"Oh, snap!" Spencer put his mug of hot tea down on the end table, sitting cross-legged on the sofa. "Judge Judy doesn't mess around."
Sam shook his head and laughed, leaning against the arm of the couch. "I still can't believe we're watching this."
Dean took a drink of his Coke, sitting in between Spencer and Sam with his legs stretched out in front of him. "Of course we're watching this. It's Judge Judy."
Spencer picked at the fibers of his checkered socks, his lips faintly pursed. "You know, with my experience and memory, I could be a Judge Judy."
Sam snorted and grabbed his water from the end table. "You would make a great Judge Judy." He took a sip and put his water down, still grinning. "I don't know if I can see you sassing people, though."
Spencer held up his hands. "Oh, Sam, you haven't lived until you've seen me sassy."
Sam laughed again, pulling his attention from the TV and looking at Spencer. "Next time we're working a case, I expect some top-level sass. You got that?"
Spencer shrugged his shoulders, feigning dismissiveness. "I don't know, Sam. I'll have to see if the muse hits me."
Dean snorted out a laugh and took another drink of his soda. "If you ask me, you showed plenty of sass when you were chewing us out for—" He was cut off by the ringing of a phone, and he quickly fished the device out of his pocket. "It's Bobby. I gotta get this." Dean handed his soda to Spencer and stood up with a grunt, flipping his phone open and pressing it to his ear. "Hey, Bobby. What's up?"
Spencer watched Dean walk around the couch and go into the kitchen, his voice fading as he got further away. "Huh." Spencer looked at Sam. "You think it's a hunt?"
Sam shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe." He hesitated for a moment, and then he gave Spencer a look of mild concern. "If it is, are you up for it?" He quickly continued. "I'm not trying to imply that you're not capable or anything, I just… I just don't want you to push yourself too hard, too soon."
Spencer wet his lips and nodded a few times, eyes averting out of guilt. It had only been two months since he overdosed on heroin, so it made sense that Sam was worried, but honestly? Spencer was getting serious cabin fever, and the idea of a hunt was tantalizing.
"I'll be fine, Sam," was what Spencer eventually said, his voice coming out a little more timid than he would have liked. "Thanks for checking on me, though."
Sam offered a small smile and a nod, and then he grabbed his water and took another drink, putting his attention back on the television.
Spencer also looked back at the screen, one hand still holding Dean's Coke while the other absently wandered to his mug of hot tea. For a little while, he didn't say anything. He watched the televised drama unfold, and he occasionally glanced over to see if Sam was watching him. Seconds passed, and Spencer decided he didn't like the semi-awkward silence that had formed.
"If there is one thing this show has taught me, it's that you should never give money to anyone and expect it back." Spencer took a sip of his tea and put the mug down, letting out a small, satisfied sigh.
Sam hummed thoughtfully and tilted his head to the side. "I can see that. But, on the other hand, you—"
"We got a hunt."
Spencer and Sam both turned on the couch to see Dean standing behind them, his closed phone still in his hand.
"Where are we headed?" Spencer asked, handing Dean's soda back to him.
"Kentucky." Dean shoved his phone into his pocket. "I guess there's a hunter couple there tracking a werewolf pack, and it looks like it might be pretty big. According to Bobby, this couple only hunts some of the time, and they'd like some backup for this."
Spencer grabbed his tea and took another sip, sitting sideways on the couch. "I assume we're taking Baby?"
Dean gave a thumbs up and then took a drink of his Coke. He swallowed and gestured toward the TV. "You guys wanna finish this episode?"
Spencer shook his head and got to his feet. "Nah. I'm itching for something to do." He looked at Sam then, realizing he wasn't the only one invested in the show. "You okay with that?"
Sam nodded and stood up, grabbing the remote. "Let's go." He turned the TV off and tossed the remote back onto the couch.
Spencer tilted his head back, draining the rest of his tea, and then he set the empty cup on the end table. "Let me get out of these sweatpants and into something more durable," he said, already walking toward the hall that led to their bedrooms.
Dean jerked a thumb over his shoulder and started walking backward toward the exit. "I'll go make sure we have everything we need for a werewolf hunt."
"Got it." Sam gave a thumbs up and then walked around the couch, following Spencer into the hall. "I've gotta grab my jacket."
Spencer grabbed the doorknob and almost let himself into his room, but he stopped short and gave Sam a curious look. "So, when Bobby said it was a hunter couple, do you think he meant a couple of hunters? Or… a literal couple who hunts?"
Sam stopped in the hallway, his own expression turning thoughtful as he considered the question. "I… don't know." He pursed his lips. "If it is a literal couple, that's pretty cool."
"Tell me about it." Spencer thought about it for a moment more, and then he shrugged his shoulders. "Well, we'll find out soon enough."
With that, Spencer disappeared into his room, dropping his pants to the floor a moment later. It's not often that Bobby asks us to work a case that already has hunters on it. He went over to his dresser and opened a drawer, grabbing a pair of jeans from the top. This could be very interesting…
"Oh, crap." Spencer felt up his pockets, stopping halfway to the motel room where their fellow hunters were supposedly waiting. "I forgot my phone in the car. I'll be right back." He turned around and jogged back to the Impala, opening the back door and crawling onto the backseat. He ran his hand over the seat and then onto the floor, spidery fingers feeling their way over the black interior in search of his cellphone.
"Aha!" Spencer grabbed the small device and backed out of the car, shutting the door. He turned toward the motel and started walking across the parking lot, noticing another car parked just a few spaces away. That's weird, Spencer thought, stepping onto the sidewalk that ran past the many motel doors. That almost looks like…
"So," Sam was saying to the person standing just inside the motel room, "we hear you've got a pretty bad werewolf problem."
"Yeah," the person replied, her voice clearly female and strikingly familiar. "Or at least, that's what we think it is. It's a pretty unusual hunt."
Spencer furrowed his brow, his footsteps slowing as he approached Sam and Dean and the motel door. Is that…? He came to a stop behind the brothers, leaning slightly to see over Dean's shoulder. It can't be.
But it was. It was JJ, standing there, in the flesh, with her hands on her hips, talking about a hunt.
Spencer had barely opened his mouth to say her name when JJ saw him, panic seizing her. She took a step forward and pulled the motel door shut behind her, her mouth opening a closing a few times before she managed a hesitant, "Spence?"
Spencer swallowed hard and lifted his hand in a wave. "Um." He swallowed again and dropped his hand. "Hey, JJ. I…" He struggled with his words for several moments, his gaze flickering to Sam and Dean, as if they would be able to help him. He looked back at JJ, and then, not knowing what else to do, he grabbed his collar and pulled it down until she could see his anti-possession tattoo.
JJ stared for a second, and then she slowly lifted up the lower, left-hand side of her shirt, revealing an identical tattoo on her abdomen. She shook her head, letting out an incredulous laugh as a fond smile turned her lips. "I should have known that just because you stopped profiling, you were still out there, somewhere, saving the world."
Spencer glanced away, catching Sam's eye, and he reached up to nervously rub the back of his neck. "Oh, I'm not saving the world. I'm just making it a little safer, that's all." He huffed out a laugh and then looked back at JJ with guilty eyes. "I, uh… I did tell you I took up hunting."
JJ lifted her hands to her face and laughed, shaking her head again. "Yes. Yes, you did." She held her arms out and smiled. "Come here, Spence."
Spencer didn't open his arms, but he stepped closer and let her wrap her arms around him, feeling a rush of guilt over how long it had been since he talked to her.
JJ didn't seem to care, though, and she squeezed him tight. "Hey, Will!" she called, letting go of Spencer and opening the door to the motel room. "Come see who took up hunting!"
Spencer rubbed the back of his neck again, feeling a little heat rush to his cheeks as he quickly became the center of attention.
"Well, now," Will started, coming to stand beside JJ and wrapping his arm around her waist. "This is interesting."
"Hi, Will." Spencer waved again, and then he cleared his throat, eager to move the conversation along. "So, I'm sure you both know the Winchesters."
Sam nudged Spencer with his arm. "We already introduced ourselves." He smiled at JJ then. "I hope it's okay that we call him Spence, too."
JJ beamed, and it seemed like she was truly happy to hear that. "I think it's great."
Spencer cleared his throat again, glancing between Sam and Dean and then looking at JJ again. "When I was walking up, I heard you say it's an unusual hunt. What's unusual about it?"
JJ blew her bangs out of her eyes, pointing over her shoulder. "Let me show you."
JJ and Will turned around, walking into the motel room, and Sam, Dean, and Spencer followed right behind them. They walked up to a bed with several papers and a map spread out on it, and Spencer immediately started scanning the information out of habit.
"You'll actually find this familiar, Spence." JJ stood at the foot of the bed with her arms folded over her chest. "We've got three victims so far. All three bodies were left behind businesses after hours during a full moon, and they were all missing their hearts. However…" JJ held up a finger, turning toward a nearby dresser and grabbing some folders from on top, "…their hearts weren't the only things that were missing." She opened the folders one by one, laying them on the bed with the photos on full display. "There was nothing left but torsos, and some of their internal organs had been taken. And all three bodies had been frozen."
Spencer let out a sigh, immediately knowing what JJ expected him to remember. "Floyd Feylinn Ferrell."
Dean raised his brows, looking at Spencer expectantly. "I'll bite. Who the heck is Floyd Feylinn Ferrell?"
Spencer ran a hand through his hair, brushing it back out of his eyes. "He was a cannibalistic serial killer we stopped years ago. He froze the bodies of his victims, eating them over time, and when we finally arrested him, we found out he had been serving his victims as food from Feylinn's Fine Bar-B-Q."
Sam grimaced. "He forced other people to eat his victims? That's…"
"Messed up," Dean finished, his own expression twisted with discomfort. "But, as gross as that is, what does it have to do with werewolves?"
JJ reached up and tucked her bangs behind her ear. "Well, I don't know for sure, but based on the evidence, it seems like these werewolves are eating people not during the full moon."
Sam nodded a few times, rubbing his chin. "Yeah. If they were only eating them during the full moon, I don't think they would be frozen."
"That also means we don't know how many werewolves there are," Dean said, his eyes wandering over the evidence on the bed. "I mean, this is a lot of eating, but if he's got a whole month to do it, he might be able to consume this much of a victim."
Will spoke up then, grabbing yet another stack of folders from the nightstand. "Here's the thing that led us to believe there's a whole pack." He opened the folders as he spoke, putting them on the pillows of the motel bed. "We've got five people who've gone missing during the months this werewolf has been hunting. We don't know if he's just still working on eating their bodies, or if he's turning them, but either way, the number of victims makes it look like it has to be more than just one werewolf."
Spencer bit his lip, looking over the files at lightning speed and committing whatever he read to memory. "Regardless of how many there are, if we find one, we'll find the pack. So, what do you have as far as victimology goes?"
JJ pointed to the far left file out of the three at the foot of the bed. "Jeffrey Hall, a forty-five-year-old male, was a doctor at the local hospital." She pointed to the middle file. "Sharon Williams, a twenty-two-year-old female, was waitressing her way through college and still lived at home." She pointed to the file on the right. "Julia Powell, a thirty-seven-year-old female, was a receptionist at a veterinary office." She folded her arms over her chest, still looking at the files. "Jeffrey and Julia were white, Sharon was black, and they were in different tax brackets."
Will reached out and pushed the files a little closer to the foot of the bed, uncovering the bottom portion of the map they had spread out. "JJ did the geographical profile based on the last places the vics were seen and the dump sites."
Sam ran a hand through his hair. "I bet Garcia would be able to help us narrow down a location."
JJ perked up, looking between Sam and Spencer in excitement. "Garcia knows about monsters?"
Dean snorted, putting his hands on his hips. "The Black Queen is the best thing to ever happen to the hunting network. Right after Bobby, of course."
JJ's mouth broke into a wide smile. "That's amazing! We'll have so much to talk about the next time I see her." Her joy faded almost instantly, her tongue flicking out to wet her lips as she turned serious eyes to Spencer. "That reminds me. Do you remember when you figured out what Peter Lewis had planned for Hotch?"
Spencer quickly realized where the conversation was headed, and his brain started frantically trying to think of a way to subvert the danger. "Um…" Unfortunately, as magnificent as his brain was, it wasn't being very helpful in this particular situation. "Yeah, I remember that. I told you not to let Garcia get in trouble for calling me in on the case. You called me afterward and told me Lewis was dead."
JJ glanced at Will and then looked at Spencer again. "Well, what we didn't tell you was that we found sulfur by Lewis' body." She paused. "We think a demon killed him."
Spencer wet his lips and looked over at Sam and Dean. Sam was staring with a sympathetic expression, but, unsurprisingly, there was nothing he could do. Dean, on the other hand, was looking at Spencer like, 'you're the one who decided to be buddy-buddy with a demon, so this is what you get.' Dean seemed almost pleased with Spencer's internal struggle.
"Spence?"
Spencer turned his gaze back to JJ, his entire body tensing up as his lips started to explain. "I, uh, I actually knew about that." He cleared his throat. "Um, you see, I… well, in the process of hunting, I came across a lot of demons, and, um, well, I interrogated them… a lot… and I started to learn about the different kinds of deals you can make, and—"
JJ's hand flew out, grasping a handful of his shirt, and she leveled a deadly stare at him. "Spencer Reid, if you made a deal with a demon—"
"I didn't!" Spencer held up his hands in surrender. "I didn't! I mean, I sort of did, but it's not like I sold my soul or anything." He gave her a cautious smile, hoping she wouldn't murder or disown him.
Or both.
"I just…" Spencer swallowed and rushed through the next part, trying to avoid her anger. "I just made a deal where I don't send him back to Hell, and he helps me out from time to time. That's all. I swear."
JJ scrutinized him for a long moment, blue eyes still blazing with danger, and then she slowly uncurled her fingers. She dropped her hand to her side, turning her gaze to the Winchesters. "You let him do this?" she asked, her tone accusatory.
"He wasn't with us at the time," Dean replied, his disapproval evident on his face.
Sam gave them both a look and offered, "Also, there's the fact that he's a grown man who can make decisions for himself."
Dean snorted dismissively, and given what Spencer knew about Dean, that reaction made perfect sense. JJ at least had the decency to look a little embarrassed, and she uttered a quiet, "Of course. You're right."
Spencer clapped his hands together. "Anyway!" He pointed to documents on the bed. "Let's figure out where this werewolf pack is hiding."
JJ held up a finger. "I have a laptop, so we can send the files to Garcia." She took a few steps to the right and grabbed the computer from where it was leaning against the wall. "We were using paper files because it's easier to lay them all out, but…" She trailed off, opening the laptop.
Dean pointed to Will. "You wanna show me what you got in the weapons department? And then I can show you what we brought with us, and we can figure out if there's anything else we need."
Will nodded, walking around JJ and Spencer to get to Dean. "Sure. We're parked right out front."
With that, Dean and Will left the motel room, and Sam turned to Spencer and JJ.
"I take it one of you is going to call Garcia, so…" Sam took a few steps toward the foot of the bed, "…I guess I'll see if anything pops out at me."
"That's a good idea," Spencer said, pulling his phone from his pocket. "You might be able to find something JJ and Will missed."
Sam chuckled softly, leaning down to get a better look at the files. "Oh, I don't know about that."
"I do," Spencer said simply. "You're really smart, Sam. I mean, JJ and Will are smart, too, but… don't discount yourself."
Sam flashed a small smile, and if Spencer was reading his face correctly, he was a little bit touched. Spencer would have said more—he hated when Sam talked poorly of himself—but he didn't want to embarrass Sam. So, Spencer pulled up his contacts and scrolled until he found The Black Queen.
"You got the files ready?" Spencer asked, looking at JJ.
JJ, who had placed the laptop on the bed and knelt down in front of it, nodded her head with her eyes glued to the screen. "Yup. I can send them as soon as you tell her what's up."
Spencer grinned. "Let's do this."
And he hit the green button.
"Everybody here knows killing is the goal, right?" Dean immediately got the expected look from Sam and Spencer, but he didn't apologize for asking the question a third time. "Just making sure we're all on the same page."
"Well," Will started, keeping his voice low and his eyes on the abandoned house they were approaching, "we ain't got much of a choice. Even if it ain't a full moon right now, it's not like we can send them to prison."
JJ looked at Dean with an arched eyebrow and a faint smirk. "I've killed more humans than you have, Dean. I don't have a problem killing something that looks human."
Dean lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Message received."
Though, to be fair, it wasn't like Dean was doubting their skill. He just didn't want to be in the middle of fighting a werewolf pack and suddenly have someone getting cold feet.
"There!" Sam pointed ahead of them, his other hand wielding his gun. "I saw movement in the second story window."
"They probably saw us," Spencer said, picking up speed.
"Let's go, Sammy." Dean nudged his brother on the arm and then started jogging toward the front of the house.
Just like they planned, Spencer took JJ and Will around the back. Sam and Dean saw them disappear around the corner of the two-story home, and then the pair walked up the front steps to the porch and front door.
"On three," Dean whispered, holding his gun down by his hip and sizing up the door. "One… two… three!" He threw his foot up, kicking the door as hard as he could, right beneath the doorknob. It didn't work, so he caught his balance and went for another kick, this one cracking the wood around the deadbolt. He gathered himself again, gave the door a dirty look, and swung his foot out in another kick.
Finally, the door flew inward, splintered wood falling to the ground, and Sam and Dean surged into the house. Dean went to the left, while Sam went to the right, both of them flawlessly covering each other's backs. Dean heard gunfire almost immediately, but he didn't look over his shoulder. He trusted Sam to deal with the threat and kept his own eyes on the space in front of him.
Dean took a few steps to the left and entered what appeared to be a living room, sweeping the area with his gun and finding it empty.
"Clear." Dean backed up a few paces and turned his head slightly to look at Sam, who was crouched down by a motionless werewolf. "You see a staircase?"
"Hold on." Sam finished making sure the monster was dead, and then he got to his feet. He scanned the room to the right of the front door, and then he started down the hallway directly in front of them.
Dean followed closely behind him, and they quickly found the staircase they were looking for. They both started the climb, having decided beforehand that Will, JJ, and Spencer would take care of the ground floor and any basement there might have been.
Dean frowned, certain he heard footsteps, and he opened his mouth to warn Sam, but he was a split second too late. Someone leaned around the top of the staircase and fired, causing Sam to stumble backward.
"Sammy!" Dean aimed at the top of the stairs, but the werewolf had darted back behind the safety of the wall. "Sammy, are you hit?"
Sam grunted, leaning against the handrail. "It just grazed my arm. I'm fine."
Dean was worried—he couldn't help himself—but he pushed the feeling aside and climbed the stairs. Sam collected himself and joined Dean at the top of the steps, and then they entered the second story, facing opposite directions to clear the hall.
Dean once again put his trust in Sam and didn't worry about whatever was behind him. He walked slowly down the hall, watching the three doorways he could see for any sign of trouble. He got to the first room and crept inside, looking around and making notes.
There was a dresser to the left and a bed with a nightstand to the right, and none of the furniture was doing anything to hide someone. Dean took a few more steps into the room and turned to the right, finding two closet doors on the wall adjacent to the hallway.
Here we go. Dean pressed his back up against the wall and reached out with his free hand, grabbing the doorknob. One… two… Dean jerked the door open, and a gunshot rang out. He pushed off the wall and aimed into the closet, taking a fraction of a second to find the girl's chest before firing a silver bullet directly into her heart. He immediately jumped back out of the way, putting space between himself and the body that toppled out of the closet.
Briefly, Dean felt a pang of guilt. He could see the girl that had been hiding in the closet was young, and he was pretty sure he recognized her from one of the files JJ and Will had gathered, meaning she was bitten not that long ago.
But she was living in a house with a bunch of other werewolves that were devouring human victims. That made her a monster, and Dean had no sympathy for monsters.
It doesn't matter. Focus on the job.
Dean went back out into the hall, and he and Sam worked together to clear the upper level. They didn't encounter any more werewolves, though they did hear multiple gunshots from downstairs, and soon enough, they were joining up with JJ and Spencer at the top of a staircase that led to a basement.
"Everyone okay?" Dean asked, giving them all a onceover.
"We're fine," JJ confirmed, her eyes almost immediately zeroing in on Sam. "You're bleeding. What happened?"
Sam shook his head, keeping pressure on the wound. "It's nothing. I just got grazed."
JJ frowned. "We'll take care of that once we're back at the cars."
"Actually," Spencer interjected, "we should probably leave here as soon as possible. You can get stitched up while JJ and Will clean out their motel room."
Sam nodded. "Good idea." He frowned then, peering down into the basement. "Speaking of Will, is he down there?"
"Yeah," Will called from the basement. There was a moment of silence, and then Will came halfway up the steps. "It's pretty dark down there, and I ain't got my flashlight on me, but I found a walk-in freezer. It's got three bodies in it."
JJ frowned and started counting on her fingertips. "Well, we killed two werewolves. One of the missing persons and one we didn't recognize." She looked at Dean. "How many did you kill?"
Dean held up two fingers. "Just two. The one I shot was definitely one of the missings."
Sam nodded a few times, still holding his arm tightly. "The one I killed was one of the missing persons, too."
Spencer glanced between his old family and his new family. "That's three missings that were turned, so that leaves two missings that could be in the freezer."
"It's too dark for me to identify them," Will said, shaking his head. "I'll have to get my flashlight."
JJ shook her head with a heavy sigh. "The local police are going to have a tough time sorting everything out…"
"Yeah, well, it's not like we can help them out." Dean tucked his gun into the back of his pants, finally feeling relaxed enough that he could put his weapon away. "Sam or I will make the call so you can keep yourselves as far away from this case as possible."
Will started walking up the steps, cutting through the group with a quiet, "I'm going to get my flashlight."
"Okay, hon," JJ said, folding her arms over her chest. "And thank you, Dean, for offering to make the call. We definitely appreciate any chance to keep our faces and voices out of the cases we work."
Dean nodded. He couldn't imagine trying to be a hunter and work a day job, especially a day job that was directly involved with law enforcement. More power to them, I guess.
"So," Spencer started, a weak smile pulling on the corner of his mouth. "I, uh… I guess after that, we'll be going our separate ways."
Dean could tell from the look on Spencer's face and the faint undertones in his voice that Spencer was none too happy about having to say goodbye to his old family. So, Dean threw him a bone. "No reason why we shouldn't go out and celebrate a little, first." He looked at JJ then. "You guys are probably on a tighter schedule, so you just start heading back home and pick a place along the way. We'll follow you."
JJ reached up to adjust her ponytail, arching her brows slightly. "Are you sure you don't mind?"
Dean waved it off. "Eh, what's a little extra driving?"
Spencer smiled—a wider smile, a genuine smile—and looked at Dean with gratitude in his eyes. "That would be awesome."
JJ smiled at Spencer, and there was something openly loving and caring on her face. "Sounds like a date."
Dean watched the two of them, and he couldn't help but wonder what exactly Spencer had left behind. Sam had been the one to run into Spencer and tell him about hunting, and after that, Spencer got in touch with Bobby. Dean didn't see Spencer between him having withdrawals in a sleazy motel and him chewing them out for their apocalypse plans, and Dean had to wonder what happened. Dean thought back to the way Morgan and Hotch had come to his rescue in the middle of the night, and he looked at the clear platonic chemistry that was in front of him in the present, and he couldn't deny, he was curious. What could make Spencer walk away from his family like that?
It doesn't matter, Dean's brain reminded him, his big brother instincts kicking in. What matters is he's yours now. Take care of him. That's all that matters.
Of course, Dean knew that. But still… he was curious.
When Sam excused himself to use the bathroom, JJ saw her chance to get him alone, and she smoothly slid to her feet. "I think I'm going to use the restroom, too." She put a hand on Will's shoulder. "If the waitress comes by, can you get me another vodka and cranberry?"
Will nodded. "Sure, babe."
JJ planted a quick kiss on Will's cheek, and then she turned and walked through the crowded bar, making her way over to the bathrooms. She didn't go in, though. She stood outside the swinging door and did her best to stay out of sight of their table. Thankfully, the bathroom doors were in a little alcove, which gave her the advantage.
Minutes passed, and then Sam came out of the men's room, blinking in surprise when he saw JJ standing there.
"Uh…" Sam tilted his head slightly. "Is everything okay?"
JJ looked at Sam for a moment, thinking to herself that he had honest eyes, and then she took a breath. "What's wrong with Spencer?"
Sam pursed his lips slightly, confusion creasing his brow. "I don't know what you mean."
"I could feel it when I hugged him." JJ shook her head. "I can tell there's something on his mind, I just don't know what it is."
Sam reached up and ran a hand through his hair, letting out a soft sigh. "Well…" He thought about his words for a moment. "He's actually been doing pretty good, but about two months ago, he relapsed and overdosed on heroin."
JJ felt her heart seize in her chest, but she kept her composure. Giving in to an overreaction wouldn't help anybody, and she wanted to hear what else Sam had to say.
"He's also probably struggling to process the fact that you're a hunter," Sam suggested, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "I know he misses you guys. He probably wasn't expecting to see you again under these circumstances."
JJ shook her head, confusion swelling as she considered the situation they were in. "If he misses us, why doesn't he ever come to visit? Every time I reach out to him, he's got some excuse for why he can't come."
"Well…" Sam wet his lips, lifting his hand in a brief 'I don't know' gesture. "I can't speak for Spencer, but if I had to guess, I would say he's got a lot of guilt. Not just about overdosing, but about making a deal with a demon and all the lying he has to do." Sam shrugged his shoulders again. "Maybe now that he knows you're a hunter, some of that guilt will be lessened."
JJ only shook her head again, struggling to understand. "But you said Garcia knows about the supernatural. He hasn't been visiting her, either. Or if he has, he's been doing it behind everyone's backs."
Sam let out a sigh. "I can tell you he hasn't visited her during the past two months. He's been with us non-stop." He pondered a moment more. "If you're as close as Spencer tells me you are, he probably knows that visiting Garcia means visiting everyone, and maybe he's not ready for that kind of commitment."
JJ lifted a hand and stroked the side of her head, running her hand over her neatly tied hair. She didn't know what other questions to ask; didn't know what inquiries would get her the answers she was looking for.
Sam was one step ahead of her. "I wish I could be more help, but… really, the best thing to do is talk to Spencer himself. I think you just have to be brave enough to really push him when he starts giving excuses."
"I know." JJ nodded her head a few times, her gaze wandering down to her shoes. "I planned on talking to him, I just… wanted some information first. I wanted to know if someone else saw what I see."
Sam's expression was caught somewhere between curious and concerned, his brow crinkled and his lips pursed ever-so slightly. "And… what is it you see?"
JJ exhaled harshly, frustrated. "I don't know." She closed her eyes for a moment, shaking her head. "He just…" She looked at Sam again. "He just seems like he's walking on eggshells. Like… he's afraid of something."
Sam pursed his lips a little more. "I haven't noticed anything like that. I mean, he seemed afraid of our reactions when he first overdosed, but like I said, he's been with us for two months now, and… he's actually been pretty good."
JJ nodded slowly, mulling over the information Sam was giving her and trying to figure out the discrepancy. Why would Spencer be afraid of JJ?
"He was depressed for a little while." Sam continued, his gaze wandering upward as he recalled Spencer's behavior. "Maybe the first… three weeks? But then he started getting better. We didn't go on any hunts, but we tried to go out for dinner and play games and stuff. Tried to get him out of the house or get him doing something."
JJ watched Sam's face, and as he spoke, she had an epiphany. She saw a familiar light in Sam's eyes, and she knew what it meant, and it made everything a little bit clearer.
"He was pretty anxious to go on this hunt, so I don't know if we—"
"Thank you, Sam," JJ interrupted softly. "I know what Spencer needs." She wet her lips. "Thank you for the information, and thank you for taking such good care of him."
Sam let out a half-guilty, half-nervous chuckle. "I don't know if you should be thanking me for that. I mean, he did overdose on heroin."
JJ only smiled more, shaking her head. "Family doesn't mean the bad things won't happen. It means someone will be there when they do. And you were."
Sam offered a smile of his own, and he accepted her words without further argument. "Is there anything else I can shed some light on?"
"No, thank you." JJ pointed over her shoulder. "I'm actually going to use the bathroom so we don't walk back to the table at the same time."
"Got it." Sam gave her a thumbs up. "Glad I could help." He smiled at her, and then he walked away.
JJ took a breath and ducked into the ladies' room. Now, she just had to get Spencer alone. So, she used the bathroom, adjusted her ponytail, and straightened her shirt. Then she went back to the table, and everyone sat and talked for a while. She finished her second vodka and cranberry, and then she cast a glance around the bar, her nose crinkling in disgust.
"It's so stuffy in here," she commented, looking around the bar once more before putting her eyes on Spencer. "I think I'll head out for some fresh air. Will you come keep me company, Spence?"
Spencer blinked at her, staring like a deer in the headlights. He had worked with JJ long enough to know when she was up to something, and he no doubt figured if she was asking for his company instead of Will's, it was because she wanted to talk to him in private.
But, to Spencer's credit, all he did was give a small smile and a nod and say, "Sure. Let's go."
JJ gave Will a kiss on the cheek and then hopped down from her chair, walking across the bar to the front door. She stepped out into the early evening air and made her way over to Will's car, climbing onto the trunk and waiting for Spencer to join her.
Spencer sat down next to JJ on the trunk of the car, fidgeting nervously, but he didn't say anything. He just stared up at the slowly darkening sky, his twitching hands in his lap, still emanating that aura of something wrong.
"You know, getting married is crazy." JJ swung her legs slightly, the heel of her boots bouncing against the car's fender. "In a matter of weeks or even days, you change your name, you change your living arrangements, and you're suddenly related to dozens of new people."
Spencer turned his gaze from the sky and looked at JJ, confusion twisting his features, but he waited patiently for her to make sense.
So, JJ kept going. "You might make changes to your lifestyle. You might change occupations because you have to change location. You might make new friends, go new places, and try new things." JJ watched Spencer as she spoke, taking in his body language and expressions while her own eyes remained full of love. "It's all so new and exciting, and it's a good thing, Spence. It doesn't mean your old life is over, and it doesn't mean you've changed who you are, and it doesn't mean you've lost the family you grew up with."
Spencer looked down, guilt and embarrassment hunching his shoulders. He shook his head, opening his mouth to speak, but JJ cut him off.
"Spence."
Spencer's jaw snapped shut, and he managed to lift his eyes from his lap, searching JJ's face.
JJ shook her head slowly, emphasizing the movement. "Starting a new life with Sam and Dean doesn't mean your old life is gone. Having a new family doesn't mean your old family is gone." She reached out and put a hand on his arm, squeezing lightly. "Changing some parts about yourself doesn't change who you are at your core, Spence. You're the same person you've always been; you're just a little different now."
Spencer put his hand over hers, heaving a sigh and putting his eyes back on the sky. He swallowed hard, throat bobbing, and then he shook his head. "I don't know, JJ…" He gripped her hand. "I live outside the law; the law I used to uphold so proudly. My savings account isn't going to last forever, and that means eventually I'll be stealing money to make ends meet. I kill the monsters I hunt instead of sending them to jail. I just…" He let out another sigh and shook his head again, reaching up to rub his eyes.
JJ watched his face for a moment, realizing the problem was a bit deeper than she thought, and then she spoke. "I can't tell you what to feel, Spencer. We can sit here and talk about why we can't send monsters to jail, and we can talk about why you need to break or bend the law to hunt monsters, but it's not going to make you feel any better."
"I know." Spencer ran his hands through his hair, knocking JJ's hand off his arm in the process. "I've thought through every logical argument for and against the life I'm living now, but it still feels wrong."
JJ bit her lip, hesitating a moment before gently asking, "And that's why you relapsed?"
Spencer looked at her in surprise for a moment, and then he bowed his head in shame. "Sam told you," he muttered, scratching at his hands.
JJ nodded twice, peering up at Spencer and trying to meet his eyes. "It's okay, Spence. I'm not disappointed. I just wish I knew how to help."
Spencer shook his head, reaching up to run a hand through his hair again. "I don't think anything will help. I think… I just have to get used to feeling this way."
"No." JJ spoke swiftly and firmly, unwilling to believe Spencer was at a dead end. "It won't last forever, Spence. Things will get better."
Spencer sighed, a weak smile pulling on the corner of his mouth. "I wish I could believe that."
JJ pulled one leg up onto the trunk with her, turning her body to face Spencer. "Let's think of a plan, then." She rested her hands in her lap, blue eyes searching Spencer's face for any sign of hope. "Maybe we can come up with some sort of arrangement where you can consult on cases over the phone. It would be a way to make money honestly and to keep in touch with the rest of the team without being stuck in conversations about what you've been up to."
Spencer's forehead creased, a thoughtful expression crossing his features, and then JJ saw some of that hope she had been looking for. "You really think we could do something like that?"
"I don't see why not." JJ shrugged her shoulders, pursing her lips slightly. "It might be a little unconventional to have you do it long-distance, but with your history at the BAU and your expertise, I'm sure we could work something out."
Spencer looked down at his lap, still deep in thought. "That… might help me feel better. I don't know."
JJ thought for a moment, and then she offered more potential solutions. "You could also write books, like Rossi does. You have all our cases memorized, and with your experience in the FBI and all your degrees, you've got a lot to talk about. Or you could write about the supernatural and the occult. You could write about anything."
Spencer nodded a few times, but he still seemed reluctant.
JJ leaned a little closer, peering up into his hazel eyes. "Spencer, what's wrong?"
Spencer clenched his jaw, struggling with himself for a moment before he let the air out of his lungs, deflating. "What if it's not enough?" He shook his head. "I don't want to get my hopes up."
Sadness creased JJ's brow, blue eyes welling up with sympathy. "There's no way to know, Spence. You just have to keep trying, and you can't give up. You have to take the chance." She reached out and put her hand on his. "And when you can't do it anymore, you have to rely on your family to get you through."
Spencer blinked rapidly, trying to clear the moisture from his eyes, and he let out another sigh. "I know. I just…"
JJ squeezed his hand. "It's not gonna all come together overnight." She smiled encouragingly, trying to lift his spirits. "Let's start by seeing if there's a way you can help out on cases, and we'll go from there."
Spencer looked down at his lap, his expression growing thoughtful. Seconds passed in silence, and then he started to nod his head.
"I… I like the idea of working on cases with you guys." Spencer nodded a few times, and then he lifted his eyes to look at JJ's face. "You really think I'll be allowed to do something like that?"
JJ nodded. "I don't see why not. The FBI has all kinds of consultants. We just have to decide what you want to be an expert in."
Spencer chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I guess I'll have to pick my biggest love and go with that."
JJ smiled, happy to see his countenance was at least a little brighter than before. "I don't think just calling yourself an expert in books is an option."
Spencer laughed again. "Yeah…" He wet his lips and looked at his lap for a few moments before lifting his head and looking at JJ. "Thank you."
JJ waved it off. "I didn't do anything."
"Yes, you did." Spencer didn't waver, looking at her with sincerity in his eyes. "You made me feel better."
JJ smiled again, and she felt much more at ease about Spencer's state of mind. Maybe he wasn't in a perfect place, but she had offered him hope, and he was accepting it. He was smiling, and it went all the way to his eyes. He was laughing, and it seemed genuine.
"Well." JJ clapped her hands together. "Should we head back inside?"
Spencer hopped off the trunk lid. "Sure." He cracked a smile. "We don't want them having all the fun without us."
JJ slid to the ground and dusted herself off. "Right." She walked around Will's car and headed toward the bar with Spencer on her heels.
He's going to be okay. They would work out some kind of arrangement so he could still be on the team, and it wasn't like he was alone. He had Sam and Dean. If anything happened to Spencer, they would be there to help him through.
"So, am I married to Sam or Dean?"
JJ threw her head back and laughed.
He's going to be okay.
"Get the insta-kill! Get the insta-kill!"
"I am getting the insta-kill, just give me a second!"
Spencer looked over his shoulder at Sam and Dean, the confusion on their faces mirroring his own. He shrugged and held up his hands in a helpless gesture, and then he faced forward again, walking through the Bunker to the living area.
"Hello?" Spencer asked, not entirely sure what he expected to find, but knowing that what he found was not it. "Xal?"
Xal didn't so much as glance over his shoulder, his entire being focused on the television screen and the carnage there. "Hey, Spencer. I taught Castiel how to kill zombies."
Castiel, who was sitting next to Xal on the couch with a controller in his hands, nodded vigorously. "We are from the CDC, and we are surviving in a town that has been overrun by zombies."
Dean snorted, putting his hands on his hips. "'A demon and an angel are playing a video game,' sounds like the beginning of a bad joke."
"If I didn't need both my hands, I would totally flip you off." Xal glared at the screen, but Spencer could tell he wasn't genuinely angry. "It's a good game. You should—" Xal stopped suddenly, the colors on the screen and the music changing. "Crap. Hell hounds." He nudged Castiel with his elbow. "Find a corner, Cas."
Spencer walked up to the couch and leaned against it, his lips turning upward into a smile. "How long have you guys been playing?"
Castiel blinked, backing his character into a corner. "Uh, what day is it?"
Spencer facepalmed, but he couldn't get the smile off his face.
Sam cleared his throat. "Have you thought about taking a break?"
Castiel shook his head while Xal responded with, "No."
Spencer laughed, shaking his head incredulously. "You guys…" He shook his head again and turned away from the sofa, walking toward the hall that led to their rooms. "I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed, alright?"
"Alright." Sam gave him a warm smile. "I'm not far behind you."
Dean lifted his hand in a wave, still keeping his distrustful eyes on Xal. "Night, Spence."
Spencer grunted in response, shuffling down the hall toward his bedroom. He wasn't even going to brush his teeth; he was going straight to bed.
I can't believe Xal is teaching Castiel to play video games. Spencer smiled to himself in the dark, grappling with the doorknob and letting himself into his room. He felt his way over to the nightstand, and then he ran his hands over the lamp, turning it on and giving himself a little light to work with.
Spencer sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned over, untying his shoes. He took them off, one by one, and left them on the floor. Then he got up and walked over to his dresser. He opened the pajama drawer and pulled out some nightclothes, quickly changing out of his daywear.
Once everything was in order, he crawled into bed and got under the covers. He plugged his phone in and watched the screen brighten, a text message from JJ bringing a smile to his face.
JJ It was SO good to see you again. Remember what we talked about!
Spencer put his cellphone down on the nightstand, and then he turned off the light. He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling in the dark, a small smile pulling on the corner of his mouth.
JJ and Will and Garcia all know about the supernatural… they can help me on hunts, and I can be honest with them. He smiled a little more. And if JJ is right, and we can set up some kind of consulting arrangement, I'll be able to talk to the team without having to lie about what I'm doing. Or at least I'll be lying less.
Spencer pulled the blankets a little higher. I've got Sam, and Dean, and Bobby, and Xal, and Castiel. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out, the tension easing from his body. JJ was right. It's just like getting married. I went from one family to two, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Spencer closed his eyes, already feeling the tendrils of sleep worming their way through his tired brain. It's a metamorphosis. I'm the same person, but at the same time, I've become something new.
It was exciting. It was terrifying. It was amazing.
It was something new, and even though he didn't know exactly what it meant, he knew he wasn't going to figure it out alone.
I love my life, he thought, and for the first time in a long time, it felt genuine. He wasn't just saying it to convince himself of its truth, he meant it. I love my life, he thought, and he could actually feel it, deep inside; a kind of content that he hadn't felt in years, even when he was with his old team. I love my life, he thought.
And he really, truly did.
"Carry on, my wayward son.
There'll be peace when you are done.
Lay your weary head to rest.
Don't you cry no more."
- Carry On Wayward Son, Kansas
Author's Note: Here it is! The last installment in The Best of Kansas series! I hope everyone enjoyed it, and I hope you all liked the way I wrapped things up.
So, just a heads up, I have two stories currently going that I am going to finish before I post any new multi-chapter stories. HOWEVER. I have several Supernatural/Criminal Minds crossovers in the works. I also have some crossover oneshots or twoshots that I might be finishing and posting sometime soon. So stay tuned!
I am also currently working on a book, so if anyone is interested in reading that, please let me know in your comment. If you do, I will hang on to the comment and reply to it when the book is published! Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day!