Revelations

JJ has no idea how long she is rooted in the barn when she suddenly hears sirens. She ducks behind a stall.

Morgan and Emily quickly go through the barn with the other officers. They find a dog shot dead on the floor. Morgan stops when he sees the blood-soaked mattress. "Oh, damn."

Suddenly, JJ appears, her gun raised at the officers. There's so many of them. Her arm twitches from one to the other. Aaron… she silently pleads for him. "FBI!" she shouts. "Don't move."

Morgan and Prentiss approach JJ cautiously, their own guns raised. "JJ!" they say, trying to reason with her.

"Don't move!"

"JJ, it's Morgan and Emily. Don't shoot. It's okay," comforts. JJ lowers her gun. "Are you hurt?"

Prentiss walks over to JJ. "Tobias Hankel is the unsub," JJ says.

"Yeah, we know."

"I'm calling an ambulance," the detective says as he walks out.

"Yeah."

JJ puts her gun away. "We just thought he was a witness." Morgan looks around at the dogs. I had to kill them."

"JJ, where's Reid?" Morgan asked.

JJ didn't hear him. "They just completely tore her apart. There's nothing even left –"

"JJ, look at me. Look at me," Emily tells her. "Where's Reid?"

"We split up. He said he was going to go in the back." Morgan takes off running out of the barn.

Hotch rushes outside as soon as he and Gideon have the whole house searched. JJ is being checked by the paramedic. It's raining outside. Prentiss approaches Det. Farraday.

"Sweetheart," he says as he reaches her. He reaches his hand out to take hers. She pulls back from his movement but when she looks up at him, she lets their fingers entwine. "Sweetheart, I am so sorry… I never thought he…" He couldn't finish. The fear in JJ's eyes is too much for him to bear. Emily arrives back to them

"You can't find Reid?" JJ asked.

"Not yet," she replies as Morgan approaches.

"Prentiss," he calls. Emily walks over to him.

"You're good to go," the paramedic tells JJ. She nods. Gideon walks out to them as Emily and Morgan approach.

"Some gave directions to a man fitting Henkel's description two towns over," Morgan explains. "It's to a motor lodge in Fort Bend. We'll go with Faraday to check it out."

Gideon nodded. He turned to Hotch.

"Take JJ back to the hotel… I'll send Emily and Morgan over when they get back. Tomorrow pick up Garcia and Morgan will bring JJ and Emily back here," Gideon ordered.

Hotch nodded.

They got back to the hotel. He brought JJ to his room. "I'll get some stuff from your room for you." He kissed the top of her head. "I'll be right back." He made his way to her room. When he got in, he punched the wall. How could you have possibly put her in any danger? You idiot… He grabbed the essentials for her: pyjamas; toothbrush; shower supplies.

When he got back to his room, JJ was sitting at the edge of his bed, staring into space. Hotch placed her stuff onto a chair and sat next to her, pulling her close to him. "I shouldn't have let us split up. I should have stayed by Reid… What have I done?"

"This isn't your fault, Jage… We'll find him, I promise…" He reaches under her chin and brings his lips gently to hers. Wrapping her arms around his waist she pulls herself closer to him. Hotch pulls away first. "Go have a shower… I have to call Garcia."

He grabs his cell phone and dials. He quickly informs Garcia of what has happened and informs her that she is to be in the jet in the morning at seven a.m and he will meet her when she lands.

Hotch is staring out the window when JJ walks up behind him. He takes her hands and kisses them, before turning back to her and pulling her into a hug. "I'm glad your safe," he whispered. "I know this sounds awful but I'm so thankful he didn't take you."

JJ is silent for a short moment. "Are you coming to bed?"

He nodded. "Just let me get changed." He took off his pants and shirt as JJ got into bed. As soon as he hopped in beside her, he held her as tightly as he could.

"Night," she said, sleepily.

"Night."

Hotch got no sleep that night, his mind racing. He got up and walked over to his jacket. He reached in and grabbed his cell from one of the pockets, debating whether or not to make the call he'd wanted to make for months, years.

"No… please, no," he heard from the bed. Suddenly JJ bolted up. "Aaron!" she all but screamed.

He rushed over to her while her erratic breathing calmed slowly and her tears flowed freely. As he got nearer he saw her face was covered with cold sweat. He pulled her to him as she clung to his arm, as if for dear life.

"I'm sorry I left, JJ…"

"Where did you go?"

"I just needed to get my cell…"

"It's three a.m."

"I know. I…"

"What?" She looked up at him and he smiled down at her.

"I'm leaving Hailey…I wanted to call her to tell her it was over."

JJ looked at him, her forehead creased, unsure of what he was saying. "You're…"

"I can't be with Hailey, JJ. And I need to spend every sweet second I can with you… I don't ever want to lose you or ever have you not know how much I love you."

"But what about Jack?"

"I don't know any of that yet… all I know is that I need to be with you."

"Aaron…" She knew protesting of any kind was no good, so she took a deep breath, calmed her breathing and stopped her tears. "Aaron, make love to me… please… I need you," she whispered

When she woke up in the morning, Hotch was already gone. He'd left a note telling her that he would tell Hailey when they got back to Virginia, that he'd see her later and that he loves her. As soon as JJ was dressed, she tore off the last part and shoved into her pocket before leaving the hotel room.

They didn't find Reid for another two days. Hugs were given to him by everyone: Hotch, JJ, Morgan and Gideon. He slept on the plane home. JJ and Hotch sat in the back.

"How are you gonna tell Hailey?" JJ asked.

"I don't know…"

"How are you gonna keep your relationship with Jack?"

"I have no idea…"

"You can't tell Hailey when we get back…"

"I have to…"

"Wait a while. We need to sort some stuff out… Alright?"

"Ok…"

When they got back they collapsed on the bed and fell asleep.