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A/n hello all. This is the last chapter. Thank you all for your support and kind comments. Please enjoy. Take care.
JJ ambled into her mother's living room and watched as Reid sat upright with his head lolling to the side. He'd fallen asleep after their day in out and looked so peaceful in the flickering firelight.
"He's a wonderful man," Sandy said as she entered behind her daughter.
"Yes, he is," JJ agreed.
"He did a great job helping us with the tree," Sandy gestured to the Christmas tree in the corner.
"Yeah, it is so beautiful. I'm glad you kept the ornaments from when Roz and I were kids."
Sandy put an arm around JJ, and they stood staring at the tree for a moment. The ornaments were white, gold, and red, with silver tinsel and a glittering star at the top. The lights matched the decorations and blinked in different patterns across the shadowed room.
"I thought it was time to use them again. I feel like Spencer joining the family deserves them. After all, he's the reason you and I have grown closer again. Thank you for giving me a second chance, Jennifer."
JJ squeezed her mother's arm. "I love you, mom. I want us to be a family again."
"I'm glad you found your soulmate. Don't let Spencer go. No matter what happens, the challenges and triumphs you face together will make you stronger. Remember."
"I will," JJ said and smiled at Sandy.
"Hey," said a sleepy voice that made them women grin. "What are you two doing over there? You can sit down, you know."
Reid's beautiful brown eyes called to JJ, and she went to him. Sandy took one of the comfortable recliners opposite the fireplace. "You okay, son?"
Reid yawned, and JJ mussed his hair a little as he stretched. "Yeah, just beat from the day we had. I haven't walked that far in years."
"Well, Jennifer wanted to show you the lake, even though it's frozen."
"I wish I could have convinced you to skate," JJ said with a wink and a grin.
Reid laughed. "You don't want to see me on ice skates."
"Well, anyway, we had a good day out of doors, and now, if you don't mind, I'm tired. You two stay here for as long as you like. Don't forget to turn off the tree lights when you go up."
"We won't, but you don't have to leave, Sandy."
"Yes, I do. I'll see you in the morning."
"Goodnight, mom."
Sandy kissed JJ on the forehead, and they hugged. She turned and embraced Reid and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Love you both," she said. "Goodnight."
"Your mom Is an amazing woman," Reid said as they snuggled together in front of the fireplace.
"I'm learning that's true, thanks to you."
Reid looked at her. "Why?"
"If not for you, I think I might have gone the rest of my life being polite and call her once a month as a duty. Now, I have a real relationship with her, and I love you for that."
"I'm glad I helped."
"You did."
They sat quietly for a minute, and then Reid said. "I have something I want to give you before we get married next week."
"Oh? What is it?"
Reid smiled at the enthusiastic light in JJ's eyes. "You know I took something from my Uncle Kevin's storage locker when we were in Las Vegas?"
"Yes, and I'm still ticked that you didn't let me see it," JJ said.
Reid rolled his eyes. "Well, your patience is about to be rewarded."
He pulled a brightly wrapped package from behind one of the throw pillows and gave it to JJ. "Merry Christmas."
JJ's eyes widened as she carefully removed the wrapping paper and then pulled back the tissue paper. "Oh, Spence. It's gorgeous."
JJ held up a snow-white handkerchief edged with lace and embroidered with cornflowers and lilacs. "Thank you."
"It belonged to my grandmother on my mom's side of the family. She made it for her wedding day and passed it to my mother."
"I can't take this, Spence. It's a family heirloom."
"My mother wants you to have it, Jenn. She loves you and considers you her new daughter."
JJ's eyes filled with tears. "I love it, and I love your mom. Thank you. I'm going to write her a thank-you note. Will you add it to your next letter?"
"Of course."
"I'm going to carry this on our wedding day," JJ said and carefully wrapped it in the tissue paper before putting it aside. "I can't express how much I love you, Spence."
"Same goes for me, beautiful," Reid said and kissed her. "I want to stay here forever."
"Me too. However, I have something for you that I want to give you before tomorrow."
"Oh?"
"I thought we could start a tradition of giving small gifts to each other on Christmas Eve."
"I think I love the idea," Reid said and kissed her.
"Mmm… Don't start yet. I'll be right back."
Reid watched the yellow and orange flames dance in the fireplace while waiting for JJ to return. It was satisfying to be in a place where he didn't have to think about work or worry about his mom for a few days.
"Hey?" JJ said and made him jerk a little. "Where were you?"
"Thinking about mom."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
Reid caressed her face as she rejoined him on the sofa with a Christmas-themed gift bag in her hand. "Don't apologize. I know that mom can't be here, but I have every confidence in Garcia's set up to capture the moment. I'm so glad that the team was able to come. I can't thank your mom enough for suggesting we get married here."
JJ smiled at him as flame shadows played over her face and made her look like a fire goddess relaxing after giving her gift to all humanity.
"She was glad to do it. I think she's still trying to make up to me for everything after Roz. I tell her to stop, but –" JJ shrugged. "I'm glad we are getting closer."
"Me too. Now, can I have my gift?"
JJ grinned at him and handed over the present. "Here you are."
Reid surveyed the gift bag with a deep blue background and pictures of decorated trees and homes. He pulled out the white tissue paper and found a tee-shirt and a pair of jeans. "Jennifer!"
"I know you resist the idea of jeans, but I thought you could wear them on the weekends when we're alone. I promise you'll look fabulous and sexy."
Reid's eyebrows went up, and then he smiled at her. "So you're trying to say that if I wear them, I will be assured of conjugal time with you."
"If you're trying to say you'll get laid, then yes, if you behave?"
Reid frowned at the jeans then said. 'Fine. I will save them for the weekends, deal?"
"Yes."
Reid held up the tee-shirt, which was the color of ripe plums, and said across the front. "Carl Sagan Rules."
JJ chuckled when Reid's eyes lit up, and he said, "Yes! Awesome."
"Glad you like it."
"I love it," Reid said and kissed her. "Let's go upstairs."
"I thought you had a phobia of sex in my old bedroom with mom in the house," JJ said as she let him pull her up.
"I'm over it."
"Alright, but we'll have to be quiet," JJ said as she switched off the lights and plunged the room into the firelight.
"I can do that."
MCMCMCMCMCMCM
Reid joined JJ in the living area of their hotel suite. Fireworks were going off and filling the sky with every color imaginable. "Happy New Year, wife."
JJ smirked up at him and took the flute of champagne he handed her. Light from the fireworks played over the walls of the room and their faces. She chuckled, and Reid said. "Why are you laughing?"
"Because I feel like I'm in the final scene of a rom-com, with the fireworks and champagne," JJ explained after a sip of the delicious, ice-cold beverage.
"It is a bit cliché, but I am so glad we're married."
JJ nodded her head. "I'm glad we decided to come back to Vegas for New Year's Day before we head to Miami."
"You sure? It's been an exhausting schedule with our wedding early on New Year's Eve, then the reception, and the late-night flight here. Then spending the day with mom. We've hardly slept or had time to ourselves."
JJ grinned at him. "Don't worry about me. The adrenaline from marrying you still hasn't worn off. I'm riding a high that I hope never ends, and it's given me the energy to burn." Anyway, I was so happy to see your mom again.
"Yes," Reid agreed as he took a sip from his flute. "Mom was thrilled to see us and the recording of the wedding. I haven't seen her cry happy tears in years."
"Well, you're the one that came up with the genius idea to include her by playing her favorite song as our first dance. "Chances Are" is one of my favorites as well, but I suppose you profiled that from me."
"I noticed it was on your playlist, so I took a chance."
JJ put an arm around him as another round of fireworks burst into the ebony sky. "I love Vegas."
Reid stared at her. "You do?"
"Yes. It gave me you."
"I do love you, JJ, forever."
"Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year to you, wife."
Reid kissed her, and as he held her, he realized that his life was about to begin, and he couldn't wait to see where their path led them.
THE END