A/N: Here I am with a new chapter. Because I don't want to end this story yet I am carrying on with it. I absolutely love writing this story, and all the readers, reviewers and followers are what keep me going.

So this story won Best Het Romance in a tie with two others for the Profilers Choice Awards 2014, and my other story ''Life After 200'' won Best JJ/Hotch. I was already incredibly happy to be nominated, and to actually win is just absolutely amazing. I cannot thank you guys enough! You're the reason I keep writing. So a million thanks to you all!

Special thanks to HotchRocks, jenny crum, GottaLoveCM, Jareau37 and Christiangirl!

I don't own criminal minds!

Chapter 73: New Normal

Two months later…

JJ put one foot in front of the other, her hands holding onto those of Hotch as she blindly kept walking with him. She held onto his hands tightly, waiting for them to stop walking so he could finally reveal the surprise he had been raving on about for the past few weeks, driving her nearly insane ever since he started it.

''We're almost there.'' Hotch encouraged happily, yet he also felt the nerves washing over him since he had no clue how JJ was going to respond to his surprise. He helped her quickly step onto the pavement, and then he grabbed her waist gently to stop her. ''You can stop.'' he said as his hands moved to the blindfold.

JJ moved her hands towards her eyes, feeling Hotch untying the blindfold. She took it into her hands, her eyes still closed, not knowing what was in store for her. ''Can I look?''

''Yeah, open your eyes.''

She finally opened her eyes, her mouth falling open in shock. She was standing across from a beautiful modest suburban home, surrounded by a porch. She felt as if someone had knocked the life out of her, so much disbelief was going through her. The house was simply perfect, giving the expression of a family home. It looked inviting and warm, just like JJ always imagined a house would be if she ever had a family. ''Did you…?'' she asked, unable to actually finish the sentence because the shock was still wearing off.

Hotch nodded his head as he walked closer towards her. ''I put a down payment on it this morning.'' he replied with a wide smile on his face. ''So what do you think?''

She was still in complete disbelief as she whirled around to face him, her smile growing wider with each minute that passed by. ''Aaron, it is amazing.'' she breathed out happily. ''But how can we afford this?''

''The bank will give us a loan, and we can use my savings.'' he began, but JJ stopped him before he could say another word as she took his hands in hers.

She looked at the house, and could already imagine herself living there. Sitting on the porch with Hotch and watching their children play in the yard. A happy life. But most of all, a normal one. ''There's another option.'' she started, knowing he was going to protest to her solution. ''I can sell my house. My family home.''

Hotch immediately took a step back. ''JJ, no!'' he insisted. ''That is not an option. You have so many memories in that house. Memories of your family.''

''I know, but it's time to make new memories.'' she whispered gently while settling against his side. ''You're my family now.''

''Come on, let's take a look inside.'' he insisted, pulling JJ with him by her hand. He led her into the house, showing her all the space. And as he held onto her hand while they walked into the master bedroom, he could see her face glowing. She looked extremely happy, and although he had certainly feared that JJ would want to get back to her old life, they seemed to be happier than ever. Life had been good, better than that even. They had set a steady routine for themselves. Work both consumed them but once they were together all the worries seemed to fade, and it was something that he had never experienced before. His relationship with Haley had been a happy one, but something about JJ was different. He could truly say that he had never loved anyone like he loved JJ and he wasn't planning on ever letting her go.

JJ had let go of his hand to view the rest of the room. The house was everything she ever dreamed of, better even. And she also realized that the number of rooms in the house were probably a suggestion from her fiancé. So she turned around to face him, seeing him leaning in the doorway as he watched her closely. ''So this is just perfect.'' she began with a wide smile. ''But it has three bedrooms. We don't need three bedrooms.'' she teased.

He pulled away from the doorway and slowly began to step towards her. ''Well…'' he said. ''This is our room, one could be an office for both us, and the other…'' he stopped when he was standing right before her. ''…the other could be a nursery.''

She stood on her toes, her arms encircling around his neck as she pulled him closer. Her lips descended upon his in a hungry but loving kiss. She felt her grip of reality begin to loosen when he kissed her back deeply as he gently began to guide her to the wall behind her.

''What are we doing?'' he mumbled between kisses.

JJ jumped into his arms as her legs went around his waist, feeling her back being pressed against the wall. ''We need to practice if you want a baby for that nursery, Aaron.'' she whispered seductively.

''There's no furniture.'' he whispered as if that fact was actually going to hold him back from being with her. ''Oh wait, walls are my thing!'' he groaned against the base of her throat as she began to move her hips sensually against him.

In only a matter of a few seconds, they had rid themselves of their clothes and she was once again pressed up against the wall while in his strong embrace. He wanted to kiss her body, to touch her, and to worship the beauty that she was. But in that moment he knew that waiting would kill them both. As he pressed another kiss to her lips, he slowly but steadily pushed his way inside her.

''Hmm, Aaron.'' JJ moaned as he began to slowly move, making her ache more with each movement of his body. She could feel the tension building in the pit of her stomach, his deep thrusts sending waves of pleasures throughout her nerve endings. When he pulled back, she knew it was only to tease her, to make her beg like he loved her to. ''Aaron, please.'' she begged.

With those words his last ounce of resolve crumbled and he slammed back into her, burying himself in her heat. He trailed his lips along hers, towards her jaw, and down her neck as he continued the steady movements of his hips. Then he finally felt her shivering in his arms and he realized she had found her release, and he knew it wasn't much longer before he would follow her over the edge. He lifted her up, causing him to slide deeper inside of her and with one last thrust he felt his body release, his arms pulling her flush against his body. Their bodies were heaving, a sense of content and satisfaction surrounding them both.

Hotch turned them around, his back leaning against the wall as he slowly began to sink to the ground with JJ still in his arms. As always, he pulled her close and held onto her as tightly he could. ''Sweetheart,'' he whispered longingly into her ear. ''That was fantastic.''

In that moment JJ couldn't help but giggle. She kissed his shoulder as she stayed in his embrace, looking around the room. She realized that life with Hotch had been much better than she had ever anticipated, and in only a few months they would finally be husband and wife. ''You know, I think we should have our wedding here.'' she whispered into his ear. ''During the summer in the garden with only our close friends.''

He cupped her face gently, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. ''That sounds nice.'' he agreed. ''Who do you want to invite?''

''You know I don't really have family, and I don't really have any friends from my old life.'' she began. ''Penelope and Emily are the only real friends I've ever had. And of course the rest of the team.''

''I think we should also invite my former team. Cooper, Baker and Fowler will be really excited to be there.'' Hotch suggested, knowing that the lack of family and friends was hurting JJ immensely. Her way of living while she had been with the CIA had never allowed her to make true friends for life. And although, her family had been taken from her on an early age, her father had left and never came back for her. He knew that hurt JJ beyond words because she barely talked about him. ''So no one from your old life?''

That question caused a flood of memories to wash over her. There were people from her old life, she wished could be there. Once upon a time she had hoped that she and Owen would remain friends, but his betrayal made her see him differently than ever before. But there was one person who had been her rock throughout an incredibly difficult time. ''I was thinking…that maybe…'' she said with hesitance. ''…maybe I can contact Adrian and ask him if he wants to come. And of course Jill.''

Hotch breathed out deeply. He had only met the man in question once before and he had come across as an honorable man. But it hadn't taken Hotch long to figure out that he was in love with JJ. ''JJ, you do realize that he had feelings for you?''

JJ simply nodded. ''Yeah, I did. I do.'' she confirmed. ''I might not have felt the same about him, but he was always there for me, Aaron.'' she began. ''He listened to me, he encouraged me, and most of all he was my friend despite his feelings for me. He made me realize that some people are worthy of my trust.''

'''Then he's on the list.'' Hotch said as a big smile appeared on JJ's face. He wanted JJ to be happy and most of all, he wanted her to have the perfect wedding day. ''I want you to be happy, JJ.''

JJ kissed him softly on the lips as her arms slipped around his neck. ''I know you do.'' she whispered before kissing him again, this time more passionately. ''And I want to make you happy.''

Before Hotch could kiss her back, the sound of a ringing phone pulled them both from their moment. He gently pushed JJ to the side and got up from the ground, quickly putting on his clothing before he took a look at his phone. He breathed almost painfully when he read the text message on the screen. ''We have a case.'' he said, his voice softer than before. When it came to his job it was often still an insecurity. He was afraid that JJ wouldn't accept it in the long run, but he knew that in those moments he was underestimating her ability to understand. ''I'm sorry, babe.''

JJ had also begun to put on her clothes and stepped towards him. ''It's fine, Aaron.'' she reassured. ''While you're away, I will start packing up our things.'' she continued. ''And I can take care of the house in East-Allegheny.''

''JJ, are you sure about selling the house?'' Hotch asked again, hoping that JJ wasn't running away from her past because she knew that facing it would stir up old emotions and buried issues. He would support her in her choices, but at some point he knew that the past could catch up to her.

''I am sure.'' she promised. ''This is what I want, and it's the right thing to do. You don't have to worry about me.''

''I know I don't. I just don't want you to regret your decision. It is your family home after all.''

JJ turned away from him and leaned down to grab her shirt. She quickly pulled it over her head and faced Hotch again. ''Like I said, there's nothing left for me but painful memories.'' she said. ''I don't need the house to help me remember my family, Aaron.''

As always, Hotch realized that JJ was stronger than he gave her credit for. So he put his arm around her waist and pulled her with him, leaving the house where they were about to spend the rest of their lives, and the thought was exhilarating to them both.