Hey Everyone!
Yes, I know it's been a long month, and I do apologize. Juggling two fanfics, and two jobs, and two extra curriculars are brutal (just noticed I do everything in pairs... oh well). But for the first day of July (HAPPY CANADA DAY TO MY FELLOW CANADIANS!), I'm treating you all to a super long, super fun chapter!
I'm taking this moment to frantically freak out over the 396 favourites. But I'm losing my marbles at the 525 of you following this story! 525 of you? Really? There's that many people in love with TTML? Just... Wow. Please let me give you all virtual hugs (if you don't like to be touched I shall blow you a kiss! Or if you don't like kisses I shall just wave).
To my beautiful and wonderful reviewers: cheekymonkey89, sonnetStar, 524667lc, KijoKuroi, Buck Wilde. M, MsRose91, Demona Evernight, molliebutler, gossamermouse101, Rivermoon1970, Guest, Sue1313, Wings of Indigo, Guest, Momo, Guest, JediGemini, hayray17, Emily, Dalonega Noquisi, Momochan77, Desdemona Glass, Clancy1018, Alaina, Rowan, Shadow Sakura, scarlettsoldier, Guest, and Mika Bauer, you are all such amazing people for taking the time to always leave your thoughts. I write for you guys, and your comments help me mould this story into something we all can enjoy. I cherish your comments, and wait for them eagerly.
Without further ado, enjoy my pretties!
P.S. I do not (under any circumstance) own Criminal Minds (Lou is mine though so muahahha)
One. Two.
One. Two.
One. Two.
She found out that Christian had a nervous tick of his own.
Lou could see Douglas through her eyelashes as the profiler was pacing in front of her desk, agitated at Christian's constant clicking of his pen (which he ticked in intervals of two). The White Collar BAU team spent the entire day tracking down a money launderer for a European mob stationed in Washington. The professor was amazed at Monroe's capability of tracking patterns between offshore accounts. She admitted to herself that she didn't see the patterns that Bartholomew easily picked up on, realizing that although Lou had the talent, she was severely lacking in experience. Both she and Barty took a lunch together, and Lou learned just how experienced the agent was. He spoke of cases where he found the location of an unsub based on his preference of shoes (which Lou was still trying to debunk, yet was struggling to find an error in Monroe's theory).
Which was the cause of Douglas' discontentment, as the young agent radiated frustration. Both the professor and the older agent were excelling in their performance at work, while Christian had been struggling to meet his colleagues' standards, often falling behind when trying to be involved in a case. Lou couldn't help but empathize with her co-worker, considering how passionate Douglas was when it came to his job. While he was brazen, the agent was always able to participate fully in cases, without the support of his other teammates.
But not recently.
"Christian." Lou often called the agents in the building by their first names, finding it odd to refer to each individual by their surname (save for Anderson, who liked to be called Anderson). "What's on your mind?"
The agent huffed in frustration, putting the iPad he had in his hand on the table. It was only himself and Lou sitting in the office. "I'm dragging the team down."
"No, you're not. It's just an off day."
"An off week is more like it."
Lou didn't like how Christian was. She was used to the profiler being cocky and suave, often even flirting with her whenever he got the moment (he knew Lou would turn him down every time, yet that didn't stop him). The Christian she was looking at now was on edge, unsatisfied, and if she was going to be truthful, quite disappointed in himself. The professor wanted to pull Douglas out of his funk, to try to lift his spirits as much as she could.
"Come share ideas with me," Lou offered, shuffling papers around on her desk to allow Christian to sit on the surface. She patted the wood with a smile, giving him an invitation to sit on the desk (something he wasn't allowed to do). "We can try to pull you out of your slum."
She saw the small grin grow on his face. "Thanks Lou. But I'm sure Garcia would have my head if I kept you any longer."
Lou didn't understand what Douglas meant by that statement, until she looked at the clock. Her eyes widened in shock, knowing that the ladies were now waiting for an extra thirty minutes. Because thirty minutes prior was eight o'clock, and eight o'clock was the time that Lou was meeting her friends for the one night that they all had been waiting for.
Christ! I'm late for the P.G.N.O!
"Oh, Christian, you are a saviour!" Lou flung herself out of her chair, placing her files in her desk and locking them securely in the drawer. She grabbed her jacket and purse (that matched her shoes perfectly).
"Which is the only thing I'm good for," he mumbled underneath his breath.
Lou caught onto what he said. "Hey, you're here for a reason. You'll get your stride back."
The professor gave a reaffirming pat on his shoulder, watching Christian's smile appear back on his face. She felt comfortable enough to leave Douglas to his work, quickly walking out of the office to head to the bullpen. As she was walking the halls, she caught sight of Kate and JJ waiting for her in front of the elevator. Kate spotted her first, giving Lou a look along with a wave.
"Sorry, sorry." The professor said, throwing on her jacket. "I got caught up in a case."
"Lord knows that's happened to all of us." JJ said, nudging Lou with her elbow.
"How'd you both get a babysitter? I'm usually the go-to girl."
Kate smiled. "Well, we have husbands. Might as well use them every once in a while."
"Amen to that, my friend." JJ elbowed Callahan playfully.
"Speaking of friends, is Caroline meeting us there?" Kate asked.
The professor nodded. "She has to re-program the software for the internal messaging system at her law firm, but she said she'll only be half an hour late."
"Nice." JJ commented. "Just enough time to start getting plastered."
Lou smiled at the two, admiring how both agents got along so well with each other. While Kate had been on the team for only a few months, everyone welcomed her with open arms and warm hearts. It didn't surprise Lou that the newest team member was treated like a long-time friend. That same treatment shifted to the professor with ease, and everyday Lou's heart swelled at the fact that she now had five friends who cared for her just as much as she cared for them.
Well, six, including her doctor.
Lou would have been lying to herself if she refused to believe she would rather be spending her night with Spencer. While it was exciting to have a girl's night, she missed her favourite person. The team had come back earlier that day, and she only managed to see Spencer for a quick bite, before he whisked himself back to paperwork. She counted how much time she spent with him collectively the past few weeks, and when Lou counted only twelve hours, the mood she was in was slowly turning sour. She knew how Spencer's schedule was, but to actually experience it first hand was something Lou had to get used to.
He was very apologetic, often telling Lou of the countless hours he spent going over cases, which would lead to the countless hours he spent away from her. Spencer had told her he'd been neglecting the paper work for the cases for some time, and Hotch was now enforcing his seniority over Reid in order for him to complete his work. While Lou always told Spencer work came first, she was saddened at the fact she felt him lying to her. Lou knew about the secret phone calls Spencer was making to Penelope, as well as the clandestine conversations he shared with Monty in the hallways in Quantico. She couldn't prove anything, but she did notice how often Spencer was texting, and this was a man who never texted.
He's looking for Noah.
"Elena Richardson."
Penelope's voice came from behind Lou, and the consultant knew she was in a lot of trouble. Putting on a brave face, she turned to face Penelope.
"Yes?"
Garcia, dressed in red, walked up to Lou. "Where have you been?"
"Figuring out how an unsub didn't set off any alarms when trying to steal nineteenth century parchment papers from a pressure sensitive glass case." Lou said nonchalantly, watching as Kate and JJ hid their laughter from Garcia.
Penelope's bright red lips were hanging open. "Well… I guess that calls for your tardiness."
"Let's not be any more late than we have to," JJ said, walking towards the elevator. "This woman needs a stiff drink and a game of darts."
"Be prepared to have your title stripped from you." Kate challenged, stepping side-by-side with JJ as they were walking into the elevators.
"Good luck, newbie. Darts is my game."
"Then get ready to be annihilated in karaoke."
Lou smiled at the two, trying to push past the sad feeling growing in the pit of her stomach. She was trying to get into the mindset of a fun girl's night, yet she was still struggling with being away from Spencer.
"Hey."
The professor turned to Garcia.
"Are you okay?" Penelope asked. She picked up on Lou's emotional turmoil. She would have continued her interrogation if Lou hadn't smiled wider, hiding whatever it was the young consultant was feeling.
"Nervously excited, my Queen." Lou linked her arm with Penelope's, pulling her into the elevator.
"Of what?" Penelope played along. She would get the information out of Lou eventually (she always did; she was the oracle after all). "The fact that you are not going to be able to see straight in a couple of hours?"
"That, and also of what Caroline will do."
Even though Lou couldn't see them, she felt Kate and JJ (who were behind her) stiffen at the unknown prospect they were about to face. "What do you mean by that, Lou?"
Lou shrugged, turning to answer Kate's question. "Caroline is a wild card on her own. Drunk Caroline on the other hand is terrifying."
"You poor soul." Penelope gave a comforting pat on Lou's shoulder. "You've probably seen the worst of it."
She nodded in agreement. "Oh yes. If you value your lives, trust me when I say do not, under any circumstances, play the Red Hot Chili Peppers."
Lou watched as the three ladies stared at each other. The professor figured out quickly that there was a secret shared with the three that Lou was not privy to. "What? What is it?"
Kate cleared her throat. "The owner's a big fan."
"Ah, Christ."
[ + ]
Lyon, France.
That was all the information he found on Noah Bennett. Both Garcia and Monty scavenged all they could on his current location, and as of three hours ago Bennett was still at Interpol's base of operations. What Bennett was doing on the other hand, Spencer had no idea. He was grateful for Russ' help, knowing that two technical analysts were better than one (secretly, he was trying to keep Garcia out of the loop, as Penelope's relationship with Elena was getting closer to the point where they didn't keep secrets from one another). He was finding as much information as he could on Noah, and Spencer was proud at the new dossier he created.
Noah Alexander Bennett was the youngest Cabinet Secretary for over six months, holding the title before resigning to work for Interpol mysteriously. The reason he held the title (which took Spencer and Monty a significantly long time to uncover) was for his exceptional work within MI6, and the countless amount of covert operations he was a part of. One of which resulted in the death of a high-profile terrorist (Spencer wasn't surprised: Lou told him of how twisted Bennett could be). What infuriated Spencer, however, was how he was conveniently reinstated in his position with MI6 a week after a car accident that involved him, and Elena.
Spencer leaned back in his seat as he sat at his desk. His stomach twisted, the guilt oozing out of him. He made a promise to Elena, one that required both of them to go after Bennett. While Ellie didn't specifically make Spencer promise to not hunt down Noah by himself, he still felt awful for going behind Elena's back. He told her he had paperwork to do, which was another lie he held against his professor. He did indeed have cases going back-to-back, and he did indeed have a mountain of paperwork to finish, but when he had a Monday off, he chose to spend it in the office, away from Elena.
He had to keep her safe, which he was accomplishing at that moment. Ellie had no idea of the trouble Bennett was going through in order to traumatize her. Monty gave him a file of Bennett's most recent purchases, and when he saw the one-way plane ticket to Virginia, Spencer lost any semblance of composure. While he was ashamed to admit he made Monty change the destination of the ticket (and changed the seating from business to economy), he wasn't ashamed to let Bennett know that Dr. Spencer Reid was out to get him.
And the former secret agent had better watch out.
"You work too hard, Reid."
Spencer's head lifted from the file in front of him, seeing Hotch standing in front of him.
"And that's coming from me." Aaron said, a small smile on his face.
"Sorry," Spencer said, strategically closing the file on the table. "I get wrapped up in cases easily."
"After ten years?" Hotch asked, draping his coat over his arm. "You'd think you would have mastered the ability to distance yourself from the cases."
Reid shrugged. "I'm too busy mastering other talents."
Hotchner almost laughed at Spencer's response, knowing how it wasn't Spencer's typical way of conversing. "I see Lou's had an influence over your speech patterns."
"Is it too forward?" He asked hesitantly.
Aaron shook his head. "Not at all, Reid. In fact, it's nice to see you find your own stride."
Spencer smiled softly. "Thanks."
He could see Hotch was trying to say something more on the matter, until the boss' phone began to ring. Spencer saw, from the many times he'd seen the expression on his boss' face, that Jack was calling his father. Reid gave a small wave to Aaron, knowing that Hotch would be eager to talk to his son. Hotchner gave a grateful nod, turning towards the door while answering his phone. Reid listened to his boss' soft voice before going back to the file in his hand. The doctor was locking the folder in his door when his cellular began ringing.
'Emily Prentiss – Mobile'
"Hello," Spencer said in a cheerful tone, wondering why she was calling.
"Reid." Emily sounded serious. "You have to stop looking for Bennett."
Shock ran through Spencer.
"I'm not-"
"Yes, you are." He could hear her out of breath. "I know about all the information you found on him, and you need to keep that private, from everyone. But I need you to promise me that you won't have anyone in the BAU looking into Noah Bennett anymore."
"Why?" Spencer was alarmed. "What is it?"
Prentiss didn't speak for a moment, but when she did, her words put Reid in a whole new perspective.
"There's a rumour." Her voice had turned into almost a whisper. "When Noah Bennett received his job at Interpol, it was around the same time three men from Interpol's most wanted list had vanished from the face of the earth, and they say it was his work."
Spencer almost dropped the phone in his hand. "His work?"
"I got to look at his file, Reid. He has no confirmed kills during his years at MI6 because the bodies were never recovered."
The need to protect Elena at all cost increased in tenfold. Noah Bennett was certified to be dangerous, so much so that his body count wasn't even recorded. The twisted man, who took joy in making people vanish for sport, was after his innocent professor. Elena, who was the complete opposite, who would never hurt anyone, who was so good she recited a Whitman poem in honour of the spider she killed accidentally, and then proceeded to tear up as she gave the insect a proper burial. And it was her that Bennett chose to toy with?
He hated how such an evil entity was trying to destroy such a pure human, one that never would hurt another living creature out of maliciousness. But what he despised the most was how it was a game to Bennett, to see Elena in a devastated state, shattered by his bloodied hands (along with the sickening smile on his face). Even though Emily had told him to keep out of Noah Bennett's business, he was driven to protect Elena at all cost (it helped if he ruined Bennett's life in the process).
"I have to keep Elena safe." He spoke into the phone. "I can't lose her, Emily."
"You won't, Spencer." Reid could hear the power in her tone. "I will do everything on my end to keep you ahead of him. I know Bennett's dangerous, and he's not going to get away from me. We will keep Lou safe, alright?"
His mood lifted slightly. "Thanks, Emily."
"Always. Tell Lou I said 'hello'."
"Come visit soon, okay?"
"I will. Remember what I said."
"Bye." He said into the phone, ending the call before he could lie to another person he cared about. He wanted to listen to Emily, to keep away from Bennett. But he knew how deep he was in. He pulled Bennett's information, which were facts that Sir Noah had been trying to keep hidden.
Spencer knew the game he was playing. He knew the former MI6 operative had all Reid's information too, and because he knew of the doctor's past and present, he knew his weak spot (which he didn't want to admit, but it was indeed Elena Richardson). But Spencer had dealt with people like him on a daily basis. He'd seen the sickest of the sadistic, and he overcame all of them (his team and himself, that is). He knew how to get Bennett exactly where he wanted, and once he had him in the right spot, Spencer knew he succeeded in keeping Ellie safe.
Game on, Bennett.
Oddly, his phone rang out again, causing Spencer to place his plan for Bennett on hold, answering the unknown caller.
"Hello?"
"Doctor Reid?"
The voice was unfamiliar to him. Older, feminine.
"Speaking."
"I hate to intrude, but is this an inconvenient time for you?"
He felt comforted by the voice. "No, it's not. May I ask who's speaking?"
"Antoinette Richardson."
That was an entirely new fear he felt in that moment. Stronger than any emotion Bennett would evoke from the doctor.
"Missus Ri-Richardson." Reid smoothed down his tie and fixed his hair, knowing full well the woman on the phone couldn't see him (that he was aware of). "I'm very surprised to hear from you, especially considering how you got my number."
"Well, when one is a CEO of a major corporation, as well as the wife of an Ambassador, you collect a few… shall we say, connections."
"Elena does say you're quite persuasive." Spencer almost smacked himself upside the head for almost insulting Elena's mother. He knew if Rossi was listening, it would have happened already.
He relaxed at her hearty laugh. "Oh goodness, Lou is already painting a horrid picture of me."
"Not really. She always praises you in the highest regard."
Spencer heard the smile in her voice. "I knew she would. Although I don't think she would say the same for her father."
He kept his mouth shut, knowing that he should not speak on behalf of Elena when it came to her father.
"Ah, and he says nothing. It takes a very smart man to hold his tongue."
"I don't want to speak ill of your husband, Missus Richardson."
"It certainly would not be a first for me. And call me Antoinette. I think you've earned it by now."
Spencer was confused. "Excuse me?"
"Any man that can make my Elena Lou as happy as she is now has every right to call me by my first name, which is the reason why I've contacted you."
"To say?"
"Thank you, dear."
Spencer's heart warmed at her words.
"Lou has been sad for years, long before that despicable man ever came into her life. Ever since she had lost her grandmother, it was like Lou lost her home. While I am her mother, and she loves me so, Lou couldn't find the one place, or person, she could turn to when she needed solace."
He heard her chuckle. "Well, that's not true, now is it? She's found a home with you."
Blushing at her words, Spencer spoke softly into the receiver. "I just want to make her happy."
"You've succeeded, more than you realize, Spencer. May I call you Spencer?"
"Absolutely. But how do you know I have?"
Antoinette's voice was soothing to his ears. "I've seen how Elena Lou acts now. She's stronger than ever, more resilient, and so bright that she illuminates the entire room without even trying. I know she had it within her, but it just took someone to unlock that truth hidden beneath all that pain. I'm very glad that person is you."
He had never met her in person, but Spencer was comforted by Antoinette Richardson's words with ease. Her words held weight with him, knowing that the one person Lou adored immensely approved of him in the highest regard. Spencer took a sigh of relief, knowing that with everything he was struggling with in his life, he was keeping Elena happy, and to him, that was the second most important task in his life (keeping her safe was a solid number one).
But the emotion only lasted for so long, as Spencer quickly realized that if Elena knew he was hunting down Noah, on his own, behind her back, he would be failing at keeping her happy. He knew how much of a toll it took on her when he lied to her. But comparing a small, white lie to the lie he was holding now was stressing him greatly.
Somehow, the person on the other side of the line picked up on his emotions.
"I know that pause," she said cleverly. Spencer could hear the coaxing, yet knowing tone. "You're holding something back."
Reid hesitated. He didn't know whether or not to tell Ellie's mother of his plans.
"As you said earlier, Spencer. I am quite persuasive. Something has happened, and it is something very serious."
"Ellie…" He cleared his throat. "Elena had received a gift. I'm sure you know from who."
It was Spencer's turn to listen to the moment of silence.
"Tell me everything that monster did, and please do not leave out any details."
[ + ]
She was going to kiss Penelope, or kill her. She was too drunk to decide which to do first.
Lou was currently viewing two JJs as the profiler sung out an old Sublime track, imperfectly hitting the notes. No one had really commented on her singing, as the majority of the customers in the bar had been just as off key as Jennifer was. To Lou's right was Caroline, who took a shining to Kate (sitting beside Caroline) as the two were the reigning queens at karaoke (Lou was shocked at how well Kate could perform). Penelope was to her left, linking arms with the professor every once in a while as they sung along to the tunes blaring in the building (which was a quick drive from Quantico).
Lou was several drinks in, and by her estimation she had consumed three times the amount than she usually did. She was beginning to see why it was nearly impossible to avoid Penelope's urging for more alcohol. While Penelope always knew everyone's alcohol limit, she also knew to arrive to the breaking point just before that person resulted in hugging the porcelain throne (in a very pleasant tone the professor would add). Lou was warm all over, seeing doubles of everything and everyone, and most likely slurring her words bit by bit. But she was happy. She was enjoying her time with her friends, being drunk at a bar, and singing completely off key to her favourite songs.
The ladies played drinking games (darts being one of them until they all realized copious amounts of alcohol, sharp objects, and impaired aim were not a smart combination). They shared embarrassing stories over a platter of nachos. They applauded at the brave singers who chose to humiliate themselves, or surprisingly enchant the audience. Each one talked of dreams, of celebrity crushes, of favourite past-times, and each one bonded over the information that was shared (beers and mixed drinks were also being shared). The consultant leaned back in her seat, enjoying her surroundings comfortably. A girl's night is just what Lou desperately needed, even though she had no idea she needed one in the first place.
"Rocky," Caroline appeared, talking right beside her ear. "Aren't you going to go up soon?"
Lou rolled her eyes, pulling away. She had already gone up four times. "If you stopped going to the restroom every time I went on stage, you'd stop asking me this question."
"For fuck's sakes, lighten up." Caroline held her gin and tonic, two fingers sticking out from the side of the cup. "It was only twice."
"Which resulted in you missing Penelope and I singing Boys II Men."
"Which, by the way, Lou." Kate cut in. "You were surprisingly marvellous."
The professor threw her hands up in the air. "Why do you all assume I have a horrible singing voice?"
"Linnie told us to brace ourselves." Penelope laughed, taking a sip of her drink. Lou shot a look towards her friend, trying to piece together the words that came out of Penny's mouth as she held her beer.
"You… called her Linnie."
Kate laughed. "We've been calling her Linnie the whole night!"
Lou chose a horrible moment to take a drink of her beer. Snorting into the amber liquid, she caused foam bits to fly everywhere from her glass. The entire group laughed harder at Lou's misfortune, Caroline struggling to hand Lou a napkin through the tears forming in her eyes.
"How drunk am I?" Lou questioned to herself, wiping her face.
"That is a question I've been asking myself the entire night." JJ joined the group, taking her seat beside Penelope.
"We missed your performance?" Caroline asked, entirely confused.
JJ rolled her eyes. "A blessing in disguise."
"Oh come on, you're not that bad." Penelope comforted. "Much better at darts though."
Kate nodded in agreement. "Now I know not to mess with the country girl."
A loud voice cut off the conversation, the sound booming through the speakers. "Anyone want to sing Chili Peppers?"
The redhead slammed her drink on the table. "Hell yeah!" Linnie screamed, kicking her seat back into the table behind her (while ignoring the people shooting her a dirty look), practically running towards the stage. The girls watched with amusement as Caroline fixed the microphone stand to the highest setting, the drunken hands working slowly. Lou's grin couldn't be removed from her face as she knew which song her best friend was going to choose. When she heard the strum of the guitar play, Lou was proud of herself for being able to predict Linnie's patterns. If Caroline had her way, she'd be singing Dani California right after she finished singing Under the Bridge. She watched JJ's and Kate's hands automatically wave along with the beat, a lighter miraculously in Kate's grasp, lighting up a small part of the dimmed bar.
"Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner…"
"Lou."
The professor was pulled from the performance, her attention turned to a serious Penelope. "Is everything okay?"
"Is what okay?" Lou asked, not knowing what the technical analyst was asking of her. She was trying to listen to the song.
"Something's bothering you." Penelope kept her voice low, and Lou had to strain to hear her. "Is it Spencer?"
She sighed. It was either the alcohol or Penny's presence that removed the filter on her thoughts.
"It's just… I haven't spent any time with him lately."
"You know how the job is, honey." Garcia's voice attempted to sooth Lou. "I'm sure you two will find a moment."
Lou held her hands together, ultimately stopping her tap. "To be completely honest, think Spencer's looking for Noah without me."
She saw Penelope's face pale.
"Penny." Lou persuaded.
"I'm so sorry, Lucy." She saw how distraught Penelope was. "Reid told me not to say anything."
She could have blamed it on the alcohol, but Lou knew better than to not listen to her gut. Spencer was lying to her again. After working with him, and struggling to be honest, her doctor was still keeping secrets from her. Lou wasn't upset, though. She knew what Spencer was up to (it didn't take someone of her caliber to know he was looking for Noah). The professor knew Spencer was terrified of anything happening to her because of Noah. She didn't blame him; Noah was a dangerous being, and Spencer had every right to be worried.
What Spencer wasn't supposed to do, however, was keep her out of the loop.
I'm too drunk to worry about this.
"It's fine," Lou said, bringing her focus back to Caroline. "I don't know why I hadn't expected this from him."
"Well I don't ever wanna feel-" Caroline crooned, "-like I did that day."
If Lou was paying attention to Penelope, she would have seen her friend pull the sparkly phone out of her purse, Penelope's fingers flying over the touch screen. If Lou was sober, she would have watched Penny text whoever it was, suspicions swirling through her brain. If Lou wasn't as concentrated on Caroline as she forced herself to be, she would have seen Penelope leaning forward, speaking into JJ's ear, watching a frown grow on the profiler's face. She let the minutes pass by, allowing herself to enjoy the music.
Lou couldn't help herself as she sang along with Caroline. "Under the bridge downtown, is where I drew some blood. Under the bridge downtown, I could not get enough."
Kate pointed to Lou, both of them eager to sing along. Lou pointed back to her new friend, the two women bumping along to the music. "Under the bridge downtown, forget about my love. Under the bridge downtown, I gave my life away."
Caroline finished dramatically, earning a round of applause from everyone in the bar. As Caroline was stepping down from the stage, the rowdy (and very drunk people) began to chant "encore" over and over. With a wicked smile, Caroline got back on stage, flipping through the pages of the karaoke songs until she found which song she was looking for. When the drums of Dani California began to ring through the bar, everyone began cheering.
"Lou." Linnie's voice startled her best friend. "Get your ass up here."
The professor, knowing how not sober she was, rolled her eyes as she pushed herself out of her seat, walking towards the stage. Linnie was always insisting they sung Dani California together (there wasn't a time where the two were out in public that only one of them would be singing that specific song). She got on the platform just as Caroline began the first verse, completely ready to sing along with her best friend in a bar full of people (she was also trying to distract herself from Spencer and have a good time simultaneously).
"Getting born in the state of Mississippi, Poppa was a coppa, and her momma was a hippie. In Alabama she would swing a hammer, price you gotta pay when you break the panorama."
One of the workers at the bar set up a microphone for Lou quickly. JJ, Penelope, and Kate were excited to watch the two perform.
Lou easily sung along. She'd been singing the same song with Linnie for years. "Black bandana, sweet Louisiana, robbin' on a bank in the state of Indiana. She's a runner, rebel and a stunner, on her merry way, saying baby what you gonna."
"Lookin' down the barrel of a hot metal forty-five," Caroline cut in. "Just another way to survive."
Both were in harmony when they got to the chorus. "California, rest in peace. Simulations release. California show your teeth, she's my priestess, I'm your priest. Yeah, yeah."
The three BAU agents watched as their new drunken friends sung along easily to the song, as if it were their second nature. While they were warned Caroline was an unashamed entity that didn't have an embarrassed bone in her body, they weren't warned of the free spirit that Lou became as they watched their professional consultant dance along to the beat, while singing with vigour. Lou was in her element, not caring if anyone was laughing at her (they weren't; most of the people were jamming out just as hard as she was). They loved seeing Lou in that state. All three were aware of the threat of Noah Bennett (Kate was clued in that very night by Penelope), and watching Lou be stress-free in that moment set them at ease.
"Push the fader, gifted animator, one for the now and eleven for the later." Caroline now had the microphone in her hands. "Never made it up to Minnesota, North Dakota man was a gunnin' for the quota."
"Down in the Badlands, she was saving the best for last." Lou sang. "It only hurts when I laugh, gone too fast."
Penelope was taken away momentarily from the performance when her phone vibrated against her hand. The red smile spread across her face when she realized the text she sent earlier was answered. Placing the phone face down on the table, she laughed along with JJ and Kate at the air guitar in Lou's hands that was being played to the perfect rhythm. Caroline's head banged along with the beat, the invisible drums being hit with the imaginary sticks in her hand. The patrons cheered and danced along with the back track playing, watching the best friends jam out on stage. Kate cheered loudly as Linnie and Lou finished dramatically, earning a loud whistle from JJ (as well as a standing ovation from the bar). Taking a long bow, the ladies stepped down from the small stage, heading back to their table.
"Louise," Kate said towards Linnie as the redhead sat beside her. "You didn't tell me Thelma was a rock star."
Caroline shrugged. "Rocky's always been full of surprises."
Penelope and JJ had confusion written all over their faces before they both snorted, howling with laughter at the sudden realization of that Lou was the other half of the supposed moose and squirrel duo. Kate turned to the professor, watching as Lou was hiding behind her beer cup.
"Correction." Kate struggled to keep a straight face. "Bullwinkle, what's with downplaying your partner's performing ability?"
"I don't need to boast to anyone that Lou's one of a kind." Linnie said, leaning back in her seat. "But it's fun watching people find out the full extent of it on their own."
"You mean it's more of a luxury to watch me make a fool of myself without your participation." Lou bit in.
Caroline rolled her eyes. "That too."
"I thought it was brilliant."
Lou's head shot up, realizing that none of the ladies sitting at the table spoke. She knew that voice. It had been very familiar, one she heard for the majority of four months, and one she wasn't expecting to hear that night. Turning around, her heart jumped at the sight of the purple scarf hanging around his neck. She gasped, looking up at his smiling face, as he looked down at her. He's here? Lou questioned, trying to reason that maybe she was drunk. But as she felt him pull the sweaty strand of hair away from her face, her rational mind processed the fact that he indeed had been standing in front of her.
"Spencer! You're here!"
Spencer held his laughter as he watched Lou clumsily- drunkenly stand on her seat, for the moment being taller than Spencer. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, pulling him closer to her. He hugged her just as tightly, lifting her off of the chair with his arms holding her waist (he didn't want her to slip off of the chair; he had no idea how drunk she was). Placing Lou on the ground, he saw her drunken smile widen with every second she looked at Spencer.
"How did you know to come?"
Spencer nodded towards the table. "A birdie told me I was being awfully neglectful towards you, so I came to support your... singing."
Lou was a little slower in her thought process (thank you alcohol), but when she realized how many times her Penny looked at her phone the entire night, she knew it was the techie's doing that Spencer happened to be at the bar. Turning to her friend, Garcia was watching with a knowing smile, raising her glass towards the pair of geniuses. Lou mouthed a 'thank you' towards her, Penelope nodding in response. The professor looked at her doctor.
"She's right, you know."
"Which is why I'm here."
"Did you want to stay?" She asked him.
"Did you?" He countered. "I was hoping I'd spend some time with you."
"Alone?" She smiled slyly.
He mirrored her grin. "Yes, alone. But I'd hate to intrude on your ladies' night."
"PGNO," Lou corrected. "And I'm not sure what they'll-"
"Lou." Linnie shouted behind her. "Go leave with your man already."
She clamped her mouth shut, looking at JJ's 'shooing' wave and Kate's thumbs up before facing Spencer. "Apparently, they're okay with it."
Leaning down to grab her jacket, Spencer held it open for her. Lou slid her arms into her jacket, fixing her hair as she began walking to the door while closing her coat. She suddenly stopped, turning back around to the table, grabbing her purse and phone before waving goodbye to the ladies. She sighed in relief at Spencer's warm touch on her lower back as he safely guided her out of the rowdy bar. Lou eagerly walked out of the door, embracing the cold air as she unbuttoned her jacket.
"Ellie." Spencer scolded, leaning down to re-button her coat. "It's fourteen degrees outside."
"It doesn't feel cold, Spencer." She couldn't keep her eyes off of his lips. "It feels good."
"It won't feel good if you get sick." He looked at her sternly. "Keep the coat on."
"Can we just stand here for a bit?"
"…Did you forget that I mentioned it's fourteen degrees outside?"
"Just for a tiny bit?" She pleaded.
Spencer stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "Fine."
"Can I kiss you?" She asked suddenly. "I know I'm entirely off-topic, but I haven't kissed you since this afternoon and I cannot consider that measly peck an actual kiss, because good Lord do I love kissing you, regardless of the degree of temperature outside, whether it be hot or cold-"
His hand on her face silenced Lou from continuing her ramble. She took a moment to look at him (she was seeing two of him, and they were both very handsome). He was keeping his laughter to a minimum, and she watched as Spencer was highly amused with an intoxicated Elena. The mischief in his eyes didn't diminish as he leaned down, meeting her lips with his. She found herself hiding her hands underneath his scarf, resting comfortably on his chest. Keeping her close, Spencer kissed her long and tender, making sure he compensated for all the trouble he was causing.
"I'm sorry." He said, pulling away from her lips.
Lou furrowed her eyebrows. "For what?"
"For not being around." He pulled her tighter towards him. "These cases were back-to-back and-"
"And looking for Noah must have been time consuming as well." Lou finished for him.
"I-"
Spencer had the decency to look ashamed. "I apologize for that as well. I don't know what came over me."
Lou shrugged. "To be frank, I'm not upset over you sneaking off to find information on Noah, or find Douchebag McGee himself. I know how you are. You live in a world where you are constantly exposed to such horrific acts of violence. You just want to know that your life isn't going to be the same."
He smiled, realizing she was absolutely correct. "I need to keep you safe."
"Which, Doctor Reid, you are marvelous at." Lou said, leaning forward to rest her head on his chest. "You have also been keeping me extremely calm, considering you've been all over the country these past weeks. So much so, I haven't rearranged my desk at work for four days."
"Four?" Spencer asked, shocked. "You made it past three days?"
"Honest." She mumbled. "It's driving me up the wall, but I did it."
"I'm proud of you."
Lou looked at him, noticing only one Spencer.
"One small step, right?" She offered.
He nodded, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.
"One small step."
"Speaking of which." Lou pulled away slightly. "You do realize that finding information would be a lot easier if you just came to me."
Spencer faltered. He didn't want Elena to have anything to do with Bennett. "I do, but-"
"Oh no. Don't do the whole 'protect me from the big scary spy' thing. I can take care of myself. You do remember that Noah couldn't attack me while I was conscious, right?"
"Ellie."
He was pained at the thought. She always brought up the assault so casually that it physically hurt him to listen to his Ellie recount the tales of being thrown in and out of consciousness while Noah Bennett carved the side of her face, Elena being helpless the entire time. He knew she could take care of herself when she was awake. But Elena being at her most vulnerable with Noah Bennett looming over her scared Spencer more than any unsub could.
And she was joking about it.
"Don't make light of it." He choked. "Please."
Lou's face dropped in shock, realizing how he was. "Spencer, I'm sorry. I didn't mean- I just…"
She sighed. "I joke with it as a coping mechanism."
Spencer nodded solemnly, instantly taking her hand as he pulled her towards his parked car. He couldn't get upset at Elena when she was in a drunken frame of mind. When Spencer was inebriated, he often thought of menial things such as tomatoes to be down-right hilarious. He couldn't imagine Ellie's thought process (although with his estimation it would be closely similar to what his mind would be after several shots of unknown liquor).
"Well, moving to what I meant to say before I ruined the mood." Lou continued. "You should have come to me about finding information on him."
"Did you make a dossier of your own when you met?" Spencer mumbled.
"Didn't have to. He told me everything."
The doctor stopped in his tracks. All of his hard work was gone, wasting weeks, wasting precious time with Ellie, wasting all of his energy on finding any weakness he could on Noah, just so he could find out that if he spent more time with Elena, he'd know more about the man who was out to hurt her.
"He did?"
Lou nodded. "I thought you out of all people would know that sociopaths love talking about themselves."
"How much do you know?" Spencer asked, although he was afraid of the answer.
She shrugged.
"Between paying off Russian mobs and assassinating two members of a royal family, I'm pretty sure I've got a good understanding of who the bastard is."
Just like that, the worried feeling deep in Spencer's gut burst throughout his body. He had absolutely no clue how dangerous Noah was.
The most terrifying part?
Lou knew exactly how dangerous he was.
And she still wasn't scared of him.
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xoxo N.
Next Time: "Reid."
"Bennett."