Disclaimed!
Wow, the response to this story has been amazing and I've just really noticed how many reviews that have accumulated and all I can say is that you're all awesome. Hi to everyone who has taken the time to read, alert and review!
As always, let me know what you think, enjoy!
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Hotch quietly closed Henry's bedroom door after tucking both boys back into bed for the second time, after they decided their bedtime was too early and began to play with their trucks, neither thinking that their parents downstairs could hear their banging and clattering as they played on the wooden bedroom floor.
Smirking at the blonde as he re-entered, JJ chuckled at his exhausted appearance. His tie was discarded before he entered the Pennsylvanian's home and after several hours hanging out with JJ and the boys his jacket was removed, his crisp blue shirt was un-tucked with several buttons undone and his hair was mussed up. "Are they down?"
"It was very reluctant on their behalf." Hotch laughed as he took his seat, on the couch next to JJ.
He took a sip of his wine, they had poured after the boy's first attempt to get to bed, and watched JJ's intent gaze on him, out of the corner of his eye. "Have I got something on my face?"
Blushing, JJ diverted her eyes to the glass in her hand. "No, I was just thinking."
"Thinking about what?" Hotch pressed upon seeing JJ's tensed shoulders.
"I'm glad you're in our life, Hotch." JJ stated shyly as she placed the wine on a coaster on the coffee table.
Hotch smiled warmly and nodded. "And I'm glad you're in mine and Jack's life."
They smiled at each other in comfortable calmness. The stereo was playing in the background but their conversation had faded into exchanging meaningful glances, as Hotch unconsciously rubbed circles slowly with his thumb on JJ's knee.
No reference was made to the touch or the soft, loving expressions they both kept stealing. As the silence between them lengthened, JJ cleared her throat and let her head tilt to the back of the couch, but kept her eyes focused solely on him.
"I don't want to risk losing you." She admitted in whisper.
Hotch slouched down on the couch, so his head was leaning back in the same position as JJ's and faced only a few inches away from her face. "You won't."
"When I pushed away from you at the party and for the rest of the week, it was just because I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable." JJ explained softly, her mind tried its best not to concentrate on his hand that was still on her knee. "You've been through a lot Aaron. And we've become a lot closer over the last few months. I didn't want you to think I was taking advantage."
Hotch smirked as he felt her warm breath on his face. "I kissed you, JJ."
JJ bit her lower lip as the close proximity and intense eye contact made her stomach tie in a knot. "Why did you kiss me?"
The back of his free hand, that wasn't on her knee, brushed against her cheek faintly. "I'm really selfish."
JJ hummed quietly at the contact, their eyes still locked in a lustful gaze. They both grinned as neither pulled away, instead they just enjoyed the contact and intimacy of the situation. The relaxed silence continued, with Hotch's hand still resting on her knee and his other tracing the lines of her jaw.
The liaison looked down at his still hand on her knee, before she broke the silence between them.
"We're friend's right?" JJ asked, berating herself instantly, for the sudden worried look on his face, an expression that read as though he thought he'd overstepped, and his hands swiftly moved to his sides and off of her.
Nodding, Hotch was about to reply when there was a loud bang against the door, followed by another and another. The profiler looked to JJ in confusion.
"I'm not expecting anyone this late." JJ glanced to her watch and saw it had just gone ten pm.
Hotch motioned for JJ to stay on the couch as he went to answer the door. The banging continued until he opened it and glared at the unwelcome visitor.
"Will." Hotch stated dryly as he stared down the shorter man.
Will swayed slightly as he looked up at the supervisor. Scoffing, he pushed his way into the house and pointed to the man standing behind him and then to a baffled JJ as she came into view. "Please tell me you're not fucking him?"
"What the hell are you doing here, Will?" JJ frowned as he impatiently waited for an answer.
Will turned towards the trained negotiator and chuckled. "What, you had to wait till she was damaged to screw her? God that's..."
JJ gasped as Hotch pushed the younger man back and forced him to collide with the wall with a thump, and instantly his hands scrunched up the detective's shirt to control the other man's body.
Jerking, Will's body hit the wall once more, as Hotch practically growled out his response. "You need to sober up and stay far away from..."
"I'm jus' here... to see MY son." Will slurred as Hotch continued to invade his space.
JJ eyed Hotch, silently warning him to let go. "You're not seeing Henry when your drunk, Will."
"You not keep me from him, Jay. I'mma good dad." Will stumbled as Hotch dropped him down.
Slowly Hotch came to the blonde's side his hand resting on her lower back reassuringly as Will drunkenly stared at them. "Sorry. But Henry's my son. Mine, not his."
JJ tensed at the accusation. "Hotch is a friend, Will. And when you sober up we can talk about visitation..."
"Visitation, no. No Jay, I'm his dad. I want to see my son." Will insisted and suddenly turned, off balance towards the stairs.
JJ stepped forward but before the Louisianan could reach the bottom stair, Hotch grabbed him and pushed him back towards the couch and forced him to sit down. "Will, listen to me. Are you listening?"
Will looked at Hotch in distain. "Get off me, ass. You're an..."
Hotch looked to JJ, who seemed to be in distress as she crossed her arms and nervously rocked on the balls of her bare feet. "Will. I know what it's like not to be able to see your son when you want. JJ's not keeping Henry from you right now, but he is asleep. And the last thing you want to do is wake him up and allow him to see you in this state, trust me. Go home and sober up. When you're ready to talk, come into the office and the three of us will sit down and you and JJ can decide what to do next."
"JJ, why don't you like me?" Will whined as he looked towards the observing liaison.
JJ looked to Hotch in bewilderment before answering. "It might have something to do with you cheating on me Will."
Will scoffed as he watched the pair exchanged glances. "But why keep Henry, I'ma good dad."
"I know you are Will." JJ replied softly, seeing his agitated state wasn't going to shift any time soon.
"I'mma sorry. God, I think I messed up." Will ran his hand over his face and shook his body loose.
Hotch pressed a hand to the man's shoulder to get him to stay still on the couch before moving over to where JJ was. "I'm going to call a cab."
JJ nodded her thanks but both of their attention turned to Will who was mindlessly talking out loud. "Little baby might be that ass, Rossi's. Can you believe that? You must love that, right?"
As the sober couple realised what drove the man to drink, they exchanged knowing looks. "Well karma's a bitch, Will." JJ shrugged as she looked towards Hotch whose attention had turned to phoning for a taxi.
Will began laughing at JJ's truthful response. "I hurt you. You're amazing. I hurt you."
"I don't want to keep Henry away from you, Will. No matter how much I hate you. But I need to keep boundaries, especially with the baby coming. I don't want Henry to ever come in second and I'm not sure you can guarantee that he won't." JJ sighed, knowing she was being difficult and overprotective, but he'd hurt her when she never thought he would and that guard wasn't coming down again with the Southerner.
Will shook his head and sighed. "I love him. He's my son. The baby might not even be mine."
"Will you can get drunk all you want but you and I both know, that you're going to stand by Prentiss and the kid. We both know a newborn is a lot of hard work and I know how difficult it is to integrate a step family on good terms." JJ sat down in front of him on the coffee table, the smell of alcohol strongly permeating from him. "We're not on good terms. I'm not keeping Henry away to spite you but I have to protect him from disappointment and heartbreak."
"I'm his dad." Will stated tiredly.
JJ nodded and tilted her head. "And I'm his mom."
The three stayed in silence for the rest of the time until the taxi again. Unable to stand on his own, Hotch helped the drunken man to the cab outside and made sure the driver had Prentiss's address. Returning to the living room, the profiler found JJ pottering around the room, straightening pillows and tidying up toys.
"Are you okay?" Hotch asked warmly, noting the little jump the liaison did as he spoke.
JJ turned and smiled. "Yeah, thanks for that. I couldn't have handed that by myself very well."
"You would have managed just fine. But I'm glad I was here." Hotch responded certainly and began to help the petite woman straighten the room.
JJ caught his eye line as they moved around the room in sync. "Can you believe that about Rossi and Prentiss?"
"Honestly, it doesn't surprise me. You know I actually felt sorry for Will." Hotch rolled his eyes slightly at the scenario.
JJ chuckled cynically. "Really? I guess I haven't quite forgiven him yet and find it all a little amusing. It's horrible but still amusing."
Nodding, Hotch sat on the arm of the couch and watched the liaison watch him. His face hardened as his mind ran. "What I don't like, is the fact that he came here drunk."
"You were here. Nothing bad was going too happened." JJ smiled softly as she continued to stand in the middle of her living room.
Lowering his gaze, the knowledge that the blonde felt that safe around him, made his stomach roll. "JJ, when we were in Pennsylvania and we talked about my family..."
"I never meant to overstep any lines." JJ interjected when she saw something bothering the unit chief.
Shaking his head, Hotch smiled thinly. "No, you didn't." He took a deep breath as he lowered his eyes but reconnected their eye contact before he continued. "I couldn't protect Hailey. My dad, couldn't protect me and my brother, but I did my best to protect Sean from my mom and to protect Jack from Foyet."
JJ took a small step forward, tilting her head at her colleagues less than secret protective side. "I know you did, Aaron. But I don't want you to think you need to protect me. I just meant that..."
"I want to protect you and Henry. I want to be the person you can depend on. And although I want a lot of things that I really shouldn't, I need you to know I that I'm aware of my position in your life and I'll I do all I can to be the friend that you deserve." Hotch looked at the blonde nervously as he opened up.
JJ's smile widened as she saw his determination pry through his nerves. "I wish you wouldn't put the weight of the world on your shoulders, Aaron."
Nodding, he stood slowly and took a step forward to close the distance between them. "I care about you, JJ. I want to be here."
"I want you to be here too." JJ agreed with a smirk. "But, you really need to learn that you can't control everything. I know this is a shocker but you're actually human Aaron Hotchner, although you're still my hero."
Hotch laughed back at JJ's chuckle but stilled to look at his watch, when their gazes became more heated. "I should probably get Jack and go home."
"You can stay over, like you have plenty of times before." JJ smiled bashfully, as they stood awkwardly opposite each other as the same thought flashed through both of their minds at the liaison's suggestion to stay the night.
"I don't think that's such a good idea." Hotch smiled sadly, both knowing he was alluding to the attraction they had for each other, being too strong for either of them to resist. "But I'll see you tomorrow."
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Drama to ensue, I'm sure!
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