***Disclaimer: For the final time, I do not own Criminal Minds.

(One year later)

"Spence, what is all this about?" JJ asked Reid as he pulled her by the crook of the arm toward the basketball court.

"I told you, we're playing a game."

"But you hate sports."

"I do not," Reid argued, motioning to his baggy athletic shorts. "Would I own a pair of these if I hated sports?"

"Yeah, because Morgan got them for you for Christmas," JJ snickered. "Seriously, what is with the nerd/jock combo?" She was referring to the tiny black bowtie that hung just below his Adam's apple. He had paired it with a white collared shirt and the aforementioned grey-and-red-striped athletic shorts, which he'd cut the price tag off of just moments ago.

Meanwhile, JJ herself was wearing an off-the-shoulder pink sweater and jeans, plus her running shoes, at Reid's insistence.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Reid said with a grin. "Ah, here it is!"

JJ cocked an eyebrow. "A basketball? Since when do you own a basketball?"

"I don't," Reid answered seamlessly. "I borrowed one from your neighbors."

JJ stood still, hands on her hips, trying to decode the strange behavior that Reid was so focused on concealing. He looked back at her, then bounced the basketball in her direction. JJ leaned to the side to catch it and just prevented it from hurtling across the court toward the big oak tree the boys had carved their names into one afternoon.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" she asked, spinning the basketball on the tip of her pointer finger.

Reid gawked. JJ beamed, her cheeks reddening just enough to make her hands sweaty. Her grip loosened on the ball, and it went dribbling over toward Reid, who scooped it up.

"Not bad," Reid grinned, walking over to her with the ball in a clear example of illegal traveling. "So here's what I'm thinking. The first to ten baskets wins."

JJ bit her lip. "Are you being serious right now?"

"What, you think I can't beat you?" Reid asked, laying one hand across his heart as if he'd just been terribly insulted. This caused his other hand to drop the ball ... right onto his foot. "Agh!"

"Smooth," JJ cooed, bending over to retrieve the ball. "Spence, why are we out here? Is this some early mid-life crisis thing?"

Massaging his toe through his sneakers, Reid replied, "Me thinks the lady doth protest too much."

"Me thinks the lady wants to know what her boyfriend is up to."

Reid cracked a smile. "Fine. If you must know, I was trying to be romantic. Our first date was at a football game. You told me you loved me during an (albeit twisted) game of Truth or Dare. Between all the escape rooms and the chess matches, it seemed only fitting to determine the true Master of Games out here, on the court, where our skills are somewhat even ... at least, so I thought, until I saw you do that ball spinning thing."

JJ smirked. "What made you think we would be evenly matched at a game of basketball?"

Reid's shoulders bounced up and down as he shrugged. "You're more coordinated, but I'm taller. You know speed and finesse, I know physics."

Before she could help it, JJ barked out a laugh. "Okay, your funeral. What does this Master of Games win?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out," Reid repeated again, and JJ rolled her eyes, irritated.

"Well, what if I don't like the prize?"

"Oh, believe me," Reid grinned, "you'll like it."

JJ narrowed her eyes, trying to get a good read on him. After all this time, Spence still managed to surprise her now and then. This was definitely one of those times.

"Alright," she agreed at last, tossing him the ball. "You're on."

~

"Foul!" Reid cried out as JJ laced both arms around his chest in an attempt to steal the ball. He pivoted on his heel, launched himself into the air, and his shot ... went wide.

"Ha!" JJ cheered, diving after it. "Still 7-5, me. How's that physics working out for you, Doctor Reid?"

Reid fought to contain the smile that begged to creep onto his face. "Genius Doctor Reid's letting you win. But no more!"

As play continued, JJ and Reid began to bend the rules in more and more creative ways. When JJ had the ball, Reid stood on his tip-toes with both hands raised in the air, creating an impenetrable blockade. JJ reacted by tickling him under the armpits, which only backfired as the gesture allowed her grip to lax just long enough for Reid to seize the ball.

One basket later, Reid wrapped his arms around JJ's back, picking her up and spinning her around until they both became dizzy. JJ shrieked, stumbling as he finally let go before plopping down onto the pavement on his butt.

"8-6," JJ said, waving her fingers in his face. "Two more and I win!"

After helping Reid up, JJ handed him the ball for his turn, and then planted a kiss on his lips for good measure. Reid sank into the kiss, distracted, which allowed JJ to yank the ball away and sink it into the net.

"9-6!" she hollered, shimmying left to right in satisfaction. "Feeling nervous, Spence?"

Reid grinned. "You might wanna check your top," he said, motioning to his own upper chest area. As JJ glanced down in shock, Reid delivered an easy layup into the basket.

"Bam!" He celebrated, pecking her on the forehead. "Sorry, babe. I had to."

"That was low," she fumed, snatching the ball away from him. "My turn."

This time, as JJ approached the net, Reid held back. Rather than fighting tooth and nail to stop her, he leaned down to fumble with the oversized pockets on his shorts, his eyes never leaving JJ's triumphant form.

"That makes 10!" she squealed, jumping up and down. "You didn't even try to stop me! Spence—"

JJ's words were cut off as she glanced down, taking in the sight of Reid stooped over on one knee, his hands holding a small rectangular box.

"Jennifer Jareau," he breathed, cracking the box open to reveal a sparkling diamond ring. "Will you marry me?"

Not a sound left JJ's mouth for a good seven seconds as she stared at Reid, his cute little bowtie, the beautiful silver ring balanced in his quivering hands. But then, after catching her breath, she clasped his hands in hers.

"Yes," JJ answered, her voice a whisper. "Of course. Always."

Reid jumped up, catching her in his arms and spinning her around like they had done so many times over the years. Only this time, it felt different. This time, she was really, truly, irrevocably his. To have and to hold. To love and to cherish.

After enjoying a passionate kiss, the pair separated just long enough for Reid to slide the ring onto JJ's finger. Then, they kissed again.

"I wish I wasn't all sweaty," JJ cringed, pulling apart to brush the hair out of Reid's eyes.

"Nah, I love it when you're all sweaty," Reid said, then blushed as the meaning of his words caught up with him. "I mean, I love you all the time, no matter what you look like. You're always beautiful to me."

JJ felt her heart swoon as she cupped his cheeks in her palms. "I've always loved you," she said, smiling, "and I always will."

Reid could not remember a time in his life when he'd ever smiled wider than he was right now, here in the arms of his best friend and future wife. "I've always loved you, and I always will," he promised her back.

"I guess we didn't need a parallel universe after all," JJ beamed, her eyes sparkling with happy tears. "We made our own."

"Actually, I believe the term you're looking for is multiverse, which is the existence of more than one parallel—"

JJ silenced him with another kiss. Then, as she pulled back, "What about the boys? Oh gosh, I should've checked with them before saying yes. Henry is probably going to be furious with me. You know how kids get when their parents remarry."

"Actually," Reid said again, placing both hands on her shoulders, "I already asked them. They gave us their blessing."

Frozen, JJ sputtered, "Wait, you ... what?"

"Come on out, guys!"

At the sound of Reid's voice, JJ's sons appeared from behind the big oak tree. Henry carried a bouquet of fresh roses, and as he scampered over to JJ, another voice could be heard.

"Wait, no, boys! A little help?"

JJ turned to look at Reid, just as a body dropped out of the tree. Penelope Garcia lay sprawled out on the grass, her glasses askew, her purse spilling feather pens and bottles of nail polish all over the ground.

"Oh!" JJ gasped, dashing over to Garcia. "Penelope, are you okay?"

Garcia waved her hand, then allowed JJ to pull her upright. Before she could even find her balance she was leaning over JJ, screaming, "I knew it! I knew you'd say yes!"

JJ glanced over at Reid, who was high-fiving the boys. "You had this all planned out, huh?"

"Mommy, does this mean Spencer is our godfather and our stepfather?" Henry blurted out, still holding the flowers.

JJ took them from him. "I guess so, hon."

Henry turned to his brother, a devilish grin on his face. "Cool!"

Laughing, JJ gave each of her sons a big hug, her eyes welling up with new tears. She couldn't believe it. All of her wishes had come true. Spence, her first love, soon to be her forever love. She and Will were in a good place, the boys were happy, and everyone was still a family. She couldn't ask for anything more.

As Garcia began to play Horse with JJ's sons, Reid wrapped an arm around JJ's shoulder. "You okay?"

JJ smiled, wiping her eyes. "I'm perfect. Spence, that was ... just, amazing. You know me so well."

"Well," Reid grinned, "we have had a lot of years to get to know each other."

Leaning her head on his shoulder, JJ smiled. "And now, we'll have a lot more."

Reid grinned, rubbing her back. "An infinity of more."

***Author Note: There it is, folks! The final chapter of this fanfiction. I honestly debated so many different scenarios for the proposal, and this one just felt right: simple, playful, and beautiful. That being said, if you have any other dream Jeid proposals in mind, I would love to hear them! Maybe I'll even incorporate one into my next Jeid fanfic? ;)

I can't thank you dedicated readers enough for believing in this story. My heart warms at every single comment, like, and follow. I'll be taking a fanfic writing break for the holidays, and so I can focus on the release of my next book, but come February I hope to be back with fresh ideas and a new story. :)

If you enjoy this fanfiction, 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 times infinity for all the support!