Chapter 7

"I didn't mean it that way," he quickly amended hoping to head off the approaching storm even though it was obvious it was too late.

"Oh, just how did you mean it, you think I'm desperate?" JJ repeated his earlier words as she tried to make sense of why he would say something like that. "And what the hell do you mean about Dave?" JJ demanded answers as she continued to stare him down, feeling hurt and disappointed that things had crumbled so quickly after she had just started allowing her hopes to rise that the stoic unit chief had finally started to think of her as more than a friend. She had been sure she had been reading his signals right the prior evening but suddenly wasn't so sure.

"I don't understand how you can let Dave pursue you when you know his reputation." Hotch tried to clarify his expression still dark as he finally verbalized his feelings of confusion aloud.

"I'm obviously missing something here," JJ said crossing her arms as she continued to glare into the dark orbs of the still angry man separated from her only by his desk.

"You and Rossi," Hotch again said frustrated at her apparent lack of comprehension. "Surely you know he's making a play for you." He finally explained seeing her again look very confused.

"We're friends Hotch, that's all, honestly the man is old enough to be my father." JJ said incredulously. "Not to mention Prentiss would probably shoot him if he did considering they've been together for the last two months." She said as she looked at him strangely, wondering how he had come by such a misconception.

Her revelation was enough to silence him for a moment as he stood and gaped at her, digesting her words before a slow grin started spreading across his face. "That sneaky bastard," he finally said as he collapsed into his chair not sure whether to be relieved or embarrassed as the pieces started rapidly fitting together.

"Care to fill me in?" JJ requested as it became clear that she was now more confused than Hotch was.

"Rossi told me he was going after you now that you were available again. From everything I saw he sure was convincing," Hotch explained still feeling progressively more lighthearted as he realized how wrong he had been, "I didn't know he was with Emily, so all this time I was imagining the two of you alone together at his house." He admitted.

"What, no Emily was there and…." JJ's voice trailed off as his words put a few things into different perspective. "He's not the only one in on it then," she finally divulged, realizing they had both been played. "Garcia was there as was Prentiss, he said he was offering us all free cooking lessons. Prentiss told me you had been invited but declined." She elaborated as they both sat to digest the ruse that had been played so effectively.

"I was so blinded by jealousy I never even considered the possibility," Hotch murmured, feeling embarrassed that he had been so totally played by his colleagues.

"So all this weird behavior from you has been jealousy," JJ realized just as another thought struck her causing her momentary elation to change to disappointment. "Your sudden interest in me was just because Rossi made you jealous?" She asked though her tone didn't indicate that she really expected an answer.

Hotch blinked rapidly not anticipating the jump she had made in logic and suddenly seeing his recent dreams again being wrenched out of his fingers. "No," he quickly said sharply, needing her to hear him before she shut down. "That's not it, I've cared deeply for you for a very long time, all Dave's game did was get my head out of my ass long enough to realize what I stood to lose if I kept hiding behind my insecurities. I wanted to wait, to make sure you had enough time after Will and then I was going to start exploring our relationship." He blurted out, watching her face as she absorbed his words.

"So he was just trying to get us together," JJ said slowly as she contemplated Hotch's latest revelation, her heart feeling a new warmth at his heartfelt admission as she struggled with whether she should be grateful or angry at Rossi for his actions. Hotch held his breath as he watched the play of emotions across her face.

"Perhaps the ends justifies the means in this case," she finally murmured as smiled. "I think I'm upset that he felt like playing this kind of game, but I'm also glad he did in away," she admitted, knowing she should give Hotch something in return for all that he had recently been through. "I've been hoping ever since Will left that you might give me a sign of how you feel, I didn't think my feelings were one sided but I wanted to know for sure, I was just beginning to give up hope."

"We've still got a lot to talk about, but how about now we go visit our tormentor and let him know the jig is up," Hotch finally suggested, wanting to get Dave called off so they could all move forward from the little ruse.

AN: My challenge to myself was to write a short fun fic without analyzing every little move and word, or getting caught up in drama, angst, etc. Sorry if it seems a bit shallow, I could have easily turned this into a much longer and angstier fic by having JJ rip Hotch and Dave both a new one and drag on making amends forever, I'll save that for some other time, but I was focusing on light and fluffy, I'm not typically good at that. I'm assuming no one is surprised at the pairing considering I've really only written Hotch/JJ stories thus far, congrats to those who figured out what Rossi was up to from early on. Anyway thanks to those still reading, and thanks for the reviews to: Damhill, Starie78, velizara95, 14hpgirl, 1701bg (ROTFL, that was funny, killing off Hotch), and chiroho. We've got one more chapter to go to wrap things up, will try to post it over weekend.