Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, and alerted to this story. I understand how this subject could be personal both to victims of abuse and to those who may have second hand experience. For that reason, I welcome anonymous and signed reviews. Thank you for your feedback.

Her new phone buzzed as it received a text message from the one person she longed to call. 'Miss you.' The words seemed to penetrate her soul.

She hesitated, knowing that Hotch and Garcia would not be happy if she replied, but wanting desperately to reestablish contact with the man she loved.

But would he be angry she had waited so long to call him?

She frowned, not liking that thought.

She knew others were just trying to help, but she couldn't seem to quell the uneasy feeling that tumbled inside of her. She was living at someone else's house, with someone else's money.

No matter how much Hotch said he didn't mind, she still felt like a leech.

Lately, her entire soul was in an uproar, caught between the need to stay with Hotch and appease the close-minded state workers and the longing she felt to fix her failing relationship.

She hated feeling like she was failing.

But she would do anything for Henry.

Even if it meant leeching off the kindest man she knew.

The door opened, startling her from her thoughts. "Hi Aunt JJ!" Jack smiled brightly as he pushed the heavy front door open and trudged into the house with Henry close at his heels. "We're home." He announced, sluffing his backpack off and dropping it quickly to the ground.

"Hey boys." JJ smiled easily, gesturing to the plate of cookies she had ready on the table. "Anybody want cookies?"

Jack's eyes grew wide as he slipped onto his regular seat at the table, awestruck at the welcome difference in the atmosphere now that Aunt JJ and Henry were staying with them. It almost felt like he really had a family again. He kind of liked it. "Really? Before homework?" He asked, uncertainly.

She winked as she placed a cup of milk next to Jack and left one on the table for her own son, "I think cookies are the perfect way to start homework, don't you?"

Jack quickly nodded and grabbed a still warm cookie that crumbled slightly in his hands. "Yep."

The front door swung open to reveal Hotch with several bags stepping gingerly into his home. "Are those cookies I smell?"

"Aunt JJ made them." Jack explained, his mouth still full of the sweet treat as he grabbed the glass of milk in front of him.

JJ frowned as she watched Henry pick slowly at the treat in front of him, seemingly distracted by his own thoughts.

"I picked up Henry's prescription." He smiled, handing the small paper bag over to JJ who sighed gratefully.

"Thanks Hotch." She smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. Glancing down at the receipt, her jaw dropped open in shock as she saw the price. "Oh Hotch, you shouldn't have—I'm so sorry."

"JJ, it's okay." Hotch reassured, placing the new gallon of milk in the fridge. "It's not a big deal."

"It came to $200." She exclaimed, "it's a huge deal."

"JJ." Hotch sighed, hating that she was beating herself up over this.

It wasn't a big deal.

He was happy to help.

He wanted to help.

Henry watched the situation unfolding, pushing the paper in his pocket further down as he could feel the atmosphere shifting.

"I'll find a way to pay you back." JJ promised, hating the nagging thought in the back of her mind that reminded her she had no way to do so. She would find a way. She couldn't let Hotch swoop in and rescue her from her own choices.

But if she went home, things would be okay. She and Will could figure it out together.

"JJ, you've done so much for me over the years." Hotch reminded her, frowning as he could see that she didn't believe him. "Let me do this for you." Seeing the hesitation still in her eyes, he acquiesced slightly. "But you can pay me back whenever you can."

Henry finally released the breath he had been holding as JJ smiled gratefully and nodded. "Thanks."

Frowning, the boy watched the situation carefully out of the corner of his eyes. He had learned long ago not to let his parents know he was watching them, but he was waiting for the perfect moment. At the easing tension in the room, he stood quickly and tugged gently at the back of his mother's shirt, biting his lip as he looked around nervously.

"What do you need sweetheart?" JJ smiled as she crouched down slightly to meet his eye level.

He thrust the piece of paper into JJ's hands. She frowned as she read over the permission slip, her heart sinking at the required $40 to see the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

"Oh." She said lamely, once again painfully aware of her inability to provide for her son. Now, because of her choices, not only was her son without a father, she was going to have to tell him he couldn't go with the rest of his class.

Henry shuffled nervously in front of her, as if waiting for the words of apology. If he didn't want to go so badly, he wouldn't have given his mom the paper. But it was airplanes.

"Maybe you and I can go together, another time?" JJ smiled brightly as she tried to hide her own disappointment.

Her son should have everything. And instead, once again she had to explain to him why he couldn't go with everybody else.

Because she was failing him.

Henry nodded, his shoulders slumping slightly as he snatched the paper out of her hands and slipped back to his chair at the table.

"I can give you the money JJ." Hotch spoke up softly, not wanting to get the boy's hopes up, but hating to see both JJ and Henry so distraught.

She smiled, inwardly hating having to rely on someone else to provide for her son. "Oh, uh—" She ran her hand through her hair, "Hotch, I can't ask you to do that."

"Please." He whispered, in an attempt to prevent Henry from hearing. "Let me do this for him."

JJ sighed as she glanced back toward her son. Though he showed no emotion, she knew how badly he wanted to go.

Hesitatingly, she nodded and forced a smile.

If they were at home, it wouldn't have been like this. She could have convinced Will to give them the money, and Henry wouldn't have needed to worry about her finances.

Things would be better at home.

Henry would be able to be with his father.

She wouldn't be relying on Hotch to take care of them.

She and Will could work it out.

Hotch woke the next morning, and quickly descended the stairs, hoping to get breakfast finished before JJ and the boys woke up.

He wasn't about to admit it aloud, but he kind of enjoyed this.

It almost felt like he had a family again.

And while he knew as well as anyone that pretending to have a family with JJ wasn't real, it still felt good.

Pulling on his apron, he frowned as he saw the paper with JJ's neat scrawl etched into the paper stuck to the refrigerator.

'Hotch, thanks for everything. I don't know how I deserve a friend like you, but I promise I'll pay you back. Henry and I have gone home, so don't worry. –JJ."

He closed his eyes, the words on the paper cutting his soul.

She had gone back.