Hey Everyone!
It feels SO good to be back! I want to give a special thank you to everyone who encouraged me to take time off, and respected the time I needed to come back to this story. It's very good to take a break, and especially with everything going on, we need more time for ourselves!
BUT I am here! With a pocketful of chapters, waiting to be edited and shared with all of you!
Now before you notice, this chapter is shorter than what I originally put out. That's because Blue, our lovely editor of TTML, has gone in and chopped up the chapter into two! So if you are all begging for more and more of this story, you can go ahead and send Blue some lovely written words about how much she cares about this story and how you'd appreciate it if she over-boarded you all with angst and love!
To my LOVELY reviewers who keep me going when I have the worst writer's block: SomebodyWhoCares, zikashigaku, bambam411, mercigirl01, LisaPark, Rubiya, akina speranza, OneWhoReadsTooMuch, Momochan77, Hinanui98, gossamermouse101, smilin steph, sobreyra274, and Melissa, it means so much to me that you take the time to leave your thoughts and words. I get so excited when some of you are figuring out where this story is going, and when I read your comments, I'll make a comment to myself, saying things like "I thought that was subtle! How did they figure it out?". You are all so smart, and so interested in the story, and each one of you make me a better writer, and make me want to write more and more for all of you!
Thank you to all the new readers to the story. I see you adding my beloved story to your followed or favourites, and it makes me smile when I see a new person fall in love with Lou and Spencer.
Alright, alright, let's get this show on the road!
*********FAIR WARNING - THIS CHAPTER IS (SLIGHTLY) RATED M - PLEASE USE THE * SYMBOL WITHIN THE TEXT FOR NOTATION*****************
Enjoy!
P.S. DISCLAIMER - I don't own anything Criminal Minds
Peaceful.
It was a long time before Spencer had used that word to describe how he was feeling.
He felt like he did the first night Elena spent with him, when he called her frantic after his horrible nightmare, seeking her comfort. She provided him with a sense of security he didn't know he was capable of feeling, let alone having the honour of experiencing. His job was a brutal job: Spencer was still shocked he wasn't desensitized to all the murders he saw every day he worked a case. It made him feel proud of himself to know that he still kept his humanity with him as much as he could, even when he felt absolutely numb or enraged.
But Spencer was neither of those things. How could he be enraged when he was in the grand hotel room, laying in a luxurious bed, with a large fluffy duvet over him, encapsulating him in relaxation? He hadn't felt this comfortable in so long, both physically and mentally. He felt the support from the pillow underneath him, and Spencer felt the wave of solace wash over him with each deep breath he took.
He knew the source of his calm demeanour came from the sleeping form beside him.
Ignoring the fact that the two were technically on the run, Spencer shifted his body to his side to take a full look at her, he watched as his Ellie breathed deeply, her sleeping form tucked underneath the blanket, her arms supporting her head as she rested them underneath the pillow. He wanted to touch her, to allow his index finger to feel the contours of her sleeping smile, to be blessed with the softness of her cheek, to wind his hands into her hair… but he knew the second his skin contacted hers, Elena would be awake and thrumming with energy. He wanted her to enjoy some sleep; he didn't know when the two of them would have another quiet moment.
Not that last night is considered as a quiet night…
He remembered the way Elena clung to him the previous night. They were both wounded beyond belief (and Spencer was still impressed they managed to have sex without unravelling any stitches), and while he would have hoped that the first time he was that intimate with Elena, it was much more adventurous…
However, with the way she was with him made him feel wanted.
Her hands had grasped at his torso, pulling him closer to her. She managed to trap him with her legs at one point. Her mouth remained on some part of his body the entire night.
Elena Richardson taught him many things that night.
Like how he enjoyed certain positions more than others, or how often he liked when Elena was maneuvering their bodies, or even the moment he found out he could no longer use the phrase "quick-tongued" when describing Elena's wit without having certain images fly through his head.
But most importantly, he enjoyed the way Elena said his name the previous night.
He wouldn't be able to hear it the same again.
Not without recalling those wonderful memories.
He knew better, but Spencer couldn't help himself as he leaned in closer, attempting to kiss the cheek of his beloved. He managed to sneak a quick peck on Ellie's shoulder without waking her. The soft smile that appeared once more on her face made his heart sing.
He could have stared at her all day.
He was prepared to stare at her for the rest of his life.
However, there was someone else in the room who was prepared to be showered with affection as well.
Dexter jumped himself up onto the bed, pushing down the fluffy duvet as the fluffy dog himself insisted he sit right in-between his non-canine parents. Seeing that his one parent was awake, Dexter took it upon himself to smother his second favourite person with an abundant number of kisses. The dog quickly checked if his mother was awake to receive the said shower of love, but not even the rambunctious pooch himself could wake Ellie up from what appeared to be a much-needed slumber.
"Come, Dex," Spencer whispered softly, getting out of bed. He didn't want the dog to keep disturbing his fiancée.
That was the moment the Doctor realized he was completely naked.
He couldn't keep the goofy smile off of his face, remembering the eagerness of Elena and himself stripping each other in a passionate way. He knew for a fact he was going to have a hard time finding one of his socks, that was certain.
Struggling to put on his pair of boxers that managed to hide themselves underneath the bed, Spencer quickly popped into the bathroom, splashing water onto his face to wake himself up. He felt normalcy creep back into his life, and the importance of waking up with Elena by his side was ever present in that moment. After weeks of her not being by his side, she was there, and she wasn't going anywhere.
The need to ask her to marry him, properly, still lingered over his head.
Leaving the bathroom, Spencer found himself staring at his jacket that was still laying at the foot of the bed, from where Elena had shed him from his outer layers. Walking up to the winter coat, he found a spot on the carpet in front of the article of clothing, finding that to be the perfect spot to sit, allowing Dexter to sit right alongside him. The dog was curious if whether or not his owner still had his Mama's sugar cookies hiding somewhere.
When the small wooden box was pulled out from the pocket, Spencer's heart began to beat erratically. He knew Elena wanted to marry him (hell, even her parents knew that), but he still found it odd he stuttered over the thought of asking her once more. He had done it once already, but that was before he knew the gravity of loving Elena, before he knew of how important it was to share that love with her, and to be open with her in all aspects.
The next time he asked her, it would mean more.
The lid popped open, Spencer staring at the choice he made. The ring was Elena's style through and through. It wasn't ostentatious, but it was still captivating. He looked at the pink sapphire that sat in the centre, the teardrop encased with two slightly pink pearls on either side as the three precious stones were wrapped around white gold. It wasn't an extravagant ring, and it definitely wasn't the most expensive ring in the jewellery store. But he couldn't deny that the ring reminded him of his Professor: timelessly beautiful, with a hint of pink.
He was glad for his detour, no matter the impending price the Doctor knew was coming soon.
Dexter, who was trained to be curious and was highly accustomed to find things, sat beside Spencer the entire time. Spencer could see he piqued the dog's interest much further than he anticipated. The good dog's nose found its way into Spencer's hand, and Spencer snapped the lid shut in fear of Dexter tainting the ring.
"No," Spencer whispered, petting Dexter softly. "This is for Elena."
The dog whined sadly, curious about the shiny object in his owner's hand.
"Elena was right," he whispered. "I shouldn't have fed you so many treats. Now you're greedy if I have anything in my hands."
Dexter whined again, a paw popping up on top of Spencer's hand. The dog gave an exasperated noise, begging his owner for treats.
The whine that burst forth was louder than Spencer hoped for, as his whine sounded as if he was distressed.
Before Spencer could speak to the dog again, the body sleeping peacefully chose that moment to wake up.
"Dex…ter?"
Elena's soft, raspy voice almost distracted Spencer.
She's going to see the ring!
Shoving the ring back into the jacket pocket, he haphazardly threw the jacket back onto the floor as he stood up, catching Elena's attention.
"He's okay," Spencer whispered softly to her. "We're here. We were just playing."
While he didn't like lying to Elena, this was one secret he wanted to keep from her.
It was a surprise they both deserved.
She pushed the blanket away from her face, and Spencer got to see her wonderous eyes staring back at her.
He felt a weight of gratitude every time he got to look into her eyes.
"He needs food," Elena spoke into the pillow, Spencer not able to hear her as clearly, but still deducing her words. "The front desk rep was kind enough to provide kibble for him, but we need to grab a larger bag for him."
"We will, after we check out." Spencer took an opportunity to kiss her temple. He enjoyed her smile appearing on her face.
"I love Dex's new collar," she mumbled, turning her head away from the pillow to speak with Spencer.
"Although the tracker is due for an upgrade."
"That's Garcia's doing, don't blame me." He whispered to her. "Although I'm more tempted to place the tracker on you."
He was grateful Elena laughed at his joke.
He played with her hair, moving the strands away from her face.
"Hello Missus Reid," Spencer teased as Elena woke up.
How appropriate it was for her to call her as such.
The huff of laughter that came from his Professor whipped by the Doctor's ears, allowing comfort to pass through him as he toyed with his Ellie.
"It was a necessary lie," she mumbled, Spencer noticing her voice sounding significantly better after having much needed rest.
"The front desk attendant seemed to look at me a little suspiciously, as if I was dressed up to be meeting a client of some sort… and I wasn't dressed how I normally was… that didn't help either."
"Normally?"
"I took Caroline's luggage. I was rushing out of the hotel room, and I know Caroline constantly overpacks. I knew she would have had extra clothes, albeit a bit too big for me."
Ellie coughed a bit, and Dexter took that as a sign of distress and jumped on the bed, settling behind Elena's legs as he rested his head on her hip, staring at her. Her hands automatically found the dog's fur, calming the pooch, before Dexter found his mother's response to be appropriate and jumped down from the bed again.
"I forgot how scandalous she dresses," Ellie said, her hands reaching out to grab Spencer's hand. "She doesn't favour turtlenecks, that's for certain."
Her fingers were softly tapping once, twice, thrice, on his hand, but not to the severity that he normally noticed. It comforted him to see the repetitive pattern slowly turn into Elena drawing patterns on his palm.
I've missed this so much.
"Only Linnie would think it's appropriate to wear leather pants on a rescue mission."
His fingers in his free hand found their way into her short hair. "The attendant at the desk is naturally suspicious, even the valet. All the employees here are used to a certain type of clientele."
"And we, do not fit the mold." Ellie confirmed for him. "Which would explain their judgement that they passed onto both of us. Another reason to get out of this place as soon as possible before I have no other clean clothing except for those wretched trousers."
*Spencer nodded, his index finger drawing patters on Ellie's skin.
"Although, come to think of it, the leather pants may have some use to it."
"Scoundrel," Elena said cheekily, knowing which gutter his thoughts were swirling in. "You just want to see me in anything."
"Correction," he said with the same amount of cheek. "I'd rather you be wearing nothing."
"Oh?" Elena must have noticed the playful nature of Spencer had as he hovered his body over hers, both of his hands resting on either side of Elena's head to support him looking over her.
"You prefer nothing on my body? Well, then this blanket must be a nuisance to you."
He saw the playfulness in her own eyes be mirrored.
"I guess I'll have to do something to rectify this conundrum," Spencer muttered, grabbing the edge of the blanket to gently pulling the blanket away from Elena's body.
"Please do," she giggled out.
Spencer had to learn how to breathe properly once again if the sight of Elena was going to take his breath away.
He was ready to enjoy being intimate with Elena again, seeing her flirty smile as she looked up at him with anticipation. The blanket was haphazardly thrown off to the other side of the bed, allowing him to have full sight of Elena.
Spencer leaned down softly to kiss Elena's body, enjoying the softness underneath his lips.
Her hands wound their way in his own hair, his tresses at the mercy of his Professor as she controlled which location the next kiss was to land.
Spencer moved up her body, placing kisses all over to kiss his way up her collarbone.
He made sure to spend some agonizing time on her neck as he allowed his lips to trail up and down the side, stopping just at the corner of her jaw to place a whisper so gentle it caused shivers to race up Elena's spine.
However, the two geniuses had forgot to take into consideration the state of their bodies.*
The movement caused Elena's body to jolt, and the wounds all over her body protested in pain. Spencer stopped his tempestuous torture when he heard Elena's painful yelp instead of her pleased moan.
The sound of her pain caused the blissful bubble they were in to burst.
It was almost automatic to Spencer, to instinctively stop whatever he had planned, and look at Elena. He double checked her body to see if any stitches had been pulled, if any blood was accidentally drawn, but after finding nothing, he turned to look at her face, seeing how she was attempting to control her pain.
"Ellie, I'm so sorry," he rushed out, realizing the consequence to his actions.
She's wounded, and most likely exhausted from the previous night.
No, she's been exhausted from the previous weeks.
I should have taken this into consideration.
"It's not your apology to give," the smile was back on her face. "My desires momentarily forgot my body hates me in this current moment."
"My temptations got the better of me," Spencer muttered, his own frustration was something he couldn't contain. "I should have thought about this logically before even attempting to be close with you. I should have thought about this last night before we did anything to begin with."
Elena's firm hand on his jaw caused him to look deep into her eyes.
She held a deep passion within her irises.
"Spencer, you are learning. You need to allow yourself to have room to learn."
"I am allowing that."
"I would hope so. We are both consenting adults, and you cannot scold yourself for wanting to be with me. I wanted you, Spencer."
Letting go of his face, she did her best to sit up while speaking. "I asked for you to be intimate with me in that way. I was aware of how my body was, and I also was aware your body went through similar trauma. I still wanted you, in any way I could have you."
"El, I don't want to hurt you."
She smiled at his caring nature.
"Did I tell you that you were hurting me last night?"
"No… well, you were telling me how much you were… enjoying yourself."
Ellie giggled again, softly this time. "And I was also enjoying myself. I hope you were as well."
The reddening of Spencer's cheeks were ever present, and Spencer still found it odd that Elena had seen him naked, but he was still embarrassed over a small action.
"I'm guessing I don't have to speculate?" Elena coyly slid out.
Spencer nodded. "No question. Last night was one of the best nights I've experienced. I've never felt so…"
"Liberated?" Elena prompted.
Spencer shook his head.
"Wanted."
The gasped that came from Elena was telling. He never kept his feelings from Elena, even if he was incapable of expressing them, he was always honest in how he felt towards her. She made him feel like he was capable of love, as if he deserved to have the affection given to him by his partner.
He never questioned why Elena chose him to be her partner: he was grateful he was an option to begin with. But the fact that it was effortless to be with Elena, and the fact that she effortlessly loved him for who he was and what he offered, it made him appreciate her more.
Elena's hand on his cheek brought him back to his heart.
"I hope I've always made you feel that way," she whispered to him.
"You never fail," Spencer told her softly. "You have always made me feel loved."
"Good," she said, smiling up at him.
Elena pulled away from him slightly, flipping her newly short hair out her face, her soft curls popping up after not being weighted down by so much hair. Spencer noticed how she was still thrown off by the short length, as it was not her decision to cut her hair.
"You okay?" He said, noticing how her mind would work. Elena loved her hair, not that she made it obvious. But it was her comfort, something to her that was a form of expression for her, especially after Caroline told him how Lou blossomed further when she dyed it pink.
To lose all her hair after something traumatic as her childhood home being stolen and exploding didn't help.
Elena sighed. "For the most part… yes?"
She sat up a bit more, Spencer noticing she needed both hands to sign.
'My voice is better, but I know I shouldn't push it. My hair, however, is still a shock to me. I…'
Her hands stopped moving, Spencer's concern growing with her pause.
'I miss my hair. I was hoping I could dye it pink again once I had the opportunity to. But not only is entire dyed section gone, the length is the shortest I've ever had it in my life, and it's left me feeling jarred.'
"It looks beautiful," Spencer encouraged. "No matter what length."
Her half-smile was reassuring. 'Thanks for trying sweetheart. This is something I have to deal with myself. It doesn't help I'm equating a lot of parallels to the Rapunzel fable.'
"El, it's a children's story."
'Which happens to coincidentally fall in line with my life. Me, spending my alone time in the tower, which now is blown up, and my long hair is now gone. I'll agree there are some versions that don't match up, but it's right on par with the Grimms brothers.'
"You raise a fair point… But I thought the story you equated to the most was the Wizard of Oz," Spencer said to contest her thought process. "You have shown me your entire life had revolved around this story, and even to this day, down to the contacts in your phone, that is the story you connect with. That, to me, is the story that falls in line with how you've profiled the people in your life."
'How so?'
"For one, I think your choice of Tinman is quite appropriate," he said, smiling at her. "The Tinman believed he wasn't capable of love if he didn't have a heart. But even after the Wizard gave him a heart, it was he who figured out his capacity for love was within him the entire time."
He was caught off guard by the kiss she planted firmly on his mouth.
"I'm glad you realized," she whispered to him.
Spencer shrugged. "I am quite intelligent."
"That you are," she said in response. "You think I'm getting ahead of myself with the Rapunzel logic?"
"Possibly. You may be reading too much into this, El."
"Maybe."
"Since we're on the subject, could I get some clarity on who is who?"
"Sure," Elena said with a smile.
"Glinda is definitely within your mother, Caroline makes for one interesting Toto, and… well, your father has enough curtains in his home and his personal life to tell me he makes for a definite Wizard."
Elena smiled in response. 'He's getting better though.'
"I'll take your word for it, Elena. And if Douchebag McGee," Ellie's jaw dropped at Spencer using Caroline's old nickname for Bennett came out of his mouth, "is considered to the Cowardly Lion… who's the Scarecrow?"
Ellie looked at him funny.
"Zion," she said. "I thought that was obvious."
Spencer didn't find it so.
'He doesn't think,' Elena signed to him as she cleared her throat. It made Spencer realize she was constantly in pain with each word she spoke. 'The worst part is, he doesn't ask questions. He goes in, does what needs to be done, and worries about the consequences later.'
Spencer caught the sad look on Elena's face.
"What happened to Zion? Is he okay?"
She nodded. 'Yes, he's okay. But I'm at odds with him.'
"How so?"
Elena's hands did not move.
"El?"
'Zion's working for my father. That's how my father found me.'
That was a factor Spencer didn't take into consideration.
Zion is capable of lying to Elena.
The Ambassador is capable of having more influence over Zion than Elena does.
Or... is it the Ambassador calling the shots?
"Your father? Had Zion keep an eye on you?"
'He was asked by my father to watch me once I let it slip to Charles that Zion was helping me try and stop Noah.'
"Which would have made sense as to how your father was there at the Manor when we arrived. His status was missing the entire time you were missing as last known whereabouts was Argentina before your mother went missing, and subsequently, Zion knew where everyone was at the exact same time."
'I think he knows something I don't. Zion's been stuck to my side. Even with the explosion, Zion must have known this when he went to the hospital but came back to the Manor with my father.'
"Zion came back to the Manor?"
Spencer shook his head.
He didn't remember this.
How could he not remember this?
"When?"
'When I got locked in the tower.'
"When you… Elena, what?"
He was flabbergasted.
Spencer was told by the entire team that the bomb came from the base of the tower.
Elena said she got locked in the tower.
How did she survive?
'I was locked in,' Elena emphasized the past-tense of the sentence. 'Until Zion showed up and rescued Dave and I.'
"How did you leave the premises? Did you take a car?"
Spencer watched as Elena shrugged her shoulders.
'I don't know.'
Now Spencer was on red-alert.
How did Elena survive something she shouldn't have?
How is she not aware of how she got out?
How is she still alive?
"How do you not know?"
'Because I lost consciousness.'
"What do you mean you lost consciousness?"
'I went into the water because of the explosion,' Ellie signed quickly.
His eyes widened when he fully processed what Elena said.
His anxiety was growing more and more with each piece of information she shared.
"Elena, I need to know exactly what happened. The fact you're alive is something Bennett was certain wasn't going to happen. I need to know what occurred. We need to figure out what Bennett has planned."
'I…' she signed, before taking a deep breath. 'I don't know what happened after the explosion. I only know what happened beforehand.'
"And what did those events entail?" He pressed on.
Elena sighed, as Spencer noticed she was overwhelmed with information that they both knew had to be shared. It was a lot to ask for Elena to repeat everything that occurred, but even Spencer knew his responsibility was to tell his side of the story as well. Both of them had to tell each other what they both experiences, however painful it was.
'Can we order room service first? I'll tell you everything, but I'm hungry, and I'll need to pack in the meanwhile.'
"Why is that?" Spencer asked. "Aren't we staying longer?"
'We have to leave soon. The credit card I used is definitely going to be tracked soon.'
"When will they flag it?"
Elena spoke up this time to clarify what words she intended to say.
"Not flag. Track."
Spencer realized Elena was being specific in her words.
She was also awfully specific in the hotel she chose.
The grand scale of it all.
It wasn't necessarily something within Elena's budget.
It made him question…
How was she able to acquire a hotel room such as this?
"…Who's credit card did you take?"
His Professor had the decency to look sheepish.
"Zion's father."
"…Zion's father?"
"He has a lot of burner cards."
"Zion's father... Isn't he a co-worker of your father?"
"Slightly... He's a retired Lieutenant General from the Israeli Air Force who is now a public figure in Israel... and he... may also work for the UN."
"Basically your father, just... not as nice?" Spencer asked, concerned.
"I don't think he knows how to spell 'nice'," Elena confessed.
Spencer's stress level increased significantly.
Ellie took a credit card belonging to an important figure in the Middle East.
Who had the same set of skills that his son did, with the same brilliance as Charles Richardson.
He didn't even know the man's name, and he knew that he was dangerous.
"El… How many secrets are there, exactly?"
"Apparently, more than I know."
Next Time: "Zion's been lying to you from the beginning."