Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is owned by CBS. I own nothing but my imagination.

An Unconventional Family-Chapter 102

~Wow...so this is it, the final chapter in this journey. I want to thank everyone who has followed this story, I can't tell you how much I've loved writing it!

~Because I can't bear to say goodbye to this world, there will be a sequel...I'm currently outlining it, so expect it later this week or early next week.

~Please take a minute to PM me or review...let me know what you liked about this story, what you didn't like, what I could have elaborated on, whatever. Also, the sequel will have more of a plot than this story did, since this one mainly centered around JJ, Abby and Dave getting to know one another and becoming a family, but if you have ideas or things you would like to see in the sequel, let me know and I will try to work it into the story. I've also put a poll up on my profile for the sequel. Please take a minute and check it out.

~Again, thanks to everyone for following my story and for giving such constructive and positive reviews!

Two hours later, Hotch stood up and cleared his throat to get all of the guest's attention. The hotel had set up chairs and tables on the beach and they had catered the dinner for the wedding. They had also set up a wooden dance floor for after dinner, but between the pictures and all of the hugs and kisses after the wedding, they were just now getting around to eating dinner.

"As you all know, I'm the best man and it is traditional for the best man to give a toast," he said, looking around the room. "I had the distinct pleasure of watching two of my closest friends get married today. JJ, Dave, I have known both of you for years, and I can tell you that I have never seen either of you look happier than you do today; you both do much better together than you do apart. If all of us in this room find half as much happiness as the two of you have in each other, we'll all be very lucky. So let's all raise a glass for Jennifer and Dave, one of the happiest couples I've ever seen. Salute."

"Salute!" All of the guests echoed. As Hotch sat down, he looked over at Abby who nodded and stood up a little shakily. As she stood up, her parents exchanged a look; they hadn't been expecting their stage-fright prone daughter to give a toast.

"Um, as the maid of honor, it's also traditional for me to give a toast as well," she said, her voice faltering a little on the last word. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath, remembering that everyone in the audience were her family and friends. "I've known that my parents were meant for each other since the first time the three of us went out. We were sitting in an Italian restaurant and I saw the way my mother's smile became brighter when she spoke to my dad, and I saw the way my dad's eyes lit up when my mother spoke. They just looked…right together, they looked like they were made for each other. Like I said, I was sure of it back then, but my faith in their destiny to be together was reaffirmed today. This morning, I asked my mom if she was nervous about marrying my dad, and she told me she was one hundred percent confident in her decision to marry him and she was so calm! I don't think anything could have rattled her this morning! Then, when I saw my dad, he told me he was absolutely terrified, terrified that my mother would change her mind, scared that she wouldn't show up to the ceremony and I knew then that my parents were destined to be together forever." She turned towards her parents and raised her glass of champagne, "Mom, dad, here's to you finally getting it right after sixteen years. Cheers!"

There was laughter and then a resounding, "Cheers!" from all of the guests.

After the meal had been cleared away from the tables, the hotel DJ began playing music and everyone slowly made their way to the dance floor. Everyone oohed and ahhhed as Dave and JJ shared their first dance as husband and wife, they smiled when Abby and Dave shared a father/daughter dance, and more than a few tears were shed when Dave danced with his mother. Once the formal dances were out of the way, more of the friends and family members joined the happy couple out on the dance floor.

As the best man, Hotch asked the maid of honor to dance and they shared a dance to a fairly slow Sinatra song. As they made their way around the dance floor, Hotch used it as an opportunity to have a discussion with his pseudo niece.

You know that I'm still going to be a part of your life, right? Just because you have your dad now, it doesn't mean I'm going to back off."

"I know, and thanks…thanks for always being there, Uncle Aaron," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

He smiled, "I also want you to know that I'll still always be here for you, you can still come to me with any problems you have." She hadn't come to him with many problems over the years, but he'd like to think he had helped her with the few she had come to him with.

"Thanks Uncle Aaron," she repeated as the song ended. She gave him a hug and then returned to the table. As she sat down, she noticed that her mother had been dancing with Jack and she wondered if he got the same reassurances as she did. She guessed he did by the smile on his face.

An hour later, as she looked around the beach, JJ resisted the urge to pinch herself as she felt like she was dreaming. She had married the love of her life, the father of her child, the only man she had ever fully loved and she had married him in a tropical paradise. Not only was he kind and generous, he was also extremely loving to both her and their daughter. Not for the first time, JJ thanked God that everything had fallen into place. She was thankful that Dave had come back to the BAU, that he had genuinely wanted to be a father and was good at it, and that he wanted to be a permanent fixture in their lives, because she couldn't imagine anything she wanted more than to wake up with him everyday. She was thankful that her daughter had blossomed under the attention of two loving parents and she was happy that because of Dave's mother and siblings, she was able to give her daughter a more stable home life than she ever thought was possible.

As she was reflecting on all of this, she watched Abby dance to a fast song with Jack. She hoped that she and Abby would stay close with Hotch and Jack; the two men needed a female influence in their lives and she and Abby had provided that influence for the last six years. The song ended and Abby made her way towards where her mother was sitting.

"Having fun?" JJ asked her daughter as she sat down next to her.

Abby nodded and took a drink of water. "Are you?"

"I am," her mother told her. "I'm content to just sit here for a minute; it's been a long day."

"Yes it has," Abby agreed as she rested her head on her mother's shoulder. JJ put her arm around her daughter and brought her in closer to her side and they sat like that for awhile, just watching as everyone danced.

From the other side of the dance floor, Dave stared at his two girls as they sat together in a contemplative silence. He was reflecting on his own life when his two best friends sat down on either side of him. He nodded thankfully as Jimmy passed him a scotch.

"What are you thinking about, Dave?" He asked.

"I was just thinking about how lucky I am," he told his friend.

"I hope you're thanking God for some of that luck."

Dave nodded, "Believe me, I am. I just can't get over how much my life has changed in the last year."

"It sure has Dave," Hotch said, taking a sip of his own scotch.

"I know! A year ago, I was living in alone in a cabin in the middle of the woods. I was a borderline alcoholic recluse and I was happy living my life that way. Don't get me wrong, I came back to the BAU in order to woo Jennifer back to me, but if that hadn't worked out, I would have been perfectly content to return to my hermit ways. Thank God JJ took a chance on me, thank God she told me about my daughter and thank God for my daughter!" He exclaimed, taking a sip of his scotch. "I never thought I needed a child to feel complete, and I honestly never expected to have one, but I can't imagine not having Abby in my life! Being a father has been incredibly frustrating at times, but it has also been one of the best experiences of my life, and I'm hoping that being a husband will be just as satisfying."

"It will be Dave," Hotch told him, "Like Abby said, you two belong together…it's like you were made for each other."

"We were Hotch, we were. I have never felt more complete than I do at this moment...I need those two like I need oxygen," he said as he got up and made his way over to his girls.

He exchanged smiles with them and sat down on the other side of his daughter. As she moved her head to his shoulder, he again thanked the fates above for brining the two of them into his life. He wasn't naïve enough to think that they would always be this happy, but he knew he would try his hardest not to let sadness into their lives. They were a family, unconventional or not, and he was ecstatic to know that he would be a part of their family until his dying day.