Reid and JJ stared at Henry asleep in bed that night, grateful to be able to come home to him and each other. Finally she closed the door and he tugged on her hand with his good arm. "Come on, I've got something for you." He led her into their bedroom and they sat down on the bed. He dug out the box from his pocket; having grabbed it from his desk while Henry was in the bath with her. She smiled as he gave her the box and she opened it, gasping.
"Oh Spence, its beautiful." She slid it on her ring finger and sighed happily. "It's perfect."
Reid smiled. "It was my grandmother's. My mom gave it to me during our visit, apparently she saw right through us. I had it resized a few weeks ago. I even found wedding bands that I have on hold."
JJ raised an eyebrow, "Do you now? So sure I'd say yes?" She teased him before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him.
"I calculated a high probability of it going in my favor," he teased back, pulling her to him. She giggled into their kiss until he started to kiss down her neck, when it suddenly wasn't so funny anymore.
"Wow, someone sure does know who to throw a party. You don't mess around," JJ joked, looking around the beautifully decorated backyard before hugging Rossi.
Reid nervously chuckled beside her, hoping she liked the idea Rossi cooked up. He had talked to Reid briefly about it after he had been checked out at the hospital and JJ had stepped out to give her official statement. He knew neither of them wanted to wait or do anything big and fancy. He didn't know if she would have wanted her whole family there or not and Rossi could only get her mom here. He was just glad he already had those bands picked out and that Morgan could pick them up today just in case.
"What can I tell ya, I'm the host with the most," Rossi laughed back.
"No kidding," JJ answered and Reid smiled back at her.
"Hey, look who's here," Rossi continued and Reid watched JJ's face light up and get confused at the same time.
"Mom? What is going on here?" JJ looked at Reid, then Rossi, then her mom, and finally back to Reid.
"Well, I couldn't help but overhear a certain question get asked yesterday," supplied Rossi.
Reid squeezed her hand. "I figured with all that happened, we wouldn't want to wait. But I didn't want your mom not to be here. So when Dave presented me with his idea, I couldn't help but agree with it." He paused and ran a hand down one of her arms. "If you don't want to, this can just be an engagement party. It's up to you."
JJ smiled and kissed him softly. "I love it. But what about your mom? I would hate for her to miss this too."
Reid smiled. "Garcia has set up a bunch of cameras around and is taping it. She'll make a video for her and we'll watch it with her and share some photos. She's terrified to fly, so this is for the best. She wouldn't want us to wait on her account."
JJ nodded in agreement. "Okay, I'm in." She kissed him once more. "Well, now I know why you two got so dressed up."
"You will be too," JJ's mom added. "I brought something borrowed should you want to wear it."
"Is that your dress?" Her mom nodded and JJ beamed as the pair headed upstairs.
Reid let out a deep breath as he watched Henry run over to Garcia who had his jacket and tie that Reid had hidden in the car. Rossi chuckled as he looked at the senior agent. "You nervous?"
Reid smiled and shook his head. "Only if she doesn't come back down." Rossi patted him on the shoulders as Morgan came with his change of clothes. He excused himself into the downstairs bathroom and changed into his suit and fixed his hair some. Then he waited with Henry and the preacher, playing magic tricks with the rings to keep Henry amused and occupied. It also kept him from thinking about the butterflies in his stomach. Only when he heard Garcia gasp and then start to play some soft music did he look up. What he saw took his breath away.
JJ looked radiant in an elegant white dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. Loose sleeves draped off her shoulders and her hair had gentle curls framing her face. He had always found her stunning, but in this moment, when her blue eyes were smiling just as brightly as the rest of her and he knew it was just for him, topped them all. Nothing at that instant could take away the large smile on his face either.
When she came to stand next to him and take his hands after kissing Henry in front of him, his heart skipped a beat. "You look stunning," he whispered.
"You too," she whispered back before the pair turned to the preacher.
"Life is precious and spectacular, although everyone here knows it can be fleeting as well. Love is what makes life worth the pain that can come with it at times; love is what makes us strong. Love is what brings us here tonight," the preacher started before nodding to Reid.
Reid took a deep breath. "I think everyone here can testify to the fact that I work best with statistics." A few chuckles came from the team. "When I looked at my life a year ago I would have found it statistically improbable that I would be standing here tonight. I have never been so grateful for math to fail me." JJ grinned widely at that.
"Sometimes it feels like a dream that I'm in a relationship, that I'm about to marry, the woman who caused me to spill coffee on myself the first day she started at the BAU because I was stuttering so much. I know it's not a dream that I'm in love with my best friend, however, because the whole team could also testify to the fact that I fell about five minutes after that coffee stained my shirt."
He paused and squeezed JJ's hands again. "Jennifer, I love and trust you will all my heart. I know we still have so much to learn from each other and I don't expect this relationship to be perfect. But I do know that we can make it be as close to perfection as possible because we're both willing to fight for our relationship and for each other. I promise to spend the rest of these days together fighting for that perfection."
JJ smiled as Reid reached up, wiping away a few tears that fell from her eyes. "Wow, how does a girl follow that?" They barely registered the chuckles from the group behind them. "Spence, my sweet Spence. Did you know that years ago Gideon told me that I was the only one who ever called you that?" Reid chuckled and shook his head. "When he did, I knew I had to keep that nickname for just us, it just feels so right. If it makes you feel any better, I felt the same way after we met, I was just able to hide it better. Something immediately drew me to you, even though we had to take a long journey to get us to this point today."
"I will forever be grateful for that journey because it allowed both of us to grow as individuals so we would be strong enough to handle whatever the world wants to throw at us." She paused and he nodded in understanding, knowing she was implying not only yesterday, but their talk in Vegas. "I love you so much. I love your smile, your sweetness, your genius – yes, even your statistics – how perfect you are with Henry. I can only hope to show you how much you mean to me every day of my life by showing you kindness, compassion, respect, understanding, and of course love." It was her turn to wipe away a stray tear from his face.
The pair softly exchanged I do's as they slide on their rings. They barely registered the cheers from the team when they kissed. "I love you, Mrs. Reid," he teased, kissing her again.
"I love you, Mr. Jareau," she teased back and kissed him once more. Reid laughed as he scooped up Henry with his good arm and they each kissed him on the cheek.
Reid pulled JJ into his arms for their first dance and nodded to Garcia to start the music. He had picked a song from JJ's iPod that spoke to him. It seemed quite fitting for the two of them. As a guitar started to softly strum, she met his eyes and smiled. "Perfect."
When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
There's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?
Reid spun JJ as the chorus started. They didn't notice the tears falling from Garcia and Emily's eyes or Morgan's nod in approval.
I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
JJ leaned her head on Reid's shoulder, angling herself so he could hear her sing along. "And when you're needing your space to do some navigating. I'll be here patiently waiting to see what you find."
Reid kissed the hand he held in his as they swayed together to the words that seemed to fit them so well. When he found the part that made him choose the song, it was his turn to whisper in her ear. "And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend for us to work. We didn't break; we didn't burn. We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in. I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not, and who I am."
JJ looked up and kissed him deeply before resting her forehead against his. They became completely lost in each other's embrace as the last of the song washed over them.
I won't give up on us - no I'm not giving up
God knows I'm tough enough - I am tough, I am loved
We've got a lot to learn - we're alive, we are loved
God knows we're worth it - and we're worth it
I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
Clapping and hugs from the group, particularly Garcia, pulled them back into the present. After a few more dances, sometimes with the each other and some with the others, they were silenced by Rossi taping his glass. Everyone grabbed a flute of champagne. "They say that good things happen to good people. These are one of those things, and you are two of those people. Congratulations, Jennifer and Spencer. We love you."
"To second chances," Hotch added as the group clanked glasses.
The newlyweds exchanged a glance and kissed. No truer words had been spoken to describe how they pair felt at that moment.
The End!
The song is "I won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz. Thanks to all who have read/reviewed/favorited/added to alerts. This has become my longest story, with the 3rd most reviews as of now, most viewed, 2nd most favorites, and most alerts. It just shows how much people love JJ/Reid, I guess! Thanks again for all the support. Next up is an NCIS/Criminal Minds crossover that my beta has requested. Keep an eye out, it may be a month or so before it starts to appear - have an idea but it isn't quite started yet. After that, maybe I'll start a sequel of this one? We'll see.
Thanks again, Ann Parker
