a second chance - Hotchniss

Stories [Alaska]

"So, tell me", JJ said while we were walking down the streets of the city. That afternoon we had decided to meet for a walk through the shops and the park, just for talking a bit. "Why do you think that it was a good idea to send your parents on vacation together?"

"Well", I grinned. "I just thought they needed some time alone, far away from all the other problems, far away from me and their work. Just the two of them in one house, facing every little problem they have."

"Wow, you sound so grown-up", she sighed. "Sometimes I feel like you are behaving more like an adult than your parents do."

"I don't only feel like I do, I know I do", I laughed.

"But it's hard, isn't it?", she then asked in a more serious tone.

"What do you mean?"

"I know that you don't want to show how much all this affecting you, you've got this bad habit from your parents by the way, but you can tell me everything. I know that this gets to you as well.", she explained.

I took a deep breath before saying: "Of course it does. But it doesn't help my parents if I get on their nerves as well. I can still do that after they made up again."

"You sound like your Mum", JJ smiled. "She is as selfless as you are, trust me."

I chuckled and we headed to a coffeeshop where we ordered a coffee to-go for JJ and a green tea to-go for me. Ana's voice shot through my head, telling me that green tea was a good choice since it had zero calories, but I was able to make her shut up this time.

"Do you think they'll make it?", I asked her. "Be honest, please..."

"I think they will", she nodded. "I've known them from the beginning, they cannot live without each other. Before they got together, your mother always had feelings for you father - I guess he also felt about her the same way, but I talked mostly to her about it since she was my best friend - and she always tried to get him off her mind, especially since they hadn't liked each other at all in the beginning, but it was impossible. And after they finally got together, they were so much stronger. They made each other a better person in every single way and I know that they were made for each other. They may try to ignore it, but they also know that none of them would survive without each other. The only thing that keeps them apart is their stubbornness."

"My parents? Stubborn?", I laughed. "How ridiculous!"

She joined my laughter and sipped on her coffee.

"Tell me more about them", I then smiled. "About them, when they were younger."

She smiled as well: "Oh, there are many good stories. In the beginning of their relationship they actually tried to hide it, but it was so obvious since all of the sudden, this tension around them was gone. Emily was really relaxed and your father smiled a lot, which was pretty unusual back then. I was the first one to know, with me Reid and after Rossi had found out as well, they had decided to not keep it as a secret anymore."

I grinned to the thought of my parents trying to hide a relationship that everyone had been rooting for. Somehow, it did not surprise me at all that they thought they could manage to do that.

"Once Reid accidentally interrupted them in your father's office, at you know what I mean. That was quite funny. Spence thought that your Dad would directly fire him and your mother was so embarrassed that she couldn't even look at him for more than a week. I still think that had not been the last time they actually had sex in that office-"

"Okay, another topic, please", I grinned.

"Sorry", she answered. "Shortly after they married, we had a lot of confusion with their last name at work. Before the wedding, your Dad was 'Hotch' and your Mum was 'Prentiss', but then all of the sudden they both were 'Hotchner'. We then switched to calling your mother Emily, your father stayed 'Hotch'. But I love how they still both say 'yes?' when someone walks in and asks for 'Agent Hotchner'. Oh, and when Emily was pregnant with you, Hotch turned into this overprotective super-Daddy-to-be and she herself transformed into a hyena, I swear, I have never seen someone being this moody and I have been pregnant twice already. It was a hard time for your Dad, but he managed it quite good, I have to admit."

"Is it true that I once got lost on the BAU floor?", I asked.

"Oh, yes", JJ laughed. "You were only a baby back then, you couldn't even walk properly, you just kept scrambling around. Emily had brought you with her to visit us for the first time and she gave you to Spence, since he wanted to take care of you so badly. I don't know what we were actually talking about, but he didn't pay attention to your for only some seconds, but when he turned back to you, you were gone. Hotch was freaking out, once again Spence was scared of being fired. We were looking for you for about two hours, Emily had already started to panic as well when we finally found you, sleeping happily in one of the drawers of my desk. I still have no idea how you had gotten in there, but I guess you liked it."

"I think so", I grinned.

We both stayed silent for a short time.

"I guess I have to go back to work soon, so we'll continue this story time another time, okay?", JJ then smiled.

"Sure", I nodded.

"Come on, I'll drive you home", she said and we made our way to her car. "Are you and Jonas still together?"

"Yea", I replied, blushing a bit.

"Wow, I have to admit, the first time you told me about him, he sounded like a real ass.", she grinned.

"He totally was back then", I laughed. "But he has changed. He is a good guy."

"I hope so", she smiled. "Otherwise he will have some problems with your godmother."

"Oh, I'm gonna add your name to the list of people who have already said that. My Dad's number 1.", I sighed.

"Oh, tell me why I am not surprised to hear that?", JJ laughed and I joined her laughter before we got into the car.

In that moment, I was just thankful for having someone like her in my life. I felt like I could take to her about everything, even some stuff I couldn't even tell my best friends, Jonas or my parents. She was one of the only persons I trusted completely, without any doubts. In some ways, she was like the sister I've never had.