The Game
Chapter Three
Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I took everything into account and decided to take a little bit of a different direction with this story. Hopefully you like it. Also, I don't own the song, Elvis Presley does, and I do realize that I have made changes to the episode The Big Game. The changes are all on purpose.
Enjoy!
The next day, true to his word, Reid wakes up early. He first makes a pot of coffee for himself, and then sets about making pancakes for JJ. He knows she needs to eat, and hopes that if she continues to stay with him that he can watch her eating habits. While he doesn't think that she has an eating disorder, he does think that she has an extreme tendency to put everyone and everything before herself and her health is suffering for it. He thinks that she might be losing weight, and for someone as sleight as she already is, she can't afford it.
"JJ, sweetheart, if you want to beat the rest of the team in, you're going to have to get up now." Reid shakes her lightly, and she attempts to hide her face in the covers. Indiscriminate mumbling follows.
Reid decides to take this into his own hands. He pulls the covers away from her face, and rolls her on her back. When she tries to protest, he covers her lips with his own. The protests quickly stop and are replaced with eager lips. He pulls away from her, only to be met with protests of a different kind. His lips attack her neck instead, which seems to please her. She is certainly more awake than before. Once again, he stops his pleasurable attack on her, and pulls her up by her hands instead.
"Spence! That's not fair! You can't just do that to me!" She tries to pull him back to bed, but he resists.
"No, JJ. You wanted to get to work early, and that's just what we're going to do. We're going to eat, and we're going to get ready, and then we're going to the BAU." He pulls her out of the bedroom and into the kitchen.
"I guess that does smell pretty good. Is there anything you can't do, Dr. Spencer Reid?" She squeezes his hand.
"I can't be around you without my heart going wild, and I'm truthfully not very good with women. You just overlook that because you know me." He blushes profusely, and she shakes her head.
"No, you're very good with women. At least, you're very good with me and that's all that I care about." She proceeds to kiss away all his worries, and when she pulls away with swollen lips, out of breath, and very happy, he doesn't have to question whether or not he's doing the right things.
When they arrive at the BAU, they are about an hour and a half earlier than any of the others. They both enter, and immediately start pouring over the seemingly endless files. After some time, Spencer finds something that may be worth-while. A case in Georgia that they both decide would benefit from the attention of the BAU.
"Thanks, Spence, for helping me with this. This is the most difficult part of my job, by far." He can hear how grateful she is.
"I can imagine. I can't believe I've never noticed before how stressed you become when you go into your office. I would have helped you before." His voice is sad, and she can tell it really bothers him.
"Spence, I kept it to myself because I thought you guys would think I couldn't do my job if I asked for help. It is an agonizing decision, and something that keeps me up at night. I worry if I made the right decision, or if I condemned somebody else." He pulls her into his arms.
"JJ, you never take the choice lightly, and you do what you think is best. That's all anybody can expect from you and you do it better than anyone else can." She lets herself feel the comfort that he's offering.
The rest of the team arrives soon after their decision is made, and they meet so that JJ can brief them on the case. She explains that one unsub called 911 to report the killing of the young Kyle couple. Everyone seems genuinely interested, and they decide to head to Georgia. On the plane over, despite the impending case, all JJ wants to do is cuddle up to Reid. Their non-public status keeps her from being able to do this, but she does sit next to him and they talk about things completely unrelated to the case. Things to help them get to know each other better.
Their sudden closeness doesn't go unnoticed by the other team members, however.
"What's up with Reid and JJ? I don't think I've ever seen Reid keep up a conversation with a woman this long?" Morgan asks Prentiss if she knows what's going on with the resident genius.
"I don't know. They seem so much more comfortable around each other. You don't think there's something going on between them, do you?" Her tone suggests she doesn't, but can't think of another reason why they would be acting so strangely.
"No. There's no way. Reid's had a crush on JJ since day one. There's no way he could find the courage to ask her out, let alone start an actual relationship. Reid's gonna find a super smart girl just like him." Morgan's confidence settles the issue.
When JJ and Reid fall into a comfortable silence, Reid starts humming. After a few moments, JJ realizes what the tune is, and she laughs. He's startled, and stops abruptly.
"Sorry, Spence, I didn't mean to laugh. I was just surprised by the song choice." He smiles at her slyly.
"You told me once that Elvis is one of your favorite performers, so I started listening to him. Can't Help Falling In Love is my favorite song." The look of mischief in his eyes lets her know that he knows it's her favorite as well.
"Well, don't stop then." She nudges him with her shoulder and Gideon, who's been observing the pair, smiles. He knows that there's more to Reid than Morgan gives him credit for, and that JJ has an unsurpassed ability to see all the potential and good in people and forgive any shortcomings.
Reid continues to hum, but changes tunes occasionally to see if JJ can guess what they are. She guesses every single one right, as he knew she would. After a while, JJ glances around and, noticing everyone else absorbed in their own stuff, leans over and pecks Reid on the lips.
"What was that for?" The kiss clearly surprised him.
"I couldn't help myself. You're just too damn adorable." His famous blush returns to his cheeks. "You know, Spence, if you blush every time I tell you how wonderful or sexy or funny I think you are, you're going to stay red all the time."
"You know, I think I'll get used to it eventually. I do have to find a way to make you blush though. Maybe if I tell you that I want nothing more than to have you back in my bed so that I can enjoy the feel of your body next to mine." He purposefully makes this sound more suggestive than it actually is, and is rewarded with JJ's face turning bright red.
"Spence! Where did you learn to say such things?" She can hardly even speak, she's so shocked. He just shrugs.
"I guess I just have learned to say what I'm feeling." Another kiss is all they can sneak in before Hotch asks for everyone's opinion on an idea of his.
As soon as wheels touch down, everyone starts to go their separate ways to try and figure the case out. JJ charms her way into seeing the other cases the local police have, Hotch is working out of the Atlanta police department, Reid, Gideon, and Morgan go to the crime scene, and Prentiss learns as much as possible about the wounds on the bodies. Through all of their research, they're led to a police report of someone named Tobias Henkel who called in to tell the police about a man that may turn out to be the unsubs.
"JJ, Reid, go to Henkel's house and ask him about the man he saw. It could make a difference knowing what he looks like." Hotch sends the two out on the long trip out in a hope that this could lead them to the unsubs.
The two, despite being in a work situation, can't help but be excited about the prospect of being alone. They talk freely about their plans when they get back, and discuss the possibility of going on a vacation. They both feel like they are in need of one. The hour-long drive is a pleasant one, though JJ finds out about half way through that Reid has bladder control issues, and has to pull over to let him relieve himself in a bush. As he does, she makes a somewhat crude joke about peeking, and he very nearly turns around to confront her but realizes that would expose himself. He just admonishes her loudly instead.
"Mr. Henkel! FBI! We'd like to talk to you." They wait patiently for the door to open. The man pulls it back only far enough to see the two of them.
"Is there something I can help you with?" JJ explains to him how important it is that they find out about the man he reported a while ago. He reassures her that he never made such a call and, after rudely denying access to his house, he shuts the door on their faces. Suspicious of this, Reid moves around the side of the house to see what he can find. What he finds astonishes him. Tobias enters the room and, following his movements, Spencer finds the multiple computer screens which he uses to watch people.
"JJ! He's the unsub! Come look!" He cannot believe that it's so easy to keep calm. Suddenly, Tobias turns around and, seeing them, makes a break for the back and heads towards the barn.
"Let's split up. You take the front and I'll take the back." JJ protests this idea, thinking instead that they should stay together.
"You're right. We'll both go in the front." They head in and, finding nothing, head to the back doors.
However, right when they're about to exit the back doors, they hear a noise to their left. Both turn their guns and flashlights towards the noise and find three nearly rabid dogs. The one of the far left leaps for JJ and Reid calmly shoots it. He kills one other, but doesn't see the third in time and it latches onto JJ's arm. She shoots it to get it off her, and Spencer examines her wound. It looks bad, but isn't deep. He rips off a part of his shirt and ties it around her arm to protect it. They both hear what sounds to be Tobias running out back, and slowly exit the barn.
It all happens very suddenly. JJ has her back to the cornfield and is asking Reid what they should do next. Without warning, an arm reaches out, knocks her gun aside, and grabs her. Tobias puts his gun to her head and demands that she not scream. Reid looks on the verge of tears, and JJ's eyes are wide with fear.
"Please, don't take her. If you want an FBI hostage, take me." His voice is shaking with the fear of JJ being hurt.
"You're both sinners. I will take you both." The voice is not that of Tobias, and Reid is confused.
"Who are you?" Figuring out which personality he's talking to might help Reid convince him to leave JJ out of it.
"I am Raphael, and I'm going to take this sinner with me." JJ starts to struggle just a bit, until he sticks the gun back in her face.
"But she isn't a sinner. Look, she has a cross around her neck, and a purity ring on her finger. She has made a pact with God to wait for her husband. She prays regularly, and practices her faith. She isn't a sinner." Most of what Reid is saying is made up, but she does have the necklace and the ring, although neither mean the same thing to her as they do to Raphael, who looks like he is considering what Reid has told him.
"If she is truly not a sinner, then it will be God's Will for her to live. There is one bullet missing in this chamber. If she doesn't die, I will let her go." He cocks the gun and both JJ and Reid squeeze their eyes shut against the impending doom. A quiet click lets them know that she survives. They both start crying with relief.
"Since she is not the sinner, you must be. I will let her stay, but you must come with me." Reid nods his head to show that he will comply with Raphael's wishes.
"Spence, don't! We can get out of this!" JJ's protests fall on deaf ears. He's already made up his mind to sacrifice himself in order to save her. Raphael points his gun at Reid.
"You! Walk slowly towards me. Woman, hand me your cell phone and start walking towards the house. The sinner is coming with me." Once Raphael has Reid securely in his hold, JJ begins the cry and beg.
"JJ, sweetheart, it's better this way. I promise I will try my best to return to you. Go to the house and call for help. You need someone to look at that arm of yours." Before he can continue, Raphael hits him across the back of the head with the butt of his gun, knocking him out. When JJ screams in protest, he points his gun at her, and forces her to be quiet. He walks behind her to the house, gun trained on the back of her head, dragging Spencer along. When they make it to the house, Raphael ties JJ to the rocking chair on the porch and leaves.
Sometime later, Hotch and the local police, along with Gideon, Morgan, and Prentiss, arrive. They immediately get her some medical attention and then listen as she tells them what happened to Reid. Before he left, Raphael turned her so she was facing away from the road and couldn't see which way they headed. After JJ is patched up, everyone heads inside to pour over Tobias' things to try and find a clue as to where they're going. Seeing the mass of technology, Hotch calls Garcia to get her on the next flight to Georgia. Not able to be much of a help due to her almost constant tears, JJ sits down at the table, rests her head on her arms, and cries herself to sleep. The others try to work out a place that Tobias might be taking Reid.
Nobody finds anything until Garcia arrives the next day. She is able to hack into the computer, and starts searching for clues that might help. She was the one who found the viral video of the first murder. Much to her surprise, as she's looking through the computer, a new video comes up. It's one of Reid in a cabin-looking house.
"Guys! You need to see this!" The video shows Reid, tied up to a chair. Tobias, or Raphael, or whoever it is, is talking to him and telling him he has to choose who lives or dies off the screens in the background. He refuses, and gets a gun shoved in his face. Thankfully, the chamber is empty. At this point, JJ is hysterical.
"I won't choose! I don't want to choose who gets slaughtered and their remains left behind like a poacher!" Reid protests to who he believes is Raphael again. Once again, he's asked to choose and, once again, he refuses. The next time he realizes that his luck might be up, and he makes a decision. Before Raphael turns off the camera, Reid looks straight into it.
"JJ, please forgive me. I'm weak, and afraid." This makes her even more hysterical and, as the screen goes blank, everyone turns to face her with confusion on their faces.
Raphael leaves to commit the murder the Reid has chosen for him. The person who returns, however, is not Raphael. It's not Tobias either, though. It's his father, Charles. Charles asks Reid to confess to his sins and, when he doesn't, he removes his shoe and proceeds to beat the bottom of his foot with a large piece of firewood. When Spencer passes out from the pain, Charles leaves to go hunting. Tobias is who returns, however.
"I'm sorry about my father. I know what it's like. This will help. It always helped me." Tobias takes out a syringe and a vial of something that Reid can't identify. He protests, saying he doesn't want it, but Tobias ignores him. The drug induces strange memories, ones of his father leaving, him trying to take care of his mother at a young age, and him having her committed. These memories hurt more than the physical pain that Charles puts him through.
When he comes to, Raphael has returned. He preaches to Reid about all of his sin. His vanity, his compulsion to learn about all that doesn't have to do with God, and his weak body are all things which Raphael tries to use to break him down, make him confess. When he refuses, Raphael turns the camera back on, and then leaves. He is replaced by Charles.
"Boy, how many people do you work with, besides that pretty little thing I met earlier?" Reid tells him there are five people, other than him and JJ.
"You get to choose which one of them dies, and who survives." He refuses, of course, and an empty chamber is all he receives. Charles asks again, and all he'll say is that it can't be JJ. The third time is the charm, as Charles has beaten him into submission.
"I choose Aaron Hotchner. He's a classic narcissist who puts himself above the team. Genesis Chapter 23 Verse 4." He looks directly into the camera, and hopes that the team can put together the clues that he's giving them. He has a good feeling Hotch will realize that he doesn't think he's a narcissist, and that he was merely using that to clue him in. As Charles is moving away from him, he addresses the camera again.
"JJ, I'm so sorry I got myself into this. I know I should be trying to think positively right now, but it's so hard. I want you to know, in case I'm not able to return to you, that I love you. I'm sure it's far too early in our relationship to say it, but I couldn't stand dying without you knowing. I love you so much. And if I see you again-" JJ never hears what's going to happen because Charles turns off the camera.
"So that's why you tried to save her. You're in love with her. I bet all of your sins have stained her pure soul. I knew I shouldn't have let her go! Before I go to deal with this Aaron Hotchner, you are going to dig your own grave, as sinners should." Charles backhands Reid and drags him out the door.
Meanwhile, at the house, everybody is reeling from Reid's confession, but Gideon quickly brings them back to the task at hand. Hotch does realize what Reid is trying to tell him and, with Garcia's help, they find a small bit of land that has had reports of poaching and has a cemetery within it's borders. It's not far away, and they all leave as fast as they can.
Reid takes his time with his grave, claiming that he is too weak of body and the drugs are slowing him down. Occasionally, Charles will hit him to encourage faster working, but for the most part, he is left to his own devices. He hears what he hopes are the vehicles of the local police and the rest of the BAU coming, and distracts Charles with the noise. He's surprised at how quickly he gets the shovel up to hit the gun from his hands. He grabs for it and, without hesitation, shoots straight for his heart. He moves the knife away from his hand and collapses from complete exhaustion. It isn't long before he feels warm arms encircling him. Arms that can only belong to his own sweet JJ.
"Spence! I love you too! And I never, ever, ever want you to scare me like that again!" She kisses him fiercely, never letting him go.
"I'm sorry, JJ. It was necessary though. There's no way I would have been able to handle watching you on the screen. You're much stronger than me." He smiles down at her, taking comfort in her loving touch. She just shakes her head at him and helps him to the ambulance to get checked out. The rest of the team is utterly relieved to have him back.
The plane ride back to Quantico is not a long one, but Spencer and JJ spend it sleeping in each other's arms. As their secret relationship is much more in the open, they don't really care who sees them. They just want to take comfort in the fact that they are together and, baring a few small injuries, they are both okay.