Disclaimed!
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Just before dusk, JJ took a deep breath inwards and undid her seatbelt as Hotch pulled up, outside a mid-terraced, two bedroom house on a quiet street. The unit chief followed the blondes gaze to the American flag, softly swaying off pole on the rundown porch.
It honestly wasn't what he was expecting JJ's childhood house to be like. He imagined a large white house with a picket fence and a swing set, a willow tree and lots of green grass in the garden. Instead it was drearier.
The house was more battered after a long, harsh winter and neglected after years of inattentiveness. There was a lopsided metal gate, swinging back and forth and a concrete pavement up to the steps of the house with no greenery to be seen.
The greyness was identical down the entire street. They'd followed plenty of overgrown trees on their drive through the industrial town that encompassed the small settlement. The streets were flooded with puddles after a bad rainstorm and the clouds showed no sign of a warm, April spring.
"Are you ready?" Hotch asked in concern as JJ's face had fallen to an unconscious frown.
Nodding, JJ silently opened the car door and quickly helped Henry and Jack out of their seats. Holding both of the young boy's hands as Hotch came to their side, JJ tilted her head as he continued to stare at her in concern. "Sorry I'm quiet."
"It's okay. Are you sure you're ready?" Hotch asked again, noting a female figure behind the blonde. He assumed the woman was his colleagues' mother.
JJ turned seeing they weren't alone and gave a shaky sigh before fixing her press smile on her face, which didn't go unnoticed, by the exceptionally trained profiler. "Hey Lottie!"
"JJ, I wasn't expecting you so soon." JJ's mom stated as she stepped down the few steps and bent down to pick up the two year old, as Henry cheerfully toddled towards her. "Hey there is my little moonbeam."
Jack kept hold of JJ's hand and, Hotch stayed at her side as he watched an uncomfortable hug, between the two women. "Traffic wasn't that bad. Erm, Lottie, this is Aaron Hotchner and his son, Jack. Hotch, Jack this is my mom, Charlotte Braun."
"Please, call me Lottie. It's nice to meet you both. You know, I just put the kettle on and I have cookies out." Lottie beamed, with the same fake smile as JJ's, as she glanced down at the two boys before they looked at their parents pleadingly.
JJ raised her eyes quizzically. "Did you make the cookies yourself?"
"Of course not, I got them from Graham's this morning." Charlotte replied as she ushered the foursome out of the fresh early evening, breeze and into the modestly decorated house.
JJ helped the boys take off their coats before she removed her own, and took Hotch's to hang on the pegs and muttered quietly under her breath. "Thank God."
"I don't know what you're getting at Jennifer, I'm a good cook!" Charlotte yelled from the kitchen at the back of the house where she led both of the boys too. JJ met Hotch's eyes in amusement and shook her head in disagreement.
The two agents met Jack, Henry and Lottie in the kitchen and began to make small talk about their journey to Pennsylvania and the impending wedding.
As the conversation lapsed, JJ's mom watched the two parents interact with their respective son's as they ate their cookies. Smirking at her daughter's relaxed demeanour, Lottie caught Hotch's gaze suggestively. "So, you're just JJ's boss, huh?"
"Erm, yes Ma'am." Hotch relied politely as he passed Henry his cup of milk, which the little boy was attempting to reach for, across the kitchen bench.
JJ eyed her mother warningly, when the liaison noticed the curious expression on the older woman's face. "Aaron is a great friend, Lottie, and a great boss."
Hotch blushed at the praise and his friend's warm smile. "JJ is an exceptional agent, you should be proud."
The greying blonde woman tensed and began to clear the kitchen bench by turning away from her visitors and putting the milk bottle back into the fridge. "I would have been prouder if she concentrated more on being a mother and partner instead of running around, god-knows-where, with a gun. Maybe my little moonbeam would still have a father."
"Henry does have a father, Lottie, but he's busy concentrating on his new family, right now." JJ replied through gritted teeth, before kissing her son's head and putting her glass in the sink.
Hotch observed both women become quiet as they pottered around the kitchen, doing their best not to meet the other's eye line. "You have a lovely home, Mrs Braun."
"Thank you Aaron and please, call me Lottie. Mrs Braun was my second husband's mother." Lottie smiled and took her seat back round the kitchen island.
"Will your husband be at the wedding?" Hotch asked innocently, but instantly regretted it when JJ tried her best to refrain a smirk as her mother shook her head with a thin, tight smile.
JJ leaned against the sink and answered for her mother. "Oh yeah, Alan will be there but he hasn't been her husband for eight years."
Lottie shook her head at JJ's response. "My first husband, JJ's father, is also going to be at the wedding. JJ, I guess you two will finally have something to talk about. He couldn't satisfy his partner either."
"And that's my cue to go and get the bags." JJ rolled her eyes and left the kitchen, closely followed by Hotch.
Once their bags had been brought in from the car, JJ led Hotch to her old room and showed him around upstairs, ignoring the awkwardness that occurred in the kitchen.
"You don't mind if both of the boys stay in here with you, do you? There's not much room." JJ indicated to the two single beds in the small room that had obviously not been redecorated, since JJ had lived there.
Hotch shook his head and sat on the edge of the floral bed. "Of course not. Have you got somewhere to sleep?"
"I'll take the couch." JJ replied softly as she began to unpack her suitcase into the standing wardrobe in between the heads of both beds.
"You know I can take the couch?" Hotch stated as he watched the blonde nervously wander around her room.
JJ shook her head immediately. "You're a guest here. You can't sleep on the couch."
"Did you share your room with your sister?" Hotch asked slowly as JJ's sudden change in behaviour made him feel on edge.
JJ stilled and sat down on the bed opposite of where Hotch was sitting. "No, the attic was converted years ago, after she got sick of sharing with her little sister. The room's full of junk now."
"I'm sorry for bringing her up, but you've been acting a little off." Hotch tilted his head worryingly. "And your mom seems a little off, too."
"My sister's name was Sarah and its fine for you to bring her up." JJ smiled sadly and looked towards her hands before continuing. "My silent behaviour isn't about her. My mom had some things to say about what happened with Will and we haven't really spoken since. Obviously she had her opinions downstairs. Sorry about that."
Hotch frowned. "Don't worry about it. I know what family can be like. But I'm sorry. You wouldn't have known that you two weren't talking."
"That's kind of our relationship. Argue and then pretend we're not until we have another argument." JJ shook her head and sighed.
Hotch reached forward for her hand and forced her eyes to meet his. "Are you going to be okay, staying here?"
JJ nodded and plastered a fake smile on her face again. "Of course. Besides the only real alternative would have been my father's, and between him, my step mom, step brother and step sister. Things would have been a little cramped."
"When did your parent's divorce?" Hotch asked as JJ got back to her unpacking
"Twenty two years, this June." JJ began to explain, meeting the unit chief's curious eyes every now and again as he helped her with Henry's clothes. "My dad moved out not long after Sarah's suicide."
Hotch passed Henry's tie to the distracted liaison. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. We've all moved on." JJ smiled reassuringly.
"So which side of the family is Kay on?" Hotch changed the subject subtly, something JJ was grateful for.
JJ chuckled at Hotch's continuous questioning gaze. "Neither, she's my godmother. Kay's mother was my dad's mother's best friend and I guess she's been integrated into the family since my parents were kids. My mom and dad used to live next door to each other, right here in East Alleghany. Charlotte, my dad Joe, Kay and her husband to be Peter, Graham and Nancy have been a group of friend's forever. Nancy's my stepmom, and Graham's Nancy's ex husband."
JJ rolled her eyes at her explanations complexity. "They have a son together, Mark, who I grew up with. Graham is now living with my ex step dad Alan. Choosing the wrong person to be in a relationship with, kind of runs in this family."
"It's nearly as complicated as your love life." Hotch smirked as JJ's jaw dropped.
Recovering quickly, JJ smiled mischievously and threw Henry's small black suit jacket, she had in her hands, at the reflexive agent. "Don't mock my love life. You've had some drama in your life too."
Hotch raised his hands in surrender. "Fair enough! So what's this week's plan?"
"Well, tonight we'll go around to Graham and Alan's place for dinner, because they're the only one's who can cook. Tomorrow, I have a dress fitting so you're welcome to explore, or come and go as you please." JJ shook her head as Hotch smirked at her mental list. "Kay and Peter are having a rehearsal dinner tomorrow night and you'll meet everyone properly then. Wednesday is the wedding and as for Thursday I thought we'd just not do much, seeing as we'll probably be hung-over before the drive home on Friday."
Hotch opened his holdall and nodded. "Sounds like a plan."
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Hi to everyone who has read and has alerted and a special thanks to; egoofy34, stefi, p95000, brittanydelko4ever, deeda, Kimd33, crazyobsession101, littlegreenbottle, lulubell76, CrimStudent47, Myspaceisdaocean, Berlian, schokokaffee, Flames101, angry penguin, JJandHotch4ever96, spk, Garmor, ReadingRed, jekkah, MLN and Crazybunnyeatscandy.
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