***Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds, yet ... ;)

Reid held his position by the elevators, his eyes locked on JJ. This plan didn't feel right to him. No plan that put JJ in harm's way was ever an option in his mind. But here they were, standing guard as a sea of costumed strangers ebbed and flowed around the hotel lobby and into various channels.

"I feel weird just standing here," JJ said over her mouthpiece, wrapping one ponytail around and around her finger. "Should I look like I'm doing something?"

"She should go to the restaurant bar," Tara spoke over the shared line. "The Unsub will probably go somewhere more relaxed to stake out his next victim."

Reid shuddered, his fingers jumping into action by his sides. "Copy that. I'll keep eyes on JJ."

When no one dissented, Reid lumbered in the direction of the hotel restaurant, which had been decorated for the occasion to resemble Pop's Diner from the Archie comics. The '50s theme reverberated around the room as superheroes toasted one another with chocolate milkshakes and waitresses glided around on roller skates.

JJ perched herself at the end of the bar, lifting a finger to motion to the barkeep.

"Order something heavy on the alcohol," Tara whispered from her vantage point near the front desk. "Then spill most of it. It'll make you look vulnerable to him."

Reid wobbled into a corner booth, ignoring the stares of teenage girls dressed as mutant ninja turtles at the table next to him. He shimmied out of his mask, grateful for the reprieve.

"Cosmopolitan," JJ said to the barkeep, pausing to tighten one of her pigtails.

This went on for quite some time, JJ sipping away at her drink while casually sloshing some onto the floor when she thought no one was looking. Reid ordered himself a basket of fries, just to keep the table, and the waitress looked none too happy returning once again to ask if he wanted anything else.

Just then, a pale-faced man with a red-lipped smile wandered up to JJ. His hair was dyed green and slicked back, his hands snug in the pockets of his white pants. Reid sssh'd the waitress and sent her away, grumpy and red-faced.

"Fancy seeing you here, m'lady," the Joker said, tipping his head to bow at JJ.

JJ forced out a giggle. "Nice hair. I'm guessing that's not your natural color."

The Joker wheezed a laugh. Reid gritted his teeth. "Time to move in?"

Emily was the first to respond. "We don't know that it's him. He could be just another geek flirting with JJ."

Reid's insides burned at her comment, but he knew she was right. They needed proof that this was the Unsub.

"I just love your pigtails," the Joker said, extending a hand. "May I?"

"Be my guest," JJ said, her disgust cleverly disguised by the salty glass poised at her lips. She turned her head to the right, forcing the Joker to go for the pigtail nearest him, instead of the one concealing her earpiece.

Reid bristled as he watched the Joker stroke JJ's hair. This was unbearable. A shiver inched down his spine, urging him to get up and defend her, but he stayed put.

"Any action out in the lobby?" Emily asked over the coms.

"I've got six Harleys in my vicinity," Simmons spoke up over the loud chattering of the crowd. "All with friends."

"I've got eight over here," Alvez announced from his spot by the elevators. "Make that nine."

"So far I've seen about twenty Jokers," Rossi piped up. "And that's only the ones dressed like it."

"No, this is definitely him," Reid said, frowning as the Joker pawed at JJ's bare arm.

"He does give off a creepy vibe," Tara agreed. "But it's still too early to tell."

Some profiler you are, Reid resisted saying as he munched angrily on his now-soggy French fries.

"I've got a Joker hitting on a Quinn out here," Emily said. "Wait, never mind, they're husband and wife. I see the rings."

Just then, JJ nodded at the green dweeb in front of her and began to follow him out of the restaurant. Reid watched as she plucked out the earpiece and left it on the bar. Smart move, considering the Joker was bound to discover it sooner or later, but this would severely hinder the team's communications with her. Reid lunged out of the booth, wrestling a twenty out of his wallet before scurrying after them.

"They're on the move," he breathed into his mouthpiece.

"Tara, Reid, you two follow them," Emily instructed. "Hang back, though. And don't make yourselves known until you're positive it's him."

Reid rolled his eyes up to the ceiling, but did as he was told. Together, they hung back by the elevators until JJ and the Joker were out of sight, then made a beeline for the stairwell.

"You check second floor, I'll check third!" Tara shouted at him, and Reid scrambled up the steps, his sweaty body sloshing around inside the giant green costume.

"Oooh, floor number four," JJ purred over the coms then. "My favorite number."

"Floor four!" Reid barked, continuing his ascent, Tara at his heels.

"If you move over, I can pass you," she said behind him, but Reid ignored her. Sure, his costume was slowing him down a bit, but he would not let JJ down.

Panting, Reid and Tara burst onto the fourth floor just in time to see a door close down the hall. "They're inside!" Reid gasped over the line, approaching the room with as much stealth as his big monster feet could muster. "Do we go in?"

"Hold tight," Emily instructed, causing Reid's anger to flare. "JJ will let us know what's going on. Trust her."

Reid sidled up against the wall beside room 411. Tara crossed the doorway to stand opposite him, her hand hovering over her gun.

"We'll break the door down if we have to," she whispered to Reid, her eyes singing with apology. "Don't worry; she'll be fine."

Reid pinched his eyes closed, hyper-focused on the sounds inside the room. He heard the flush of a toilet, and found himself wishing that JJ would stay by herself in the bathroom, locked away and hidden until the Joker was detained.

The sound of a door hinge creaking open was followed by the Joker's nasally voice. Reid couldn't make out what was said, but he frowned as the voice grew louder, and louder, and louder.

"How do you feel about role play?"

Reid clenched his fists at his sides as JJ giggled in response. "That depends. What role am I?"

"Oh, I think you know," the Joker answered, followed by a muffled noise that sounded like a potato chip bag being smushed.

"What was that?" Reid mouthed to Tara. In his haste, he'd accidentally left his mask back in the restaurant booth.

"Her com," she mouthed back. "He must have rubbed up against it."

Reid cringed at her choice of wording, feeling ill. "Do you think he found it?"

"No, I buried it pretty deep. She should be fine, as long as he doesn't take off her bra."

Reid leaned against the wall, his head swaying. He felt like he could throw up. "And if he does?"

Almost as if in response to his question, Reid heard JJ say, "Oh, um, I actually like to leave it on. I feel sexier that way. Do you mind?"

The Joker chuckled. "No, at least, not for now. Maybe you'll change your mind later."

Reid shot Tara a glare. This was all her fault. She had suggested JJ play the part of the prey.

"She'll be fine," Tara said again, but Reid wasn't listening. He was too busy analyzing every sound coming through JJ's mouthpiece.

"What are you doing with that?" she asked, her voice slightly higher in pitch than usual.

A snap echoed over the line. Reid reached for his gun, but paused when Tara stretched out a hand to ward him off.

"Not yet," she mouthed, sending Reid into a panic.

"Then when?" he shot back, spit flying from his mouth.

Tara placed a finger to her lips. They listened as the sound of a seatbelt being stretched over a torso filled their ears.

"So this is how you like it?" JJ asked in a tantalizing voice. "Tying girls up?"

Reid switched the safety off on his gun. He looked over at Tara, who seemed unsure.

"Prentiss," she said in a tight voice, "are we good?"

Before their boss could reply, Reid heard a thud. He leveled his shoulder and rammed every ounce of his weight into the door. It gave way easily, and, thanks to the thick costume, the impact didn't hurt at all.

Tara strode into the room behind Reid, both of their guns aimed at the Joker. But the Joker, to their surprise, was already lying on the floor, unconscious.

JJ lay prostrate on the bed, her wrists tied to the bedpost behind her head. Her costume had been stripped off her to reveal a red bra and matching lacy underwear. Reid rushed over to her, averting his eyes out of respect as he fumbled with the ties around her wrists.

"He had a bat," JJ said, her eyes wide and glossy. "I saw it in the shower."

"And you didn't tell us then?" Tara asked, crouching down to take the Joker's pulse.

"He made me leave the door open. So I waited until he got too close, and then I kneed him where it hurts."

"I'll say," Tara grinned, rising from her position on the floor. "This guy's out cold."

"I may have kicked him in the head after," JJ continued. "Just to be sure."

Reid leaned over JJ's upper body to release her other hand. As he did, he looked down at her face, his eyes blinking with the sudden onset of hot tears.

"I'm okay," she whispered to him, smiling as he set her hand free. "Spence."

Reid sniffed, dragging his furry arm across his face to wipe away the tears. "Come on. Let's get you dressed."

"Emily," Tara said over the line, her hand to her right ear. "We got him."

~

On the plane ride home, JJ sat by the window with her knees tucked up to her chest. Her hair fell down on each side, with small bumps near the top of her head where her pigtails had been. She nursed a cup of hot chocolate in her hands.

Reid emerged from the back of the jet carrying a soft fleece blanket. As he approached their twin seats, he held the blanket out and draped it over her knees. JJ smiled, then lifted up one side of the blanket to let him in, too.

"Awww," Emily cooed from across the table. "Looks like someone was worried about you."

"I'll say," Tara added from beside Emily. "He practically bowled me over knocking down that door."

Reid blushed as JJ's gaze fell upon him. Underneath the blanket, he felt her take his hand.

When they finally reached the safe haven of the BAU, Reid lingered in the office, waiting for the rest of the team to leave for the night. JJ was doing the same, her shaking hands adjusting and readjusting the photos on her desk.

When the coast was finally clear, Reid walked up to her and leaned against the side of her desk. "You okay?"

JJ looked up, her hair falling into her face. "Yeah! Yeah. Just tidying up a bit."

Reid nodded. "Tough day, huh?"

A guttural laugh escaped JJ's lips. "Eh, I've dealt with worse."

Reid studied her for a while, curious. JJ wasn't meeting his eyes. Had he done something wrong? Was she embarrassed about something?

"I shouldn't have doubted you," Reid said at last, earning a surprised look from JJ. "You're the strongest woman I know. I guess I was just scared that, after everything it took to get us to this point, I was going to lose you all over again."

JJ stood up, wrapping her arms around him. "Spence."

They hugged in silence for a beat, until Reid felt JJ pull away.

"Look," she said, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "I know that was probably awful for you, having to stand there and listen to all that."

"Awful for me? What about you?"

JJ's lips puckered as she considered this. "I guess it was awful all the way around."

Reid sighed. "I'm just glad you're okay."

JJ beamed. "Thanks to you."

"Thanks to you," Reid grinned, poking her on the shoulder. "You knocked him unconscious before we even got in the room!"

JJ shrugged, a smirk playing across her face. Reid reached out to take her hand.

"You know, if you don't want to be alone tonight, I could come by ..."

JJ smiled, her eyes brightening. "As much as I would love that, I kind of already texted Will and asked if I could see the boys. Days like these just really get to me, and it helps to see their faces, you know?"

Reid nodded, hiding his disappointment. "Absolutely. Tell them I said hi."

JJ squeezed his hand. "Rain check?"

Reid squeezed back, his chest opening with relief and glee. "Rain check."

***Author Note: I hope y'all enjoyed this one! I promise, the "rain check" is coming, so don't fret. Lots of steamy Jeid scenes to come. :P And I would've published this chapter sooner, except I've been putting the finishing touches on my third book, which is coming out January 5th! If you enjoy this fanfiction, you'll definitely like my YA series, so please check out my self-published books 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 (and again and again and again) for all the support!