This beautiful song I was listening, while I was writing this story . . .
Five For Fighting - Superman
CHAPTER 2
Apartment, 32 min. lat
Spencer unlocked the hard wooden door.
"Ready ?" he turned to her
"Stop, you're scaring me." they smiled and came into the room.
Living room and kitchen had formed one big room. Huge, glass window against the main door.
Living room part on the right.
Kitchen on the left.
It was too dark, too see something more. But she found something.
"Wow." she walked to the bookshelf. "That is the most incredible thing, I'd ever seen."
"Books ?" he asked confused, from the kitchen
"Yeah, I mean . . . story is like a new world. New place where you would exist. New human you would become. And when I see this, I see hundreds of possibilities. And that's amazing . . ." she stopped when she saw Reid's face full of interest.
"It sounds crazy, uh ?"
Claire smiled gently.
"I'd just never heard someone who talks so lovely about reading as you . . . expect her." Reid took a Maeve's photo from the table.
He smiled a bit.
"Can you tell me about her ?" she asked and sat on the couch.
He slowly walked toward her. "Uhm, I don't know what exactly you mean."
"You know it. Her voice, her dreams, her life. Everything you think about, when you hear her name."
She was smiling so soft and honest, that it was impossible to argue.
Her hair were still little wet, but he could see the dark, straight strands and green eyes, which were shining from under hair line.
He sat down next to her, and looked down.
"First time I had heard voice, was when she contacted me almost 2 years
ago. It was 'cause of her job. We were talking more than hour, and when we finished, only one thing I had to think about, was when I'll hear her voice again . . ."
"Did you call her next day ?" she asked and started to drink from her cup of coffee.
"I called her 5 minutes later, and invited her to dinner." he sighed
"5 minutes ? I thought you are not so self-assured."
"That's it, I'm not. I just wanted to be with her again . . . Then she explained me the situation, in which she was. But I must protected her." he breathed deeply.
"Obviously, not very good."
Spencer looked down and stood up.
"Don't blame yourself for it. You don't have a reason . . . "
She stood too, and walked towards him.
"Look Claire, I don't want to be nasty, but that's something what I won't argue about."
She grabbed him by shoulder.
"Spencer, stop please." she whispered
He gave up, and stopped to walk. But didn't turn to her, face to face.
"I don't know you much time, so I don't want to giving you advices about your life. But I can't let you suffer for something you didn't do . . . You know she wouldn't want it."
He sighed painfully.
"You're a best person I'd ever met. Do you know that ?
You had helped a lonely woman to deal with something so terrible and complicated.. And she loved you, 'cause of it. She loved you, because you didn't let her alone when she needed you . . .
Claire suddenly stopped.
She knew, it is not her thing. But she didn't want to see the good man suffer. Something incredible, attracts her to him so much, that she just wanted to delete this circumstances, and start over.
She just wanted one moment. One moment of weakness.
She came so closer to him, that only centimeter divided them.
Their eyes met, that she could feel what he thought about.
He wanted it. But he felt guilt.
Cheating. That it was for him.
One part just wanted to hold her, and never let go.
But somewhere very deep in his soul he was tied to Maeve.
She was too close.
"You can't stop to think about her, do you ?" she asked carefully
He looked down.
"Spencer ?" she whispered confused and touched his hand, but he made a step back.
Claire sighed and smiled weakly.
"I . . . I see."
She made few steps away too.
Spencer licked his lips nervously "I'm sorry."
"You don't have to be.' she smiled again. This time sadly. "I overdo it."
She looked so sad, disappointed.
"Claire, . . ." he said gently
She turned to him.
"Spencer, I understood. And I'm not angry."
"But not happy." he looked at her, first time honestly.
"So, friends ?"
"Friends." he smiled. ". . . for this time, least."
She smiled back. "Least." she repeated. "I like it."
The atmosphere in the room came back to normal.
"So do you want some dry clothes ?" he asked and took empty cups from table.
"If you don't mind, can I take a shower in the first place ?"
"Oh sure, first door on the right. There are the doors to the bedroom. From the wardrobe take what you want." he pointed to the corridor.
"Thank you." she smiled, walking to the bathroom.
. . .
When Claire disappeared behind the door, Spencer took bottles from the floor, hoping she didn't see them.
Then he sat on the kitchen desk.
"What the hell am I doing." he smiled for himself, quietly.
Spencer looked from the window. Still darkness.
It was only few minutes after 4.
When he heard the sound of shower, he began to clean the room, eventually. Files, another bottles, newspapers . . .
17 minutes later, he walked to his bedroom, to wear something not so wet.
"Dr. Reid, your parents didn't teach to knock! . . . " Claire said sarcastically, from the other side of the room.
She wore only his red, long Redskins t-shirt, and wet hair were falling on the shoulders.
The soft light echoed from her a half naked legs.
"Uhm, sorry. I'd just never knock to my own bedroom." he smiled.
"That's okay. I'm done. I just ALWAYS wanted to say it." Claire laughed gently, walking out of the room.
"You can choose some movie to watch. I'll come per minute."
She nodded quickly, and left the room.
Spencer re-wear to the jeans, took his phone and turned it off.
Claire was sitting on the couch, holding few films in a hand.
When she saw him she smiled, guilty.
"I just love old movies."
They laughed.
"I don't want to destroy your dreams, but if we will watch all of these, we'll finish probably around . . . 6pm." he raised his eyebrows, with amused look.
"So, DOCTOR ." she started sarcastically. "Help me choose 5 favorites . . ." she stopped. When Spencer laughed.
"5 ? Really ? You don't have to go to the work ?"
"So 4 . . ." she paused. ". . . Less ? Are you normal ?" she yelled, smiling.
"You need a help, Claire." he laughed again.
"Okay, okay . . . "
she smiled. "3 ? . . . 2 ? . . Oh, come on!"
"You know it's Monday, do you ?"
"So, we must clarify something. . . " she cleared her throat. "You can criticize my cooking or stab me with knife if you want, but if you try to crush my movie addiction I'll throw something to you!"
She was trying to keep serious face.
"Okay, . . ." he smiled gently. "Compromise. 2 movies, now . . . and let me continue , before you grab a knife, please . . ."
Claire laughed, licked her lips.
" . . . and next time I'll officially invite you to real dinner, and very, very long movie night . . ."Spencer smiled. ". . . consider I'm desperate, please." he smirked.
"All right, I do agree, but only if you help me with these." Claire smiled and raised tens of movies.
Spencer smiled again and came to her.
Then he chose one of them and gave it to the player.
Then he sat back to her.
Claire smiled at him, lay on his shoulder and whispered. "This is probably the best night in my life . . ."