Seeking comfort

Chapter 1.

I just want everyone to know that I didn't make up this story, but I added a few things to it. And will add on to the story. This story ends at chapter 13, updated in 2012. So starting at chapter 14, is mine. I just really love this story and wanted it to continue but it's been long since it was last updated, so I want to add on :)

Get it together, JJ. Will is a good guy, he was just mad and acting like an idiot. It's no reason to lose it and ruin a relationship that's been going fine for six months now, JJ thought as she stood in her bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror. Her cheekbone was a hot pink where Will had slapped her. She couldn't tell if it would bruise yet, but she suspected it might. Mostly she noticed the frightened look in her eyes that had never been there before.

He had gotten mad before, said some things he didn't mean, but this was the first time it had ever gotten physical. The logical part of her knew it would only be downhill from here, because rarely did relationships recover after violence, but the emotional, irrational part of her said she had to hide it, because he didn't mean it and it wouldn't happen again. Why make a big deal out of a one -time thing? Even as she thought it, she wasn't convinced. With shaky hands, she opened her make-up drawer and pulled out her foundation, concealer, and powder-products she usually used conservatively.

Before she could start covering the pink, her cell phone rang, shattering the silence that was the only thing keeping her together. She took a deep breath and choked back hysteria before answering.

"Agent Jureau," she said in her work voice. She could hear the edge of a tremor in her voice, but she hoped that it wasn't quite as obvious to the caller.

"JJ, we have a case. Can you be here in thirty minutes?" Hotchner asked, his voice professional and husky as ever. Thirty minutes? Was that enough time for it to look normal? She doubted it, but it wasn't like she could tell him she couldn't make it.

"Absolutely, sir," she said. She hung up after that, focusing on the task at hand. She found that focusing on the task was making her calmer, so she put all her mental energy into it. She smeared a layer of foundation over her reddened cheek bone, wincing from the pressure. Blending to the best of her ability, she wasn't impressed with the results. It was a lighter shade a pink, but it was still obvious. Next the concealer, then the powder. The finished product wasn't perfect, but it'd have to do because she was running out of time to get to work. She let her hair down from her bun and brushed through it with her fingers. Having her hair down brought less attention to her face and gave her a better chance of passing without notice. Squaring her shoulders she went down the stairs to face Will once again. She would not let him the see the fear she was feeling.

"Will, I have to go in to work," she said from the kitchen as she grabbed her jacket from the hall closet. He was sitting in the living room, but after JJ told him he got up and came into the kitchen, standing a good distance away from her. JJ wouldn't look at him at first, focusing instead on packing food into a small lunch bag.

"JJ, look at me," he said, his voice gentle and in such contrast to how he had sounded earlier. JJ steeled her nerves and looked at him unwaveringly, trying to look confident even though she felt like crawling into a hole, anything, so long as it was away from him. He walked forward and brushed the hair out of her face, gently running a thumb over her swollen cheek.

"I'm so sorry. I just got mad, I don't know what I was thinking," he said, looking sincere and deeply apologetic. Even though there was no suggestion of anger in Will's movements, JJ couldn't help feeling threatened by his nearness.

"It's ok, I understand," she said. She was convincing herself that if she didn't turn it into a big deal, then it wasn't a big deal. If she just stayed calm, he would stay calm and everything would go back to normal. Will gently placed a hand under her chin and kissed her on the lips. It felt like every other time they had kissed-loving, honest, comforting.

In the car, JJ focused on the road and choked back the tears she had refused herself earlier. Will acting so calm, like nothing had happened, made it harder for her to categorize him as a danger. He had said he was sorry, and he looked like he meant it. It probably wouldn't happen again, there was no reason to freak out. She wondered how many times she would tell herself that before she believed it.