Memoriam

Another month passed and Joey had to admit she was feeling slightly more than a little bit stressed out. She'd managed to catch up with the work she needed but as Spencer had predicted, she was beginning to burn out with her new timetable. She was supposed to go to Las Vegas one the latest case, but Aaron ordered her to stay behind and spend the few days catching up on rest. He'd even gone as far as to lock all her work in his office at the BAU so she had no way of accessing it. Joey had been grateful for his concern but after two days of doing nothing she was ready to work and was growing increasingly frustrated that she was unable to.

So, she resorted to doing what she did best; finding her own entertainment. She'd ended up spending six hours on the assault course at the academy one day, then three hours in the firing range the next. She also spent more time with Jack, playing various games with him and teaching him how to use a yo-yo when he asked her what one even was. No more letters had come from Mike and she began to feel the ominous cold leave her slowly day by day.

"Joey?"

Joey jumped and slipped off the wall on the assault course, only just grabbing the rope in time to steady herself before she'd hit the ground. Hanging upside down, she glanced and saw Aaron standing there.

"Oh, hey Aaron. Didn't know y'all were back."

Aaron smiled at the Texan accent that occasionally broke through in her speech and gave her a mock frown.

"Well, I came home an hour ago expecting to see you relaxing, only to have Hayley tell me that you've been here most of the time because you were bored back home."

Joey turned herself the right way up and jumped down before rubbing the back of her neck and grinning sheepishly at him.

"Yeah, well I'm really not the sort of person to sit around relaxing, so I wanted to do something. Since my physical exam is only a month away and I have yet to master half the stuff on the assault course, I figured I'd just spend some time out here to get some practice in."

Aaron sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What am I going to do with you?" he asked.

Joey grinned.

"Well, there are many options but since you love me so much as I am, I guess you won't really do anything."

Aaron chuckled and ruffled her hair. Joey grinned and hugged him.

"Welcome back, by the way. Are the others all here too?"

"Not all of them. Reid stayed behind to visit his mom. Morgan and Rossi stayed, declaring they wanted a weekend to 'live it up, Vegas style'"

Joey laughed, picturing Morgan in the middle of a Las Vegas club with twenty girls on each arms and poor Rossi shunned to the back. She was a bit disappointed that she wouldn't get to spend time with Spencer for a few more days but she ended up shrugging it off.

A couple of days later, Joey was sitting at Spencer's desk, typing up one of her assignments when she heard Garcia talk and hooked her attention immediately.

"I believe that young JJ here is going into labour."

Joey immediately jumped out of her chair and headed over to where Penelope was fussing over JJ, who was clutching her stomach.

"Okay, Penelope it really isn't a good idea to crowd someone in labour. We need to get JJ to hospital."

She called out to Aaron and when he came out of his office and saw the situation, he threw his keys to Joey. Joey reached into JJ's pocket and pulled out her cell.

"Thanks Aaron. I'm going with her and so is Penelope. Can you let Spencer, Derek and Dave know?"

Aaron nodded and Joey smiled before escorting JJ to the car. It was a unanimous decision that Joey sat in the back with JJ while Penelope drove as Joey was the only one with any medical knowledge and training. As they slid into the car, Joey rang Will and told him what was happening. He agreed to meet them at the hospital and Joey gave JJ the phone back.

"Okay JJ all I really know at this stage is to tell you to breathe."

JJ grinned, turning it into a grimace as a contraction hit. Joey sympathised with her. Even though he was born 17 weeks early, Caleb had to be born naturally, so Joey knew the pain JJ was going through and when Penelope had said Joey was the medic, JJ and Joey shared a look, knowing that Joey also knew exactly what to do as she herself had been through it.

When they arrived at the hospital, will was already there with a nurse and a wheelchair. Joey offered to fill in the paperwork for JJ so Will could go with her and the offer was accepted gratefully. JJ was wheeled to the delivery room and Joey was left outside with Penelope. It didn't take long to fill out the paperwork and after a quick conversation with the receptionist, who was a classmate of Joey's when she started at med school, Will came out.

"She's seven centimetres dilated and asked me to let you know she appreciates the help. Also, she wants everyone here if they can be."

"Hotch and Prentiss are on their way and as far as I know, the other three are wrapping up in Nevada but they won't be here for about another ten hours or so." Penelope responded.

Will returned to the delivery room to tell JJ and five minutes later, Aaron and Emily arrived. Then came the very long wait. Aaron went home to tuck jack into bed and came back, armed with a book for Joey to read. Joey smiled thankfully at him, bored of the gossip magazines Emily and Penelope were currently absorbed in. Suddenly, ten hours after arriving, there were loud yells from the delivery room, and will was heard telling JJ to push. Joey held her breath and when she heard the bay's cries, she breathed in relief. She didn't want to think of Caleb but at that moment she was reliving the moment she pushed him out to silence. He never cried and only breathed for about thirty seconds before he passed away. To hear JJ's baby filled Joey with happiness, knowing he had arrived safely. Not long after, they were ushered into the room and JJ introduced baby Henry to them all. He was gently passed round the room but when Penelope tried to give him to Joey, Joey found herself unable to face holding him and instead told her she didn't trust herself not to drop him. Penelope didn't question it and instead, gave him to a smiling Derek Morgan who had just entered the room. Joey felt a hand on her back and looked to see Spencer smiling at her. She smiled back and his hand pressed tighter to her back, silently comforting her.

While Spencer was left with JJ, Joey took the time to go outside for some fresh air. As soon as the doors shut behind her, she found herself fighting tears. She really was happy for Will and JJ and she was so pleased they'd chosen Penelope and Spencer for godparents but there was a part of her that still ached for her son. The fact that Henry was the first newborn she'd come in contact with since the miscarriage made it hurt more. She spent a few minutes controlling herself before returning to the group. Will smiled at her.

"Ah good, you're back. JJ wants to talk with you."

She entered the room and JJ gave her a soft smile. Her eyes, while tired, were also shining with the love only a mother can give her child. Joey gave her a tiny smile in return.

"Will said you wanted to speak to me."

"I do. I wanted to let you hold Henry with just me in the room. That way you can cry and not get the questions. If you want to, that is?"

Joey's heart swelled at JJ's understanding and she found herself nodding, suddenly wanting nothing more than to hold the infant. As soon as he was placed in her arms and she looked down at him, she started to cry, only it wasn't sad tears as she thought it would be. He looked nothing like Caleb had looked, which helped and she found herself smiling in happiness.

"Hi Henry, I'm your aunty Joey. Well, I'm not your aunt but I hope you call me it anyway. I'm going to teach you everything I know about medicine one day, then you can be a world renowned doctor, can't you?"

JJ couldn't stop the smile on her face or the tears that crept up in her eyes at the heart-warming sight. There was a gentle knock at the door, and Joey nodded at JJ, letting her know that she was okay and that her tears were happy, not sad. Spencer came in and gave Joey a worried glance, but the smile she gave him in return made his worry vanish.

"Hey, Hotch said he's got to leave now. If you want to stay longer, you're welcome to stay at mine tonight."

"I'd like that, thanks Spencer."

Spencer gave her a single nod and walked back out to tell Aaron Joey would be staying longer.

"So, long have they said you'll be in here for?"

"Only a couple of days. Between you and me though, I want to go now. However, I think both the hospital and Will may have something to say about that."

Joey sniggered.

"Not to mention the rest of the team. And me."

JJ laughed and smiled at her friend. Joey looked down at the baby in her arms and her eyes softened when she saw he had fallen asleep.

"Okay, little man here is asleep and no offense, but you look exhausted so I'm going to go. Congratulations again."

She gave Henry back to JJ and gave the older woman a hug before leaving the room. She looked around to see the only people left were Will and Spencer, the others long gone. Will gave her a hug and joined JJ and Spencer smiled at her.

"Ready to go?"He asked.

"absolutely." She responded.

When they arrived at Spencer's, Joey had to shake him awake as he'd fallen asleep in the cab. She ushered him into his room and gently pushed him onto the bed. She then sat down next to him and saw just how tired he was.

"You look wiped out. You weren't in Nevada to visit your mom, were you?"

Spencer opened his eyes and looked at Joey, seeing the concern on her face. He reached a hand up and gently touched her face, giving her a reassuring smile.

"No. There was something from my past I had to find out about. Rossi and Morgan helped me out."

Joey blushed at the touch on her face and placed her hand over his. For a moment, they simply gazed into each other's eyes, then Joey leant in and kissed his forehead.

"Thanks for letting me stay, Spencer."

"It's no worries. I didn't know how you'd feel being round the baby so I thought you might like to stay here to vent if needed."

"Thank you" Joey said.

Spencer didn't respond and as his eyes slid shut, Joey kissed him on the cheek.

"Goodnight Spencer." She whispered as she shut the door behind her.