Disclaimed!
Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this story.
As always, let me know what you think!
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Another month drifted by in a haze with JJ continuing her liaising with the Pentagon and State while acting as Unit Chief for the BAU. After a gruelling case in Wyoming, the blonde found herself hovering in the briefing room, watching down in the bullpen as the team laughed amongst themselves.
Dragging her eyes away from the small group, the blonde began to tidy the table that was covered with case files and random paperwork. A soft tap on the door startled the Pennsylvanian. Her wide blue eyes met the profilers knowingly.
"You're finally coming home, huh?" JJ smirked at Hotch's confused expression. "I got a call from Strauss this afternoon. She's returning on Monday."
Hotch looked down at the ground. "I don't know how to thank you for everything."
"You don't." JJ stated as she leaned against the roundtable.
Hotch stepped further into the room towards the blonde. "I was hoping that you could stay."
JJ bit her lower lip softly. "Hotch, I would love too but at the end of the day, it's not my decision."
"I know but I've been in talks with your supervisor over there and he's being cooperative." Hotch replied vaguely.
A familiar silence over took the pair as JJ nodded briefly. "Well let me know how it goes."
"JJ, you know you'll always be a part of this team, right?" Hotch asked.
JJ smiled warmly as their eyes locked. "Thanks."
"JJ, are you okay?" Hotch raised an eye in concern.
The blonde nodded while sorting out the piles of folders on the table. Hotch rested a hand on the petite woman's shoulder to get her attention. "JJ."
"Everything is fine. But after tomorrow, I'm not too sure whether the team are going to want me back." JJ began slowly.
Hotch frowned. "Why wouldn't they?"
"I can't... Hotch something is going on and I'm not supposed..." JJ rambled not making much sense.
Hotch glanced down into the bullpen where the team were listening intently to something Garcia was saying. "Prentiss?"
JJ sighed. "Prentiss related."
"You got Doyle." Hotch stated confidently.
JJ rolled her eyes at his deduction. "You'll know something tomorrow."
Hotch breathed out slowly. "Wow."
"Looks like you're coming back just in time to face the wrath of the team." JJ responded sympathetically.
Hotch tilted his head unsurely. "Will you be apprehending him?"
"I'll be involved somehow, if anything happens." JJ replied vaguely, feeling uncomfortable with giving the profiler any information he wasn't supposed to have.
Hotch nodded understanding the blonde's reluctance. "And what happens with Prentiss?"
"If everything goes as planned I'll tell her parents she's alive. She won't be back in the states for a few weeks but the team will be able to know of her existence." JJ explained hesitantly. "But if things go unexpected, they won't be told."
"I understand." The supervisor affirmed.
JJ glanced at her wrist watch and sighed. "I have a meeting I should be at. I'll get my stuff out of your office later on."
"There's no rush JJ. I won't be back till Monday." Hotch insisted.
JJ smiled thinly as she picked up the case files and held them at her chest. "Hopefully I'll have some good news for you later on."
"Hopefully." Hotch replied quickly.
They hovered in the middle of the room before JJ pointed to the door. "I should go."
Hotch stepped aside and allowed the blonde passed. Before he made it through the door, he called her back. "JJ."
"Yeah Hotch." JJ turned with an inquisitive expression on her face.
He cleared his throat and met the blonde's crystal blue eyes proudly. "You're an exceptional agent."
"Thanks... you are too." JJ smiled bashfully as they continued to hover in the empty briefing room, the same place they said goodbye a little over a year ago.
"I'll see you later?" Hotch's request came out more as an order than a question.
JJ smiled warmly and nodded. "I'll call you when there's news."
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