AN: Okay, sorry for the wait! I'm so happy because of all the reviews I've received. This is my first fanfic and I'm pretty awkward so I really don't know what to reply to reviews. Sooo, thanks for the ones who took the time to review a chapter and, even if you didn't, thank you for still reading this. :)

Sorry for the long note…

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds


Chapter 4

"I have a joke for you." Ronny said, as they both got comfortable in their seats in the restaurant they were at.

"What is it?" Reid put his messenger bag on the other chair.

"Knock, knock."

"Who's there?"

"Doctor."

"Doctor Who-" He realized what he just said and smiled.

Ronny grinned, "I can't believe you fell for that. Your obsession with Doctor Who astounds me."

Reid chuckled, shaking his head at the joke.

The waitress came and took their orders.

"Why are you here, Ronny?" Reid asked.

"I can't visit you for no reason? The last time we met was cut too short."

They hadn't met since Manhattan. They talked on the phone though, often at random times.

"And it was just a coincidence that I have a meeting in DC."

"Speaking of. You haven't told me what you do for a living." Reid stated, mumbling a "thanks" to the waitress when she gave them their orders.

Reid arranged his sandwich before eating it.

"I'm a commissioning editor for a publishing house in New York."

"What did you major in?"

"English Literature at Columbia." She drank some water and smiled at him proudly, "I might not have PhDs or whatever but I did go to an ivy league and graduate with honors."

He knew she liked to read and that se was smart, she kept up with (almost) all of his jokes, but he wouldn't have figured that would be the course she would take.

Ronny leafed through her salad, looking for chinks of chicken and eating them, "So, what's our itinerary?"

Reid frowned, "I didn't know we had one." He frowned deeper when she shook her head disapprovingly, even when she had a teasing smile on her face, "Was I supposed to make one?"

"I'm the one visiting."

"But your family has a house here, don't you already know your way around?"

It was one of their earlier topics when they formed their friendship, why she was in DC when they first met.

"Yeah, but it's always different when somebody else shows it to me." She shook her head, "Never mind. I'm sure we'll find something to do."

They alternated on going to their favorite places; Ronny showed him stores and thrift shops she liked that were hidden in alleys and streets, Reid showed her coffee shops he went to, to read and specific bookstores that sold all kinds of different books.

A type of place they both had in common were parks. Parks that had chess tournaments that Reid went to, sunny parks where Ronny liked to just hand out. Which is why they ended up in one, having bought a deck of cards in a nearby convenience store and sat on a bench, playing card games.

"Do you have any nines?" Ronny asked.

Reid shook his head, "Nope."

Ronny got a card from the deck, "This is way harder with only two people." Ronny mumbled.

"Why did you suggest we play it?"

"Ehh, because I haven't played this in ages.

"Do you have any aces?" Reid asked.

Ronny narrowed her eyes at Reid and handed over her three aces.

She set down her cards and leaned back on the bench.

"I should have brought a book, I bet you wouldn't object to just spending the day here, reading."

"No, I wouldn't but you're here. Wouldn't we be just wasting your time here if we did that?"

"Not really. I'm here for a couple of days. The author's a bit… weird about scheduling and he's stubborn too." She shrugged.

He got his messenger bag; he always had a book or two in it.

One was The Old Man and The Sea, the other was The Narrative of John Smith, the one Maeve gave him.

"May I?" Ronny asked, gesturing towards the two books in his hands.

He couldn't say no.

"I've read this before." Ronny said, waving the first book. She got Maeve's book and opened it to read the summary.

Maeve's not caught her eye first.

She smiled at the note, "Thomas Merton." Her brows furrowed like she was thinking and nodded, ""If a man is to live, he must be all alive, body, soul, mind, heart, spirit."" She turned to him, "Where is your heart, my friend?" She implored.

It was a topic they didn't much dwell on.

His phone rang before he could answer her. He let out a breath of relief.

He fished his phone and read the message.

"What's up?" Ronny asked, tilting her head to see his expression.

He shook his head, "Work."

"You're kidding." Ronny said incredulously, "It's a Saturday."

Reid just shrugged and stood up.

Ronny gave both books to Reid.

"Do you need a ride somewhere?" Reid asked.

"I'm good. I like the fresh air and I need to make some calls. I'll catch a cab later."

"Should I call you when I get back?"

"Yes, you should. I might still be in town."

Garcia texted him again

This was one of the few awkward parts of their "friendship".

Should they hug goodbye? Wave? Should Ronny kiss his cheek like she does to some of her friends?

They did neither.

Ronny kicked Reid softly on his leg, "Stop staring and go to work."

Reid nodded, "I'll see you later."


Reid would always keep busy on the plane ride back to DC. He would play card games or sleep. He always felt a sense of accomplishment for helping solve the case but it wouldn't change that lives were lost and families grieved for lost ones. So he would try to do everything he can just so he won't stay still and think of the casualties.

On that flight, he couldn't think of anyone but her. He couldn't bring out a deck of cards and start a game of poker with Morgan without thinking of his game of Go Fish with Ronny. He would try to sleep but he couldn't relax without thinking about her. He tried to read but when he saw Maeve's book or The Old Man and The Sea, he kept remembering the quote she said and the question she asked.

"Reid."

He didn't like it.

"Hey, pretty boy."

It wasn't fin. It wasn't like what she said was wrong. It was what e was "thinking" didn't feel right to him.

Maybe it was because he usually didn't leave things unresolved with Ronny and that particular topic was unfinished.

"Reid"

Reid blinked back and looked at Morgan, "Yes?"

The others were staring at the exchange.

"Are you okay? You were miles away." Morgan said.

Reid furrowed his brows and looked out the window, "It's just…" Ronny, "Nothing."

Morgan raised an eyebrow at his answer.

Reid shook his head but didn't say anything else.


Ronny finished her meeting with the author and had called her assistant to have files she needed faxed to her.

"Have the other files ready for me when I get back and check the details of my flight."

"The files are on your desk and I already book your flight and emailed you the details."

"Thanks, Pam. I'll be meeting with George from production when I get back."

Ronny was fair to her colleagues and employees. That earned her the loyalty and respect of most of the people she worked with.

"You're booked that day."

"The next?"

"Book fair."

There was a pause.

"There's a schedule on your tablet."

"I forgot my tablet."

"Are you okay? That's not like you."

If Pam was anything, she was honest.

Ronny smoothed down the skirt of her dress. She was wearing a fit, white dress that ended a few inches above her knees, a dark, red blazer and white pumps.

"I know. I was in a rush." She shook her head, "Never mind. Set a video meet with George tomorrow morning and give me the details."

"Got it. Anything else?"

"Update me on my schedule when I get back."

Ronny felt rushed when she learned about the meeting in DC.

She felt excited. It was like tempting fate when she saw Reid. Sure, they talked on the phone and had their fair share of texts (Reid didn't like texting), but seeing him actually made him real for her.

She was about to ask the receptionist to call a cab when Reid called her cell.

"Hi."

"Hey, I'm back in DC. Do you want to have dinner?"

"I already ate." Ronny replied.

"Oh." Reid didn't expect her to say no, he just became comfortable with calling her freely. This was… sufficiently awkward for him, "Well…"

It had taken him the entire duration of his flight to make up his mind to call her.

"I can keep you company if you like. Can you pick me up though?"

Reid didn't even realize he was holding his breath.

"Where are you?"

Ronny waited in the lobby. She was impatient. She always had something to do, in her career; she was always holding papers, reading through contracts or manuscripts, letters or files. Sometimes she played games in her tablet while waiting for authors.

She knew something was off with Reid when Ronny entered the car.

She slightly panicked and looked at him warily.

She actually flinched when he spoke.

"Her name's Maeve."

She let out a breath of relief and her shoulders slumped. She leaned back on the seat, "Okay."

He looked sad, "She was…. Everything. She kept up with me. She l-loved me and-"

It was the stutter that made Ronny put a hand on his arm.

"Spence," she said, "I don't need to know."

"But-"

"We're not strangers anymore. We're friends." She dropped her hand, "If you feel as if I'm pushing you to tell me something you're not comfortable telling me, then that's my fault. That's it, though; you don't have to tell me everything to me. We can just hang out. Enjoy each other's company. You know, what friends do." She pulled back her hand, "And if you think I've earned your trust enough that we can really talk about the things we've shared before, I'll be ready to make fruity cocktails and braid your hair."

Reid was used to her quips about his hair. He chose not to think too deeply, because he was Reid, he always thought deeply.

"Doesn't that mean I have to earn your trust, too?"

"Honey, it's not in your nature to betray a friend."

"So you would tell me everything now?"

"No."
"Why not?"

"You really want me to recount the whole 24 years of my existence now?"

"No..."

Silences were normal for them. They didn't expect awkward silences that occur in other friendships to happen in that moment.

But Ronny smiled at theirs. She was fine with awkward moments. It was normal. Reid was anything but normal. It felt…

She didn't need that now.

Ronny looked back at Reid, brushing her hair back, "Talking made me hungry and I know where we should at." Ronny slipped off her heels and nodded at Reid, "I'll drive."

Ronny discarded the earlier meal she had consisting of soup and a salad and decided that today was her cheat day.

She made Reid go out of the car while se clambered over to the driver's seat; she slipped and almost honked the horn. Reid came back in and sat on the passenger seat.

It was always so easy with Ronny but he found it hard to say anything that night, so he didn't say anything.

He deemed it the right choice since the tension in the car lightened up.

He inhaled deeply that resulted to a yawn.

"Take a nap. In this traffic, we'll get there in half an hour, at least." Ronny said, noticing him go a bit slower.

Reid nodded; his last thought was of how weird it was to see Ronny's heels beside his messenger bag on the backseat of his car.


AN: I have mixed feelings about this chapter, but I think I managed to write what I meant to.

Any thoughts? Reviews? :)