2007- Washington D.C. Area:
It was the last day of November. Amber had settled into a routine, though she was still living at her father's place. That was going to change soon though. Agent Rossi had signed the papers for the townhouse that Morgan had renovated yesterday. Amber wasn't planning on losing any time on moving into it, as she was going to spend her weekend getting settled in.
Station Washington was quite a change from Kodiak, but she was making the adjustments. She was adapting to her new role in the Coast Guard and was enjoying it. Her new co-workers had been very accepting and helpful in helping her learn the ropes. Her new commanding officer, Lt. Commander Jason Hines was just as supportive as Commander Harris had been. The commanding officer of Station Washington left it up to the men and women serving under him to decide if they wanted to carry their service weapons off base, which was a relief to Amber as she had gotten in the habit of carrying the weapon while serving in Alaska.
Serving in the nation's capital was quite a different experience than what she had been exposed to so far in her career with the Coast Guard. There wasn't the same urgency here as there had been serving in Sitka and then Kodiak. She didn't find herself daily facing life and death situations and even she had noticed the difference in her mood. If there had been any doubt about Commander Harris and the psychologist's evaluation of her back in Kodiak, it was gone now. This move had been in her best interest and though she missed being a rescue swimmer at some level she still took pride in going to work everyday.
After the past week though, she was glad to have the entire weekend off. A weekend that she wouldn't have to worry about being called in to perform a rescue. Time to relax. Now if only Spencer didn't get called away, the weekend would be perfect. Between their jobs, finding time together was already proving difficult. She had only seen her father slightly more often. They had however been able to spend Thanksgiving together at her father's and they had joined Morgan for dinner one night. She had enjoyed spending time with the other agent and it didn't take long to see just how good of friends he and Reid were.
As Amber walked into her father's house, Mudgie came to greet her. She rubbed the dog's head a little before removing her jacket. She was heading for the steps when her father came out of his study.
"Hi, Sweetie," David Rossi said in greeting. "Got plans for tonight?"
"Just a little packing to finish. Why?"
"Thought maybe you'd like to go out to eat with your old man."
"Sounds like fun. Just let me shower and change," Amber replied.
Amber did just that and it wasn't long before David Rossi was driving the two of them back into D.C. The two ate dinner in a nice restaurant. Afterwards, they walked the streets enjoying each other's company, David Rossi patiently following his daughter into the stores she ducked into every so often. An hour and a half later, Agent Rossi was carrying two bags with items that Amber decided she 'had to have' for her new home in one hand, his daughter's arm looped through his own, on the other side.
They were headed back to the car when Agent Rossi noticed three familiar faces walking toward them. His three female teammates were talking and didn't notice him at first. When they finally did, he noticed the curious look that Prentiss wore, as she looked from him to Amber at his side. Given the reputation he knew he had at the BAU, letting Prentiss and Garcia speculate as to who Amber was, would probably not be a good thing. Even though JJ would probably put two and two together fairly fast, Rossi had the feeling the blonde wouldn't mind letting her friends come up with some ideas of their own before filling them in.
"Good evening, ladies," Rossi said in greeting as they all stopped to greet each other. "I'd like to introduce you to my daughter, Amber. Amber these would be the three members of the team that you haven't met yet - Emily, JJ and the one with the. . ." Rossi paused, taking a step closer to Garcia to examine exactly what it was she was wearing in her hair tonight. The blonde tech had wove green garland in her hair, and attached to the garland at even intervals were little reindeer. "The reindeer in her hair, is Penelope."
"Isn't it cute! JJ actually found the garland for me."
"I was thinking more as an office decoration. I didn't expect her to put it in her hair," JJ said.
"I like it," Amber commented. "Very festive."
"I like her already," Garcia commented. "She obviously doesn't get her taste from you, Sir," she added, glancing at Agent Rossi. "No offense."
"None taken," Rossi replied an amused smile on his face.
"Where were you two headed?" JJ asked.
"Back home actually," Agent Rossi answered.
"We were going to get coffee at the little café up the street," JJ said. "Would the two of you care to join us? It would give us a chance to get to know each other."
"I think I'll pass. Too much estrogen for my taste," Rossi replied.
"Feeling out numbered, Rossi?" Emily asked in a taunting voice.
"Quite honestly, yes," he told her. "If you want to join them, I'll pick you up later."
"How about it, Amber?" Emily said. "Maybe you can give us some blackmail on your father?"
"Sure. Why not?" Amber said, looking forward to getting to know the rest of the team she had heard so much about from both her father and Spencer.
"I'll give you a ride home afterwards. Wouldn't want to keep 'Dad' up too late," Emily offered. She turned to her teammate. "What time should I have her home by?"
"I'm not walking into that one," Rossi replied. Turning to Amber he gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later, have fun."
"Bye, Dad," Amber told him.
As Agent Rossi continued in the direction of his car, the four girls continued toward the coffee shop. Being a Friday night, the place was crowded but the girls managed to find an empty table in one corner of the café. They placed their orders and started talking, the three FBI agents asking Amber a lot of questions, while fielding her questions at the same time.
"I'm surprised you weren't spending the evening with, Spence," JJ commented, casually as the conversation hit a momentary lull.
Prentiss and Garcia both looked at Amber curiously. They hadn't realized that Amber even knew Reid and why would JJ expect the two of them to have plans? Not seeing the confused look of the other two women, Amber looked at JJ and replied.
"We plan on being together most of tomorrow and Sunday. Spencer is going to help me get settled in at my own place this weekend. I do believe there is such a thing as too much of a good thing and we've been a part for so long, well I just don't want to rush things."
"So you and Reid are an item?" Emily asked, trying to satisfy her curiosity.
"You mean he hasn't mentioned anything to you guys?" Amber asked, not sure whether to feel guilty for giving away something Spencer seemed to be keeping quiet or mad at him for not telling his teammates.
Emily shook her head no and glanced across the table at JJ. "Mother Hen obviously knew though."
"I figured he would have said something to the two of you by now," JJ said, feigning innocence. She knew Reid had no intention on telling his last two teammates until he absolutely had to and had made the decision she was going to help along the process.
"So, my junior g-man has got himself a girlfriend," Garcia commented, a sly smile on her face. "Oh I can't wait until he finds out I know."
"Now, Garcia don't go giving Spence a hard time," JJ said.
"I won't. I do however, plan on having a little fun with him," Garcia said. "Just like you all have had when it comes to Kevin Lynch."
"How is Kevin these days?" Emily asked.
"Fine."
"Has he asked you out yet?" JJ asked.
"No. Not yet. I am confident he will though. He's just waiting for me to completely recover," Garcia said, secretly wondering if that was the reason or if maybe Kevin wasn't that interested in her after all.
"I'm sure you're right," JJ said diplomatically. "So you're moving into your own place tomorrow? Do you need any more help. I don't have any plans."
"Me either," Emily volunteered.
"Any help I can get would be appreciated. Dad's giving me the bedroom furniture from the room at his place that I've been staying in but I bought a new couch, table and chairs, refrigerator and washer and dry, all of which are suppose to be delivered at some point tomorrow so I need to be there to accept the delivery. Hotch and Morgan have both offered to help me and Reid but somehow there seems to be quite of few things that have gathered at my Dad's place since I came East." Amber commented thinking of the stack of boxes at her Dad's. Some had been shipped from Alaska and other things she had shipped from mother's house when she had been down there. Stuff she had stored there when she moved to Alaska.
"I could hang around and wait for the delivery guys if you want," Garcia offered. "There isn't much else I could do to help out at this point," she added, as she was still recovering from being shot.
"I'd appreciate that. I can make sure nothing gets left behind then," Amber said.
"Well, then if we're going to become a moving company tomorrow maybe we should call it a night," JJ suggested. "What time should we show up?"
"Is nine o'clock too early?"
JJ and Garcia said they would be at Agent Rossi's at nine the next morning. After getting directions to the older profiler's house they said good-bye to Emily and Amber they headed in the direction of the nearest subway station. Emily and Amber headed to where Prentiss had parked her car. While they walked Emily asked Amber about how she and Reid had met.
"Just put that over there," Amber said to the guys who were delivering the couch, pointing to where she wanted the piece of furniture placed in the living room of the town house she was moving into.
The couch was the last piece of furniture that needed to be delivered as the rest of the stuff had already shown up. Most of her stuff had also been moved from her Dad's place and the boxes were spread throughout the houses. While JJ, Hotch and her father had gone back to the house for the rest of it, Amber had stayed back on this trip to start unpacking. David Rossi had mysteriously taken Garcia and Prentiss aside and sent them off to do something for him.
As the two men placed the sofa in the living room, Amber heard a thud from up above her. Morgan and Spencer were up there putting together the bed her father had insisted she take from the room she had been staying in at his house. They had disassembled and moved it here that morning, and Amber found herself wondering if everything was okay up there.
Though she had told her dad that the women had agreed to help, she hadn't bothered to mention it to Spencer. The surprised look on his face when the three female members of the BAU team had shown up that morning had been worth it. Already grateful for Spencer and her father's co-worker's offer to help her move, she had been surprised when they had all shown up this morning with a house warming gift, especially the three women. The three of them had obviously done one more errand the previous night before they had headed home. Amber lost track of how many times she had thanked them all for their gifts.
As the two delivery men left the house, Amber headed upstairs to check on things. She heard the two men arguing even before she reached the top of the steps. Reaching the master bedroom of the house, she found Morgan and Spencer arguing over where to start on the assembly. The head board of the bed was lying on the floor in front of the foot board which was leaning against the wall. Amber had a feeling the head board falling had been the thud she had heard.
Amber leaned against the door jam of the bedroom, and watched the two of them. It was a couple of minutes before Spencer noticed her standing there. Seeing his friend's diverted attention, Morgan fell silent and followed Reid's gaze.
"Could you hear us downstairs?" Reid asked.
"No, just from the steps. I came up to see what the thud was."
"The headboard fell over," Reid replied, gesturing to the piece of furniture lying of the floor.
"I gathered that," Amber replied. "Am I going to have to put this thing together myself?" she asked.
"No. We've got it. Einstein here just thinks he knows more than me, despite the fact that I remodeled this place," Morgan replied. "It'll be done before you know it."
"All I suggested was that we organize everything before we start putting the bed together so we're not looking for things as we go along," Reid said, looking at Morgan and not Amber. "If you don't want my help, I'm sure I can find some other way to be useful," he added, stepping over the bed railings as he started toward the doorway Amber was standing in.
Morgan reached out and grabbed his wrist.
"Hey, Kid, don't be that way. It'll be easier with two of us," Morgan told him. "You want to organize things before we start, fine we'll organize stuff."
Amber laughed. It was nice to see that Spencer had found a place where he was accepted. She knew he felt at times like he didn't fit in, but it hadn't taken long for Amber to see just how much he did fit in with his co-workers. The members of his team were an eclectic bunch, but they made it work. It reminded her a lot of her the group she had hung out with back when she was at Caltech.
"I'll leave the two of you to your organizing," Amber said, turning and heading back downstairs. She was half way down the steps when she heard a vehicle pull into the driveway. Reaching the front door she opened it, to see that her Dad and Hotch had arrived, with the rest of the things from her father's house.
"We managed to get everything packed into the two vehicles," Agent Rossi told his daughter as she walked toward him. Hotch had parked his SUV along the road, and both he and JJ climbed from it as Rossi continued speaking. "We should have you settled in by the end of the day, just like I promised."
"I really appreciate all of your help," Amber said, addressing not only her father but Hotch and JJ, who had joined them.
"It's our pleasure," JJ replied with a smile.
"Shall we start unpacking?" he said, closing the door and heading to the back of the vehicle. The four of them grabbed boxes and started taking things inside.
"There you go," Spencer said, stepping back from the wall after hanging the third picture on the living room wall. He and Amber were alone in the house now, the rest of the team having taken their leave about a half hour ago. There were still a few things to unpack, but for the most part the group had managed to get things unpacked and put away.
Amber looked at the three pictures that were now hanging on the wall as Spencer headed for the couch. The pictures had been the special errand that her father had sent Prentiss and Garcia on that day. One was a picture of her with her parents when she was three, which was taken in Commack, Long Island, before her parents had divorced. It was probably one of the few pictures still in existence with all three of them in it. The second picture was one of her and Spencer that Maria had taken when they were dating at Caltech. It had been one she had sent to her father, and David Rossi had managed to find it and had a 5X7 print made up of it. The third was from her college graduation, and was of the friends she had spent those four years with - Mark, Maria, Vanessa, Chelsea, and Vince. Maria and Vince were the only two she stayed in contact with anymore, but the picture was a nice reminder of those days.
"They definitely make the house feel a little more homelike," Amber commented, turning from the wall to look at Spencer who was sitting on the couch, his long legs stretched out in front of him.
"Your team is a great bunch of people. I really appreciated all their help today," Amber continued as she walked over to the couch. She slipped out of the sneakers she was wearing without untying them and sat down on the couch. Curling her feet up underneath her, she snuggled close to Spencer her head resting against his chest. Spencer draped one arm around her shoulders and held her close.
"Yeah, they are a great bunch. I know I drive them crazy sometimes, but I know they'll always be there for me no matter what," Spencer replied.
"Even my Dad?" Amber asked.
"Professionally, yes. When it comes to our personal life, let's just say I'm still not sure."
"So, why hadn't you told Emily and Garcia about us?" Amber asked.
"No particular reason. It just hadn't come up," Spencer replied. One look at Amber told him that he wasn't convincing her. "And I guess I was trying to avoid the teasing I know is going to take place now that they know," he admitted. "I was going to introduce you to them eventually."
"I kind of enjoyed how it worked out anyway. The look on your face when the two of them showed up this morning was priceless," Amber said.
"I'm surprised you didn't have your camera ready."
"If it hadn't been packed, I would have," Amber told him. She shifted her head so that she could look up at him. "It feels right to be this close to you again."
Spencer didn't reply. Though he felt the same way she did, he just couldn't seem to find his voice. Instead of trying to stumble through the words, he lowered his head toward hers, finally pressing his lips against Amber's. Though they had spent time together over the last couple of weeks, this was the first real kiss they had shared since before they broke up. Somehow, Spencer didn't think that the kiss on the cheek in front of her father really counted. Nor could he believe that he felt as nervous as he had the first time he had kissed her.
They only broke away when both of them needed air. Amber shifted her head so it was in a more comfortable position but stayed cuddled up next to Spencer. Trying not to disturb Amber, Spencer kicked his shoes off with his feet, not planning on going anywhere for awhile.
"Still mismatching your socks, I see," Amber commented, seeing in the one black sock and one argyle sock that adorned Spencer's feet.
"I've never seen any reason to change," Spencer told her.
"I thought you didn't believe in superstitions?" Amber commented.
"I don't. A superstition is defined as being a belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge, in or of the ominous significance of a particular thing, circumstance, occurrence, proceeding, or the like or any blindly accepted belief or notion. I don't believe that nothing would go right in my day if one morning I decided to put on a matching pair of socks, I just choose not to. It's our deep seated need to conform to societal needs that compels people to do certain things, such as having to match a pair of socks, and wearing mismatching socks is my way of saying that I refuse to give in to that conformity."
"Don't ever change, Spencer," Amber said, laughing at his little speech.
"I'm not sure I could even if I tried," Spencer replied, confused as to what he had said that Amber found so amusing but not wanting to ask. "Do you miss Alaska?"
"You know, not as much as I thought I would. I mean I miss my co-workers there and my friends, but in other ways its good to be here. It's nice to be near my father. To have a variety of places to go and things to do. Alaska is like a whole different world and though I can't say I hated it, I'm realizing how much I was missing while I was there. As for the change of job, it's a relief really."
"I thought you liked being a rescue swimmer?"
"I did. It was what I wanted to do when I decided on the Coast Guard over the Marines. People telling me I couldn't do it, just made me more determined to make it. However, it takes its toll on you, not being able to save everyone, but then I don't need to tell you that. Knowing that you're just going to be pulling a body out of the ocean in order to give a family a chance to say a proper good-bye. Or searching for hours and not being able to find even the body. Something inside me was saying I couldn't do this anymore, though I either couldn't recognize it or didn't want to admit it. Or maybe I just didn't want to admit defeat? Whatever the reasoning, I can see now that I needed a break from it."
Spencer did understand what she ways saying. Had felt similar feelings himself when they lost another victim while they were searching for the UnSub. They couldn't save everyone, and how many times had he had people tell him to concentrate on the people they could save? It helped, but they wouldn't be human if those they couldn't save didn't effect them in some way.
"Would you go back to it?" Spencer asked, wondering if he was going to get Amber back in his life just to lose her again. He knew he could never ask her to give up her dream. To stop doing what she loved to do. The question he needed to find an answer for was if he was willing to give up his career to follow her. Not so long ago he was questioning whether he could continue to do this job, and at the time he hadn't thought he could. Despite the nightmares he had some nights. Despite what he had gone through with Hankle, he knew this job was what he wanted to be doing. He couldn't walk away from it. Couldn't walk away from the people he worked with. At the time though, he hadn't thought that he would ever have Amber back in his life in this capacity. Could he walk away from all of this for her?
He thought of Morgan's words. About crossing that bridge when he got there. He wasn't sure if this was a question that could wait that long but it was one that didn't need to be answered tonight.
"I don't know, maybe. This transfer is giving me a chance to reevaluate what I want in life. The one thing I'm sure of right now is that for now, I want to enjoy being with you. Enjoy what life holds for me at this place and time. " Amber looked up at Spencer again. "Are you okay with that? Okay with not having any sure answers right now?"
Spencer nodded. "I've got some of the same questions myself. Let's just enjoy what we have right now and take the time to really figure out what we want as we go along."
"Sounds like a plan to me," she told him.
The two sat there in silence for awhile. With her head resting against his chest, Amber could hear the sound of Spencer's heart beating. It was a relaxing sound to listen to.
Spencer looked down at the woman in his arms. Was this the one? Was this his one chance at love?
They had been happy at one time. Breaking up had been hard for both of them. Could they find that happiness again? So much had changed. He wasn't the same person he had been back then. Amber wouldn't be the same person. Were those changes too much for them to overcome? Would she still want to be with him when she had found out about his recent struggles? He knew that wasn't something he could hide from her now. When they had just been keeping in touch by a phone call here and there it was different. The drug addiction that in some ways he was battling even now, wasn't something that he was proud of. He hadn't even admitted it outright to most of his teammates, though besides Rossi, he knew most of them suspected it. Now, he knew Amber needed to know, even though he feared that she might just turn his back on him here and now. Would she leave or would she stand by him as Morgan had done? There was only one way to find out. One way to see if they even had a chance at a future together.
"Amber, there is something I need to tell you," Spencer said softly, finally breaking the silence that had fallen between them.
"What is it?" Amber asked, concerned at the fear she heard in his voice.
"I'm not exactly sure how to tell you. Where I should start?" he told her. "Maybe I should have brought this up earlier as you might want nothing to do with me after you find out," he said, his voice trembling as he said the words.
Amber looked up at him. Though he wasn't looking down at her, she could see the fear in his eyes. She felt fear herself, as she wondered what could make him think she would want nothing to do with him.
"Spencer, there is nothing you could tell me that would make me turn my back on you," she told him, part of her bracing herself to hear that he was seeing signs of his mother's illness in himself. She knew that had always been a fear of his. Knew there was always a chance. Amber had come to the decision years ago, that if it came to that, she would stand by his side, knowing he would need her, even just as a friend, all the more.
Reid looked down at her, reading the emotions in her eyes. Wanting to believe the words, but still bracing himself for the absolute worse.
"I've been dealing with drug addiction recently. An addiction to Dilaudid specifically. I got clean, and have been trying to stay that way. Trying to not give in to the hunger for the drug, but it's . . . " his voice broke and Amber could see tears glistening in his eyes. "It's still hard sometimes and I hate myself for wanting it."
Amber moved to sit up. Spencer removed the arm that had been draped around her, expecting her to get up. For her next words to be for him to leave the house. Instead of standing up though, Amber shifted her position and settled herself in a sitting position next him. She reached out and took his hand in hers.
"What happened?" Amber asked, knowing that it had to be something terrible for Reid to turn to a drug as an escape.
The simple question surprised him, but after getting over the initial surprised, he found that he did want to tell her. To share with her the ordeal he had gone through down in Georgia. It wasn't that he wanted her sympathy, but he wanted her to know. Needed to not have that secret lying in between them.
"There was a case down in Georgia awhile back," Spencer said, starting from the beginning and feeling a weight begin to lift as he continued his confession.