Author's Note: Special thanks to p95000, BonesBird (thanks! And thanks for doing these, even though I'm woefully behind!), and jenny crum for the reviews!
PROMPT #16 - JJ/Hotch
Dido "Life for Rent"
The first time Will asked her if she wanted a drink, she said no. The first time he asked her out on a date, she said she would have to think about it. The first time he asked her to spend the night with him instead of a hotel, she pretended to get a migraine. The first time he asked to come to her place, she found a case out of town to go on. The first time he proposed, she brushed him. And the second. And the third. The fourth time, she told him no.
He left the next day.
The first time Hotch asked her if she wanted to get a drink, she said absolutely.
When he asked if they could turn it into a date, she said of course. When he asked if she wanted to spend the night, she kissed him fiercely. When he asked the got up the next day, she dragged him to her place. When he proposed that night, she told him yes.
And neither of them left after that.
PROMPT #17 - JJ/Hotch
New Found Glory- "Drill It in My Brain"
The first time it happened, they could blame it on the alcohol; alcohol and one hell of a case. He had been having problems with Haley, sure she was cheating on him.
She was feeling extreme pressure both from Will wanting to define their relationship and her mother insisting it was time for her to knock this "crime fighting crap off and settle down." They awoke that morning amid sweat and tangled limbs, each vowing to make it a one time occurrence.
It might have worked, too, if she hadn't gone to check on him after he was served the divorce papers. There was no blaming alcohol this time, but there was blaming raw emotion. She didn't wait until morning to promise that this would never happen again. She left his place with a vow to renew her relationship with Will and he vowed to focus on getting his son through this difficult time.
They grew closer, though strictly platonic, which is why he was hurt when she didn't tell him about her pregnancy. He ignored the small voice in the back of his head that told him he was also jealous that she was carrying Will's baby and not his.
She told herself that the pain on his face was strictly due to their friendship. She committed herself to Will and to their baby, pledging to leave all thoughts of those two nights behind her, though she found herself nearly breaking that several times while he was injured, getting halfway to his apartment before coming to her senses and turning around.
Still, she stayed away from him physically, even as she remained close emotionally, allowing him to keep her late, to call at anytime, when he needed an ear to bend. Will didn't like their closeness, fought the jealousy demons that rose within him with a terse smile, but said nothing about it. The one time he hinted at having an issue with it, she froze him out for a week.
Will thought things would be different, better, when she left the BAU, but it only seemed to reinforce the bond between the two. Now, they were doing late night calls, middle of the day calls, evening calls, and weekend get togethers. They seemed unable to let go of the fact that they no longer saw each other almost daily.
The contact increased until right after Emily died.
He called her on a Friday night, despondent over the team. She left home immediately, much to Will's dismay. She found him alone in his apartment, nearly an entire bottle of scotch gone. She pried the bottle from his hand, taking a single sip.
She was unsurprised when she turned and his lips met hers. He was equally unsurprised when she immediately opened to him. They spent the night in each other's arms, this time making no promises in the morning.
She came home and saw in Will's eyes that he knew. Their relationship quickly deteriorated after that until they became little more than roommates who happened to share a son. The day she agreed to go back to the BAU was the day he began an affair of is own. She knew and said nothing, just as he said nothing about hers. Late at night, though, as she lay alone in their bed, she wondered just how long they were going to continue like this.
PROMPT #18 - JJ/Hotch
New Found Glory- "Drill It in My Brain"
They always had a close, but professional relationship. He didn't realize just how much he depended on her until he didn't see her everyday. He found himself calling or texting or e-mailing her everyday, saving her voicemail messages to hear the sound of her voice on cases. When Dave came up with a plan to bring her back, he jumped at the chance, even as he felt horrible about taking time away from her family. He was surprised when she didn't hesitate about coming back; her delay in answering was only a courtesy to Will. He was unsurprised when she and Will broke up just a few months later; the BAU was tough on relationships as he well knew.
What he didn't know, and could scarcely believe when she told him half a year later, was his role in their break-up, but as her lips touched his, he found he didn't feel too bad about it.