Hello People!
Well, here it is, the big chapter i've been promising! it tookme a while, but I think it was worth it! As always, letme know what you think!
Knock knock knock
"Excuse me ma'am." Mellody pushed the already ajar door further open, spying Strauss playing idly with the books on the shelf behind her.
"Ah Mellody, come in and sit." Strauss said in her usually firm manner, never turning to look at Mellody. Mellody quietly did as she was told and sat in front of the desk.
"Mellody I'm putting you in charge of the Unit Christmas party. I need a finalized budget in 3 weeks."
"Wait, what?"
Strauss turned but still didn't meet Mellody's eyes. "You have about two months to get everything ready."
"What?"
"That's all." She finally glanced up and looked at Mellody. "You're free to go." And with that she grabbed a folder off her desk and marched out the door. Mellody stared after her, mouth gaping.
Strauss hurried out of her office, scanning around hurriedly. She glanced around at the top of the stairs until she caught the man she was looking for. As she walked towards him, she couldn't help but study his features, though she could only see his back. Was his hair slightly less gray than usual? She never would have pegged him as the hair dying type. Personally, she liked it with a little gray in it; it made him look more rugged and- no stop! She chided herself for letting her thoughts get away from her. At work, he was just-
"Agent Rossi, a word?"
Rossi turned and caught her in his eyes. Oh, his eyes. They were so amazing. Those brown-almost-black eyes were laughing, and gazing at her as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. Oh, wait. Profiler. Right. He probably did know what she was thinking.
She cursed mildly to herself as she pulled him off to the side. Then she said, "Mellody is planning the Christmas Party, just like you told me to do. Now I think you owe me."
David smiled and leaned to whisper in her ear. "Come to my house tonight, and you'll find a bottle of 1995 Gazin Pomerol Merlot and a meal of your choice waiting for you."
Strauss fought the blush successfully, but she couldn't look David in the eye as she said "I meant you owe me an explanation. Such as, why did I just force one of my agents to plan the party that the BAU is famous for?'
Rossi looked disappointed but he shrugged his shoulders, and Strauss pretended not to be mesmerized by the movement.
"I don't know. I'm just following orders."
"Orders? From who?"
Rossi turned and nodded towards the rest of his team. Strauss followed his gaze and immediately found the one calling the shots. His hair was longer than the last time she'd really looked at him. He had one side of his brown hair tucked behind his ear, and the other side dangling, framing his elegantly angled face. His brown eyes, which had once been dull and lifeless, shone bright, brighter every day. And right now they were fixed decidedly on Rossi and Strauss.
"Never mind," she told Rossi, struggling to pull away from the young man's gaze. "If it has to do with him and Mellody, I don't want to know." She turned to walk away, but called over her shoulder, "6 o'clock. Chicken Alfredo. And the Alfredo had better be home-made."
Behind her, she heard Rossi chuckle, and she could feel his gaze against her back. "I wouldn't make it any other way."
Mellody was staring at the paper spread all across the table; the exact same position she had been in for over an hour. It had been two weeks since Strauss had assigned her party detail, and with one week left before the budget was due, she had almost everything planned out. All that was missing was the most important thing: the venue. And with nowhere to hold the party, it was likely that there wouldn't be a party. Needless to say she was slightly stressed.
She jumped when a pair of arms slid around her waist, and then sighed as a familiar set of lips pressed against her head.
"Mel, you shouldn't stress so much. You're freaking yourself out."
She sighed. He had no idea. He had no clue that part of her stress was because of him.
On top of having this party forced upon her, at the exact same time, Spencer started to get busy. So busy, in fact, that they hadn't had a proper date since their two year anniversary almost 3 months ago. Any time they had any time alone, it was always cut short by the massive amount of private consults that Hotch sent Reid on. At first it was just annoying, but at least he was at home at night. At least they could sleep side by side. But now he was gone most of the night, slipping into bed around 3 or 4 in the morning. And she was beginning to wonder if he was distancing himself on purpose.
Being in his arms now, warm and secure, erased these fears. And everything else erase as he trailed soft kisses along her jawline.
"I know a magic trick that will make you feel better."
She chuckled and leaned her head back into him, enjoying the feel of his lips on her skin. "It better be a good one."
"Oh it is. I can make you all your stress disappear with six simple words."
"Oh? And what words do you mean?"
She could practically hear the smile in his voice as he leaned in a whispered, in a smooth, low, sexy voice that sent shivers up her spine, "You. Me. Doctor Who. Chinese Take-out."
Mellody laughed and twisted in his arms so she was facing him. "To be quiet honest, you could have been muttering complete non-sense in that voice, and I probably would have melted, but the fact that you said those words in that voice makes me realize just how much I love you."
Reid leaned in and kissed her on the nose. "And I you."
Mellody kissed him on the lips, and then twisted out of his arms. "You order the food, I'll start the show."
She left him go and wandered to her movie rack, where she had every season, movie, special, and series of Doctor who. "New version or old?"
"Let watch the new ones. I'm thinking the Eleventh Doctor today."
"Ok sounds good. I always enjoy looking at Matt Smith's butt." She said just quietly enough that he wouldn't be able to make out what she said.
"What did you say?" he looked at her, confused.
"Nothing, just that Matt is a good actor."
"Oh, ok" he turned back to the phone and began to order.
Mellody grabbed one of her many DVD's and popped in her favorite episode. In truth, Matt Smith was her favorite Doctor, and not because she thought he had a nice butt. She loved how his childish antics hid the darker side of him so well.
Reid sat on the couch next to Mellody as she turned on the episode.
"Which one are we watching?" He asked.
"When a good man goes to war."
"Oh that is a great episode. Steven Moffat did a great job writing it."
Within half an hour, the food had arrived and in another thirty minutes, it was gone and they were on to another episode. They had just turned on "Let's Kill Hitler" when Reid's phone began to ring.
Mellody glanced at her boyfriend as he pulled out his phone and looked at the screen. She watched as he sighed.
"It's Hotch, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it is."
She sighed too. "He sure has been sending you on a lot of private consults."
"Yeah, he has. He wants me there now." Reid glanced down at Mellody and he read the disappointment on her face like a book. "I'm sorry." He wrapped his arms tight around her. "I know it's been tough lately."
"Yeah, but I know it has to be done. And who knows, maybe you're going to get a raise or something. I just miss you. But I wish I had something to occupy me while you are gone."
"You have the party."
Mellody rolled her eyes. "Planning that party doesn't keep me occupied. It just makes me want to slam my head against something. Hard."
Reid laughed and kissed Mellody's head. "I wouldn't do that. You would have to go to the hospital."
She shuddered in mock horror, a curled in closer to him. "Or you could just kiss me and make it better," she said teasingly. She grinned and waited for him to blush. Even after two years together, he still blushed when she mentioned her kissing him, or touching him, or really when she teased him at all. But she just found it endearing. He was just so sweet and innocent. But she was the one blushing when she saw the gleam in his beautiful, smoldering eyes.
"Sounds like the best medicine ever," he murmured, before he pulled her close and locked his lips with hers.
"Rose, I have no idea what to do!" Mellody moaned as Rose brought her a 7-up and a bowl of cherries. "I have two days left, and every place in town is booked! I have nowhere to hold the party! It's going to be the laughing stock of the entire FBI!"
Rose made a face. She had finally managed to force the truth out of Mellody about where she worked, and it was worse than she had ever imagined. Now whenever Mellody disappeared, Rose spent her time checking the news, praying that she wouldn't come across any bad news. As they say, no news is good news. As long as there was no news about any injured or dead FBI agents, Rose could breath, because that meant Mellody and Spencer were safe.
Spencer had been more or less adopted into the family that was made up out of the "Bobbi's" patrons. Rose was rather found of Spencer, especially since he made Mellody happy. As long as he did that, he was welcome at "Bobbi's" any day.
"And then there's Spence."
The tone in Mellody's voice made Rose think that boy might not be welcome for much longer.
"Rose, I don't know what to do anymore. We don't get to spend any time together anymore. I don't know why, but it's just-"Rose watched in horror as Mellody's blue-green eyes began to fill and shimmer with unshed tears. "I just don't know why I feel this way. It's stupid. I know how he acted the last time we spent any time together. He was amazing and brilliant. But I haven't seen him in almost four days, and he hasn't texted or called or anything. I know he's busy, but this distance has been growing for so long, and I'm scared that he's doing it on purpose." The tears began falling fast.
"Oh honey," Rose came around the bar and wrapped her arms around Mellody. "Would it help if I tell you I always thought he was too big for his britches?"
"No" she whipped her tears away angrily. "Ugg this is so stupid. I can't believe this. Why am I crying!?"
Mellody look at Rose pleadingly, and Rose felt horrible. Here was this sad girl who was angry at herself and embarrassed at her own reaction to heartbreak. A girl who was tough as steel, but couldn't understand her own emotions.
"You're crying because you're sad and hurt, Mel. It happens, and when it does, you're allowed to let yourself cry. If you don't, you might just erupt in an angry, sobbing mess."
"Ugg, but this sucks." Mellody leaned against her friend, trying to dry her tears.
"Well, Melly, I can solve one of your problems, but I can only advise you on the other."
"Which one can you solve?"
"Well, I have a door leading to an abandoned ally, and I have a shotgun and a shovel upstairs-"
Mellody laughed shakily and sat up. "Rose you are not killing Spencer."
Rose smiled at the girl. "But was a tempting idea, wasn't it?"
Mellody shook her head.
"Oh fine, spoilsport. But no. Spencer is the one I can only advise you on. Just talk to the boy. Tell him how you're feeling and try and work it out together. That boy's smart, so he won't let you go without a fight."
Mellody nodded. "Sounds easy enough. So what do I do about the Christmas party?"
"Easy! You have it here. I'll open up the other rooms up and this place can easily hold 300 plus!"
Mellody's tear stain eyes lit up happily. "Rose, that's a brilliant idea!"
"Yep, I pride myself in those."
"Mellody, are you ready? We need to go!" Reid was straightening his bow tie. He wasn't all that fond of bowties, but none of his regular ties went with his tux. He had to look nice tonight. This was possibly the most important moment of his life. And, depending on Mellody's reaction, it also had the potential to be the worst.
He heard Mellody clear her throat behind him, so he turned and his jaw dropped.
Her dress was a deep purple, floor length gown with a sweetheart cut. Her hair was done up in curls, so similar to the way her hair was done on that first night at Bobbi's: large ringlets that looked like something out of an old 50's movie. Her eyes shimmered happily.
"Well?" she asked, twirling slowly so that the skirt flowed out around her. The way the dress fit her caused Reid's breathing to hitch just slightly, but he must have made a noise judging from the small devilish grin playing along her lips. "Does this look ok?"
"Y-uh you look beautiful." He stuttered. He walked over and pulled her into a hug, careful not to mess up her outfit.
Mellody smiled at him as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "This will be nice, Spence. We'll eat dinner with Morgan and Penny. I got the best Italian food in town!"
"It sounds great, Mel. I knew that once you calmed down you would be able to handle this. Tonight is going to be amazing."
"And the best part is that we get an entire night to ourselves. No cases or consults or anything. Our first actual date in months."
Reid couldn't help but feel a little nervous now. "Yeah, Mel, that sounds great. But I'm going to be just a little late. I've got something to take care of. It will take me an hour, maybe less. And then we have the rest of the night to ourselves."
Mellody looked up at him, confused. "What?"
"Mellody, please don't get upset. This is extremely important. And after tonight it will all be over."
Mellody sighed and pulled away. As she left his arms, he felt a tug in his chest. He knew she was sad and frustrated. He couldn't help but wish she would do something. Scream, shout, anything! She just kept everything bottled up. If anything, it was worse, watching her suffer this way.
"Mellody, I-"
"No, stop. Don't worry about it." Mellody waved him off as she moved towards the door, grabbing her coat as she went. "Just don't worry about it. I've got some stuff to do too. Just come and find me later, Reid." And with that, she left.
Reid just stared after her, pain deepening in his chest. She almost never called him Reid. That fact hurt more than anything else she ever could have said. He only hoped she would understand.
Mellody walked outside, tears pricking her eyes. What was wrong with her? Why had she flipped on him like that? All she wanted to do was scream at someone.
Angrily, Mellody stormed to her car. As she crawled into her small Volkswagen Bug, she pulled out her phone. She had been wrong to get upset with Spence like that. It wasn't really his fault. She maneuvered the phone to the dial screen, to eager to apologize to deal with the tedious task of going through contacts. She typed in his number and held the phone up. It rang once, and then went to a busy signal. Mellody frowned and hit the redial. This time, it went straight to voicemail.
"Spence, listen. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for how I acted in there. It was seriously immature. I know that this is important. I just…look, let's talk after the party tonight, ok? Just know that I love you."
She hung up and through her car into reverse.
The party was in full swing. Mellody smiled as the people around her chatted laughed. But even though everyone was having a good time (many people had already told her that this was the best party the BAU had hosted in years,) Mellody felt incredibly sad. Two hours into the party, and Reid still wasn't there. She stared around the room, trying to find him.
Someone tapped her on the shoulder, ad she jumped a foot in the air. She turned on the spot, hope welling in her chest, only to have a wave of disappointment crash over her when she saw Garcia behind her.
"Mellody, this is amazing!" Penelope gushed. "Defiantly the best party we've ever had!"
"Thanks, Penny."
"Where's Reid?" she asked, sipping on the glass of champagne in her hand.
"I'm not sure. He said he had something to do, but that he was coming. But that was a few hours ago."
"Well I'm sure he'll turn up." Garcia patted Mellody's shoulder comfortingly.
Suddenly the lights in the room dimmed low, just a shade before darkness.
"What's going on?"
"Is this planned?"
"Is there some sort of performance?"
Mellody looked around confused. Strauss had already welcomed them, and there wasn't anything else planned. So what was this?"
A spotlight flashed to life and centered on the stage where, most of the time, Rose let people get up and sing Karaoke. Someone tapped a microphone and then stepped out onto the stage. Mellody gasped.
"No way!" Penelope whispered. "What's he doing up there?"
Mellody gulped. "Why is Derek Morgan on the stage?"
Morgan was standing comfortably on the stage, the one spotlight that "Bobbi's "had trained on him. He smiled.
"Hey everybody!" everyone who hadn't been paying attention before suddenly looked ahead at the stage. A few people began to clap, but Morgan wave the applause away.
"I'm not the one you should be clapping for. But I'll tell you who does deserve it. That woman right there!" the spotlight moved quickly and land right where Mellody was standing. She gazed at Garcia, trying to beg for help, but noticed that she had disappeared into the crowd almost as soon as the spotlight came out. Mellody muttered quietly about unloyalty. But then cheers erupted from the crowd around her, and Mellody flushed. She lifted her hand awkwardly to wave.
"Yes, yes, she is brilliant!" Morgan continued. "But she's not the only one I'm here to introduce. There is a man here, one of the best men I know, and one I am pleased to call one of my best friends. And this man has got something to say. Now I know him as Pretty boy, but you all know him better as DOCTOR SPENCER REID!" The room erupted again as Spencer walked out. Mellody just started, shocked. He looked so handsome up there, but she panicked. He was horrible when he was talking in front of crowds. She knew how much it stressed him out.
"Um, hi everyone." Reid awkwardly waved. "I'm, um, Spencer Reid. So, I guess your all wondering what I'm doing up here, and the truth is-"he paused and took deep breath. Even from as far back as she was, Mellody could see the hand at Reid's side shaking.
"The truth is," he continued. "Is that I am absolutely in love with the woman who planned this party. And I know she's more than a little upset with me right now, and Mels, I'm sorry. But I have two things to ask you. First, I want you to think back to the first time we both came here. That night when you led me up to this stage and we sang. Well I haves something I want to do for you.
Music began to fill the room, and Mellody gasped when recognized the tune. It was so familiar. She had come to love that song, because it meant Reid was calling her.
Reid glanced around the crowd until he found her and he locked his beautiful brown eyes on hers. Then he raised the mike and sang.
I could be staring at somebody new
But stuck in my head is a picture of you
You are the thunder, I was the rain
I wanna know if I'll see you again
As the song progressed , Mellody made her way up to the stage, and the crowd parted around her. She felt her eyes well up with tears as she focused on the beautiful man singing to her.
I want you to know, what you mean to me
What will it take, take you to see?
Part of her, a very small, quiet part, was terrified. He was outing their relationship. They were going to get fired. Oh, but she wouldn't change a thing. Reid was so nervous when it came to talking in front of people. She felt absolutely giddy that he was on stage, singing for her; that this beautiful, brilliant, amazing man was her's. And she knew, without a second thought, that she would do anything for her.
I could put in stardust in your eyes
Put a little sunshine in your life
Give me a little heart to feel the same
And I wanna know if I'll see you again
if I'll see you again
Want you to know, what you mean to me
What will it take, take you to see?
Finally she reached the stage. Reid smiled at her and held out his hand. She smiled back, and took his hand without hesitation.
I could put a little stardust in your eyes
Put a little sunshine in your life
Give me a little heart to feel the same
And I wanna know if I'll see you again
if I'll see you again
see you again
The music faded, but continued quietly in the background. Reid's eyes were fixed on Mellody's.
"Mellody Desirae Roughs, I want you to know just how much I love you. You are the most loving, generous, accepting, and all-around happy person I've have ever known. And I can't imagine my life without you. Mellody, the first thing I ask of you is to remember the night we were on this stage. Mellody, that was when I first started to fall in love with you. Now, standing on this stage again, almost three years later, I ask you for something else. Something that, by all rights, I don't deserve."
And slowly, holding Mellody's hands tight in his own, Reid sank to one knee on the floor. Mellody gasped and fresh tears welled up again.
"Would you please, with everyone in this room, our friends, our co-workers, as witnesses, please consent to being with me as long as we both live? Mellody, will you marry me?"
She tried to speak, but her voice failed her. So she just nodded.
"Yes," she whispered. "Yes, yes, I will,"
Mellody watched through tear-filled eyes as Reid's face lit up in an expression of brilliant, adoring hope, and she felt her own heart spill over as Spence scrambled up and pulled her close.
"Thank you," he whispered.
"Just a moment!" They pulled apart and looked towards the crowd. A small blonde woman of incredible presence strutted to the front of the crowd. Strauss.
"Mellody, I just think I need to remind you of something. If you accept Dr. Reid's proposal, you cannot continue your position as a member of Aaron Hotchner's team. It's against regulations. So choose, Miss Roughs: Your career, or your love?
The room went silent. The weight of Strauss's words seemed to shock everyone. Mellody felt Reid's hand on her shoulder, not pushing her, but accepting. Completely at ease with whatever decision she made.
Squaring her shoulders, she places her hand lightly on Reid's.
"Easy," she said, looking Strauss in the eyes. "I choose love."
"Really?" Strauss's eyebrows rose.
"Yes. I can get a job elsewhere and make a difference. I can't find anyone like Spencer Reid."
Strauss smiled warmly. "That's the answer I was hoping to hear."
Mellody eyed her boss curiously, as a familiar face slide out of the crowd next to Strauss. Mellody gasped, recognition piercing through her. "Cooper?"
Agent Sam Cooper smiled up at his former Co-worker. "Mellody." He looked at Strauss. "So will we be able to push it through?"
She nodded. "I'll start the paperwork tomorrow morning, as long as she agrees."
Cooper nodded, and then looked back at the stage. "Mellody, I'm retiring, and I want you to take my place as head of my team."
"What? But, Agent Cooper-"
"No 'buts'. I'm retiring in three months, and as long as you can wait at least that long to get married to the good doctor, you won't have to quit."
Mellody felt herself begin to tear up again. So many tear, all so wonderful.
"Well, that's quite enough theatrics," Strauss smiled and turned to the crowd behind her. "Everyone enjoy the wonderful party that Mellody has put together. Eat Drink, and Merry Christmas."
As soon as the crowd began to move, Mellody and Reid saw their team making their way to where they were, Garcia plunging ahead in the front. "Mellody,
"Oh Mellody, I'm so happy for you!" she squealed as soon as they were in earshot. ""I just knew Reid was going to do this sooner or later. And you!" she turned on Morgan. "You knew about this and you didn't tell me?"
Morgan laughed, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend. "Baby girl, Mell is your best friend. If we had told you, you either would have squealed like Miss Piggy, or you would have been downright miserable."
"It doesn't matter! So no lovin' for you tonight, Mr. Abs!"
Morgan laughed and kissed Garcia's hair. "Like you can resist me once the shirt goes off."
Garcia gave him a smirk. "Dream on." Then she turned back to Mellody. "Well come on, then! Let's see the ring!" She snatched up Mellody's hand and stared at it attentively, before she looked up frowning. "Where is it?"
Reid flushed. "Well, I… uh,"
JJ gasped in horror. "Spence, don't tell me you forgot to get her a ring!"
"Yeah, Reid!" Garcia chided. "You don't propose if you don't even have the ring!"
"Well, forgive me, but it's not like I propose to people on a regular basis," Reid grumbled. "And I didn't forget the ring. I just wanted to give it to her down here, with you guys." He reached into the pocket of his tux jacket and pulled out a small blue box. He opened it and Mellody let out the breath she didn't know she was holding in a gasp.
The ring was a simple silver band, and a square-cut diamond was set carefully at the top. Mellody had never seen a more beautiful piece of jewelry. It was so simple, yet it was beautiful.
Reid took the ring out and replaced the box in his pocket. Then he took Mellody's left hand and, with a slow gentleness that she had come to recognize as his own specific manner, slid the ring tenderly onto her third finger.
Mellody found that, once again, she was blinking tears out of her eyes. She looked up at Reid and whispered, "thank you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a soft, loving kiss to his lips.
Reid smiled gently at her, his own eyes shining with emotion. "I love you Mellody," he whispered.
"And I love you."