It was the teams very first case without Garcia, they were all happy for her, but they knew it was going to be different without having her on the team. They all gathered around the briefing table and looked at Prentis as she walked in.

"Okay everyone, we have a case in Florida" she said as she passed everyone a case file. "We have had four teenagers found dead with a balloon tied around their wrists. It has been reported a fifth teenager has gone missing today, last seen at the state fair"

"All these teenagers are very different, so it looks like the unsub doesn't have a preference with appearance, maybe going of opportunity." Reid said.

"They all had a balloon tied around their wrist when they were found, were they all at fair?" JJ asked.

"All were reported to have a fair ticket in their bags" replied Prentis.

"So, the unsub is probably using the fair as his hunting ground" Alvez said

"Or, the unsub targets their next victim and gets them to the fair" Simmons adds.

Prentis stands up "we need to get there as soon as possible; we have a teenager still missing. Wheels up in 10." She grabs her file off the table and heads to her office to grab her bag. The rest of the team grab their bags and head to the jet.

Reid sat down in one of the seats and JJ sat across from him. She was looking out the window and he was looking at her whilst flashbacks ran through his mind.

"I have always loved you. I was just scared of saying anything before, and things are too complicated to say it now. I'm sorry but you should know."

It had been over a month since they had been held hostage together, but Reid continuously played those words over and over in his head. He knew soon enough he would need to stop as it was hard on him, and he knew since then he had put a distance in his friendship with JJ. He missed her, but he just didn't know how to act.

"Jennifer, truth or dare?"

"Truth"

"Did you mean it?"

He asked this while they were standing together at the bar and as much as he had wanted the answer he also was glad Prentis had come to tell them that the cake was being cut as he wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer whilst at Rossi's wedding.

"I needed to say something real and that's what came out. I'm sorry. I never meant to do that to you. I was prepared to take that secret to the grave. But, now it's out and I can't lie to you and say I didn't mean it. I do love you. You were my first love. And I will always love you, and I know that's not fair because I love Will and the boys too. They made me who I am, but so have you. You're such a big piece of my heart and you always will be. Maybe if things were different, I sometimes think about that. I just want you to know I never wanted to hurt you: I want you to be happy. I want us to be okay."

Reid had wondered what she meant by if things were different. Did she mean if her and Will never met, or maybe if her and Will weren't together anymore? Reid often wondered what it would be like if things were different. He sometimes wished he wasn't so awkward when he took her to the Redskins game, and he wished he was more confident to have asked her on a date after that.

"Hello…Spence?"

JJ's voice pulled him out of his daydream. "Mhm?" he mumbled

She observed him to see if he was okay. "Is everything alright? You've been staring at me but not saying anything."

He nodded his head as he looked out the window, he hadn't even noticed they had already taken off. "Yes, I am okay, sorry I was just thinking about something."

"Want to talk about it?"

He just shook his head and she sighed slightly. He was her best friend and he had said that they were okay, but she knew that it was still hurting him a little, and she didn't know what to do.

"How are you and Maxine?" she asked, smiling slightly.

"Oh, we are okay. We have decided to just be friends but it's still nice to hang out with her" he smiled as he pulled out a pack of cards and dealt a poker game for them.

JJ felt happy when he said this, and she felt like an awful person for thinking this. She wanted Spence to be happy but when she first heard about Maxine and saw how Spence was smiling the way she use to make him she felt her heart break a little.

"How is Will and the boys?" he asked as he picked up his cards.

JJ had yet to tell him what had been happening with Will, and she didn't know if she should dump all that on him after everything that had happened. "The boys are good; they really miss you."

"Maybe when we get back, we can go to the park one afternoon, or on the weekend" he smiled. "And Will?"

She nodded her head. "They would love that" she said before sighing slightly. "Will and I are, I suppose having a little break from each other. He is still at the house as we didn't want to alarm the boys, especially if we aren't splitting. We just felt we needed some time to see if this marriage is really what we want and what's good for us. He is a good man, and a wonderful father but lately we've been fighting a lot more."

Spencer didn't really know what to say, his heart shattered for his friend and he felt guilty for not being there for her. He reached his hand across the table and took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry JJ, if there is anything, I can do please let me know."

They both smiled at each other before returning to their game of poker for the rest of the flight.

The team soon arrived at the station and was greeted by Agent Max. "Thank you all so much for coming" he said as he led them to an office. "You can set up in here. Unfortunately, our fifth missing teenager as just been found like the other four and we have reports of a missing teenager, Lucy Plant. When you are ready, I will get Agent Deaver to take you to the crime scene."

"Thank you" Prentis said as she set her things on the table.

"Rossi and I will go to the crime scene" Reid quickly said before Prentis could pair everyone up. "If that's okay with you" he quickly added.

"Fine with me" she said. "Lewis and JJ, you go to the latest victim's home and see if you can find anything. Simmons, Alvez and I will go to the fair and see if anyone there has seen or knows anything." They all nodded their heads and went their separate ways.

Rossi and Reid kept quiet in the car, mainly because Rossi didn't feel right to bring up anything in front of Agent Deaver. Once they arrived Agent Deaver got out of the car and headed to the rest of the officers whilst Rossi hung back and waited for Reid to get out. "Kid, what's going on with you and JJ?"

Reid shook his head and pretended he didn't know what Rossi meant. "I am not sure I understand what you mean" he said as they began to walk.

"I've seen the way you two look at each other, and it's been different with you two ever since you were held hostage. I don't know what happened in there, but you can talk to me."

"Thank you" Reid said, smiling slightly.

"Look, I'm flattered you wanted to come with me kid, but JJ is always your partner, why didn't you go with her?"

Reid shrugged his shoulders as he kept walking. "I think she would just be better off with Lewis, last time we were supposed to be partners I let her go by herself and she got shot. Rossi, she almost died. I just couldn't live with myself if something happened to her when she was meant to be with me."

"But you saved her, and now you are aware of what could happen wouldn't you feel more comfortable being partners with her so you could stay with her?"

Reid shook his head once again "it's for the best" he said.

They soon joined the rest of the officers and looked around the crime scene, seeing if they could find anything that might help with the case.

Lewis and JJ were driving to the house of the latest victim, Lewis glanced over at JJ. "I know it's probably none of my business, but are you and Reid okay? The team and I have noticed you both seem a little different and we just want to make sure you are okay."

JJ nodded her head as she pulled into the driveway. "Spence has just been through a lot these last few months, on top of worrying about his mom, we were held hostage, he blamed himself for me getting shot and he had a brain injury."

They both got out of the car and met around the front "are you okay?" Lewis asked.

JJ smiled as she looked at Lewis. "I'm fine, thank you" she said softly.

Together they went to the front door and were greeted by the parents, the four of them went inside and gathered around the table to talk.