Work Text:
“I can’t replace her.”
Derek’s brows rose, glancing up from the paper that was spread in front of him on his desk. It was only about half past seven in the morning – usually the only other people here at this hour were Hotch and Reid. It was a surprise to have Jordan looming over him.
Tapping his fingers lightly against his mug of coffee, Derek gave her a considering smile. “You’re here early,” he said, unsure if he should jump right into whatever was on her mind. She always seemed so frazzled, lately. He didn’t blame her; it was a tough job.
“I had so much work. Cases,” Jordan said, leaning heavily against the desk and rubbing at her temples. “I don’t know how JJ did it. I can barely keep up. I keep making mistakes.”
Derek leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms up behind his head. “Nobody’s expecting you to replace JJ. Do the job your way; don’t compare yourself to her.”
Jordan frowned, shaking her head and perching on the edge of the desk. “Hotch thinks I can’t do my job, and nobody wants me here. They don’t like me; I don’t fit in.”
“Hey,” Derek said, sitting forward in his chair again and meeting her gaze. “You can do your job just fine. And the team likes you; I like you, Jordan.”
Reaching across the desk, Derek covered one of her hands with his own. Her hands were cold and thin; ink stained from sifting through case files.
“You don’t have to be JJ Jareau, because you’re not. You’re Jordan Todd.”
The others were starting to filter into the bullpen, and Garcia gave the pair of them a wicked little smile before darting into her office. Derek knew she would be giving him the third degree after their briefing.
Jordan gave him a wan smile and twined their fingers, squeezing gently. “Maybe sometimes your best is just not enough,” she said.
Derek smiled. “Your best is always enough.”
Their fingers stayed laced like that until Hotch came in. “Wheels up, everyone. Briefing on the plane; it’s a bad one.”
Derek nodded, and then focused his attention on Jordan still perched on his desk. “Once more into the fray?” he quoted, smiling wryly as he let go of Jordan’s hand to grab his go bag out from under his desk.
Jordan returned the smile. “This time as Jordan; not JJ,” she said before going to retrieve her own bag.