~SPENCER POV~
The team and I had just made it back from Louisiana and were relaxing in the office while Jack and Henry ran around. Hotch's sister-in-law had brought them by for a visit because they couldn't wait to see their parents and we still had to file our individual case reports.
The case in Louisiana had taken a turn for the worse when the UNSUB decided his only way out was suicide. The young girl that had been kidnapped was returned to her family along with a few other kids.
"Welcome back, my lovelies." Garcia said as she walked over into the room and took a seat in one of the chairs close to JJ.
"It's good to be home." Rossi said as he watched Henry and Jack play their board game. JJ and Hotch had similar smiles on their face as they watched their children play. Hotch had always said that he wanted to keep work and home separate but it hadn't been that easy since Haley's death.
Henry jumped up and ran over to someone entering the room. Morgan laughed and got up to greet them.
"Hello, beautiful lady." He said and Eleanor laughed as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.
"I'm old enough to be your grandmother, Derek." He joined in on the laugh and hugged her gently but tightly at the same time.
Rossi grinned and said "Women are like wine, they get better with age." She smiled at him and pushed a strand of long gray hair that fell from her face behind her ear.
"You are a good friend, Dave Rossi." She said and turned her attention to Henry who was looking down the hallway.
"Henry, who are you looking for?" JJ asked and he walked back over to her.
He hugged her and sat back down to the board game with Jack, who was smiling at him. "I thought I saw someone momma."
Eleanor smiled kindly and said "Is it someone I know?"
He answered only with a smile before looking back down at the board game. Jack looked up at Hotch and smiled at him.
"I know who it is." he said and Hotch raised an eyebrow. Eleanor smiled even brighter and took a seat on the floor beside the two boys.
When Garcia got up to give her a chair, she raised a hand and a nod of appreciation but watched the two boys continue to play.
"I think I know who it is too. Is this person a she?" Henry nodded and spun the dial to see where to move his piece. Chutes and Ladders was the name of the game, I hadn't quite gotten around to teaching him how to play chess yet. He'd seen me playing a few times and had wanted to learn how to play as well.
"Does she have long red hair?" Henry nodded and I felt the smile spread across my face. I covered it by taking a sip of my coffee.
"Are we talking about pretty boy's girlfriend?" I coughed as I choked on my coffee at Morgan's comment.
I finally got control of the coughing and glared at Morgan, who simply grinned at my reaction. "She's not my girlfriend and don't you think this is a little childish?"
JJ smiled and shrugged. "I don't know, Spence. You two seem to be getting awfully close."
"You're spending a lot of time together." Rossi said and grinned at me, a knowing look in his eyes.
I crossed my leg and placed my coffee on the desk. "We've had one date. I hardly think that makes her my girlfriend."
"When did this date happen?" JJ asked, a light teasing note in her voice.
I looked down at my black and gray striped sock and said "Right before you called about the case." I bit my lip and thought back to the almost kiss and the smell of her hair.
"This job is good about interrupting those personal times." Garcia said and rolled her eyes.
"Or what could be intimate times." He grinned and JJ shot him a disapproving look.
Eleanor's smile fell from her face and she stood from the floor. "I meant no disrespect." Derek said and she put a hand on his shoulder.
"It's nothing you did, dearie. Spencer, if you could, I'd appreciate you checking in on her this evening." She gave Morgan a quick hug and began to walk out of the office when Rossi cleared his throat.
She turned around and smiled as she waited for him to speak. "I was thinking about having another dinner at home and was wondering if all of you would like to join me?"
"Dave, that sounds perfect." Hotch said and Jack stood up from the board game and walked over to him.
"When would you like us to meet you?" JJ asked and Rossi grinned at her.
"Tonight at 7:30. Why waste the present?" he said casually and Eleanor smiled again. She nodded and walked out the door.
He looked to me after she walked out and said "Bring your girl. It seems like she'll be spending more time around us anyway. Plus, it'll be nice to see her again. Eleanor mentioned something about Bexley promising to go with her to my next dinner anyway. It's not like she can say no."
I ran a hand through my hair and nodded before dismissing myself from the group. I smiled at the thought of seeing her again. I wondered if this dinner would be considered a second date or not. I suppose that would be her decision.
"Hey, boy genius." I heard Penelope's voice not far behind me and turned around. She had a look on her face that gave away that this wouldn't be an easy conversation.
I smiled regardless and relaxed my expression. "What's on your mind?"
She looked down at her feet nervously and took a deep breath before looking back up at me. "I was thinking about something the other day and I went to talk to her while you guys were coming home from a case. She just doesn't let on a lot about herself and I'm worried that she's hiding something really big and I don't want to see you hurt again. I guess what I'm trying to get at is: are you sure she's safe?"
I raised an eyebrow at her but couldn't help but understand why she'd be worried. My love life wasn't exactly the best story and almost everyone at the B.A.U had their share of encounters. Garcia and I had both gone on dates that had tried to kill us in the end. I'd lost Maeve because of a crazed stalker and hadn't been able to save her. This was something that I knew would haunt me the rest of my life.
I was pulled back to the present by Garcia fidgeting with the ends of her nails and gave her the best answer I could possibly think of. "I'm not really sure. I guess I'll have to find that out for myself." I smiled at her once more before heading off to my apartment.
I walked up the stairs toward Bexley's apartment and was surprised to find the door wide open. I looked inside and saw her sitting on her floor reading Romeo & Juliet in a tank top and shorts.
She looked up in her doorway and smiled. She nodded for me to come in and I walked over, taking a seat in the floor next to her. I smiled brighter seeing the copy was the one I'd given her not long ago.
I looked over her and saw several faded scars down her arms, her legs, her feet, and the one's on her collarbone. She closed the book and sat it carefully to the side before looking at me, her bright golden eyes studying me.
Her hand lifted to the place on her collarbone again and her cheeks turned the lightest color of pink. I put my hand on hers and she dropped her eyes to the floor, embarrassment clear in her eyes.
"Never be ashamed of a scar. It simply means you were stronger than whatever tried to hurt you." I said and she looked up at me, her eyes full showing less embarrassment than before. "It's not entirely known where the phrase came from but its meaning is timeless."
She looked down at her body and a small, sad smile framed her face. "Did you have something you wanted to tell me?" She asked softly.
I nodded once before leaning back and giving her a little personal space. "We're all having dinner at Rossi's again tonight. Would you like to come with me?"
"Two dates in five days? That doesn't sound very normal." She answered, laughing lightly.
"Is that a yes?" I asked and leaned back on my hands.
She looked deep in thought for a moment and I couldn't help but feel worried that she was going to say no. She placed her small hand on top of mine and her posture relaxed a little bit.
"I did promise Eleanor I'd come to the next dinner Dave threw." She finally said, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
I stood from the floor and helped her up, her soft hands fitting perfectly into my own. My heart raced lightly at the spark that moment of intimacy caused, no matter how brief. She quickly changed into a pair of jeans and slipped into a pair of white sandals, grabbing her key off of the small counter in the kitchen. As she locked the door and stuffed her hands in the pocket of her jeans, I couldn't help but wonder if she'd felt the same spark I had.
***Well there we go. I hope you are all still enjoying the story and please R&R to let me know what you think. I am trying to write more often so hopefully you will get an update soon. Have a great day everyone!