Chapter 4

"You've already got her coming to your house Dave?" Hotch thundered as he entered his colleagues' office, having decided to see if he could prevail on the older man's senses to slow things down.

"Faint heart never won fair lady Aaron," Rossi said smoothly, apparently unperturbed by the intrusion.

"She's still getting over Will, do you really love her or are you just looking for someone to warm your bed?" Hotch continued to scowl, laying his fears out on the table as he demanded to know the answer, trying to tell himself that he might be able to step aside if his friends intentions were honorable despite his doubt.

"I can't really answer that," Dave finally said cryptically, "it's a little too early to tell until I know more about the feelings she has."

"It's not a game Dave, she could get hurt," Hotch continued trying to reason with his friend.

"She's a big girl Aaron, she can take care of herself and speak for herself," Rossi's tone sounded sure as he debated with his friend. Soon deciding he would rather go on the offensive and get to the heart of the matter rather than sit and try to defend himself against all the accusations he was sure his fuming friend could hurl at him.

"Why don't you go ahead and admit what this is really about Aaron, you're angry because someone else is moving in on her, you made it clear from my first day that she was off limits, and for a long time I've respected that. But I'm not getting any younger and I'm tired of watching you two dance around each other, so yes Aaron my friend I'm going to do my best to make some changes , if you think you can do better you're welcome to give it a try but I'm not going to keep watching you come up with all your reasons to wait. Haley's gone, things didn't work out with Beth and yet you continue to sit miserable in your office while JJ is left free to be snatched up by another man, I may not be Mr. Wonderful, but I'm a hell of a better choice than what she did have." He finished, seeing Hotch looking struck by the starkness of his words. "So put up or shut up Hotchner," Dave finished as he gave an obvious challenge the look on his face calm and calculating as he watched his friends eyes darken with anger.

"Fine Dave, good luck with your little conquest, but if you end up hurting her or tearing up this team because of your damn hormones then I will hunt you down." Hotch said summarily as he stalked from the office, oblivious to the watchful eyes from the bullpen below.

"Wow, Hotch and Rossi are fighting." Reid observed as surprised as everyone else.

"We don't see that often," Prentiss agreed as she chewed her lip thoughtfully, "I wonder what about."

"I guess that explains his reaction to my mentioning Rossi," JJ said to herself, not verbalizing her thoughts aloud as she tried not to let her disappointment show, having only just started wondering if that unreadable look in his eyes could have been jealousy, but now she knew it wasn't really about her at all but some apparent conflict between the two men.

Hotch spent the rest of the day mulling over his friends harsh words, hating the knowledge that Dave had been completely on the mark. "What the hell am I supposed to do now," he agonized as he glanced at his reflection in the rearview mirror as he drove to pick up Jack. He knew Dave was right, he couldn't make JJ wait forever but still he kept being held back. Deep down he knew that the only thing holding him back was his fear of being hurt, of messing things up. It was hard to let someone back into your life after being hurt. He had learned that with Beth as he had just started allowing a few embers in his heart to begin glowing again before she ended things saying there was someone else with a schedule more complimentary to her own and seemed to walk away without even a backwards glance, out of his and Jack's lives almost as quickly as she had come. It had been hard for both father and son as Hotch tried to bury himself back in his work and ignore the small whispers of need for companionship that he would occasionally hear during the late night or early mornings when he was halfway between sleep and wakefulness.

"Put up or shut up," he heard Dave's voice ringing in his ears as he considered his options. "Well said my friend," he had to admit as he realized he only had two real options here and it was time to decide on a course of action.

Hotch was mildly cheered as he entered the BAU to see no sign of Rossi hanging out in the bullpen as JJ diligently worked along with the rest of the members. He felt a surge of hope that things had already run a natural course, feeling a note of optimism as he settled behind his desk, still unpacking his briefcase taking care not to turn over his coffee when the knock came on his door to admit a cheerful looking Jennifer Jareau. "Good morning," she said with a bright smile causing him to give a natural one in response before he saw the small package in her hands and immediately felt suspicious.

"Good morning," he returned, his eyes now on the bag containing something with a pattern that looked very similar to one of the dishtowels he had noticed at Rossi's. "What have you got there?" He asked looking at her still beaming face.

"Biscotti," she announced placing it on his desk obviously pleased with herself. "I made it at Dave's last night and thought I'd bring you some to enjoy with your morning coffee," she continued seeing him hesitate as he reached for the package.

"Biscotti huh?" he said treating it as if it might bite him as he gingerly opened the bag trying to act pleased as she appeared to be waiting for him to sample her offering.

"Yes, in Italy it's often served with red wine, but you know we usually eat it with coffee here in America," she educated him on the savory yet slightly sweet cookie as she watched him take a sip of coffee before taking a noticeably unenthusiastic bite. Mistaking his lackluster response JJ hastened on, disappointed that it had apparently not turned out as well as she had thought. She knew she had enjoyed it but perhaps it wasn't to her unit chief's liking. "I know it's my first try, he told me we could keep practicing on it if it didn't turn out good, she said looking altogether too happy at the prospect from what Hotch could see. "No, it's good, thank you," he finally said, pasting a smile on his face. I'm just still a little full from breakfast he said, not altogether untruthfully as the oatmeal he and Jack had eaten for breakfast was still fairly heavy on his stomach.

"Guess I'll get back to work then," JJ said her smile still bright despite having paled a little at the response she had received at her gesture that she had hoped would brighten her friends mood but did not seem to have quite the effect she desired.

The biscotti was indeed delicious, but it might as well have been cardboard for all Hotch tasted as he envisioned JJ and Rossi in the intimacy of the kitchen, cooking together. Rossi had often spoke about the sensuality of cooking and to Hotch there was no doubt that it was a ploy he was using to ensnare JJ. He knew the older man well and could envision how something as simple as reaching around her to help break eggs could give him ample opportunity to make his move if he hadn't already. Hotch had the feeling that nothing had happened yet to make JJ aware of Rossi's true intentions, though knowing what a skilled strategist his friend was he also knew nothing would likely happen until the Italian sensed that she would reciprocate his overtures. Pushing the bag of biscotti into his desk drawer Hotch considered what to do next as he rose to look out over the bullpen to see his agents at work, almost wishing there were a case to go out on and decrease some of the time availability they were currently enjoying which gave them evenings with friends and family and him no control over who he paired them with for casework. He knew already that the next time in the field he would either keep JJ close at his side or paired with one of the other team members, relishing the idea that he would be able to force some distance between the two if they ended up on a case.

AN: Thanks everyone for the reviews. One interesting note I'll share about the fic is that unlike my longer ones I pretty much wrote it all in a day. So it's actually it's all finished in nine chapters, so we're almost halfway there and I'm hoping to keep with schedule of posting one a day till finished. It's interesting reading what people are thinking thus far, I hope I don't disappoint anyone by the time it's over. Anyway thanks to starie78, llunaisol (I don't speak Spanish but if babelfish gave me the right translation, thanks), velizara95, damhill & chiroho (interesting suggestions, thanks – maybe I can use some of these great suggestions I'm getting on future fics if they don't appear in this one).