"I'm glad you got back in time." Avery jammed her hands into her jacket pockets to shield them from the brisk October evening as she and Spencer strolled leisurely down the street.
"I wouldn't have missed it." Spencer said. Something in his tone caused Avery to quirk her head up, looking over at him curiously.
"Are you okay?" She asked. "You seem... I don't know..."
She had seen him after tough cases plenty of times. She knew the look of fatigue and his occasional distraction, but this seemed somehow different. Somehow more immediate.
"No – yeah." He said quickly. "I'm fine."
He brushed a curl away from the side of his face, jamming his hands into his pockets, then taking them out again, running his fingers along the strap of his messenger, suddenly very aware of the appendages at the ends of his arms and clueless as to what to do with them.
Avery noticed and, reaching out, laced her fingers around his, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. The action, though simple, calmed the unsettled doctor.
Together they walked in comfortable silence, under the yellow lights of the old movie theater's glittering marquee.
"Baby Girl, what are you doin'?"
Garcia jumped, startled at the sound of Derek Morgan's voice behind her in the small projection room of the second-play theater. She whirled around to find, not only Derek, but J.J standing in the doorway.
"What am I doing here? What are you two doing here?" She hissed quietly. "You are not supposed to be here. You need to go. Go now." She pointed behind them to the door, trying in vain to shoo them from the room.
"Sorry, sorry." Derek said "Relax, Mama."
"we were worried." J.J tried to explain.
"No." Garcia snapped at him. "You weren't worried. You were nosy, and – how did you even know I was here, anyway?"
"Who do you think you're talking to?" Derekasked endearingly, but the woman would not be swayed.
"Did you profile me?" She asked indignantly. "Aren't there rules about using your powers for evil?"
"We followed you." J.J said.
"That is just as bad." Penelope said. "And, okay, now you know where I am, and nothing nefarious is happening, you can g-"
A noise from downstairs caught her attention and she looked to the small square window at the front of the projection room.
"Alright, we get it." Derek said. "We'll leave."
"No!" She hissed again, her voice a harsh whisper. "I... okay, you can stay, just... sit down and don't touch anything, and be quiet. I mean quiet. Not a word."
J.J and Derek exchanged skeptical and confused glances. Garcia returned to her puttering, making last minute adjustments to what looked like sensitive and baffling equipment. Derek nodded in the direction of the unoccupied, small, square window and, slowly, the agents crept over, just close enough to see through and down into the house.
Two figures ambled down the aisle. J.J looked to Derek.
"Is that Spencer and Avery?" She whispered softly.
"Oi!" Garcia's sever whisper caught their attention as she readied the equipment in front of the other window. "Shht!"
J.J and Derek huddled around their window.
J.J tilted her head, watching the two as the strolled together, and talked together, their hands intertwined. Avery said something J.J couldn't hear. Spencer smiled. His smile made J.J smile, the sense of happiness that comes with seeing a loved one happy filled her.
"They're a cute couple." She whispered, almost inaudibly.
"I can't believe we're the only ones here." Avery's voice echoed slightly off the walls of the empty movie theater.
"I know." Spencer agreed, one hand in his pocket and the other entwined with her fingers. "I mean, who wouldn't want to watch some of the greatest silent horror films in history back to back?"
"I thought the website said they were sold out."
"Well we are early."
"At least nobody's in our spot." Avery said, leading the way to a pair of seats two thirds back from the screen, directly in the center.
The faded seats were small and uncomfortable, especially for his tall frame, but Spencer smiled as Avery rested her head against his shoulder.
"Hmm." He said at length.
"What?"
"Did you know, exactly one year ago today, we were sitting in these same seats?"
"No." Avery corrected, nodding to the seat directly in front of her "You were sitting right there."
"But I moved." He countered.
"Because I asked you to." Avery recalled.
"Because you said this seat was better. "the visual and acoustic sweet spot."
"Nn." Avery acknowledged him faintly. "You glad you joined me back here?"
"Yeah," he looked at her lovingly. "I really am."
She smiled, giving his arm a squeeze. "Me, too."
The lights dimmed. Avery looked around, confused.
"What's going on?" She asked curiously, looking at her watch "Why are they starting?"
"I don't know." Spencer shook his head slightly, then nodded to the screen "Look."
The screen flashed, ticking down the seconds to the beginning of the film. Music began playing.
"That's..." Avery muttered quietly, trailing off as she recognized the melody as a late 19th century piece Spencer occasionally played on the piano called "Salut d'Amour".
"Shh." Spencer leaned his head toward her, his eyes on the screen.
A hallway came into focus on grainy black and white film.
"Is – is that the BAU?" Avery's brow furrowed, certain she recognized the railings in the background. Spencer smirked but didn't answer as a grainy black and white version of himself stepped into frame.
"What in the -" Avery laughed nervously, a smile spreading across her face.
The film Spencer waved, smiling, then moved his mouth, speaking unheard words. A black screen interrupted the scene, bordered in white swirls and the words
Hi, Avery.
The scene returned to Spencer, who jammed his hands into his pockets and started speaking again. As he did, the scene was interrupted, silent-film style, by the necessary words.
A year ago, a silent film brought us together. I'm hoping it will again.
I'm not always great with words...But that's okay...
Because it's rude to talk in a theater, anyway.
Avery chuckled at the joke, clapping a hand over her mouth in disbelief. The film continued, the black and white Spencer speaking silently and with every ounce of sincerity, his words conveyed in white lettering.
So I'll just say this...
The guy sitting next to you loves you like crazy, and has something to ask you.
The camera zoomed in to a closeup as Spencer mouthed three final, simple words.
Please say yes.
The film faded to a close. Avery sat staring at the screen, her breath caught in her throat, her hand over her mouth, almost afraid to look away.
"Avery Mitchell," Spencer said gently, shifting in his seat to face her as best he could.
Avery inhaled sharply at his voice and turned to meet his gaze, to find him holding up a white gold ring, studded with small diamonds, set with a cobalt blue sapphire, shining in the silver glow of the theater screen.
"Will you marry me?"
Avery's eyes shone. She said nothing for a tense moment, then peels of laughter she couldn't contain rose from deep within her. Laughter of nervousness. Laughter of excitement, and of surprise. She bit her lip sharply, afraid Spencer would misunderstand her reaction.
"Yes." she nodded, her face beaming.
Spencer breathed a sigh of relief, his face brightening in a hesitant smile, as though the tense moment he had been dreading had ended, and he couldn't quite believe what had just happened. Shakily, he slid the ring onto her trembling finger, then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him in a kiss. She held him tightly. He could feel her heart beating.
He pulled away. She wiped her eyes as he signaled to someone in the booth at the back of the theater. The still flickering movie was turned off and the ambient lights brightened. Spencer took Avery's hand, helping her to her feet as the door at the back opened. Penelope Garcia entered, her face bright, a tissue in her hand.
"Yes, yes? That was a yes, right? Because it was really hard to see from up there and I know you told me to just play the tape and not eavesdrop, but you're both smiling -" She interrupted herself to pull Avery into a tight hug "Oh, come here!"
Avery couldn't contain her laughter. Garcia released her from the hug, taking her hand to examine the ring.
"Garcia helped me out with everything." Spencer explained.
"Well, not just me." Penelope clarified. "And I promise I didn't tell anybody, Reid. I really, really didn't, they just -"
J.J and Morgan burst through the door. J.J trotted down the aisle, her arms wide as she swept a very surprised Reid up in a sisterly hug. She sniffled as she let him go.
"Spence, that was beautiful!" She wiped her eyes, grinning at Avery.
"Congratulations, Kid." Derek shook his hand.
Spencer looked stunned, but too happy to be upset with them.
"Are we late?" David Rossi's voice echoed down from the door, where he and Aaron Hotchner entered, carrying champagne flutes and a bottle of French imported.
"I knew you were in on this." Derek declared as Rossi and Hotchner meandered down the aisle to join them. "Where were you watching?"
"What watching?" Rossi chided indignantly. "We're gentleman, Derek, we weren't watching. We were, however, waiting in the lobby."
"You knew?" Avery asked.
"Do you think Reid planned this all on his own?" He retorted congenially, handing Avery a champagne glass.
"You're the reason the show's sold out." She said, taking the glass. Rossi only smile, opening the bottle of champagne with a loud pop.
Glasses were filled, handshakes received, hugs and well wishes given in abundance.
"Salut." Rossi said, raising his glass. The others followed suit, toasting the couple.
There was a moment of familiar silence after they drank. Avery and Spencer exchanged a knowing look.
"What now?" Derek asked. "Let's celebrate."
"Well, we have the theater, and there really is a silent film marathon tonight." Spencer said. Avery nodded.
The team looked to one another.
"You should stay!" Avery insisted emphatically. She shrugged, adding,"I mean, not all the title cards are in English, but that's okay, because Spence can translate."
Each member of the team seemed to suddenly remember their own lives, calling to them simultaneously. Another round of well-wishes and polite excuses found the couple standing alone in the theater once again.
Avery sighed, turning happily and walking back down the aisle with Spencer.
"The films are all translated tonight." Spencer said as they made their way back to their seats.
"I know." Avery said simply, her eyes dancing with a private joke.
Spencer smiled, wrapping his arm around his fiancee, who leaned into him in a gentle kiss.