"I can't believe they got life" Lauren exclaimed as her and Spencer walked back into NY airport hand in hand after the court trial. They had been found guilty of all the killings they committed and there sentence hadn't been lowered because of Lauren's apparent affair. They had failed terribly and the jury had seen that.
"I know" Spencer said, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her to him, kissing her on the cheek briefly "and when we get back...the team want to take us out for a meal...to celebrate and all that...not sure why though, considering I'm not in the team" he frowned
"You'll always be part of their team"
...
"Hey pretty boy's other half, how you holding up?" Morgan asked Lauren when he saw her and Spencer enter the Italian restaurant. He kissed her on the cheek twice and then allowed Spencer to wrap his arm back around her waist.
"I'm fine thank you Derek...just glad it is over" she sighed and he smiled at the couple
"Well I'm glad something has gone right...we're sat just through here" he said and began to lead them through into the main area of the restaurant. As Spencer took Lauren by the hand she pulled him back for a moment and looked into his eyes;
"Do I look alright?" she checked and Spencer tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as he looked down over her body which was covered in a simple black dress with her black heels. Her hair was pulled high into a messy bun and Spencer shook his head;
"No one should look as tempting as you do" he said and she tapped him lightly on the chest with her clutch bag and he chuckled, pulling her by her hips closer to him;
"You look beautiful...I don't know why you worry so much" he said, his lips close to hers;
"Because I don't want to make a bad impression on you to your friends" she complained and Spencer chuckled before coming closer to her lips;
"I don't care what they think" he said and then kissed her sweetly
"Hey boy genius!" Derek called "come on...there are people eating their dinner and they would like to be able to keep it down"
Lauren smiled into Spencer's lips and then pulled away from him as he turned red but chuckled and led her to the table. She quickly smiled at all the familiar faces around the table as Spencer pulled her a chair out next to Penelope and she sat down as he sat beside her.
"I have to say thank you for the wedding invitation" Penelope turned to her "it was really pretty"
"Oh" Lauren gasped. Truth be known, she hadn't thought about the wedding much during the case, but now it would be all she could think about "you're welcome"
"And the date is so close to Christmas...maybe you'll get lucky and it will snow" Penelope sounded more excited than Spencer and Lauren put together. Lauren laughed lightly as a waiter poured her a glass of champagne.
"That's the hope" Spencer said "she's always wanted a white wedding"
"Always? So come on Reid...we need the lowdown...how did you two even meet?" Derek asked and Hotch took a sip, watching as Reid's hand sneakily went under the table to rest on Lauren's thigh. He had to admit that he had never seen Reid look so at ease with another person as he did with Lauren. Rossi caught the motion too and he nodded once at Hotch who was sat opposite him and next to Derek. Prentiss was next to Penelope and Dave as she listened intently to Reid.
"Well...I was playing chess in the park one dad...and then this girl asks to sit with me" he said and smiled across to Lauren;
"And you didn't freeze and quote statistics?" Derek jumped in
"He did actually" Lauren laughed "about how many people in the world could play chess"
"700 million?" Rossi guessed
"Actually at the time it was 600 million...and then we just became friends" Spencer shrugged
"You know that the best relationships tend to come from friendship?" Prentiss informed them "well so I heard"
"Looks like we're screwed then handsome" Penelope winked at Derek
"Baby girl" he smiled "we both know we would have an amazing life"
"Anyway...you started the job hunt yet?" Rossi asked Reid with a twinkle in his eye as the boy frowned and shook his head;
"That's the thing" he complained "I don't know what I want to do" he said and Lauren held onto his hand and squeezed it in reassurance.
"How about profiling?" Hotch asked and Spencer looked up at him with a confused expression
"Only the BAU offer that unique job...no other place does" Spencer sighed
"Then it looks like you'll have to come back to the BAU" Penelope shrugged, twirling the champagne in her hand.
"I was fired?" Spencer checked and they all nodded and looked at Hotch
"And then rehired" he clarified and Spencer raised his head and Lauren's eyes opened wider "Strauss has been told by the director of the FBI to rehire you. He said you was a good kid and deserved a place on the team. If she didn't hire you then he would have fired her and just got you back"
"What?" Spencer asked, smiling in disbelief "you mean...I have my job back?"
"Strauss went all chicken when the Director started snooping" Rossi said "she felt she had no choice"
"Wow...I mean...that's amazing...considering I thought the director hated me" Spencer gasped and Lauren kissed him on the cheek quickly before Hotch nodded at Rossi;
"I spoke to him...said you were a valuable asset and one which we should look after...seems him and Strauss don't see eye to eye" Rossi admitted
"So when do I start?" Spencer asked
"Tomorrow. We're off back to California...we're needed there for the case again. We were turned away last time. The local police said to back off so we did...but he won't stop killing and so this time they're trusting us" Hotch said and Spencer looked at Lauren, leaning in closer to her;
"You'll be okay?" he checked
"I'll be fine" she promised "besides...you need to get back to saving the world"
"So" Derek raised his glass "here's to the future"
"To Lauren and Spencer's future" Penelope clarified, winking at the couple.
