CHAPTER 20: THIS FEELS A WHOLE LOT LIKE FALLING IN LOVE
Dr. Spencer Reid's POV
[October 11th, 2009]
I awake late in the day with Rosemary still lying next to me. She is curled against my side; totally relaxed for the first time since she was taken. We are still in the back end of the truck and I sit up gently, trying not to disturb the sleeping woman.
I peek through the plastic window of the cover, seeing large trees. I also see that the sun is beginning to set. We left around 3 o'clock in the morning, and I estimate it to be around 5 in the evening now. We have been on the road for roughly 13 hours now.
I keep my eyes peeled for any sign that could give me a stronger idea of where he is taking us, but I think that I already know. My suspicions are confirmed as we pass a sign that catches my attention.
Wallowa Lake State Park: 10 miles.
He's taken us to Oregon.
He's taking us to Michael Andersen's previous home.
I swallow hard and close my eyes, attempting to keep my thoughts positive.
Surely the team will figure it out before it's too late.
I scoot into a proper sitting position, waking Rose up in the process.
"We're still on the road?" She asks blearily, raising her small, bruised hands to wipe the sleep out of her eyes.
"Yeah," I answer, my heart flipping at the cuteness of her actions. "We're in Oregon. Back in Wallowa. You used to live here."
She sits up and looks around outside. She then turns and peers into the cab, where Sanchez is driving. With a scowl, Rosemary lays back down.
"When will it end?" She asks, peeking up at me.
"Soon." I say, gazing down at her.
The setting sun beams through the window, resting upon her face. Despite the cuts and bruises, I can't help but notice her effortless beauty. The bright light of the sun makes her red hair look even more fiery, and it makes her eyes appear lighter. Her small, slightly upturned nose is painted by freckles that span out across her cheeks, and her pouted lips are still a light pink color. She blinks before turning to look at me, her eyes holding too many emotions for me to register.
"Here." She holds up her hand, and I lean a bit closer to allow her to do what she had in mind.
She gently reaches into my hair, pulling a dried leaf out and laughing softly. I let out a small laugh of my own, closing my eyes and trying to enjoy the moment while it lasts.
"How do you do it?" I ask, keeping my eyes closed; a slight smile still pulling at my lips.
"How do I do what?" She questions, and I feel her shift into a sitting position as well.
"Make a situation like this go away so easily," I say, finally opening my eyes to look at her. "It's like I'm getting away from it all. You make it all disappear."
She smiles, tilting her head back and allowing the sun to warm her face. She takes a deep breath through her nose before releasing it, looking back at me.
"Because I like to see you smile," she informs me. "I like the sound of your laugh. I like the way your eyes light up and forget about what they've seen in the past. It's like a fresh start."
I just stare at her as she speaks, feeling my heart pound wildly in my chest.
Oh God, am I having a heart attack?
"You know so much," I whisper, my voice failing me. "You watch, and you listen, and you learn."
She looks at me closer, and I nervously lick my lips and swallow with a blink. She furrows her eyebrows in confusion, but she doesn't appear angry or frustrated; just confused and curious.
"I can't figure out what your eyes are trying to tell me," she ponders softly. "I've never seen that before."
"Seen what?" I ask, feeling myself instinctually being pulled closer.
"The look in them... It feels like home." She admits, a dusting of pink painting her cheeks.
Before I can overthink and stop myself, I lean forward, placing my hand on the side of her face. I press my lips against hers ever-so-gently, the warm sunlight dancing across the two of us. She leans into me even though I know that this is something that she has never experienced before.
After what feels like both forever and no time at all, I pull away slightly, still keeping her in my arms.
"I'm sorry," I whisper. "You must be completely confuse-"
"No, I know that," she says, the gears in her head turning and her eyes zoning out on a corner of the truck. "I've seen that before. I remember my parents did that once," She closes her eyes, a small smile painted across her lips. "I remember screaming and telling them that it was gross," she recalls, making me laugh. "But now I see that it isn't."
She catches me off guard, leaning up again and gently placing her lips against mine. I feel my heart go wild and my brain forget about everything except for her and the way she feels in my arms.
And in that moment, I knew.
I'm never letting her go.
YOU ARE READING
ROSEMARY - spencer reid
Fanfiction[book one] While rescuing a victim from the home of a serial killer, the team is surprised to find a mysterious woman who has no idea about her last or how she got there. As the team begins to help her recall her life, they may uncover more than the...
