This little story had been picking at me for quite some time, passed on a photo of Spencer Reid I happened to come across. He's wearing a navy blue coat and then purple scarf and he's frowning kind of. Anyway, this is always what I think JJ would think of the Spencer we saw all last season, more dark, more solemn. It's a one shot, so enjoy. Don't own CM. I recommend listening to Onerepublic's "Marchin On" where this title comes from. Brilliant song.

He was sitting at the table, slumped back in his seat in a manner that seemed carefree, but couldn't have been farther from the truth. He was irritated, that much she knew. The six months she had been back had given her the ability to read his body language and expressions better than she could've a year ago.

She wondered what changed.

He twisted the rolling chair back and forth slowly, hands folded in his lap and staring off into the distance, the gears in his head running on overtime, beginning to steam and shake under the strain of what was just outside his reach, his understanding.

She entered the room silently, knowing he wouldn't look up even if she had made her presence known. She pulled out the chair just on the other side of him and sat down, facing the opposite direction, mimicking his posture and letting her legs part naturally. Too late she remembered she was wearing a skirt and quickly crossed her legs. She glanced over to see he was watching her, an amused smile on his lips. "Nice," he commented softly, not wanting to break the quiet, comforting atmosphere of the room. "Shut up," she shot back good naturedly, her own smile echoing his.

He looked down at the file, his smile fading. She peeked behind her to see what had taken his smile away. "Jack Davidson spent all that time making a name for himself, proving he wasn't the same person he was back then, just so she'd love him." She said nothing, letting him speak. "All so she would give him another chance. And for one brief moment, he had it all. And then this." He said with a mirthless laugh. She studied him, searching for any sign that he was still that same gentle guy she'd known all these years. He sighed and looked back up. "How's Henry?"

She smiled at the sound of her son's name coming from his godfather's lips. "He's going through his Superman phase now. I probably shouldn't have, but I bought him a cape last week. Now I have to wait until he's asleep to pry it off him." She reported with a laugh. He gave a real, genuine smile, and it made her want to throw her arms around him and say that she missed him. "You know, Superman was first created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective Comics, Inc. (later DC Comics) in 1938*…"

She listened to him babble for a while, having missed the sound. He had been unnaturally quiet since her return, and she wasn't sure if she herself was a contributing factor. It wasn't just his silence, it was his whole demeanor. He no longer looked curious, or thoughtful or even cheerful. He looked…serious. She thought back to a few cases ago, as they looked over a crime scene, he had his arms crossed against his chest, his navy blue pea coat pulled tight and his ever purple scarf against his pale skin, however; it was his hard, serious expression that captured her attention.

She had first noticed it then, how much harder he had become, more…vulnerable. She longed to protect him from himself, his thoughts and his fears, the same way he had done for her that night, all those years ago, back when he had just turned 24 and had an innocence she couldn't resist.

But they never talked about that.

Looking at him now, she could see that the shy twenty-three year old boy she had met in the conference room had morphed into this confident thirty year old man. His naïve innocence replaced with the knowledge that life was rarely fair. His cluelessness and eagerness turned into facing dangerous situations more often than not without his vest and relating a little too easily with the unsub for her peace of mind.

She had been told all about it, coupled with his headaches and his fear that any day they'd ship him off to the loony bin (being the age where it was now or never for schizophrenia) and of course, Emily. The gray little cloud she had noticed a year ago had developed into the dark aura that settled around him like a beloved pet and gave off the untouchable vibe that went out five feet in every direction, warning anyone who got too close. She saw walls in his eyes that hadn't been there since he battled his drug addiction.

Was he using again?

She blinked and realized he had stopped talking and was watching her. "You alright?" He questioned and for the first time, she noticed how much deeper his voice had gotten. "Yeah, just thinking…" he cocked his head to the side slightly. "About what?" She had meant to tell him that it was about the profile, but the little comment that Penelope had made an hour ago made her say something else. "Penelope told me that you and Ashley have been spending a lot of time together lately."

Why oh why had she said that?

He blinked, confused. "Seaver?"

She smirked. "Do you know another Ashley, Spence?"

He shrugged, "We've hung out a few times," answering her previous question.

"Having lunch everyday for three weeks is not a few times," she corrected.

He leaned to the side slightly with a smirk. "Are you jealous?" his voice low and intimate.

JJ's breath hitched when she saw the lust and desire in Spencer's eyes. It had been a long time since she had this look directed towards her and the crush she had developed on him over the last couple of months hit maximum capacity with the knowledge that Spence was a Man, and he had finally realized the affect he had on women. On her. Trapped in his eyes, the moment suspending them in time, their bodies still facing in opposite directions, she leaned towards him to meet him half-way in a soft, passionate kiss that had been months in the making.

What had been just their lips pressed together, changed when Spencer gently sucked her lower lip between his and ran the tip of his tongue teasingly across it. She parted her lips, helpless against the onslaught of the things he was making her feel. His tongue slipped in, brushing the roof of her mouth and down the side of her cheek before she caught up and slid her own tongue against his slowly, sensuously. He moaned and she felt powerful. He was quick to turn the tables, taking back control and this time, she was the one who moaned.

"Hey, Reid, we're-oh."

They broke apart at their own pace, not caring about the fact that they had just been caught by Ashley Seaver, still wrapped up in each other. "What is it, Seaver?" Spencer asked, panting slightly and a little annoyed. "Uh, we're ready to give the profile." She stammered before leaving. Still watching JJ, Spencer ran his tongue over his lower lip before standing up and leaving the room, brushing his fingertips against her knee.

JJ leaned back in her chair, still breathless and trembling. She reached up and traced her lips softly, letting out a shaky breath. She had just gotten out of a serious, long-term relationship six months ago and here she was, ready to leap into Spencer Reid's bed.

Maybe she had always been ready to leap.

Few weeks later, they were working a new case. They hadn't spoken about the kiss they shared, and apparently neither had Ashley. JJ and Spencer didn't start spending more time together, but lunch breaks together between him and Ashley had stopped.

JJ cast a look over the house they had had pulled up to, working the crime scene. "So, he takes her home, and she invites him in for a drink." Dave Rossi narrates, opening the door and entering the front hall, Derek Morgan, JJ and Spencer following him. "She lights a few candles, gets out a bottle of wine." Rossi stops near the entrance to the living room, while Morgan continues over to the coffee table.

"It's a seduction, so she makes the first move." Morgan supplies, looking around. Spencer turns to face JJ, and she reaches out and starts unbuttoning his sweater vest, picking up the thread of the conversation.

"She starts to undress him, keeping his full attention on her," she continues, slowly pushing the clothing off his shoulders and down his arms, dropping it to the floor.

"The accomplice slips in behind him and cuts his throat." Spencer finishes as Rossi mimes cutting his throat.

Morgan looked at JJ with a smile. "You know, you didn't have to actually undress Reid," he joked.

She smirked at him, "I know."

Shooting a look at Spencer, she follows Rossi out of the house. The older agent scoops up Spencer's sweater and whistled to get his attention. "Pretty boy," he called out, tossing it to him. Spencer catches it, folding it over his arm and moves to leave.

"You got something you want to share with me?" Morgan asked casually.

"Nope," Spencer shrugged, moving past him.

"I'm going to find out one way or the other," He called out, following the young genius back to the SUV.

It was becoming more difficult to act aloof when they were together. Their feelings for each other were reaching higher limits and they had begun testing the waters of what they could get away with at work. So far, everyone had noticed the tension between the couple, but said nothing when it was seen that they didn't act like lovesick teenagers, keeping professional. Sometimes, though, they slipped up.

Penelope had joined them on the case, lending her expertise. She never joined the team in the field, so she and JJ got to spend a lot of their time together. Which enable her to really witness the tension between JJ and Spencer. She had been talking to the blonde agent when Spencer came up behind her to give Penelope the file she needed. He pressed himself against JJ and she smirked, shifted back against him. "Is that your weapon, Spence, or are happy to see me?" She teased and he chuckled.

"Why don't you grab it and find out," he shot back with a gravely tone.

"Uh, hello!" Penelope yelped, reminding them of her presence. Standing in the middle of the precinct here, you two!" Spencer whispered something in JJ's ear that had her turning pink, walking away with a laugh. The tech goddess pounced on the blonde media liaison.

"What was that?" She demanded to know.

But for all their flirting and occasional kisses, Spencer was still keeping to himself, falling into sullen moods and frowning more. He reminded her of their boss on those days and she wondered what it would take to make him smile.

He finally came clean to her one night, while away on a case. Corpus Christi, Texas, really was beautiful at night, and their hotel was right near the water. She found him sitting in the sand, pant legs rolled up and looking up at the stars. It was nearing three in the morning, but she sensed he had a lot on his mind. "I know I haven't been the easiest person these last few months." She wrapped an arm around his and leaned her head against his shoulder. "It's been a rough year and a lot had happened, but I need you to know, that you are the one good thing I have." He moved his shoulder slightly so she'd look at him. "Please don't give up on me, Jennifer," he pleaded softly.

She sat up more and reached up, running a hand through his hair. "I'll never leave you, Spence. I'm in this for the long haul. I love you." She pledged softly, but passionately. Spencer held her against him for the rest of the night, both of them silent but together.

They had each other.

Hopefully, next season will have more Reid/JJ moments, plus all information about the creation of superman comes from Wikipedia