A/N: Here's another chapter. I hope you all like it!

Special thanks snuggleUP, cRiMiNaLmInDsObSeSsIoN, jenny crum, 2Addicted2YourLove and Christiangirl!

I don't own criminal minds!

Chapter 56: Heartbreak City

JJ had walked out of the office without giving Collins an answer to his question. She was done with him. She was walking away from two years of service for his division and she didn't feel any regret for her decision to resign. It was the right time.

But as JJ walked out, she heard Owen follow her out the office, but she kept walking. If anyone had disappointed her the most it had been Owen. Once, he was her partner. Her rock and trustee in the field, but now he seemed to be on a mission destroy the happy things in her life. He had been out of line when he talked to Hotch. He had become everything JJ hated. After he broke her heart, JJ didn't think he could sink any lower, but now he obviously had. She was just glad that he was no longer going to be a part of her life.

''One day you're going to realize that all I did was to protect you!'' Owen said, his voice raised so JJ could hear him.

JJ turned around in the hallway with an angered face. She stepped right in front of him, coming face to face with him. For a moment she just stared back at him in complete and total disbelief, her breathing becoming steady. ''You really are an asshole!'' JJ shot back. ''What you destroyed today was worth more than your career, Owen. You can count on that!''

With those last words she turned around with the intention to never see him again. She was walking away from everything that had become tainted. She was ready to move on. But the question remained: could she ever truly move on? She knew the answer would be no, and with one last stop to make before she had completed everything on her mental list, she was feeling a lot more emotional than before. One last stop, and then it would be it. She'd be gone.

About half an hour later JJ walked through the small park, trying to keep her head up high but it seemed to be impossible. In one flash her entire future had changed, and she was about to do something she'd never forget. She was about to enter a different hell than she had ever experienced before, and it was going to be the hardest thing she had ever done in her entire life, but she simply had to.

And as she walked through the deserted park, she couldn't help but smile as the memories of her and Hotch flashed before her eyes. Everything came rushing back as she saw the man she loved so dearly sitting on the bench a few feet away from her. She watched him with a small smile on her face when he spotted her, her heart already beginning to break into pieces. She slowly walked towards him as he met her halfway.

Hotch stopped right in front of her, not noticing the sadness that was splayed across her face. Instead, he pulled her into a searing kiss as his hands cupped her face gently. He could feel her respond faintly and then he pulled away to catch his breath. He took her hand and led her to the bench. ''There's something we need to talk about.'' Hotch announced as he stepped in front of JJ once she was seated on the bench. He moved down onto one knee, and watched as JJ face filled with shock and her eyes began to water. ''Just by looking at you, I know that what we have is real, JJ. As long as we're together it's all that matters.'' he went on. ''You've made me happier than I ever believed I could be. You're my future, my best friend and my soul mate, JJ. And I want to spent the rest of our lives together.''

The words caused tears to well up in her eyes. If it wasn't for her situation she would've jumped up in his arms and yelled out yes because she had an instinct as to what was about to happen. She just couldn't find the courage within to stop him. It was as if she was frozen, like a statue.

''I love you so much. JJ, will you marry me?'' he said, but after he had opened the jewelry box with the ring in it, JJ had put her hand on it and closed it. So he put it back in his pocket and got up from the ground when he realized something was wrong.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Say yes… Her insides were screaming, but she knew she couldn't. She couldn't lead him on any longer. It wasn't fair to either of them. ''Aaron, I am leaving.'' she stumbled, the tears already falling down her cheek.

He felt his head begin to spin. The words seemed like punch to the face. ''What?'' he uttered. ''No! You can't. You wouldn't. You promised me!'' he croaked out in despair. ''Where are they assigning you?''

''They didn't, Aaron. It was my own choice.'' JJ said sadly as she rose from the bench, trying to close the distance but he immediately retreated back as if he had to stay away from her. ''Aaron, this was the hardest thin…'' she said, but he interrupted her by speaking.

''Don't tell me how hard this is for you, JJ. Nothing can justify this.''

''I know!'' she agreed as the tears streamed down her face. His face, eyes, and body language were filled with heartbreak. He looked upset and so gutted at the same time, that she didn't know what to say anymore. Nothing could make up for what she was doing to him, but it was all to protect him and to keep him safe in the long run. But could he truly understand that?

A silence fell, so JJ decided to continue on. ''Aaron, you're everything I ever wanted and so much more than I ever could've asked for, but…''

''But it's not enough?''

JJ shook her head. ''It is. But you being with me is going to put your life in more danger than you could ever imagine.'' she cried out. ''I can't put your life at risk like that, Aaron. It would be so selfish of me to be with you.''

He faced away from her, his head spinning even worse. He was looking for a reason to make her stay, but he couldn't come up with anything. Her mind seemed to be made up. She was ending their relationship to protect him, but it didn't make any of it hurt any less. At the end of the day, she was breaking his heart. ''I just wish you would do something for your own happiness once, JJ.''

''You think I can't be selfish?'' she asked in tears. ''Being with you was the most selfish thing I have ever done, Aaron. I went against everything I believed in, but I still did it.'' she explained. ''But it was worth it because I love you so much!''

''Then why are you giving up on me? On us?'' he asked as he turned back around. ''Fight for us, JJ! Fight for our future.'' he went on. ''Say yes and we'll do this together. I want to be with you for the rest of our lives. Do you?''

''Of course I do!'' she whispered.

''Then say yes and come with me.'' he pleaded, his voice filled with a sadness he had never shown to anyone before.

''It'll be alright.'' JJ tried to assure, but she didn't even believe herself.

He shook his head in response. It wasn't alright. None of it was and it never would be. ''I've never felt this way about anyone in my entire life.''

Being emotional about their goodbye was the last thing JJ needed. He could make her quit the CIA with his words. With his ability to make her feel. After all the missions she had been on, this was the absolute toughest moment in her life. ''You will forget all about me.''

''Is that what you believe, JJ?'' he asked in disbelief. ''That I will forget about you and move on with my life. Is that really what you think?''

''Look, Aaron. I have thought about it. This. Us.'' she pointed out, ready to lie to make everything easier on him, but she just couldn't lie to him. Not ever. ''I have done a lot of thinking and every single time I came to the same conclusion.''

Hotch finally approached, his knees going weak at the sight of JJ in tears. He knew this was the beginning of the end. Their relationship was coming to an end. ''JJ, don't!'' he pleaded. He knew exactly what she was going to say but he didn't want to hear it.

''I know what you're doing, JJ. Don't!'' he said as the first tear finally fell down his cheek.

JJ cupped his face gently and wiped away the tears. ''I have to!'' she said in vain. ''I have to.'' she whispered again to convince herself. ''It's over.'' she finally cried out and for the first time their conversation had led to the definite words. She had done it, but as she held onto him, their face just mere inches away, she leaned in. Her lips touched his ever so gently and she kissed him passionately, putting every inch of emotion she carried in her heart into the kiss, knowing it would be the last. And then she finally pulled away as they both had tears in their eyes. She turned around and was ready to walk away.

But then she suddenly felt the strong hold of a hand around her wrist so she turned around, to be faced with Hotch again. Without words, he opened up her hand and laid the engagement ring in her hand and then he gently closed her hand again and let her go, and he turned around, walking away from the absolute love of his life.

JJ watched his every step as he walked away from her. Her own heart had been torn into pieces, and she wondered if she'd ever get over it. If she would ever get over a man like him. But she simply had to. She had no other choice than to move forward, and forget about him. In the end it was all for him to have safe live and get what he deserved, even though it was the most heartbreaking moment in her entire life. She was watching another person leave her life, just like her parents had disappeared. And she knew that this time there wasn't a box big enough in her head to hide it away in. Not this time, not after all that she had gone through.

So she clenched the ring in her hand, not knowing why he left it with her. But she held onto it. She opened up her hand and stared down at it, wondering what her happy ending with Hotch would've looked like if it had actually been on her finger. Eventually, she would've probably ended up at another law enforcement agency with a nine to five job, they would've bought a house in the suburbs together, gotten married and maybe they would've even had a baby boy or baby girl. She could see it so clearly. While she was dating him that picture remained clear and bright, but now she couldn't see anything. Her future looked like a black void, without love, only filled with horror and loneliness. It was now her mission to find and arrest Christian Ward, so he would no longer be a threat to her life, and as long as he remained out there, JJ and Hotch would never be together again.