A/N: This chapter has very limited dialogue so it flows differently than the rest of the story. I did this intentionally so I could illustrate the severity and complex situation the characters are facing.
Alicia, jekkah and HaloNoir – I wish there were more people like you.
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.
Jake's Series #7
I take a sip of the complimentary hot cocoa Abby brought me while I wait for Aaron to walk through the door. It's been a week and three days since I've seen him and I can barely sit still.
Since our "almost kiss" here over a week ago, every time we've attempted to see each other our jobs got in the way. Don has me traveling here and there and of course the BAU's schedule is always unpredictable. However, the weather seems to be on Aaron's and my side now; as of two days ago, DC has seen winter make a grand entrance complete with snowplows, vehicle spin outs and grounded flights.
While everyone else is cursing the storm, I secretly love that snow made an early appearance this year. It reminds me of home which to this day is always a comfort to me.
Welcome or not, Old Man Winter has chilled me to the bone during the walk over here so I haven't even taken my coat off yet. I sit on my hands to warm my fingers and eye my gloves and hat that are lying on the table.
I hear the door to Jake's open only to see a frozen patron whom I don't recognize enter; most likely in search for a hot, Irish coffee. A cold draft hits me and makes me shiver. While our booth is a fair distance from the door, chilled air always manages to find me every time someone enters or exits Jake's.
As I take another sip of my hot drink I glance at my phone and wonder how Aaron is fairing in this weather. Knowing him, he is driving over here even though the roads are horrendous.
I shake my head at his stubbornness. Regardless of the poor driving conditions and our hectic schedules, Aaron was insistent on meeting when I spoke with him this morning.
"It is absolutely unacceptable that you haven't seen me or my 'nice' ass in over a week," he joked on the phone.
I laughed when he referred to the time he got me to tell him what I thought about his ass.
"I'm going to see you tonight, JJ. Come hell or high water."
The resolve I heard in his voice and his determination to see me left a smile on my face for the rest of the day.
I really do miss him. Late night calls and daily texts don't measure up to our time here at Jake's.
After our phone call I had a lightness to my step, to the point where my coworkers even commented so. I blushed in response but didn't bother explaining why and merrily went on working through the rest of the day, eager to get it over with.
But then the office grapevine found me and I heard that a case practically exploded on the BAU's lap this afternoon. Apparently the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit stumbled upon something big and it has become a hot case. I'm not sure of the details but I am sure Aaron has his hands full.
While the team is dedicated and dependable, a unit chief still has to deal with the political side of things which can be miserable during major cases.
A few hours before the end of my workday I was about to text Aaron to tell him not to worry about meeting, but before I could my phone chirped. A picture of him and Jack showed up on my screen before it opened my incoming text.
Can you meet now?
His message surprised me since everything I had heard today indicated that Aaron Hotchner's job didn't allow for a personal life at the moment. Nor had we planned to meet for another two hours.
Give me twenty to get there, I responded.
Now here I sit, sipping my cocoa and hoping things aren't as serious as they could be. After all, Aaron doesn't leave the BAU for personal reasons when there is a major case to solve.
Finally he appears, rushing inside to escape the icy wind. The way he is standing and the stiffness of his shoulders scream uneasiness and my suspicions of trouble are confirmed. After taking a moment to brush his coat free of snowflakes he heads over to me. His eyes are serious and his brows are creased together. He has a grave expression on his face and his lips are pressed into a thin line.
Yes, something is very, very wrong.
Panting and flushed from the weather, he comes to a stop at our table but doesn't bother to sit down. He fixes an indifferent Hotchner gaze on my face and seems to be searching for the right words to say.
"Aaron?" I want to get up but he isn't leaving enough room for me to do so. All I can do is helplessly look up at him.
Suddenly a panic washes over me and I wonder if something has happened to Jack. I'm just about to stand up, not caring about crashing into him, before my logic kicks in and reminds me that Aaron wouldn't be here, calm and collected, if that were the case. I let out a small, and ultimately unnecessary, sigh of relief knowing the little boy I've come to care deeply for is okay.
Since Jack is safe, only one other option remains: something has happened to a member of the BAU family. This realization kicks me hard in the stomach.
I swallow the lump in my throat and look back at Aaron. He still hasn't said anything to me and I'm growing irritated. Fear begins to swell within me as my mind goes into overdrive thinking of the worst case scenarios. I grab his coat at the waist and demand an answer from him. "Aaron! What happened? You're scaring me!"
He looks as if I jerked him out of a trance and begins to take off the leather gloves I bought him for his birthday. He clenches them in his right hand and allows his stoic mask to settle back into place.
Suddenly I know Aaron isn't with me, Hotch is.
"JJ." All he says is my name, but the heaviness in his voice is almost unbearable. "I need your help."
The seriousness Hotch is exerting is beginning to scratch at my nerves. "Okay." I take a breath and nod. It has been a while since I've needed to interact with SSA Hotchner. It is strange to see his unexpected professional persona again, almost as much as it was the first time I saw him carefree during our first meeting here at Jake's. I shake my head and refocus. "Okay, what do you need?"
At my question he steps back to allow me to stand. I don't take my eyes off his. "Hotch, what's going on?" I ask as I hastily adjust my scarf.
At my use of his surname he does a double take. I see a flash of Aaron, which offers me a small amount of relief. I begin to busy myself with my gloves when he picks up my hat off the table. He smoothes it out in his hands and offers it to me. I set it on my head and lean down to grab my purse. I straighten up in front of him and before we move Aaron reaches up and readjusts my scarf so it is higher up around my neck.
"It's cold out," he says as an explanation for his actions. Then he lowers his hands and makes sure the scarf is securely tucked into my jacket.
My stomach jumps a little at his affection for me but I push the feeling aside. He is scaring me half to death with his behavior and offering no information other than telling me it is cold outside. Of course it is cold outside; we are in the middle of a snowstorm!
At my incredulous expression he shakes his head. "I'm sorry. Everything's…"
He lets the sentence hang and I know it is because he can't bring himself to say "fine". His phone chirps and he goes to read a message. It must be important because it has his full attention, but I'm beyond caring.
"Aaron!" I protest.
"I'll explain on the way," he tells me curtly, slipping back into agent mode.
I frown at his back and forth between Aaron and Hotch. It is as if he can't decide who to be at the moment which is saying a lot. I try to remain impartial and follow his lead but he is being difficult.
He places a hand on the small of my back and begins to escort me out of the bar.
We step outside and I am surprised the weather has calmed somewhat. We pause on the deserted sidewalk while Aaron begins to put his gloves back on.
"Explain now," I say, not bothering to censor the frustration in my voice. He spares a quick glance at me but says nothing and continues to fiddle with his gloves. I scoff and bite my lip to keep myself from criticizing his despondent attitude. I know there is a reason he is like this and I don't need to add to his stress by being snippy but I'm starting to feel hurt.
I am surprised when a sudden twinge of sadness blossoms in my chest. This isn't how I expected tonight to go. Tonight was supposed to be just Aaron and I, talking about our boys and laughing. Tonight could have marked the start of something new for both of us; something that has been building for a long time and threatening to drive me crazy with want. I feel my eyes glaze over as I think about the wonderful ways this evening could have been special. I feel the urge to cry out my regrets.
By his silence I can tell Aaron is watching me. I inwardly cringe at my carelessness; I am standing across one of the best profilers in the FBI and didn't bother to hide the emotions settled in my eyes. I blink and do my best to place an indifferent look on my face.
Desperate not to get any more upset, I finally spot the government issued SUV parked on the side of the street and wordlessly make my way towards it. Suddenly I feel Aaron's hand in mine and he pulls me back to him.
"JJ." He wraps his arms around my waist and brings me up against him. He patiently searches my eyes with his, testing the waters. His hazel orbs have a fire in them that I recognize, only it is multiplied. He silently reaches one hand up to the back of my head and my heart begins to beat faster for I know what is about to happen.
When he claims my lips with his I am ready for it. It makes me weak in the knees and warmth blossoms in my abdomen. Aaron's lips are soft and gentle, but demanding and controlling at the same time. I raise my arms around his neck and sink into the kiss, pouring every ounce of passion I have into it. Our mouths open together and our tongues meet. He tightens his hold on me and there is no space left between our bodies. The wind has turned into a soft breeze and powdery snow flurries are falling peacefully all around us and it feels perfect. We must be the only two people in the world.
Eventually we need a second to breathe and pull our lips apart. Aaron is still holding me fiercely and I tighten my arms, unwilling to let this night go just yet. He lifts his lips onto my forehead and speaks.
"I've been wanting to do that for a long time," he tells me. He gives my forehead another peck and pulls his head back slightly.
I find I am speechless and overly emotional so I give him a heartfelt smile in an effort tto save face. He offers me a quick grin and reaches up to unwrap my arms from around his neck. He holds my hands in his and takes a breath.
"JJ as much as I want to continue this someplace warm, we don't have time to." Aaron blinks slowly and begins to talk faster, as he always does when he is explaining something. "We don't even have time to talk about this right now but…"
My ears prickle at his cliffhanger.
"…know that you make me happy. Very happy," he finishes with the tiniest of smiles. The huskiness in his voice makes me flush and it makes me want him more than ever. In a more even voice he continues. "And I'm sorry, my timing is inappropriate and horrible and—"
I place a finger on his lips, just like they do in the movies, and shake my head. "Later is fine. What do you need my help with at the BAU?"
He lets out a huff of breath which turns into frost when it hits the air. He squeezes my hands before he releases them.
"Emily's in trouble and we need your help with finding her." He gives me a pained expression when he sees my eyes grow big with concern for one of my dearest friends. He grasps my elbow and steers me towards the SUV. "Come on."
I silently turn to walk with him to the car. I don't bother asking for details because I know he will tell me shortly once we are in the vehicle. Aaron brings me to the passenger side door and opens it, allowing me to get in. As I settle into the seat he closes my door and walks around the front of the SUV and joins me. I know we are both using this brief space apart to compartmentalize everything that just happened. Aaron and JJ are on the back burner, Hotch and Jareau are taking over.
When he starts the engine he turns on the heat full blast to defrost the windshield and turns to me.
"She left without saying a word to any of us. A man named Ian Doyle has been on our radar and he's been targeting—"
"Just about everyone," I say, confirming that I already know some of what is going on. Hotch waits for me to explain. "There have been whispers at the Pentagon about it during the past few days but I had no idea that it was in the BAU's hands! God, Hotch. Doyle? This is bad!"
Anxiety blankets his face and he purses his lips. "I know. And Prentiss is in the middle of it. I need your help with getting more information so we can understand how she fits into Doyle's schedule. Then we can find her." Aaron falls silent and subconsciously rubs his forehead. "I promised I'd never do this, but I need your State Department ties, JJ. Otherwise we're stuck." He shifts the gear into drive and checks the mirrors before pulling out into the road.
My mind is going a mile a minute and it takes me a second to catch up with it. "It's Emily, Hotch. I'd be offended if you didn't come to me," I insist. He looks over to me and gives a sharp nod. I turn and sit back into my seat and sigh. "To the Pentagon, then."