Leap Of Faith

Seven

Spencer had lain on the couch for a good hour or so before he'd finally drifted off to sleep. He couldn't work out why he felt compelled to help this woman who he barely knew but he did. He should have called for assistance, he should have taken her to a hospital for professional help, but something told him that she wasn't mentally unstable and he could help her himself.

What he was doing went against every bit of his FBI training and if he'd reacted this way when he was out in the field then he would be seriously reprimanded for becoming emotionally involved. Yet, he didn't care. This had happened on his own time, off duty. If he forced himself to look at the situation from an outsiders view he knew he was doing this for his own selfish reasons. He needed purpose. If he could change her mind and stop Seph from taking her own life then it would make him feel better about his own. It would validate him somehow, make him think that he was making a difference in the world. And he needed that. Especially after the year he'd had.

A distraction would be good. And Persephone intrigued him, there was something about her, her situation, that made him want to help. Plus, anyone who could quote Alice at the drop of the hat was worth getting to know. Anyone into literature was worth getting to know in Spencer's opinion. As he drifted off to sleep he wondered what else he'd find out about her.

...

It took Spencer a few seconds to work out why he was on the couch, and why he could hear a female voice coming from his bedroom. Once the events of the previous evening - well a few hours ago really, came back to him he started to wonder what his plan would be.

First things first, he needed to talk to Hotch. Spencer rarely took vacation time anyway and often had HR on his back each year badgering him to take his accrued leave. He often did what Rossi did most years, giving away his time off to other Agent's with family. They needed it more than him and he only ever needed a few days to go and see his Mom each year.

He'd taken more time off this year with what had happened with Maeve but that had gone through as compassionate leave, not affecting his holiday allowance. And if he couldn't get the time off at short notice, he'd take it unpaid. He had savings, his salary being topped up by a few casino wins here and there before he eventually got banned. His outgoings were so few compared to his incoming, his main outgoing being the cost of his Mom's care facility. But that was worth it. No, he could afford time off. Hotch would understand, although he may need to adjust his story somewhat. He could imagine the disapproving look on his supervisors face.

"Hey Aaron, I need three weeks off to save a hotel heiress that I found threatening to jump off a bridge last night. And by the way.... I took her home with me last night and made her sleep in my bed."

Yeah, that wouldn't go down well at all.

He picked his phone up, checking the time and scrolling through his emails. Garcia had finally convinced him to get an email account, telling him that he absolutely needed it and that he was missing out. He spotted a message from an old friend, one he'd replied to a while ago but hadn't yet deleted.

Hmmmm.

An idea came to mind that could just work but first he'd need more details from Seph.

Seph...

Bringing up Wikipedia, he searched her name, scanning through the facts that he knew and some that he didn't. Persephone Dawn Bella-Morte, age 29. Born and raised in London, England. He knew that. He didn't know that her degrees came from Oxford and that she had more than one. Art and Design, and Business Development, her coming almost top of her graduating class in both.