AN/I first just want to say how grateful I am for the kind reviews. I was touched by your kind words, and hope that you continue to enjoy this story. The story should be on the upswing to happier times, so if you've thought that I'm a super huge downer, just know that it's looking up.

Alright, I know that most of you have been waiting EVER SO PATIENTLY for me to finally get on with the JJ/Hotchness of this story. I hope to satiate your request with this chapter, and I know you're all dying with shock at having another update so soon, but I'm on a roll :)

"Henry, stop playing with your food." I chuckled, though my almost three year old paid me no mind. For a moment, I was hit with a pang of sorrow at how much he resembled his father. Will would be so proud to see him now.

Snapping myself out of my own thoughts, I groaned as the ringing doorbell alerted me that Emily was here. My new condo was only a few minutes away from Emily's and the older woman had insisted on the carpool routine we now shared. Though at first I balked at the threat to my independence, I was now largely grateful for the daily routine.

"Jayje? Henry? Are you ready?" She opened the door tentatively using the spare key I gave her.

"Yeah Em, we're just finishing up breakfast." I grabbed my son's plate from the table.

"Aunt Em'ly!" Henry cried with excitement despite the fact he saw her almost every day.

"Good morning Squirt." She ruffled his hair fondly.

"Henry, Go brush your teeth so we can go." I instructed, looking him over quickly and feeling incredibly happy that he hadn't made a mess all over his clean clothes.

"Okay Mommy." He scampered off obediently and I felt a momentary swell of pride as I heard the faucet turn on.

"You okay Jayje?" Emily looked at me cautiously as if she knew exactly what was running through my mind.

But the truth was, I didn't even know what was going through my mind. Will would have been so proud of Henry, and the reminder that Henry was growing up without a father hit me again with force that I hadn't expected.

"Jayje? Is everything alright?" Emily asked again.

Pausing for just a moment, I nodded, somewhat surprising myself. "Yeah, I'm fine."

I grinned as Hotch entered my office hours later and sat down across from me, fuming silently. "I can't believe you." He groaned, though it didn't take much at all to detect the boyish twinkle in his eye. "You set me up."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I feigned innocence, though it was difficult to contain my smirk. Luckily, I was trained at controlling not only my emotions, but conversations as well. "Now if you'll excuse me," I tried to dismiss him though I knew it wasn't going to work, "I've got quite a bit of work to finish."

"No." He folded his arms over his chest and his dark eyes flickered impishly, "Not until you apologize."

"Apologize? For what?" I tried to play dumb again.

"You know what." He growled, though I could see the corners of his lips twitch.

"Oh, you mean the benefit." I exclaimed as though the enlightenment had struck me.

"Yes. The benefit." He grumbled knowingly, "You told Strauss I would represent the entire bureau at a charity benefit."

"Not just told." I reminded him, smiling broadly "I committed you. I committed you to represent the entire bureau at a charity benefit."If I were in different circumstances, I'd be dancing with glee. There were few times I could get Aaron Hotchner riled up like this, and I had jumped on the opportunity. I knew Strauss would make him go one way or the other--why not indulge my own sense of humor at the same time?

"JJ." He leveled a glare at me that held no weight. "You're going to pay for this."

"I'd like to see you try." I retorted, for some reason feeling completely emboldened.

He huffed slightly when he realized that I was correct in my assumption that he wouldn't be able to inflict bodily harm without consequences. "Fine. But you owe me lunch."

I smiled sweetly. "Where would you like to go?"

"I know just the place." He turned, and though I couldn't see his face, I couldn't help but feel that he was hiding something. "Come on, we can walk, it's not that far."

Walking out of the Bureau doors, I was silently grateful that I had thought to bring my gloves today. It wasn't freezing, but the snow had accumulated and there was a lingering chill in the air. "So where is this place?" I teased.

"Oh, it's over there." Hotch pointed, though I missed the direction. I fell comfortably into step beside him, surprised at how easy it was to be around him.

Suddenly, I felt his arms around my waist and I looked up in shock. "Hotch?" I went to say, but he was too quick. With a sickening feeling, I knew exactly what was happening before it did. "Put me down!" I shrieked in between giggles as he heaved me over his shoulder.

"I do believe that I promised you'd pay." He said with a chuckle in his voice as he walked us over to a large bank of freshly fallen snow.

"No!" I cried as I spotted the snow pile, but my cries fell on deaf ears as he threw me gently into the snow.

"Aaah!!!" I cried as the cold wet snow miraculously found a way to infiltrate its way down the back of my coat.

Hotch chortled heartily and I glared at him, all the while fighting my own grin at the uncharacteristic display of affection. Although I had moved out of his home, Hotch and I grew closer with each day. What had begun as a treasured friendship had blossomed into something that I didn't recognize--but enjoyed.

He held out his hand to help me up. "See, I told you I'd make you pay." He gloated.

I sulked outwardly, and beamed mischievously inwardly. Guys always made the same mistake--celebrating before the victory was won. Luckily, I had years of experience at masking my emotions. Grabbing his hand, I allowed him to think he was going to help before yanking him down on the snow next to me. I cried with giddy as my plan was executed flawlessly and Hotch crumbled next to me, stunned by the sudden reversal. For good measure, I flung a handful of snow back to his face.

That seemed to alert him and he jumped to his feet. But I already had a head start and jolted down the walk.

Luckily after years of playing soccer in college there was no way he was going to catch up with me.

I couldn't help but grin as I flipped through the next case file on my desk. After our romp in the snow, Hotch had taken us to the deli down the street where we both got soup and laughed over the speech he was going to have to give at the end of the week.

"JJ, I have the consult for the Arlington PD, but I can't seem to find their phone number." Rossi barged into my office and plopped down on the chair across from me.

"It's on the last page of the file--where it's always been." I rolled my eyes at his obvious attempt to segue into whatever topic he wanted to discuss.

He smirked as if he hadn't really expected her to believe his initial reasoning, but it wasn't like him to not try in the first place. "So--?"

"So what?" I asked, rolling my eyes. I'm not sure when Dave decided he wanted to get in on 'Girl Talk', but he still wasn't very good at it.

"So, you seem happy." He observed, smirking knowingly.

"Is that what you came in to talk about? That I seem happy?" I retorted, not willing to give in to his subtlety.

Rossi chuckled under his breath. "No, I guess not. I just wanted to know how you're doing."

"You see me every day." My attempt to shrug him off only seemed to annoy him.

"Alright, out with it." He commanded, abandoning all appearances of subtlety. "What's going on with you and Hotch?"

"Nothing." I said, cursing the fact that I couldn't hide the grin from forming.

"So you want me--a nationally recognized profiler--to believe that there is nothing going on between the two of you?"

"I would expect you to believe it because it's true." I retorted. I know it was lame, but it was the best I had--he was starting to wear me down.

"Sorry JJ, I'm not buying it. What's going on?" He pressed.

Groaning, I realized that he was never going to let this go--he was as bad as Garcia that way. "Fine. We're meeting for dinner tonight."

"But didn't you have lunch together today?" He asked smiling genuinely, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Yes, but that was about business. This is just the two of us being friends." I explained as though it were completely reasonable.

"Sure." He said disbelievingly. "But tell me this, do you like him?" I could tell Rossi wasn't quite sure how to play this situation. Hotch had been his friend for years, and since Hailey's death, he desperately didn't want to see the younger man get hurt again. Neither did I to tell you the truth.

I pondered the question and answered hesitatingly. "He's a good friend." I admitted finally, though I could feel a slight blush creeping up my cheeks.

"And?" He prodded, not bothering to wonder if he was pushing his boundaries too far. I was grateful that he knew that I'm not type of person to allow herself to get pushed around. If I didn't want to answer, I wouldn't. But in the months since his revelation to me, I had confided in him more than in times past. It wasn't as if we were close confidants, but we shared a bond that many would never understand.

"And, yeah. I like him. I'd like to see where this goes." She admitted, the blush deepened.

"Good for you." Dave smiled, and I could tell he was genuinely happy for me. "Just remember: Everyone deserved happiness in this life, and no one is more deserving than you."

"Thanks Dave." I felt a wave of gratitude overtake me as he stood to leave.

He paused in the door frame and looked at me pointedly. "No one is more deserving than you." He repeated, "Except maybe Hotch."