Disclaimer: Any recognizable material in this story is used solely for entertainment purposes. Special thanks to SWWoman for the beta;)

A Thousand Words

A picture was worth a thousand words.

As Joss looked at the photo in front of her, quite a few words sprung to mind. After clearing up her latest homicide case involving a teenage boy, Joss had come straight home. The weather outside was getting worse, thick snow falling from the darkened sky. She had divested herself of her work uniform and took a long warm shower. After she was done with her evening rituals, she ate a late dinner.

Taylor was over at a friend's house. She told him that it was a better idea if he didn't try to battle the oncoming storm and to stay put. When she ended the call, Joss grabbed a thick blanket and had a seat on her living room couch. Trying to find something to watch on TV, Joss quickly lost interest and shut it off.

Sitting in the darkened apartment, she looked over at the side table next to her. Reaching over, Joss opened the drawer and pulled out a picture that had been in her possession for a few months now. Looking back at her were the smiling faces of John and Jessica enjoying a drink in Mexico. This was the hundredth time Joss found herself looking at the picture. She knew that this woman was a touchy subject for John and didn't know how to give him this photo. It showed her how he used to be before the CIA corrupted him. That beautiful smile looking back at her from the photo did something to her insides, just as it had every time she looked at the photo.

John looked so happy and content with the world. How could he not? He was serving his country and found the love of his life. Joss wondered why he hadn't taken another picture like this, to have the memories for his new life. It irked her that he was crawling back from that hole she first saw him in and he didn't take some sort of photo to celebrate the new beginnings. It definitely wasn't because he didn't have a picturesque face. The years were kind to him, though he had grown a few more gray hairs since the photo. Somehow John Reese made it a look all his own and sexy to boot.

If only she could ask him to take one with her; that would make her immensely happy. Despite all the problems the two of them had, Joss still considered him a friend. She had pictures of all of those closest to her. Hell even Finch and Fusco consented after she bugged them long enough. They were her friends too. Joss thought about just sneaking a quick one but that was out of the question. She wanted the two of them in a single picture with the same smile that John would give her some days when was he was feeling especially playful.

It was a pipe dream Joss thought. He was unbelievably shy despite his outwardly confident demeanor. When it came to the numbers, there was no doubt that John would be all about business.

Joss let out a defeated sigh before putting the photo back where it was hidden, and then snuggled further into the blanket. Maybe she could take the picture from a distance when it would be more natural. Nah, the man's sixth sense was astounding. John just had this way to know exactly what you were thinking. It was reassuring that when Joss had a tough time expressing something, he would understand and spare her the trouble.

A knock on the door pulled Joss away from her thoughts. She was confused as to who in the world would be visiting this time at night , let alone risk trekking around in the now heavy storm outside. Reluctantly, she pulled the blanket off and shivered. It was still a bit cold even though she had cranked up the heater when she arrived home. Joss crossed the living room and looked through the peephole. Surprise was the first thing that hit her when she saw John standing on the other side. Only he would have been crazy enough to do such a thing. Hoping like hell that he wasn't here because of work, she undid the locks and opened the door. She had to hold back a laugh, seeing John with small piles of snow on his shoulders. "So what do I owe the pleasure John?"

He gave her not his usual smirk, but a heart stopping smile. "I just came to see how you were doing Joss."

She felt another shiver run through her body at her first name coming in that husky voice of his. It warmed her heart that John battled the storm just to check up on her. He knew first-hand how the type of homicide case she had just solved reminded her of Taylor. The victim would be a teenage boy killed in the prime of his life when he wasn't doing anything but hanging out with friends or going to the store. Joss leaned up against the threshold. "I'm okay. We caught the guy a few hours ago." Her head shook in disbelief. "Guy said that he didn't like how the victim looked at him and killed him. Can you believe that John? This guy took a life just because of the way someone looked at him."

"People try to justify it anyway they want Joss. Unfortunately, you know as well as I do that people have been killed for less."

He was right and Joss hung her head in sadness. "Yeah." Realizing that he was still standing in front of her door, she straightened up and moved aside. "I'm sorry. C'mon in. I'm sure you don't like being a human snowman."

Letting him into her warm house, Joss had to hold back the laugh as John took of his coat and the snow plopped on the floor. "Let me clean that up for you."

Before she could refuse, John was already off to the closet where she kept a mop. Hanging the coat near the door, Joss wondered how often he had broken into her home to know the exact layout by heart. It was a bit annoying because she stressed the importance of privacy and personal space to John more than once. However, during one of these conversations, John had confessed that when her number had come up that he refused to put any surveillance equipment in her home. That took her aback when she learned how closely John had kept an eye on her during that week.

Back with the mop, John quickly cleaned up the mess before putting it back. "Thanks for inviting me in. Wasn't sure if you were actually busy with anything."

Joss shook her head. "No, just thinking about things." John took a seat on the couch to the right of where she had been sitting while she went to the kitchen. "Want some coffee?" He said yes and she grabbed two mugs from the cabinet. For as long as she'd known him, Joss knew that John took his coffee black with a little bit of sugar, much the same way she did. Guess it was another thing that they had in common.

Returning to the living room, Joss handed John his mug before taking her seat and pulling her legs under her small frame. "What's the worse thing that you've seen someone die for John?" She asked, continuing their conversation from earlier.

He was deep in thought as John went over the years and dug into his past. It was not an innocent question, not something you would bring up when out with friends. This was a type of question you would ask when you knew the other person could understand. John came here tonight because he had suspicion that this homicide case was hitting her especially hard and he wanted to give her the chance to talk it out. "A parking ticket."

Joss scoffed at the answer. "What is this world coming too?"

"All you can do is keep doing is your best and make sure that those grieving families get the justice they deserve." John's voice was laced with passion and determination.

"Right." She took a long sip of her coffee. When she looked back at John, Joss smiled. "Thanks for coming here tonight. You didn't have to do all that, especially with all the snow outside. I would have been alright."

John shrugged his shoulders. "I just wanted to see for myself. The way you are, I know that these types of cases hit close to home and I just wanted to offer a friendly ear."

It was moments like this when they would just sit and talk that Joss would see the person John used to be. She wanted the man from the photo currently stashed away in her side tale, she wanted to bring that man back. But he wasn't one to talk about anything personal. John probably just acted like that was a different person so he had no reason to even touch those memories.

His voice broke through her thoughts. "You look like you want to ask me something Joss."

"Yeah, I was just curious about something." John's eyes told her to continue. "When I came back home, I took a look at some pictures of Taylor to remind me what I have been blessed with. You have something like that?"

"A picture?" Joss nodded. "I wouldn't since I am a dead man Joss. Whatever possessions I had before are gone and I'm never getting them back."

"Not even one?" There was slight hesitation with John as he tried to figure out what this was leading to. "Well why not have one now? I mean for all accounts, you are alive and well."

John's eyebrow rose up as the corner of his lip lifted up. "Are you asking to take a photo with me Joss?"

She shifted in her seat under his gaze. "Well yeah, I've got one with Fusco and Finch. That leaves you."

"How did you manage it with Finch?"

"I have my secrets" she said slyly. More like doing small favors such as paperwork and bringing hot tea.

Suddenly John was quiet and Joss wondered if she was stepping over boundaries. Maybe she had misinterpreted his motives for being here tonight and all he was doing was making sure his asset was ready the next time he needed her. Without warning, he slipped from the couch and got comfortable right next to her. "Um, what are you doing John?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "I thought you said you wanted to have a picture. Did you think I would say no?"

"Yes actually, I did." She looked down at her pajamas. I'm not exactly dressed for the occasion." All she had on were some blue boy shorts and a white tank top.

John pushed a bit closer. "I don't mind. Besides you look cute in those pajamas."

Joss flushed red and she had to turn away from him to hide it. "Shut up" she said in a huff. When she had calmed down, Joss looked back and had to stop herself from jumping in surprise at how close John was. "I really need to put a bell on you or something." The blanket was draped over the back of the couch so that she could move a bit closer.

It felt surreal to be huddle so close to John but Joss couldn't stop the smile on her face as he threw his long arm across her shoulders. Joss's hand hovered over his heart as his unique scent reached her nostrils. No matter what happened, they couldn't seem to stay away from each other. He lifted the phone in the air, directing the lens towards them. Because of their height difference, Joss's head was on top of his shoulder. "Say cheese." She rolled her eyes quickly before giving her best smile. The flash went off and the two separated. When John looked at the phone, he made sure to make it so that Joss couldn't see, piquing her curiosity.

"Well?" She tried to make a grab for it but he just pull out of reach. "Real mature. Seriously, if it's that bad, we can take another one."

John shook his head. "No, it's perfect." He then jumped up and made a mad dash to the door. "Well I better get out of your hair and let you sleep."

Joss was slow to react because of his unexpected movements. "John, let me see the picture." With the head start he got, John already had the door open when Joss was just getting up from the couch to pursue. "John, John!" The door was partially open when she finally reached it and even though it was freezing outside, Joss threw it open. Entering the hallway, she was just in time to see the other pair of doors leading outside just closing. Rushing back inside, Joss made her way to the kitchen where there was a window leading out to the street. When she pulled back the curtains and looked, John's large frame was looking back at her, as if he had been waiting for her to catch up. Even with the scowl on her face directed towards him, John just smiled before holding up and pointing towards his phone. Not understanding the gesture at first, Joss then heard her personal cell phone vibrating and glanced at it on the coffee table. When she looked back out the window, John was gone.

Questioning how in the world he keeps doing that, Joss replaced the curtain and grabbed her phone before sitting back on the couch. After unlocking it, she saw that there was a text from John. The message read A picture is worth a thousand words. I'll stop by with breakfast in the morning. Sweet dreams Joss. Below that was the picture that they had just taken. Joss smiled because John looked so happy, like everything was right with the world. His blue eyes were the brightest she had ever seen them.

The phone was pressed close to her chest as she pulled the blanket back over her. It was beginning to get difficult for Joss to keep her eyes open as she once again looked at the picture. Her last thought before finally succumbing to sleep was that it really was a perfect moment.