Hey! Author here. I read some of the reviews, and I wanted to answer some questions.

Why is Lilith a forensic pathologist at such a young age? - She started college at 15. I calculated what I thought at the time was a plausible age, considering she's fresh out of college where she took accelerated courses. My father is a doctor, he explained to me very theoretically how you could possibly graduate at such a young age. Oxford, for example, proposes a four-year accelerated medicine course. However, it is true that I should have added her a couple of years, to show experience and make it more credible, and that this kind of scenario is quite implausible. I have thought about it, and I did indeed make a mistake. However, I didn't want her to be a clone of Reid, by making her enter college aged 12 or 13 like him, and making them the same exact age. I'm considering changing her age of entering college to 14. It's true that I wrote the story at first without really thinking through the ages, and I apologize. I understand that this fanfiction is not a great piece of art, it's just something that I like to write as a hobby and that some people like too :P

Why did you refer to Lilith as a young girl? - Because English is not my first language. French is, and in french you can say "jeune fille" to refer to a woman in her twenties (when someone older is talking). When translated literally, it's "young girl". I was not aware that was referring to a child, so I kept on using it. I changed it to "young woman" when someone told me (very kindly) about it. I just wished that the other people who have told me about were not a bit rude and condescending. I wished you'd have tried to explain to me nicely. Whoever you are, sorry if I offended you.

How can Lilith be so smart and yet be so clumsy? - That's just how she is :) I guess you have to balance a highly active brain with some "quirkiness". Some of my friends, who are so much more intelligent than I'll ever be, have phases where they're very serious and logical, and other times where you can have a good laugh, they laugh at stupid jokes and bump into walls. I don't think that being intelligent is incompatible with being goofy sometimes. How sad of a world would it be if people were serious all the time? ;)

Sorry for ranting, enjoy the chapter!

Spencer

As the doctor heard his bell, he got onto his feet to answer the door.

"Hey."

"Hey, Lilith." Spencer replied, a little confused by her visit. "Come in."

She stepped into the doctor's flat.

"You can sit on the sofa, if you want. I'll make us some tea."

Spencer disappeared into the kitchen, and soon came back with two cups in his hands. He joined the young woman on the couch, and handed her a mug. She wrapped her fingers around it, weary.

"About last night, I feel like I owe you an explanation..."

"Lilith, you don't owe me anything. You're my friend, I'm supposed to watch your back. It was just a bad moment, that's all."

"You saw it, didn't you?"

"Saw what?" Spencer asked, a slight idea in mind.

"When you tucked me in bed, you saw the picture on my table, right?"

"Yeah, sorry... I-I didn't mean to intrude."

"Don't worry, you did what was best. You were bound to see my flat, anyways." Lilith answered. She stuffed her hand in her pocket, and pulled out a small photograph. "Spencer, the reason why I've been acting weird yesterday was because of her."

The doctor took a close look at the image. No doubt, it was the third girl from the bedside table picture.

"This is Angela. She was Ezra's step-sister." Lilith took a deep breath. "Yesterday was her death's fifth anniversary."

Lilith turned her face away, as she did not want Spencer to see her cry. She wanted him to still see her as the "happy" and "quirky" version of herself. Spencer, however, gently took her face between his hands so that he could look into her eyes.

"Hey, it's okay." He said, in a soothing voice.

He took her into an embrace, and she buried her face in his neck. He slowly stroked her hair, as he whispered,

"I'm so sorry, Lilith."

She let go of Spencer, her tears drying.

"She died in a car accident, you know."

"I see. Is that why you didn't want to be taken home by car, yesterday?"

She silently nodded.

"It was when I got my medical degree. We went out to celebrate, and she was the designated driver. Angela was always the mom friend in our group." Lilith remembered fondly. "Ezra, my college friend Jeanine and I were drunk, and we stayed in the backseats. The accident happened really fast... our car collided face front with another one. The three of us only got minor concussions, but Angela received all the shock from the impact. She died a few hours later at the hospital. She was my best friend. I fell into depression, and I tried to bury my own grief by attending as many parties as I could, and being sober as least as possible. It got so bad, I had to drop out from my forensic pathology studies for a semester. I stayed at the hospital until I got better."

"Why were you at the hospital?"

"Failed suicide attempt."

Spencer stared at her, at a loss for words.

"After her death, I blamed myself for everything, as car wrecks survivors usually do. I still get nightmares from the accident."

"Have you ever considered the possibility you might have PTSD?"

"It's more than a possibility. I've been seeing a therapist for the past five years, for the depression and the trauma. I've been trying art therapy, which is nice. I've always liked painting."

Spencer recalled the first time he saw her, sketching shapes in her leather notebook, perhaps sketching her nightmares.

"I'm sorry, Spencer. I feel like I've been dishonest. I'm not as cheerful as I make it seem. I'm just broken."

"Don't say that. You're not broken. You're allowed to be weak, to be sad sometimes. This does not change the way I see you. You're still my friend, Lilith, only you've gone through tough times and that is normal! The point is, you're a strong and beautiful human being, and that won't change."

Lilith was moved to tears, and she took his hand.

"Thank you, Spencer. I really needed that. You have no idea how happy I am to have you as a friend."

He squeezed her hand back.

"Same here. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Lilith let go of the doctor's hand, and wiped her tears away.

"I don't know if I should ask this question, but..."

"Go ahead, I'll tell you anything."

"Who's Maeve? You don't have to tell me. I mean, Jennifer let her name slip yesterday and I was wondering... I'm sorry, I don't want you to be uncomf-"

"Hey, don't worry. Maeve was... my first serious girlfriend. And my last."

"Oh, I see. Did you love her?"

"Yes, I did." Spencer replied.

"Then why did it end?"

The doctor took a deep breath.

"It's a long story, and an unhappy one."

"I'm willing to listen. You listened to mine, after all."

"The thing is, Maeve and I never actually met. She was a geneticist who worked on my file, and we happened to like each other, so we stayed in contact. She had a stalker, so we were both afraid to meet up. So I'd call her from pay-phones, and we talked that way for about ten months. One day, she disappeared. Her stalker had taken her. My team and I searched, and we found where she was being held. But the operation went wrong, and the stalker killed themselves along with Maeve."

Lilith was in shock.

"I-I don't know what to say, Spencer. I-I'm so sorry..."

And, for the first time, she saw him cry.

"Hey, come here." She said, as she brought him to her.

Spencer didn't mind her hugging him. He wanted, he needed to be held. He let the tears flow, damping her green sweatshirt, as he revelled in her sweet perfume of caramel. It felt so... cathartic, to be able to tell his story, as if he'd bottled up everything. And her simple touch soothed him like no one ever could.

They stayed in that embrace for a long time, both relieved they had someone to hold onto.