Part 1

Sutro Heights Park

"Marry me," Aaron proposed on bended knee to JJ.

The two of them had been dating for awhile and Aaron had decided that it was finally time to make a commitment. He loved JJ so much, and he was positive that she felt the same, because you didn't keep a relationship going for two years unless you did. Besides, there were always signs.

JJ didn't seem surprised, Aaron noticed, so maybe he hadn't been as subtle as he believed. On the other foot though, Jennifer was a very intelligent lady and they knew each other very well by this point so she might have guessed his intentions.

"Oh, Aaron! Of course, I'll marry you," JJ exclaimed. "I love you and Ben, Jack and Kyle so much."

"Well, my three boys certainly love you," Aaron grinned, as he slid the beautiful diamond ring on his new fiancé's finger. "They already think of you as their new mother or in Kyle's case as his mother, since he was so young when I got divorced."

"Henry loves you too and that that's a big plus in my book," JJ told him.

"Mine too," Aaron agreed. "Some people might marry someone that their kids dislike or on the other side of the coin dislike their kids, but not me. So many stepparents don't listen or pay attention to them, but I would never do that and I know you wouldn't either."

"Definitely not," JJ said. "Luckily, for us, our boys have become good friends."

Too them their children were just as important as they were, though they knew many parents who were getting married a second or even third time would disagree, but then, some people just basically ignored their kids as unimportant, which they never had.

The two of them kissed for a long time surrounded by the beautiful trees that were part of Sutro Heights Park.

"This is a beautiful area," JJ said, as she and Aaron stood under the shade of the trees, arms wrapped around each other.

"Yeah, we're going to have to bring the boys back and let them explore as there's plenty to see and do," Aaron agreed. "It's good for those nature lovers to."

"I think Henry at least is a bit too young to enjoy something like this quite yet, maybe in a couple of years," JJ said.

"Kyle is probably a bit too young to, as he's only a year or so older then Henry is," Aaron admitted.

"You chose a great place to propose," JJ said, as she looked around at all the beautiful scenery.

"I thought about proposing over dinner, but decided I wanted to be private and not in public," Aaron said.

"That would've been okay to, as I would have accepted no matter how you planned to do it so long as it came from you," JJ said. "However, personally, I think you picked the perfect spot."

"I'm glad you think so," Aaron said, as he kissed the side of her neck, the nervousness he had been feeling ever since he had decided he was ready to pop the question leaving him weak in the knees, though he tried his best not to show it.

He must've succeeded, because JJ didn't comment on his former nervousness and she was usually pretty observant, so he must've been better at hiding it than he thought. Well, either that or she was too polite to comment on it. He would bet on the second option actually.

"I do," JJ said sincerely.

"You didn't seem surprised though," Aaron said.

"Call it a sixth sense," JJ shrugged. "We know each other very well, so I knew you were up to something, so I suspected that you were getting ready to propose. You don't date somebody for two years and then break it off, although I suppose some people do."

"Yes, some people do, mostly because they're so familiar with the relationship they are afraid to break it off and get back into the dating scene. They just get so comfortable in a relationship that they don't realize that they're likely bored and have lost interest long ago," Aaron said.

"Yes, some people are afraid to put themselves out there into the unknown," JJ agreed, as she snuggled into Aaron's arms. "I love you so much, Aaron Hotchner. I'm so glad that we met."

"I love you too and I'm also very happy that we did meet," Aaron said, as the two of them kissed again. "So are we going to set a date?" Aaron asked tentatively.

"I think six months should be long enough for me to plan everything, although it mostly depends on how large our wedding's going to be. There are so many details to take care of in a short time, the caterer, the cake, my wedding dress, bridesmaid dress and so on."

"I'll let you handle all that, though if you need help I'll be happy to," Aaron said.

"I'm sure in a few weeks I'll have a list of things that you need to get done, but I don't think we need to worry about it right this second," JJ said.

"No, we have a little time, to just enjoy being engaged," Aaron agreed, as he kissed the top of his fiancée's head.

"You know we wouldn't have met if Penny hadn't met Dave, so she's going to be my bridesmaid, as she is my best friend."

"And Dave is going to be my best man. I'm sure they'll both be thrilled for us, when they discover that we finally got engaged," Aaron said.

"They will be very happy for us and you know it," JJ said. "Penny at least has been wondering when we were going to tie the knot and now I can give her a specific month, with the exact date to still be determined. She was always hinting rather subtly about when I was going to get myself engaged because she knows just like her and Dave that we are the perfect couple."

"Your friend just wants you to be as happy as she is that's all," Aaron said.

"I know that, but I've always told her that there's no need to rush into things. You had reservations about getting married again, and you had to make sure that I felt the same way before you proposed, I understood that," JJ said. "There's nothing wrong with a long relationship. Normally Penny's the one that's more cautious than I am, particularly after a guy broke her heart, which was over a year before she met Dave. Let's just say that this guy really did a number on her self-confidence."

"I knew there was something in her past," Aaron said, "but I didn't know specifically what."

"How could you know? There's no way that Penny would've mentioned it," JJ asked looking at Aaron curiously.

"I didn't know any specifics, but sometimes there's a certain look in her eyes or something in her body language depending on what she was thinking at the time. I've only noticed it when we are round a lot of strangers because you know she likes to watch them. I think she's evaluating other's relationships in her head and when she finds one that doesn't add up it causes the signs I've noticed. It probably brings back bad memories of her former relationship," Aaron said. "Being able to read body language, expression and the look in someone's eyes comes in handy in my job as a private investigator."

"Probably, although I've never noticed, but then I suppose I'm not as good at reading subtle signs," JJ said.

"Oh, she's gotten over it mostly, as I don't see those signs as much as I did when she and Dave first married, but then she's been in a happy relationship for awhile now and she and Dave have a son, so it's not surprising that she mostly got over what happened to her before, as some women never recover from a bad breakup," Aaron said.

"She might've gotten over what happened to her and believe me she has, as I would know if she hadn't, but she still remembers. I'm sure that she wants to reach out to those women she can tell are in relationships that are likely similar to her own former one, but she knows she can't," JJ said. "For one thing, those women are strangers too her and that they would never talk to her if they're being cheated on or even abused, so she knows she has to stay out of it. I believe that's what causes is that look in her eyes that you've noticed several times. I'm sure you know by now that Penny is a very caring and compassionate person and she can't help but want to reach out to the person she's sure is in a bad relationship."

"Yes, she is and I know she only wants to help those women that are in similar relationships to her own former one," Aaron said. "Of course, there's only so much you can tell from how a couple interacts around each other particularly in public. Now, while Penelope's likely right and at least some of those women aren't in happy relationships they're is still nothing she can do more's the pity, even if I know she just wants to help."

"She does," JJ said. "Unfortunately, there's nothing any of us can do, not unless we're sure the woman in question is being abused and even then, we really don't have any right to interfere, though I suppose we can call the cops if we notice something seriously wrong."

"No, it's not really all like interfering unless the situation is very unusual," Aaron sighed. "I often thought about joining the FBI so I could help people, but in the end decided against it. I needed to be around for my sons and I know the FBI requires a lot of overtime, particularly certain departments and also a total commitment. I didn't want my sons to grow up with an absentee father, because my own stayed away from home as much as possible. The investigator work I do suits me just fine and I really like working with Dave, as he's a good man. Dave's a good boss and he always gives me time off when I really need it and although it still requires a lot of hours I still have plenty of time for a personal life unlike if I had joined the FBI."

"I'm glad you didn't join the FBI or we likely never would've met," JJ said, very melancholy at the vey possibility, as she loved Aaron so much and adored his boys.

"That's a likely possibility, so I'm glad I decided against it in the end," Aaron said, pulling her closer to him, as if trying to make sure she was real.

"We did meet, and whether that was fate or just luck it doesn't matter," JJ said. "I know we'll have a long happy life together, with hopefully, at least a couple of children."

"Now that definitely sounds like an idea I can get behind," Aaron grinned into the approaching darkness.

"So can I," JJ agreed.

The two fell silent as they watched the sun sink beyond the horizon, and once it had they started to make their way back to the main entrance, so that they could head home.

~~~Dave and Penelope~~~

"Congratulations JJ, Aaron I'm so happy for you," Penelope told her friend.

JJ and Aaron had just tied the knot. Jennifer Jareau and Aaron Hotchner's relationship had proceeded much more slowly, then hers and Dave's had, but then there was no set time for a person to decide that they were ready to take the last step in a relationship and make it permanent. Both JJ and Aaron had been hurt, JJ by her boyfriend who knew absolutely nothing about his son Henry and Aaron by his ex-wife Haley who had just decided that she didn't like Aaron's new job as a private investigator. Not only was being a private investigator long hours sometimes Aaron made more now than he had when he had been a lawyer. Of course, as a lawyer he had just been starting out and soon he would've been making a bundle, but he had decided it wasn't for him. Penelope still couldn't believe that Aaron's ex-wife had gotten jealous at how much he made with his private investigator work, which to her was a pretty stupid thing to get upset about. If Aaron had been cheating on Haley, Penelope could've understood getting a divorce, but not over something like money or being jealous because he worked with two gorgeous females neither of which was romantically attached. Haley had accused him of cheating on her Penelope knew, but that didn't make it true. Of course, she also knew that Aaron had been willing to ride it out, but Haley had not been and she had even threatened to take his sons away from him and not allow him visitation rights. She had done so for pure vindictive reasons and not because Aaron was abusive towards her or their sons, but because she wanted to hurt him as much as possible. That had been the straw that had broken the camel's back as the saying went. Aaron who had been a lawyer, even if it was only for a few years had told her that if she tried he would take her to court. He had said that he could now see what vindictive bitch she was and unless she signed over parental rights he would.

Haley had been so frightened at Aaron's anger that she had done just that for it took a lot to get Aaron Hotchner furious, but threatening to take away his sons out of pure vindictiveness was the way to do it.

Penelope had heard all this from JJ and she still couldn't believe that Aaron's ex-wife had been so stupid as to threaten to not let him see his sons. Penelope knew that Aaron Hotchner was a good man and would've been happy to let his sons live with their mother just so long as he was allowed to spend time with them, but Haley's ploy had ended all that very quickly. Penelope still couldn't believe that a mother would abandon her sons, but she had likely been so frightened of her husband's anger that she had just given in without a fight. Penelope knew that Aaron didn't lose his temper very often, as he took most things in stride just like Dave her husband, so she doubted Haley had ever seen how angry Aaron could get if pushed. Oh, well, it didn't matter, because Haley Hotchner was a thing of the past and now her best friend was married to her dream man.

"Thank you, Penny," JJ said grinning happily. "It's been a long time in coming, but it's definitely been worth it.

"Yes, thank you, Penelope," Aaron said looking at JJ adoringly, before kissing her cheek.

"You're quite welcome, all I wanted was for JJ to be happy and while her break up with Will wasn't as bad as mine with Derek, it still made her cautious with relationships, just like you were. It doesn't matter how long it took for the two of you to tie the knot so long as you did so because you wanted to. After all, I think everybody should be free to find their own spouses, even if they have to try several times before finding the one that they're happy to settle down with."

"That's very wise of you," JJ teased and Penelope grinned.

"Let's just say that being genuinely happy and in love gives you a really unique perspective," Penelope returned with a smile of her own.

"Yes, you and Dave make the perfect couple," Aaron told was sincerely. "I've seen you together enough times to know that you genuinely love each other."

"If I did not I never would have agreed to marry him," Penelope told Aaron and JJ. "JJ is well aware about how cautious of relationships I was after Derek Morgan and yet Dave broke through all the defenses I had built up."

"Boy was she! She didn't date for well over a year," JJ said. "And I know she would have continued to not date at all if I hadn't urged to to give Dave a chance. She was so hurt by Morgan that she likely would have broken if off with Dave after only a few dates, because of that fear had I not talked her out of it."

"There's no point in discussing it, you did and because of your actions I didn't break it off. I'm certainly glad you talked me out of it because I am now gloriously happy," Penelope said.

"I'm certainly glad that Jennifer did to, as I haven't seen Dave this happy ever since I've known him," Aaron contributed to the conversation. "I knew about Caroline, because Dave told me, but I never actually met her, because that was over long before the two of us ever met."
The three continued to talk for a few minutes and then Penelope said, "The two of you should go and dance. This is your wedding day after all."

"She just wants to go find Dave," JJ translated and Penelope grinned at her unrepentant.

"Yes, I do, but I still think the two of you need to really enjoy your wedding day. We'll talk later," Penelope told JJ. "Besides, this is your wedding after all, the wedding of two very good friends of Dave's and mine, so maybe I want to find him, so we can dance as well."

"As you wish, my lady," Aaron told her playfully kissing the back of the hand like knights of old had used to do to ladies.

"Hey, hey trying to steal my wife," came the voice of David Rossi. This was said playfully and Penelope simply grinned at her husband of two years.

"Nope, I have my own," Aaron said smiling down at JJ who was several inches shorter.

"Well, I'm going to steal my wife for a little while as I believe that it's time for the two of us to take to the dance floor."

"Go right ahead," JJ giggled. "She was just getting ready to come and find you anyway and how did you show up when you knew she wanted you is beyond me."

"Just luck I guess," Dave shrugged. "I'm really sorry, sweetheart, but I got involved in a conversation that I'd really rather not have been involved in. I'm afraid I was cornered and the only polite thing to do was listen, until I could get away."

"Oh and what did this person want?" Penelope asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A donation for their favorite charity of course," Dave said rolling his eyes. "It's not that I mind donating to charity, but not when it's an obvious attempt just to bilk me out of at least some of my money."

"Unfortunately, we both know people like that," Aaron grimaced. "I would have preferred not to invite them to my nuptials, but on the other hand..."

"You can't afford to offend them," Dave said genuinely sympathizing.

"Exactly," Aaron agreed.

"You would think they wouldn't be so rude to bother someone at a wedding, but yes, I know some people don't care what kind of occasion it is so long as they can try to get you to donate to their cause," JJ said.

"Well, I'm going to take my lovely wife dancing and I suggest you do the same," Dave said, as he kissed Penelope cheek.

"That really is an excellent idea that Penelope originally came up with," JJ said, as she took Aaron hand and gave it a loving squeeze.

"Yes, it is, so shall we, sweetheart?" Aaron said.

"Absolutely," JJ agreed enthusiastically.

The two couples stopped talking and led their respective wives out to the dance floor.

~~~Dave and Penelope~~~

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