***Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds (although it would be really cool if I did!)

(One month later)

JJ nearly dropped the oversized box on her foot as she fumbled for her key. Reid stood behind her, hoisting a stack of three boxes threatening to crush him under their weight. JJ knew he was trying to impress her with his strength, so she ignored the heavy breathing and grunting escaping his lips as he fought to keep it together.

When the door opened at last, JJ surged into the carpeted square room that would soon be her living room. She heard Reid drop his boxes with a gasp, and cringed as a high-pitched tinkling sound warned her that her wine glasses might not have lasted the journey.

"Wow," Reid said, his eyes searching the place. "It's nice. Spacious."

JJ smiled. "I know you think condos are a wasted investment, Spence. You don't have to pretend to like it."

Reid's eyes widened, his cheeks flushing. "No, no, of course I like it. I'd like any place where you are."

She beamed, her gaze soft. Reid cleared his throat.

"So, um, should I go get the rest of the boxes from the trunk?"

JJ grinned. "That would be great."

~

Four hours later, all of JJ's belongings had been transported from her SUV to the small condo where she would now be living. With their divorce proceedings underway, JJ and Will had opted to sell the house, which was large and vastly overpriced. They hadn't wanted to introduce too many changes into the boys' lives, but somehow it seemed worse to poison the memory of their beloved childhood home. A fresh start was more appropriate—one that involved a lot of carpooling and child shuffling and frequent calls to babysitters at a minute's notice. One that also involved a cute, humble, two-story condo with a full backyard, a basketball court, and a Wendy's within walking distance.

Now, JJ was knee-deep in shoes, trying to wedge them into the kitty-cornered closet that stood between her bedroom and bathroom. Reid had just finished unpacking her collection of romance novels, which had been a shocking development. Who knew Jennifer Jareau was a sucker for steamy paperbacks featuring shirtless cowboys and pig-tailed southern belles?

As he pulled on the flaps of the next box, Reid paused, his back stiffening. He had just stumbled across JJ's most personal belongings ... her undergarments.

Coughing, Reid folded the flaps back down and tried to forget about the colorful, lacy things he had just witnessed. Instead, he busied himself loading toilet paper onto the bathroom dispenser and stuffing Pledge under the kitchen sink, willing his face to return to its natural pale hue.

Just as he was about to start lining the trash can, a knock sounded on the door. Reid circled the kitchen three times until finally coming across his wallet. He scampered toward the door and greeted the pizza delivery man with a warm "hello."

"JJ! Pizza's here!" he hollered up to her after closing the door.

JJ appeared almost instantly at the top of the staircase, her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. "Thank God, I'm starving."

After they had gorged themselves on sausage and pepperoni slices, JJ leaned back in her chair, her eyelids heavy. Sensing her exhaustion, Reid excused himself, returning to the table moments later with a bottle of Pinot Noir in hand, and two glasses that had managed not to break during the move.

"A toast," he said, filling up her glass. "To new beginnings."

They clinked their glasses together, then each took a sip. JJ tilted her head back and sighed.

"Thanks for all your help today, Spence."

Reid grinned. "Any time."

A pleasant silence fell over the room. Then, suddenly, Reid rose from his chair.

"I'll be right back. Close your eyes."

JJ furrowed her brow as he dashed off again, this time through the living room and out the front door. She resisted the temptation to watch him through the window as he opened the passenger-side door of the SUV.

Hearing the door jingle open and his shoes padding across the carpet, JJ felt prickly with anticipation. She lowered her head and squeezed her eyes shut as he approached the table.

"No peeking!"

JJ laughed, feeling giddy. She loved when Reid acted like this. It had been a long time since he had revisited his old childlike ways, and she blushed at the thought that maybe, just maybe, she played a small part in bringing that side of him back to life.

"Okay, open!"

JJ's eyes flew open. Before her, lying on the table where the empty pizza box had been, was a chess set.

"It's a house warming gift!" Reid said, his hands spread wide like a magician at the end of his act.

JJ smiled.

"And look, it even comes with a traveling bag! That way you can take it on the jet with you. Do you like it?"

As Reid watched her with his puppy dog eyes, JJ's heart melted. Sure, maybe she wouldn't have considered a chess board a sentimental gift several years ago. But now, she knew better. Chess was Reid's favorite game, and by sharing his passion with her, he was letting her into his world. In a way, Reid's love language was chess. It was the game he played when he was feeling sad or broken. It was the very thing that still connected him to his mother. It was the game that she'd used to help heal him after his mother's death, when they would play night after night after night, to the point where JJ was calling out moves in her sleep.

"This is perfect," she said at last, standing to give Reid a hug. "Thank you, Spence."

"You're welcome," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "I figured, now that you're getting so good at it, you deserve your own set."

A rejuvenating warmth spread through JJ. "Let's play," she said, pulling Reid into the seat beside her.

"But ... aren't you tired?"

"Not anymore," JJ grinned, already beginning to set up her pieces. "Watch out, Boy Genius. You're going down."

***Author Note: OMG #5 ranking in Jeid? I am so honored!! Thank you all so much for the love. You keep me writing!

If you enjoy this fanfiction, please check out my self-published book series on Amazon (see link in my profile). For some Jeid videos I've created, check out my YouTube channel (also linked in my profile). Thanks again for all the support!