On the jet, going back home from a case in New York, JJ notes that Spencer seems out of the sorts. The others are sleeping, reading or on their devices browsing the internet and she and Spencer are at the only two-seater table, not having started a conversation from being satisfied with the silence but he seems very plagued down with something.

They managed to get two hours rest before the flight home so he must be just itching to sleep in his own bed and get some proper sleep after their gruelling case where women were being murdered after giving their children up for adoption and it hit home because JJ has two boys she adores but she can't imagine what those poor women were going through. Not every woman is good enough to be a mother after all.

She kicks Spencer's foot lightly under the table, shifting on her side pillow against the wall. She smiles when Spencer looks up at her and his eyes light up a little, a smile growing on his face.

"Okay, spill," she says, low enough just for him. She doubts he wants anyone to put an ear in his business if not needed.

"It's noth-"

"Spence..."

He sighs heavily and runs a hand through his hair, slipping his reading glasses off and looking out the window into the dark sky. "At the hotel, I fell asleep."

"Yeah?"

"And I had a nightmare."

JJ nods. "Okay."

"About you."

Her breath hitches in her throat and she swallows hard, meeting his eyes. "Me?"

He nods stiffly, lowering his gaze to the table. "You were at the parking lot with the Chameleon and his daughter and you got shot. I was there, trying to move to help you but... my feet were stuck and you were bleeding out, calling for me to save you to the point that you were hysterical. But I couldn't. Because I wasn't there in the first place and you almost died."

It's now been many months since that fateful day. Since her life changed. Since then, her marriage dissolved, her mother moved in part-time, Spencer found someone else and now, she's considering dating with Will's blessing which he said she didn't need but she insisted on it because of their sons. He's coming next weekend to test his female work colleague on the boys.

"Spence, I'm alive," JJ insists, leaning forward to take his hand and squeeze it. Even the wound has healed by now even though her heart continues to build itself again. "I'm breathing. I'm alive."

She stands, bringing his hand to her heart so he can feel her heartbeat and the relief in his eyes and the gratitude... She could cry. Letting go, she sits back down and wraps her blanket back around her as he nods to himself, trying to remind himself that she's alive and well.

"I ended things with Max."

Her eyes widen. "What?"

...

"Do you mind if... Spencer comes to dinner?" JJ asks Will over the phone. He's called to let her know that he and his date are at the airport, on their way via a taxi if they can find one but she's sprung this upon him.

"He's family, of course," Will says, missing the point of why she's asking.

Last week on the flight home, she and Spencer agreed not to say more on the matter until they got home. She spent the night talking to him back home before arriving at her home before the boys went to school.

Their talk was about how Spencer felt about Max and how they mutually ended things. The pressures of his work wouldn't be great to her anyway but he could still play chess with her nephew if he wanted as her sister was actually overjoyed that her son was more sociable due to Spencer's efforts.

She's a friend now and Spencer is seeking something new with JJ but it will take time as she is not a rebound nor do they want to disrespect anyone, most certainly her sons who mean the world to her and come first.

"Yeah, I want to cheer him up. He and Max ended things," she finally says.

"Tell me that isn't so! They were good together, weren't they? Didn't the boys say she knew magic and whatever else he was into?" Will says, disappointed. "How is he doing? Do you think he needs a talk-"

"I think he's good for now," JJ chuckles. "And sometimes similar doesn't work."

Will tuts. "Don't give me that 'opposites attract' spew. Spencer is one of a kind, only a select few would suit him and I'm sure they won't be of opposite likes."

"Spencer could have anyone in the world, Will. He's a great guy. He's loving, caring, great with kids, a genius and..." Lovable. I love him, she thinks. "He's the perfect guy and I'm surprised myself."

"Why don't you date him?"

JJ gasps and stands there in her kitchen, bewildered as hell. "Wh-What?"

"You're not seeing anyone and that guy you told me you rejected just because he said he hated kids, was like, two months ago," Will says. "Why don't you take Spencer out and show him that all hope is not lost."

"So, I'm a test dummy for him now?" JJ asks, smirking a little.

"No. I mean, you've got the dating game in check. He struggles with that. But... it wouldn't be a bad idea if you guys got together."

"Will, Spence is family," JJ says nervously.

He sighs heavily across the line and she could just envision him pressing his forefinger and thumb on the bridge of his nose. "I saw the way you looked at him during the last months of our marriage, cher."

"Will-"

"How long have you been in love with him, Jennifer?"

She almost bursts into sobs. "I never cheated on you-"

"I know. Your heart was just in the hands of two men," he puts it simply.

"I don't know when my feelings for him changed but we've been through so much," she croaks out. "We've both been victims of kidnap or GSWs or even frame... It got easy to relate to each other and be close and I was forced to tell him I loved him when we were trapped in that place last year. God, I just wanted to... stop the world because I had you and the boys to think about. I couldn't hurt any of you and at the hospital, as I was recovering... I told him we couldn't take things further for yours, Henry's and Michael's sakes. He's my best friend, Will. Has been in my life since day one at the BAU."

Will clicks his tongue and sighs heavily once more. "Ask him out. You've always been confident to take the lead."

"Will-"

"I better hear that you've booked a lovely restaurant reservation when we get there in... forty minutes," he replies. "You deserve it, Jennifer. Go and grab your happiness and never let it go."

Too stunned to speak, she nods before finding her voice and saying, "Yeah, okay."