Please Stay | A Dr Spencer Reid fanfic

Chapter 18- Late

Spencer stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, causing Gia to crash into the back of him, still in shock from his previous statement.

"Why did you stop?" She took a step back, so that there was no physical contact between them.

"I walked off ahead but realised that I don't know where we are walking to."

"Just a bit further down here." Gia stepped to the side, so she wasn't directly behind Spencer, and began to continue their walk. Spencer was mentally mapping their route. He hadn't noticed until two blocks beforehand that this was the route he had used to walk to the bookstore. Still in his head, trying to calculate all the possibilities Gia called out to him.

"Earth to Spencer. Are you alright?"

"Yes, just thinking about something." Gia didn't pry and let him back into his thoughts. Several seconds later, he spoke up again. "Do you live on Cambridge street?"

Gia's head whipped to face him.

"Are you sure you haven't had one of your FBI buddies run a check on me?"

"So that's a yes then. What a coincidence, so do I. And no. The only one of my 'FBI buddies' that have the capabilities for that is Garcia. Trust me it's better not to ask her. If I had, by lunch everyone on the floor and their mother would know about it."

"I'll take your word for it." They walked in silence, until Gia recalled something. "Hey Spencer, what were you going to tell me earlier about phones?" Spencer froze.

"Right, yeah, about that. I... umm... may have accidently sent you some messages last night that I didn't mean too."

"Oh god, they aren't disturbing are they."

"Mildly," he grimaced. "This is kind of embarrassing, but could you delete them please."

Gia suspiciously smiled at Spencer.

"Why? Were they that bad? You can tell me."

"I would just appreciate if you just got rid of them. Morgan sort of..." Spencer backtracked mid thought. "Morgan," he sighed, looking down at his watch and seeing that he was already 15 minutes late. If he strained his eyes he was sure he could see Derek leaning against the stairs outside his apartment building.

"Everything okay?" Gia interrupted.

"I was supposed to back already to meet Morgan. I lost track of time."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to disrupt your plans," Gia said regretfully. Spencer found himself smiling.

"No, you didn't. It was time well spent." Spencer could feel his heart melting when he saw her innocent eyes. He could get lost in them. They were dark but had a peculiar brightness about them.

"I was going to ask where you have been, but I guess I just got my answer." Derek strode over to the pair. "Hello, Gia nice to see you again."

"Likewise, Derek. Sorry for making Spencer late."

"No worries, pretty girl. Now I know what was so important about you errand. I didn't realise that was code for something before."

"It's not Morgan." Spencer choked. "We just bumped into each other and I offered to walk her home. She lives near here."

"How convenient. Of course, that's what I meant," Derek scoffed not believing Spencer.

"I'll leave you guys to it. Thanks for keeping my company on my walk Spencer." She lightly gripped his arm, to symbolise her appreciation. Derek raised his eyebrows at Spencer. It hadn't gone unnoticed that Spencer didn't flinch at this unexpected contact. Derek decided to use this opportunity to his advantage.

"You should join us," he announced, making Gia stop in her tracks. Spencer frowned, trying to figure out Derek's ploy.

"Thanks for the offer, but..."

"Come on Gia. I was hoping you'd be my back up." Derek plan adapted, trying to loop Gia in.

"Back up?" Gia was confused.

"Spencer has been invited to the Harvard fete." In audible groan escapes from Spencer's throat. Both Derek and Gia stare at him in surprise. "But he won't go. I'm trying to convince him. That's what the dinner was going to be about. I pulled the short straw out of the team and came out here."

This was news to Spencer,

"Hey," he shouted.

"You really don't want to go?" she asked, calmly, making Spencer soften.

"Not my thing."

"I know what you mean. I tried to get out of it too. I don't mind a party but these events are usually full of leeches." Her eyes flickered between Spencer and Derek.

"You're going?" Both Spencer and Derek asked in unison.

"All the team is. We have this unspoken policy. If one of us goes, we all have to. To show unity you know. And Dean Thompson wouldn't take no for an answer. So it was just easier to say yes." Gia nodded.

"This is great. See know you'll know someone there Reid. So are you going?" Derek was over the moon. Spencer uncomfortably squirmed under the pressure.

"Well, if you decide to go, I'll see you there. Bye guys." Gia could tell that Spencer didn't want to have this conversation right now, especially in front of her. That is why she made a speedy exit. In truth Spencer was mortified that Derek had brought it up.

Spencer watched as she walked away and crossed to the other side of the road, before she entered a building opposite his.

Once she was out of sight, Spencer erupted.

"Morgan, quit embarrassing me."

"Nice errand you ran."

"I'm not lying we actually did bump into each other," Spencer huffed.

"What did she say about the messages?"

"She hadn't seen them. I told her to delete them. I hope she does. Imagine next time I see her what she'll think of me."

"I think she'll find it funny. That girl there has a personality." Spencer hoped Derek was right. "I do have a question Reid. She looks so much younger now that I'm sober na can actually see in the daylight. How old is she?"

Spencer stuttered, "I don't know." It hadn't crossed Spencer's mind until now, expect of course when...

"Reid!"

"Huh... I don't know... But I did think she was a student the first time I saw her." Spencer shrugged his shoulders.

"You, my man, are a player,' Derek said, narrowing his eyes. "Who would have thought it."

"She's not though," Spencer blurted out in his defence.

"I hope not. Imagine the scandal Dr Reid and his student."

Spencer shuddered at the thought.

"Now let's get dinner, I'm starving. You made me wait long enough." Derek thumped Spencer on the back, while Spence was still reeling in his thoughts, trying to playback all the times he had seen Gia. Had she mentioned her age? Did she know his? Does it matter?