My Partner Against Crime

Chapter 13

I take two pills from my prescribed medication and drag myself out of bed.

I stare at myself in the bathroom mirror. I look rough to say the least, the darkest purple rests under my eyes, a dark bruise on the right side of my jaw, and my cheek. My lip has a scab going down the right side as well as a long cut on my left cheek.

I look like shit.

I unhappily get into the shower. The warm water burns my damaged skin.

I picture how different things would be if we did have a baby. I'd probably have bags under my eyes because I was up all night with our little one.

-

Once I'm out of the shower and dry, I attempt to cover my bruises with makeup which, didn't work out too well.

I pull my shirt over my head and stare down at my bruised stomach that once held my child. Spencer walks into the bathroom. He's fully dressed and holds a cup of coffee in his hand.

"I already talked with Hotch, he said not to come in."

"Okay." He looks surprised, I'm sure since I don't put up a fight.

"Maybe now would be a good time to go on that vacation, what do you think?" He puts his mug down on the bathroom counter and pulls me into him. I shrug.

"I don't think I'll enjoy it. I'm just exhausted."

"I know, we can just stay here for Christmas? We haven't really had our own Christmas." I leave the bathroom and go downstairs to the living room, Spencer follows.

"You're right, that actually sounds really nice."
-

I lay out wrapping paper on the kitchen island and put some wrapping supplies in a somewhat reachable area.

"Need help?" Spencer comes from behind me and wraps his arms around me. I groan at the pressure applied to my bruises.

"No, I'm fine." I shift myself from out of his grip and reach for a piece of tape.

He moves the tape dispenser out of my reach.

"What're you doing?" I frown at him. I'm already not in a good mood, i don't need him harassing me.

"Let me do it." He gently moves me from where I'm standing and reaches for the tape himself.

"What? No. I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself." I push him.

"Judging by that very weak push, I doubt that." I frown at him.

"I was already doing it, so just let me finish." I don't know why I'm so irritated over something so stupid.

"No, just go lay down."

I sigh in defeat and get into bed.
-

"You know what we should do?" I slowly wake up from Spencer's voice.

"Hm?"

"We should build a fort in the living room, we could sleep there tonight." I open my eyes to see the excitement in his.

"How about when I haven't just been hit by a car." I poke his cheek, my eye lids are already heavy.

"Fine."

|Spencer's POV|

The amount of guilt I feel is incredibly heavy on my shoulders.

I see the amount of pain she's in, and I walked away with a slightly sore back.

I know she's frustrated with me doing things for her, but it's the least I can do.

I take the gifts I wrapped over to Anna and Dave's house. All six gifts that marina insisted on getting them.

I struggle to ring the doorbell thanks to the pile of gifts I carried over. Luckily David caught sight of me and let me in.

"Hey! Let me help you out." David takes the whole pile and sets them on the dining room table.

"Thanks, Marina wanted to bring them herself but." I look down not wanting to continue the sentence.

"I know. How is she?" We already let them know about Marina's condition.

"She's doing alright, I think the amount of sleep she's been getting has been helping."

I talk to Dave for a while which feels nice to have a decent conversation with someone.

As I cross our lawns back to our house, my phone buzzes.

I check it to see a text from Hotch.

From: Aaron Hotchner

Spencer, can you meet me in my office? I have something for you to look over and paperwork I need you to sign.

I don't bother going back in the house. I open the garage and get in my car.
-

I gently knock on the already open office door.

"Spencer, come in." I walk into the room and sit across from him.

"How's Marina doing?" I've gotten to the point where I don't like hearing her name come out of his mouth. I know he has a thing for her, and jealously burns within me.

"She's alright." He nods and pushes some things towards me.

"This is an old case I just wanted you to look over and see if you can connect anything I haven't already, and this is for Marina to look over." I nod and get up, taking the paperwork with me.

"Thank you, have a good night." I nod at him and walk out.

I head to Marina's desk to check if there's anything she left before I head home. I've never actually been through her desk, maybe just the top drawer to grab a pen since I'm always losing mine. I open the middle drawer on the right side, it's as organized as I expected to be. I shut it and open the one under it.

My eyes slightly widen at the amount of mail shoved in there. I pick up a few envelopes and realize they're all from the same person. Someone named Chris?

I know I shouldn't, but I open one.

Mar,

I miss you. I made sure this one went out early for your birthday. I'm sorry I'm not there, I can't tell you how much I want to be. I was just thinking about when we used to get ice cream at that place in LA, and then roam Hollywood boulevard just talking to knock off characters.

I stop reading. I feel incredibly angry, furious really. Why the hell didn't I know about this Chris guy? Why didn't I know about the letters she's been hoarding in her desk?

I take the letter I started reading along with my paperwork and rush towards the elevator.

"Spencer wait." I stop and look back at Hotch.

"Leave the letter, she doesn't want you to see it."

"You know about this?" I hold up the letter in my hand.

He nods.