Amelia's blue eyes flickered nervously around the restaurant, smiling as Spencer held the door open for her. "We have a reservation, it's under Gideon." Spencer told the hostess, who nodded and grabbed their menus.
"Right this way, please." She said, gesturing for them to follow her. Amelia's palms were sweating, and she quickly wiped them on her dress, hoping that Spencer didn't notice. He obviously could tell that she was nervous, so he placed his hand on the small of her back, hoping to ease her nerves. The hostess led them to the back of the restaurant, and Amelia could see a group of people sitting at the large table, laughing and looking friendly. A blonde woman in a bright pink top and white skirt noticed the pair first, and she nudged the man beside her, adjusting her glasses with a grin. Amelia noticed that the frames on her glasses were the same pink as her shirt and the flower that was placed in her hair. "Thank you." Spencer told the hostess, and the couple awkwardly stood by the table. The group of profilers all noticed Spencer's hand on her lower back, and they could barely hold back their grins.
"Well pretty boy, aren't you going to introduce us?" The very attractive man next to the blonde said, standing up out of his chair. "I'm Derek Morgan." Amelia gave him a small smile, but before she could introduce herself, the other members of the team continued their introductions. Jason Gideon, Jennifer Jareau, Aaron Hotchner, Elle Greenaway, and Penelope Garcia.
"I'm Amelia Hawley, it's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you all." She said. Spencer pulled her chair out for her and she sat down, giving him a sweet smile. "Thank you, pretty boy." Her tone was teasing, and Spencer's cheeks heated up with a blush. Derek laughed loudly, his brown eyes twinkling with amusement.
"I knew that I was going to like this girl!" He exclaimed. The group laughed along with him, and Amelia felt herself begin to relax. Spencer began talking to Gideon, while the girls snatched up Amelia's attention.
"So, where exactly did you meet Spencer? He hasn't told us much, he's so secretive!" Penelope said, smacking her hand on the table lightly.
"Well, I have my own coffee shop in Quantico, it's called 'The Busy Bean Espresso Bar,' and one morning he came in to get coffee and I thought he was really handsome. I remember telling him to come back and see me sometime, which embarrassed the hell out of me after I thought about what I said, but he really did come back to see me." She shrugged, her cheeks pink. The girls let out a collective 'awh.' Amelia nervously pushed a piece of red curly hair behind her ear, and she felt Spencer's hand reach over and gently grab hers. They interlaced their fingers under the table, and he gave her hand a little squeeze.
A waitress came around the table to refill drinks and bring out breadsticks while their entrees were cooking, and Amelia took a sip of the red wine that she had ordered. Spencer ordered water since he planned on driving the two of them home. "So, little red, how do you put up with pretty boy's rambling all the time?" Derek asked, giving Amelia a wink. Spencer rolled his eyes at the question.
"I like hearing Spencer talk. I've always been a fan of learning new things, and he's just full of information. Besides, smart guys are sexy." She said, giving the man a shy little smirk. Derek chuckled and shook his head. Amelia loved talking to the women, and she thought that Derek was a funny, confident man. She didn't talk too much to Aaron Hotchner or Gideon, but they didn't seem like outgoing individuals. They didn't make her feel uncomfortable, however, by the time they received their entrees, she was completely at ease.
While she was digging into her ravioli, Gideon spoke up. "Has Spencer told you much about what we do?" The table got quiet, and they all looked to Amelia for her response. She swallowed her food, taking a quick sip of wine to wash it down.
"He explained everything pretty well, I think I know the gist of it at least." She told him, and the older gentleman nodded slowly.
"And you're okay with him being gone as much as he is?" She raised her eyebrow. What was this supposed to be, an interrogation? Was she being profiled?
"I stay pretty busy with work since I own my own coffee shop. Besides, I've lived alone for a few years already, I'm used to it by now. I do miss him when he's gone, but as long as I know that he's safe, I'm okay with it." Gideon took a large bite of his food and chewed it carefully, as if he was contemplating his response. After he swallowed his food, he gave her a grin.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring down the mood." She gave him a grin in response, showing that he hadn't really offended her. She was just a little taken back by his boldness. After she finished eating her ravioli and she took the last drink out of her second glass of wine, she was full and tired. Apparently, she wasn't the only one that was tired, because Penelope let out a huge yawn, covering her mouth with her hand. Amelia took notice to the matching pink jewelry and the white nails that matched her skirt. She was so very color coordinated.
"I think it's time for me to call it a night." The technical analysist said, reaching into her large purse to pull out her wallet.
"No, no, put that away. It's all on me tonight." Gideon said, and everyone protested, but he quickly shut them down. "We needed this. The only time that we spend together may be spent saving lives, but it's not all that we do. We're a family. And now, thanks to the beautiful Amelia, we have a new family member to add to the group." Amelia's cheeks tinged pink, but she felt her heart swell with joy.
"Thank you so much, I really mean it. Spencer means the world to me, and I'm glad that he let me get to meet his 'family.'" She said, and the team all gave her soft smiles in return. Spencer kissed her temple gently.
"Thank you for being so accepting of this lifestyle. Not everyone understands like you do." He told her, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. The waitress stopped by the table then, dropping off the check and grabbing a few of the empty plates. Amelia grabbed her wallet out of her bag and grabbed some cash, putting it under her plate as a tip to the waitress, with everyone else following suit and doing the same thing.
The team maneuvered out into the parking lot, and Amelia hugged everyone before they left, even Gideon and Hotch. Gideon pulled back from the hug but kept his hand on her arm. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable in there. I just wanted to make sure that you knew what you were getting into. Relationships are difficult when you're in the BAU, and I just want what's best for Spencer. I can tell that you two really care for each other, and I wish you all the best. If either of you ever need anything, don't hesitate to let me know." He said, and Amelia smiled at him in return.
"Thank you, Gideon, I really mean that." The older man nodded and turned back to Aaron. She exchanged numbers with Penelope, JJ, and Elle, and they all made plans to hang out the next time they were free, the thought of a girl's night made Amelia giddy, and she hoped that it could happen soon.
Spencer wrapped his arm around Amelia's shoulder to prevent her from getting cold once they all said their goodbyes. He opened the car door for her an she slid into her seat, and he closed it once she was ready. "Thank you, seriously." She said, breaking the silence.
"Why are you thanking me?" He asked, glancing over at her as he pulled out of the parking lot.
"For introducing me to them. They're great people. I'm glad you work with such wonderful people, you need that when your job is this emotionally draining." She said, placing her hand on his arm.
"They are very understanding. You know, Hotch was the one that gave me advice on how to act for our first date." Spencer told her, and she giggled.
"Hotch? The same Hotch that I just had dinner with? He doesn't seem like the romantic type." She retorted.
"You'd be surprised. He has a wife and a little boy at home." Amelia smiled at the thought. Aaron Hotchner had a tough exterior, but she was glad that he had something at home to soften him up at the end of the night.
"That's sweet. Derek and Gideon seem really protective over you." She commented, and he rolled his eyes slightly, but he couldn't fight the smile that was on his face. "But they only want what's best for you. I think it's adorable." Spencer snorted quietly, causing Amelia to erupt into a fit of giggles. She wasn't sure if it was the wine, her exhaustion, or just because she was happy, but she couldn't stop laughing. Eventually, Spencer joined in with her giggling.
He pulled into the parking lot to her apartment, and she looked at him expectantly. "You know that I don't want you to drive home this late, so you might as well grab your bag and come upstairs with me." She said, nudging his shoulder lightly.
"That's what I assumed you would say, I was already prepared." He said, reaching into the backseat and grabbing his bag. She unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door, stepping outside of the vehicle and stretching. Her dress rode up slightly in the back, and Spencer walked around the car just in time to see the exposed skin. His face burned with a blush and he quickly averted his eyes, fumbling with his keys to make sure that the car was locked.
The two made their way upstairs, both stumbling slightly due to exhaustion and alcohol, in Amelia's case. After locking the front door, she made her way to the bedroom and grabbed her pajamas. "Hey Spence, can you unzip me?" She asked, and he took a deep breath. He grasped the zipper and slowly tugged it down, exposing more skin with each inch being unzipped. Once he finished, she turned around, carefully holding the front of her dress against her body. "Thank you." She said, grabbing her pajamas and going to the bathroom. He sat down on the edge of her bed, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hands. He needed some sleep.
Once Amelia was done in the bathroom, he went in for his turn. Amelia turned the bed down and slid underneath the covers, sighing at the way the silky sheets felt against her skin. Spencer came out of the bathroom in red and black plaid pajama pants and a black shirt to go with it. He hesitated by the side of the bed, but Amelia gave him a grin. "Come lay with me." She said, patting the spot beside her.
He slowly climbed into the bed, fighting back his nervousness. He knew nothing was going to happen tonight. She was slightly intoxicated and the both were exhausted. She curled up close to him with his head on her chest, and she inhaled his scent. "Good night, Spencer." She said, looking up at him.
"Good night, Amelia." He said, leaning down and kissing the tip of her nose gently. The two quickly fell asleep, wrapped up in each other's embrace.
