A/N: This chapter probably goes more in line with an episode than the others. Season 6, episode 17, titled Valhalla. If you've seen it, great, if not, this story will still make sense.

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

Jake's Series #6

I walk into Jake's and search for JJ. She's not in our regular booth so I raise my watch to check the time and I see that I'm early for once, almost by ten minutes. I think about heading to our table but I'm anxious and need to stay standing. I turn and look at the long, wooden bar that lines the other side of Jake's weighing my options. The bar is sparsely occupied so I head over to it.

"Scotch on the rocks," I tell the waiting bartender. He nods and turns away to prepare my usual drink. I glance back towards the door even though I know no one has entered Jake's since I have. I let out a sigh and rub my forehead in an effort to relax.

We just returned back from Louisiana earlier this afternoon and I am as close to emotionally drained as I allow SSA Aaron Hotchner to be. I am anxious to see Jack, cases involving kids always leave me desperate to see him, and I am concerned about the growing tension on my team.

And right now, I can't do anything about either. Personal or professional. Aaron's worries or Hotchner's grievances.

I remember calling Jessica on the jet when she told me she'd promised Jack that they'd go see a movie after an early dinner. My heart twinged a bit but I didn't have the heart to interrupt their plans; Jack absolutely loved his movies.

So rather than being with him I'm left here to over analyze the issues affecting the team, Prentiss specifically. Though she'll never admit it, something is going on. Rossi knows it, Morgan suspects it, Reid is confused about it and Garcia is hurt. And none of us can put a finger on it, which drives me crazy. I'm a profiler for crying out loud. We all are.

The bartender sets my drink down in front of me so I mumble a thank you. I stir my beverage with its straw once before lifting it to my lips. I glance at the clock behind the bar and see that only three minutes have passed, but it also means JJ, who is always on time, will be here soon.

I feel myself relax a little when I think of her. She always grounds me, whether she does so with her physical presence or with a text or phone call. Even when I just think of her she gives me a sense of tranquility, which speaks volumes to me now that I have stopped questioning my feelings ages ago and simply accept them now.

I sigh and lean against the bar, clasping my hands to keep them from fidgeting.

Jack and Jessica's movie should be over soon which means I won't be able to stay here long. I even called JJ to tell her so but she'd insisted on meeting even if it was for ten minutes. I shake my head at her stubbornness which, in all honesty, makes me appreciate her even more.

I look at the clock, which I do a lot when I'm anxious. Another minute has passed.

In an effort to pass time, I look around Jake's to see where Abby is. She has been a staple I associate with this place and I've grown accustomed to her blunt, albeit cheery, personality. However, a quick glance around Jake's tells me she isn't here. The bartender notices my search and speaks up.

"She's not here today, called in sick," he says. He is drying some glasses right in front of me and I offer him a tight smile.

"I was wondering why she hasn't harassed me about being up here rather than the booth yet."

The bartender chuckles. "Yeah, you and your girlfriend are her customers only. She doesn't like it when we step on her turf," he jokes.

I look at him and take a minute to digest what he's said. Girlfriend. JJ. I decide I'd rather not correct him and have an awkward conversation so I let the comment slide. A customer about five stools to my right asks for another drink and I am left alone with my thoughts.

JJ. Girlfriend. I feel a small smile grace my lips as I think about the blonde I've been spending so much time with.

"Am I interrupting something?"

JJ appears on my left side with a smile on her perfect face. She has her hair down today so the autumn wind blew it out, fanning it over her slender shoulders. I step away from the bar and habitually reach out with my arm in order to intercept hers. We lean in and JJ offers me her cheek which I peck. Well, at least that's all I meant to do since that's how I've greeted her for a while now. This time though, I allow my nose to graze her hair and cheek before I pull away and I almost gulp at my boldness.

Unaffected by my small, uncharacteristic action, she steps back and looks around. "No table? You weren't kidding when you said this would be quick."

"I need to get home to see Jack," I tell her. The happiness on her face melts away and she looks mortified.

"Why didn't you say so on the phone? I wouldn't have pushed coming here! I'm so sorry I thought Jessica…and I thought—"

"JJ," I interrupt. I place my hands on her arms and lightly squeeze them. "Breathe."

Her eyes are big and sorrowful. "But Aaron," she lifts her hands and grabs my retreating arms at the crooks of their elbows. "Jack—"

"Is at the movies. It won't be done for a while yet and then I'm going to meet him and Jess so I can take him home tonight." I move my arms from hers and rest a hand on her waist and reach for my drink with the other. I turn back to JJ and squeeze her reassuringly. "It's fine JJ, I'm just waiting for a call telling me the movie is out."

JJ studies me and I know she is trying to discern if I am telling her everything.

"What do you want to drink?" I ask her. I already know she'll want her standard beer but decide to let her take control. When she gets upset it is always best to let her take the lead; goodness knows I learned that the hard way.

She steps up to the bar and personally orders her beer from the bartender she knows as "Matt". When she's done she turns and leans against the bar with her left elbow. I stand next to her, mirroring her image.

"Are you sure you don't want to leave, Aaron? I saw that smile on your face when I walked in; Jack is clearly on your mind and I know how much you want to see him."

Once again I find myself face-to-face with an inaccurate statement within the last ten minutes. Before I can say anything, the Matt sets down JJ's beer and asks me how I'm doing with my drink.

"Fine thanks." I nod and he walks away. I wring my hands together and offer JJ a tight smile. It begins to falter when I take in her guilty face. "JJ," I say softly. "It's fine, Jack is having a blast at the moment and I'll see him soon." I tap the bar top with my fingers.

After a sip of her beer she sets down the bottle and tilts her head. "Okay. But you're still anxious," she comments. JJ peers at me and I know I'm caught, especially due to my obnoxious hand wringing and finger tapping.

I sigh and don't even attempt to deny it. "I think something is up with Prentiss." I gauge JJ's reaction to see if she knows something.

"Emily? Like what?" JJ asks. She seems genuinely confused.

"I don't know. She's not acting herself and the rest of the team is on edge about it. I don't think she even notices that either." I pause and place both hands on the bar, resting my weight on them. "Has she said anything to you?" I ask her as I lower my gaze.

I see JJ frown out of the corner of my eye and I know she doesn't like the fact that I'm digging for information. "Well have you even asked her yourself?"

I give JJ a knowing look. Both of us know Prentiss wouldn't tell me a thing, even if I ordered her to, which JJ knows I'd never do.

Realizing her gaffe JJ shakes her head. "No. No she hasn't said anything to me. I mean, she seemed distant on the phone last week but I just figured it was about the case. You had told me it was a bad one so…." She allows her sentence to drift as she leans forward next to me, sighing. "You're worried?" she asks me in a low voice.

"Something tells me I need to be."

"Like what?" she pushes.

"She's repeatedly late, distracted…she is isolating herself. She doesn't even joke with Reid or Morgan anymore, more like snaps at them. It is almost as if she is a completely different person. Garcia seems terrified of her."

JJ thinks for a moment, furrowing her brows at what I described. "Well, is it interfering with her work on the field?"

I think about my answer. "No. But there is more to it than that."

"I know," she replies softly. She places a hand on top of mine and slides her fingers over my own, eventually interlocking them. We stay silent for a bit, alternately taking sips of our usuals and JJ offering her support through our interlocked hands.

"What do you think the rest of the team is doing right now?" she unexpectedly says in a chipper voice. I'm taken off guard at her question and give her a curious look. She simply smiles and gives my hand a squeeze. "Humor me."

I peer at her while I play with an ice cube in my mouth. I crunch it up and swallow before answering her question.

"Well," I begin once I set my near-empty drink down. "I wouldn't be surprised if Reid has bought a keyboard and is playing it at this very moment," I say.

"Spence knows how to play?" she asks me, surprised.

I shrug. "Dave said Reid played the piano to communicate with our witness who was autistic." I watch JJ's eyes light up, as they always did when she was proud of Reid.

"Garcia and Morgan…are probably doing what Garcia and Morgan do," I continue. I have learned a long time ago not to over think things regarding the two of them.

JJ chuckles and nods in agreement. "Probably having a movie night, that's what they do after cases sometimes."

"Oh? Like our thing here?" I ask her.

"No, Aaron. We're something entirely different." JJ nudges her shoulder against mine. "We're special in our own way." She offers me a mysterious look and a sly smile and I really want to know what she is thinking about.

"Right! I knew that," I say. It comes out as a joke but when I finally meet her eyes I can tell she knows I'm sincere. She rubs a thumb along my knuckles and studies me. Her intense gaze heats me and tugs at my groin.

I'm pretty sure I'm crazy about this woman.

This revelation isn't too much of a shock to me as it should be but my physical reactions to her are pretty pathetic considering we've never even kissed. I let out a harsh breath and continue. "And I saw Dave and Seaver playing some sort of race car video game in his office before I left."

She twirls her bottle in a circle and looks over to me. "I think I like her. Sounds like she is a breath of fresh air that can make the team relax."

I roll my eyes at JJ's comment. "A breath of fresh air that gives me a migraine." I pause at JJ's glare. "Sometimes," I try to compromise, though it comes out as a grumble. I take a sip of my scotch and she's still staring at me. "What?"

"That happened in New Mexico, Aaron. That was cases and cases ago," she chastises me. Leave it to her to remember her old team's schedule.

"I guess I'm not over it," I mutter.

She scoffs and crosses her arms. "You men can be so petulant!"

"'Petulant'?" I let out a light laugh. "That's a new one, JJ." I am enjoying our banter and am glad she is here; only JJ could make it all better.

JJ smirks at me and then her expression softens. She lifts her hand and places her fingers in my hair as she gently rubs her thumb over my left eyebrow. "It's almost gone," she whispers and I know she is talking about the cut I received a few cases back when our unsub surprised me.

The day after it happened she and I took Jack to the new roller skating rink since Henry was with Will for the day. I opened my door to her smiling face which immediately disappeared into one full of concern. She immediately rushed in, effectively pushing me back inside, and raised her hand to my cheek. "Aaron! What happened?"

I pulled my hand up to hers and lowered it. "One of the bad guys clipped me," I said lightheartedly, aware that Jack was close by.

This didn't wipe the worry off her face. "Are you okay? You went to the hospital and got checked out?"

"The bruising makes it look worse than it really is, I promise," I told her. I leaned in to kiss her cheek and then pulled her further into the house. "Jack, are you ready, bud?"

Her warm hand against my cheek jolts me back to the present. I meet her eyes and hold her gaze with intensity. Her blues render me speechless and incapable of doing much of anything. She's biting her bottom lip which looks so enticing I want to claim it for myself.

JJ's eyes go big and then a few shades darker. She must have seen the desire in my eyes that I didn't bother to hide. She lowers her hand and slides it down my chest. She fingers my tie but doesn't pull it, like I've always imagined she would in a situation like this. Instead, I feel an invisible pull in my chest that is pushing me closer to JJ.

She lets out a light breath which lands on my face and suddenly I blink and remember where we are. We are undeniably about to have our first kiss in Jake's. "In a bar, Jayje?"

Without letting go of me she lets out a nervous laugh. She bends down and rests her head and other hand on my chest while I massage her upper arms. I drag my hands down to her hips and her frame is still shaking with her laughs.

I begin to chuckle at her reaction; I suppose my words, and timing, were less than graceful.

I bring a hand to her chin and lift it, effectively making JJ raise her head and straighten. She's still smiling and her eyes are full of affection. "Oh, Aaron," she says, clearly humored.

I let out a short sigh and shake my head. My phone vibrates so I remove my hand and use it to get my phone out of my pocket. I read a text from Jessica and quickly send her an "ok" back. I set the phone on the polished bar and replace my hand on JJ's hip.

"Jessica?" she asks me with a light voice. She is smiling and her eyes show nothing but patience and understanding.

"Yeah. They're on their way. I need to go." I am conflicted on how to say goodbye so I leave her to take the lead.

She straightens my tie and when she is done she taps my lips with a finger which immediately start to tingle. "Give Jack a hug for me, Aaron." JJ takes a step back and pats my chest. "Get out of here," she commands with a smile.

"I'll call you? Later tonight after I put Jack to bed?"

"Yeah," she answers as she jerks her head towards the exit of Jake's.

"Ok. Great," I tell her. I'm almost to the door when I turn and begin to retrace my steps. "I forgot to…"

JJ laughs. "Aaron, go! I got it." At my hesitation she continues. "Go!" she grins and motions for me to leave.

"Thanks," I say and I hope she knows it is for much more than simply paying our tab.

I walk out of Jake's and take a moment to look at JJ talk to Matt through the window. She's smiling as she listens to something he is saying to her. I wonder if he is referring to me as her boyfriend right now which makes me raise an eyebrow and smirk.

As I turn I rub my eyebrow and think about what just happened between JJ and I. I'm still standing outside Jake's, lost in my thoughts when my phone chirps. It is a text from Jess saying she'd see me soon. My smile grows even larger and I immediately, and quickly, walk towards my car, eager to see Jack.

My time with JJ has relaxed me and things are falling into place. I'm about to see Jack and I feel better about the well being of the team. Her way of talking things through with me always works and it is just one of her many qualities I love about her.

Though, just before I open the driver's door, I realize that JJ and I didn't talk about what Prentiss is doing tonight.

And for the life of me I have no idea.