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A/n hello all. I hope you're enjoying your weekend. Here is the next letter.
Hollow Man
Morgan once asked Reid why he always crashed on the bench after a case. Reid told him, "You know we're all exhausted after. I find it easier to sleep, lying down. "
Morgan had given him a look and said, "What about the rest of us, pretty boy?"
"What is it that you say in the vernacular. "You snooze. You lose."
Morgan shook his head and replied. "No pun intended, I'm sure."
Thinking about that exchange made Reid smirk as he lay on the bench after their case in St. Louis. Two serial killers and an armed confrontation in the precinct.
JJ with a gun pointed at her.
Reid flipped over to face the back of the bench. He didn't want JJ to see his expression. She didn't need profiling skills to read him better than anyone.
He wished he understood his panicked reaction to the Hollow Man's armed presence. A dozen police officers and the team in the bullpen—all of them well-armed and trained, including JJ. More than enough to respond if – Reid shut his eyes. He'd sleep.
Fifteen minutes later, Reid had turned over again and decided that he wouldn't be sleeping. "You want the bench; you can have it," he told Morgan and sat across from JJ, who was asleep. How could she sleep?
"Thanks. Can't sleep."
"Nope, going to read instead."
Morgan smirked at him and lay down. Reid gritted his teeth when Morgan was out in less than five minutes. He took out a book and tried to read but found he couldn't concentrate on the written word. Instead, he looked around, noticed that everyone was asleep or deeply immersed in writing up their work.
He reached into his bag and took out JJ's last tetter to him. He read it over and smiled. He loved recent samples of her handwriting.
He reached up and took off his glasses. His eyes burned, and maybe if he closed them without trying to sleep, they'd stop hurting. He'd be so happy when he could go back to his contacts. JJ said she liked his glasses, that he was sexy in a chic intellectual kind of way.
After a few minutes of leaning his head back and attempting to quiet his mind, he gave up. He went back to reading until the pilot announced they were descending into DC. JJ opened her eyes and smiled as she ran her hands through her hair.
"Hey."
"Hi," he said and looked around before he reached over and squeezed her hand.
"You get any sleep."
"No," Reid said. "Kept thinking about earlier in the bullpen. I was terrified for you."
JJ sighed. "I know. I don't want to talk about it here, or everyone will clue into our relationship, and I'm not ready for that yet."
"Me too."
"I'll meet you at your place," JJ said as Morgan began to stir.
"Can't wait."
CMCMCMCMCMCMCM
Reid wandered into his kitchen and decided that he didn't want anything in the fridge. He ordered dinner and then sat at his desk. Three days had passed since their return from St. Louis, and he'd finally stopped seeing JJ and the Hollow Man every time he closed his eyes.
He read her last letter and smiled. He had a great idea that he hoped would alter his mood and maybe make JJ smile. He retrieved his stationery and pen and sat thinking a hard.
For my Golden Butterfly,
I have a question that I hope you'll be willing to answer in person this weekend.
Do you know why I love your letters?
With all my love, always,
Spence.
He signed it and folded the paper into an envelope.
CMCMCMCMCMCMCM
"Hello," Reid greeted when JJ knocked on his door two days later. "I'm so glad you didn't find us a case."
"Me too. I need some time with you away from the office."
Spencer watched her closely as she shed her jacket and went to the fridge for a bottle of water. A wave of love for her struck him in the chest, and he gasped for breath.
"Spence, what's wrong?"
"Hm?"
"You're watching me like I might disappear any moment."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
JJ sipped from her bottle and then approached him. "Hey. You don't have to apologize. I'm just wondering if everything's okay. Your last letter was playful and cryptic at the same time. It freaked me out a little."
Spencer took her free hand and led her to the sofa. "I didn't intend to communicate cryptically or cause you distress. I only wanted to tell you that I like your letters because they are an exercise in handwriting analysis."
JJ put aside her water bottle. "Seriously, Spence. You like the letters because they give you a chance to analyze me. Can't you turn off the profiler?"
"JJ. No, you misunderstand. I was joking." JJ smirked at him, and he shook his head as he relaxed back on the sofa. "JJ!"
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist. When you made your joke, I was initially annoyed, but then I understood."
"I wrote that last note because I wanted you to come to see me. I wanted you to know that I'm so proud of you for what you do every day. You're amazing."
JJ laughed. "Oh Spence, you are – I don't have the words. You could've just called me on the phone."
Spencer frowned, and then he grinned at her. He tugged on the ends of her hair. "Yes, but as they say – where's the fun in that?"
JJ kissed him, and he decided to enjoy the taste of her lips and the feel of her hands in his hair. The scent of her perfume tickled at his nostrils, and he sighed when she pulled back.
"You didn't want to see me only to tell me you're proud of me."
Spencer sighed again. "I wanted to have you here, to touch you and to hold you close. I was so afraid the other day with the Hollow Man. I know you can take care of yourself," Spencer added hastily, as he realized that JJ stiffened a little. "Please don't be angry."
"I'm not," JJ said. "Do you know how many times I've been terrified for you and the others? I'm a media specialist. I have a gun, but I rarely have to unholster it and point it at anyone, Spence. I was afraid but couldn't show it."
"I'm glad there were a dozen cops and the team there."
JJ finally smiled. "Yep, that was comforting at the time."
Spence pulled her back to his side and kissed the top of her head. "Why don't we agree that we'll always have each other's back."
"I thought that goes without saying," JJ teased as she stroked her hand down his chest.
"It does, but it bears repeating."
"Does it?"
"Yes."
JJ kissed him and he dragged her to her feet and down the hallway to his bedroom.
