A/N: I am extremely sorry about the slow updates to this story. I wanted to have this chapter up days ago, but I threw away two drafts, because I didn't like the way they came out, and I have to admit that I'm still not fully content with it now. I'll try to do my best and update more regularly from now on.

Anyway, please let me know what you think!

Chapter 10

When Rossi arrived at the office after the weekend, he wasn't in a very good mood, pretty much like most of the time during the past months. He didn't get a lot of writing done, because he couldn't focus on anything else besides Jennifer. His mind wandered to her every few minutes and he even debated with himself more then once to call her, had even dialed her number a few times, but in the end he couldn't bring up the courage to pull through with it.

Grumpily, he sat down between Morgan and Prentiss as the team gathered for a short meeting in the BAU room.

"Where's JJ?" Morgan asked as Garcia, who was the last to come in, closed the door behind her.

"She's in hospital." Garcia answered, sitting down next to him.

"What?" Everyone exclaimed and Rossi felt his heart sink.

"It's nothing too serious, don't worry. Though, the doctor kept her there as a precaution."

"What happened?" Hotch's voice was filled with deep concern, as was his and everybody else's faces.

"I was babysitting Henry on Saturday, so that JJ could do some Christmas shopping, and when I brought him back to her, she felt some sharp pain in her stomach. I rushed her to the hospital at once, and they diagnosed her with being in early labor. The doctor gave her medication against it and they were able to stop the contractions. Baby Jareau luckily decided to keep his apartment for now. She will have to stay in the hospital until tomorrow or Wednesday, but she's determined to be back next Monday."

"Why didn't she call us earlier? Or why didn't you?" Prentiss asked.

"I wanted to, but I had to promise her not to. She said, she wanted some time for herself. To think. And after we had a long talk, I agreed with her." Garcia shot Rossi a deadly glare, which left no doubt that JJ had told her everything.

As the others kept asking Garcia questions, Rossi simply sat in his chair, his face buried in his hands.

"This is all my fault," he thought gloomily, "meeting my mother and all was too much for her."

"I have to go see her," he suddenly called out, jerking his head up, and began to rise from his seat.

"I don't think this is such a good idea," Hotch said uneasily.

"I want to see her, too," Reid threw in, and Morgan, and Prentiss nodded in agreement.

Contemplating about it for a few seconds, Hotch gave in. "Fine, let's go," he said, and held Rossi back, as he wanted to rush out of the room with the others.

"I'm warning you, Dave. Don't upset her any more than she already is."

They both made their way out as well and saw Garcia waiting for them.

"I'll ride with Agent Rossi. Why don't you get into the other car with the rest, boss?"

Raising his eyebrows, Hotch realized as well that Garcia was aware of the full story. "I think I'll better ride with you, before you kill him."

Down in the parking garage, Garcia pushed Rossi into the backseat of one of the Bureau's SUV's and slipped inside next to him. As soon as Hotch started to drive, she started smacking Rossi's arm hard.

"How could you? What were you thinking?" She screeched.

"Ouch, damn, Garcia. Stop it!"

"Thank God, we're on our way to a hospital," Hotch muttered dryly. "You might need it, Dave."

"Garcia, let me explain." Rossi tried to shield himself from her attack.

"That's not necessary, JJ already told me everything. And, for the record, you are now on top of my least favorite people list. Above Chief Strauss!" Garcia bit out. It was only due to JJ's interference that she hadn't already shown up on Rossi's doorstep at the weekend to make a living hell out of his life. "Do you even realize what you've done to her? I mean, have you looked at her at all in the past months? She looks like death on legs, with her pale face and the tired eyes, and it's entirely your fault! I really don't understand why she kept defending you in front of me."

"Garcia-," Rossi started, but she didn't let him finish.

"You don't get to say anything now!" Leaning to the front, she continued in Hotch's direction. "I hope you agree with me that he will not get to be in the same room as my little gumdrop!"

"Garcia, I need to talk to her!" Rossi threw in.

"Oh, I don't think so! According to JJ you've already said everything you needed to say."

"Please! I know that all I did was wrong, I won't deny it and look for excuses, but I also did a lot of thinking over the last weeks, and I need to make it right. I need to try at least." Rossi's voice sounded more desperate than he had intended to, and more than Hotch had ever heard from him.

"Dave, you have to admit that Garcia has a point. There's no way I'm going to let you upset JJ even more."

"Aaron, I understand, and I don't want to upset her either, but I really need to apologize. I have to try!" Rossi sighed.

*********

They arrived at the hospital ten minutes later. The others were already waiting for them in the entrance hall, and Garcia led them to JJ's room. Knocking shortly, she opened the door, and they all went in.

They found JJ sitting in her hospital bed with Henry sitting in her laps and a storybook in her hands. The doctor and nurses had hesitated at first, when JJ requested to have her son with her, but they had quickly given in upon her insisting threats that it was either this or she would discharge herself from the hospital.

A bright smile appeared on JJ's face when she saw the team come in, but it disappeared just as quickly, as she noticed that Rossi was with them.

Seeing Henry made Rossi's heart beat faster. He hadn't seen the little boy in quite a while, and he just realized now how much he had missed him and his cheerful squeaks. He briefly wondered if the boy had already forgotten who he was, when Henry suddenly held his little arms out in Rossi's direction and squealed with glee: "Da-da!"

JJ froze in shock, which didn't go unnoticed by the others, and Rossi felt even more uncomfortable to he here than before.

Exchanging questioning looks with Reid and Prentiss, Morgan was about to comment on that, but JJ spoke first. "Garcia, would you take Henry outside, please?"

"Sure," Garcia nodded, taking Henry out of her friend's arms and made her way to the door, not without shooting Rossi another warning glare.

"How are you, JJ?" Prentiss asked then.

"I'm fine. The doctor managed to stop the early labor, but I'm supposed to rest until the end of the week." With an apologetic look on Hotch, she added: "I'm going to have to be on desk duty until my maternity leave as well."

"Don't worry, JJ, That's not going to be a problem." Hotch dismissed her worries gently.

They all fell silent for a moment, and a sudden tension filled the air as Rossi began to speak. "Listen, JJ. Can I talk to you alone for a minute?" He asked softly, and immediately felt Hotch's hand on his arm, trying to hold him back.

"Dave-," he began, but was interrupted by JJ.

"I don't think you and I have anything else to say to each other." Her voice was bitter and sad, as was the expression on her face.

"Please, JJ. Jennifer. I'm so sorry. Let me apologize."

"I don't want to hear it, David," JJ burst out loudly.

"Please ..."

"Dave, that's enough!" Hotch interfered roughly, as a nurse came in.

"People, if you are going to upset her any more, you'll have to go. Ms. Jareau needs to rest and avoid stress as much as possible. I'm not sure we will be able to stop early labor a second time around."

Hotch grabbed Rossi by the arm and dragged him to the door.

"Wait! What's all that supposed to mean?" Morgan asked, switching confused looks between JJ and the men at the door.

"I guess it's pretty obvious, isn't it?" Prentiss supplied as it dawned her. "Rossi is the father of your child, am I right, JJ?"

The blonde woman in the hospital bed nodded.

"What?" Morgan and Reid exclaimed at the same time.

"You son of a bitch!" Morgan yelled, storming towards Rossi.

"Now, everyone, please!" The nurse tried to calm them all down. "Remember what I just said and take it outside, will you?"

Hotch pulled Rossi out of the room, quickly followed by Morgan. Without saying another word, Morgan's fist connected with Rossi's jaw, and Hotch needed to pull all his strength to prevent the younger man from inflicting more damage.