Disclaimed!
Hi to everyone who is still reading, sorry for the sudden depressing turn, but many of my fluffy fics end up with a bit more drama.
Hope you're all still enjoying!
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Hotch placed his hand firmly against JJ's back, a silent indication that he was there, by her side, no matter what.
The expectant Mom had been silent since they left the hospital yesterday afternoon and had worried everyone on the team, but especially her doting partner who had once again taken charge and got the group through a difficult 36 hours.
It was decided that Hotch would take JJ, Erin and Garcia back to DC on the train, seeing as no-one was in a fit enough state of mind to drive the distance home, while Reid and Morgan would stay with James Blake until Wednesday when Alex was being transferred to a hospital closer to home.
It was nearly midnight when Phil, Kevin and Strauss' eldest daughter had met the Unit Chief and the three women at the station and suddenly Hotch and JJ found themselves walking through their new home's front door, officially for only the second time.
JJ's mom enveloped her daughter into a hug as they stepped into the brightly lit hallway, before the older woman hugged the injured profiler standing next to her daughter.
"Hi Sandy. Thanks for everything." Hotch replied to Sandy's softly spoken words appreciatively.
"Think nothing of it." She stepped back and patted his cheek before eyeing JJ. "How are you holding up, sweetie?"
"Not great." JJ's quiet words were hoarse after hours of not talking.
Sandy met Hotch's eyes before indicating to the stairs. "You need your rest. We'll talk in the morning, okay?"
"Mom, he wasn't in pain." JJ said softly, wanting to comfort her mom even though she felt frozen.
"David Rossi has always been a brave man and he loved you very much." Sandy replied with a warm smile, before kissing her daughter's cheek.
"I know." JJ nodded once.
Sandy took her hand beneath hers. "Love you, Jenny-bear."
JJ sniffled in response. "I love you too, Mom."
Sandy passed JJ's hand to Hotch's and smiled weakly.
"Night Sandy." Hotch nodded before leading JJ to the stairs.
"Night, dear." Sandy called out before turning out the light and leading Phil to their downstairs bedroom which they had set up in the annex that was to be the study.
"Let's get to bed." Hotch whispered when they reached the top of the stairs.
"I want to see the boys first." JJ's eyes wandered over to the closed doors further down the corridor.
After attempting to tuck Henry back under the covers, the parents wandered into Jack's room and watched their eldest son sleeping peaceful while JJ leaned against her partner's chest. "They don't know, do they?"
"No, I asked Sandy not to say anything." Hotch recalled yesterday's conversation where he delivered the bad news.
JJ wiped away a tear and smiled. "They're so angelic when they're asleep."
"We got pretty good kids when they're awake too." He kissed the top of her head lovingly.
"I've missed them." Her words were barely audible.
Hotch lowered his lips to her ear. "I always miss you all when I have to leave town."
"They're going to be heartbroken." JJ bit her lower lip.
Hotch ushered her out of Jack's bedroom and back into the hallway. "Only because they loved their Grandpa so much, but that's a good thing, that they got to spend time with him."
"I know." She whimpered.
Hotch entwined their fingers and stepped towards their bedroom. "Come on, Jayje, you're exhausted."
"We'll tell them together?" She asked with a glance back to their boys' rooms, before standing in front of the bed she never made it back into 5 days earlier.
"We will, in the morning." Hotch promised as he began shedding her layers of clothes. "Your Dad would kill me if he could see how tired you are right now."
"Aaron." JJ sobbed, unable to control her shaking as she was turned on the spot and brought tightly into his chest.
Hotch ran his uninjured hand over her back soothingly, as they hugged. "Shhhh, I know honey. I know."
"It hurts." She cried draining what little energy she had further.
"I know." Hotch managed to help JJ into bed and under the covers before her knees buckled and wrapped himself, around her swollen body, protectively.
JJ kissed his jaw as the tears fell. "I love you so much."
"I love you too." Hotch closed his eyes, hating that he couldn't make this better for her.
Somehow the couple managed to find troubled sleep, as light streamed through both windows and their sons could be heard from inside the room. "Jacky, they're back!"
"Shhh, you'll wake them." Jack scolded his younger brother from the doorway.
Henry's pout could be heard in his voice. "But, I show..."
"Shhh Henry, don't..." Jack's voice trailed off as Hotch groaned.
The father of soon to be three boys, winced as he felt his injured arm seize as Henry squirmed on top of him. "Urgh, I have a lump of something attached to my hip."
"It's me Daddy." Henry wriggled up the bed so he was face to face with his step-dad.
"Oh hi, my little munchkin. I missed you." Hotch smiled and kissed his young son. "I missed you too, son."
"I missed you as well." Jack chewed on his lip beside the bed.
"Well, what are you doing down there?" Hotch asked in concern.
Jack crawled up onto the bed slowly, to sit beside him. "You were gone a long time, Dad."
"I know I'm sorry. I love you so much though." Hotch held his sons closely and breathed in their familiar scents.
"We love you too." Jack replied with a muffled voice.
"What about me, do I get any lovin'?" JJ asked and smirked as they turned to look down at her.
"How about from all three of us?" Hotch asked while turning them so they could hug her.
"I miss you most." Henry insisted as he crawled over his mom's legs to cuddle into her other side as Jack flopped into the middle of his parents.
The older boy protested with a tsk. "Nah-uh we missed you the same."
"Good, because I missed you both exactly the same amount, which was a lot." JJ cleared her emotion clogged throat with a small cough.
Hotch smiled solemnly, noting her red rimmed eyes. "Morning."
"Morning." JJ leant her face up, so he could lean down, over Jack, to meet her lips.
"Eww." The boys wrinkled their noses, identically at the sight of their parents kissing.
Henry stood up on the bed to get their attention. "I drawed a picture..."
"You can show them at breakfast." Jack moaned in annoyance.
Henry pouted once again. "But..."
"Guys, Mom and I want to talk to you about something." Hotch intervened the potential fallout suddenly.
The brothers shared a look before Jack spoke again. "Are we in trouble?"
"No, of course not." Hotch shook his head and ruffled his son's messy hair.
JJ met his gaze and whispered. "Now?"
The profiler sat up and pulled Henry into the middle of the bed with Jack and sighed. "Boys, the reason I was gone so long and why Mommy came out to help me, was that the team were, well..."
"Daddy and the rest of the team got hurt, when they were working on a case." JJ helped quickly.
"The bad men hurt you?" Jack asked in sudden panic.
"I'm fine, my arm aches but, it's fine." Hotch explained. "Blake, Miss Alex, well she also has a bad arm and is going to stay in hospital a little while longer."
"Is everyone in hop'istal?" Henry questioned seriously.
"No. Uncle Spence hurt his leg and Uncle Derek had a bruised head, but they're going to be fine." JJ stated.
Hotch tilted his head, unsure of how to continue. "But boys, Grandpa was... he was badly hurt."
"Dad, what's wrong?" Jack prompted softly.
Hotch closed his eyes briefly to regain composure. "Grandpa was really sick and the doctor's helped him as much as they could but he was really ill and couldn't be fixed. He... well, he died yesterday. Do you understand what that means?"
"He died?" Jack's eyes widened.
Hotch nodded. "He was hurt really badly. Grandpa and the doctors fought so hard for him to get better but, erm..."
"He's with my Mommy now?" The ten year old suddenly looked much younger as his face crumpled.
Hotch ran a hand over his son's back comfortingly. "Yes, Jack."
"Oh buddy, come here." JJ wraps Jack into a hug as he cries while Henry bounced up and down, landing on Hotch's injured shoulder, after losing balance, causing his stepfather to wince.
"Grandpa with Jack's mommy?"
"Yes, Henry. Do you understand that Grandpa is...?" Hotch faltered as Henry's wide, innocent blue eyes stared up at him expectantly.
Henry wrapped his arms around his stepdad's neck when his older brother wailed. "Jack's sad?"
"He's sad, because we won't get to see Grandpa anymore." Hotch explained as best he could.
"No?" Henry stilled.
Hotch pressed a soft kiss against his son's cheek. "No."
Henry's eyes glistened before he started crying along with Jack causing JJ and, conspicuously Hotch, to start crying along with them.
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