I hope you like this chapter. Just a fair warning. Spencer broke my heart in this chapter so he might do the same to you. I implore you to have tissues ready reading this chapter its a very sad one.
Chapter 9
A few hours after Spencer left, the others caught the unsub. When the rest of the team got back to the station Aaron frowned when he noticed Spencer had left. Derek shrugged.
"He just took off man, after you left."
JJ narrowed her eyes, "This is getting ridiculous. You two need to talk to him and get this resolved."
"He doesn't want to. If he wants to remain miserable, then that's his problem. Lord knows I've tried to fix this," Derek sighed.
JJ growled and smacked him upside his head, "You idiot! You haven't done much of anything! All you do is run your mouth. Maybe, just maybe, you can put yourself in his shoes for a minute? I mean since it is your fault that this happened? You know it's just a thought," she said sarcastically.
Derek grumbled, rubbing the back of his head. "She's right you know," Aaron said. Derek glared at him, but eventually left with Penelope to go see Spencer.
JJ looked at Aaron, shaking her head, "This isn't going to end well for all three of them."
Aaron shook his head, "Nope."
~~~CM~~~
Lidia opened the door, "What did you do to him? He's been crying nonstop for hours!"
"Can we please come in and talk to him?" Derek asked.
Tania appeared next to her girlfriend, "I think it's best you leave. You've done enough damage."
Derek rubbed a hand over his face and stopped his wife from saying anything, "Please. We'll leave right away, but I need to tell him something important."
Tania and Lidia looked at each other and sighed before letting them in. Tania led them to the living room while Lidia went to get Spencer. Several minutes later Spencer came down the stairs. His eyes were red from crying and he looked drained.
"What do you want?"
Tania and Lidia headed into the kitchen to give the trio some privacy. Derek looked at his best friend and his heart broke. He couldn't believe he was the cause of all this. He swallowed.
"I didn't know. I didn't know how much this affected you. I didn't realize how much you loved me and for that I'm sorry. I was told to put myself in your shoes and when I did I realized. I know there's not much I can do to make it up to you, but please let me try. Spencer, you are my best friend, my partner in crime. I don't want to lose you."
Spencer glanced at Penelope. He knew that as long as Derek was still with her, he'd never get what he'd want. And he knew, Derek would never leave Penelope. Especially after all that they went through to be together. Doesn't matter that he had an affair and cheated on her. Derek loved Penelope. He closed his eyes.
"There's nothing you can do, Derek. I'd never ask that of you."
"At least let me try. Let me take care of you and the baby."
"How would that work? You live in Quantico. I live here."
"You really don't want to come back?" Derek asked in shock.
Spencer shook his head, "I can't. Maybe one day but not right now. I just…can't. I'm sorry."
Penelope spoke for the first time, "Spencer, we're still friends and we're still your family. This doesn't change anything. We love you and we care about you."
Spencer narrowed his eyes at Penelope, "If that's true then I expect you to accept my decision. And I know for a fact, that you are happy with that because you get to have Derek all to yourself."
"I didn't say that!" Penelope gasped. "Spencer, I care about you. You're like the little brother I never had. It's not going to be the same without you in Quantico."
Spencer scoffed, "Right. You'll be fine. Hotch will hire someone else to take my place and you'll forget all about 'your little brother'."
Penelope shook her head, "But we don't want to forget about you. We love you Spencer and besides, you're carrying this baby's sibling."
Derek groaned. Of course she goes and says something to ruin it. He knew she probably didn't mean it the way it came out but one look on Spencer's face and he knew exactly how he took it. But instead of saying anything all that came out was a sigh as he stood and walked away.
"Spencer, I didn't mean it like that!"
"Just…go away. Please," Spencer said tiredly as he stood by the stairs. "I've had enough. Just go away."
"Pretty boy…"
Spencer spun around, "Don't you dare call me that. Get out. Go away. Take your wife and live a happy life. All three of you. Just…get out of mine."
Penelope's eyes widened in shock, "Spence…"
"It's time you leave," Tania said.
Penelope opened her mouth but Derek cut her off, "We're going. Take good care of him."
In the car Penelope sighed, "I'm sorry Derek. I didn't mean…"
"I know Baby girl. It's not your fault. I don't blame him though."
When they headed onto the jet after retrieving their bags from the station the team knew how things went. Although they had a feeling it would end this way, JJ at least hoped Spencer would've changed his mind and came back home.
"I did try JJ," was all Derek said as they sat down.
"So what now?" Emily asked.
"Nothing. Spencer is a big boy, we need to let him live his life," Aaron said.
"But Hotch!" Emily gasped.
Derek shook his head, "No, we have to accept his decision. No matter how much we don't like it."
Emily glared at him, "This is all your fault! He doesn't know what the hell he's doing! He's all upset and its because of you!"
"Em, stop, that's not helping things. Despite the fact that Derek is to blame, Spencer is a man we need to stop treating him like a boy who doesn't know what he's thinking. He knows exactly what he's doing."
The team fell silent after that and the rest of flight home was silent. Derek closed his eyes. He hated having to choose. He just hoped that Spencer found someone who would treat him better than he did. He deserved better.
TBC...
One more chapter left!
