What Happens Next

VI. Like Family

The story came to a close and although raw, and in pain, Reid managed to hold it together. He figured his composure was due in part to having told the story already, and in part to JJ, and her comforting nature.

"Wow, Spence," was all she could say at first, "I'm so sorry."

"Why?" he questioned, "it's not your fault. I'm the one who made the choices that brought me here."

JJ stared off at the road gripping the wheel tightly. The road before her morphed into the dust throwing dirt road leading to the house of Tobias Hankel. She felt the sun beating down on her neck and she could almost hear the sound of Reid's voice reporting the case. Her mind wandered instantly to the image of the dogs, chained up around the blood stained mattress, shot dead by her own gun. She saw Reid, tied up and unconscious, and remembered the way his hair fell around his face in thin greasy clumps. She felt the same helplessness she felt when she screamed his name from behind the monitor, and she knew it was her fault.

"I should have been there."

The words escaped her mouth after her long pause, and they felt  to her as if they were coming from far away. From the JJ who left him behind in the first place.

Missing her reference to their past endeavors, Reid assured her that she had no reason to be there. 

"You had your own life. Your new job, your family, you were starting over. So was I, JJ. You didn't need to be there for me. You didn't fail me. I failed myself."

"Spencer. Addiction is an illness. You know this. You did the best you could, but you know that addicts relapse. It happened, and you got help and you are going to fight to stay clean this time, okay? The only time you will fail yourself is when you stop fighting, and you have not stopped fighting."

Reid's facade crumbled. The strong front he imposed as he told his story shattered, and he began to cry.

"I don't know if I can, JJ," he sobbed, "my kids are- my kids. Are gone. And I don't think I'm going to be able to get them back."

JJ's heart shattered at the despair erupting from her friend in hoarse, broken, sentences. He was not himself. He was not the strong man that once saved her ass on multiple occasions, he was damaged, but he was not beyond repair.

"You. . ." she began, reaching across the car to place a hand on his shoulder. Her eyes darted back and forth between her friend and the road, "are going to get them back. You just need time." 

Reid nodded frantically, trying to shake the the anxiety from his body. He raised his eyes, momentarily catching her glance, and returned his gaze to his lap. They sat in silence, not regretting the choice to shut off the radio during Reid's story, but aware that neither of them could turn it on now. JJ's hand lingered on his arm until the silence was finally broken by the GPS reminding her to continue straight for another thirty miles. 

She removed her hand, quickly shutting off the phone screen which shining brightly in the cupholder between them. Her hand returned to the steering wheel after that.  

Eventually Reid smirked, and looked over at his friend, she looked back at him and he laughed softly, "I told you it would be different."

"Shut up Spence," she laughed playfully nudging his arm. She switched on the radio and they listened to a radio host talk lazily about his experiences with time, and aliens who taught him everything he knew. They laughed, and poked fun intermittently, and they settled into a solid groove, allowing the car ride to whisk by. 

When they arrived in JJ's driveway, she texted her son to inform him that they were home, and he unlocked the front door for her. The door being locked was a requirement in the Jareau house at any time of the day, and they had fallen into the habit of him letting her in before she could use her own key years ago. 

"Hey Henry!" Reid cheered, excitedly welcoming his 'nephew' into his arms.

"Hi Uncle Spence!" Henry replied matching the enthusiasm of the man he grew up with as his uncle. 

JJ hugged her son next, and she confirmed with him that the girls were fed and asleep. 

"And my mom?" she asked.

"She's good, she didn't eat much, but she says she's feeling okay."

"Okay," JJ sighed, bringing us through the doors. She made a B-line for the family room that housed her mother who almost exclusively lived in her recliner. 

"Well, uh," Henry trailed off. He swept his arm around his body and spun on his heels, gesturing for him to be followed, "welcome to the house."

He showed me through the entryway and into their rather large kitchen. The ranch-style decor brought a homey feel to the room. The light colored wood blended nicely with the cream colored wall and dark granite countertops. The island housed four tall barstools and assorted notebooks, trinkets, and food items spread across it. The large steel sink rested empty with the dinner dishes bathing in the quiet hum of the dishwasher. He brought Reid through the unused dining room, past his mother gently explaining the situation to his grandmother in the family room, to the living room. They had a nice TV and a large white sectional covered in blankets and pillows and other items the kids had discarded on it. They then traveled back around and into the entryway again, where he showed him to the guest bedroom. 

"This is supposedly my grandma's room, but she isn't sleeping in here anymore. I'm guessing you're staying in here. I don't know. I can show you to the bathroom though," he offered, leading his uncle past the first door beside the bedroom, which housed their office, and to the end of the hallway which housed a full bath, obviously used daily by the kids.

Henry decided that they should wait out his mom in the living room, and while they traveled through the hallway, Michael crept down the stairs. He stood shyly at the base of the stairs, remembering the man fondly, but the fog of eight year's time kept him from saying hello.

"Hey buddy!" Reid exclaimed, excitedly. He did not have the relationship with Michael that he had with Henry, but he loved him equally as family. 

The three boys sat, discussing life, and lost time, and the Jareau's remembered why they loved their uncle so much. Neither of them dared to ask Reid why he was there, but they weren't unhappy about it. Reid internally planned how he was going to explain to the kids what his situation was, and he decided he would need to talk to JJ about it first.

JJ returned to the living room with tears in her eyes. Her demeanor changed immediately at the sight of her children, and she greeted them excitedly. The four of them chatted merrily for a while until JJ decided it was time to send her boys off to their rooms. 

"Alright guys, it's getting late. It's time for the two of you to head off to your rooms so Spencer and I can talk."

They reluctantly agreed and set off on their expedition up the stairs and to their rooms, leaving the two alone to talk.