Disclaimer: see my profile.

A/n this is another entry into my Death by Fan Fiction universe. As a reminder, in this universe the characters are self aware and know they are in a show. They may display severe OOC behavior or they may be recognizable. That's up to yours truly.

A/n 2 Spoiler alert. I wrote this story as a bit of a protest statement because I hate spoilers. Unfortunately, the internet doesn't give me the luxury of avoiding them. This story deals with something I've seen online regarding Reid's character and what TPTB at the show say they have planned for him for the last season. Let's just say I'll believe it when it happens. If you don't want to know, please do not read further. You have been warned.

The Talk

JJ nearly took a header into the glass doors when she saw Reid step off the elevator. She dropped a case file and almost let her coffee cup follow it to the floor.

"Spence," she greeted, too loudly and felt her face grow hot.

"JJ," he greeted with a curt and somewhat distracted nod. "You okay?"

His quirked eyebrow made her want to grit her teeth, but she forced a smile. "No, I mean, yes, I mean, sorry, wasn't expecting you back today. How are you?"

"Good, ready to be back."

He crouched, grabbed the file folder and handed it to back to her, or tried to give it back, but she didn't notice and stared at him as though she'd never seen him before. "Oh, sorry, yeah." She finally noticed the folder and took it back.

"JJ," he began and noticed that she flinched ever so slightly. "You sure you're alright. I've never seen you so flustered.

"No, I'm fine, it's just that you've been gone for six months and no one knew if you were coming back," she rambled.

His eyebrows lifted again, and he nearly burst out laughing. "Of course, I came back, if only temporarily. We have ten more episodes and then we can all scatter to the four winds"

"Right, of course, what was I thinking?"

"I don't know what you're thinking, but you're giving me the willies."

"Willies," she laughed shrilly. "Since when do you use words like, "the willies?"

"Heard it somewhere. Look, I think we need to talk and the sooner the better."

"Okay," she agreed and he held out a hand. "Your old office is empty, right?"

"Yeah, Garcia took it over for extra storage."

JJ followed him to her old office and tried not to check out his backside in the process. Stop it. Think about Will and the kids.

Reid flipped on the lights and they shut themselves into a room full of stacked boxes of computer paper, old computer and phone components, boxes of pens, notebooks, manilla envelopes, and other office detritus. In fact, it was so cluttered, they barely had room to stand.

"What did you want to say," JJ blurted out.

"I think it's more what you want to say."

"Me."

"Yes, you. You're the one that's responsible for the elephant in the room. You get rid of it."

JJ found her head nodding in agreement. "You asked me six months ago if I meant what I said."

"Did you say something important," he wondered and his eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Don't," she held up a hand. "Don't make fun."

"Why not? You lied to me for nearly a decade and a half. What do you expect me to do, forgive and forget?"

"No, um, yes, I don't know, Spence. I'm sorry if I upset you or if I brought back old feelings, but I had to confess it. Not for me, but for you. I didn't want you to die."

"I understand and I thank you, but one thing I figured out when I realized that you weren't lying, is that you would've continued to lie to me had we never been in that position in the first place."

"Which the writers put us in," she reminded him, bitterly.

"Yes, they did because they promised us that eventually, we'd have a romantic relationship."

"That was back when we thought the show might last three seasons at best, remember."

"Yes," he nodded his head. "Now it's fifteen years later and you have a husband and two kids, so it doesn't matter how you feel about me. I'll never come between you and your family."

"I understand," JJ said and thought she might die inside to know that she finally had to give up her love for him and live the life she'd chosen out of fear.

"Well, don't worry," Reid said. "It'll all be over in a few weeks. The show is ending, and I'll be gone."

"What about Henry and Michael?"

"I'll still be there for them, but no more twice monthly brunches with the whole happy family, and me as the single and pathetic Godfather."

"You're not pathetic, Spence."

"You're right," he said and smiled again as his eyes lit up. "I'm not pathetic and I'm not alone anymore."

"What does that mean?"

"I think we should get out of here before we're seen and people begin to wonder. Come on, it's almost time for the first read through with the rest of the team."

"Spence."

She hurried after him as he left the cluttered office. He walked so fast she had to jog to catch up to him. "Spence, wait!"

He stopped and turned to her. "What is it? We're going to be late."

"Tell me why you're so happy. You said you're not alone."

"JJ didn't you read the script."

"Obviously not because having you back today was a surprise."

Reid rolled his eyes. "I met someone and this time she's here to stay."

"Wait," JJ grabbed his arm. "You can't make that announcement and walk away. Tell me about her."

"Nope, it's all classified, at least until rehearsal. So, as you'll soon see, I don't need to follow you around like an infatuated puppy just because you said you loved me."

"Spence, I never wanted you to –"

"Come on," he gestured to the conference room. "Let's go."

JJ followed him because she didn't have any choice, but she wondered what other surprises the writers had in store for them, and in the depths of her heart, how she'd go on when the final curtain came down.