Reid and the awkward girl | S.R.

15

Instead of going to her apartment like she know she should be doing, Danny is staying at the college for as long as possible. Good thing they have a 24 hour library open.

Danny tried everything to keep herself busy and her mind occupied. After finishing all the homework she could for the rest of the week, the girl found books upon books to read.

She got out her computer and read up on more links for white collar crimes, she read about the women's prison system, and she even took out newspapers from years before to look over. The thing about studying criminology is that it's all based on past research. Looking at crimes in the news is always interesting.

One newspaper particularly stood out to Dan. A man, arrested for breaking and entering. He worked for a pizza delivery and walked into a woman's house. The similarities between this case and Danny's are chilling. She curses the fact that the library never lets you check out newspapers. Instead she takes out her phone and snaps a picture of the article.

The name of the man "Steve Casno" stands out. Though Danny knows it's not going to be the same today. No one would have hired him if they knew he had a record. He probably changed his name. She writes this all down in her notebook. Making sure to take one last picture of his mug shot up close, she knows this is her man. It has to be. If not, these guys are way too similar for coincidence.

Hours pass, the light from the window dims and turns black, signaling night, and Danny still sits to work.

In the middle of reading the DSM, Danny falls asleep.

•••

And this is exactly how Spencer finds her. After pulling a favor with Garcia (she was oddly excited to help 'Dan') Spencer asked the tech analyst to track Danny's phone so he would know where she is. He was surprised to still see her at the college. Though, knowing trauma victims, he wasn't too surprised. She probably had no where else to go except her house. And he knows she wouldn't want to be there.

He pulls up outside the library, waves to the exhausted librarian, and makes his way around the large book shelves. He's been in here a few times before, so he knows his way around.

It wasn't long before he spotted Danny. Curled up in an awkward position, one hand cushioning herself from the book she was reading. Head facing away from him. He walked slowly over, not to wake her up, and packed up her things, putting the books away.

"Dan?" Spence asks really low, not to startle the poor girl anymore than she already had been today. He puts a hand on her shoulder and gives a small shake.

"Spence?" Her small voice greets him ears and he curses himself again for leaving her at her most vulnerable. He promises he won't do it again.

He grabs onto her hand in his large one and helps her stand up.

"I thought you had a case?"

The lanky man sighs, "they told me to go home. They didn't need me."

"Of course they need you," Danny rubs her eyes adorably. Spence reaches out for her again.

"Come on let's get you home," his hands hold her around the waist. Danny seems to trust him to lead her, Spencer's chest puffs with pride. Especially when he still sees his blue T-shirt around her small frame. It's a good thing he got to come back from the case, or he would have had to sleep shirtless. Morgan would have had a field day.

"I can't go back home," she stubbornly mumbles out, her feet fumble for a second.

"Just trust me," Spencer pauses. "We're not going to your house."

•••

Danny awakes again, this time to a different room than she's ever seen before. Instead of her plain white walls with the occasional cat poster, she's in a dark cave of a bedroom, and she almost freaks. The Chinese food guy finally captured her. It's over.

Until she sees the picture on the bedside table. A picture of the BAU members standing hip to hip, smiles on their faces and friendly embraces. Danny picks up the frame in her shaking hands and finds Spencer's face instantly. He has shorter hair in this image. His glasses are a little tilted and it makes Danny smile.

Then she gets butterflies in her stomach, realizing that this is Spencer's room. A small book shelf, a not-so-tidy closet and a dark green duvet. Danny cuddles up again and inhales the scent of Dr. Reid. Books and coffee and sugar. She imagines Spencer as what a bookstore in the fall would smell like.

A knock sounds at the door.

"Dan?"

She sits up slowly. Her face getting red. Did he sleep here last night too? No. Then he wouldn't be knocking. Get your head out of the gutter, Danny scolds herself.

"Yes, Spence?" Her voice comes out a lot smaller than she wanted. She clears her throat while Spencer cracks the door open.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

Danny's confused. She hasn't done anything except sleep. Why did he think something was wrong?

"Yes?" The girl pulls up the comforter to her chin, still sitting up. She looks like a kid again.

Spencer walks into the room completely. Hair ruffled in the most adorable way, his perpetually sleepy eyes, and frowny lips are on display this morning. Danny tries hard not to swoon.

"You were screaming," he rubs at his cheeks to try to wake himself up a little. Danny's face heats up. She looks down in shame. She's not even in her apartment and the man had apparently terrorized her mind. She doesn't even remember the dream.

"It's okay," Spence walks over to the side of the bed with the picture on the side table, and sits down. His legs go up and his back falls against the pillows so he's propped up, but still lounging in the bed. Inches from Danny. She looks on wide eyed.

His eyes start to flutter shut like he's going to fall asleep before he jolts back awake. It is 6am after all. He's probably tired from all the nonstop cases. "Are you okay?" He asks again.

"Yes," Danny nods her head, her eyes never leaving the man next to her.

"Good," his voice fades out along with his consciousness. His hand lays open on the bed and his head drops to the side.

Danny stays frozen in place. This seems like an obvious trespass into a vulnerable moment for the agent. She wonders if she should go to the couch. Then again, she reminds herself, that Spencer wouldn't have come in here and laid down if he really had a problem with them sharing the bed.

Scooting down slowing not to wake him, Danny lays stock still for what seems like hours. But only a few minutes later, she falls asleep right next to him.