Okay, here's the chapter you guys may enjoy more than most. It's definitely longer than what I usually write but I wasn't quite able to find a stopping place anywhere else. Also, I know I'm taking some creative liberties with JJ's behavior (and Emily's personal life), but we've never really seen any of them completely smashed.

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think!

Oh, and I own nothing related to Criminal Minds; just Ben, who I made up in the spur of a moment.

Chapter Four

"C'mon, birthday girl. You only got another half hour and you promised me a dance." Derek grinned as he polished off another beer.

"De'k. M'waaaay too drunky to dance." JJ slurred, giggling for no reason at all.

"Don't worry, girl. I'll hold you up." He remarked, grabbing her hand and pulling her off her barstool. He was definitely a little intoxicated but not drunk. He also knew that JJ was drunk and even though Emily was trying to 'get her laid!' he wasn't the type of man that would take advantage of said drunken state.

"S'okay. Don't dr-drop meee." JJ giggled as her voice squeaked.

The dance floor was still pretty full of college students that were enjoying their Thirsty Thursday so Derek had to weave his way through the crowd, nodding his head in time with the hip-hop music before stopping short and turning to face JJ. "You good?"

"Yup!" She replied enthusiastically as she began swaying back and forth to the music.

Derek just shook his head in amusement and pulled her close as some popular song came, causing the crowd to get even louder.

"Ooh!" JJ squealed. "I love this song!"

Raising an eyebrow as he glanced down at the blonde, he smirked. "Well, let's enjoy it then."

Giggling, JJ spun in a half-circle and pressed herself against Derek. Reaching behind her, she grabbed both of his hands and wrapped them around her waist, leaving their fingers entwined.

Glancing back towards their table where Emily was still sitting, he shrugged his shoulders before smiling and turning his attention back to JJ. Sure, he had asked her to dance but she was clearly taking the lead here. Emily had told him about JJ's drunken confession a couple weeks ago and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't excited about the prospect of her sharing the same feelings he was currently harboring. He also would be lying if he said he wasn't worried that she would feel completely difference once the alcohol wore off.

"You still in there, Der'k?" JJ spun to face her friend and stared up at him, placing her hands on his waist. Her blue eyes were slightly glazed over as a result of the alcohol and the obvious sudden exhaustion.

"Huh?" He glanced down at her. "Yeah, yeah, I'm still here. Sorry, I was… just thinking."

"Well, quit it. We're s'posed to be having fun." She smiled and applied slight pressure to his waist. "You gotta move in order to dance. What were you think'n 'bout?"

Derek shook his head. "I'll tell you later. Let's just dance." He placed both of his hands on her lower back and pulled her closer.

JJ grinned and started moving to the music again, feeling Derek pull her closer the entire time, if that was possible. She glanced over to the table where Emily was sitting, talking to a blonde man, who looked a little bit closer to her age than the last one.

As if on cue, Emily glanced up and met JJ's gaze. Smiling widely, the brunette grabbed the hand of the man and proceeded lead him towards the dance floor.

"Em'ly's coming." JJ told Derek, gesturing over her shoulder. "She seems to be pretty happy we, uh, we're dancing fin'ly. I didn't think she'd stop ment'ning it all night."

"Well, she's very adamant that we are both keeping secrets about our feelings" He replied, thankful that even in his inebriated state, he could form coherent sentences, which was something that JJ was obviously struggling with.

"I'm not ke-keepin' seeecrets!" JJ giggled. "She already knows!"

Derek laughed as JJ spun around. "Secrets from each other, girl. No one can keep secrets from Emily Prentiss."

JJ didn't respond, instead decided to dance a little bit more provocatively, pressing her back up against Derek's chest.

Feeling JJ's change in dancing, Derek faltered for a second before getting back in time with her.

"Can't keep up, Morgan?" JJ asked cheekily over her shoulder.

Raising an eyebrow at the top of her head, Derek leaned close to her ear before whispering suggestively, "I always keep up, Princess. The question is, can you?"

"S'that a challenge?" She smirked, grinding herself against him a little harder.

"Why don't we give Emily a little entertainment?" He suggested, gripping her hips tighter.

"Der'k Morgan!" JJ exclaimed. "You! Want me to, to dance… dirty wif you?"

"I'm just asking to make our friend happy." He shrugged innocently.

"You gotsa buy me 'nother drink first."

"Deal. Don't move. I'll be back."

"Where's Derek going?" Emily asked as she finally reached JJ.

"Drinks." The blonde replied, swaying on her feet.

Emily nodded knowingly. "How's it goin'?"

"Gooood." JJ replied with a smile. "You were riiight."

"When am I not?" She laughed. "Oh, this is Ben. From Violent Crimes."

JJ nodded in acknowledgement and frowned. "My feet hurt."

"'Bout time. I was waiting for that. Wanna leave?"

JJ shook her head. "Nope! Der'k's gettin' drinks."

"Em! Nice of you to join us!" Derek exclaimed, handing JJ a beer and a shot.

"What's that?" She closed one eye and peered into the glass.

"Good stuff." He replied, holding his glass up to hers.

Shrugging, JJ clinked glasses with Derek and downed the show. She handed her empty cup back to him with a grimace. "Ooh… tequila…"

"You said you needed alcohol!" He laughed, dropping the empty cups on the table behind them. "Now, let's dance!" He threw his arm around JJ's waist and pulled her flush against him.

Inwardly squealing in excitement, Emily turned to Ben and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Dance?"

After a few minutes of dancing, Ben leaded down so Emily could hear him. "I thought you said your friends weren't together?"

"They aren't." Emily replied, looking confused at his question.

"Might wanna check them out them." He spun her around, keeping his hands on her waist. "Their dancing is pretty convincing."

Emily gasped at the sight in front of her before spinning back around and burying her face in Ben's chest. "Dancing? That's… not dancing! We're dancing! That's… I don't even know!"

"Is that a bad thing?" Ben asked, so completely confused about everything.

"It's not! It's fantastic!" Emily replied. "But I know Morgan and he's too good of a person to make the move on JJ when she's this drunk. I'm going to have to do this all over again, minus the alcohol! I knew I should have stopped drinking…"