I'm back. Yes, school has started and it has not been easy. I was in the hospital for a day on the first week of school, my great uncle leo died, and I'v gone and Gublered my knee(if you don't get it, fail! then check urban dictionary). I apologize if this sucks, this is coming from a month of bad luck and a New York hotel with crappy wifi

Also, this is for the Pick-A-Pair challenge. Super late...i know.

When Reid and JJ are singing Italic is JJ, Italic/Underline is Reid, and Italic/underline/bold is both.


Derek placed a bag of frozen peas on to Spencer's eye. He already had a cold compress on his busted lip and was lying on his back on his bed.

"I swear I'm gonna put his head on a stick tomorrow," Derek said.

"Don't bother. He's just gonna call me a wimp because I can't fight my own battles," Spencer said sadly.

"Well obviously you can't fight your own battles, you can't even write your own essay since that bastard broke your arm," Derek said.

"He didn't break my arm, I fell out of a tree," Spencer said.

"You said you fell off of your skateboard last week. The doctor said the fracture was something mainly caused when your arm is twisted too far behind your back," Derek said. "Why do you cover up for him kid?"

"I think he'll stop if I do," Spencer said.

"Well obviously he didn't. He broke your arm last week and gave you a busted lip, black eye, and bloody nose today," Derek said.

"I don't know. I just wanna ask for a transfer to a new foster home, but I don't want to because you're the only one who's ever actually cared about me," Spencer said. "My dad didn't care, and my mom probably doesn't even remember I exist!"

"She did this for you though Spencer. She knew it was best for you if you weren't under her care," Derek said. The 13 year old boy lying on the bed started crying.

"My dad could've taken care of me then. I'm on the other side of the country because he doesn't care," Spencer said.

"I'd rather have my parents not care than be dead," Derek said.

"At least they died protecting you. They cared about you enough to let someone take their lives so you could live. If that ever happened to me, I'd be dead!" Spencer said.

"I know its hard kid, but I can promise you it only gets better," Derek said. "I gotta clean you're cuts." Spencer didn't reply, just took off his shirt.

"What, no facts about cleaning cuts?" Derek said.

"It helps prevent the flesh eating disease," Spencer said. "Which is actually a bacterium that also causes strep throat."

"There's the kid I know," Derek said. Spencer bit his lip as Derek cleaned the cuts. "All done. Go take a shower and I'll cover them with band-aids."

Spencer did as he was told by the friend that became like an older brother to him. Derek was 14, and Spencer was 13, but they were only 6 months apart in age, with Derek's birthday being April 9 and Spencer's being October 9.

Spencer winced as the warm water hit his bruised and scared skin. He just wished Josh would stop beating him up all the time. Josh was 16 and loved beating up Spencer, especially now since Spencer started high school. If Spencer wasn't in class, Derek knew he would most likely find the thin boy shoved in a locker or garbage can.

Shaking his thoughts, Spencer got out of the shower and pulled on a pair of sweatpants. Derek put band aids on his cuts when he went back into the bedroom.

"All done. Let's knock out our homework and get to sleep," Derek suggested. Spencer pulled on a T-shirt and pulled out his Pre-Algebra book.

"X=y over 2," Spencer said before Derek even asked him what the answer was.

"Yeah, but how do you do it? I left my notes-" Derek started. Spencer tossed him the notebook. "Are you sure you don't read minds."

"I'm sure. I just need you to hurry up so you can write mine down," Spencer said.

"And here I thought you cared about me," Derek said. Spencer laughed a little bit, glad he had a friend like Derek to go to at times like that.


A Month Later

Spencer pulled his Geography and Pre-Algebra workbook out as he got to his locker on floor 2 of the freshman wing. He and Derek attended the same school, but Derek's first class was health in the main building while Spencer's was Geography. Spencer hurried around the corner. Although it was the freshman wing, all 9th grade classes were taught there, so if anyone failed 9th grade classes, they were stuck in the freshman wing until they passed.

As he entered the classroom, he sat in his chair in the back where he stayed silent most of the time and tried not to seem like a genius know-it-all. JJ sat down next to him and smiled. They flirted like crazy, but neither of them wanted to risk their friendship just quite yet.

"Hey Spence," JJ said. "It's hot in here. Do you know why?" She teased playfully.

"Humor me," Spencer said with a sly smile.

"You're in here," JJ said. Spencer smiled and chuckled a little. "So where were you yesterday? You missed auditions."

"Ahh, about that. I, kinda got beat up," Spencer said. "I borrowed Em's makeup to cover the bruises on my face."

"Why doesn't that jerk just leave you alone?" JJ asked.

"I don't know. So, what scene are we doing?" Spencer asked.

"Mr. Elser said that you and I have to sing any song we want to do together and do act 2 scene 12," JJ said, pulling out the scripts.

"I can't believe you convinced me to do drama with you Jayje," Spencer said. "What song did you have in mind?"

"You want me to choose?" JJ asked. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, just no Justin Bieber," Spencer said. JJ rolled her eyes. "What, my voice is too deep now for that."

"Sure," JJ said, rolling her eyes. "How about Mean?"

"By?" Spencer asked.

"Taylor Swift," JJ replied. He raised an eyebrow. She passed him a paper that showed how to play the song on guitar. "Can you learn it by 3?"

"Why do you doubt me?" Spencer asked as the class began.


Spencer managed to slip into the auditorium without Josh beating him up again. He walked over to JJ, who was talking to Emily and Aaron.

"Hey," Spencer said.

"Hey," They said as they looked at the stage setting.

"Is Derek coming?" Penelope asked, measuring tape and a sewing needle in hand.

"No, he had practice. He'll help with stage crew tomorrow though," Spencer said.

"Got the song ready?" JJ asked. Spencer nodded. "Good, because we're next."

"We're what?" Spencer asked as JJ pulled him onto the stage.

"Ah, Spencer and Jennifer. You can start when you're ready," Mr. Elser said. Spencer and JJ nodded and got in front of the microphones. Spencer started playing the song as JJ started sing.

"You, with your words like knives

And swords and weapons that you use against me

You have knocked me off my feet again

Got me feeling like a nothing

You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard

Calling me out when I'm wounded

You picking on the weaker man," JJ sang.

"Well you can take me down with just one single blow

but you don't know, what you don't know..." Spencer sang, smiling at JJ as he played the song.

"Someday I'll be living in a big ol' city

And all you're ever going to be is mean

Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me

And all you're ever going to be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?" Spencer and JJ sang in harmony.

"You, with your switching sides

And your wildfire lies and your humiliation

You have pointed out my flaws again

As if I don't already see them

I walk with my head down

Trying to block you out 'cause I'll never impress you

I just wanna feel okay again," Spencer sang.

"I bet you got pushed around

Somebody made you cold

But the cycle ends right now

Cause you can't lead me down that road

And you don't know, what you don't know..." JJ sang.

"Someday I'll be living in a big ol' city

And all you're ever going to be is mean

Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me

And all you're ever going to be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?" The duo sang.

"And I can see you years from now in a bar

Talking over a football game

With that same big loud opinion

But nobody's listening

Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things

Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing

But all you are is mean," JJ and Spencer took turns singing.

"All you are is mean

And a liar,

and pathetic,

and alone in life

And mean, and mean, and mean, and mean

But someday I'll be living in a big ol' city

And all you're ever going to be is mean, yeah yeah

Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me

And all you're ever going to be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

Someday I'll be living in a big ol' city

And all you're ever going to be is mean, yeah yeah

Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me

And all you're ever going to be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?" They finished. The people who came to sit in on the audition clapped.

"Thank you Spencer and Jennifer. Now, you scene. Act 12, Scene 2," Mr. Elser said. They nodded and began their auditions.

"Nick, I can't keep going on like this," JJ acted. "I just don't know what I feel any more."

"What did he do?" Spencer acted concerned.

"I heard he was with Sam. He's cheating on me, but I don't want to believe it. I guess it's because he's the only one who really ever loved me," JJ sighed.

"He's not the only one," Spencer whispered to the audience. He looked up at her.

"I hate seeing you like this Alex. That's not love," Spencer said.

"Well, I guess I'll never know what love truly is," JJ said, sitting on the prop bench. Spencer sat next to her.

"Don't say that. You're beautiful, smart, and kind hearted. Love can be right in front of you," Spencer said.

"...You're right in front of me," JJ said.

"I guess this is how I tell you Alex. I love you," Spencer said. JJ reached her hand up and cupped Spencer's cheek. She pulled him closer and they kissed. The audience of students clapped and Spencer heard the famous Derek Morgan wolf whistle. He blushed as they pulled away, their audition over.

"Thank you again. Check in the morning for the cast list," Mr. Elser said. JJ and Spencer rushed off the stage, redder than a tomato.

"I gotta go," They said to each other, rushing out of the auditorium at different exits. Spencer dropped the guitar off in the band room and walked down the hall. After a while, he stopped and leaned against the lockers. It felt amazing kissing JJ, but he shouldn't be thinking of her like that. He liked her, but the kiss set something else off. He was snapped out of his daze by a sharp blow to the stomach.

"Stop daydream dork," Josh said as he knocked Spencer down and continued his path to the weight room. Spencer rubbed his stomach and winced at his forming headache.

"Way to burst my spleen," Spencer mumbled as he began to walk home.


"Did you slip her the tongue?" Derek asked for the eighth time that night.

"NO!" Spencer finally exclaimed. "Stop annoying me about the kiss, it was acting. A-C-T-I-N-G. The art, profession, or activity of those who perform in stage plays, motion pictures-"

"Don't go dictionary on me," Derek said. "I say go for it."

"What?" Spencer asked.

"The way you two blushed after the kiss, you both like each other," Derek said.

"Worry about your own love life, leave me with my nonexistent one," Spencer said.

"Bu-"

"Goodnight."


Spencer walked down the hall to his locker and was attacked with a hug.

"We're Nick and Alex!" JJ exclaimed.

"We are?" Spencer asked.

"The only two freshmen with a lead role!" JJ said. She pulled him into a kiss. He was shocked at first, but soon dropped his biology book and put his hands on her waist. They pulled away once they needed air.

"Uh..." Spencer said. For the first time in his life, his genius brain was broken.

"I was thinking maybe we could go out Spence. You know...boyfriend and girlfriend," JJ said. Spencer pinched himself and blinked.

"Y-Yeah," Spencer squeaked. JJ smiled.

"Let's get to class," JJ said, holding his hand. Spencer smiled and they ran into their friends.

"Spencer and JJ sittin' in a tree," Penelope teased.

"Yes, we've joined the circle of dating," JJ said. Spencer smiled.

"Well the way it got 10 degrees hotter when you two kissed yesterday I hope so," Derek snickered.

"Behave," Penelope told him.

"Congratulations you two," Emily said, smiling at her own boyfriend she meet in theatre as well. Aaron smiled back at Emily. Spencer noticed Josh walk past. He pushed Spencer, causing JJ to run into a locker. He snickered. Spencer had it at that point. He shoved Josh.

"Did you really just do that?" Josh asked in shock.

"I did. I've had it with your bullshit. You can mess with me, but my girlfriend just got hurt by your childish crap," Spencer said.

"I'm gonna beat you into the ground you little shit," Josh said in Spencer's face.

"Name the time and place," Spencer said back.

"I don't have time for this crap. I have better things to be doing," Josh said.

"Have fun warming the bench for the other football players," Spencer said. Josh stormed off and the group of 6 friends laughed.

"Spence you didn't have to do that," JJ said.

"I wanted to," Spencer said. He gave JJ a quick peck on the lips. "We gotta get to class. We'll see you all later."


13 Years Later - Upstate New York

"Hey JJ?" Spencer asked. JJ looked up from the 2 week old in her arms and smiled at her husband.

"Yeah?" JJ asked.

"You remember Josh?" Spencer asked.

"That jerk? Yeah," JJ said.

"I saw him," Spencer said. "He was on the streets trying to get money to go to a bar. Even asked me, saying how we were 'best friends' in high school."

"What an ass," JJ said.

"It doesn't matter. I have you, Chase, and my little love bug," Spencer said is special nickname for his 3 year old daughter. McKenzie looked up hearing her nickname and smiled. Spencer smiled. Josh stayed mean and is the scum of New York, while he, JJ and their children were living big from their work on Broadway. Sometimes, everything does work out in good ways.


We should throw a party for my longest one-shot ever! Yay! If only my knee didn't hurt *cries for ibuprofen*