wanted to ask Hotch what he'd asked the ball. But he'd left abruptly, so it was all up to her.

So, what was she going to ask it?

It was obvious she needed help… a lot of it. But her wedding was about to start, she didn't have much time. She had time for one all encompassing question, she just needed the right one.

"JJ," Emily said as she peeked inside the door. "It's uh time…"

JJ let out a frustrated sigh, time was running out and she still didn't know what she wanted to ask.

"JJ?" Emily questioned, still at the door.

"Just…" JJ said in annoyance. "Just give me a minute."

Emily nodded, shooting her a sympathetic look before shutting the door.

She was about to marry Will. She had chosen this fate; no one forced her into this. But still, even on this monumental day, she was hesitating.

Why?

And then it suddenly hit her. Why even though she had made her bed, she did not want to lie in it.

"Magic 8 ball," she said reverently. "Do I… Do I love him? Do I love Aaron?"

She gave the ball a shake and then waited. It seemed to take an agonizingly long amount of time for the window to clear. Somewhere deep down she knew the answer, she just needed it confirmed.

And when the ball revealed its prophecy, "Without a doubt," she wholeheartedly agreed.

"I wonder what's going on," Dave commented from his side.

Hotch couldn't answer. He was too nervous, too anxious. He hoped and prayed that his gift to JJ would lead her in the right direction. Right to him.

The official story for the delay was that JJ had some kind of dress malfunction. That story was being spread by both Emily and Garcia. But there was still a sense of apprehension in the church. Everyone was on the edge of their seats.

"Did you talk to her?" Reid questioned impatiently.

"Did you give her whatever was in that bag?" Morgan wondered.

Hotch nodded almost absently. He continued to stare at the closed double doors at the top of the aisle. But looking that way was causing him greater anxiety. So, he decided to chance a look at the groom. If this was killing him, it must have been hell on Will.

But Hotch was surprised to see him engaged in a tense conversation with another man. Hotch surmised that the man must have been his best man.

What was going on there? he wondered.

He was startled out of his thoughts when the creak of the doors sounded. Someone was making their way in. The entire church turned to stare and Will and his best man stopped arguing.

It was JJ. Hotch instantly zeroed in on her face trying to get a read on her.

And then the music began to play.

Oh, this was a mistake, JJ thought as she looked around the full church.

She should have told Emily or Penelope to bring him to her in private. She hadn't thought, she'd only known that she desperately needed to talk to him before any of this went further.

And now the music was starting up. Well, what did she expect? She was a bride standing at the top of the aisle, after all. Of course, they'd start the music up. But she wasn't ready; she needed to speak with him.

So, what did she do?

She started to jog up the aisle, which caused quite a stir. There was a lot of murmuring and some laughter; apparently some people just thought she was eager.

Finally she reached the altar.

"JJ?" Will questioned, half amused, half bewildered.

JJ took his hand, pulling him further back on the altar, practically pushing the priest out of the way.

"Will, we need to talk," she said breathlessly.

"Now?" Will asked incredulously.

She took a deep breath. "Yes, Will, I'm sorry but we definitely need to talk, now."

Will gave her an anxious look, picking up on her own uneasiness. "Ok…"

"Will, I'm sorry, I can't, I just can't," she started quickly, before she lost her nerve.

"You can't?" Will said quizzically. "You can't what?"

"I can't marry you," she said it adamantly, trying her best to be discreet. The gasp from the room told her she wasn't discreet enough.

"JJ?" Will said unsure. "What do you mean? What's wrong? Did I… Did I do something wrong?"

The hurt in his voice nearly killed her. She knew this wasn't going to be easy but she was still taken aback by the situation.

"No Will, I'm sorry, you didn't do anything," JJ tried to assure; realizing how anything she had said after saying she couldn't marry him would do nothing to comfort him.

"Then what?" Will implored. "I thought we were happy, I thought you wanted this?"

JJ was shaking her head. "Will let's go talk about this somewhere private."

"Just answer the questions JJ," Will demanded.

"Will," she said sorrowfully. "I'm not happy. I'm sorry, I tried to be. But, I'm just not happy…"

"With me," Will finished for her. "You're not happy with me?"

She looked down not wanting to look in his eyes. "Will…. No."

"Were you ever happy?" Will demanded.

She forced herself to look at him again. "I think so, for a time."

"Is there someone else?" Will questioned.

JJ stared at him with wide eyes.

"JJ," he said accusingly.

"Not like that Will," JJ tried to assure.

He didn't look convinced, he just looked deeply hurt. Was there anything she could say to make things better? Probably not.

She shook her head. "I'm so sorry Will, I really am."

She turned around to see everyone's eyes riveted on them. Some look concerned, some disturbed, and some were down right disapproving.

JJ couldn't stand there any longer. She made a run for it to the sounds of her name being called.

Hotch continued to sit in the church pew well after the guests had left. He wasn't going anywhere. Not until he saw her.

After JJ had made her very public decision not to marry Will, she'd run off and, according to Garcia, she'd run into the same room he'd given her the ball in. Apparently, she'd locked herself inside and claimed she wasn't getting out until everyone left. Good thing they were the last event scheduled for the day.

But he wasn't going anywhere. He had to make sure she was all right. He had to make sure she had no regrets. And he had to know what this meant for them.

"Hotch?"

He turned in his seat to see Dave standing there.

"Yeah?"

"We're all leaving now," he informed. "You going to be all right?"

Hotch nodded. "Yeah, I think I am."

And for the first time since this whole ordeal began he actually believed a statement that came out of his mouth. It wasn't that he believed that now that JJ had called the wedding off they'd instantly become the perfect couple. No, he knew they'd still have to work to do. But now there was a chance, a real chance. And for the first time in a real long time he could think about the future.

"Ok," Dave said and then added. "Good luck!"

Hotch continued to sit there while everyone left.

Maybe two months ago he would have believed that he needed luck. Now, now he thought maybe luck and something else might be on his side.

In the silence of the church, the sound of a door creaking open was unmistakeable. She was coming out. He forced himself to sit still and not turn around. He was sure she knew he was there. She would come to him.

"Aaron?" he heard JJ's soft voice.

Only then did he allow himself to turn around. She had changed. No longer in the dress, just jeans and a t-shirt. He still didn't say a word. JJ approached him, taking a seat next to him.

"You waited," she said in surprise.

"Of course," he reassured. "I'm not about to leave you all alone, JJ."

He wondered if she heard the double meaning in his words.

"Good," she replied, smiling. Apparently, she'd gotten it.

Hotch gave her a penetrating look. He had to be sure that she was sure. He really didn't want her to regret her earlier decision.

"So, the 8 ball helped?" he questioned.

She scooted over so their knees were touching. And then she was taking hold of his hands.

"Yes," she breathed out. "It opened up my eyes. I was being such an idiot… and I hurt you, the last thing I ever wanted to do."

He gave her hands a squeeze. "JJ, I think I'll be all right."

And that was the truth. Because for the first time in… well, never… they were both unattached. Free. Free to be with each other. And he knew that he would never ever let her go.

"I just thought… I just… I really don't know what I was thinking…." she said sheepishly.

He smiled and reached a hand up to caress her face. "JJ, you don't have to explain… all I need to know is one thing…"

She nodded knowingly. "I love you, Aaron Hotchner."

He couldn't help it, he had to kiss her. He pulled her flush against his body, holding onto her for dear life. He wasn't about to let her go.

She pulled back slightly, enough to say his name huskily, "Hotch…"

But the only thing at the moment he wanted was to feel her full lips moving beneath his. So, he promptly covered up any chance of talk.

"Hotch," she tried again, giving him a giggle at his exuberance. "Hotch… I love you so much."

He gave her such a loving look. "I love you too, JJ."

This time it was her doing the pulling. He laughed. "Thought you wanted to talk?"

"I said what I wanted to say, now I want you to kiss me," she demanded.

"Greedy," he murmured, before he let her take over completely.

He gasped into the kiss as she pulled on his bottom lip with her teeth, sucked on his top lip, and then plunged her tongue in to meet his.

It went on like that for another minute, until they realized someone was attempting to get their attention by way of throat clearing.

They slowly and reluctantly pulled apart. Only then realizing that JJ was up in his lap, straddling his hips.

The sound of throat clearing came from the very priest that had been all set to marry JJ to Will. JJ's face had turned the shade of a ripe tomato and he was sure his matched.

"Father," Hotch began to apologize.

"We are so… sorry," JJ finished.

The man held up his hand for silence.

"Hmm… I wonder why the doors were open… better go take a look around."

Hotch and JJ looked on, amused, as the priest looked around the room and then left closing the double doors behind him. Apparently, he was ready to pretend he'd seen nothing, giving them a chance to make amore dignified exit.

"Well," Hotch commented.

"Yeah," JJ added.

A seconds silence and then they were both bursting into laughter.

"I think," Hotch began, "We should take this somewhere a little less sacrilegious.

It's not over yet. Stay tuned for some post wedding fun.

Thanks to everyone who stuck through the sadness to make it this far. Told you it would get better! :)

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed too: countersteak21 (yes it will be); Hotch Fan; Zolidify; JJandHotch4ever96; hot4booth; ThePenIsMighty; canny-bairn; MEhz (thanks so much!); jekkah; Starrmyst; celticgina (makes perfect sense); spk; Kimd33; and deeda.