Woah… I post two chapters in one lazy summer afternoon, and I get like 10 reviews… I should do that again more often. Haha….
Thanks to cloudgirl9, SayidRocks, dothepettperminttwist, and Noel Ardnek for their awesome reviews, and comments! And Thanks to everyone who favorite and alerted this story. You know who you are!
Once again, nothing is mine. CBS and ABC own everything, though I hope to someday own the first four season, and maybe season 5, on DVD. I also don't own Harry Potter, Spiderman, Brewberrys, James Blunt or anything else.
….
It seemed that the after-effects of Dudley Griggs' serial killing spree were yet to be resolved. However, their resolution would begin within the next few hours, as was apparent by the fast job done by Donahue and his officers.
Aislinn Werner and Spencer Reid were both taken to the hospital; Aislinn was being treated for a very head injury and possibly mild concussion; her head had split open when it had made contact with the stone doorway to the organ balcony, and would be kept overnight for observation. Reid was being treated for a possible morphine overdose; while it appeared that none of the morphine had in fact entered his system, the EMTs, Hotch, Morgan and even Reid himself agreed that he should be kept overnight for observation, just in case.
Garcia arrived later that evening, much to the team's surprise, and showered both Reid and Aislinn with gifts and flowers, exclaiming about how exciting it was to finally meet Reid's new friend, heavy emphasis on the word 'friend,' making Morgan and Prentiss laugh, JJ smile, and Reid and Aislinn blush.
….
It was after the hospital staff had settled down, and after the team and Aislinn's family had left for the night that Aislinn crept into Reid's hospital room. Both were being kept for observation in fairly comfortable single rooms, painted a natural tan color with televisions, bathrooms and semi-comfortable couches and chairs.
Wordlessly, she crept into his room, parting the curtain that hung in front of the door, and making her way to one of the chairs sitting next to it.
"Are you alright?" Spencer asked, concerned. She shook her head.
"I- I just wanted to say thank you, Spencer Reid," she whispered. "You saved my life. I don't know if I can thank you enough."
"Aislinn, I let him get to you," Reid miserably whispered. "I stepped away for a moment, and he tried to take you. If you hadn't screamed when you did, and if I hadn't been so close…."
"You were right there." She told him. "You were able to stop him from doing anything to me." She took his hand, and squeezed it. "That's what's important. You saved me. And that's what's important. Don't go believing anything else, because saving people is what you're good at. You're the Spiderman to my Mary-Jane, the Harry Potter to my Ginny Weasley. You're my hero."
"You could've died, though," Reid whispered. "Heck, I could've died."
"'Do not pity the dead. Pity the living, and above all, those who live without love.'" Aislinn quoted. At Spencer's confused look she said, "Albus Dumbledore." Then, she chuckled. "I have a strange habit of quoting Harry Potter when I want to inspire people," she whispered. "I did it during the speech I gave for graduation."
"I'm glad you did," he whispered back, taking her other hand in his free hand. "You're inspiring me."
Aislinn smiled slightly. "You know, we never got a chance to go out for that coffee…." She began in earnest.
"Tomorrow," Spencer declared. "As soon as we get out of here.
Overhead, the PA played a song playing on the radio from the nurse's station:
As strong as you were, tender you go.
I'm watching you breathing for the last time.
A song for your heart, but when it is quiet,
I know what it means and I'll carry you home.
I'll carry you home.
….
Brewberry's Coffee Shop was a small, quaint café, located just across the street from the block where St. Catherine University was located. The walls were painted a light green, the floors were carpeted and a bounty of windows let in plenty of natural light. A scattering of booths and tables gave the café a homey, lived-in feeling, and the café served many different menu items, from ice cream and sandwiches, to coffee, the and chai lattes.
Patrons to Brewberry's Coffee Shop the next day were not surprised to see a young man and woman sitting in the corner, happily talking about one thing or another; it wasn't uncommon to see such things in the small local coffee shop.
But if they had looked closer, they would have seen the woman, who looked more childlike than her companion, stirring her chai latte thoughtfully, the brown eyes behind her blue glasses staring fixedly at the man in front of her, a tall, thin, long-hair young man wearing a dark blue sweater, light blue collared shirt and a purple tie, even when her went on about something that most people would have needed some sort of book or search engine to check.
Spencer Reid and Aislinn Werner didn't see the other patrons to the restaurant; for a moment, they could pretend that they weren't a college student and an FBI profiler, but two friends chatting over a cup of some hot beverage (in his case, coffee, with plenty of spoonfuls of sugar added in; hers, a medium chai tea latte, nothing added, a mixing straw for her to keep her hands busy).
They had first started by talking about Dr. Seuss verses Sheil Silverstein (which hadn't lasted long before they got into the classics, like Shakespeare and a few well-known poets.
"Shakespeare seems to add a bit of dry humor and puns to everything, even his tragedies. In Julius Ceaser, the cobbler mentions both the terms 'souls' and 'soles,' like shoe soles. I found that interesting overall." Aislinn said. "What about you?"
"The fact that most people translate 'Wherefore art thou, Romeo,' in the famous monologue from Act 3 of Romeo and Juliet as 'where,' when in fact it actually means 'why.'"
"So she is basically saying 'Romeo, why are you, well, you?'" she murmured thoughtfully. "She wants him to change his identity, or else she will change hers. She will always love him, no matter what his name is. Either way, she wants them to be together, whatever the sacrifice."
"Yeah, and nothing will hold them back. Only that afternoon, Romeo was in love with Rosaline, and Juliet was trying to impress potential husbands. Also, did you know that Chaucer was actually known for being one of the first writers of Valentine's poems."
"He also wrote The Canterbury Tales!" Aislinn exclaimed. "I've been meaning to bet that book on my Amazon Kindle for ages now."
They talked about anything that caught their fancy, from books to authors, to even Reid's funny stories about his co-workers.
"… And then Emily asked me if I had ever seen 'A Clockwork Orange,' so of course I said I hadn't, and said so, and the way that she just looked at me…" Spencer smiled at the memory.
"Good. Don't watch it, becuae I saw a bit of it in my Psychology class last year, and I was just terrified," Aislinn said, chuckling. "By the way, what was with the 'aiming for his leg' thing that Hotch mentioned?"
"It was this case we were doing. There was a guy shooting people, and operating on them after the fact. Hotch and I caught up to him, and he held an entire ER hostage."
"How did you get out?"
"Hotch devised this plan where I had to get his back-up weapon. It was… interesting, to say the least. I had to get kicked by my supervisor in order to get the gun."
"And then you shot the guy." Aislinn stated.
"Yeah… Afterward, I said I was aiming for his leg. Hotch didn't believe me, so I told him that he kicked like a nine year old girl."
Aislinn laughed. Spencer took another sip of coffee, blushing slightly.
Neither of them wanted the afternoon to end.
….
They walked down the street, not really saying anything; neither of them wanted to say the words that they knew needed to be said.
It had started to rain; not really a downpour, but enough for them to notice, and for them to get wet. It didn't help the impending departure; neither did the two black SUV's idling in front of Aislinn's dorm hall, St. Mary's. They walked toward the vehicles, not really looking at them.
"So…" Spencer began, crossing his arms across his body in a position familiar to his teammates, who were watching them from the cars.
Aislinn looked at the SUV's sadly, hands stuffed unceremoniously into her jacket pockets before turning to look at him again.
"Do you think I'll see you again?" She asked.
He glanced over at the dorm hall again, and then at the SUV, then back at Aislinn. "I'm not sure." He admitted. "There is the possibility that we'll have another case here sooner than later, or that you'll be in another town where we have another case, and at the same time." He paused, thinking over what he wanted to say. "I've... never felt this way about someone. I mean, there have been cases that we've done, where I've gotten emotionally attached to people I've met, or in some cases, the people we hunt down. Usually because I understand what they've gone through, or want what they want, or…." He trailed off, arms coming unfolded to rest at his sides. "This is the first time that I've been reluctant to actually leaving."
"I've never been good with good-byes, either," Aislinn admitted. "Sometimes, I wish there were no good-byes to be said, that everyone could be with everyone they love, and not have to worry about possibly not seeing someone again."
"That we could choose not to say good-bye." Spencer said.
"Albus Dumbledore said that, 'It is our choices that make us who we are, far more than our abilities,'" Aislinn pointed out. "Maybe if we choose that this won't be the last time we say good-bye…."
"Then maybe we'll see each other again," Spencer finished. "… I really like that idea."
"I still have your card," Aislinn said, digging into her purse for a pen. "Do you want my information…Unless Garcia already has it?"
"I'm sure she does, but I'm more than willing to take it," he said, and she quickly wrote down her address and email on a scrap of paper, handing it Spencer before it could get so wet that it was illegible.
"And I want you to have this," Aislinn added finally, reaching for the clasp of her locket, and undoing it.
"I can't…" Spencer said, but she placed it into his hand, closing his long fingers over it.
"It's a gift, a promise to see you again," Aislinn insisted. "I want you to have it."
Reid nodded. "Thank you," he said, placing it into his pocket. Aislinn nodded, and then raced in to wrap her arms around him in a hug. Immediately, his arms reached around her to complete the embrace, rocking her slightly.
The broke apart, sharing one last look before going their separate ways. Reid climbed into one of the waiting SUV's and Aislinn walked back into the dorm hall, allowing herself one last look at the departing SUVs.
A single tear fell down her cheek, blending in with the rain falling from the heavens.
….
A/N: Just one more chapter…. **sniff** I'll post that tomorrow for sure! Just a little brotherly moment between Reid and Morgan.
Also, I may post a little bit after the last chapter, with a playlist and stuff. Review if you think that's a good idea.
Love you all; thanks for coming on the ride! Let me know if you want a sequel.
*~N_CBAU~*