"Hey, Spence."
Spencer tore his eyes away from Anthea's laughing face and turned to see who was calling him. JJ smiled and sat down, and it was then he realized she had switched seats with Rossi, allowing him the chance to chat with Anthea and Garcia while he was left alone. He smiled back at his friend, and the blonde woman winked. "Can't take your eyes off her?"
Spencer shrugged, slightly bashful. "She's great."
"She is," agreed JJ. Affectionately, she punched his arm. "So why'd you keep her a secret?"
Spencer winced. He had hoped that introducing Anthea to his friends at an event held in honour of Morgan's son would mean they would spend most of their time not interrogating him, but clearly that would not be the case; after all, JJ had switched seats and come to speak to him at the first opportunity. He took a sip of his drink, his eyes zeroing in on the figure of his girlfriend again. She was sitting at the same table right opposite him, politely engaged in conversation with Rossi and Garcia as she cradled little Michael in her arms. Beside them, Will was patting a sleeping Henry on the arm absently as he listened to them speak. Judging by the way even Hotch was smiling openly, he felt sure they all liked her.
"Spence?" JJ's soft voice broke him out of his daze, and when he turned to look at her he saw that her face looked like it was ready to break from smiling. She'd caught him staring again.
"Sorry, what was that?" Spencer rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
JJ took pity on him and didn't tease, instead repeated herself. "I asked why you kept her a secret."
Spencer shrugged. "She wasn't a secret. You never asked if I was seeing anyone."
"Because when you see someone new you're supposed to tell us anyway," pointed out JJ. However, she didn't press the issue, for which Spencer was grateful. "So, she's a professor?"
"Senior lecturer at Georgetown, yes," and then he smiled. "You're saying Garcia hasn't told you everything about her yet?"
JJ laughed. "I didn't let her say much," she assured him. "We wanted to let you make the introductions yourself. How'd you meet her?"
"Recruitment fair at Georgetown," JJ raised an eyebrow, not appreciative of his short answers, so Spencer elaborated. "I was a guest lecturer and she was looking for a place to do her PhD. Rossi was friends with her uncle, so we were introduced briefly. She had a lot of questions about my lecture, but we had to leave. I went back the next day because they needed an SSA to go with the next batch of alumni recruits," JJ snorted, clearly indicating that Spencer's excuse was weak. He had obviously wanted to see her again. Spencer tried not to blush. "I saw her again, and she cornered me afterwards to debate the usefulness of psychoanalysis," Spencer remembered that day vividly. "I didn't know she was a critical theory nut, or I'd have been nicer. We ended up talking for so long that her friend left without her and she had to call a cab, so I waited with her."
"And?" prompted JJ.
Spencer looked away uncomfortably. "And nothing, I guess. She lived close by, we met up for coffee a few times. It was normal, JJ. I didn't have to save her from a serial killer or a psycho ex, or anything stupid like that."
JJ blinked at the frustration in Spencer's tone and rested a hand on his shoulder gently. "Is there something you want to let out, Spence?" Spencer didn't answer. JJ sighed. "You can say it to me, Spencer. What's got you so worked up? It's a good thing you haven't had to save her from something like that, believe me."
Spencer closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. He let out a deep breath and opened them, quickly glancing at Anthea again. She was laughing at something Tara had said. Her eyes were bright. It made him want to smile and punch something at the same time. "I'm in love with her," he said quietly. "And she's in love with me."
JJ was silent for a few seconds. "And that's a bad thing?" she asked finally. She was making an effort to sound casual, but Spencer knew his confession had made his friend happy.
"It's not a bad thing, it's just not great," Spencer sighed. "I kept her away from work, JJ, not from you guys. I don't want her to see the things I have to see every day. I want to protect her, but she doesn't let me. She shows up at my apartment when I'm back from a case, I don't even want to talk and she just sits there and reads or grades papers, but she never leaves," he shook his head wonderingly. "I have issues, I know that. I could barely touch her for the first few months, even though I really wanted to, and she acted like it was completely normal. She doesn't know anything," he added, when he saw JJ prepare to speak. "About Maeve or the kidnapping and the addiction, any of that stuff, but I wouldn't be surprised if she knew and she was just acting like she didn't because I haven't told her myself."
"It's alright to want to protect her because you love her, Spencer," said JJ when Spencer finally stopped speaking. "Will's still like that, even I'm like that with him and the kids. It never really goes away. I don't know anything about her, but from what you've said she sounds about perfect for you. You loved Maeve, but that doesn't mean you can't love Anthea too," JJ squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. "She just doesn't want you to deal with everything alone. I'd say that's exactly what you need."
"I guess," Spencer wasn't convinced, but he gave his friend a smile to show he appreciated the willing ear. JJ smiled back and got up, heading back to the other end of the table where Anthea was now playing with an awake baby Michael and still talking to Garcia, while both Rossi and Tara were debating on whether or not to head home. Hotch and Jack were standing nearby, now in conversation with Will and a sleepy Henry.
"You look like you're all having fun," grinning, Morgan joined them, arm wrapped around Savannah and cradling his baby boy in his other arm. A chorus of hellos and coos greeted them as Garcia demanded to hold the baby. Willingly, Morgan let her as he leaned against the back of Anthea's chair, poking the back of her head with his finger, causing her to swat at his hand. "Don't get too comfy there, professor," he teased Anthea, indicating Michael. "I don't think the kid is ready to have a kid yet." Around them, everyone laughed as Anthea turned red, and even Spencer smiled at their interaction. Despite only knowing each other for a few moments, he was happy and a little surprised to see that out of all his friends, Anthea seemed to get along with Morgan as if she had known him her whole life.
"Shut up, Derek," Savannah interjected, rolling her eyes. She winked at Spencer and turned to Anthea. "If you ever feel like babysitting, please let me know."
"I will," Anthea laughed. "And don't worry, I'm not ready either, but I'm willing to babysit," Anthea handed off Michael to his father. "I grew up in a stuffy house in central Chicago crawling with cousins, the only way to survive was to like kids."
"You're from Chicago? So is Morgan," said JJ, eyes wide with surprise.
"Yeah, Spencer mentioned that. South Side, right?" Anthea tilted her head back to look at Morgan, who nodded. She smiled. "My brother was a cop there. 17th district."
No one at the table asked her why she had used the past tense, and Spencer saw the look of relief on her face at the lack of response. She hated talking about it, it was still too soon, but he was glad she had opened up even a little in front of his friends.
Finally, Will spoke. "So, you moved to DC recently?"
Anthea shook her head. "I grew up in Chicago, but I went to boarding-school here. I've been to college all over the states, though. I've always liked moving around."
Rossi chose that moment to ask her about her family, and Anthea immediately gave him her full attention. The rest of the team broke off into groups, but Spencer merely stared at her. He knew he did that a lot: she had teased him about it mercilessly the first time she had caught him doing it, but he had seen that it seemed to make her happy so he stopped trying to hide it. He loved watching her talk; he had always thought words and ideas that he had seen and read sounded so much more interesting when he heard them in her voice. It took him a few minutes, however, to remember that he was at a table full of profilers, but by then it was too late. JJ and Tara were giving him knowing looks, and Morgan looked like his face would break from smiling.
They left soon after, and Morgan and Savannah walked them out. The two women had already made plans to meet for lunch on the weekend, and Spencer knew his relationship wouldn't stay private for long: Savannah and Morgan beat Garcia when it came to nosing into his life. However, he still couldn't help but smile at them both. He hadn't been worried about how everyone would react to Anthea, but the unconditional acceptance they had offered had made him happy.
"That was nice," said Anthea quietly, a few minutes into their journey. Spencer threw her a quick smile, but his instincts forced him to keep his eyes on the road. Anthea was a slightly reckless driver, easily juggling an audio book or a song on her stereo system as she navigated DC's traffic, but Spencer preferred to be safer. She obviously didn't share his opinion, because she leaned across and rested her head against his arm, sighing tiredly.
"Do you want me to take you home?" asked Spencer concernedly. They rarely spent time apart on weekends when he was in town, but he knew she was exhausted.
"I left a bag at your place," came a sleepy murmur in response. "Eyes on the road, Dr. Reid."
!
Spencer ran a hand through his hair tiredly as he closed the file he had been reading, tossing it onto the chair next to the one he was sitting in. His dining table was a mess of loose papers and manila folders, and though he was an organized disaster when he was working, he had a sneaking suspicious that most of the brightly coloured plastic folders belonged to the woman currently fast asleep in his bed.
Anthea had been exhausted when they returned, and Spencer had had to practically carry her into the bedroom. However, once he had taken off her shoes and pulled the covers up to her chin, his own exhaustion had slipped away and he had, unwillingly, started on some paperwork.
"You need sleep," came a disapproving voice from the doorway. Spencer jumped and glanced at the hallway that led to his bedroom. Anthea was leaning against the wall, her arms folded across her chest. She had obviously woken up a while ago, because the spare glasses she kept in his side-table drawer were perched on top of her head, holding her hair away from her face and she was changed out of her dressy clothes into a large Georgetown t-shirt and a pair of pyjama bottoms that were much too large for her. Spencer knew most people wouldn't find her current attire attractive, but he did. Anthea spent most of her time looking immaculate, and he was strangely happy that she didn't mind unwinding in front of him.
"I do," he conceded. Anthea crossed the room and leaned against his chair for a brief second, but Spencer wound an arm around her waist and tugged her down onto his lap, smiling softly at her giggle. "You were hogging my bed."
"I'm the reason you even like going to bed these days," she reminded him. She made herself comfortable and settled her head against his chest. "Thanks for taking off my shoes."
"You're welcome."
"I missed you," her voice was so quiet that Spencer almost missed it, but the stiffening of her shoulders told him he had heard right. "I really, really, really missed you."
"I missed you too," Spencer tightened his hold on her. "I know this case was long, Thea, but you knew I'd be back before the christening."
"I know."
"Then why are you sad?" he gently pushed her away and was surprised to find tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?" he tried to keep his voice soft, but the panic seeped into his tone nevertheless. Ten months of knowing her and six months of being with her, and yet every time her eyes so much as watered he was seized with panic.
"I'm okay," she assured him quickly, cracking a smile despite her swollen eyes. She quickly wiped away her tears. "I'm going back to bed. Will you –"
Spencer cut her off with a kiss. Anthea squeaked, but her surprise was quickly forgotten. She clung to him, her desperation almost tangible. Spencer was unbelievable gentle, his calloused fingers running through her hair as he shifted her from his lap to the table, ignoring the papers and folders that littered the surface. Anthea returned his affection eagerly, and Spencer realized with a jolt that she had missed him. She had barely let him go all night, and when she had fallen asleep he had left the room. He knew night terrors were a common thing for her now, and he cursed himself for not noticing how distressed she was before.
Anthea broke the kiss, her breathing heavier than usual. Spencer rested his forehead against hers and caressed her cheek softly. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't know you were this upset."
"I'm not this upset normally when you leave," said Anthea quietly. She bit her lip. "I- I'm sorry, Spencer, I know you told me not to but when you told me you were going to be late I watched the news."
His eyes widened in recognition and immediately he had wrapped her in a hug. "Thea, why didn't you –"
"There was a bomb," she choked out. Her tears had started again, but Spencer didn't stop them this time. Wordlessly, he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, setting her down onto the covers and pulling her into his chest. She was trembling. "You confronted a man with enough explosives to blow up an entire street," she sobbed, burying her face into his chest again. "How could you –"
"Sweetheart, I knew what I was doing," he soothed, cutting off her broken sentence. "I promise you, it wasn't a stupid risk. He wasn't going to blow us up."
"What if he had?" her wide-tear-filled eyes made Spencer rethink his answer, that it was illogical of the bomber to blow up only one person when he aimed to kill hundreds in one go. That wouldn't comfort her, it would terrify her.
He sighed. "It's the job, Thea," he kissed her forehead. "I'm good at what I do. I'm not going anywhere, okay?"
"Please don't leave me," he had never seen her look so broken. "Robbie almost broke my heart, Spencer, and you're the only person I've ever loved more than him. Don't leave me."
"Sweetheart, I can't –"
"Please, Spencer."
"I can't promise you that something bad won't happen," said Spencer gently. "But I can promise you that I'll be careful."
"I don't want something bad to happen to you," she whispered. "I don't want that phone call again, Spencer."
"I don't want to do that to you, either," he sighed. "Thea, you know I'll understand if –"
"I love you," despite her raspy voice, the words still sent a quick jolt through Spencer every time she said them. "I can't leave you. Just promise me I won't get that call again, Spencer. Please."
He couldn't promise her, and he didn't. But he held her the whole night, and most of the morning after that as well, rocking her back and forth gently. By mid-afternoon the next day, he was exhausted, but Anthea was asleep and dreaming peacefully, and strangely that made his exhaustion quite bearable.
