A/N: Thank you canny-bairn for my review! At least someone is keeping me motivated!
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.
Jake's Series #3
I turn the corner of the block with my phone glued to my ear. I listen to my boss explain to me why it is essential to have a report done by tomorrow, something I already know, and I am tired of him droning on and on. I stretch my arm and jerk it back towards me so my watch is visible. I'm not late yet, but I am going to be if Don holds me up any longer.
"I understand sir, it will be done," I tell him. I am half distracted as I weave in and out of slow pedestrians so I can make it to Jake's sooner rather than later.
"It better be," he says to me over the phone. I wonder why he is still micromanaging me since I know I have done nothing but my best work since arriving at the Pentagon.
"Yes, Sir," I reassure him. I make it to the front of the bar and stop by its windows. "Will that be all, Sir?" I roll my eyes at my calling him sir all the time, I hate that things are so formal and cold at the office which makes me miss the BAU even more.
"Yes. Goodnight Agent Jareau." He immediately hangs up and I look at the "disconnected" message on my cell. I sigh and change the phone to vibrate while I approach to the door to Jake's at the same time.
"Oh!" I exclaim. I ran into something, or rather someone, and lose my balance. I squeeze my eyes shut because know I am about to ungracefully fall onto the sidewalk. Suddenly a pair of strong arms grabs my waist, steadying me. I breathe out my relief and open my eyes straight into Aaron's hazel ones. He has one eyebrow raised and a big smirk resides on his face. "Thank you," I say.
He tightens his grip on my waist before he steps back from me. My body immediately misses the contact.
"You're welcome." He moves around me and opens the door. Always a gentleman, he stands by and waits for me to enter the bar first. As I move past him I feel his hand on the small of my back and the gesture makes my heart leap.
Abby sees us and waves a hello. She cocks her head towards our regular booth and says she'll be with us in a minute.
Aaron and I smile our thanks and make our way to one of my favorite places as of late.
"Don still giving you a hard time? You seemed stressed before you, ah…"
"Collided with you?" I finish for him.
"I was trying to be gracious," he smiles.
I remember when we first started meeting here and how rare his smiles were. Now I see them all the time and it is wonderful.
I crinkle my nose at him. "Well thank you for that."
Abby appears with our basket of popcorn, setting it down right in the middle of the table. "That way one of you doesn't end up hogging it like usual," she teases. "How are you guys?"
The fact that I'm here again with Aaron throws all thoughts of my pestering boss out the window. "Great! How are you doing, Abby?"
"Pretty good now that my favorite customers finally decided to make an appearance! It's been a while!"
The girl's enthusiasm makes me laugh and Aaron looks at her apologetically. "Sorry Abby, work got in the way. You know how it goes with us," he says to her.
"No, not really." I am impressed with her honesty and smirk at Aaron. "But you're here now, right? What can I get for you?"
I can tell she is expecting my preferred beer but after the day I've had I decide to go for something stronger. "Mmm, how about a vodka tonic?" I see both of them raise their eyebrows at me so I am sure to keep an innocent look on my face.
"My pleasure!" Abby says.
"Well in that case…I'll have a beer. Surprise me," Aaron orders.
Abby puts her hands on her hips and shakes her head. "You two are something else," she jokes and I am not sure what she means by that. "Okay. Switching it up this time with a vodka tonic and a 'surprise' beer! I'm excited!" she proclaims. And the funny thing is, I think she is actually excited.
She walks away to retrieve our drinks leaving Aaron and I to share a quiet laugh. "She is something else," he says.
I decide to say nothing and lean back into the cushioned booth, completely relaxed. It is hard to believe all the stress I felt at work today so easily melts away when I'm with him.
"I'm glad we got to squeeze in some time together this past weekend," he says to me. "Jack and I had fun on Saturday."
My smile widens, which I didn't know was possible. "We did too. Zoos always fascinate kids, don't they?"
Aaron nods in agreement. "I remember Sean and I going to the zoo with our parents when we were little. He always had to see the lions at least three times. Reminds me of Henry making us go back to see the polar bears." He takes some popcorn and begins to toss the kernels into his mouth two at a time.
"Oh I know!" I groan. "I'm glad you took him that last time. Poor Jack and I were well over it by then." I smile at the memory of Aaron putting my son on his hip and telling Jack and me to have fun. He grinned before he left to take Henry back to see his beloved polar bears.
"It's okay. I like polar bears too," he says and I wonder if I should take him seriously. "You missed the birds."
I peer at him and know he is up to something. "So?"
"Why are you afraid of birds, Jayje?" He leans in towards me as if he's about to hear some juicy gossip and smirks.
I keep my response short. He is a profiler after all. "I'm not afraid of birds," I deny. I reach for the popcorn, in need of a distraction.
"No, no, no," he insists. "I recall you conveniently saying you needed to get some water just before we were going into the bird house." He raises an eyebrow and I know I'm caught. "Your breathing quickened and you were on edge, borderline terrified!" he jokes.
"Damn profilers," I mumble. Aaron chuckles and I can't help but join him.
"How long have you been afraid of birds?"
I crinkle my nose at him and cave in. "Since I can remember. I can't even look at pictures of them without shuddering. The way they twitch and their beaks and their beady eyes…" I stop and shiver at my description. "Ugh!" I moan as I attempt to get crows and owls and hawks out of my head.
I watch his face for a reaction and he's looking at me as if I have lost it.
"Well, they are terrifying! And to think people have them as pets!"
"Have what as pets?" Abby asks when she sets our drinks down. I immediately reach for the vodka tonic and take a sip.
Aaron gets straight to the point. "Birds."
"Aww, I love birds! They're so cute! My sister has a parakeet and he is adorable!"
Aaron and I choke on our drinks. I must have a priceless look on my face because he is practically rolling with laughter. Well, as much as someone can be whilst sitting in a booth. It is both entertaining and startling because I have never seen Aaron Hotchner laugh this hard before.
Abby looks at both of us and is obviously confused. "Like I said! Something else!" She walks away with a grin and I glare at the man seated across from me.
"Oh, Jayje, that was perfect. And the look on your face…" he shakes his head and lifts his beer.
"I'm glad I can be so hilarious." My voice drips with sarcasm.
The smile instantly disappears from his face and I realize he took what I said seriously. Before I can assure him that I am joking he starts to ramble.
"JJ I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken your fear so lightly. I guess I always assumed…"
His words make me curious.
"Assumed what?"
Aaron has a guilty look on his face. "Dogs," he says quietly. "That you are afraid of dogs." He rotates his beer bottle on the table and won't meet my eyes.
"Oh." I lean back and put a strand of hair behind my ear. The Tobias Hankel case comes flooding back to me. I was forced to shoot down three dogs that had an appetite for humans. It had been dark, cold and scary. "I guess I did. Or do. I don't know. I haven't been around a big dog since." This is just as much as a revelation to me as it is to him.
I reach out and still his hands with mine. "It's okay. I have a phobia of birds and I'm uncomfortable around big dogs. So what? You going to stop talking to me because of it?"
I inwardly cringe at how serious and depressing our lighthearted conversation has become. I squeeze his fingers and duck down to catch his eyes with mine. "Why are you taking this so hard?"
He sighs and rubs his thumb along my knuckles. "I should have done more to help you. The horror that was on your face when we found you…I should have paid more attention to the after effects. I'm sorry. I know it was horrible for you. And I did nothing."
His confession blows me away. The Hankel case happened years ago and he has been carrying this guilt with him ever since. I didn't have a clue. And now he is miserable after confiding his regrets to me.
I wish I can make his uneasiness to go away when an idea comes to me.
"I have an idea."
Aaron looks up at me, surprised at the drastic change in conversation. I pull my hands from his and lift up my drink. "Let's finish these and then go to the pet store."
He guesses where I'm going with the idea and his lips part slightly in surprise. "No JJ, you aren't going to look at dogs just to make me feel better. You don't need to prove anything."
"I'm not going to look at dogs," I say. He releases a small sigh of relief before I go in for the kill. "I'm going to buy one." I smile.
"What?!" he yelps.
"I think it'll be good for Henry."
"JJ! Our jobs. It's not practical," he insists. He crinkles his brows and I know he thinks I'm being illogical when really, I'm secretly giddy at his use of "our".
I shrug and finish my drink. "Then we'll go to the shelter if it makes you feel better. I can find an older dog there that won't be as dependent and easier to have watched when I travel. Which, remember, is not nearly as often since I left the BAU." I nod towards his beer. "Come on. Drink up so we can get going."
"No," he scoffs. "JJ, why are you doing this? It is really spur of the moment and that's not like you. And you said yourself you aren't comfortable around dogs." Regardless of what he tells me, he goes to finish his beer anyways.
"It's not as spontaneous as you think. I've been considering getting Henry a pet since we went to the zoo. He obviously likes animals. It'll be good for him," I repeat.
"Then we'll go get him a gerbil or something." He finishes his beer and sets money on the table to cover our bill and tip. I am eager to get going so I don't even fight with him to let me pay my half. He tucks his wallet back into his pocket and shakes his head when he realizes I am not going to back down. "Abby was right. You are something else," he says to me.
"Let's go pick out a dog! A nice fluffy one!" It takes me little effort to be enthusiastic. I feel like a kid in a toy store. When he laughs and finally stands I feel victorious.
"Ok, Jayje. Let's go get you—I mean Henry—a dog." I see how hard he is trying not to show his growing excitement. Sweet anticipation fills me as I wonder what it will be like to have Aaron Hotchner help me pick out a dog.
Abby sees the money on the table and us as we begin to head out. "Hey! Leaving so soon? Where ya going?" she asks us. The suspicion in her voice makes me wonder if she has the wrong idea.
Aaron smiles broadly at her and allows me to approach the exit of Jake's first. "We're getting a dog!" he proclaims with a good humored shrug and an animated voice.
And I have never felt happier.