A/N: So here it finally is, guys! The very last chapter of And I Always Will! *sniffle* It feels kinda... weird that I finished this, my first Criminal Minds fanfic! I kinda don't know what to do with myself... oooooh, I know! Start working on a sequel! But before I get to that, on with reading this story one last time!

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters.

The BAU was finally packing up in New Orleans, having caught the killer thanks to Morgan realising that it was, in fact, a woman. The team was standing in the precinct with Detective LaMontagne, just about to leave.

"Thanks for everything, guys," LaMontagne said. "I never could've solved this case for my daddy without your help."

"It's what we do," JJ replied. "We were happy to help." The other members of the team nodded their agreement.

"We really should get going, if we want to be back at Quantico by nightfall," Hotch announced. The FBI agents picked up their bags, and all shook hands with LaMontagne before heading out the door. He smiled at JJ when it was her turn, but everyone on the team saw that he was no longer trying to flirt with JJ. That meant Reid had been right- JJ had turned LaMontagne down.

Reid was the last one to say goodbye to LaMontagne, with the rest of the team members gathered just outside the door. As LaMontagne gripped Reid's hand in his, he leaned in close and whispered, "Keep a hold of her."

It took a while for Reid to realise what LaMontagne meant, and when he did he was slightly shocked. "You don't have to worry, Dr Reid," LaMontagne assured him. "She didn't tell me, and it wasn't obvious either. Just the way she was describing you… she couldn't have been talking about anyone else."

Reid looked slightly confused. "She- what did she say about me?" he stammered.

LaMontagne gave a small laugh. "It was nothing but praise, Doctor. Nothing but praise. She told me that you were the most important thing in the world to her, that she couldn't imagine living without you, and that she loves you with everything she's got."

"She said that?" Reid gasped. "She really said that about me?"

"Why do you sound so surprised, Reid?" LaMontagne asked. "I'm sure she told you that she loves you."

"She did," Reid said quickly. "It's just, well-"

"You didn't realise how much she loved you, how much she cared about you?" LaMontagne guessed.

"I didn't before," Reid admitted. "And if I didn't figure it out after she came to find me, then I definitely know now. Thank you, Detective."

"It's Will," LaMontagne corrected. "Call me Will."

"Goodbye then, Will," Reid said, smiling. "Hopefully our paths will cross again sometime."

"Definitely," Will replied. "Although hopefully under happier circumstances." Will gripped Reid's hand once more, before the FBI agent headed out of the precinct to his waiting team and a smiling JJ.

The members of the BAU had settled in on their flight back to Quantico. Hotch and Gideon were settled up the back of the plane by themselves, talking and working on files. Reid was sitting by himself, not really doing anything, his mind seeming to be somewhere else like it always was. Prentiss, Morgan and JJ were playing cards across a table.

"Gin!" JJ cried, for the third time in a row.

"Aw, man," Morgan moaned as he put his cards back down on the table. "Why do you keep winning, JJ?"

"Cos I'm just that good," JJ said, smiling.

"Maybe it's time you had some real competition," Prentiss declared, looking across to where Reid was sitting. "Hey Reid, you wanna play?" she said cautiously, hoping she wouldn't get another outburst from him.

Reid looked over at the others. "Yeah, sure. I'll join in," he said, slightly shocking both Prentiss and Morgan. He got up and slid into the seat opposite JJ, who beamed at him.

"You ready to show JJ how it's done, kid?" Morgan joked.

"Considering I don't want JJ to know how to beat me, I'm not going to show her how it's done, but I am going to win," Reid said.

Morgan and Prentiss both laughed at the casual way Reid had just spoken, while Prentiss dealt him in. They played in silence for a while, only speaking when the game required them to.

"Gin!" Reid cried happily, putting his cards down on the table.

"Damn it, Spence, how are you so good?" JJ asked, having finally been defeated.

"A magician never reveals his secrets," Reid said, smirking.

"He's from Vegas, JJ," Morgan pointed out. "Of course he's good."

As Reid, Morgan and JJ began arguing about whether it was fair to play cards against Reid, Prentiss quietly rose from her seat and walked over to wear Hotch and Gideon were sitting.

"He certainly seems happier," Hotch said without looking up. He made no indication as to who he was talking about, but he didn't need to; both Prentiss and Gideon knew who he meant.

"He does," Prentiss agreed, looking back over at Reid, Morgan and JJ. "I wonder what changed."

"I don't know exactly," said Gideon truthfully. "I don't want to know, either. I'm pretty sure he's getting the help he needs now, and us badgering him may only make it worse. If he regresses, we'll talk to him. But for now, let's just be happy that he's finally becoming himself again."

"You seriously don't want to know why Reid's happy all of a sudden?" Hotch asked Gideon.

Gideon nodded. "I don't want to know. You do?"

"What I want and what Reid needs are two totally different things," Hotch replied. "And it seems that he's already getting what he needs."

"He didn't snap at me at all, not since Morgan and I got back from Galveston," Prentiss said. "Not since JJ went and found him."

"Do you reckon JJ said something to him?" Hotch asked.

"Why not?" said Gideon. "She's his best friend, and she knows him better than the rest of us do. If anyone knew how to help Reid, it would be her."

The three of them turned to watch as Reid declared that he had won again, and JJ reached over to inspect his cards. "Reid's going to be fine now, isn't he?" Prentiss said eventually.

"Not straight away," Gideon replied. "But he will be."

The sun had just started to set when the team finally disembarked from the jet. All of them were tired, most of all Reid and JJ. It had definitely been a big day for the two of them.

Hotch and Gideon were walking ahead of the rest of the team, Gideon trying to convince Hotch to leave his paperwork with Gideon so Hotch could get home to Jack and Haley. Prentiss and Morgan were a little bit further back, talking about the plans they had for the next few days should they not get called in on a case. JJ and Reid were walking even further back, dragging their feet.

"Even with all the coffee you drink, you're still tired?" JJ joked as they walked across the tarmac.

"I drink all of my coffee at once, JJ," Reid pointed out. "Therefore, it all wears off at once. Besides, I didn't drink as much coffee today as I normally do."

"Hmm." JJ looked down for a moment, lost in thought. Then she looked up at Reid. "Do you really wanna be alone tonight?" she asked.

"No," Reid replied, his eyes focused on JJ. "I don't want to be alone tonight. And even if I did, it probably wouldn't be the best idea anyway."

"Good," JJ whispered. "Then you're coming home with me tonight. I would feel so much better if you were with me tonight; that I knew without a doubt you were safe."

Reid gave JJ a look of such love, she almost stopped walking. "You know I'm safe when I'm with you," he said.

JJ nodded. "Yes." She did know; Reid had confessed everything to her, had talked about his feelings with her. He didn't do that with anyone.

"Hey, you two, what's the holdup?" Morgan called, from where he stood with the rest of the team. "Don't you want to get home tonight?"

"We're tired, Morgan!" JJ called back, but the two youngest agents quickened their pace. Before they reached the others, JJ muttered under her breath to Reid, "Go home and have a shower and stuff first. Then come over."

Reid gave JJ a small nod; they were too close to the team now for him to open his mouth.

"Morgan was just telling me that he's going clubbing with a girl as soon as he gets out of here," Prentiss said, while Morgan smirked.

"What?" said Morgan with mock irritation. "You really expected anything less of me?"

"I guess not," Prentiss admitted. She turned to JJ and Reid. "What're you guys going to do?"

"Sleep," both JJ and Reid replied at the same time.

Morgan laughed. "You two are both extremely boring people, you know that?" he said.

"The last time me and Reid went out somewhere, I got really, really drunk," JJ pointed out.

"Touché, girl," said Morgan. "Touché."

"So if you guys don't mind, Spencer and I are going to head home, have showers, and rest," JJ said. She gave Reid a quick, pointed look before walking away. He walked into the building with the rest of the team, before giving them a murmured "goodbye" and walking towards his own car.

After Reid had arrived home and had his shower he went to his bedroom to gather some things to take to JJ's- and then he stopped. He had absolutely no idea what to bring. He knew JJ didn't want him to just come over and have sex with her- she wasn't that type of girl, and he wasn't that type of guy. So Reid just ended up grabbing the sweatpants that he slept in, a change of clothes, and was just about to walk out his front door when he turned and grabbed a DVD off the shelf.

It didn't take long for Reid to reach JJ's house. He had the quickest route exactly memorised- partly because of his eidetic memory, but partly because he constantly thought about driving there.

JJ's house was exactly the same as it had been the last time Reid had been here. There was one small difference though: while the wire door was shut, it was unlocked, and the front door itself was wide open.

"JJ?" Reid called tentatively.

"In the lounge room, Spencer!" JJ called back to him.

Reid pushed open the wire door and stopped dead in his tracks. Crimson red rose petals had been laid along the hallway, leading right from the front door to the living room. Reid followed them, knowing that they led to where JJ was waiting for him.

"Hey gorgeous," JJ said smiling when Reid walked into the room. She was sitting cross-legged on the small white couch, with a meal laid out for the two of them on the coffee table in front of her.

"It didn't take me that long to get here, did it?" Reid asked.

JJ laughed. "Less than an hour," JJ replied. "But I can do a lot in an hour."

"I can see that." Two bowls were set out on the coffee table- which was also covered in rose petals- containing a simple but delicious looking pasta. There were two tall, cream-coloured candles standing in the centre of the table, their dancing flames reflected in JJ's eyes. The effect was finished off by the bottle of wine and two wine flutes sitting towards one side of the table. "This is just… wow." He was silent for a moment, just staring at JJ. "You didn't have to do all of this."

"I didn't have to," JJ agreed. "But I wanted to. This is, well, our first real date. I wanted to make it special."

Reid was touched. Nobody had ever done something like this for him. Ever. He moved over and sat beside JJ, a warm smile on his face. "Thank you," he whispered, reaching out and taking her hand. "Really. Thank you."

JJ smiled back at Reid, and let him hold her hand for a moment before gently pulling away and pouring the two glasses of wine, handing one of them to Reid.

"Are you sure you want to drink with me?" Reid joked. "Last time you did that, you accidentally confessed your undying love to me."

"I may have only done that because I was drunk, but that doesn't mean that I didn't mean every word. And never for a second have I regretted it. Never for a second have I regretted loving you."

"JJ…" Reid was speechless. He'd never been in this sort of situation before; he had no idea what to do. Giving himself some time, he took a sip of the wine JJ had given him. He sat it down on the table and took both of JJ's hands in his. "I love you," he said finally. "And I don't know how you love me, but… well, from what you've done for me tonight, it's obvious that you do." He took a deep breath. "Nobody's ever done anything like this for me before."

JJ was shocked. Reid was such a sweet, kind, and amazing man. Yes, he did spout random and sometimes boring facts at inopportune moments, but JJ loved this about him. It was one of the things that made him so unique. "Really? No one?"

"I haven't been in that many relationships," Reid admitted. "There was Lila, but it didn't work out. The long distance thing. We never really got to do anything like this. It never really bothered me, though; I never really thought about it. Now, I think- I think I'm actually kind of glad about that."

"Why?" JJ asked, confused.

"It makes it that much more special, being here with you, right now. I mean, I know this would be special to me either way, but-"

"Spencer! Spence!" JJ said, trying to stop Reid's rambling. He looked at her apologetically. "I get what you're trying to say, Spence. It's okay." She squeezed Reid's hands. "It's special to me too. In fact, despite how many dates I've been on, this one is already my best one."

Now it was Reid's turn to be confused. "Why?"

"Because I'm with you," JJ said simply. Before Reid could reply, JJ lent in and kissed him. It started off soft and sweet, with the couple holding their hands in the middle of each other. It took them a long time to break the kiss, and as soon as they did they both took a breath before going back in again. They'd been waiting so long for this, to be able to kiss each other without worrying about any cases or about anyone seeing them. Sure, they had kissed each other and held each other a few times before, but those had been very small and secret stolen moments. This… this was different. Here it was just them, their personalities and minds stripped raw and bare.

It wasn't long, though, before the kiss began to deepen and Reid put his hands on the small of JJ's back, gently pulling her in closer. JJ responded instantly, her arms wrapped around Reid's neck as their kisses became deeper and more passionate. God, how both of them had wanted this, had needed this.

It was a while later when JJ and Reid finally broke apart, both of them gasping for air. JJ rested her head on Reid's chest, a small smile on her face. "I think our dinner's gone cold," Reid commented.

"It's pasta, we can always heat it up again or eat it cold," JJ assured him. "Besides, I don't think I'm really hungry anymore."

"Me neither," Reid admitted. "Out of breath, yes. Hungry, no."

"So we eat later," JJ said. "We could just… stay like this for a while."

"We could," Reid agreed. "Or we could watch a movie."

JJ pulled her head away and looked at him. Reid reached over and grabbed the DVD he'd brought with him. JJ stared at it, shocked. "The Notebook? You own a copy of the Notebook?"

"Garcia bought it for me a while ago," Reid admitted sheepishly. "I mean, if you don't want to watch it, that's fine, but-"

"Spencer, you're rambling again," JJ pointed out. "And for the record, I would love to watch the Notebook with you."

Reid put the DVD in and then settled back down on the couch with JJ. After a moment she snuggled into him, holding onto his arm as she rested her head on his shoulder. Reid smiled and automatically angled his body towards hers. Normally he would be rattling off facts and figures about the movie, but this time he remained silent. He was actually watching the movie, really watching it. He could actually feel the emotion of the movie… maybe it had something to do with the blonde woman resting against his side, the woman who he had been the first person he had truly opened up to. The woman he loved.

When the movie ended neither of them moved from their spot for a while, not even bothering to turn off the TV. Reid ran a hand slowly over JJ's hair, and she looked up at him with a sleepy smile on her face. "That was nice," she said.

"It was," Reid said truthfully. "I honestly never thought I'd like that sort of thing. But I did."

JJ laughed, but then she yawned. "Geez, I'm tired," she said.

"I'll let you get changed, then," Reid said. He began to pull away from JJ, but she stopped him. "What is it?"

"Stay with me," she whispered.

"I already am staying with you," Reid replied, confused.

"No, I mean stay with me. In my bed," JJ explained.

Reid's eyes went wide with shock. "You really want me to do that? Lie in bed with you?"

"I know what you're thinking, Spence. I'm not ready to have sex yet, either. I just want to lie in bed with you, fall asleep with your arms around me, and wake up with you being the first thing I see."

Reid reached out and put a hand on JJ's cheek. "Then I'll stay with you tonight," he whispered. "I would be honoured, and I- I want to fall asleep holding you, and wake up lying beside you. To be honest, I've wanted that for a long, long time."

JJ smiled. "Then go change in the bathroom, and I'll meet you in my room, okay?" She gave Reid one more soft, quick kiss before getting up from the couch and walking away. Reid sat there for a moment, before grabbing his sweatpants and heading off to JJ's bathroom.

Five minutes later Reid emerged almost nervously, before heading off to JJ's room. She was already lying under the covers of her bed, waiting for him. She patted the bed beside her. "Come join me," she whispered.

Reid nodded and crossed the room, hesitated for a moment before he pulled up one side of the doona and getting in next to JJ. He laid his head on the pillow and immediately rolled to face her, pulling her in close. She was wearing a knee-length negligee; he could tell by the feel of her bare skin. JJ rested her head on Reid's chest, and Reid took in the sweet strawberry scent of her hair.

JJ yawned again, and her eyelids began to flicker. Before she could close them though Reid kissed her on the forehead, and then on her lips.

"My beautiful girlfriend," Reid murmured in JJ's ear. "I love you."

JJ gave Reid a warm, loving look. "I love you too." And as both of them closed their eyes and held each other while drifting off into sleep, she added, "And I always will."

A/N: So there it is, guys! What did you think: love, hate, meh? Please tell me what you think and what you might like to see in any future sequels, or whether you even want a sequel! I'd absolutely love to here what you think one last time! The sequel to this story will be called Please Don't Leave Me, and it will deal with Reid's issue of abandonment as Gideon leaves the team and Agent Rossi appears. A few secrets may be discovered by a few people, as well. *hint hint, someone MAY find out about JJ and Reid...*
The sequel will be up as soon as I find the time to write it, being in my final year of high school drains it bad... But I would like to thank every single one of you for reading/reviewing/adding to alerts/favouriting my story, it means a lot to me and you sure know how to make a girl feel special! Make sure you keep an eye out for Please Don't Leave Me!