A/N: Thank you so much for all your lovely reviews. It means a lot to hear from all of you, kind of confirms to me I'm on the right way. I think something might need a little bit of clearing up (thanks KingSoraX) Reid used have a crush on JJ, not on Garcia. Garcia was the one to tell JJ he had the crush.


Chapter 2:

You took my heart,
Deceived me right from the start
You showed me dreams,
I wished they'd turn into real
You broke the promise
And made me realize
It was all just a lie

- Angels by Within Temptation

"So, what are you in the mood for?" JJ asked as they slid inside the SUV. When Reid didn't answer she started with some suggestions. "Maybe a burger, pizza, sandwiches, pancakes… Oh, scratch the latter. I've had way too many of those with Henry," she smiled.

This sparked a small smile. "Honestly JJ, I don't care. I'm not that hungry actually," he said and looked out of the passenger window. He watched the buildings passing by and couldn't help but be sucked into his world of memories again. All he could see was the look in Maeve's eyes when he told her he didn't love her. She knew what he was trying to do. She knew he did love her.

"Spence, you have to eat something. I'm taking you somewhere you've probably never been before," she said as she drove to a small restaurant on Potomac Ave.

Reid furrowed his brows as he looked at the name of the restaurant. "Tokyo? You do remember I always get in fights with chopsticks right?"

"We'll ask them to give you the kid's version," JJ teased as they walked into the restaurant for a full sushi lunch. "You know what, I'll join you with those, haven't been able to practice my chopstick skills lately. I've missed going out with the team, just all of us together, including you," she started, trying to get him to join her one-sided conversation.

"I don't know if I can go back JJ, I made a monumental mistake that evening," Reid said sadly, pushing the pieces of ngiri around on his plate.

JJ shot him a sympathetic look, "You didn't, we couldn't have known she was going to do this. I think your original idea of a trade was pretty smart, even though I didn't want you to do it." She blushed just slightly as she took a bit of her tuna maki. Her heart ached for the younger man on the other side of the table.

"If I'd figured out who she was earlier, if I…" Reid started.

"No ifs Spence, I'm sorry, but it's not going to do you any good if you start beating yourself up over something you had no control over in the first place," JJ lectured. "I uhm… You really loved her, didn't you?" She asked carefully, thinking about the words she'd read in his letter to his mother.

Reid frowned at her sudden question, "If this is what it feels to be heartbroken I never want to love someone ever again," he replied matter-of-factly. "I know love is just a chemical reaction in the brain, but this feels like a literal heartbreak," he spoke slowly.

JJ reached out a hand to grab his, but he pulled away. "I know it's not much consolidation right now, but it will get better eventually, trust me."

"How could it? I allowed myself to get involved in something so… non-scientific and look what it got me?" He said, pushing the tamago ngiri even further from his plate. "Look JJ, I appreciate you trying to cheer me up, I really do, but I don't think it's going to help."

JJ smiled sadly, "I know Spence, but it was either me or Morgan, who would've taken you to a strip club," she attempted to joke and chuckled slightly when she saw a soft smile appear on Reid's face.

Reid grinned a little bit, "How is everybody doing?" He asked.

"Missing you," JJ started and at Reid's frown she added, "honestly. We do miss you a lot and we can't wait to have you back on the team. Not in the least because they suck on making geographical profiles," she said.

"Well that would be true," Reid smiled gently as he took a small bite from his salmon teriyaki. "You know, this restaurant was a good idea JJ, thank you. Didn't realize I was hungry until just now…" he paused for a moment. "Have you ever had your heart broken before?"

JJ wasn't sure how to respond to that. Of course she had felt heartbroken at times, but she had never lost someone she loved this horrific way. "I have Spence, but it doesn't compare to what you have been through. Please don't underestimate the time it is going to take to heal."

Reid smiled sadly and nodded, "I figured. So uhm… when does Hotch want to know when… or rather, if I'll be coming back?"

"Well Strauss rather than Hotch, but they've given you about a week more to think about it," JJ said. "Please tell me it's then when, not the if," she pleaded.

"I don't know JJ… I might have to try something completely different. Might go back to school, earn another degree," he pondered.

JJ smiled gently, "Even though that sounds like a great thing, I still think we need you back. No wait, I don't think, I know we need you back Spence. You see things the others don't, and I can't imagine how our solve rate would drop without you there," she said. "But of course it's about you, not about the team."

"I'll think about it JJ," Reid replied gently.

"Say you're coming back please?" JJ inquired.

"I'll think about," Reid repeated.


After she had dropped Reid off at his apartment JJ drove back to the office, finding Garcia in her room. "Pen…" She said and plopped down in the chair next to Garcia.

Garcia turned around in her desk chair, "Hey sweetie, how's our non-resident genius doing?"

JJ let out a long and deep sigh, "I don't know Penelope, honestly. I've never seen or heard him like this. It seems like he blames himself for what has happened and there is no way you are going to get that out of his mind," she explained. "I think he connects people leaving, in any kind of way, to him being at fault."

Garcia nodded and took JJ's hands in hers. "We will get him back, don't you worry your pretty little head. He can't live without us, he'll realize that soon enough… right?" She said, more to convince herself than anyone else. "Do you uhm… do you want me to try and talk to him?"

"I think it's just best to let him be for now, but I think it might be a good idea for us all to alternate visiting him," JJ admitted. "Maybe you could take him somewhere?"

"Well, there is this tiny movie theater, I know some people there. Might be able to get them to play something he likes, does that work?" Garcia asked.

JJ nodded with a smile, "I think that sounds perfect. You arrange that and talk to him. I have to go and pick up Henry," she said. "See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow girlfriend," Garcia replied, giving JJ a hug and a wave as she left the office.


TBC