A/N: Here's another chapter. I hope you all like it!
Special thanks to jenny crum, HotchRocks, Christiangirl, GottaLoveCM and Jareau37!
I don't own criminal minds!
Chapter 62: Field Ready
Three months later…
The room was filled with tension and expectations, but for JJ it was different. The sweat was dripping down her body as she was faced with her opponent. She was wearing a pair of black tight pants that clung to her legs and a tight top that showed off her toned and flat stomach. Three months of training and hard work had brought her to that moment. Training had been hard but it had been a way to refocus on her job and get out of her depression. Even though getting back into shape had been harder than she expected, Adrian had been a great trainer and she learned new ways to defend herself. She felt ready, and today was her evaluation to see if she was actually ready to get back out into the field.
Adrian was the last man standing between her and the outside world. She felt his hands come to rest on her neck, his hold strong but not strong enough to actually choke her. By instinct, JJ put both her hands on his wrists. By using the strength of her back and shoulders, she quickly forced his hands away from her neck while raising her left leg to attack. She delivered a blow to his stomach, but he was strong enough to regain his composure. So she turned her back towards him while taking a strong hold of one of his arms. As she forced her back against his front, she placed one foot behind his right one and tackled him to make him loose his footing. Using his own strength and weight against him, JJ flipped Adrian onto his back on the mat.
She took a step back and a wide smile appeared on her face, knowing he probably never expected her last move. After gloating for a bit while looking down at him, she stepped back to him and gave him a hand to help him up.
Adrian got up from the mat with a wide grin as he gazed into JJ's eyes. He knew she had been a good agent before she ever joined SOD months earlier, but he never expected how great she actually was. During training he had gotten to know her skillset and abilities and she kept amazing him. ''I think you passed, JJ.'' he said. He extended his hand and she took it without hesitation. '"Congratulations. You deserve this.''
JJ was standing on the mat when Adrian moved away from her and let go of her hand. ''Thanks.'' she whispered to him, even though he could never have heard it. She had detected a look of immense sadness in him, and she didn't know why. Over the months, she had slowly started to get to know him and in many ways he actually reminded her of Hotch. Private, strong, protective and goodhearted. But she couldn't help but shake the feeling that there was so much more to Adrian than he let on, and she wanted nothing more than to find out. Maybe she would get that chance when they went out into the field together. It was now official, they were partners and he was no longer her boss.
She walked to the side of the room and picked up her towel and used it to wipe the sweat from her face. She then put it around her neck and she left the gym for the locker room to shower and change into her work clothing. But as she walked through the hallway and passed the men's locker room she heard Adrian's voice and Jill's voice in deep argument. So she stopped and leaned against the door next to the room to overhear the conversation.
Adrian was standing across from Jill in the locker room. He had been pacing and had finally stopped when Jill came in to talk to him about JJ's evaluation. He had simply explained that she had passed and had exceeded all the expectations he had.
''I have an overseas assignment for JJ.'' Jill announced to Adrian. ''I think this will be a good one for her to start out with.''
Adrian took the file from Jill's hand and quickly looked it over and then closed it again and threw it onto the bench behind him. ''You want her to go to DC on her own?'' he asked in complete disbelief. ''Do you have any idea what that will do to her?''
Jill closed the gap between them, realizing something more was going on with him. ''She has been in training with you for three months. The doctor cleared her for field work two months ago. She'll never be more ready than she is right now.''
''Going back to DC will kill her, Jill.'' Adrian defended, hoping there was a way to reason with his boss. ''I know you want her to be ready to catch Christian Ward when it comes down to it because she knows him best, but DC?''
''She's strong enough, Adrian. I talked to her about it several times and she expressed she was more than ready to get out there.'' Jill interjected. ''She's ready.''
Adrian had nothing else to say, causing a silence to fall in the room between the two superiors. Adrian sat down on the bench behind him in defeat and covered his face with his hands in complete despair, hoping to mask his expression and the feelings that were so apparent on his face.
Jill took a step back as she watched her colleague sit back and stop arguing. She had never seen Adrian like that before, and she knew him very well. Probably better than anyone. ''What's going on between you two?'' she dared to ask him.
He finally looked up and gave her a blank expression once he had managed to take control of his emotions. ''Absolutely nothing.'' he said as he rose from the bench. ''She's strong enough now. She's ready, and that's all that matters.'' he said before he headed to the showers.
From the hallway, JJ had been listening to the argument as a mix of emotions flooded her. When it ended she quickly rushed away and sat down on the bench in the women's locker room where her mind finally began to spin. On the positive side, Jill believed she was more than ready for field work, but Adrian seemed to think she wasn't. But it led her to wonder if he was looking at it from a personal perspective or a professional one. She hadn't seen his face, or body language so she simply couldn't tell, but the curiosity was taking her over. She somehow managed to shake it off and walk to the showers.
About forty minutes later, JJ was sitting behind her desk with a fresh look about her. She had changed into different clothes and her hair smelled fresh from the shampoo she had used. Now she was just waiting to hear from Jill about her evaluation and what was going to happen next. But no matter what would happen next, she only wanted to find Ward and get him. Than her career with the CIA would be over, and she'd be able to live her life however she pleased to and she couldn't wait for that day.
When she heard footsteps coming into her office, she looked up and saw Jill standing before her with a smile on her face. ''Hi,'' JJ greeted.
''Adrian informed me that you passed your evaluation.'' Jill said happily, knowing this was a day JJ had been ready for as well. It meant she was capable enough to protect herself and go out into the field to find Ward and track down leads. ''I have a lead for you, or rather an assignment.''
''Does it involve Ward?'' she asked immediately.
''Yes, we believe so.'' she replied as she pulled a picture from a file. She put it down on JJ's desk and moved it towards her. ''We haven't been able to identify him but we have found connections between him and one of Ward's associates. This our first good lead in months and I want you on it.''
''Thank you, Jill.'' JJ said as she stared down at the picture. ''When do I leave?''
''The briefing starts in ten minutes, so I'll see you there.''
JJ nodded and took the file from Jill before she left her office, and almost immediately JJ felt a surge of hope going through her. She looked carefully through the dozens of picture, and then finally saw what Jill mentioned. She noticed the man in question walking next to Grigori Durov. JJ had met Durov herself and he was someone Ward had trusted, but JJ had killed him and shot him to defend herself and to save DC from a bombing. And now she finally had a piece of hope in her hands, and she couldn't help but feel relieved.
She took the next ten minutes to read the entire case before the briefing because she wanted to be ready for this.
The ten minutes passed by rather quickly and when it was time, JJ stepped from her chair and left her office with the file. She stepped into the war room, where details from the case were displayed on the screens. She nodded to the other agents and analyst who were seated in the room. JJ decided to stay in the back where she had the best view of everyone and everything that would be going on. And a few seconds later, Jill walked into the room and stepped in the front to start the briefing and take the lead. JJ's eyes were on Jill when she felt a presence appear behind her, so she looked over her shoulder to see Adrian standing behind her with a stern look. She threw him a small smile, but she didn't get a response in return. He even looked away from her, so JJ did the same and focused her attention on Jill.
Minutes went by and JJ listened closely as Jill explained how the intell was obtained what possible implications it had for Operation X. All the while, JJ couldn't help but feel uneasy with the way Adrian had looked away from her before, when the attention was shifted from Jill to her, she didn't have much time left to worry about it.
''JJ, you identify the target and bring him to the safe house where a team will be waiting to extract you.'' Jill explained shortly.
JJ only nodded, knowing her assignment wasn't that difficult but there was a lot riding on it for her personal happiness and she wasn't about to let this one slip through her fingers. ''Who is going to be my contact during this mission?'' she asked, hoping Adrian would be the one to guide her through this. He was one of the only people she really trusted with her life and with this mission.
''Adrian has other operations that need his immediate attention so you'll be in contact with Michael during this one.'' Jill explained, her eyes traveling to Adrian who was looking directly at her. After their argument in the locker room she had asked him to be JJ's back-up as her contact with SOD, but he had said he had more important matters. ''The plane is taking off in an hour. Be ready!''
JJ turned around to face Adrian because she wanted to ask him what possible operations he was working since she thought his sole focus was on Operation X. But before she could utter a word, he had left the war room and entered the hallway. JJ had immediately taken off behind him because his behavior seemed suspicious to her. She increased her steps and finally caught up with him when he was waiting for an elevator. She stepped next to him, and looked up at him with concern.
''Shouldn't you be preparing this mission with Michael.'' Adrian insisted when the elevator reached their floor. He stepped on, thinking that JJ would actually walk away, but instead she followed him and stepped right in front of him. ''What do you want?''
JJ shook her head in confusion. ''What's going on with you?'' she asked. ''You seem angry with me and I don't know what I've done to you.''
''You haven't done anything.''
''Well okay, then why are you avoiding me?'' she confronted. ''Why did you lie to Jill to avoid going back to DC with me?''
He turned his back to her, being annoyed by the questions. She was getting to him and he didn't want to put the truth out there, or rather his heart. ''I would do anything for you, JJ.'' he said when he finally turned around. ''I'd take a bullet for you.'' he went on. ''But this, going with you to DC, is the one thing I can't do for you.''
The doors opened and Adrian walked past her and JJ was left standing on the floor where the offices were located, with no idea what he had meant. She was confused, and she didn't know how to get any answers from him when he seemed to be closed off. So she stepped back into the elevator and decided to go on with her preparation for the mission, with only one thing in mind. Aaron Hotchner.