My Heart's Been Borrowed

Chapter 3: Glitch

A/N: The fic earns its rating for the first time here. You have been warned...

JJ slips into work earlier than usual on Monday morning. Not even Hotch has arrived for the day, which means no one else has either. It is technically two hours before she's supposed to be there, but she needed something to do.

The weekend has been full of confusion, frustration, and plenty of spiraling. Thursday night still seems like a fever dream. The flirting with Elle, the cold cruelty thrown her way, her kiss with Alex all seem like they were a lifetime ago.

The rest of the night, though, is seared onto her brain. Even now in her office, moments flash through her mind.

Alex's smirk when JJ suggested they go back to one of their apartments. The slight sting of pain on her neck when Alex got a little too enthusiastic. The sound of Alex's jacket hitting the floor when JJ shoved it off. How wet Alex was when JJ nervously slid her hand into her pants. The feeling of Alex's tongue on her chest. The rough thrust of Alex's fingers inside of her. The intensity of her orgasm. The sweat dripping down her body when she fell back onto Alex's bed, exhausted. The even sound of Alex's breathing as JJ was lying there, awake, all night.

She slipped out of Alex's apartment before the sun was up, head pounding and heart aching. The cab ride back to her car was quiet, but the driver kept glancing at her in the rearview mirror. When she got back into her own vehicle, she realized why: there was a huge hickey on her neck. One that definitely wouldn't be gone by Monday.

As soon as she got to her apartment, JJ had to race to the bathroom where she stayed for most of the day. She officially swore off tequila, especially if a pretty woman was involved. The rest of the weekend she went back and forth between being happy because she really enjoyed the sex, and being filled with self-loathing because she really wasn't ready for that. Alex had been absolutely wonderful, checking in throughout the whole experience. It wasn't her fault that JJ was pushing herself more than she should have. She feels bad about leaving without telling her. Maybe she'll run into her again so she can apologize.

For a while, JJ works on paperwork from their most recent case. All her other thoughts and worries fade into the background. When she looks at the clock hanging on the opposite wall, though, she grabs her purse and hurries to the bathroom.

She triple checks that all the stalls are empty before going to the sink and pushing her hair behind her ear. The bruise on her neck is still dark and very, very obvious. Of course the makeup she spent the better part of half an hour applying that morning didn't do much to help either. She'll just have to do her best to keep her hair covering it. No tucking it behind her ear like she usually does.

She's about to head back to her office when the bathroom door opens again. She tries to hide the hickey, but it's too late. And the person meeting her eyes in the mirror just happens to be the one person she was hoping to avoid: Elle.

"Looks like you had fun after I left," Elle says, tearing her gaze away from JJ's.

"Something like that," JJ mutters.

"I thought you were interested in me," Elle continues like JJ hadn't spoken at all.

"I am."

"You've got a funny way of showing it." Elle rushes out of the bathroom before JJ even has a chance to process her words. With a sigh, she heads back to her office, hoping the rest of the day goes better.

Coffee always helps, at least a little bit, so JJ heads for the small kitchen area where she can smell some already brewing. "Morning, Princess," Morgan calls from where he's standing next to the coffeemaker. "Have a good weekend?"