I do not owe the characters belonging to the TV series Criminal Minds, just a few minor characters i'd created.
Thank you to all who are reading this story, i hope you'll continue to read the forth coming chapters!
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JJ in Wonderland – Chapter 2
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Rubbing his jaw, Dave found her in her office.
"Jennifer, that was quite refreshing. Not the greeting I'd expected."
"I would have given you more but my Mamma taught me to be not to dish out more than you can handle." She said sassily as she powered up her laptop.
Dave shook his head and took a seat across from her desk.
JJ gave him a dark look but ignore him.
After a moment, Dave began, "Aren't you curious as to why I'm here?"
She shrugged, "If you want to tell me, go right ahead but if it's all the same to you, I have work to do." She indicated her laptop. "And a dateline in one hour for the Director."
"Well, Frank gave me leave to take you out for a cup of coffee."
She peered at him suspiciously over her bangs. "Why?"
He shrugged, "Because…." He stopped and smile at her despite the red bruising on his cheek. "I'd rather we talk alone, and over a cup, if you don't mind?"
She arched a brow at him and rolled her chair behind her and grabbed an empty coffee mug and rolled back to where her desk was and set the mug in front of him hard.
"Okay, here's a cup. And we're quite alone. I can assure you the US Air Force security is pretty meticulous and every morning at 6:30am, they'd do a sweep on the entire floor. If they find a bug, we'll not be sitting here comfortably. So, this office is safe to conduct business." She leaned back on her chair and watched his reaction.
Dave sat there stone-faced; he was silent for a moment before he nodded, "Okay, I believe you, Jennifer."
She waved her hand, "I'm waiting, Dave."
He smiled, "We, that is, Hotch and I had a discussion; the bureau is trying to do some trimming and Agent Seaver has decided to transfer to Andy Swann's team. And with Emily …gone," He said sadly.
JJ gave him a hurried look.
Dave continued, "We're an agent short."
"But I thought you said the Bureau is trimming down?"
"They are but if you come back, it works differently, you're not an additional agent, just a transfer."
She arched her brow, "It's nice to be considered as a transfer." She said sarcastically.
Dave watched her.
She shook her head, "I can't Dave, I have a commitment with Defense and the Director is undermanned. And Will is happy with my hours."
"Last I heard, he is on his way back to New Orleans."
She frowned, "Where did you hear about it?"
He shrugged, "One hears things."
"One should not pay heed to these …things." She said angrily.
"Jennifer, whatever your personal problem is or are, we're concern to a degree." He held his hand up. "Let me finish."
JJ pursed her lips.
"We care about you but if you do not wish to share, that's your prerogative. But we do care about you." He said intensely.
JJ nodded, "I see, I agree with you but I'm happy with this job."
"You were against coming here a few months ago."
"I was but I find as I worked here that I like this very much, no field work and I don't have to face those poor family of the victims." She shook her head and said firmly, "I am staying, Dave."
Dave leaned forward, "Tell me you don't miss the BAU, tell me you don't feel that adrenaline rush when we pursue the bad guys. Tell me you don't feel that satisfaction when you bring home a kidnapped victim. If you can look at me in the eyes and tell me you didn't miss it, then I won't bother you anymore." He stood up. "You know where to find me when you change your mind." He slid the empty mug towards her, "thanks for the mug, Jennifer." He nodded and walked out of his office.
JJ continued watching the door of the office, expecting to see him returning.
Five minutes…
Ten minutes…
Fifteen minutes…
Her cell phone rang suddenly, startling her out of her reverie.
"Jareau." She greeted and almost wished she had looked at the Caller ID before she answered so quickly.
It was Dave.
"I'm walking out of the outer ring, Jennifer just in case you're wondering if I'm coming back into your office."
How the hell did he know? She frowned at her phone.
"I wasn't waiting for you, Dave. You ego is so big, pretty soon you won't be able to fit through a regular door." She said angrily. "Why are you calling me?"
He chuckled on the phone which made her more frustrated, "Hotch just called, we have a case but I called to ask you if you really like to sit there at that mundane desk from 8am to 3pm everyday from Monday to Friday; day in, day out. Tell me you did not once while you were sitting there, staring at that cursed screen and wished that you're out in the field with us and if you could honestly say you didn't wish it, then I wish you the best in your job as a drone in this damn building." He hung up on her before he let her answer him.
JJ held the phone in her hand for a long while as she thought of what Dave had said.
"May I come in?"
JJ looked up and saw the Director himself standing by the doorway of her office!
"Sir….I…!" JJ dropped the phone and stood up, "Certainly, sir. Do come in please." She waved a hand out at him and quickly picked up her cell phone and shoved it in a drawer and looked at the Director expectantly.
He stroll in, "Please relax, Agent Jareau, sit." He nodded at her as he took a seat across from her; the same chair Dave had just vacated moments ago.
"Ca…can I help you, sir?" She asked nervously. "I'll get the brief completed as soon as I get it in the system."
The Director, Frank Morsely, shook his head and said, "That won't be necessary, Agent Jareau. I mean I'll be expecting the brief but if it's delayed, I'm not going to send you to the guillotine."
JJ gasped as her eyes widened.
The Director began to laugh, "I'm just teasing you, Jareau. Please, relax." He sat back on the chair. "The reason I came in is, as you realize, is about the BAU and getting back to the Bureau."
"Director Morsely," JJ cut in. "I have told Agent Rossi my decision and that I'm staying here."
He stared at her for a moment, "You did?"
She nodded.
"And what did he have to say about that?"
"He didn't take it too kindly."
The older man nodded, "Just what I thought." He held up a folder which she didn't realize he had it with him until now. "This is your replacement, Jareau."
She arched her brow, "Are you replacing me…?"
He shook his head, "Not yet, I haven't sign the papers to get it to Helen to process." He began as he named his secretary who did all of his paperwork. "Look, I'm not gonna beat around the bush and I'm not blowing smoke up your…" He stopped abruptly and chuckled. "Sorry, I can't continue with that thread."
"I…I…understand what you're trying to get at, Director and I'm not going to file a sexual harassment against you…not that I'd dare to do so but…" She shrugged.
"Okay, er…thanks, I pride myself to never say the wrong thing that might get me into trouble…although back in those days," He looked up as he thought about them. "We can generally say anything and no one would misconstrue my words." He turned back to JJ, "Now, it's a whole new era." He waved his hands about him.
"I see but you can be assured I'm one of the older era of agents." JJ smiled at him; he reminded so much of her father that she found she like him despite the well known fact that he chewed new interns as if they were beef jerky's and spit them out as if they were used gums.
"Very good, I'm glad to know that but we are digressing from the subject; your return to the Bureau. I've told Dave that your return back to the blasted dungeons is not a demotion but your pay-grade will remain the same as you are."
"So," JJ frowned at him. "You're saying that you want me to go back?"
"It's still up to you, Jareau. But until you tell me what you'd decided, I'll hang on to this." He indicated the folder. "We'll just making a few changes that's all. I think you're a great asset wherever you go as you have been to my office. I noticed much improvement in my data file report."
"I didn't think you'd…"
"Notice?" He cut in and nodded. "Oh yes, I do pay attention. Even Helen mentioned about you. And you know Helen never compliments anyone around here."
JJ nodded; it was a well known fact that his secretary was more of a task master than the Director himself.
When JJ first met the formidable secretary to the Director, she thought the middle-aged woman was a witch in disguise! That woman was sharp as a knife and knew more defense information than the Director himself! Her knowledge was uncanny and she scared many younger secretaries and agents who worked for the department.
JJ at first was also intimidate by her as well but the longer she worked for her, the more she realized Helen Higgens was really a motherly-type woman with a very soft interior; when she saw a photo of Henry, the stern lady turned into a melting pot! She was a mother to four grown children who had yet to produce a grandchild for her so Henry became a substitute grandchild for the 'Dragon Lady'.
The Director began to stand up, JJ as well, when he waved to her, "No need to see me out, I know my way around here, Jareau." He looked at her, "Give it a thought…they need you back. You've proven yourself here and much as I hate to lose you, I think you're a better asset for them. And besides, I owe Dave my life. Make me proud, Jareau." With that, he left her office, leaving her still standing.
As she plopped down on the chair, JJ thought about what the Director had said and encouraged.
"I have so much to think about…" She thought about her boyfriend…well, ex-boyfriend. Will LaMontagne had left them. Despite the excellent hours here and the fact she didn't have to travel anymore as she did with the BAU, she was still working hard; at home, she was constantly on her laptop, reading the latest news and keeping herself up to date with politics. She barely had time to talk to Will about anything except about her day at work.
They began to argue again about her job and he staying home to mind their son. It was an age old battle and she was tired of coming home to Will's confrontational attitude.
It really was no different if she was back with the BAU and keeping those long hours; she was not giving Will her time.
But the bottom line was they no longer had anything to talk about except Henry and there was only so much to talk about and when that subject was bled dry, the couple had nothing more.
Two weeks ago, they finally reached the bottom of their relationship and found they didn't have anything to share. Will decided to move back to New Orleans. As for Henry, the poor child was drawn in the middle of a battle of custody which they finally felt it was not worth fighting anymore and JJ decided that Will was right, he would be the more logical choice as a physical guardian; his aunts and uncles were still in New Orleans and were more than willing to pitch in and help with Henry while he returned back to the police force.
It was quite late when she wrapped up her work. She didn't have to worry about Henry for the next two weeks as Will had came to pick him up and take him to meet his folks down in New Orleans in Louisiana. She missed her son already but this was the arrangement they had come up for the moment.
Sighing again, she left her office for the last time; she had left a letter for Helen, telling the older woman she had decided to go back to the BAU. She'd miss their daily chats but it was the same being with Garcia and even Emily when she was…alive.
It was after 1am when she left the Pentagon. She would not be returning the building again as a …drone, as Dave had put it.
Dave, Dave Rossi. JJ gripped her steering wheel hard as she thought about him.
Dave Rossi, the BAU retired agent but decided to become a full time consultant agent.
"More like obnoxious agent." She muttered as she found herself driving the route towards the Hoover Building and driving through the parking garage; the security guard giving her a casual wave, they were used to seeing the agents coming and going at all hours.
She did not get out of her car but sat inside and thought it over.
She thought about Dave Rossi and the kiss.
Since that incident which was really a short one, a mere 3 seconds but damn, it felt like 3 hours of sin…oh what glorious sin it was! And she never wanted it to end. But end it did and she was still with Will at that time.
Damn it! JJ slammed her hands on the steering wheel. "Why did he do it? Why can't he just let me go; shake my hand like the rest of the team and wish me well? But he had to kiss her.
Embarrassed, she did the only think she could think of, punch him and walked away from him right away. She knew that if she didn't, she wouldn't stop…no, she couldn't stop because it was such a passionate kiss.
It was not a chaste kiss. And she felt his body hardening…as was hers.
And that was what scared her the most; she was responding to his kiss, to him.
"Stop it Jennifer!" She muttered to herself angrily. "Stop thinking about it...about him."
A knocking on her window startled her as she looked up, her hand on the gun under the purse on the passenger seat.
It was the security guard as he called out, "Are you okay, ma'am?"
JJ rolled down her window and showed him her badge, "Yeah, yes I'm fine. I er…I was waiting for someone."
The guard nodded and after another look, he walked away and continued his rounds.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she started the car and drove out of the parking garage; she realized it was going on 2 in the morning, surely the team was done for the day.
As she drove past the building, unconsciously she looked up and found his window.
Surprised to see lights shining within, JJ's heart skipped several beats.
He was here, at this hour! She looked up the window; why …
JJ sat back and pulled over the street, he was still here, the light in his office seemed like a beacon beckoning to her.
As she drove past his window and the building she told herself tomorrow, she will tell him.
"Oh heck!" JJ turned her car around and parking the car, she got out of it quickly before her courage failed her.
"Come on Jareau, just tell him and get out of there and get home." She muttered as she walked into the elevator.
The building was almost deserted, only the night crew were there and there were no many of them, another evidence of Bureau trimming down.
A few minutes later, she entered the BAU department and saw it was deserted but she knew the team had returned, she saw the log-in.
She decided to go into his office directly and waited for him there.
One minute…
Two minute…
Three minute…come on, Dave.
She then heard voices outside and her heart skipped a few more beats.
"Courage, Jennifer." Just stay seated and act calmly."
Taking a few quick breaths, she crossed her leg and tried to look casual, JJ looked down and almost cussed; she was showing too much legs, and Dave was a leg man but the door was opening and she found she couldn't uncrossed her legs as she sat rooted.
She looked up at him as he entered his office.
He didn't say a word but sat down across from her and looked at her expectantly.
Taking a deep breath, she said, "I'm coming back."
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End of Chapter 2
-Based on the end part of Season 6, Episode 24 titled, "Supply and Demand".
