He knew it was her before he got there. They never told them who their visitors were, but he could feel her. The line of prisoners stretching before him couldn't move fast enough, yet at the same time he dreaded seeing her. Seeing her in this place again, the last place in the world she belonged. All because of his stupid mistakes, his choices. He hoped she had news about his case. He didn't want to hear about Henry and Michael and the team... as much as he loved them he needed to block them out right now. All he cared about was getting out, getting out... and getting back to work, back to his mother, back to... her.

There she was.

She stood as he approached, her radiant smile blasted into his soul so forcefully it took his breath. He moved to her, and involuntarily reached his hand out to her and she grasped it, squeezed it, before the inevitable "NO TOUCHING!" shout from the guard. They dropped hands and stood staring at each other, a thick ripple of emotion shimmered between them as JJ's chest filled with the sight of him. Relief spread as she noticed no bruises or bandages, and the lump in her throat choked her as she realized that this is what they'd come to. That was their criteria, now?

"SIT DOWN!" came the bark from the guard. They obeyed.

JJ leaned forward, arched her eyebrows and locking eyes with him said, sotto voce, "Tell me how you're doing." It was a command, more than a question, and Spencer understood immediately that they had to be clear with each other about this before they could continue.

"JJ I'm okay. I'm scared shitless, and I'm unsure of what happens from moment to moment, but I... I..." He broke eye contact and she sensed his confusion, his hesitation. He looked back into the blue of her eyes and sat up straight. "I need to know what's happening."

She saw then his control and his focus, and she took her cue from that, feeding it. She explained everything she knew about the knife, about Fiona's filing for protective, and what they thought the delay meant.

And she told him about Morgan with Blackwolf in Mexico.

Spencer grimaced. "Damnit. I didn't want him involved. That's why I didn't want him to come see me. I don't want him to get caught up in anything dangerous, and he's not FBI any more! He can't just-"

"Yes he can, Spence." she interrupted. "He's a private citizen, he can go to Mexico whenever he wants, and he's got John with him. If anyone can find whoever was driving that truck, it's those two."

"JJ, his baby, his family. He left the team, the Bureau because of this kind of thing. Exactly this kind of thing," he said.

"Yeah, and he jumped right back in because he loves you and believes in you. He's the best person to be doing this right now, and you know you would've done the same for him, Spence. Don't even try to say you wouldn't have."

"Yeah, I know," he said. He sat back hard against the chair, overwhelmed and grateful for Morgan's sacrifice, and knowing she spoke the truth.

"Good, then let's stop with the worrying about everyone else and concentrate on how we're getting you out of here." JJ said, leaning forward and crossing her arms.

He realized then, that he hadn't asked how she was doing.

"It can't be easy... coming here, looking after my mom, working the cases, working my case... and then, your boys, your family. JJ... tell me how you're doing." His focus reluctantly broke from her shining eyes and found her carotid artery. He knew it would tell the truth, even if she wouldn't.

She didn't want to hear that question, didn't want to answer it. She felt strung out, stretched beyond her capacity and some moments she just wanted to scream with frustration and the unfairness of it all. There was no way she was going to tell him that. Her eyelids fluttered as she looked down and to the side, a classic aversion move.

Of course, he caught it. But then she raised her head and looked at him solidly, her gaze steady. He could handle it.

"I'm messed up. I'm stretched as tight as a wire and I... I miss you and I love you and sometimes it's all too much. I feel at any moment that I could lose it. That I could lose it, Spence. I feel like things are moving underwater and so, so slow. So slow that it makes me angry. I know you're innocent and I want you home with me... with us... god. It's all I can do not to grab you and hold on for dear life right now and I swear to you, I swear to you, you will not have to endure this much longer. Please trust me and just know that we are all working to free you. All of us."

An altercation broke out across the room and while the guard was distracted, JJ saw her moment. She reached up and grabbed his face, kissing him hard and whispering against his mouth "I love you, I love you... please keep it together... I will get you out of here, I promise."

Spencer took advantage of the moment too and cupped her face, his thumbs stroking her cheekbones. "I will... stay strong for you, for all of you. I love you and I'll never let you down again god I swear..."

She nodded as her temple pressed against his and she knew they had but seconds. She could give him one parting gift.

"Think of me tonight," she whispered, "I'll be right there with you. I love you and I'll be right there... feel me, Spence."

They broke apart just as the guard turned back and yelled "TIME'S UP," and he motioned for Spencer to fall in line.

He watched her as he was pulled away, and he turned and walked backwards to keep eye contact. The guard strong-armed him and made him turn around, but the blue of her eyes was seared into his mind, his heart, more than ever before. Her words and her love were life, and truth, and they fueled him and made him strong and sure of his worth and he knew, he knew, he'd be vindicated, and soon.

In line walking back to his cell he touched his lips, still feeling hers. He'd thought long and hard about what this meant – her revelation, her choice. He felt in some ways like the luckiest man on Earth despite where he was, and his dreams of her were vivid with desire and a bottomless well of unbridled love. For her, for them, for the life they would soon begin together.

He wasn't delusional. He knew the boys, or at least Henry, would be confused for a time. But they'd take things slow... ease him into it. Family hardship was never easy, though he was intimately familiar with it himself, he planned on respecting JJ's wishes when it came to how to proceed to ensure their well-being. Whatever she wanted, that was how it would go. He would see to that.

Will was another matter. Spencer's eyes narrowed, the sour brine of jealousy seeping into the edges of his thoughts, a useless emotion. He harbored no malice towards the man, he knew. Will was a decent human being in most respects. But ever since he'd been made aware of her love and his own banked fire had been blown back to life, he had been ready and willing to fight for her, for them. Literally, if need be.

Intellectually he knew that JJ wouldn't tolerate any of that. That she would lay down the parameters, and that he would align with her, would carry them out, and that they would do it together. That it would be as peaceful as they all could make it, their transition, and there was no doubt he owed Will a debt for pursuing the knife DNA. Still - and here he didn't know if his incarceration and his ill-treatment by the prisoners was having an effect on his psyche - but when he dreamt of picking up Will and throwing him clear across the Grand Canyon, he always felt a deep satisfaction upon waking.

What she'd said... "Think of me tonight, I'll be right there with you..." God, what a gift. To imagine himself with her, holding her... not in this place, not ever, but anywhere else. For the first time since this whole nightmare began, he found himself looking forward to lights out. His powerful mind would conjure the most loving, the most beautiful scenario imaginable. Only then would he bring her into it. Only then.