Chapter Text
"You're thinking of him. Again."
JJ, in the middle of slicing an onion, paused. Will was leaning against the counter. And he was not happy.
"What?" JJ said, genuinely confused.
"Don't 'what' me. You know damn well who I am talking about." Will snapped. His sentence made sense, and JJ glared at him.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Never mention Reid again, ever. He can die for all I care."
Will laughed. "Really. Then what, pray tell, are these?"
Out of his pocket Will pulled out several photos, slamming it down the marble countertop. JJ took it-and her eyes widened. It was her and Spencer. On one photo she was hugging Spencer from behind, her head resting on the doctor's shoulder. The second showed them standing back-to-back, arms crossed and eyes narrowed in a mask of mock-seriousness. But it was the third photo that made the blonde realize that, despite herself, despite their falling out, how much she missed him. In it JJ was tucked to Spencer's side, both of them smiling for the camera.
"I remember this." JJ murmured, more to herself. "He asked me out on a date the weekend after a particularly difficult case. Calmed and set me right, this one. How did you come across this?"
"The more important question," Will countered, "is why you keep that. I thought you two were done."
"Whether or not I keep memorabilia about us is mine to decide. Reid and I may be enemies now, but platonically speaking, we had history." JJ snapped.
"Do you know how hard it was to quit?" Will hissed. Once again JJ was confused.
"Where does your job-"
"Do you know how hard it is to leave the force, not with where I was? After all I've done all those years to get where I was? I could have easily asked you to quit the BAU and move in with me, but I didn't. Because I know that as long as you're out there, Henry is safe. And now you'd rather mope about a ruined friendship, one that you ruined, rather than spend time with me? With Henry? This is how you repay my sacrifice?"
JJ rolled her eyes. "Sacrifice? Don't be so dramatic. If memory serves right, it was you, despite my insistence, that decided to play hero. And now you're pointing the blame at me? From where I stand, you don't get the right to be whiny and resentful."
Will scoffed. "For all I know, you might be searching for him."
"No, but thanks for the advice." JJ grinned.
"Garcia, I need your help."
The tech analyst swiveled as JJ entered.
"Oh? And that request is to what?"
"Locate Spencer." JJ answered simply.
"Locate who?" Garcia said. "What are you planning?"
"Something either idiotic or suicidal. Take your pick." JJ said.
Garcia's face turned serious. "You're going after him."
JJ nodded mutely.
"Girl, I may not know the specifics but I'm pretty sure he hates your guts, based on his farewell letters."
JJ winced. "Right, those. Just, look him up? It's high time I try to make things right with Reid."
Garcia shrugged. "On your own head be it. Let's see... Right, so as of now, our dear Reid is now Dr. Spencer Reid, professor at Caltech and living in Riverside, California. What?" Garcia asked as JJ huffed out a laugh.
"Nothing. Just something Spence told me." JJ explained, then paused. Spence. It had been years since she uttered her pet name for the doctor, and somehow it still felt natural.
"Where does Will stand in all of this?"
"Will can go f-" JJ took a deep breath. "We're on two different pages right now. Thank God Henry's still oblivious. Last thing I want is for it to get more awkward."