Chapter 7: JJ's Second Chance
The following morning, Reid had remained at JJ's side the whole night while holding her hand. The doctor had removed the breathing tube from JJ's mouth. Garcia had taken Sandy home to take care of Henry and Michael. The doctor comes back into the room waking up both Reid and JJ and she examines JJ's vital signs.
"Does your throat still hurt from the breathing tube, Jennifer?" asks the doctor.
"Yes," answered JJ. "But not as much as it did last night."
"So, how is she doing, doctor?" asks Reid.
"Well," said the doctor. "I think she's going to be all right. She's definitely a fighter! Her peak levels are lower than I expected them to be. But, Jennifer, you need to avoid any future heavy smoke situations, or you could relapse your condition. Understood?"
"Yes," answered JJ. "I understand. Thank you, doctor."
"When can she go home, doctor?" asks Reid.
"Sometime this afternoon," answered the doctor. Now, if you'll both excuse me, I have to make my daily rounds."
"Okay," said JJ. "Thank you."
The doctor leaves and Reid stands up and he calls Prentiss to tell her.
"Emily?" said Reid. "JJ's doing so much better. We should be able to take her home this afternoon."
"That's wonderful, Spence," said Prentiss. "I'll tell the others. Thanks for telling me!"
Prentiss hangs up. JJ and Reid both smiled at each other and they hugged each other tightly.
"Mmmmmm. Hi, Spence," JJ said happily. "Where are the boys?"
"They're with your mom and Garcia," said Reid. "They're fine."
JJ looks at Reid with tears in her eyes and a big smile.
"JJ," said Reid. "Why are you crying? Are you okay?"
JJ kisses Reid gently and she hugs him tightly again.
"I am now, Spence," answered JJ. "I am now. It's so good to see you!"
"It's so good to see you, too, JJ," said Reid.
"Spence," said JJ. "Sit down. There's so much that I need to tell you. Do you remember when you told me about the before?"
JJ tells Reid most of her experience in the before.
"Wow," said Reid. "That's a lot of things to process. Seeing my 24th birthday party again? Seeing your picture on the Wall of Fallen Heroes just like I saw my picture? Now, I understand why you saw Will, your sister, Roz, your unborn baby and Francesca Morales again, but, why did you see Cat Adams again?"
"I don't know," answered JJ. "I can't explain why I saw Cat Adams any more than you can explain why you saw George Foyet again, Spence."
"No," admitted Reid. "I can't."
"When you were in the before," continued JJ. "The person who you needed to see the most was Maeve Donavan. And, Will was the person who I needed to see the most. He doesn't just know about my lost baby, he also knows about me telling you that I've always loved you."
"He does?" asks Reid. "How did he take it?"
"That's the thing," answered JJ. "Will did the one thing I never thought that he would do if he ever found out those things. He forgave me, Spence. He said that we've never cheated on him behind his back. He tried asking me if I knew just how many marriages end because of unfaithful spouses."
"Oh, I can tell you that," said Reid. "It's..."
JJ puts her finger on Reid's mouth while smiling.
"You don't have to answer that, Spence," said JJ. "It's funny. Will joked that if you were with us that you probably could answer it!"
JJ and Reid quietly laugh.
JJ continued, "What matters is that Will now understands how much both of us love each other. Will said to me that the reason we've never gotten together before was because we just weren't ready for each other yet. He took me back to the time when you took me to the hospital after Grace had shot me. I saw you watching me crashing and the doctors reviving me. I saw you talking to me while I was unconscious. You were crying and you said, 'All that matters is that you wake up and I get to have more time with you."
Reid looks at JJ surprised, and he joins in to what JJ was saying.
Both of them tearfully said, "Because I can't imagine my life without you in it!"
JJ smiled and she took Reid's hands into her hands.
Reid cried, "I...I didn't know that you heard me say that!"
"When I was in the bed," cried JJ. "I didn't hear you. But standing over my bed with Will, I heard everything! And, then I saw you getting the phone call about Diana and Emily convincing you to leave my side. Will then took me to the time when Garcia and I found you unconscious in your apartment and you started having convulsions. And when we took you to the hospital, Emily called me back to the team, and Penelope convinced me to leave your side. But, I didn't want to leave your side any more than you wanted to leave my side after I had been shot! That's why I'm crying. Spence, please hug me."
JJ and Reid hugged each other while both were silently crying.
"Thank you, Spence," cried JJ. "Thank you. I love you."
"You're welcome," cried Reid. "I love you, too, JJ."
Reid noticed that JJ wasn't letting go of him.
"Uh, JJ," said Reid. "You can let me go, now."
"No," cried JJ. "Not this time, Spence. It seems like every time we've let each other go, something happens to one of us. We've both almost died more times than I want to admit. This whole before experience has gotten me thinking. Will, Roz and Francesca all wanted me to let go of all of my guilt and forgive myself for everything, and I have. And, there's two things that I want to ask you now, Spence."
"Two things?" asks Reid. What are they?"
"First," answered JJ. "Can you hold off on turning in your resignation papers to Emily until I can get back on my feet? We're one agent down right now, Spence. We really don't need to be two agents down. Can you take one for the team and stay a little while longer?"
"JJ," answered Reid. "I won't stay for the team, but I will stay for you!"
JJ puts her hands on Reid's face.
"Thank you, Spence," said JJ.
"And," asked Reid. "What's the second thing?"
JJ answers, "Uh..."
She lowers her head closes her eyes and moans for a minute.
"Okay," said Reid. "You're tired. I think that you need a little nap before you get released. Your second thing you want to ask me can wait, JJ."
"No," said JJ. "No more waiting! We've both waited far too long already."
JJ takes both of Reid's hands into her hands and she looks deeply into his eyes.
"Spence?" smiled JJ.
"Yes?" asks Reid.
"Will you marry me?" asks JJ.
Reid starts laughing awkwardly. His laughing made JJ laugh. He buried his face in his hands laughing.
"Marry me?" laughed JJ. "Marry me? Please? Marry me, Spencer Reid? Marry me? Marry me?"
Reid looked up at JJ smiling. He put his hands back into her hands.
"Yes, Jennifer Jareau," answered Reid. "Yes, I will marry you! I love you."
"I love you, too, Spence," sighed JJ. "I just wish that we had some rings to wear to make it official."
"We do!" said Reid. "Wait here."
Reid got up and he went over to the first-aid kit in the room. He pulled out two Band-aids from it and he returned to JJ. He unwrapped one and he placed it around JJ's ring finger. JJ laughed and cried, completely loving the gesture. She quickly unwrapped the second Band-aid and she happily wrapped it around Reid's ring finger. Then, they held both of their hands together and placed their foreheads together.
"Now we both have rings to wear," said Reid. "Now we're officially engaged!"
JJ happily hugs Reid tightly and Reid hugs her back.
"And, now, I will take a nap, Spence," said JJ. "Please stay here. I want to sleep in your arms."
"For how long, JJ?" asks Reid.
"Oh," smiled JJ. "For the rest of our lives!"
"I'm not going anywhere, JJ," said Reid.
Reid laid down on the bed next to JJ. JJ rested her head on Reid's chest, and she immediately fell asleep while smiling.
"Sleep well, Jennifer Jareau," smiled Reid. "We have a lot of planning to do."
JJ narrates, "People who go out of their way to show you their appreciation are a blessing. People who lovingly stay with you through thick and thin are a treasure. People who love you and respect you unconditionally are priceless. - Rubyanne."
Three hours later, the doctor told Reid that JJ was free to go home. Reid woke up JJ by kissing the top of her head.
"Hey," said Reid. "The doctor said that you can go home now. I have your go-bag here with a change of clothes."
JJ quickly looked at her left hand looking for the Band-aid ring. She smiled when she found it.
"Hey," laughed JJ. "I...I thought that I had dreamed this."
"No," answered Reid. "We are officially engaged, JJ. Do you want me to help you change or do you want me to get you a wheelchair?"
"Uh, bring me a wheelchair, Spence." said JJ.
After JJ got dressed, Reid rolled her out in the wheelchair and the Woods family walked up to them.
"Agent Jareau," said Larry. You're looking much better."
"Thank you," said JJ. "I'm on my way home now."
Larry Jr. hugged JJ in her wheelchair.
"I'm happy that you're all right Miss Jareau, said Larry Jr. "And, thank you for saving my life."
"Thank you," said JJ. "And, you're welcome. I was glad that I could help."
"Take care of yourself, Agent Jareau," said Sheila.
The Woods family walked away.
Reid smiled, "You're not just my hero, Jennifer Jareau."
JJ smiles.
JJ and Reid tell Henry and Michael about the engagement looking for both of their blessings.
"And, guys, I didn't decide on this next step lightly," explained JJ. "I love Uncle Spencer."
"And I love your mom, too, guys," said Reid. "And, I'm not trying to replace your father because I know that nobody can replace your father. But, I would like to be a new father to both of you if you'll give me a chance."
"We both love you guys," said JJ. "But we need to know if our getting married is okay with you."
"Wait a minute," said Henry. "You grownups always have a way of making things so difficult!"
"Yeah," said Michael. "Mommy, does Uncle Spencer make you happy?"
"Yes," answered JJ. "Very happy."
"And Uncle Spencer," said Henry. "Does our mom make you happy, too?"
"She makes me very happy," answered Reid while smiling at JJ.
"Well, if you both make each other very happy," said Michael. "Then why don't you two get married?"
"Really?" happily asks JJ.
"Both of you are okay with our getting married?" asks Reid.
"Yeah," answered Henry. "Welcome to our family, Spencer!"
"Yeah," said Michael. "We love you."
Reid and JJ happily hug both Henry and Michael.
The following Saturday, JJ joined Prentiss, Callahan, Lewis and Garcia in the hot tub telling them about her evolving relationship with Reid.
"Well," said Callahan. "We've always known that you and Reid were very close, but when did you two become lovers?"
"Honestly?" asks JJ.
"Yes," answered Garcia. "When did you two start having sex?"
JJ answered, "The night before Spence announced he was going to become a full-time teacher."
"JJ," said Prentiss.
"And before I left the hospital," continued JJ. "I asked Spence to marry me, and he said 'Yes.'"
JJ showed the ladies her recently purchased engagement ring.
"It's beautiful," said Lewis. "You had a ring on you the entire time you two were seeing each other?"
"No," answered JJ. "I've only had this ring for a few days. After Spence accepted my proposal, he gave both of us temporary engagement rings out of two Band-aids!"
"Oh," said Callahan. "That sounds so sweet."
"Yes," laughed JJ. "It was the sweetest moment I've ever had with him."
"It's not that I'm not happy for you two, JJ," said Prentiss. "But, I have a question for you. Why are you in such a hurry to marry Spence? You two have all of the time in the world."
"Yeah," said Garcia. "It's not because both of you turn forty this year, is it?"
"No, Penelope," answered JJ. "I promise that all of you will know if I'm suffering from a mid-life crisis."
"Okay then, why?" asks Callahan.
JJ answered, "Well, that morning after we first made love, I was watching Spence sleeping for nearly an hour before I woke him up. He was lightly snoring, and I realized that I wanted to be more than just his new girlfriend and lover, I wanted to be his wife."
"Okay, guys," said Lewis. "This is my unprofessional opinion, but I think JJ is totally in love with Spencer!"
All of the ladies laugh and agree with Lewis.
"Yes, I am, Tara," laughs JJ. "But doing this job, too many bad things have happened to us. All of us have had events that any one of us could have died from."
"But, Spencer is resigning from this job," said Callahan. "You don't have to worry about that happening to him, anymore."
"No?" asks JJ. "Look at what happened to Haley Hotchner, Maeve Donavan and Will. And, Kate, none of them were ever FBI agents."
"You're worried that what happened to Will could one day happen to Spencer?" asked Garcia.
"Well, yes," answered JJ. "Or to me, too. I'm recovering from a heavy smoke syndrome, myself. Back in 2005 I would have agreed with you, Emily. Spence and I did have all of the time in the world. But any one of those things that has happened to us over the years could have ended with either one of us being dead. But, Spence and I have a second chance to be happy together now. So, I'm not in a big hurry to marry Spence. I'm ending a 16 year long wait to marry him. And, I just don't want to wait anymore."
"I see," said Prentiss. "You were afraid to love anybody before you met Will, and now you're facing that fear head on with Spencer."
"Yes," said JJ. "I want us to be married until we're both 100 years old, but tomorrow is never promised."
"Well then," said Lewis. "When is the wedding?"
JJ laughs, "As soon as we possibly can get married!"
"Good," Garcia said, "And now that this is resolved, JJ, tell us about the sex! I wanna hear all about the sex!"
Everybody laughs.
"Penelope," said Prentiss.
JJ laughed, "You are so bad!"
"I know," admits Garcia.
JJ begins telling them about her first time being intimate with Reid.
