Tucker tucked her hair behind her ear and looked out at the pond. It was getting cold but she wasn't going to leave the bench. She wanted to stay out there and pretend that she wasn't in a hospital without Reid. She turned her head slightly when she heard someone walking over to her. She knew that it was probably Price or Olivia coming out there to get her. She took out another cigarette and lit it knowing that both doctors hated it when she smoked in their presence.
"I am not ready to come in yet," she said keeping her eyes on the pond.
"You know, that cigarette is going to take away six minutes from the time we could have together," Reid whispered to her walking up beside the bench.
Tucker stopped from taking another puff from her cigarette. She turned and looked at Reid shocked that he was there. She crushed her smoke and stood up. She hugged herself and looked at Reid. She felt tears come to her eyes and she knew that there was a chance she was imagining him there.
"Are you really here or have I finally lost my mind?" she whispered.
"I am really here," Reid answered.
Reid watched as Tucker walked over to him. He looked at her and waited. She threw herself in his arms and he crushed her close to him. He stroked her hair and felt her hands clutch his sweater vest. He held her close not wanting to ever let her go. He felt her pull away and he looked down into her eyes. He brushed away her tears and kissed her on the forehead.
"I'm sorry," she told him softly.
"You don't have to apologize. I understand," Reid answered.
"Really, because I don't. I don't know why I ever thought leaving you would help me."
Tucker looked into Reid's green brown eyes and wondered how she could have left him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips against his. She felt him kiss her back and she tightened her hold on him. She pulled away and smiled when Reid nuzzled his face against hers. She looked at him and knew she didn't want to leave him ever again.
"Spence," she whispered smiling when he met her eyes, "marry me."
"Traditionally, I should be the one to ask you," he told her kissing her again.
"Then ask."
Reid smiled a real smile for the first time since Tucker had left him. He pulled away from her and got down on one knee. He realized he didn't have a ring. He dug in his pockets and felt his pocket watch. He unhooked it from his belt and took Tucker's hand. He placed the watch in it then looked back up at her eyes. He saw the tears and knew that this was the person he was supposed to spend forever with. He stroked her palm with his thumb.
"Tucker, will you please marry me?" he asked softly swallowing the lump in his throat.
"I would love to marry you, Spencer."
Tucker giggled when Reid pulled her down on his knee and kissed her hard. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. She pulled away and smiled at him. The look in his eyes was complete love and happiness and that was all she had ever wanted. She was glad that she made Reid happy. She felt completed now knowing that she would have forever with Reid. She kissed him again and held him closer to her. She was never ever walking away from him again. He was her future and she had finally realized that.
Reid held Tucker close to him and reached down. He took the pocket watch from her hand and placed it in the pocket of her sweater. He turned and looked up at her and saw pure happiness in her eyes. It was the first time he had seen just happiness in her eyes without seeing a hidden pain there. He kissed her cheek and stroked her hair. He knew that Price did have a point; being with Tucker was not going to be easy. She still had a lot of scars, emotional and physical but Reid knew that they could overcome them together. He smiled when he realized that he now believed in happily ever after; loving Tucker had made him a believer.
Tucker walked into Reid's apartment and stood there for a moment. She still couldn't believe that she was back there with Reid. She felt Reid wrap his arm around her and she leaned against him. She turned and rested her head on his chest. She had missed being in his arms but she still felt like being here was wrong. She was still worried about hurting Reid and somehow tainting him because of what her father was and what he had done. She felt Reid kiss her on the forehead.
"I remembered to go grocery shopping, so there is food here," he said softly.
"Do you really want me here, Spence?" she asked closing her eyes and taking in his scent.
Reid pulled away and looked down at the woman in his arms. He had known the moment he had met her the year before that she would be special to him. She had turned out to the woman he wished to spend forever with. He pulled her closer to him and looked into her green eyes. He saw love in them but also worry and fear. He remembered Morgan's words from the plane and knew what Tucker was scared of.
"Tuck, I want you here with me. I never want to be away from you again," he kissed her softly, "I want you to be my wife."
"Are you really sure? I mean what about your career and-."
Reid placed a finger on her lips to stop her. He smiled a little realizing that for once he wasn't the one with the nervous ramblings. "Everything will work out the way it is supposed to if you stay with me. Can you do that? Will you do that?" he whispered letting his hand drop.
Tucker felt tears come to her eyes. She looked at Reid and knew that despite all her fears and the fact that she was screwed up emotionally, she wanted to be with him. She knew that there would be problems and probably more therapy but she now knew that she needed Reid with her. He understood her better than anyone else ever. She hugged him tight and held him close to her. She was scared out of her mind about being with him and marrying him. She was scared she would mess it up but she knew that she would never know unless she tried.
"There is nowhere I would rather be than with you, Spencer," she whispered softly feeling his lips on her neck.
"You got to trust me, Tucker. I love you and I am never ever going stop loving you."
"I know that and I love you. I just... I need time to adjust to this whole being normal and not running away," she answered pulling away.
"You don't need to be normal. Just be you, Tucker McLean."
Reid saw Tucker smile at him. He took her hand and started to lead her back to his, no their bedroom. He planned on spending the next few hours just holding her in his arms. They had the rest of their lives to worry about everything else.