Chapter 28

Steps in the Right Direction

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JJ sighed as she relaxed against the cushions of Jackson's couch in his apartment, the same couch that would become her bed in a few hours' time. She loved her parents dearly, but she was independent enough now that they drove her insane sometimes. Her mother hovered, glad to have someone new to fuss over and quite frankly, it was more frustrating than comforting.

"What are we watching?" Jackson asked as he reclined beside her, handing over a massive bowl of popcorn. He had a beer, but there was a bottle of water tucked under his arm he handed over.

"I picked a channel," she replied, eyes glued to the mindless sitcom as she shovelled a handful of popcorn in her mouth. Silence settled over them for a few minutes.

"Tell me about your guy."

JJ almost choked. "I'm sorry?"

"You were talking about a guy on the plane, Jenny, don't think I've forgotten. You deserve a good guy, so what happened with this one?"

"Massive misunderstanding."

"He didn't understand the job you do." It wouldn't be the first time that particular issue had come up. Jackson could remember a few of his sister's past boyfriends that had used that excuse. JJ folded in on herself when things got tough and it was in large part thanks to the job she did. Privacy, she'd told him once, was a coveted commodity in the profiling world and when you worked with the best, secrets were pretty much impossible to keep.

But JJ sighed. "Not quite. He does the job I do. He does more than the job I do. You've already guessed Jackson, you know Spence is a profiler."

"Spence. Dr Spence Reid. Spencer, I presume?"

JJ hugged the popcorn bowl tight. "Yes."

Jackson made a humming sound in the back of his throat. "And yet you slept with another guy."

"I told you, bad decision. Very bad decision."

Jackson eyed his sister. She may work with the best minds in the world, minds that read behaviour as second nature, but he was her brother. There were signs of her discomfort he knew only he could pick up. "He found out."

JJ blew out a breath. "The next morning. And yet all he did was sit there and hold me. He knew, I all but told him, and all he did was hold me while I cried."

"Damn is he hung up on you."

"He's got another woman."

"Right, the one he was with at the reception."

"Detective Becky Chard of Las Vegas, Nevada."

Jackson arched an eyebrow. "You look her up?"

"We worked with her on a case before Gabi was born. That's where they met."

"And fell in love."

"I don't know."

"Then why so pessimistic?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Well, if you don't know if the guy's in love – which, by the way, I highly doubt – then why agonize about it?"

"You doubt he's in love with her?"

"A guy doesn't comfort another woman he's had a relationship with after sleeping with someone else, Jenn. That's just not the way we're hardwired."

"Spence is different."

"I'd laugh at that, considering the usual use of that phrase doesn't apply in our current conversation, but I think that would be counterproductive."

JJ sighed. "I just... I screwed up with him Jack. I have no idea what I need to do or if I want to do anything."

"The fact that you're sitting here agonizing about it tells me that there is something you'd like to do about it," Jackson replied, reaching over for a handful of her popcorn.

"I can't put him in that situation again."

"Nuh uh, we're not going there. You did something spectacular this week, Jenny. You got Jake to see the light, to see that he still had his life to live. You want big rewards-"

"You've got to take big risks, I know. I just don't know if I can risk this."

"Look, you've come this far. You've already tried a relationship with him and went running because you were scared, I get that. But you're not like that. You go for what you want and you fight until you get it. So how is this any different than those times you fought hard for what you wanted? How is this any different than going into the FBI? How is this any different than doing your job on a day-to-day basis?"

"There are people at stake."

"Because there aren't when you do your job?"

"People I care about, Jack. People I care deeply about."

"And who care deeply about you," Jackson replied. "You like the guy, right?"

JJ sighed. "I love the guy. If you love something-"

"But you have to work sometimes too. You can't put it all on his shoulders and just say 'well, if he wants to try again then, yeah, let's do it'. You either have to fight for some things or you have to just literally let them go. People don't always react the way you want them to and if his awkward nature is anything to go by, he's not going to pursue you."

"I don't want to fight for him if he doesn't want me."

Jackson rolled his eyes. "He does, you nincompoop."

"How do you know?"

"Well, for one thing, the guy was watching you as you flitted around that cute little ceremony you put on for your friends."

"He had his date there."

"I bet you she totally understands. They're probably just friends, Jenny."

"Probably?"

"Well, what can it hurt to see if he wants to try again?" Jackson pointed out.

"Everything. I don't want to make things awkward between us again."

"Anymore awkward than they are now?" Jackson pointed out. "You two are making this more complicated than it really has to be, you know that?"

"It is that complicated," JJ argued.

"Nothing's ever that complicated."

"For you maybe. When was the last time you ever dated a girl for longer than a month?"

"That's not fair," he said. "I live a different lifestyle than you do."

JJ snorted. "You're telling me."

"Which caters to my point more than yours," he pointed out. "You've got a few days to think about it right?"

"No. My flight leaves tomorrow. I left myself a day to get everything together before I have to be back in the office on Monday."

"Wow. That doesn't give you much time to make a decision."

"No," JJ agreed with a heavy sigh. "No it doesn't."

Her conversation with Jackson had kept her up the large majority of her night. She spent it thinking, trying to decipher what she wanted from her life and who she wanted as part of her life. Her friends were great people, she did enjoy her job even if it tore her heartstrings almost on a regular basis, but she did want a chance at a family. It gave her new resolve and so, she strode purposefully up to the desk at the airport, her brain surprisingly clear for the first time since Penelope had announced her pregnancy.

The clerk looked up at her. "Can I help you?"

JJ slid her paperwork across the desk. "I certainly hope so."


Spencer Reid had actually discovered what it meant to relax. He'd lived who knew how long in Virginia and he had seen very few of the sights there were to see. Becky had been adamant that she take full advantage of her week of time she'd taken off for Hotch and Emily's wedding. He'd allowed her to drag him from monument to monument, museum to museum and had actually soaked it up. Now he stood in Reagan International Airport, having just dropped the woman off. He had to admit, Becky always found ways to make him relax, to take his mind off of things. He'd been very glad to have her at the wedding.

JJ had looked gorgeous and he'd been screaming at himself ever since he saw her walk down the aisle. She wasn't his anymore, probably never would be. He'd known from the beginning it was too good to be true, but he'd indulged her, followed her and would still follow her off a cliff should it ever come to that. He'd hated seeing her falling apart and wished she'd come to him like she used to. He still loved her, still cared deeply for her and he thought he'd shown her that in Colorado hotel room that he still definitely cared.

He was a glutton for punishment, that's all he could tell himself. He loved a woman that was too good for him, that didn't love him back. Wasn't that the only explanation as to why she'd gone to Agent Rossi? It was the only one his brain could find.

He sighed as his phone beeped, pulling it out and recognizing the number. What he didn't expect was the accompanying message.

You, me, Vegas. I'll be waiting.



So I completely didn't realize I hadn't posted this until my brain went back through the reviews and I realized there were very few question marks. Then I realized I hadn't even uploaded this baby let alone posted it. For that I apologize, but I hope we're all good now!

29 is in the works!