Chapter 2- the proposition

When Spencer returned to his desk he didn't see Morgan and hoped the whole thing had blown over. He finished reading the file, put it away and checked the clock, hoping it was five. Fifteen minutes he told himself…fifteen minutes and you will be out of here, and on to what could be the best, (or maybe worst should you act like the idiot you are,) weekend of your life. He opened the folded email he had printed out and read it for the thousandth time, verifying details. He could have recited it, comma placement and all, but somehow, flustered as he was, print was helpful to focus.

Dear Spencer,

I was hoping you could do me a huge favor. As you might know, my daughter Delaney has just graduated with her B.S. in political science (at the top of her class!!!). She has been offered a position with the Human Rights Campaign in Washington D.C. and will be flying out for the weekend in two weeks to see the city, to meet with her future employee, and find somewhere appropriate and safe to live. She has never been alone in such a dangerous place, is utterly trusting, and is my only child. If you are not too busy with a case, or some other insanely important issue, I was hoping you might spend the weekend in D.C. with her and make sure she gets along ok, and more importantly gets home safe to me. I would come with her myself but my wife has assured me that our daughter is a grown woman who can handle herself, which is, of course, why I am expecting you to monitor her every move. I would be willing to compensate you financially, or offer you even higher praise in the academic world than I already give should you agree. I wouldn't ask, but it isn't every day a man can ask a brilliant F.B.I. agent to look after his only daughter for him.

Thank-you in Advance,

Dr. Marcus Harris

Spencer had of course responded that he would be happy to help in any way that he could, without financial or academic compensation, and simply asked for a copy of her schedule so that he would know when to meet her. His heart had skipped a beat at the thought of seeing Delaney again. He fondly remembered how she treated him as though he were normal when she came home from high school and found him sitting on the floor of his fathers den, deep in thought over some text book. She would bring him drinks and food when he lost track of time and forgot to eat, and even invited him to a high school party once. He didn't go because he was knee deep in his third thesis, but he cherished the invite as if it were a metal proving normalcy. She had always been beautiful and completely unafraid to speak her mind. Traits he convinced himself were more important to him than the way her legs looked in her volleyball uniform or the curves her bikini did little to hide. He had been so pleased when she wrote him back herself.

Dr. Reid (can I call you Spencer?) Hey. I was glad to hear that my dad had contacted you about being my chaperone in the big city, but I hope you didn't feel pressured into it. I could use a guide, wouldn't mind some friendly company, and what girl doesn't want to be lead around town by a dr. who carries a gun? ha ha ha. Anyway, I digress…pick me up on Friday at the airport. Gate 12, 9:15, flight 756. I'll wear a pink ribbon in my hair or something equally absurd so you'll recognize me! See you then! Delaney

Spencer wouldn't need the ribbon to pick her out. Her face often found its way into his daydreams. When he needed good memories to cloud out the degradation he witnessed for a living, her smiling across her parents' dinner table was often enough. People changed as they aged, but he was sure her eyes, at least, would be the same…again his thought process was disrupted, this time by Derek Morgan flopping down on his desk and almost knocking over his pen holder. "What are you doing this weekend Reid?" Morgan asked.

"Um…well, I…" this was going to be tough; Spencer was a horrible liar… "I am…going to catch up on some reading and sleep." Morgan bought it "You are such a nerd sometimes. Why don't you go out with me and we will find someone to get your mind off that actress?" Spencer didn't need his mind off the actress, he needed it off of someone else. He needed to be thinking of this weekend as professional payback for the many kind deeds of a great teacher, rather than as a chance to see a girl he had wanted since the moment he laid eyes on her. This, he could not tell Morgan, so he muttered "I can't. I have a conference to prepare for, and…" "Reid, being a brilliant twenty-something ends when you hit thirty. You should really live it up now. I can think of plenty of hot young women who would love to tell their friends they hooked up with a Doctor and an F.B.I. agent to boot!" "I am not interested in hot young women." As soon as he said it Spencer knew he was in trouble… "Oh, well I could also introduce you to some hot young men!" he began to laugh uncontrollably, and Spencer couldn't take it any more. "Please tell Gideon I had to leave early, something in here isn't agreeing with my stomach." He grabbed his bag and coat and headed for the elevator, no longer caring about sticking it out until five o'clock. Little did he know that in his hurry, he had forgotten the email print-out and a very nosey Derek Morgan at his desk.