"Hello?" Lauren answered her ringing mobile after she had allowed the children of her class to go out into the playground for morning break.

"Lauren…it's Derek" Morgan spoke from the BAU offices whilst Prentiss and Rossi watched him with intent.

"Oh hey" Lauren replied, moving from desk to desk and picking up books "what's wrong?"

"Spencer never showed up for work today" Derek said and Lauren froze where she was stood, and then stood up straight;

"What?" she asked him

"We haven't seen him at all this morning and he's never late…his phone is switched off and there is no answer at his apartment phone either, you don't know where he is?" Derek raised a brow and Rossi and Prentiss both looked concerned at his facial expression.

"No" Lauren shook her head "he said he had to go into work early this morning…he had a case to start…but he hasn't called me or anything"

"We'll have Garcia to see if we can track his cell" Derek said

"Derek" Lauren said before he hung up "you don't think he's hurt…do you?"

"I have no idea"

…..

Spencer sat on a bench in a park in Quantico, looking around as people walked past him, some smiling as they pushed prams, others keeping their head downs, walking with their earphones stuck into their ears, playing music loudly, some just walked and talked and others jogged along. But Spencer remained seated, thinking about everything. The sun was bright in the December cold air and he hugged his grey winter coat closer to him, adjusting his purple scarf whilst his shades sat on his eyes, helping him ever so slightly. He had turned his phone off in the hope it would just give him peace of mind but he knew he was probably worrying people by doing it.

"I thought I might find you here" his fiancée suddenly spoke, sitting down next to him on the bench, leaving a few centimetres gap before she crossed her legs, stuffing her hands into her coat pocket as she looked forward and Spencer turned his gaze onto her.

"How did you know?" He asked her

"You like open spaces when you need time to think…I narrowed down all the parks in Quantico on Google Maps and then remembered you took me to this one when I lived in Quantico for a while" she told him and he chuckled lightly, looking down at his gloved hands;

"That was quite a good geographical profile" he told her and she shrugged

"Well when your fiancé goes missing and won't answer his phone then it kind of worries you" she turned her stare onto him and Spencer could only hold her slightly angry and confused eyes for moments before sighing loudly and looking away.

"I'm sorry" Spencer muttered

"I don't want an apology Spence" Lauren shook her head "I want to know why"

"I just needed time to think" Spencer shrugged

"Spencer" she whispered "I'm your fiancée…I've known you for years…what are you hiding from me?"

"I love you Lauren" Spencer said, shifting closer to her so he could gently feel her brush against him;

"And I love you too Spencer…and I have an idea as to what you're hiding from me" she admitted and he raised a brow;

"You do?" he croaked

"Yes" she muttered "it's the one thing you never spoke to me about really and so I never pushed the matter"

"I never really like to talk about it" he shifted around uncomfortably

"I know" she agreed "but if we're going to have an honest relationship then you have to talk to me about it Spencer…I'm marrying you in a few week" she said and he smiled lightly at hearing her say that.

"I went to the hospital" he blurted out "whilst I was away I've been having headaches"

"And you're still having them now?" Lauren guessed and Spencer nodded;

"I didn't want to worry you" he sighed

"Well being secretive makes me worry too Spence" Lauren frowned "what did they say?"

"Nothing is physically wrong with me" he said "they think it's my illness"

Lauren remained silent for a few moments, not knowing what to say in reply to him about it, she didn't want to upset him even more but the she didn't want to ignore his schizophrenia.

"I used to get the headaches" Spencer eventually said "but they went away after a few days"

"Do you think these will do the same?"

"I hope so" he moved his sunglasses up his nose

"And I imagine you don't want to talk to anyone about this?" Lauren suggested and Spencer shook his head firmly and coughed lightly;

"No" he said "they'll go…I just wondered that was all…and I'd understand if you…" Spencer trailed off, not knowing how to best say what he wanted to say;

"What?" Lauren asked him

"Didn't want this" he whispered. Lauren removed his sunglasses and searched his eyes as he looked back at her, feeling calmed by her hand on his cheek as a tear ran down her eyes;

"I'll always want you Spencer" she whispered back to him "regardless of what you have…don't push me away" she begged

"I won't" he replied "I just don't want to hurt you"

"Your illness can't hurt me Spence" she assured him "Just the secrecy…it stops now, okay?"

"Lauren…I…" Spencer began to search for an excuse but she shook her head;

"Promise me Spence…I don't need protecting from what will happen to you. I love you and want to be with you and that is all there is to it…swear you won't keep it from me" she demanded

"I promise" he whispered and she nodded, standing up and offering him her hand as he placed his sunglasses back onto his eyes.

"You may want to turn your phone on too" she told him as they began walking back through the park;

"I guess I'm in trouble with the team?" he asked her

"No…they're just worried" she said "like I was"

"I'm sorry" he said again, automatically

"I know" Lauren whispered.