Chapter 20

BAU Headquarters
Quantico VA

Once that decision was made everyone left to put things in motion, except for one of Andi's people, who stuck close enough to be a witness. "So it's all going to work out." Tory said. "Except we still won't get to see each other."

"We weren't going to be able to do that anyway." Spencer replied.

"Hell of a way to spend a honeymoon."

"Come here." Tory turned and butted into his arms again. "You know, my friends and family here are going to want us to have another wedding ceremony." Spencer said.

"I'm okay with that. It'll feel more real this time."

"And after that we'll go on a real honeymoon. Take a week or two and go somewhere, just the two of us."

"I wouldn't complain about that." She rested her head against his chest and sighed.

Spencer felt her almost sagging into his arms. "You look exhausted. Having trouble sleeping again?"

"Oh yeah. I haven't had a full night since I left Montana. Have you ever heard the concept of the body having a memory?"

"That's rather pseudoscientific, there are no tissues in the body outside of the brain that can actually store memories. It's actually more likely that the memories are not consciously accessible."

"Well in that case I could not consciously access the memory of my mother's drunken antics at two in the morning. But even with the implant in I was waking up in anticipation and can't get back to sleep."

"Drunken antics?"

"Yeah." She reached up and pulled off the cap she was wearing. She'd cut her lovely red hair off just below her jawline, a straight, rough cut. "Mom hacked my hair off with a knife while I was asleep. She said…"

"It doesn't matter what she said. You're still beautiful."

She looked at him a long moment. "You really mean that."

"Yeah, I do." It didn't matter. It didn't change her beauty one iota

"Oh." She smiled and blushed a little. "Anyway I suspect you couldn't consciously remember being an FBI agent, but it still influenced your body language. Which was why I felt safe enough to sleep around you."

He considered this. "You're right, its almost accurate to say that your body remembered the late night trauma and mine remembered my training. It's certainly more romantic that way."
"It is."

"I'm sorry I'm not there to be your teddy bear now."

"We will survive." She rested her head against his chest once more. "We survived this far. What are we going to do after this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I don't have a job. I don't have a lot of hope of getting a decent job. I have what little is left of our combined savings, and it is not a lot. How are we going to pull off a wedding and live in the city?"

He considered this for a long moment. "If you could do anything, what would you do?"

"Anything?"

"Yeah, anything. Money is no object. Total fantasy. What would you do?"

"I'd set up a house for us and live in it."

"That's all?"

"That's huge." Tory lifted her head to look at him. "Think about it Spencer. Homemade breakfasts and dinners every day, not just on week-ends. Someone to pack your lunch pail. Never having to worry about if the laundry is done or when was the last time we changed the bed or when did we last change the oil or are the library books late. Better than that, imagine perfect holidays, every holiday. Or no holiday, just coming home to some place quiet and soothing every night. I'd love to be able to build a place like that, for both of us. And for our family someday."

"Really? You want to do that?"

"You said you wanted to hear my fantasy."

"So let's do it."

"What?"

"My fantasy has always been to have someone do that for me. I mean, we talked about it up in Montana, you were thinking of going part time to do that."

"Yeah, because we couldn't afford it if I didn't work."

"An FBI agent makes a lot more than a small town comptroller. We'll be fine. Let's make that fantasy come true. And if you're completely bored and miserable we'll try something else."

"Seriously?"

"Absolutely. You'll have my full support."

As what Spencer was saying really sank in Tory started beaming at him. Just then Penelope came in. "Oh, I am so sorry to interrupt, but do you have any tech with you? They'll only let you keep it if I neuter it all so it can't be traced."

"Just an e-book. Front pocket of my backpack. Does that mean I'm not going to be able to put anything else on it?"

"Garcia, can you hold off for a bit?" Spencer asked. "I want to help."

"Sure." Penelope replied. "I'll just…." She left the room.

"You need to help?" Tory asked.

"Something like that." Spencer replied. He shifted back on the desk so he could pull her into his lap. "So, are you going to go for it."

Tory was a perfect fit there. "You know, I think I am."

He couldn't help it. He kissed her in reply.

"Okay, those two are breaking my heart." Penelope said. "Do we have to split them up?"

Emily sighed. "Our hands our tied. Written communication, moved by the FBI, copied to legal. That's the best we can do."

"If anyone can make this move faster Dave can." JJ said. "We just have to trust the process."

They didn't have nearly long enough. They didn't have a suitable safe house available, so they decided to take Tory to a hotel for the night.

The BAU team watched Spencer as he watched Tory walk to the elevators with the team taking her to the safe house. Even they thought she looked small there, and tired, and brave. And then she was gone.

Spencer's shoulders sagged as he gave up his own bravery and looked utterly miserable. "Come here." JJ said as she and Penelope each took a side and put an arm around him. "She's safe."

"I know."

"She'll be back."

"I know."

"She still loves you." Penelope said. "She wants to marry you all over again."

"I know."

"Hotch did it." JJ said. "And this will not end like that. Not even close."

"I know. I'm not Hotch."

"I know. You're not to stubborn to admit that it hurts."

At least they could still get him to smile. "Hey, Emily? Can I send packages?"

"I don't know." Emily replied. "Let me check with legal. Oh, and the safe house team wants to interview you. They're treating her as a family member, they want to know any details they should watch for."

"Okay."

"She doesn't have any medical issues, does she?" JJ asked. "We didn't think to check."

"She suffered from chronic maintenance insomnia, likely caused by childhood trauma. She can't sleep more than three hours at a stretch. Well, unless I'm there. We used to joke about me being her giant teddy bear."

JJ and Penelope both laughed. You know, I can see it." JJ said. "I'm sure they'll find a way to work with it."

"I have some ideas as well." The elevator opened and Anderson was pointing some people their way. "Garcia, when I'm done with them would you be willing to work with me on a few things?"

"Absolutely. You know where to find me." Penelope replied. They watched him head for the conference room. "This is no longer easy, is it?" She asked JJ.

"No." JJ replied. "But we'll get him through it. That's what family is for."

.

Note: Yes, you can injure yourself lifting weights. For example, you can pull a muscle badly enough to keep you away from a computer for well over a week.