Chapter 18

Washington Medical Center
Washington DC

December 2005

The next morning Penelope arrived to find Morgan in Spencer's bed. She wafted the scent of the coffee in her hands at him to wake him up. "Where's Spencer?" She asked when he was in a sitting position. Morgan indicated the curtain behind him so Penelope peeked. "Aww, just like a couple of puppies."

"Yeah, I know. Wish he would have told me he wasn't using the bed though. I got a crick in my neck from that chair."

"Oh, whine later. Get up so we can get moving and get them home." She peeked behind the curtain again. "Reid? Speennnccerrr? You awake?" She gently poked his shoulder.

He flinched away and curled even tighter around Jeremy. "Mmmm, no."

"Come on, you can sleep more when you get home."

Sleeping more sounded like a heavenly delight to Spencer. As did having Jeremy in a bigger bed. Not like that, just to sleep like this, close enough to know that he was entirely all right the whole night through.

Jeremy was entirely all right, at least in the short term. Ever since Spencer had tucked in with him he'd slept soundly. Now he had to get up though. And Spencer wanted waking to be gentle and kind, so he murmured and kissed his forehead and gently jostled him until he woke. "Oh." Jeremy said. "You're real."

"Yes." Odds were Jeremy had lost yesterday. Shock and trauma could cause transitory amnesia. He didn't miss much. "You're safe."

"Oh." Spencer could feel Jeremy holding back, his uncertainty, even some embarrassment. He was even physically holding back, pressing himself against the side rail of the bed, putting as much space between them as he could. Before he realized what he was doing he thought. It's okay.

Jeremy's eyes widened. How are we still doing this?

I don't know. Maybe we did it for so long our minds learned how. Anyway, it's okay, what you're thinking. At least what I think you're thinking.

Sure?

Yes. I enjoy it, and I know you wanted to do that whole rescue/squire thing...

Spencer couldn't help but laugh as Jeremy gave in and pressed up into his arms so hard he almost threw himself at him. Yesssss...

Oh heavens, it felt so good just to hold and be held that tightly. I agree.

"I hear that laughing over there." Penelope said. "Want me to go tell the nurse you two are awake so we can get out of here?"

Spencer felt Jeremy's sudden...it could only be called a spurt of fear. It's okay, that's Penelope. My team is like my family, she's like my sister.

And along with fear he could fear Jeremy's doubt. Family?

Yes, and they are going to love you. I swear, this time around it will be okay to be the kid brother.

I hope so.

"Please do, Penelope."

"Okay then."

They heard the door close. Jeremy sat up. "Family, huh?"

Spencer nodded. "I'm going to guess that you have issues with the concept of family."

"A few. Well, a lot."

"Just give them a chance."

Jeremy cocked his head. "You really love them don't you?"

"I do."

He thought about it for a moment, and nodded. "All right then." He looked down at the gown he was wearing and sighed. "I wonder if they'll let me go home in this. Or at least borrow a sheet."

"Or we'll ask Penelope to go to your apartment and pack a bag."

"She'd do that?" Jeremy asked.

"Yeah, she would."

"Oh, um, okay."

"You have a family now." Spencer smiled and pulled Jeremy back down. "It's going to be wonderful."

The hospital was a bit of a distance from both apartments, so Emily stopped on her way in. "You're all packed." She said as she walked in the door. "Two more suitcases and I could have had you moved out."

"I like traveling light." Jeremy replied from behind the curtain.

There were more than two bodies back there. "What's going on?" Emily asked Morgan.

"Turned out all that body jewelry was courtesy of the Unsub." He replied. "Little brother wants all of it out, which is good because it's all evidence."

"Oh good. Honestly, it did make you look kind of garish." Emily said in Jeremy's direction.

"Yeah, not into the beautiful creature look." Jeremy replied. "Ow. No, there's only one thing I want on my face. Did you find my spare glasses?"

"I did. Top right desk drawer in the back, just where you said they would be." The nurse opened the curtain, revealing Spencer sitting on the windowsill and Jeremy sitting in bed, looking very much less like some alien creature and very much more like a boyish academic. Emily slid the simple round glasses on his face and the look was complete.

"I can see." Jeremy opened his eyes and beamed. "Thank you so much. This was a huge help."

"Sure. No problem."

"I'm, um, going to go get changed."

"Oh, we'll step out." Emily shooed Morgan and Penelope out with her.

"Um, you can stay." Jeremy said to Spencer.

They were walking a fine line between things here. Spencer smiled at him. "You should have your privacy."

"Um, I'd kinda rather you stayed."

"Okay then."

But Jeremy did draw the curtain around the far side of the room. "I, um, got enough stuff for a few days." He said as he started getting dressed. "I kind of assumed..."

"I hoped you would be staying with me." Spencer replied. "I've been kind of planning it."

"Um, in your guest room or..."

"That...wasn't what I was thinking."

Jeremy was quiet a moment. "You know, after all this there's a lot of..."

"It's okay."

"I mean I am not ready..."

"Jeremy, it's okay. I'm not in any rush. It's just...if you want, when you're ready, just let me know. Or not. Right now it's however you want to sleep."

"I want to sleep like we did last night."

"Then we will and no more than that."

"Really?" He sounded so eager, so like he wanted to believe.

"What do you feel?" Likely Jeremy could feel that he was being honest here.

"Safest around you. Okay then." Jeremy pulled back the curtain.

Turned out that unlike Spencer he actually owned things like t-shirts and jeans and beat up work boots and managed to look reasonably good in them. He started bundling up for the world outside. Sweatshirt. Jacket. Gloves. Hat. He was starting to look like some kind of street urchin, at least five years younger than his actual age, maybe more. "Do I really need all of this? He asked.

"After hypothermia people are more sensitive to cold, more at risk of a relapse." Spencer replied. "And it is actively snowing outside."

Jeremy shuddered and twined a scarf around his neck. "I really like snow. But not right now."

"Agreed."

There was a knock and the team there trooped back in. "Ravenclaw?" Penelope asked, indicating Jeremy's scarf.

Jeremy flared bright red. "Um, yeah..."

His discomfort was easy to see. "Oh, nice." She replied with a smile.

What is it? Spencer asked him.

I made it while I was living in England.

You can say that. My friends are okay with it.

Really?

Try and see.

"I, um, made it while I was in England." Jeremy tentatively said to Penelope.

"Really?" Penelope beamed. "He's making a Dr. Who scarf." She nodded to Spencer.

Spencer felt Jeremy's sudden surprise. "Really? Those things are huge."

"It's going to take a while to finish it."

"Good. I'll have time to make you a Gryffindor."

"I'm not even sure what that means." Spencer said.

By now Morgan and Emily were gently laughing at them. "Yeah, most people would peg you for Ravenclaw." Emily said. "But you really are the male Hermione Grainger."

"Is he really?" Jeremy said. He pulled a knitted cap over his head and the transformation to urchin was complete.

"Oh just wait." Emily replied with a smile.

Morgan shook his head. "Let's get out of here before we all start nerding out in public."