Losing Hope
Title: Losing Hope
Author: digitaldesigner
Beta: hazel_eyes_86
Word Count: 1025
Rating: PG
Spoilers: JJ, Profiler, Profiled
Pairing: Will/JJ
Summary: JJ misses her family.
Disclaimer: If you recognize them, they belong to Jeff Davis. Otherwise, they're mine.
Author's Note: Written for crimeland's big bang.
JJ picked up the photograph that sat on the desk in her new office. Taken on Reid's last birthday, they were all there at the BAU. They'd decorated a conference room with streamers and balloons. Cake and presents sat on the table, waiting to be eaten and opened. They'd gotten another agent to take the photo so they could all be in it. Even Hotch was smiling like he didn't have a care in the world. It was one of the best days she could remember.
She sighed as she set the frame back down. When she was transferred, she knew there would be some adjustments to make, but she had no idea how much she would miss her friends, her family. It'd been six months now and she thought it would have gotten easier, but she just wanted to go home to the people who loved her.
Sure, she saw them occasionally. She'd seen Garcia just last week and she was meeting the whole gang for dinner tomorrow night, but it wasn't the same. She felt out of the loop of the day-to-day details of their lives. She missed the little things. She missed Rossi's observations about life. She missed being able to walk down the hall and joke with Morgan or have girl talks with Garcia or Emily. She missed Reid's physics magic and Hotch trying not to smile as he pretended to admonish him for doing it.
And yeah, the transfer did have some advantages. She was able to be home every night, which meant she got to give Henry a bath and tuck him into bed at night and see his sweet smile every morning. It meant she and Will could have a romantic weekend getaway on the spur of the moment or plan a family vacation.
And it was nice for awhile. But then she realized she wasn't enjoying her job like she used to and with that came the realization that she needed the challenge that only the BAU gave her.
Last month, Will had finally suggested she ask for a transfer back. Surprised he'd even suggest it, she asked why. "I love having you home every night, but I want you to be happy," he'd told her with a smile. "And you haven't been happy, JJ. Not for awhile now." He was right, of course, but she'd never told him.
Two weeks ago, she'd applied for a transfer back, but hadn't heard anything yet. She simply didn't know how much longer she could continue on this way. She was losing hope.
***
The next day at the restaurant, while she waited to be shown to the table, her mind took her back in time to the first time she'd met them. She'd had no idea what they would come to mean to her, how much she would worry, laugh and cry with them. She'd experienced some of the best and worst times with them, but the good far outweighed the bad. And she wouldn't change a single day.
The hostess interrupted her thoughts, asking her to follow her. When she got to the table, they were all there already, laughing and teasing Reid. She smiled before making her presence known. "Some things never change," she laughed before each took a turn in giving her a hug.
As they all sat down, Hotch handed her an envelope. "I was asked to give this to you."
"What is it?"
"Open it and find out," he smiled.
She slid her finger under the flap and pulled a single sheet of paper out, bearing the FBI's letterhead and the director's signature at the bottom. Quickly reading the words printed there, she couldn't help the tears that fell gently down her face.
Worried, Garcia put an arm around her. "What is it, JJ?"
JJ put the letter back in the envelope. "Two weeks ago, I asked for a transfer back to the BAU. I finally got an answer."
"Well, what did they say?" Garcia asked.
She smiled. "I'm coming home."
The cheer that followed caused nearby diners to turn their heads to see what had caused the commotion. A tear fell as JJ's heart filled with gratitude for the people sitting around her, with the love she had for all of them.
"I think this is a cause for celebration," Rossi said, catching the eye of their server.
"Are you ready to order?" she asked.
"Not yet," Rossi told her, "but can we get a bottle of champagne?"
"Absolutely."
***
"So when do you come back?" Morgan asked as they ate their dinner and enjoyed each other's company.
"Monday."
"Bet you never wanted a weekend to go by fast before," Morgan laughed, causing laughter from the whole group.
"No, I definitely have not," she grinned.
"Does Will know you asked for a transfer back?" Reid asked, taking a bite of his lasagna.
JJ nodded. "He suggested it. He told me he just wanted me to be happy."
"You've got a good one there, JJ," Garcia told her.
"He's the best," she agreed.
***
Will was watching the game when JJ got home later that night. "How was dinner?"
"It was lovely. Good food, great conversation and laughter. What more could I ask for?" she smiled.
"Not much," he admitted, smiling back at her.
"What are you smiling about?" she asked.
"You. You look happier than you have for the past six months. I missed that smile."
"I smile," she protested.
"You do, but not that smile. That smile is the one that reaches your eyes. That's the one I fell in love with."
"Oh Will."
"So tell me what happened. There's something you haven't told me, isn't there?"
She nodded. "My transfer came through. Hotch gave me the letter when I got there."
"Oh, honey, that's wonderful," he told her, pulling her into a hug. "I'm so happy for you."
***
An hour later, they crawled into bed. As JJ lay in Will's arms, she couldn't help but think of how lucky she was. A family she adored and friends who would do anything for her. She fell asleep with a smile on her face.
Author: digitaldesigner
Beta: hazel_eyes_86
Word Count: 1025
Rating: PG
Spoilers: JJ, Profiler, Profiled
Pairing: Will/JJ
Summary: JJ misses her family.
Disclaimer: If you recognize them, they belong to Jeff Davis. Otherwise, they're mine.
Author's Note: Written for crimeland's big bang.
JJ picked up the photograph that sat on the desk in her new office. Taken on Reid's last birthday, they were all there at the BAU. They'd decorated a conference room with streamers and balloons. Cake and presents sat on the table, waiting to be eaten and opened. They'd gotten another agent to take the photo so they could all be in it. Even Hotch was smiling like he didn't have a care in the world. It was one of the best days she could remember.
She sighed as she set the frame back down. When she was transferred, she knew there would be some adjustments to make, but she had no idea how much she would miss her friends, her family. It'd been six months now and she thought it would have gotten easier, but she just wanted to go home to the people who loved her.
Sure, she saw them occasionally. She'd seen Garcia just last week and she was meeting the whole gang for dinner tomorrow night, but it wasn't the same. She felt out of the loop of the day-to-day details of their lives. She missed the little things. She missed Rossi's observations about life. She missed being able to walk down the hall and joke with Morgan or have girl talks with Garcia or Emily. She missed Reid's physics magic and Hotch trying not to smile as he pretended to admonish him for doing it.
And yeah, the transfer did have some advantages. She was able to be home every night, which meant she got to give Henry a bath and tuck him into bed at night and see his sweet smile every morning. It meant she and Will could have a romantic weekend getaway on the spur of the moment or plan a family vacation.
And it was nice for awhile. But then she realized she wasn't enjoying her job like she used to and with that came the realization that she needed the challenge that only the BAU gave her.
Last month, Will had finally suggested she ask for a transfer back. Surprised he'd even suggest it, she asked why. "I love having you home every night, but I want you to be happy," he'd told her with a smile. "And you haven't been happy, JJ. Not for awhile now." He was right, of course, but she'd never told him.
Two weeks ago, she'd applied for a transfer back, but hadn't heard anything yet. She simply didn't know how much longer she could continue on this way. She was losing hope.
***
The next day at the restaurant, while she waited to be shown to the table, her mind took her back in time to the first time she'd met them. She'd had no idea what they would come to mean to her, how much she would worry, laugh and cry with them. She'd experienced some of the best and worst times with them, but the good far outweighed the bad. And she wouldn't change a single day.
The hostess interrupted her thoughts, asking her to follow her. When she got to the table, they were all there already, laughing and teasing Reid. She smiled before making her presence known. "Some things never change," she laughed before each took a turn in giving her a hug.
As they all sat down, Hotch handed her an envelope. "I was asked to give this to you."
"What is it?"
"Open it and find out," he smiled.
She slid her finger under the flap and pulled a single sheet of paper out, bearing the FBI's letterhead and the director's signature at the bottom. Quickly reading the words printed there, she couldn't help the tears that fell gently down her face.
Worried, Garcia put an arm around her. "What is it, JJ?"
JJ put the letter back in the envelope. "Two weeks ago, I asked for a transfer back to the BAU. I finally got an answer."
"Well, what did they say?" Garcia asked.
She smiled. "I'm coming home."
The cheer that followed caused nearby diners to turn their heads to see what had caused the commotion. A tear fell as JJ's heart filled with gratitude for the people sitting around her, with the love she had for all of them.
"I think this is a cause for celebration," Rossi said, catching the eye of their server.
"Are you ready to order?" she asked.
"Not yet," Rossi told her, "but can we get a bottle of champagne?"
"Absolutely."
***
"So when do you come back?" Morgan asked as they ate their dinner and enjoyed each other's company.
"Monday."
"Bet you never wanted a weekend to go by fast before," Morgan laughed, causing laughter from the whole group.
"No, I definitely have not," she grinned.
"Does Will know you asked for a transfer back?" Reid asked, taking a bite of his lasagna.
JJ nodded. "He suggested it. He told me he just wanted me to be happy."
"You've got a good one there, JJ," Garcia told her.
"He's the best," she agreed.
***
Will was watching the game when JJ got home later that night. "How was dinner?"
"It was lovely. Good food, great conversation and laughter. What more could I ask for?" she smiled.
"Not much," he admitted, smiling back at her.
"What are you smiling about?" she asked.
"You. You look happier than you have for the past six months. I missed that smile."
"I smile," she protested.
"You do, but not that smile. That smile is the one that reaches your eyes. That's the one I fell in love with."
"Oh Will."
"So tell me what happened. There's something you haven't told me, isn't there?"
She nodded. "My transfer came through. Hotch gave me the letter when I got there."
"Oh, honey, that's wonderful," he told her, pulling her into a hug. "I'm so happy for you."
***
An hour later, they crawled into bed. As JJ lay in Will's arms, she couldn't help but think of how lucky she was. A family she adored and friends who would do anything for her. She fell asleep with a smile on her face.