Title: Comfort
By: Stacy L.A. Stronach
Pairing: Gideon/JJ
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Ratings: PG
Word count: 938
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc, etc.
Warnings: HET
A/N: Yes, surely a sign of the apocalypse, I'm writing het. Ye gods, CM is a dangerous fandom, all I'm saying. (Don't worry, I'll soon be back to my regularly scheduled slashy smut)
Written in response to the first kiss meme for nebula99 who requested Gideon/JJ (and Hotch/Reid).

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They lose. Sometimes, they lose. They don't put the pieces together in time; they don't find the unsub before he kills again and they lose. JJ likes to think that they win more than they lose, but this case…this case goes in the "lose" column. They found the unsub but not before he'd killed two seven year old boys…she knows they can't save all of them but wishes they could save more of them.

Normally, they'd be on the jet, on their way home to Quantico but flights out of the local airport have been grounded due to inclement weather predicted for the area. Looking out her window at the still clear sky, she wonders if the bad weather will materialise.

She glances down at the file open on her bed and closes it; she can't concentrate enough to work right now. Wondering if she should've accepted Morgan and Emily's invitation to join them at the nearby gym, she sighs and knows that it wouldn't have done her any good—she's not the type to enjoy working out, especially when she's tired. She puts the files away and decides to go for a short walk; the motel they're staying at has some large gardens in the back and guests are welcome to visit them.

She's pulling on a cardigan over her t-shirt when she hears muted moans and creaking bed springs from the next room. Hotch and Reid are performing their own post case ritual. She can't help but smirk; their relationship is an open secret on the team, although, sometimes, she's not sure that Emily has figured it out yet. It's just one more thing that doesn't get talked about.

Locking her door, JJ heads outside into the gardens. The setting sun bathes everything in an eerie shade of red and looking at the sky, JJ can see the storm clouds rolling in. She lets her gaze travel over the flowers and the greenery in the garden. It's beautiful.

She sees him, sitting on a small wooden bench next to the pond. JJ pauses for a moment, and admits to herself that the reason she didn't go to the gym was because of him…and her need to comfort him. It had started almost six months ago, when she'd gone into his darkened office to drop off some files—the door hadn't been closed and the lights had been off, she thought he'd gone for the day.

As she'd put the files on his desk, she looked at his chair and gasped in surprise to see him sitting there, staring out the window.

"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't realise you were still in here," she said. When he didn't reply, she said his name and still nothing. Walking behind his desk, she gently placed a hand on his shoulder and he'd jumped, looking up at her in surprise.

"JJ, I…didn't hear you…" he trailed off, looking away from her again.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were in here…I didn't mean to disturb you," she said and took her hand off his shoulder.

She jumped in surprise when he grabbed it and said, "No, stay." And she had.

Since then, he sometimes seeks out her company, but more often, she's the one who goes to him. It's only after the bad cases, ones like this most recent one…and he never turns her away.

Sitting next to him on the bench, JJ sits close enough that their legs are touching. She reaches out, gently rubbing his shoulder. "Jason?"

He doesn't say anything, just leans over to lay his head on her shoulder, sliding his arm around her waist and he closes his eyes. She lets her hand slide over his back to his other shoulder, holding him; her other hand strokes slowly up and down his arm. She leans her cheek against the top of his head.

They sit like this as the sky about the sun fades from red to orange to pale pink and finally to the blue of dusk as it falls below the horizon. Jason sits up, but leaves his hand on her side, fingers splayed. They stare at each other and even in the twilight she can read the intention in his gaze, the look on his face.

For a moment, she considers leaving before anything can happen but realises she doesn't want to. Shrugging off her concerns about this-- things like their age difference, fishing off the company pier, or even sleeping with the boss (technically, she supposes, that honour belongs to Reid), she stays, turning to face him.

He leans toward her and she moves closer and their mouths press together. She stills for a moment even as his mouth moves against hers; he pulls her close, wrapping his arms around her, his hands caressing her back even as he licks at her lips.

JJ moans, opening her mouth to him, letting his tongue into her mouth before sliding her own into his. Her hand cups the back of his head, her fingers gently caressing his scalp, while her other hand is stroking the top of his thigh.

After a few minutes, Jason pulls back and brings a hand up to caress JJ's face. She smiles at the look of wonderment and, perhaps, even happiness on his face.

"Jennifer…," he begins.

"Yes," she whispers, leaning in to brush a chaste kiss on his mouth.

Her reply satisfies him and Jason stands, offering her a hand up, which she takes. Jason slides his arm around her shoulders while JJ slides her arm around his waist and they walk back into the motel. Together.

~~**the end*~~

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