She Penned my Dreams

Gone Again

Spencer

The next morning, I was woken up by my phone ringing. I painstakingly untangled myself from a sleeping, scantily clothed Katie and a mess of tangled sheets. Reaching my phone, I saw it was Hotch.

“Reid,” He said by way of hello.

“Hmm?” I answered, shaking the sleep from my eyes. I noticed I wasn’t on speaker phone, and it was still early. I was the first he’d called. I smiled, thankful that Hotch was still keeping mine and Katie’s relationship secret. It’d been 3 weeks since they’d met, and while he hadn’t brought it up, I think he was happy for me.

“We have a case.”

“We just got home,” I commented. We’d just returned from a 5 day case. Hotch normally gave us at least a full days break before calling us in for another after a case that long.

“I understand, but this can’t wait,” Hotch’s clear voice left no room for argument.

“Alright,” I sighed, looking at Katie’s sleeping form next to me, her hand unconsciously reaching out, unaccustomed to not finding mine right next to her. I treaded my fingers through hers gently, careful not to wake her. A slight smile lit the corners of her still-sleeping lips.

“You know, Reid,” Hotch said, reminding me I was still on the phone. “You’re not the only one who leaves someone behind.”

“Of course,” I replied quietly, respectfully, not wanting to wake Katie, who was beginning to stir. “I’ll be in in 20.”

“She asleep?” Hotch asked.

“Excuse me?” I asked, startled.

“Katie. Is she still asleep?” Hotch asked again.

“Umm, yes, she is…?” I said, confused. Hotch cleared his throat.

“You don’t have to be the first in. I’ll see you here in an hour.”

“Thank you, sir.” I said, smiling, not missing the favor he was giving me.

“Yes, well,” Hotch said, clearing his throat. “An hour and not a minute later.”

“Yes sir,” I said smiling. Katie’s eyes eased open as I clicked my phone shut and eased back down onto the pillow beside her.

“Who you talking to?” She asked slurred sleepily. “Another girlfriend I don’t know about?” I laughed at her lame joke and her proud, tired smile made my heart skip a beat. Well, obviously, it didn’t skip a beat, that would put me in cardiac arrest. But that’s kind of how being with Katie made me feel. Like my heart was totally out of control and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Twenty minutes later I was genuinely concerned that my heart would stop beating. But I would die a happy man, with Katie collapsed against my chest, my hands on her hips and her rapid, shallow breathing brushing my neck.

“You… were gone… waaaaaaaay too long,” Katie breathed.

“I agree,” I assented, brushing her hair out of her face to pull her lips to mine. “And, I’m sorry.”

“For what?” She asked against my mouth.

“For having to leave again.”

“It’s okay,” She said, pulling back and smiling sunnily at me. “You’ll be back.” She dropped one last kiss on the tip of my nose before finally sliding off me, leaving me strangely cold. I frowned, deciding I wasn’t quite ready to let her go. I followed her, rolling on my side and looping my arms around her waist, pulling her back against me. I nuzzled my face into the hair at the nape of her neck.