Chapter 5 (Timeless) (Thank you guys, for the reviews. I don't own ANYTHING)
JJ watched the snow fall from her car's window. It was Christmas Eve and thankfully the team was on standown. Morgan, however, wasn't so lucky. He had been called into to work to finish up reports on the case his department had been working on. He had called her earlier in the day to let her know he would be home late and that she was free to make other plans since they had prior plans to spend the day together. JJ, in fact, made other plans. Emily had called her to ask if she wanted to come over and drink some wine with her and talk at Emily's place. Emily's mother had allowed Emily to miss out on spending Christmas with her, as Emily had lied and told her the Ambassador she had to work and that she couldn't possibly get out of it. As JJ pulled into the driveway to Emily's house, she noticed a very familiar car parked next to Emily's. JJ wondered what Hotch was doing there. Immediately, JJ's mind wondered to to conclusion that Hotch and Emily must be having some kind of work affair, or well romance, considering neither Hotch nor Emily were married. JJ wondered how she could have missed the signs. However, Hotch could have a perfectly good reason for being at Emily's. They were co-workers and friends after all, perfectly normal. For some reason, JJ liked that explanation much better.
JJ walked up to Emily's door, suddenly nervous. The last time she saw Hotch outside of work was at Penelope's wedding. She could still feel the way his hand felt against hers during their one time dance. She shook her head quickly, watching the snow fall from her hair to the ground as she did. JJ sighed and knocked on the door. Within a minute's time frame, the door was opened. By Hotch. He smiled at her, as he'd been known to do lately around her. JJ ordinarily thought it was endearing, today she didn't know how to feel. Hotch took it open himself to pull her through the door and greeting her warmly. Hotch said Emily was taking a shower but she'd been out in a few minutes and to make herself at home. JJ blinked. Did Hotch come here that often that he was so comfortable being here, especially while Emily was in the shower? Hotch gestured to the seat on the couch beside him for her to sit and handed her a glass of wine. Hotch himself was sipping on a beer. JJ finally found her voice.
"Hotch, I didn't know you were going to be here." JJ said, hoping she didn't sound accusatory. Although she was, a little bit.
Hotch smiled again. "Emily invited me. She said we all needed a night with good friends and booze." Hotch hoped Emily's planned worked tonight and they didn't end up giving JJ the wrong idea about Hotch and Emily's relationship.
JJ smiled back this time, strangely relived to know Hotch had been invited just as she had and not as some kind of part-time boyfriend.
"Emily had the right idea." JJ shared, and just then Emily arrived on the scene, still in her towel. Emily came up beside Hotch, after throwing JJ a wave.
"Hotch, have you seen my blue bra? I apologize JJ, for walking around in just a towel but I really like to wear my blue bra when I'm drinking." Emily said with bright eyes and wet skin.
JJ thought she noticed Hotch turn a lovely shade of pink. Why would Hotch know where Emily's bra was? Maybe they were involved.
"Hotch, stop blushing. Do you, or do you not, remember where you left my bra?" Emily asked again, trying her very best to be convincing.
"It's in the bedroom, on the floor, left side of your bed." Hotch stammered out, still pink. Emily and JJ both looked at him, Emily with a smirk and a thank you sent his way and JJ with an unreadable expression on her face.
Emily wondered off to her bedroom to get dressed, leaving JJ and Hotch alone once again. JJ and Hotch both finished off their drinks and JJ took it upon herself to fill them both up.
"So, I apologize if this is none of my business, but how long have you and Emily been together?" JJ asked unsure if she wanted to know the details.
Hotch put on his game face. "Just a couple of months. It started out just as a way to relieve stress after the tough cases and now, we're in love." Hotch said with the best straight face he could muster.
"That's great, Hotch. I'm so glad you two have found happiness together. I had no idea." JJ said with fake cheer and equally fake smile. Emily returned, newly dressed in casual wear.
Emily sat down next to JJ on her couch and looked between her two guests. She had caught Hotch's explanation as she was walking back into the room and didn't miss the obviously fake smile JJ sent his way. She wasn't a profiler for nothing.
"So, JJ, how are things going with Morgan? You guys planning on have a baby soon? Hotch and I are considering it, isn't that right, baby?" Emily said, enjoying the incredulous look on Hotch's face and JJ's act of spitting out her wine in surprise.
"No! I mean, no. Not now. We're just enjoying the time we have as an us right now. You know me, I'm a fan of taking things slow when it comes to commitment. Morgan isn't in a rush either. I didn't know you guys even wanted kids." JJ said, wiping up her blouse from the wine she spilt.
Emily took control. "Well, I didn't until things with Hotch started to get serious. Hotch told me just before you got here how nice it would be to hear the pitter pattering of feet one day." Emily sent a pointed look towards Hotch.
"I would love to have children with Emily. It would be a dream come true." Hotch said, a tad to robotically for Emily's taste. A great profilier he may be, but a great actor he wasn't.
JJ tried to looked encouraging. This was all too much for her. Here, she thought she was going to have a nice evening with Emily full of girl talk. Instead, she got to hear details of a relationship she knew nothing about that she never wanted to learn anymore about. JJ was about to excuse herself to head to the ladies room when he phone buzzed. JJ excused herself, and walked outside to answer Morgan's phone call.
"Hey sweetheart. " JJ said lovingly into her cellphone. She heard Morgan laugh on the other end.
"Hey Jenny. How's your night with Emily going?" Morgan asked.
"It's going. Hotch is here, actually." JJ said with a sigh.
"Hotch? I didn't know you'd be hanging out with Hotch tonight. Jenny, you know I don't like the way he looks at you." Morgan said, feeling uneasy.
"Morgan, relax. You're seeing things. Hotch doesn't look at me in any way that's not appropriate. Besides, I just found out Hotch and Emily are an item. A serious item." JJ said, still not on board with the idea.
Morgan let out another laugh. "Thank god. Now I don't have to worry about him putting his paws on my girl. Tell your boss he did good, Emily's a looker."
JJ shook her head at him knowing he couldn't see her. "Will do. I'm going to head back in, I love you." Morgan relayed the same to her and JJ hung up the phone, debating whether she even wanted to go back through that door.
Emily poked Hotch in the ribs when JJ walked out the door to take her call.
"What the hell was that? You could try to be more passionate when you talk about our love you know!" Emily told him, a little annoyed she was selling this so much better than he was.
"Oh, like you and the pitter-patter of feet? How is that going to make commitment phobe JJ jealous? She's probably telling Morgan to come pick her up as we speak to get away from all the overkill you keep putting out, Emily." Hotch said exasperated. He probably just made things with JJ worse, if that were possible.
Emily looked pensive for a moment. "Oh, damn it, That's it! Why didn't I just do that in the first place?"
Hotch looked confused. "Do what, Emily? Have you have too much wine already? We just started drinking."
Emily paid him no attention. "Morgan."
"I'll ask again. What are you talking about, Emily?"
Emily looked at him, a sinful smirk in place on her face. "The key to trying to get in to JJ's heart lies with me getting into Morgan's. It's perfect."
Hotch looked at her like she was crazy. "Wait. So, you're telling me you want to seduce Morgan? JJ's boyfriend? How would that even work? Aren't you and I supposed to be in love?" Hotch asked her, not getting her angle.
Emily looked at Hotch as if he were slow. "I'll give you I shouldn't have laid it on so thick with JJ earlier but this new improved plan will work. Think about it, handsome. If Morgan cheats on JJ, she'll be devastated and she'll need somebody to comfort her. Bam! You've got your girl."
"While I admire your craftiness, Em, I don't want JJ to be heartbroken."
Emily sighed again. "Hotch, if this works out how I envision it, JJ won't be heartbroken for long."