"Anna"
The female agent turned. "Hello Hank"
"It's been a long time"
"That is has, I'm just here for the case. Nothing more, nothing less"
"I understand"
Both teams had felt the tension between the two and wondered if it would be a wise idea to have them working together. Aaron had taken Anna to the side while Antonio pulled Hank into his office and closed the door. Aaron took Anna to the lounge and closed the door.
In Hank's office, Antonio looked at his boss with a concerned look. "Hank, I need to know if you'll be able to handle and control yourself while working with Anna. I know and understand the two of you have a long and…complicated past. But we need to stay focused on the case. Are you gonna be able to do it or do you want me to take over? I understand if you want me to"
"I appreciate you looking out for me but I'm fine. I know I can put aside my emotions and feelings for the sake of the case. I will be fine working with Anna again, I did it once" Hank told him.
"That was before you two had a child and she went missing"
Hank had growled deeply rumbling his chest, his fists balled up by his side. "You don't know anything about that and it would be in your very best interest to never again bring up my daughter"
In the lounge, Aaron eyed Anna watching as she was controlling her emotions as she paced around the small room.
"Anna, are you gonna be able to keep yourself together for the sake of the case? I understand your past with him, if you don't think you can handle this you can sit this out and let us handle this"
"Aaron, this is the first solid lead I've had in years, I'm not sitting out for any reason. I can work professionally with Hank and keep my emotions out of it. But I'm staying involved with this case. Let's get to work"
As the teams stood in the squad room going over everything, Derek couldn't get out of his head about what JJ had told him about Jordan being Hank and Anna's daughter. Derek's mind kept going back to that conversation.
"It's about Jordan. She's fine but, I strongly believe and probably already know but, Jordan is Anna and Sergeant Voight's daughter" JJ confessed to Derek.
"What? JJ you need to tell them, they need to know" Derek told her.
"I know Derek I know, I don't know how to tell them"
"JJ you need to tell them before it comes out one way or another. It would be best coming from you instead of during the case"
"I will, I will tell them. But how?"
JJ watched as Hank left the office with Antonio and Aaron came out of the lounge with Anna. She knew this had to come out and she went over to Aaron for a moment.
"Can we talk?" JJ asked her boss.
"Of course," Aaron said.
They went into the lounge and JJ closed the door, she felt her heart racing in her chest and felt like it could pop out at any moment. She rubbed her hands together feeling the sweat on her palms.
"Hotch, there's something I need to confess. I have a strong belief but I'm gonna be right. Jordan is Hank and Anna's daughter. Everything adds up to Jordan being their daughter. Anna had her in May of 2002 we found Jordan 6 months later. Jordan looks just like Anna and Hank. She's been missing for 12 years and Jordan just turned 12 in May. She's their daughter, Hotch"
Aaron stayed quiet for a moment to process the new information before finally speaking up. "Have you told them?"
"No aside from Derek, you're the only one who knows. I'm sorry, I should have said something sooner"
"You're saying something now but JJ, you need to tell them. They have a right to know about their daughter and they never gave up their parental rights to Jordan. She would have to go to them"
Tears had fallen from her eyes when Hotch had said that, he was right. Hank or Anna never signed away their rights which meant they still had rights to Jordan and it would make the adoption invalid. Hotch had put a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"JJ, I know this is going to be hard but Jordan has a chance to know her parents, they're good people. They have a chance to make out on missed time. I know you and Will love Jordan and sometimes as parents, we have to make hard choices for them because it's in their best interest. And who knows, Hank and Anna may surprise you they may allow you and Will to stay involved in her life. You and Will raised her for half of her life, she's all the two of you know"
"What if they don't? She's still mine and Will's daughter regardless. We can't just shut that off" JJ had choked out a sob.
"I understand that but this is something you and Will need to talk and work out with Hank and Anna but JJ they need to know. You need to tell them"
JJ sniffed and wiped her eyes carefully to avoid smearing her makeup then went out to Hank and Anna. "Hank, Anna, may I speak to the two of you in private?"
"Is everything alright?" Hank asked concerned.
"It's best we discuss this in private"