A/N: In case you don't catch it, this chapter takes place the exact same time as the last one.
A/N2: I've deleted the random html code that randomly appeared for no reason in one of the last paragraphs. My thanks to Honour Society for pointing that out.

Reid sat and his desk and stared into space. As hard as he tried, he couldn't keep the events of last night from playing in his head. He was so zoned out that he didn't hear Derek come up behind him and jumped when he put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright, Reid," Derek asked, concerned for his friend.

"Yes, I'm fine," Spencer stuttered.

"Alright, so you want to keep lying to me like back in New Orleans, that's fine. Whenever you're ready to start telling me the truth…"

"Why won't that case leave me alone," Reid shouted. Derek raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked around to see if anyone else was there to hear his shouting. Emily was just walking in, but stopped when she heard Spencer yell. Derek signaled with his eyes that she should leave them alone. She quickly made her way to Hotch's office.

"What are you talking about," Derek said calmly after Reid's breathing evened out.

"I screwed up Derek." Reid said flatly.

"Look, don't worry about missing that flight," Derek started.

"It's not that," Spencer interrupted.

"Then what is it?" When he didn't say anything, Derek sighed heavily and said, "Talk to me man! What's wrong? What did you screw up?"

"JJ," he answered sadly.

"What are you talking about?"

"Det. LaMontagne, he called her last night."

"It probably had something to do with the case," Derek reasoned.

"At 8 in the evening," Spencer asked.

"Look man, I'm sure it was nothing. And even if he was hitting on JJ, the guy lives in New Orleans. There's no way they're gonna start anything." When Spencer didn't say anything, Derek continued, "If you feel this strongly about JJ, talk to her, ask her out. Stop torturing yourself like this." When he saw Spencer fighting a smile, he asked, "What's so funny?"

"I know there's nothing between JJ and Det. LaMontagne."

"How's that?"

"We're living together."

"You're what? I gotta sit down," Derek said, slowly lowering himself into his chair. "When did this happen?"

"After the Fisher King," Reid replied smugly, momentarily forgetting his problems with JJ.

"So what could possibly be wrong if the two of you are living together?"

"We've been having problems," Spencer answered with a sad sigh. "I became addicted to dilaudid. I was taking out my problems on everyone, but especially on her. I-I made her cry Derek, that's when I knew things were spinning out of control. After I talked with my friend from New Orleans, I talked to Gideon and decided to get help. I apologized to JJ and told her everything about the addiction. Things were starting to get better…"

"And then Det. LaMontagne called making you think things weren't as good as you first thought," Derek guessed.

"I was going to propose right when he called. After she came back from talking to him, all I could wonder is what she could possibly see in me, a socially dysfunctional, drug addicted genius who can't even deal with his own problems."

"First off, you've gotten help for your problem after admitting you had one. That takes strength. Growing up, I saw a lot of my friends get hooked on drugs and end up as junkies on the street because they couldn't kick the habit. That proves you can deal with your problems. JJ stayed with you even after you told her about your addiction. I think that proves she's not in it just for the short run."

"What should I do," Spencer asked pathetically.

"Talk to her. Tell her what's bugging you. She's smart enough to know something's wrong, but unless you talk to her, she's not going to know what it is. And then things will only get worse."

"But what if she's better off with someone like Det. LaMontagne instead of me? What if letting her go is the best thing I could do for her."

"You really love her, don't you," Derek said, looking him over.

"Well, yeah…"

"And that's the only reason I'm not going to kick your ass for making her cry," Derek said, watching Spencer's eyes go big. "Talk to her. She'd be hard pressed to find another guy as good as you. Except me of course," he teased.

"Keep dreaming," he replied with a weak smile.

"I don't mean to interrupt this male bonding ritual," Emily said, coming up behind Derek, "but we've got a new case. Briefing in 5 minutes."

--

Spencer nervously paced JJ's office waiting for her. He knew she always stopped by her office to pick up the files relating to the case before every briefing. He was just starting to think he'd missed her when she rushed in.

"Spence," she said, clearly surprised to see him.

"Look, JJ, I need to talk to you."

"Spence, we've got a briefing…"

"I'll be quick, I promise. Please," he pleaded.

She saw the look in his eyes and sat in the chair in front of her desk. He paced a little more to gather his thoughts before saying, "I want to tell you why I was upset last night."

"I know why," JJ sighed, "and I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner…"

"No, please, let me explain," he begged. "Last night, when I overheard your phone call with Det. LaMontagne I started to get jealous, but not because you took his call. Detectives and FBI agents around the country can get your number from different sources. What ate at me was in all the time you tried to get him off the phone you didn't once tell him you were already seeing someone," he said, his words getting faster. JJ's jaw dropped, what he was saying hadn't even crossed his mind, but Spencer was talking so fast he didn't seem to notice her reaction. "I started thinking last night that I shouldn't be jealous, I should be thankful that someone like you would even consider being seen in public with someone like me."

"Spence…" JJ said, a concerned look on her face.

"No, hold on, I'm not done. I was going to propose, but then Det. LaMontagne called and I realized, I love you and you deserve the best. And I'd let you go so you can find that guy…"

"Yes," JJ interrupted.

"Yes," he asked, thrown.

"That would have been my answer last night if you'd asked. And now, if you're still asking," JJ explained a smile forming.

"But… But what if I'm not the right guy for you? I've got a load of problems ranging from a mother with schizophrenia, which is hereditary, to an addiction to dilaudid. I have nothing to offer you," he said dejectedly.

"Yes you do," she said, standing. She put a hand on his cheek and forced him to look at her. "All I want is you."

"Why? Girls choose guys like Derek, not me."

"Because you're sweet and you go out of your way to be a gentleman. You make me laugh, maybe not always intentionally, but you've got a good heart. You know you're flaws, and you have no idea how hard it is to find a guy who can admit that he's not perfect," she said with a smile.

"So you'd really marry me," he asked, hope filling his eyes.

"Yes, Spence, I'll marry you." She laughed as he picked her up and spun her around. It always surprised her how strong Spence was considering how skinny he was.

"I was going to give you my grandmother's ring, but I left it at the house," he said as he put her down.

"We should probably keep this quiet for a while," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. When she saw his dejected look, she remembered his words and quickly said, "It's not because I don't want to brag about being married to you."

"Then what is it," he asked, and JJ cringed at the sadness in his voice.

"You know the rules, colleagues aren't allowed to date. If we announce that we're getting married, then they're going to reassign one of us, and since you're the profiler, it's going to be me."

"Hotch would never do that," Spencer said defensively.

"No, he wouldn't, but Director Strauss would," JJ said. "A friend of mine works in her office says she's had the BAU in her sights for awhile now. I think she's threatened by Hotch and she'd use this to take him down." When it looked like he still didn't believe her, she said, "I told Penelope about us. I went to her for help today."

"And what did she say," he asked, relaxing a little.

"What a lucky girl I was to get such a great guy."

"She said that," he asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, that and what a nice ass you've got."

"She started talking about my butt when you asked for advice," he asked, confused.

"No, she said that a while ago, back when you're picture was in every gossip column after you were seen with Lila Archer."

"Oh," he said his face getting red. Quickly changing the subject, he asked, "So when do you want to get married?"

"How about after we get back from California," she answered with a smile.

"What about your family? Don't you want them there?"

"We'll worry about them later," she said, quickly kissing him. "We've got to hurry up, everyone's waiting on us."

She picked up some files and was about to leave when Spencer asked, "Wait! How should I act?"

"What are you talking about," she asked, turning to face him.

"They've all seen me the past weeks. If I go in smiling, they're going to know something's up."

"Then don't smile."

"I don't know if I can help it," he answered honestly. He sounded like a little kid and she couldn't help but smile at him.

"Then distract them."

"How?"

"Try to be conversational," she answered walking out.

Reid followed JJ out and ran into Penelope. "Hey gorgeous," she said with a smile. "How are things between you and JJ?"

"I'll let her tell you about that," he answered. "But I've got a question."

"Shoot, my darling. I am the Goddess of All Things Knowable and Unknowable."

"Do you really think I have a nice butt?"

"I don't really want to know, do I," Emily asked out loud, overhearing their conversation.

"That's usually best," Gideon answered walking briskly past her into the conference room.

A/N3: I was rewatching the episode 'Ashes and Dust' (not In Heat like I accidently put first) and it just seemed that JJ and Reid have an interesting chemestry. Also, I thought his 'trying to be more conversational' line had to have come from somewhere...