An/ So this is going to be the last chapter of the Rookie, I appreciate all of you who stuck with it until the end, its very much appreciated. When this story idea was originially concieved, it was supposed to be about how JJ got to be such an influential part of the team but I continued on from there for romance's sake and I feel like this is a good place to end this story. I just feel like its been such a long time for this story (I started it in November and I've never continuously written one story for six months, nor do I plan to ever again). Anywho, thanks for being here for the end.

After this point, its all pretty AU. This is the end of it, so invision whatever you'd like for the rest of the series, but this is the end of my commentary on how JJ grew to become JJ.

I do not nor have I in any point of this story pretended to own Criminal Minds. So if you're still getting confused, you might want to talk to someone.

"So that was fun." JJ smiled as Morgan walked her to her door. It was obvious why every woman in the world loved Morgan, it was because he did dating well. She tried to banish from her mind the events that had happened just hours earlier. Her life would be so much easier if she was in love with Morgan. She knew it, but it didn't change that she already was a little more attatched to a certain genius than she could admit.

"I had a good time. Who knew you could act like a female for an entire evening?" Morgan teased, shifting his wieght nervously. While earlier this had seemed like an oppurtunity to snatch up a good looking woman, Morgan realized tonight that if there was anyone he couldn't be with on a romantic level, it was JJ. They had a great time, but something about her screamed 'buddy' to him and he would always just see her as a friend. It was alright to know that she probably feeled the same way. He saw how she paused awkwardly as though she was going to say something, which she had been doing all night. It dawned on him finally, like a ton of bricks falling from the sky. "The kid tried something, didn't he?"

She nodded timidly, her mind still wrapped in what had been one of the most confusing moments of her life.

"Well, if he isn't motivated by competition?" Morgan asked retorhiclly. Normally, he would just let Reid have the girl, but this was different. Reid had stepped all over JJ for months now, and he came begging for her to keep on letting him.

"For the record, you are a much better gentleman." JJ said, her eyes begining to grow watery. She knew now that what she wanted more than anything was to talk to Lauren. Lauren would know how to fix this because JJ just didn't.

"But you aren't in love with me." This wasn't a question, it was a matter of fact. "You love him."

"You know, its stupid. He can hurt me and make me feel like he doesn't want me, but I don't want anyone else." She said softly, looking in his eyes for understanding. "I've dated. I've looked for other guys I can care about, but I just...I just don't feel for the way for them that I do about Reid. Isn't that just the luck? I feel like a masochist because I've already learned that the only thing Spence can do is hurt me, but I want him still. I would rather be in a crappy relationship with him than a decent one with a man who cares about me."

"You sound like an after school special." Morgan teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"I know." JJ agreed, fighting the tears from the hours before still. "I just wish I would grow a mind or something."

"JJ, I have a question before I go and let you be miserable." Morgan smiled as he teased. "Are you sure you love him or are you just addicted to him."

"Probably a little of both." She surmised, opening the door behind her. "One of these days Morgan, when you find a special girl, she is going to be the luckiest woman in the world." JJ said truthfully, leaning in and kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"One of these days Reid is actually going to deserve you." Morgan said honestly, looking at the woman who he loved platonically. "Night JJ."

"Good night Morgan." She smiled and waved wearily as she watched him walk away. She wished that she could be in love with him, the player instead of the genius who didn't really treat her as he should.

By the time JJ walked into her apartment, she heard her phone ringing wildly off the hook.

"Jareau." She said as a huffing voice panted for air.

"Where have you been?" Lauren shrieked.

"On my date with Morgan, like I told you." JJ said, her voice full of confusion.

"Well, your lovely genius friend decided to give me a visit." Lauren whispered loudly. "He told me about a certain romantic display he made for you."

"Spence visited you?"

"Oh I wish I were kidding. At first I just stared at him like he was selling bibles or something but then he introduced himself and we had a nice chat."

"You and Spence had a nice chat?" JJ scoffed. "If that isn't the funniest thing I've heard in my entire life, I don't know what is."

"He seemed sincere, like he really cares about you Jayje." Lauren mused.

"Don't even get me started on him." JJ muttered. "He's just full of it."

"He sounded like he was sincere." Her friend brought up.

"Please, he just wants me now because Morgan took me out." JJ said, rolling her eyes. "The last thing I need is him hurting me again."

"Would you just give him a chance?" Lauren quipped. "He's on his way to your house now."

"So you are just handing me over to him, after everything he has done." JJ said icilly. "Nice."

"If you aren't going to worry about your happiness, I'm going to." Her friend retorted.

"What if I don't let him in?" JJ asked defiantly.

"Then its you who gets to live the rest of your life as a harpy hag who said no to true love." Lauren countered shortly. "JJ, I love you too much to let your pride get in the way of your happiness."

"Whatever, let him come. I doubt anything he says is going to change anything." JJ mumbled, playing with the zipper on the back of her dress.

"At least give him a fighting chance." Lauren urged.

"I'll call you tomorrow after I figure this all out." JJ groaned as she heard a sharp knock on the door. "I've got to go."

"Remember what I've said." Lauren said firmly.

"Like I could forget." JJ moaned slightly, hanging up the phone. She meandered slowly to the door, not sure if she had the courage to answer it. Breathing in deeply, she turned the handle with one fluid motion, seeing the awkward genius for the second time that evening.

"Hey Spence." She said, slightly rolling her eyes.

"JJ, you um... you look lovely..." He sputtered before looking at her blankly. "You...You were expecting me?"

"Lauren called." JJ informed shortly as ushered him in and slammed the door shut.

"She was supposed to keep it a secret." Reid groaned angrily.

"Lauren doesn't do secrets or surprises. She does however, do meddling, which she does very well." JJ said, smiling lightly as she spoke of her friend. Even if tonight was a large blunder, she would always have Lauren to run to when things outright sucked.

"You could have told me that." Reid surmised, looking at her straight in the eyes.

"When would I have told you that? When you were constantly telling me about Lila Archer? Or even, better earlier tonight when you suddenly realized that you loved me even though I'm finally moving on?" Her eyes were wide with ire. "When I'm with you, I don't even have time to talk, why in the world would I talk about someone you don't even know? Oh wait, I know, because she's the only person on the planet who could make me talk with you tonight!"

"I may not be good at this dating thing, but you have to give me a little credit." Reid chuckled.

"Spence, what do you want?" JJ panted, not knowing if she could take anymore of this.

"To tell you I love you." He said firmly. "And that I'm sorry that I didn't prove that to you sooner."

"You already said that. If your monologue is going to be the same, you can save it, I've heard it all before." JJ said stiffly.

"I've loved you since that day when you walked into the BAU wearing that black skirt. I've loved you since the day I actually met you and I had to watch you and Morgan get aquainted. I've loved you since the day I accidently broke your ankle. I've loved you since the day that you and I learned to speak klingon..."

"I get the point." JJ interrupted. "But I don't think I can do this. I don't think I can allow you to hurt me again. I've never let myself cry over a man before but I've cried over you. And if you really loved me, if you really loved me I wouldn't be crying."

"JJ, I screwed up." He said softly. "I was too afraid of ruining our friendship to be the man in this relationship. I'm sorry, you have no idea how badly I wish I told you that night after the Redskins game that I was in love with you. But instead of kissing you like I wanted to, I ruined everything. And then I met Lila and she--"

"She--" JJ pressed, wanting to know the current situation with the genius and his starlet.

"And she was a distraction, but she never cared for me like you did. No one has ever cared for me like you have." Reid said with certainty.

"But you've never cared about me Spence and I can't do a one sided relationship." JJ folded her arms closely to her. "I think its a little late and--"

Her excuses were cut off by the nervous genius, springing a warm, deep kiss on her waiting lips.

"You've already done that tonight." JJ reminded him. "What, are you out of fresh material?"

"That's what they did in the chick flick you made me watch." Reid shrugged. "It worked for them."

"But we aren't in a chick flick." JJ scoffed. "My guess is that we're in a comedy and a dark one at that."

"Its no Star Trek." Reid mused, glad to see a smile that tugged at JJ's mouth but she quickly suppressed. "But if we were in a movie, I wouldn't care what kind if I had you."

"Well Dr. Reid, that was quite romantic." JJ sighed, but she grew stern again as she reminded herself of her furry. "But it still doesn't change anything."

"JJ, why won't you just let yourself forgive me?" He exasperated.

"Because I don't want to!" She bellowed. "I'm so tired of getting hurt by you Spence. You keep on nearly killing me and its like you don't even know you're doing it! And then after you hurt me, I'm the one who's left feeling guilty because I think of how you need a friend!"

"JJ--" He said, reaching out a comforting arm to her that she swiftly shrugged away.

"And what's worst." She said fuming, pointing a sharp finger into his chest. "What's worse is that even though I am so absolutely possitively furious with you, I can't even have a good time with a wonderful man like Morgan because I'm to busy thinking of you. I'm not this girl and I hate that you turned me into it!"

"I want to make this right." Reid insisted. "I love you, and I want you to know that you can trust me."

"Spence, the unconditional adoration I had for you is finally ebbing." JJ said softly. "Please just let it."

"I'm being stubborn, I'm not leaving. Not until you love me." Reid promised, a smile dancing on his lips. He was winning and JJ knew it.

"While I appreicate your...sprightliness, I can't just allow myself to go down this road again." JJ said firmly.

"But you want to go down this road." He mused, now feeling a little more lively than ever before.

Unable to lie, JJ let out a pathetic sigh. "What I want and what is good for me are two entirely different things."

"What if I promise to never hurt you again?" Spencer asked hopefully, seeing that JJ's resolve was melting.

"Then I would probably trust you, and then probably get hurt again." JJ laughed mirthlessly. "Seems to be how these things go with us."

"But I wouldn't hurt you." Reid promised, pulling her into his waiting arms. "I couldn't hurt you, not after tonight. JJ, you make me feel...alive. No one else has ever been able to do that, and I would rather die than go back to a life where I'm not living."

Groaning loudly, so loudly that Reid thought she was actually going to throw him out, JJ looked up, fully annoyed. "You hurt me again and I will kill you. I'm not playing or teasing in the least. You tell me I don't count as a girl and I will show you just what a girl can do."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Reid smiled, pulling her in closer.

"I am not commiting to anything until you take me on a proper date." JJ declared decisively. "I'm not allowing one two in the morning conversation turn us into a couple. You're going to have to earn it."

"Deal." Reid smiled, bending down to kiss her. However, before he could seal the deal, JJ's and his cell phones both began to ring.

"Life goes on as normal." JJ mused, picking it up and answering. While everything had changed, more had stayed the same. Two Am phone calls saying that they were meeting with the CIA, while not typical, was to be expected. And while her time at the BAU had been one emotional rollarcoaster, she knew she would never regret going to the interview that Lauren and Garcia had set up for her. She was finding that while Lauren shamelessly controlled her life, she might have just done a pretty good job at it. Maybe Lauren was right for once, not that JJ would ever tell her that.