Alex still hadn't bought a present for Valentine's Day, and she had less that six hours to do so. She didn't know why she had left it until the last minute that year, but there seemed to have been one thing after the other that had gotten in the way. Still, she knew that her partner deserved something absolutely lovely and dear, especially after the year that they had had together. Sighing, she looked around the room at her students, seeing that most were bent over their tests and working steadily on trying to remember the material that it covered. Her best student, however, was staring dreamily out the window as it continued to snow outside, though as soon as she felt eyes watching her, she turned to look at Alex, giving her a shy smile before looking back down at her test. If she knew Amanda as well as she thought she did, the young woman was already finished and just waiting for a few others to head up and turn their tests in, not wanting to seem like she was too quickly finished.
Another fifteen minutes passed before the first few students approached the front of the room and turned their tests in before leaving, and Alex nodded to each of them before turning her attention back to the dilemma at hand. She needed to find something perfect for Erin. She had uprooted everything to follow her to Harvard, and start a new life with her, and Alex hadn't given up anything for her. Letting out a soft sigh, Alex picked up her tablet and began to look up different offerings that were available at jewelry stores. Nothing seemed to speak to her, and she was glad when her star student came up and turned in her test. "You know that you don't have to wait."
"I know, Doctor Blake, but I don't want to make it seem like I'm trying to show off. I just find this class so fascinating that it's a joy to learn about and to retain information. Actually, if you have a moment free next week, I'd like to ask you to become my advisor and guide me towards the best courses and the right school for my postgraduate work."
"I think that that can be arranged, Sarah. Email me when you have a moment, and I'll set up a time that will work for us both. Have a good weekend."
"You too, Doctor Blake." Sarah gave her a warm smile before leaving the room, and Alex watched her go, still thinking about Erin and what she might get her. She couldn't believe that she had let time pass by so quickly, but they had been so happy in the last few weeks that the thought of purchasing a gift had completely left her brain. As the remainder of her students filed up to turn in their tests, she continued to search for something that would suit her partner and be romantic enough to suit her. Still, she hadn't found anything that caught her eye by the time the last student had finished their test, and she let out a frustrated breath as she stuffed the tests into her bag and then stalked from the room.
She had cancelled her office hours for that day, since she needed time to prepare for her dinner with Erin. After picking up her purse, Alex headed out to her car and drove to the closest shopping center, hoping that there would be something that caught her eye before she had to go home and change. The first shop that she stepped into was an antique store, and Alex soon lost herself amidst the objects that crowded the shelves and tables. Though she didn't find anything that screamed romance to her, her eye was caught by a rather ornate brooch, and she picked it up to study the gems a little more closely.
"That's a good choice, dear. I just put it on the floor not ten minutes ago."
Alex turned suddenly to see that a little old lady had suddenly appeared at her side, and she nodded a little at her before looking back at the brooch. "And I think that it won't stay on the floor any longer. This is perfect for my partner."
"That's what I love to hear. Do you want to look around some more, or do you think that you have the perfect gift for her?"
There was something a little eerie about the way the woman asked the question, as if she knew that Alex had indeed settled on this as a gift for Erin, and she gave the clerk a tense smile as she tried not to be too suspicious. The clerk just gave her an enigmatic smile, and Alex took a deep breath as she followed the woman to the front of the store and paid for the brooch. It was a bit more expensive than she had expected, but she knew that Erin was also worth so much more. "This is a longshot, but would you have any way to wrap the box, to make it look a little more…romantic?"
"Of course, just give me a few minutes, dearie. Take a look around the store and come back in ten, okay?"
Alex nodded as she complied, wandering into the shop to look more in depth at what was on offer. In one area, there was a bookcase full of old books, and she couldn't help but pause to peruse the titles. It didn't surprise her much when she found two volumes that caught her eye, and she pulled them off the shelves and brought them to the front to pay for them and pick up the now wrapped brooch. "How did you know that I needed something else?"
"A good shopkeeper always knows these things. That's how we keep shops like this alive."
That wasn't the answer she had wanted, but Alex didn't press the matter as she paid for her books and then took the bags from the woman's hands and left the shop. The drive home was uneventful, and Alex was grateful for that, since that meant she could think about the evening ahead of her. She hoped that Erin would at least like the brooch, since she hadn't really known what else to get her lover. Letting out a frustrated huff of breath, Alex made her way into the house, listening to the silence of it. It was always so still without Erin there, as if the boards refused to retain the idea of her voice.
Shaking her head a little to get the maudlin, sappy, thoughts out of her mind, Alex went upstairs to strip off her work clothes, dropping the blouse and trousers onto the bed along with her purchases before padding into the bathroom and taking a quick shower, washing her hair and then standing beneath the warm water to try and think about how the meal would go that evening. There was a question that she wanted to ask, one that might go along with the brooch, but she wasn't certain what Erin's answer would be. Especially since Alex didn't have a ring to put on her finger.
Finally, the water ran cold, and she turned it off, shivering as she wrapped a towel around her body and stepped out of the shower. Plugging in the hair dryer, Alex dried her hair as she hummed beneath her breath, thinking happier thoughts so as not to torpedo her mood before their supper. Once her hair was no longer wet, she styled it in the manner that Erin loved most before dropping the towel around her body and heading back into the bedroom. She could smell Erin's perfume in the air, and a soft smile spread across her face as she thought about the fact that her lover was home.
It didn't take too long to pick out what she was going to wear for their date, and once she was dressed, Alex picked up the gift and dropped it into her purse before heading down to the living room. "You were in the shower for a very long time. Having second thoughts about this date?" Erin teased as Alex took a seat next to her on the sofa.
"No, but I am having second guesses about what I got for you. I really hope that you like it."
"I would love anything that chose for me, Lexie, because it's the thought that counts most."
Alex shook her head as she sighed. "Well, I don't feel like there's much thought in this, because I completely forgot to get anything until after my last class. I just couldn't seem to settle on anything that felt enough like you."
Erin leaned over and cupped her chin as she looked into Alex's eyes. "Darling, I'm certain that there's nothing to worry about. You know me, well enough to help pick up the pieces of my life after John tried to ruin everything, and that means you will definitely have picked out something that will mean the world to me. Trust your instincts."
She let out a long breath and finally nodded. "I know you're right, but I still want…"
"I know, because I want the same thing, too. But life isn't perfect, it's messy, and as long as we have the people who mean the most to us by our sides as we travel this path, that's all that matters." Erin gave her a warm smile before leaning in and kissing her deeply. "And now that I've ruined my lipstick, I have to go reapply it and then we can leave. Does that sound all right?"
"Perfect," she breathed out, watching Erin get up from the sofa and sashay from the room. It was hard to keep her eyes off her lover, since there was still this feeling that she needed to drink in every moment with her. Curtis had done his damnedest to ensure that she died, and it had been a fluke that Alex had turned back to check on Erin, feeling in her gut that something was wrong. While that timely rescue had led to their complete reconciliation as friends, it had taken a little longer to acknowledge there were deeper feelings growing between them. And then, everything in the BAU had gone to hell once more, and she had walked away and headed to Boston to start over, away from the sorrow of being constantly on edge about losing friends to evil people.
It had taken Erin only three weeks to reach out and ask if she needed a friend in Boston, since James had already moved on by that point, and Alex had said yes. And after a year together, she knew that she wanted their present situation to be permanent. Which brought her back to the brooch. And the fact that she didn't know how Erin would react to what she saw when she unwrapped her gift. Despite all the platitudes Erin had offered. Letting out a long breath, Alex tried to push aside her fragmented thoughts as she got to her feet and went out to the kitchen, using the small mirror there to check her own makeup, applying a fresh coat of lipstick before smiling at her reflection, trying to calm her racing heart.
"All right, darling, I'm ready to go. You might have to drive, since we've cut our time a little short."
She turned to look at her partner, her smile never leaving her lips as she nodded, holding out her hand to Erin. The moment they touched, Alex felt everything just shift into place, her heart easing as they walked out to the garage together. It was easy to slip behind the wheel of her car and the moment that Erin was in the passenger seat, she began to back out of the drive, heading for their favorite restaurant.
The number of people there disheartened Alex a little, but Erin leaned over to whisper in her ear that they had reservations, so there wasn't too much need to worry about getting a table. Nodding, she stepped up to the podium and told the maître d that they had arrived for their seven o'clock reservation. He nodded and made note of that before looking at his sheet. "Very good, Doctor Blake. Your table will be ready in five minutes, if you and Ms. Strauss want to head in to the bar and get a drink."
Alex nodded as she stepped back over to Erin's side, wrapping an arm around her waist. "We have five minutes. Do you want to get a drink before we're seated?"
"I thought I saw Josie working tonight, so yes." Alex pecked her cheek quickly before they headed over to the bar, and it didn't take long to get Josie's attention. "I'm sorry that you have to work tonight," Erin said as the woman automatically began to make their regular drinks.
"I'm not. The tips I'm bringing in tonight are phenomenal, and Karyn and I will celebrate when I get home. We're more looking forward to half priced candy day tomorrow!"
They laughed as she finished the drinks, and Alex made certain to also tip Josie well. The maître d approached them a few moments later, guiding them to their table. She knew from the moment they were seated that they had been given one of the best tables in the entire restaurant, and she didn't know if that was a good thing or not, since it spoke to the fact that they were there so often.
"Good evening, ladies!" They looked up to see their usual server standing at their table, a little grin on her lips. "Celebrating the holiday of love with us?"
"Something like that," Erin replied, her cheeks blooming in a healthy blush. "And I think we're going to be an easy table for you this evening, as I know that I'm going to have my usual. Lexie?"
"I think that I'm going to be boring, too, Mar."
"I'll go let Andy know. Though I refuse to let you stick in your rut for dessert. He has created the most delectable chocolate torte for this evening, and it would be a sin not to try it."
They giggled in unison as Mar left the table, and then Alex was reaching across the table to take hold of Erin's hand, holding on lightly as she ran her thumb back and forth. "Have you heard from Dave lately?"
"No. Ever since he discovered that Hayden had lied to him, and that he has a child, he's spent so much time getting to know her. And her son. I understand, I deserve to get short shrift because of the way I left things with him, but it still hurts a little. Have you heard from Spencer?"
"No, but he will be here in Boston in three weeks, to guest lecture in one of my classes. Would you mind if we had him over for supper that evening?"
"I'd like that, actually. It would be good to catch up with him and find out what's happening with our former colleagues."
Alex nodded as she squeezed Erin's hand a few times. A small voice in the back of her head prompted her to speak once more, and she took a small breath before pulling her hand away. "Look, I don't want to do the cliché thing and wait until the end of our meal to give you your gift. If you don't mind, I'd like to give you this now?"
Erin shook her head fondly as she reached down into her purse and pulled out a very familiarly wrapped present. "I can't wait, either. Life moves too fast to wait for the good parts. Yes?"
"Yes," she breathed out as she pulled out her own gift to Erin. They exchanged gifts at the same time and Alex held on to hers as she watched Erin in anticipation. "Did you visit that little antique store hear the university?" she asked as she turned the package over and over in her hands.
"Yes, and I can see from the way this is wrapped that you did the same. I just find that so ironic that we would choose the same store. Maybe we really are in sync at last."
"Perhaps," she whispered as she watched Erin delicately tear the paper from the box. "I know, it's so small," she murmured as Erin opened the box, a delighted smile spreading across her lover's face as she stroked the brooch lovingly. "Erin?"
"Open your present, please, and then we'll talk."
Frowning a little, Alex did as told, only to gasp in shock when she saw what was resting on a soft bed of velvet. "There is no way in this wide world of ours that this could be," she breathed out, seeing a companion brooch to the one that she had bought for Erin. "What are the odds?"
"Slim, but I think that we could probably ask Penelope to do a little research into these pieces to see about their origin, and find out if, perhaps, like us, the previous owners were in a Boston marriage. Unless…"
"Yes, Erin?"
"Unless you want to use these as our engagement jewelry while we plan for a real wedding and marriage." There was a shaky smile on her lips, as if she wasn't quite certain of what Alex's reaction would be, and Alex plucked up her pin, hurriedly affixing it to her blouse before turning her attention back to Erin.
"Yes. I, I was actually going to ask you that question myself, which is why I was so worried about how you would react to the brooch. I can't help but wonder if the clerk knew that you had purchased the other half of the set when she prodded me to get yours."
"How would she have known?"
Alex shrugged. "I have no idea, but the other option is that this is a rather large coincidence, and I don't really believe in those." Erin laughed as she nodded, affixing her brooch to the same side of her blouse as Alex's. Then she reached out for Alex's hand, and it was nothing for her to clasp it, threading their fingers together. "So, wedding planning."
"Yes. I would like an autumn wedding this time. Alan's mother said that the only way for a bride to be truly happy was to be married in summer, and since they were paying for the event, I felt like I had to agree. But if you want something different, I suppose that I could relent on that point."
"An autumn wedding, in a park, with the leaves changing, actually sounds beautiful, Erin. And if we're going to have it outside, that means we'll have to plan our outfits accordingly. You'll be wearing the dress?"
"Yes. Let me guess, you'll be in a suit?" Alex nodded. "Excellent. Oh, this is going to be a great thing to do and keep my mind off how much I miss certain things and people. I love you."
"I love you, too, Erin," she said, not ashamed of who might overhear her declaration. "And I am truly looking forward to taking this next step in our lives. Even if there is something quaint about saying we're in a Boston marriage." Erin nodded as she swiped away a few tears from her eyes and then took a deep breath. "Erin?"
"Nothing, I'm just so happy right now. And these tears are going to make eating an odd experience." Alex nodded as she picked up her glass and took a sip of her drink, knowing that there was going to be time to love on Erin when they got home and she could turn those tears into cries of a much different nature. And from the look on Erin's face, she knew exactly what Alex was thinking and wholly approved. It turned out the clerk was right, it was going to be a wonderful night after all.