Disclaimer: Some angst, some fluff, mininal swear words,
Ever since JJ and Will seperated, JJ had managed to finally realise why they had done so.
It had taken two years after they broke up, and after they had Henry, to realise who she truely love. But better later than never, right?
Maybe that was why it hurt so much, returning after Emily’s fake death, only to be given the cold shoulder by Spencer.
Truthfully, she had loved him ever since he joined. She just didn’t know it. They had become instant best friends, she was the only one to give him a nickname (other than Morgan). And when he got kidnapped...if anything had happened to him, she couldn’t even fathom the idea.
Spencer had always had something inside of him that wished he could have a life with JJ.
From the school boy crush he had on her when he first met her, to the odd feeling of heartbreak that over took him when he found out about JJ and Will.
But, either way, he was happy for her. That she had found someone she wanted to start a life with, even if it wasn’t him.
Only, after the couple’s break-up, this opened a door. For both of them.
For JJ and Will, it wasn’t messy. They had just...fallen out of love. They would always have a friendship - and a healthy one - for the sake of their son. But nothing would ever grow from it again.
By the two years was close to three, Will had finally found someone he could marry and grow old with. Only, this left JJ wondering something.
If Will could find someone and tell them how he felt, why couldn’t she? She had someone she loved dearly, someone she had loved since the beginning...just taking a while to fully accept it and realise it.
So, as she sat at her desk, she began to ponder all these questions, failing to notice Rossi make his way over.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
“What? Oh, no. It’s okay.”
Looking to JJ’s desk, Rossi spotted the invitation in her hands.
“He’s getting married?” Rossi asked, a small smile.
JJ leaned back in her chair and let out a small sigh, trying to hide her face with her hand.
“Yeah,” she smiled. “After we broke up, we always said we’d be there for one another, and for Henry.”
“Are you gonna go?” Rossi asked.
“Yes. Maybe. I don’t know.”
Rossi studied JJ for a few moments before realising what was really going on.
“You could just ask him, you know? I’ve seen you two together. So had Hotch. You deserve to be happy, JJ. You both do.”
It didn’t take a genius to realise who Rossi was now talking about.
“Clearly not to you two.” Rossi joked, gaining a small laugh from JJ.
“I - I don’t know. It’s just...Spence. He’s my best friend, and has been since I first joined the team. What if something goes wrong? I don’t want to lose him. An - And I - I couldn’t do that to Henry. Or him.”
“JJ. I have been married three times.” Rossi told her. “I know a bit about that side if something goes wrong. But one thing I can tell you is that if anyone is ever gonna love you more, care for you and understand you more. It’s Spencer. He loves you. Even if the genius kid is still unsure. Universal things that can’t be explained by science have never been his strong suit. But god forbid if anything happened to you, I know he would move heaven and earth to find you and bring you back home, safe and well.”
JJ just smiled, a couple of tears welling in her eyes.
“Anytime, kiddo.” Rossi replied. “And go, just remember to ask for a date.”
With a wink, Rossi stood up and walked away and towards Hotch’s office.
However, as JJ began thinking about the invitation, fate stepped in and a few seconds later, Spencer landed beside her desk, two cups of coffee in tow.
Spencer studied her for a moment before sitting on her desk, just like Rossi had done.
“What? Oh, yeah. It’s just...Will’s getting married and he’s sent me an invite.”
“You need a date?” Spencer asked her.
So, taking the opportunity at hand, JJ nodded. “Thank you, Spence.”
The pair held eye contact for a short moment, feeling something warm in the pit of their stomachs, only to be interupted by Garcia who came rushing over.
Garcia began with a wide smile, looking between the two agents. “Okay, so, do you remember when I told you about my neighbour’s kid, and how he fell off his bike on his sixth birthday and got rushed into the ER and it was a whole bloody ordeal with stones and gravel and everything that could possibly hurt if you fell off a bike. So, anyway, his uncle works as a big fancy space engineer and I know how much Henry is in love with space and wanting to be an astonaut when he grows up. So, after a long time of flirting with yours truely, I have found the perfect spot for Henry to have his fifth birthday.” Garcia continued on after taking a breath. “They’re doing this grand opening at a new space centre for kids about forty mintues away. Apparently it’s the best place to see the stars at night. It gives the clearest view, but anywho, I’ve asked if they have any openings for a cute five year old’s birthday and they do, so, yay!”
“How long have you been planning this?” JJ asked.
“Only a month or so, but I do think Henry will really enjoy it. So, what do you say?”
JJ smiled, “I think it’s perfect. Henry will love it. Thank you, Penelope.”
Garcia gave a bright and wide smile. “All in a day’s work of Super Aunt! The bestest Aunt in all of space and time!”
Ever since JJ and Will seperated, JJ had managed to finally realise why they had done so.
It had taken two years after they broke up, and after they had Henry, to realise who she truely love. But better later than never, right?
Maybe that was why it hurt so much, returning after Emily’s fake death, only to be given the cold shoulder by Spencer.
Truthfully, she had loved him ever since he joined. She just didn’t know it. They had become instant best friends, she was the only one to give him a nickname (other than Morgan). And when he got kidnapped...if anything had happened to him, she couldn’t even fathom the idea.
Spencer had always had something inside of him that wished he could have a life with JJ.
From the school boy crush he had on her when he first met her, to the odd feeling of heartbreak that over took him when he found out about JJ and Will.
But, either way, he was happy for her. That she had found someone she wanted to start a life with, even if it wasn’t him.
Only, after the couple’s break-up, this opened a door. For both of them.
For JJ and Will, it wasn’t messy. They had just...fallen out of love. They would always have a friendship - and a healthy one - for the sake of their son. But nothing would ever grow from it again.
By the two years was close to three, Will had finally found someone he could marry and grow old with. Only, this left JJ wondering something.
If Will could find someone and tell them how he felt, why couldn’t she? She had someone she loved dearly, someone she had loved since the beginning...just taking a while to fully accept it and realise it.
So, as she sat at her desk, she began to ponder all these questions, failing to notice Rossi make his way over.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
“What? Oh, no. It’s okay.”
Looking to JJ’s desk, Rossi spotted the invitation in her hands.
“He’s getting married?” Rossi asked, a small smile.
JJ leaned back in her chair and let out a small sigh, trying to hide her face with her hand.
“Yeah,” she smiled. “After we broke up, we always said we’d be there for one another, and for Henry.”
“Are you gonna go?” Rossi asked.
“Yes. Maybe. I don’t know.”
Rossi studied JJ for a few moments before realising what was really going on.
“You could just ask him, you know? I’ve seen you two together. So had Hotch. You deserve to be happy, JJ. You both do.”
It didn’t take a genius to realise who Rossi was now talking about.
“Clearly not to you two.” Rossi joked, gaining a small laugh from JJ.
“I - I don’t know. It’s just...Spence. He’s my best friend, and has been since I first joined the team. What if something goes wrong? I don’t want to lose him. An - And I - I couldn’t do that to Henry. Or him.”
“JJ. I have been married three times.” Rossi told her. “I know a bit about that side if something goes wrong. But one thing I can tell you is that if anyone is ever gonna love you more, care for you and understand you more. It’s Spencer. He loves you. Even if the genius kid is still unsure. Universal things that can’t be explained by science have never been his strong suit. But god forbid if anything happened to you, I know he would move heaven and earth to find you and bring you back home, safe and well.”
JJ just smiled, a couple of tears welling in her eyes.
“Anytime, kiddo.” Rossi replied. “And go, just remember to ask for a date.”
With a wink, Rossi stood up and walked away and towards Hotch’s office.
However, as JJ began thinking about the invitation, fate stepped in and a few seconds later, Spencer landed beside her desk, two cups of coffee in tow.
Spencer studied her for a moment before sitting on her desk, just like Rossi had done.
“What? Oh, yeah. It’s just...Will’s getting married and he’s sent me an invite.”
“You need a date?” Spencer asked her.
So, taking the opportunity at hand, JJ nodded. “Thank you, Spence.”
The pair held eye contact for a short moment, feeling something warm in the pit of their stomachs, only to be interupted by Garcia who came rushing over.
Garcia began with a wide smile, looking between the two agents. “Okay, so, do you remember when I told you about my neighbour’s kid, and how he fell off his bike on his sixth birthday and got rushed into the ER and it was a whole bloody ordeal with stones and gravel and everything that could possibly hurt if you fell off a bike. So, anyway, his uncle works as a big fancy space engineer and I know how much Henry is in love with space and wanting to be an astonaut when he grows up. So, after a long time of flirting with yours truely, I have found the perfect spot for Henry to have his fifth birthday.” Garcia continued on after taking a breath. “They’re doing this grand opening at a new space centre for kids about forty mintues away. Apparently it’s the best place to see the stars at night. It gives the clearest view, but anywho, I’ve asked if they have any openings for a cute five year old’s birthday and they do, so, yay!”
“How long have you been planning this?” JJ asked.
“Only a month or so, but I do think Henry will really enjoy it. So, what do you say?”
JJ smiled, “I think it’s perfect. Henry will love it. Thank you, Penelope.”
Garcia gave a bright and wide smile. “All in a day’s work of Super Aunt! The bestest Aunt in all of space and time!”
By the time Will's wedding to his new bride, Dayna, came around, JJ couldn't believe just a month ago she had been sat at her desk having just been handed the invite.
Henry had stayed with Dayna's sister at the hotel that night in order to get ready with the rest of the children who had been included in the wedding.
This mean JJ had the house to herself for the rest of the evening and the next day, allowing her to get ready in peace - not that Henry wasn't a calm kid.
It was a spring wedding, taking place around 5 o'clock and into the evening due to the warmer night.
With that in mind, JJ wore a long, flowing, semi-wrap dress - the wrap coming from the illusion of the skirt. It was off the shoulder and had saje green leaves throughout it.
Perfect for a warm, spring night.
When Spencer came to pick her up, he stood on the other side of the door with an astonishing smile on his face when he saw JJ in her radient beauty.
"What? Is everything okay?"
Spencer simply smiled. "Yeah. You look beautiful."
JJ smiled. "Thanks, oh, wait. Come here."
Placing her light cardigan over her arm, she pulled Spencer closer, fixing his tie for him before fixing the collar.
"Anytime." JJ smiled. "Should we get going?"
Spencer nodded, helping her down the few stairs of her front poarch before opening her side door.
By the time they arrived, both JJ and Spencer found their seats, Will giving her a small smile when he spotted her in the crowd.
As the wedding begun, JJ nearly cried seeing her son in his small grey suit with a tie and waistcoat. He was the ring-bearer.
JJ had met Dayna quite a few times over the years. Deep down, it was her who Will was with now. Dayna was a kind person, in and out, so if Henry stayed with Will, JJ knew he was safe with either of them.
Part way through the ceremony, JJ took hold of Spencer's hand, his arm going across the back of her chair.
Ever now and then, the pair would look over towards Henry, getting a small wave back.
By the end, Will and Dayna walked back down the aisle together, Henry eventually running over to his mom, beaming with pride at his job in the wedding.
"Great job, Henry!" Spencer smiled, the kid giving him a little high five.
"You are the best ring-bearer I've ever seen." JJ told him.
As time went on, eventually JJ was stood in the large doorway which led out to a small courtyard where Spencer was now entertaining multiple children with his use of magic.
However, as she did, Will came up behind her.
"Hey," JJ smiled. "Congrats on the wedding. It's beautiful."
"Thank you. Most of it was Day's idea." Will smiled. "Thank you for coming."
"We always promised we'd be there for each other,"
Will nodded with a knowing smile, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he looked to the ground. A few seconds later, he looked up, watching all the kids laugh and scream and the new magic trick.
"I'm guessing you finally told him." Will said.
Will smiled. "Oh, come on, JJ."
Wrapping her arms around her middle, JJ leaned back against the door frame, looking out to Spencer for a few moments.
"You still haven't told him? JJ-"
"I know. I know. It's just..."
"JJ," Will began. "You deserve to be happy."
"You know what I mean." Will told her. "Just...don't wait too long."
Not long after that Dayna came over, pulling her husband towards the dancefloor for another dance, the kids doing the same as they ran inside and jumped and twisted on the floor to the music.
"Hey," JJ smiled as Spencer made his way over.
"Hey," he smiled, "Can we talk?"
Taking a step outside, the pair walked around the court yard for a short while before eventually turning to one another.
"No, you go first." Spencer told her.
"Okay," JJ began. "You know I love you, Spence. You've been my best-friend ever since I joined the BAU and I wouldn't change that for the world. But - and I know it's going to sound selfish and you don't have to say anything back or change anything - I love you. And I like you. More than a friend, Spence. I think I have done for a while. And it's not because Will is getting married or because I'm lonely but because it's been eating at me alive for a long time. Maybe even before Will."
"And I repeat, you don't have to say anything. You can completly forget I said anything and we can go on as normal and-"
"No-one ever has to know - although I think they all know and- wait. What did you say?"
"JJ, I love you, too." Spencer repeated. "I have done, for a while."
"Why didn't you say anything?" JJ asked him.
"Because our friendship meant more to me than a small crush - what I thought was a small crush anyway."
Their revelations and conversation continued for a few more mintues before finally they met in the middle, having stepped closer as they spoke.
And it was...right. Just perfect.
They had both waited a long time for something they never thought would happen.
As midnight drew in, Henry had fallen asleep on JJ's lap as they sat in the corner of the room.
Will and Dayna had already said their goodbye's and goodnight's to JJ, Spencer and Henry.
All JJ was waiting for was for Spencer to bring the car around. And he wasn't long neither.
Spencer strapped Henry into his carseat, telling JJ to get into the passenger seat.
The whole drive back, lights passed them ever now and then from other cars, but until they finally got back into the city, they were alone.
The pair would look back at one another every now and then before turning their eyes back on the road.
Eventually, they got back home.
JJ was ready to pick Henry up but Spencer beat her to it. This wasn't unusual. Any time they had hung out before and Henry had fallen asleep in the back of the car, Spencer would carry him inside.
"You go and open the door, I'll get him."
JJ did so before moving inside and getting Henry's bed ready and taking out his pj's. By the time Spencer brought him inside, locking the car behind him and closing the door, he lay him down allowing JJ to take over whilst he went to get JJ a glass of water and an asprin.
"Fast asleep." JJ whispered before lightly taking the glass and asprin from Spencer. "Thanks."
"Will you stay?" JJ asked him as they stood in the darkness of the kitchen.
It didn't take much convincing and by two am, the pair of them were lay in bed, side by side, falling into a deep sleep.
Skipping three months ahead, JJ and Spencer couldn't have been happier.
Ever since Will's wedding, they had spent as much time together as they could. With getting their work done, too.
Everyone on the team knew they were dating, there was no doubt about that. But, even with having to file it in with HR, Hotch and the rest of the BAU couldn't have been happier for them.
Hotch had known them both for as long as he could remember. And if Gideon was still apart of the team, he'd day it himself. He was glad they were finally together.
Now, it was approaching Henry's fifth birthday and he could not have been more excited. Henry didn't know where he was going but he knew his Super Aunt had found where they were going - so that meant it was amazing!
"A little higher, higher - whoa, stop. Morgan, lift your side a little." JJ instructed as both Morgan and Spencer hung up a birthday banner.
"What time is Will bringing him?" Emily asked from the juice bar.
"Err..." JJ checked her watch. "About an hour."
"Okay, I've brought everything I could find." Garcia said as she hauled in two boxes with the help of Rossi.
"We have everything but the kitchen sink." Rossi joked.
"Thank you, all of you, for helping out."
"Don't mention it." Hotch told her. "We're all family here."
An hour later, Will arrived with Dayna and Henry - everyone jumping out to say surprise.
Soon enough, most of Henry's friends arrived and the party begun.
Kids were running around the planitaruim, space dome and constilation room, all in awe of the stars and planets they were seeing.
At three o'clock, they had a history tour of space - Henry following the guide's every movement and word.
By four o'clock, JJ and Will were stood at either end of the cake, Hotch and Morgan having lit it, and were walking to where Henry was sat on the birthday 'space rocket' chair - (An astronaut's rocket on the back).
Spencer and Penelope handed out birthday hats, JJ's mom helping Henry put his on.
Dimming down the lights, the stars inside the dome were the only things to light up the room, other than Henry's birthday candles of course.
After singing happy birthday, they all gave three cheers before Henry sqeezed his eyes shut before following Will and JJ's instruction and making a wish.
With everyone cheering and Spencer, with the help of Garcia and Morgan, keeping the children preoccupied with a few magic tricks, Will and JJ took the cake back to get cut.
"Hey, could we talk?" Will asked JJ, "Whilst there are no kids about?"
The pair stiffled a life. "Sure. What about?"
"I wanted to tell you, before somebody else does or you find out another way-"
As she began placing pieces of cake onto paper plates, JJ quickly looked over to Will.
"They've offered me a cheif detective position back in Orleans'" Will told her quickly. "A-And I've accepted the job. It's much better money than I'm on now and I can give Dayna a good life - as well as any children we could have in the future."
"And what about Henry? He's your son, too, Will."
"I know," Will told her. "I know. And we'll work something out. School holidays, flights every weekend or something. I want to be apart of his life. But this is also something that I can do to make a good life. For everyone."
Thankfully, for JJ, Penelope and Hotch made their way over, getting ready to hand out cake before it would come to the end of the party.
Only, as people began to leave, Dayna found time to pull JJ aside.
"I know Will's told you, and you know I love Henry like my own, but this is a big opportunity for him." Dayna told her. "He has an opportunity to do what he loves and the only way he can do that is to move."
"I don't mean to be rude, but this is something between Will and I. Henry is our child. Henry will see Will when it's good for him, not for you or Will. He deserves to have his dad in his life."
"Alls I'm saying is, allow Will to move on. He's married, to me now, and yes, Henry is his son, but Will deserves a life of his own, too."
"Is there a problem here?" Hotch asked, walking towards the pair of them.
"No," Dayna smiled. "Not at all. Just, think about it JJ?"
JJ didn't move, just watching her walk away before Hotch stepped in front of her view.
"Are you sure everything is okay?"
"Will's been offered a job back in New Orleans and he's accepted it. Only, he and Dayna are going to have to move there but Henry deserves to see his dad. And he deserves to see Henry."
"But you don't want to hold him back?"
"I don't know what I'm gonna do."
"Well, either way, Henry is always gonna have more than enough of a family to help him." Hotch told her.
Looking over, JJ couldn't help but smile as she saw Henry running around with Spencer, Penelope, Emily and Derek playing tag.
Just over two months later, Dayna and Will had moved to New Orleans and were quick to settle into their new life together.
JJ was a little pissed in the beginning because seemingly, this didn't truely include Henry. But, Will tried his best to see his son.
But this also meant there was more time for Henry to be with JJ and Spencer - and the rest of the BAU.
A few nights a week, JJ would book a babysitter - she had thought maybe a nanny would work better since they could be trustworthy and would be living close by or in the same building. But JJ's mom was not having it.
She rarely got to see her only grandson as it was, so she was more than happy to have him round. She's even joked that maybe she would just kidnap him and keep him forever because he was so cute.
Currently, Spencer and JJ were spending their date night in the BAU room, on their own, eating chinese food whilst filling in paperwork and case files.
This was a common occurance - but neither really minded. Every few weeks they would head out for the evening and have an 'actual' date - but both were usually back before 11.
"Hey, have you seen the Greenwood file?"
Quickly lifting up papers, Reid eventually found the file before handing it over to his girlfriend.
JJ hummed in response. "Hhm? What? Oh, yeah. Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"I don't know. It's been a long day - and I love you and want to make sure you're okay."
JJ smiled. "I'm fine, Spence. Honestly. I'm just tired."
"Everything." JJ admitted. "Sometimes I feel like I'm falling and I can't stop. Other times I question why we even do this. Even after everything- There's just always something else."
Trying to wipe the tears from her eyes, JJ quickly stood up, Spencer doing the same before pulling her into a hug.
This was another thing that made him realise he loved JJ. He was almost always fearful of touching someone due to there being more germs in a handshake than a kiss - but JJ was always the exception.
Even before they began dating.
"No, hey, listen to me, you don't have to apologise."
The pair stood in silence for a while, just holding on to one another.
Leaning against the table, Spencer held onto JJ a little tighter - without hurting her.
"I love you, too." JJ told him.
Sharing a kiss - which may or may not have turned into a mini make-out session - both of their phones buzzed.
With Spencer giving a small groan and JJ sighing, they both looked to their phones.
"Sometimes I wish we could take a break."
"Why don't we?" Spencer said after a few moments of silence.
JJ seemed to think about it, too. "Henry is staying with Will for a week when school holiday's come in. I'm free."
"And Hotch had been begging me to take a few days off."
"I don't know. Are we gonna do this?"
The pair shared another small kiss before JJ took a step back before Spencer could pull her back in - the pair smiling like two teenagers.
"Come on, before Rossi and Hotch come looking for us."
"Ugh, fine." Spencer joked, following JJ out of the door. "But only because I love you."
"And you're scared Garcia will begin making a photo album."
Spencer smiled, placing his arm around JJ. "Yeah, that too."