Disclaimer: see my profile
A/n we're jumping through time again to just before "JJ" in season six. I'm not dealing with "Our Darkest Hour, or The Longest Night," and you'll see why in this chapter. We are almost at the end, with two more chapters after this one. This story was never intended to go past the beginning of season six, mostly because I wanted the opportunity to spare JJ from going to Afghanistan. Again, you'll see what I mean.
Spencer yawned as he looked at his watch. He'd tried to concentrate on chess and reading but attempting to distract his mind proved impossible. JJ had stayed at the office to finish her paperwork before she embarked on maternity leave. The baby was due in less than two weeks and he was so excited and nervous, he'd found it extremely difficult to concentrate on anything that required higher brain function. He'd never say it to JJ, but he was glad that she'd be out of the office beginning on Monday as she needed rest.
Their landline phone rang and pulled his thoughts from his wife to wondering who called at eight pm on a Friday night.
"Reid residence."
"Hello, may I speak to Dr. Spencer Reid."
"May I ask who's calling."
"My name is Dr. Marcus Slade. I'm attempting to reach Dr. Reid."
"This is Dr. Reid. Did you say, Dr. Marcus Slade, of Cal-Tech University?"
"Yes, I am he."
"I'm pleased to meet you, doctor. I read your last paper on genetics and stem cells. Your work looks very promising."
"Thank you, Dr. Reid. My work is why I'm contacting. As I said, I'd like to discuss the possibility of you joining my project. My team is working on a new stem cell therapy for certain mental disorders."
"Dr. Slade, I'm sure you know that I have three PhDs and none of my Doctorates are in the biological sciences."
"Yes, that's true, but I have done my research and you'll forgive me for bringing your personal life into this call, but you've devoted your life to profiling and the exploration of the criminal mind. I'd love to add your unique perspective to my research if you're willing."
"Please continue."
"I'd like to have an in-depth conversation with you in the next week and if possible, fly you out to meet my team and Dean Baker."
"I don't have to meet her. She's been at Cal-Tech since I went to school there and earned my first Ph.D. It'll be nice to see her again."
"Can I take that as a yes to a Skype conversation?"
"May I get your contact information, Dr. Slade. I need to discuss this with my wife before we take the next steps."
"Of course," Dr. Slade said. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Please feel free to do any follow up on me with the school as I realize that it's a bit out of the ordinary to have a stranger call you out of the blue with a job offer."
Reid suppressed the urge to laugh. "I hear from head hunters at least twice a month, Dr. Slade."
"I'm sure you do. Well, thank you for hearing me out and please call me when you've had a chance to talk this over with your wife."
"I will and thank you for your offer, Dr. Slade."
"You're the best, Dr. Reid. It wasn't a difficult choice."
"I look forward to our next conversation."
"As do I."
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JJ sighed, stretched and pushed slowly to her feet. Her advancing pregnancy meant a backache when she sat too long, weird cravings and ankles that retained more water than the average camel. Right now, she needed to pee and then she needed her bed and her husband.
She barely had time to visit the ladies room and walk back to her office when her cell phone rang. She looked at her caller id and grinned.
"Hey, Monica."
"Jenny."
"Haven't talked to you in months. How are you?"
"I'm great, how are you."
"Still pregnant."
"Oh."
"What does that mean?"
"You sound exhausted."
"I am. It's been crazy the last few weeks. I need a break."
"I hear you. When Kimberly was born, I was so happy and relieved to have my body back."
"How is she? You haven't sent me new photos in a while."
"I'll send some tonight. When are you going to come out and see me? I still haven't met that gorgeous husband of your in person."
"Well, I've been officially grounded until after the baby is born.
"Right, then why don't I come to see you."
"You're going to fly here from LA."
"Yes. I need to see you in person."
"Why?"
"I want to run something by you.'
"What is it?"
"Shelby and I are looking for someone to join our firm."
"Are you asking me to quit the FBI and work with you," JJ exclaimed.
"Yes. We've known each other since we were ten and I trust you with my life. You've proven your worth as one of the best media specialists in the country. You'd be partners with Shelby and me. The hours are better than the FBI and I can offer you considerably more money."
"I don't know what to say, Monica. You've caught me off guard."
"Good." Monica laughed. "Talk to that husband of yours, then call me back. I can come up next week if you like."
"Um, all right. I'll talk to Spence."
"I'll talk to you soon."
JJ ended the call and sat staring at her door for several moments with her thoughts whirling around in her head like wind swirling leaves on a cold autumn day.
Leave the FBI!
She felt the baby kick hard and she winced. She loved the team and her job, but – she and Spence had talked many times during her pregnancy about changing careers. Was it fair for them to have a child with both in the field? She didn't know anymore.
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Spencer lay dozing on the sofa when JJ walked in thirty minutes later. The clock on the wall showed it was nearly ten pm and she craved sleep like water. "Hey," she reached down and ran her hand through his hair. He jerked and blinked his eyes. "Hey," he squinted up at her in the soft white light of the table lamp. "You're home."
"Yeah, I finally finished my backlog."
"Good," he tugged her down on his lap. "You need to rest."
She yawned so hard her jaw cracked. "You're right."
Reid began rubbing lazy circles on her abdomen. "Hm… That's nice."
"Sh…"
"Need sleep."
"Yeah."
Then didn't move until she needed the bathroom. When she entered the bedroom in her pink and white maternity pajamas, Reid was sitting with his back against a pillow."
"Hey. Why aren't you asleep?"
"I know you're tired but there's something I want to talk to you about."
"That's funny because I have something to ask you. I was going to wait until tomorrow."
"You first," he suggested.
"Nope, you go first."
"I received an interesting phone call from Dr. Marcus Slade at Cal-tech. He's researching stem cells as a treatment for mental illness. He offered me a position with his team. I know of him and he's brilliant."
"You're considering it."
"Yes, but I told him I needed to speak to you. I know it would entail moving to California.
"Spence."
"It's a great opportunity and we'd be home at a decent hour every night."
"Spence."
"I know I'm asking you to give up a great job but –"
"Spencer!"
"What?"
"Stop trying to talk yourself out of it, babe."
"Sorry, I got carried away."
She shifted and put her head on his shoulder. "It's okay, honey."
"What do you think?"
"Why don't I tell you about the call I got and then we'll talk. Monica called me tonight and offered me a job with her PR firm."
Reid ran his fingers through her hair. "Well, it appears that both of us have great opportunities for change. The question is – do we want to take them. Cal-Tech and Monica's firm are in California. It'd be a huge change for us. What happens if one of us decides to stay in the FBI."
"Babe, that's not going to happen. I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't thought about leaving. I love my job and the team is like my family, but you and our daughter are family, too. I want to come home every night and have dinner and argue about who loads the dishwasher, watch TV and help our child with her homework. I want to read to her and sing her to sleep."
"I want all of that," he said. "Most of all, I don't want to put any of us in danger."
"Then we're agreed."
"Yes."
"All right, in the morning we'll talk again."
"Sounds like a plan. Can we go to sleep now?"
"Yes. Love you, Dr. Reid."
"Love you, Mrs. Reid."
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JJ paced the confines of their living room and tried not to think about the fact that she was two days away from her due date. Her doctor had told her that first babies were often late. She hoped with all her being that Wilma was wrong and their daughter would come on time because Spence would be home in less than an hour, it was the weekend and it was convenient. She began to laugh at her foolish hopes that for a change everything would happen on her schedule. She could imagine what Spence would say if he knew of her wishful thinking. He'd give her the exact odds of her plans, and she'd tell him to shut up and he'd smile for her. As usual, she wouldn't be able to resist his eyes.
She turned when a key sounded in the lock and the door opened. Spence walked in and she hurried to him for a hug and a kiss. "Hey," she greeted. "You look wiped out."
"I am. It's been a long three days."
"Still, I sense that it went well, and you've made your decision."
"You're correct. Jen, you know that I get similar offers at least twice a month and none of them pique my interest until now. I'm not sure why, but I feel like I need to try to do everything I can to help my mom."
"I get it," she said. "If I had to guess, I'd say that because you're going to be a father, you feel more urgently about changing the world in a way that doesn't involve the constant blood, and darkness and pain. You want to do something positive. You know that I support you no matter what you decided to do."
"I do, but I'm happy you have another option because I couldn't tear you away from the BAU if you didn't want to go."
"I am glad I don't have to make that decision, but while you've been in California, I did some thinking." They made their way to the sofa and she lowered herself down with a grunt and a sigh. "I can't wait for this to be over," she said and patted her belly. "I'm sick of waddling, peeing every ten minutes, the acid reflux, swollen ankles, aching back, etc."
"I know, but I'm glad you didn't go into labor while I was gone."
"I told you to go. It's the twenty-first century and we have a handy invention called the jet airplane."
Reid smiled and reached over to touch her expanded abdomen. "You're right, but I'm still happy that I didn't miss it. I'd hate to be stuck on a plane while your expelling her from your body."
"Expelling," JJ raised her eyebrows. "That's an interesting way to put it."
"It's true."
"Yeah, I suppose that it is."
"So, what were you saying about doing some thinking while I was gone."
"I did. I was thinking that even if Monica hadn't decided to offer me a job, I'd go with you anywhere because I want you to be happy. If that means that we go to California and I'm a stay at home mom for a while, that's okay too."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Reid leaned over and kissed her. "So, did you iron out the details with Monica?"
"Yes. She knows this is bad timing with the baby and she told me to take as much time as I needed for maternity leave and to organize a move. It's going to be a huge job."
"I'm not so sure about that. I got a phone call from Morgan before I left. He has a friend in LA that flips houses and they worked out a deal with me. He has three properties ready for sale and he wants to give us first crack. Housing isn't cheap in California, but he's willing to negotiate with us."
"Why, he doesn't know us."
"Apparently, Morgan saved his life when he was in ATF. Morgan didn't elaborate and I didn't ask."
"That's good enough for me."
"Then, all we have to do is have a baby and pack up for the move."
"I was thinking about that and I thought we should have a sale and get rid of everything we own except clothing and personal items. We can get all we need in California. It'll be easier than packing and everything we don't sell we give to charity. Garcia already has a worthy cause in mind. The signing bonus Monica offered me is large enough for us to get what we need after the move."
"I'll have to sell my car or donate it because it won't make the trip."
"Are you saying you want to drive to California with a newborn?"
"Yes."
"Spencer, you're crazy."
"I'm not. It'll be less traumatic then subjecting her delicate eardrums to the air pressure changes of flying."
JJ studied him for a minute. "You hate to drive long distances."
"Well take it slow," Reid said. "I have it planned out. I memorized all the maps we need and worked out the most efficient route."
"Of course, you have. "What would we do without you," she wondered as he began to rub her abdomen with his long gentle fingers. The baby kicked her and she winced. "Damn it, when will she be ready."
"Soon, my love."
"I hope you're right."
"I am. Come on, let's go to bed."