Title: Snapshots
Author: Dri
Pairing: JJ/Reid friendship, but Morgan/Reid all the way
Rating: G
Summary: Spence will always be JJ's first maternal instinct.
Spoilers: None
Author's note: Part of the universe created in my "Four times…" fic, but Snapshots can be read as a stand-alone. This piece is centered between The Third and Fourth Times.
This fic is unbetaed ( Ana and Kelly, you will so have a lot of work to do after the holidays…), but it's a Christmas fic and I wanted it up for Christmas. So bear with me and forgive any possible mistake.
Oh, and they're not mine.
Comments are loved, framed and cherished!
Merry Christmas to you all!
*****
JJ is putting the last batch of cookies in the oven when the doorbell rings. Pulling a stubborn whisper of hair behind her ear, she strides to the front of the house. It's too cold outside to keep Spence waiting.
"Hi, JJ."
"Hey there, Spence. Come on in." He smiles gratefully at her as she motions him inside.
Spence surprises JJ with a shy, cold peck on her cheek once she closes the door behind him. Almost immediately he takes two steps back, watching her with a hint of embarrassment and shock for in Spence's book this kind of greeting could be read as a bold act. Sometimes she forgets during the defining years of his life, Spence had been a mature child living among immature grown-ups he wasn't allowed to touch or get anywhere near. Despite the hint of sadness his reaction caused, JJ is happy for the small progress this dearest friend of hers has been making. Every little touch, every little contribution to conversations that doesn't involve statistics, dates or names that were centuries and places behind their time was like a giant leap for Spence. Sure one of the many positive side effects of dating Morgan.
"Where's Henry?" he asks.
"Out with Will to buy a green sweater my size and that I'm not supposed to know anything about," she says, looking the heavy clouds out the window. "I hope they come back soon. It's too cold out there."
"Hadn't expected a winter this cold this year," Spence says, nodding in agreement and bouncing back on his heels. "Did you know that the winter of 1779 and 1780 was so cold that ice was piled 20 feet high along the Delmarva Coast and stayed there until spring? The upper portion of the Chesapeake Bay and the entire Potomac River was frozen so solidly, people were able to walk from Annapolis to Kent Island and from Alexandria into DC."
So it was too early to tick off facts and statistics, but at least they were still in DC.
"A long, cold walk, I believe" JJ says, smiling at Spence. "Do you plan to relieve the experience? You're sure dressed for that."
"Oh, this?" Spence blushes and pats the fur lined parka he is wearing over the purple sweatshirt from Morgan's alma matter. "Morgan insisted I bundled up to come here. He's positive the air in my car will die on me any time pretty soon."
"One look at your car and I kind of understand why he's suspicious," Jennifer says smiling so Spence knows she means no harm. "You know he worries about you, Spence. You should enjoy the attention."
"I guess so," Spence says with the same astonishment he has shown since he and Morgan started dating all those months ago.
Sometimes JJ wonders what it's like to be like Spence, to have such a firm grasp of the world based on facts and statistics provided by that formidable mind of his, and at the same time not be able to interpret all the little things Morgan does for him for what they are. What little JJ knows of the world tells her all the touches, little gestures and stolen kisses between them she has accidentally – or not - witnessed are the kind of declarations of love some people spend their whole lives in pursuit of.
"You guess so? You should know so," JJ says, playfully knocking her shoulder against his arm.
Spence shrugs and smiles, lips stretched thinly, eyes avoiding hers, endearing in his unique way. Then he shakes his head, causing the short end of his hair to brush against his flushed ears, and hands her the reason for his stopping by. The couple had been over three days ago for dinner and to bring Henry his Christmas gifts, and for Henry to deliver his gifts to uncles Derek and Spence. So JJ was surprised when Spence called her earlier today to say Santa had left another little something for her baby under Morgan's tree. The shopping bag is too heavy to hold only the little extra something he said he and Morgan had gotten for Henry, though.
"It's Santa's last treat, I promise."
JJ peruses the bag. "Spence, there are three packages here."
"Henry's gift is the largest package. The other two…" JJ has to lower her gaze to keep up with Spence's, because all of a sudden he seems to have acquired a new fascination for his shoes. The light pink in his cheeks is lovely, though. "The other two are for the family," he finishes with a small smile.
"Oh, Spence. You shouldn't have." Jennifer kisses her thanks on his cheek and ignores the slight stiffening of limbs and suppressed breathing. He'd better expect her to thank him in kind, the way close friends do.
"I'll put them under the tree with the others," she tells him over her shoulder. "Take off your coat and let's have some coffee. I baked some cookies."
"JJ, I don't want to impose. I know you're busy. And I still have to go to my apartment before going back home and finish packing."
"I'll never be too busy for you, Spence, and the packing can wait," she says, linking her arms with his and leading him to the kitchen. "Come on. Almond cookies, your favorites."
Over cups of coffee shared at her kitchen table, JJ learns that cookies were first invented to test oven temperatures in the Netherlands, laughs when Spencer tells her that last week he and Morgan almost set Spence's kitchen on fire because Spence had wanted to bake ginger bread, and confesses that her first attempt at making cookies had tasted and looked like a biology experiment that went wrong and that not even the birds on her parent's farm had wanted.
"You've improved," Reid says, snatching another cookie from the plate. "These are delicious! Can I take a couple back home for Morgan?"
"But of course," JJ says, serving him more coffee and inwardly delighted. Home. "By the way, why isn't he here with you?"
Spence tries to mask his anxiety behind a crocked smile and hands and fingers that twist and turn against his jeans. The hen of his jeans has ridden up and JJ can see he's wearing mismatched striped red and green socks, the most Christmassy JJ has ever seen him. She wants to hug Spence, and for the umpteenth time since she met him, she wants to fold him and keep him in the same corner she keeps Henry in her heart. Spence is and will always be her first maternal instinct. If Morgan ever dares to hurt him! But she knows Morgan won't, and not just because of Morgan's fierce sense of loyalty.
"He went to the mall to get a scarf for my mother. He got one for his mother last week, and this morning he decided mine should have one, too," Spence says around a small smile.
"That's very sweet of him."
"Yeah. He had already gotten her a book of poetry by Mario Quintana, a Brazilian writer she likes, but he said the scarf would be… cool… too."
JJ laughs. "I think he's trying to score some extra points with his mother-in-law."
"Mo-mother-in-law?" Spence stutters around another cookie. "Do you really think that's how he sees my mother?"
So endearing.
"Spence, he came clean about you to his family and tomorrow he is whisking you away to Chicago for Christmas. It should tell you something."
"And it does," Spence says after a moment. "But I'm afraid to believe the evidence, JJ. Straight jocks and gay geeks don't mix. Recent surveys-"
"Spence, stop." JJ gently covers his trembling hand with hers. "He risked the love of his family, his job, his friends, everything he has ever achieved to be with you. Trust this evidence." she says emphasizing the word this with a firm squeeze on his hand.
Reid retreats to his shell, and JJ won't be bothered by it if he just stays there, sitting in her kitchen and finishing his cookie. She can live with that. She doesn't want Spence to make the one mistake she almost did when she pushed Will away because of the job and the circumstances. Or, in Spence's case, because of his lack of confidence in his story with Derek.
"I love him, JJ."
."I know. And I do believe it's not a one-sided sentiment."
He gifts her with a tiny smile. "And how would you know that?"
"I work with the best team of profilers at the BAU. I'm a natural blond, but I can learn things, you know," she finishes mock affronted. Her day gets a little bit better as Reid gets the joke and laughs with her.
Reid is getting ready to say something when his phone goes off. The way his face lights up when he answers it is enough to tell her who the caller is.
"Derek and Spence sitting in a tree..."
He laughs again and turns away from her. She ruffles his hair on her way to check the cookies in the oven and to give him some privacy.
Oh, and she may or may not have stayed close enough to eavesdrop things like 'JJ's' and the 'I love you, too' Spence used to finish the, in her opinion, too brief conversation.
"I have to go, JJ," Spence says, standing up and carrying himself with a confidence that wasn't there a couple of minutes ago. "I have to get Morgan's gift in my apartment before going back home. I mean, to Derek's," he amends.
JJ smiles and starts bagging the cookies he is going to take back 'home' to Derek.
He doesn't flinch when she kisses him goodbye.
*****
Her boys are waving from the doorway as Will teaches Henry how to say Love you, mamma. JJ wipes her tears and shoos them out the door. Will is taking Henry and the blue sledge they bought to the park, so JJ can have a start at Christmas dinner before her parents arrive. It is her first time hosting a holiday meal and she needs space and peace to work.
Before going to the kitchen, she once again takes in at what a house with a kid looks like at Christmas: piles of paper scattered around, more toys than the kid will know what to do with, and so much love JJ wants to dance around the living room. Santa has been very generous in every aspect of her life, and for that JJ is grateful. She has a great family, a job she loves, friends she trusts, and the privilege to love and be loved by a wonderful man who presented her with the greatest gift of all. Henry was the one blessing she would never take for granted.
JJ starts stacking the gifts in piles: Henry's ( toys, clothes, toys, clothes ), Will's ( clothes, books, video games ) and hers ( green sweater, DVDs and more clothes ), and gifts for the family, mostly the ones given by hers and Will's coworkers. Sitting atop this particular pile are Spence and Morgan's gifts.
JJ takes the picture frames and looks around the living room, trying to decide what the best place to put them is. The one of Henry playing with Clooney in the park goes to the mantle, next to the picture of Henry in overalls feeding the chicken at her parent's farm taken last summer. The other picture has Spencer and Morgan sitting on the grass and Henry is standing between them with Clooney's leash in his hand. The trio is laughing to the lens and Henry has chocolate smeared on his cheek, but what draws JJ's attention is the way Spence is slightly leaning towards Morgan, and the way Morgan is pulling Spence to him, strong arm around narrow waist and lips ready to kiss Spence's hair. Spencer better learn how to read the signs pretty soon.
Half way to Henry's bedroom, JJ changes her mind. She wants to preserve her friends' privacy, but who can have that much privacy around family?
JJ places the picture next to the one of Henry, Kevin and Garcia taken on Thanksgiving. Henry deserves to have all the people that care about him around.
Task accomplished, JJ smiles and walks back to the kitchen to start dinner. She wonders where Morgan and Spence will put the pictures she gave them as Christmas gifts, two frames with the same moment, one for Morgan's house and the other one for Spence's apartment. She prays that next year one picture frame for the both of them will be enough.
*****
Thanks for reading, and you all have a merry, safe Christmas.