VIOLENT DELIGHTS, aaron hotchner

savior complex (all the skeletons)

July flies by in a flurry of cases, but August brings a new milestone for Juliette and Aaron. Celebrating their one-year anniversary seems odd, they both agree it feels like they've known each other for decades.

Even if it seems juvenile, Aaron books dinner at that same Italian restaurant. He dresses in a nice suit, and Juliette in a blouse that she saves for special occasions, just to go along with the act.

Unknowingly creating new traditions, he drives them to the restaurant with the same Beatles CD playing, and orders the same wine for the couple. Work talk is wordlessly off-limits, keeping their conversations lighthearted.

It's a pleasant change from their ones of the past month. Ever since Juliette's call with her mother, talks of their past and future have been much more common. It brought up questions of how far their relationship has come, and how far they want it to go.

Juliette can't imagine a life without Aaron now, but the commitment of marriage scares her too much to even allow past the back of her head.

Dinner brings them through the evening and back to their townhouse, thankfully alone with Jack at Jessica's for the night. Even after a relatively relaxed night, Juliette finds herself pressed against the front door as soon as it's shut.

Knowing how much the date means to Aaron, she makes it her goal to go beyond his expectations. Tugging his hair back, she works to illicit a groan as they stumble towards their bedroom.

She's just started to undo his tie as he attaches his lips to her neck when his phone blares from his pocket, both of them groaning as they separate. Aaron answers the phone with an abundance of annoyance, but his expression quickly turns to fear.

Hanging up, he immediately starts to dress again. "That was Will, he can't get ahold of JJ. He's convinced she's in danger."

"Shit." Juliette mutters, rushing towards the front door once again.

In Aaron's car, once he's called Garcia, he turns to Juliette, "Do you know what this could be about?"

She pauses, wondering if the possibility of danger is enough to betray the secret she held with JJ. It only takes her thinking about Will and Henry, the thought of them loosing her, for her to break.

"Her and Cruz worked together at the State Department. I'm not supposed to know that, but whatever they did is still classified."

Aaron takes a breath, his stare in the road as he's lost in thought. Finally, he says, "Thanks for telling me."

When they arrive at the office, they meet Will and Garcia in the conference room. "JJ's car's parked on Constitution. Morgan and Reid are going to check it out." The analyst says, typing furiously on her laptop.

"Find Matt Cruz, He'll know what's going on." Will says.

"Anderson's already tracking him down." Hotch replies.

Will nods, but Garcia pauses, "Wait— why would Cruz know?"

"He and JJ work together at the State Department." Will answers.

She shakes her head, "Past tense, I thought JJ worked at the State Department years ago."

"I thought that, too, until Cruz was assigned here and the secrecy started again."

He's cut off by Anderson entering the room, eyes fixed on Hotch. "Sir, there's a problem. Chief Cruz isn't answering, and the GPS on his mobile isn't transmitting."

This is his final breaking point, going into full emergency mode. "Garcia, have Rossi and Blake check out Cruz's house. Anderson, put Agent Jareau's family in protective custody."