Spencer hummed as he walked away from Morgan after tossing him the whistle. For the first time since meeting the former AFT agent, he thought he might fit in the Bureau.
His joy didn't last, though. The simple act of climbing into the SUV caused pain to shoot through his ribs and abdomen as he stretched his arm out to grab the seat and scramble inside.
Hotch may kick like a girl, he thought sourly, but the resulting pain was real. He knew he'd be a mass of bruises in the morning, and the thought was depressing. He slid carefully across the seat to the window behind the driver and breathed out forcefully. He'd think about something else to distract from the ache.
Spencer stared out the window at the lights of the ambulances and cop cars swarming the hospital parking lot. They had to transfer patients from the wards near the ER and the waiting room until the crime scene cleared.
He attempted to distract his mind by thinking about where they'd take all of the patients, but instead, he began to wish and daydream about what it would be like if JJ were beside him.
"Hey," JJ said as she climbed in next to him. "You okay?"
"Yeah, just tired."
"Right. Um-Spence?"
He looked over to see her studying him in the light of a street lamp outside the SUV. "What?"
"Your face is bruised. Are you sure you're okay? You should see the EMTs."
His stomach jittered at the possibility that JJ might care about him.
"I did, and they said no broken bones, to get rest and see my GP. The usual."
"Okay, well, I'm glad you're okay. I was – worried about you guys."
"Thanks," he said, and her words punctured the balloon of happiness in his chest. Why couldn't she say she was worried about him?
After a very drawn-out silence, JJ said. "Spence."
"Yes."
"I lied. I was worried, but not about Hotch. I was – scared for you because I like you."
"You do?"
"Yeah," JJ leaned in, and Spencer's heart began to race as her face drew nearer," JJ," he whispered.
"Hey, kid, wake up," Morgan said
Spencer jumped, and his head snapped to see Morgan sitting in the front passenger seat. "You daydreaming?"
"No!"
"Okay, just wondering, you look – "
The sliding door to the SUV rattled open, and Elle climbed in, much to Spencer's disappointment. Gideon and JJ would be in the second SUV, and – it didn't matter. He'd see her on the jet. He had a bad feeling it was going to be a long flight.