Note: Maeve Lives

"Wait!" Reid shouted just as a gunshot rang out. He stared in horror as Diane fell to the floor, but it took a moment for him to realize Maeve was still standing. Her head was bent forward from she had attempted to pull away at the last second.

"Maeve." He breathed her name, she was alive.

"Spencer," she choked out, the stress of the day and the realization she wasn't dead catching up with her as tears began streaming down her face.

"Spencer," she said again, stumbling forward.

"It's okay," Reid caught her and wrapped his arms around her tightly.

Maeve buried her face in his chest, drawing in a shuddering breath.

"It's okay," he repeated, "You're okay now. You're okay." He ran a hand through her hair as she squeezed him tightly.

"Hey."

Reid startled slightly and looked up to see Alex standing there. He hadn't heard her approach.

"Let's get you two out of here, yeah? Get your arm looked at," she smiled gently at him.

"She shot you," Maeve said, suddenly pulling back to look at his arm.

"I'm fine," he assured her, "I've had worse." He meant it as a joke, but she looked pained.

"I'm sorry, this was all my fault," she said.

"No! No, it wasn't."
"He's right," Morgan stepped forward, "We looked Diane's work. There's nothing you could have done differently. You did everything right."

Maeve nodded, smiling hesitantly at him.

"Paramedics are outside," Hotch said, "Blake, why don't you go with them? We'll take care of things here and then meet you at the hospital."

"That good with you guys?" Blake asked the couple and Reid nodded, his good arm still holding Maeve close.

The three slowly walked outside, Reid helping to steer Maeve around all the police officers descending on the place.

She flinched back when someone brushed too close, and Reid tightened his grip. This was the most people she'd been around in months. The nose level and the crowd… it was overwhelming.

"Gunshot wound to the right arm," Blake pointed at Reid, then pointed to Maeve, "Possible concussion. I'll ride up front."

The pair climbed into the back of the ambulance while Alex walked up to the font. Reid didn't let go of Maeve's hand once. Even on the way to the hospital, the paramedics worked around the couple's hold on each other.

When they arrived, they were led to an exam room, a flash of Alex's badge got them an actual room with walls instead of curtains.

"I'll wait right out here," Alex told them, shutting the door and leaving the couple to themselves as they waited for the doctor.

Maeve leaned her head on his chest and closed her eyes.

"You okay?" Spencer murmured.

"Is it really over?" she asked, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"It's over," he replied, "She can't hurt you again."

Maeve took a shuddering breath and Reid drew her closer.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"You don't have to thank me," Reid said, "I love you. I won't let anyone hurt you again."

Maeve smiled and lifted her face to look at Spencer.

"I love you too," she said, leaning upwards and pressing her lips to his.

Reid had imagined how this would go over and over again. At dinner; a walk in the park; he'd imagined all the romantic situations he could. Kidnapping and getting shot were definitely not part of how he had imagined it (though it was very Reid that that's how it went down).

And yet, it was perfect. She was here, with him, and that was all that he needed.

"You're perfect," he mumbled breathlessly when they had pulled apart.

Maeve huffed a laugh.

"I don't-" she started.

"You are," Reid insisted, "You're perfect."

She leaned forward against his chest, her ear pressed close, and allowed herself to be soothed by the sound of his heartbeat. They remained like that until the doctor walked in.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said as they pulled apart, but remained close beside each other. "I'm Dr. Alexander, I understand we have a gunshot wound – paramedics treated on scene, deemed non-life threatening – and a probable minor concussion."
Dr. Alexander read over the chart as she was speaking and then looked up at the couple. They both looked a little worst for wear, like neither had slept in days. She had received a brief rundown from the FBI agent outside the door – kidnapping, stalking, attempted murder. She hoped to not add to the trauma of the day.

"Alright, I can treat you both here if you're comfortable or if you're prefer, one of the nurses can bring one of you to a different exam room," Dr. Alexander offered. Technically no one but immediate family was meant to be present, but she would make an exception for these two.

Reid felt Maeve's hand tighten around his.

"Um, both of us here, please," he said.

"Alright then, Mr. Reid, if you could have a seat on the table, we'll get you stitched up," Dr. Alexander nodded.

"Oh, um," Reid went to gesture towards Maeve, but she pulled him towards the exam table.

"Uh uh mister, gunshot trumps minor concussion," Maeve tsk'd him, "Trust me, I'm a doctor."

Reid laughed quietly, unable to protest. He sat on the exam table, still not releasing Maeve's hand.

Dr. Alexander got Reid stitched up pretty quickly and then it was Maeve's turn. The doctor initially wanted to keep her overnight. She only had a minor concussion, but with the stress she's been thought recently they wanted to ensure she didn't suffer any complications.

Maeve was, understandably, reluctant to stay overnight.

"Isn't there any other way we can do this?" she asked.

"If you have someone you can stay with-"
"She can stay with me," Reid offered immediately and then felt his face going red. "Um, I mean… if you want to? You, um, you don't- you don't have to…"
Dr. Alexander quietly slipped out of the room, a small smile on her lips. They would figure it out between them.

"Are you sure?" Maeve asked, "I don't want to put you out…"
"No, no, you wouldn't be," Reid said immediately, "Just… you know… I want to make sure you're comfortable. We can figure something else out, if you want?"

"I trust you," Maeve said and Reid smiled, the blush spreading to his ears.

A nurse entered the room with their discharge papers.

"Now, if either of you starts to feel nauseous or you develop a fever, come straight back, understand?"

They both nodded their ascent, eager to leave.

"Alright, you're good to go," she said, "And you've got quite a gathering in the waiting room."

The couple left and as they approached the waiting room they saw the whole team sitting there.

"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, you're okay! Thank goodness you're both okay!" Garcia stood and hurried over to them as soon as they came into view. She hugged Reid first and then wrapped her arms around Maeve.

"Oh I'm so glad you're okay," Garcia went on, "And it's so nice to meet you in person. I've been reading all about you - not in a creepy way or anything – but to try and find you, and-"

"Baby Girl, slow down," Morgan chuckled, "Let the poor woman breathe or at least tell her your name."

"You're Garcia," Maeve said softly, "Reid's told me about you. About all of you. It's nice to finally meet you all. Thank you for everything you've done for me."
"Like we were gonna let anything happen to Pretty Boy's girlfriend," Morgan teased, causing everyone to laugh as the young genius blushed.

"Well it still means a lot," Maeve said sincerely, "So thank you."
She leaned ever so slightly into Reid's side and the team smiled at how happy their resident genius looked.

"Come on," Blake said, "Let's get you two home."
It was decided Hotch and Blake would take the young couple home so when they reached the SUVs the other said their goodbyes.

Morgan hugged Reid tightly.

"I'm proud of you kid," he said softly so only Reid could hear.

Reid huffed a laugh, blinking hard. He pulled back and Morgan smiled at him.

"Really, I mean it," Morgan said.

Reid nodded, not trusting his voice.

The rest of the team said their goodbyes, hugging Reid tightly and all of them telling him they were proud.

"Once things have settled down, we'll get together," JJ told Maeve.

"I'd like that," Maeve nodded, "I'd really like to get to know you all better; not just the stuff Spencer's told me."

"None of it is true," Morgan called out the SUV window. The others laughed and JJ leaned closer to Maeve.

"It's all true," she whispered.

Maeve laughed and said goodbye to the other woman before sliding into the backseat with Spencer.

"Good?" Blake asked, glancing back at them from the passenger seat.

Both nodded and Hotch started the SUV and they headed in the direction of Reid's apartment. The ride was silent, all four occupants content to bask in the success of the day.

In the backseat, Maeve had leaned her head on Reid's shoulder, and he leaned back, their hands clasped tight between them. Maeve closed her eyes, but Reid knew she wasn't sleeping. Her breathing didn't change, and she kept squeezing his hand, as if she was assuring herself he was still there.

When they pulled up outside Reid's apartment, the younger agent thanked them again as he helped Maeve out. The older agents waved him off even though they all know Reid would never stop thinking them this.

"Reid, I don't want to see you back at work for at least two weeks, understand?" Hotch said.

"Yes sir," Reid nodded, for once not arguing about taking time off work.
"If you guys need anything, anything at all, you let us know, alright?" Blake said.

"Thanks Alex," Reid said.

"Thank you, both of you," Maeve said.

Hotch and Blake drove off as Reid led Maeve up to his apartment. He hesitated a moment before unlocking the door, trying to remember what state of disarray he'd left the place in.

He was generally a tidy person, but his version of tidy wasn't always the same as other people's.

"I don't have to stay here if it's too much," Maeve said, misinterpreting his hesitation.

"No, no, sorry," Reid said hastily, "I was just trying to remember how… never mind, come on…"
She smiled gently at his awkwardness. She knew from their conversations that his experience with girls was limited. She knew he had a lot of anxiety about saying or doing the wrong thing. He had admitted to her once that people often his awkwardness weird or something to be laughed at. Maeve found it rather endearing and adorable.

Maeve stepped over the threshold and smiled at what she saw. Piles of books lay around the room, stacked in every corner and crevice Spencer could fit them in.

"It's a little cluttered," Spencer said apologetically.

"It's perfect," Maeve replied, moving towards the bookcase against the far wall. "Have you read all of these?"

"Mostly, some I skimmed over," Spencer replied, walking up next to her. "Did, um, did you want to use the shower?"

"Please," she said softly, "I feel…"
"I know," he nodded, "Come on, I'll show you where everything is."

He led her to the small bathroom and showed her how everything worked.

"I'll get you a change of clothes," he said, stepping out of the room. "I'll leave them out here for you."

"Thanks," Maeve said, closing the bathroom door. She leaned against it and exhaled deeply. For months she had been stalked and then kidnapped and now she was here. In Spencer's apartment. She should feel scared, all this time she's lived in terror. But for some reason she felt… calm. She took another deep breath, heard Spencer leave the promised clothes outside the door, and then turned on the shower.

Spencer retreated to the kitchen and stood there for a moment, unsure what to do with himself. Tea! He could make tea. He turned the kettle on and started preparing two mugs.

When he set the two full mugs down on the table, he was back to waiting awkwardly. Girls were… a weird subject for him. He had no experience throughout school, except that one bad one in the field. Otherwise… nothing significant, nothing that lasted.

And now Maeve, the woman he was literally in love with, was in his apartment. And he couldn't even remember the last time he dusted.

"Hey."

He turned to see Maeve standing in the doorway. He hadn't even heard the shower turn off.

"Hey," he said back, "I made tea." He gestured at the table.

"Thanks," she said, shuffling closer.

Reid noticed she had rolled up the legs of the sweatpants he provided, and she was absolutely swimming in his old Caltech hoodie.

"Sorry I don't have anything that fits better," he said sheepishly.

"It's okay," she assured him, "I like these."

He blushed, smiling back at her as she came and sat next to him. They sat quietly for a moment, before Maeve slowly leaned back and against Spencer's side.

"Is this… okay?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yeah," Spencer cleared his throat and slowly wrapped his arm around Maeve's shoulders.

"Is this…" Spencer asked.

"Yeah," Maeve nodded, "Yeah this is okay." She leaned her head against his shoulder and twined their hands together.

"This is perfect."

Thanks for reading!