A/N: Post #5. Sorry, everyone. I messed up and out the wrong story up. This the right one. I apologize for the confusion.
Anyway, I based this off an initial spoiler for tomorrow's episode, which was a picture of what appeared to be a mover's box with the words "JJ's Pictures" written on it. Knowing me, my fanboy mind and hatred of Will combined to create this idea. But of course, I was wrong. So... yeah. That sucks.
Anyway, enjoy this little story while I go sit in a corner and keep dreaming that this will happen.
Read, review, and enjoy!
Spencer was confused at the sight of another car from his workplace in the Capital Plaza parking lot. He knew it on sight. It was the only car in the parking lot that required a child's car seat. He didn't know why the car was there, especially because it was parked in the residents' lot. People who didn't live the apartment complex parked in the visitor's lot. So why was JJ's car in the residents' parking lot?
He did a double take to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He wasn't, since just at that moment, he saw JJ in her work attire, walking over to her car. Now he was extremely confused. He came down to two conclusions: she lived in the apartment building now or she was having an affair. The second was impossible though. He knew JJ better than that. So why was JJ living in an apartment building? More specifically, HIS apartment building. She must know that. If she didn't, then she was becoming forgetful.
Wouldn't be the first time, Spencer thought. She doesn't remember anything about me.
That was a fact he discovered when JJ had missed his birthday three years in a row. She didn't even know how old he was. He had brought up the Redskins game they had gone to back in 2005, and she didn't remember a thing. In fact, she had asked "What Redskins game?"
That, for lack of a better word, pissed Spencer off. The birthday he could understand, but the Redskins game was not okay. That game meant something to him. Obviously it didn't mean that much to JJ or she would've remembered it.
He pushed his thoughts back, gathered his bags, and headed for the subway. It was part of a plan: if he didn't have a car, he could ask JJ if he could get a ride back to his apartment. He would get her to talk.
Besides, she had promised no more secrets.
The end of the day came pretty quick. No cases had come in, so it was just paperwork. He had asked JJ if he could hitch a ride home with her. This would be the best time to ask her about it.
"Here we are, Spence," JJ said. In the back of her head, she panicked. She suddenly remembered that this was the same building Spencer lived in.
"Thanks," Spencer said. "Nice apartment building, isn't it?"
"Yeah," JJ said hesitantly. "Why do you ask?"
"I guess I'm just wondering how you're enjoying the building so far," Spencer said.
JJ was silent. That confirmed it for him. "I don't know what you mean," JJ said.
"You don't have to lie to me, JJ. I saw you leaving the parking lot this morning."
JJ was quiet. "I don't know I chose this apartment building. I felt like this place would seem friendly. I didn't realize we're living in the same apartment building. Guess I did remember, but the thought never came forward."
"I'm more interested as to why you're living in an apartment in the first place," Spencer said. "What happened?"
JJ looked at Spencer. "Let me pull into the parking lot and we can talk this over in my apartment after Henry goes to bed."
Spencer nodded in agreement.
The second they walked through the door of JJ's new apartment, Henry came running towards them.
"Mommy!" he yelled.
"Hi, sweetie," JJ said to son affectionately.
Henry looked over and saw Spencer standing next to her.
"UNCLE SPENCE!" he shouted.
"Henry," JJ said. "Can you keep it down, buddy? The neighbors might be sleeping."
"Sorry, Mommy," Henry apologized.
"I've missed you too, buddy," Spencer said.
Henry walked up to Spencer to hug him tightly. "Uncle Spence, I haven't seen you in forever," Henry said sadly. "Why don't come visit anymore? You didn't show up for my birthday, or even send a present."
Spencer frowned. How could he put it to a five-year old, almost six-year old, little boy?
"There was always something that kept me from coming to see you," Spencer answered. That came out better than Spencer thought it would. "But you know what, Henry? It's better now."
Henry's face scrunched up in confusion. "How?"
"Because I have my birthday present for you at my house. And my house is the floor above yours, Henry."
Henry's face lit up. "Really?"
"Really," Spencer confirmed.
"Yay!"
A few hours later, after Spencer had quickly gone and gotten Henry's overdue birthday present, a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, which Henry had been begging for his birthday, wanting to get a head start on reading higher than his classmates, having been inspired by his godfather's love of books (strangely enough though, Henry was excited and said it was the one thing he wanted for his birthday that he didn't get and Spencer vividly recalled Will telling him that he had already gotten Henry the book for his birthday), Henry finally went to sleep, giving JJ the time she needed to explain why she was living in an apartment to Spencer.
"Do you remember mentioning to Hotch how you hadn't seen Henry in over a year?" she asked.
"Yeah," Spencer said. "How did you find out about it?"
"He was worried about you so he told me what you told him. Including all the excuses Will gave you for Henry not being able to join you for an outing and why you didn't come to Henry's birthday or send him a present."
"What does that have to do with you and Henry living in an apartment?"
"Well, that night I confronted him about it. He kept giving this garbage about Henry is our family and not the BAU's. I was enraged by that so much that I told him to get out."
Spencer's eyes widened. "What?"
"In truth, it's been coming for a long time. He never appreciated my work or the team in general. He hated how close I was to you guys. I was willing to look past it for Henry's sake. I thought getting married to him would change things, but they didn't. I always had issues with him. When I was forced to quit the team, he was so happy, but I wasn't. I feel like he didn't care about my happiness at all. I started feeling like I was living in the 1950's. The woman does the work and is subservient to the man." She was silent for a moment. "Maybe that's why I never told him about the baby."
Spencer looked over. His longtime suspicion had been confirmed. "You were pregnant in Afghanistan, weren't you?"
JJ looked over at him. "You knew?"
"When you came back to help with Emily, I knew something was different. After you got pregnant with Henry, I started doing extensive research on pregnancy just in case we had another one happen and I could be prepared."
"So you guessed I was pregnant. And that I had lost the baby."
"When you officially came back to the team, I knew something was wrong. My mind is almost never wrong. When I saw no change in you upon your return, I assumed the worst."
"Well, you were right. There was an attack on my convoy..."
"Wait, you knew you were pregnant and willingly went into action?"
"In hindsight, that wasn't a good idea. Either way, we were attacked, thanks to a traitor in our midst..."
"Askari and Hastings."
"Right. Hastings went missing and we assumed he was dead."
"Before you found out that he was the real culprit."
"Right. I blacked out during the attack. When I came to, Matt told me what happened and I found out I had lost my baby."
"I'm sorry."
JJ frowned. "Anyway, I found out what he was doing and why he was. I told him that the BAU was part of the family, but he wouldn't hear it. I finally just had enough. I told him that if he can't understand that you guys are family to us, then he could find a new wife and son to possess, because I wasn't going to tolerate it anymore."
"And I guess he left without a word?"
"No. He refused to leave, saying the house was signed in his name. So I packed up mine and Henry's belongings and we left."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You helped immensely in fixing the big problem of my life: a marriage where my husband didn't appreciate my line of work or that my teammates are more of a family to me than he could every understand."
"Well, I'm glad to know that I could help you, JJ. Doesn't mean I don't feel bad or guilty about Henry not having his father anymore."
"With you around as his godfather, I'm not worried about that."
Spencer smiled. "Thanks, JJ. I'm guessing that in exchange for telling me everything, you want me to not tell anyone?"
"Please," JJ begged. "We need time to adjust, and you Penelope would never leave us alone."
"Normally, I'd say no, but you have a valid point. You both need time to adjust."
"Thanks, Spence."
"That doesn't mean I'm not going to check up on you everyday, got it?"
JJ smiled. "I honestly wouldn't have it any other way."
"Just out of curiosity, do you still remember the Redskins game from 2005?"
JJ looked at him. "Of course," JJ responded immediately. "How could I forget? You were so kind and sweet that day. I really liked going to that game."
"Apparently not enough," Spencer said softly.
"What do you mean?"
"I asked you about the game a few weeks ago and you asked, and I quote, 'What Redskins game?'"
JJ's face scrunched up in thought. Then she remembered. "Oh. I remember now. I'm sorry, Spence. I didn't mean to hurt you. That was around the time I left Will, so the game was one of the things furthest from the front of my mind."
Spencer's eyes widened. "Sorry."
"No need to apologize," JJ said quickly. "We all have our moments. Even you."
"True," Spencer said. They both laughed a little. "Well, I should probably head back to my apartment." He stood up and began his way out. "I'll come back every once in a while to check up."
"By 'every once in a while' I suppose you mean 'every day'," JJ said, smiling with happiness.
"Pretty much," Spencer said.
JJ laughed. "See you tomorrow, Spence."
"See you tomorrow, JJ."
Spencer walked out of the apartment and quietly closed the door, making it a point to memorize the number on the door. On the other side of the door, JJ was sporting a huge smile at the thought of her friend coming by to check up on her and her son every day.
Spencer walked into his apartment and went to sleep with JJ's apartment number floating around in his head.
104.
Yeah... why do I have to be wrong? One moment, please: DAMN YOU, WILL LAMONTAGNE AND YOUR OBVIOUSLY UNDEVELOPED, TERRIBLE, AND DESPISED CHARACTER!
Now that I've gotten that out of my system (and pissed off a ton of Will/JJ shippers), thank you for taking the time to read this. As you can tell, I think that Reid has known about JJ's miscarriage and is just keeping his mouth shut.
Anyway, I'll see ya next time!
-D.C. al Coda