Nope, still don't own it.

Happy reading and enjoy :D

Spence sat up on the couch at the delightful smell of coffee first thing in the morning. He'd woken up in the middle of the night from a nightmare; thankfully he hadn't woken anyone else. Then he hadn't been able to fall back asleep. He'd been afraid the nightmares would return and when they did, he'd wake up Will and JJ. He stood up, stretched, rubbed his bleary eyes and then followed the delightful smell of roasted coffee beans to the kitchen.

"Hey, mornin'" Will greeted as he glanced up from the counter. "Have a seat" he said nodding to the table.

"Good morning" Spence replied as he sat down.

"Café au lait?" Will asked as he held up his coffee cup.

"Yes, please" Spence replied eagerly. "Do you have sugar?"

Will watched Spencer dump spoonful after spoonful of sugar into his coffee with wide eyes and then turned to look at JJ as she entered the room.

"Mm coffee" JJ moaned as she yawned, just waking up. She climbed up on the stool next to Spence and rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Here you go" Will said as he sat a cup of café au lait in front of JJ.

JJ smiled at Will, pulled the cup of coffee closer, and sipped the delightfully caffeinated beverage as she cuddled up against Spence first thing in the morning, which was a treat in and of itself.

As they sat sipping their coffee, they discussed JJ and Spence's plans for the day.

"When y'all are ready for lunch, give me a call. I know this great place for po'boys an' I can meet you for lunch." Will said as he stood up and put his coffee cup in the sink and headed for the door.

JJ and Spence were starving after their walking tour of New Orleans and visiting a couple of museums. JJ pulled out her phone with one hand, while her other hand was linked in Spence's as they continued to stroll down the historic streets of the French Quarter.

"Where y'at?" Will asked as he answered his phone.

"Uh…" JJ paused not expecting that as the response when she called Will. "Bourbon Street." She replied.

"Hahahaaha" Will laughed heartily on the other end of the phone. "I forget, you aren't from here cher. Here in New Orleans 'where y'at' is how we ask how ya are. I meant it as a greeting, not as me asking where y'all were. Are y'all ready for lunch?" Will asked and then proceeded to give them directions to the restaurant.

JJ and Spence sat on the patio of the restaurant waiting for Will in the late spring sunshine of New Orleans. They were both wearing their sunglasses as they lounged soaking up the sunshine and sipping their drinks. JJ played idly with the fingers of Spence's hand as they sat holding hands. Spence turned and smiled down at JJ and leaned down to kiss her.

This was the scene that Will and Charlie walked into. They'd been on the way back to the station when Will got JJ's call, and so Will had invited Charlie along.

"I can't believe you let a girl like that go Billy." Charlie said elbowing Will in the ribs and nodding towards the table where JJ and Spence sat kissing oblivious to the world around them, as he and Will walked across the patio of the restaurant to join Will's friends.

Will shrugged. "They have history together that I could never touch. 'Sides I think JJ and I are better off as friends."

Then they were at the table. "Hey JJ, you remember my partner and friend Charlie Luvet?" he asked.

JJ bit her lip and nodded to keep herself from calling Charlie out on being the ass she thought he was.

"Spencer Reid, Charlie Luvet" Will said, making the introductions between his partner and Spencer.

JJ's eyes narrowed behind her sunglasses as she watched Charlie eye Spence up and down. Clearly Charlie was not in the same confused state that Will was. He was well aware of what he was doing and who he was. She however didn't mention it or say anything. She made a point to grin and bear it. She didn't want to make things any more awkward or difficult for Will. He had enough on his plate as it was.

The tension at the table as the group ate lunch could almost be cut with a knife. Spence could sense the tension and tell that something was wrong, but he just couldn't figure out what it was.

After lunch Spence and JJ visited a couple more museums and then decided to call it a day on the sightseeing and headed back to Will's.

"Spence, can I ask you something?" JJ asked as leaned back from where she was curled up against Spence's chest while they watched TV.

"Um… sure" Spence replied curious what she was going to ask.

"I just… I noticed that you haven't been drinking… and I … well is it because of the dilaudid?" she asked nervously.

"I… you knew about the dilaudid?" Spence asked in shock. He thought he'd done so well at hiding his addiction. He'd hoped that anything he hadn't been able to cover that the team would just pass off as him recovering from being held prisoner by Tobias.

JJ nodded and bit her lip. "I don't know the details… but you seemed off and didn't seem quite right… and I know that Hankel was a big dilaudid abuser. Then the comment you made when we were in San Francisco when you compared an arsonist to a drug addict and how each time they needed more of the drug to get off… that's when I knew for sure." she said as she played with the buttons on his polo shirt.

Spence sat in stunned silence for a moment. "Does… does everybody else know?" he asked softly his voice cracking with emotion.

JJ shook her head. "I think everybody suspects something, but I don't know for sure. We've never all talked about what we thought, you know, no intra-team profiling."

Spence nodded. He'd quit cold turkey after New Orleans. When he'd taken the time away from the team and visited with Ethan, that's when he realized he couldn't continue to have both. He either had to give in full sale to his addiction and walk away from the team or he had to get his head back on straight and give up the dilaudid to keep his spot on the team. It had to be one or the other. He'd obviously chosen the team. He'd quit cold turkey when they got home for New Orleans. He'd spent the better part of that weekend vomiting his insides out. He'd slept on his bathroom floor because he hadn't had the strength to so much as crawl to his bed, especially knowing that he'd need to vomit again anyway. He tensed up as he realized with horror everything that his addiction could have cost him.

"Hey" JJ said pulling him out of his dark thoughts. "what are you thinking about?"

Spence sighed. "Just how much I would have lost if I hadn't fought my addiction."

JJ nodded. "How long…" she started to ask but then trailed off as she wasn't sure if Spence was comfortable discussing it and she didn't want to push him.

"How long have I been sober?" Spence asked finishing her question.

JJ nodded and bit her lip.

"A little over two months. I decided it had to stop during that case we had here in New Orleans actually." he replied. "I haven't been drinking because it's too soon. I mean I've never had a problem with alcohol, but it's too soon. I don't want to risk trading one addiction for another."

JJ nodded in understanding. "I thought it might be something like that, but I wasn't sure."

"You know, just because I'm not drinking doesn't mean you can't." Spence replied.

JJ shook her head. "I don't need to drink to have good time. Besides, I want to be supportive." she murmured as she leaned up and kissed him softly and then cuddled back into his side as they returned to watching the movie.

That was how Will found them when he returned home with take out for three a short while later. After dinner and a few hours of laughing, joking, and Spence schooling JJ and Will on the fine art of poker between friends, it was bedtime.

In his dreams, Spence was with JJ enjoying a beautiful moonlight walk and then suddenly Tobias Hankel was dragging him away while he screamed her name over, and over, and over, and over again until he was sobbing as Tobias strapped him into the chair and took off his shoes.

JJ bolted upright in bed at the sound of Spence screaming for her. She bounded out of bed and met Will in the hallway; he had his gun out. Together they crept cautiously down the stairs. Spence thrashing on the couch, fighting an invisible foe is the sight that greeted them.

Will lowered his gun and reached to turn on the living room lights.

JJ grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Go back to bed Will. I've got this."

"Are you sure?" Will asked.

JJ nodded and turned and walked over to sit on the edge of the couch next to Spence.

Will watched for a brief moment as JJ ran her fingers through Spence's hair and leaned down to whisper to him, attempting to sooth him through his nightmare. Then he turned and headed back up the stairs.

"Shh I'm right here Spence; I'm right here." JJ whispered in his ear. "It's just a dream. It's just a dream."

After a few minutes, Spence calmed and settled back into a peaceful sleep. JJ, however, concerned that he'd have another nightmare, curled up next to him on the couch and closed her eyes. She fell asleep to sound of Spence's heart beating against her ear.

When Spence woke up in the morning, the first thing he was aware of was the weight on his chest. He glanced down to find JJ curled up against him with her head resting on his chest. He lay there confused. The last thing he remembered was kissing JJ goodnight and then stretching out on the couch alone. Why was JJ now asleep on top of him? Not that he minded, in fact he enjoyed very much the feel of her curled up against him. The weight of her on his chest as the rhythm of their breathing matched up. It was still early, so he decided to close his eyes and savor the sensation for just a bit longer and fell back asleep. When he woke up again he was alone again on the couch and presumed that what had happened earlier was just a dream. A very good dream, but still just a dream none the less. He'd take dreams like that any day though.

He sat up on the couch and stretched and then stood up and headed for the kitchen.

"Hey there" Will said greeting him with a cup of coffee.

Spence nodded in reply. "Good morning."

"So, that was some nightmare you had last night." Will said as he took a sip of coffee and watched Spencer with concern over the rim.

"I… I'm sorry; I woke you up didn't I?" Spencer asked.

Will nodded "Me and JJ both. It sounded like one hell of a nightmare. But it's alright. I understand, trust me. I had nightmares for months after the storm. Sometimes I was swimming out to save someone and the current would just rip them away. Other times, I was there in the house with my Daddy watchin' 'im on the phone and then watchin' the house get ripped apart and fill with water and there was nothin' I could do to save him. Most of the time though, I'd see the faces of all the people we couldn't save. Sometimes it was a friend, sometimes it was a neighbor, sometimes it was my Daddy. They'd just sit there lookin' at me and ask me why I didn't save them." Will explained with tears in his eyes. "So I get it, believe me, I do."

Spence tipped his head in thought as he listened to Will. "So have they stopped? Your nightmares… have they gone away?"

Will licked his lips. "For the most part. I still get one occasionally. I don't know what your nightmares are about Spencer, but they do get better. It just takes time. That and talkin' about it helps."

Spence nodded and took a sip of his coffee. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. " Will said standing up from his seat at the table. "I better get going. I'll see y'all tonight."

A few minutes later JJ entered the kitchen. "Good morning." JJ said as she walked over to Spence and kissed him good morning.

"I'm sorry I woke you up last night." Spence apologized as JJ stepped over to the counter to pour herself a cup of coffee.

"It's okay. I wasn't actually going to say anything. I figured you'd mention the nightmares when you were ready, or it'd come up next week when we're sharing a room in Vegas." JJ said as she headed back towards Spence at the table.

Spence nodded and sighed. "You and I were taking a late night walk…" Spence said as he started to tell JJ about his dream.

"Spence, you know you don't have to tell me about it if you don't want to right?" JJ asked softly as she leaned against his side.

"I know" Spence said nodding. "But I want to."

"Okay" JJ replied as she listened to Spence talk about his nightmare.

"Goodnight" Spence murmured, leaning down to kiss JJ goodnight and then reaching for a pillow to use on the couch.

"Uh uh" JJ said shaking her head. "You are sleeping up here in the bed." JJ replied.

"JJ…" Spence replied about to argue.

"No" JJ said shaking her head. "Do not argue with me. You will lose." she said poking him in the chest. "Then I'll be right here in case you have a nightmare….besides, I really liked sleeping in your arms last night when I laid down with you on the couch after your nightmare. I think it'd be even nicer to fall asleep that way in bed."

Spence could see that JJ meant business and wasn't about to take no for an answer. "Okay" he said and took a deep breath as he laid the pillow back down on the bed. "So, which side of the bed do you sleep on?"

Then next few days passed quickly with JJ and Spence entertaining themselves during the day by sightseeing, going to listen to blues music, and just taking in the city by day and then hanging out with Will at night. Their last full day in New Orleans turned out to be a humid scorcher. To that end, by midday they were ready to head back to Will's and find a way to cool off.

As JJ was digging through her bag for the key, the door opened and there stood Charlie Luvet before them.

JJ took in the sight Charlie made as he stood before them shocked. She could tell that he hadn't been expecting to run into them. His hair was wet. His shirt was unbuttoned and un-tucked.

"JJ" Charlie said in surprise when he finally managed to find his voice.

"Charlie, what are you doing here?" JJ asked, curious as to what he would answer, although from appearances and what she knew, she already had some idea forming in her head.

"Uh, Will and I took the rest of the day today and tomorrow off… he told Cap that he wanted to spend some time with his friends that were in town visitin' 'im before they left." Charlie said shifting on his feet. "I gotta go, but maybe we can all get together again before you have to leave." Charlie said as he once again eyed up Spence.

JJ gritted her teeth and plastered on her very best 'for the press' smile. "I don't think that will be possible. I'm sure we'll go out or something tonight and then our flight is kind of early tomorrow… so…" JJ shrugged.

"Oh, okay" Charlie replied and then headed off for his car.

"Asshole" JJ muttered under her breath. She just hoped Will didn't get his heart broken by the person he thought was his best friend.

When they entered the house, they could hear the shower running upstairs and sat down to wait for Will to come down. After a few minutes, they heard the shower shut off and Will walk across the hall. Then they didn't hear anything again. After a half an hour, JJ became concerned about what could have happened. "Spence, I'm just going to go up and check on Will and let him know we're here."

JJ knocked on the door frame to Will's room and then stepped in at the muffled 'come in' that greeted her. The sight of Will slumped over in a chair in the corner of the room with his head in his hands caused her some concern.

"Will… are you okay? We ran into Charlie when he was on his way out." she asked. Her concern grew when Will lifted his head and revealed his red rimmed eyes. She sat down on the bench at the foot of the bed and leaned forward resting her elbows on her knees. "Will, what happened. Charlie didn't hurt you did he? He didn't…"

Will took a deep stuttering breath and shook his head. "If you're trying to ask if he raped me, then the answer is no. What happened was consensual… but it sure doesn't help me with bein' any less confused."

"Oh, Will." JJ sighed, wishing she knew how to make things better for her friend. She knew that letting Will know her concerns about Charlie wouldn't make things easier for him, so she held her piece on that.

"I just… I used to know who I was… and I, I miss that you know. I …" his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "I feel like I'm in quick sand and the more I try an' figure things out, the more I sink."

"Do you want to go downstairs and talk?" JJ asked. "It might make you feel better." Will looked up at JJ and she could see the fear and indecision in his eyes. "If you're worried about Spence, you shouldn't be. He'd be one of the last people in the world to ever judge anyone."

Will sighed and stood up from the chair. Maybe if he widened his circle of trust beyond just JJ, things would get a little easier. And if things were going to head the way it looked like they were going to head, well then he had best practice telling people now. Somehow he knew JJ was right about Spencer, and it be a hell of a lot easier to practice by telling someone who wasn't going to judge him.

Spence looked up as JJ came down the stairs followed by Will. JJ sent a small smile at him as their eyes locked. Then he looked behind her to Will and he got an uneasy feeling. He didn't know what exactly was going on with Will, but he did recognize the look on his face. It was the same look that had greeted him every time he looked in the mirror for those months while he was fighting his own demons. Dread.

JJ, Spence, and Will sat around the table in the kitchen. He'd shared the whole story about what had happened about a month ago with Spence as JJ was already up to speed on that. Then he'd shared how he'd asked their Captain for the rest of the day and the next day off since they didn't have any open cases at the moment. The Captain had agreed, and they'd headed out. He'd come home and been just about to get in the shower when Charlie showed up because he'd forgotten his cell phone in there squad car. Will had answered the door in nothing but a towel. One thing had led to another, and then Charlie had left. "An' then he told me that he needed to get back to Allison, but that maybe we should all get together and go out tonight. Just like nothing happened." Will said as he stared down at the glass of amber liquor in his hands.

JJ was seething on her friends behalf for his being taken advantage of and used.

Spence was struggling to come up with something; anything that would make Will feel better. After all, Will had lent him an ear about his nightmares earlier in the week.

"I just don't know what I should do. I mean what do I do?" Will asked as he continued to stare down at his drink. "I just… thank god my parents aren't alive for this, because I don't even know what I would… how I would… "

Spence cleared his throat. "You know … you can't say for sure how what your parent's reaction would have been and you can't spend your life worrying about what other people will think. Some people spend a lot of time on the nature versus nurture argument. Are we born the way we are or do our life's experiences make us who we are? But at the end of the day we are all still who we are, and that is what we have to deal with. There's nothing wrong with being who you are – whoever you discover that is. Some people might have a problem with it, but that's their problem, not yours. "

"You're a good man Spencer Reid." Will said as he turned his head to look at Spencer.

Spence shrugged. "I know what it's like to be judged for who you are, for something that makes you different from everyone else around you. And I'm just returning the favor; you helped me with my nightmares."

Will nodded. "The only thing is your nightmares – those are gonna go away. This, well this ain't."