Nightmares To Daydreams

Chapter Fourteen

   Snow was falling lightly as you walked out of the bureau on a Tuesday evening. For once, the team had made it out at a reasonable hour. The crisp air held the magical tingle that came with December. It made you want to walk the light lined streets back to your apartment. Leaving every bad aspect of your life behind, even if only for a short while.

   Arms around your waist wrenched you from your musings. Spencer placed a soft kiss to the top of your head before speaking, "Are you coming home with me tonight?" He asked sweetly, Spencer had definitely been earning his keep in the last month. You chuckled "Spence you sound like you're trying to pick up a chick at a bar," you silenced his apologies with a brief kiss, "don't apologize, it's cute. But I think I'm gonna walk home tonight," your voice grew softer at the end. As dorky as Spencer was, it was still hard to share the weirder parts of yourself with him. Studying his face, you noticed his left eyebrow arching high above his hazel eye.

   "I don't know if you noticed this, but it's snowing love," you only nodded. It felt stupid to explain "Christmas magic" to him. He contemplated this for a moment before speaking again. "The kind of walk that means you wanna sit alone in your thoughts or the kind of walk that means you're feeling nostalgic because of the snow and lights, as most people do this time of year, that might allow some company?" Spencer rambled, and you listened wholeheartedly. In response, you reached for his hand, lacing your fingers together and walking slowly away from the parking garage and both of your cars. The metro existed after all.

   Spencer babbled on about the origins of Christmas, his opinion on the best christmas songs, and the best Christmas movies while you hummed Christmas music softly to yourself. For the first time in months, you felt content with life. Talking with Spencer was easy again, and you were all too eager to listen to him ramble in the falling snow huddling closer to him as the melting snow seeped through your clothes.

   When you arrived at your apartment and he didn't follow inside, you stared back at him, confused. "Are you coming, Spence?" You asked, stepping slowly towards him. He was lost in thought and missed your question. When you joined him on the stoop, you noticed him running his fingers over the wreath of pictures on the door. You made one every year with Penelope. It was a wreath made up of different printed pictures of friends and family with lights weaved through it. Spencer was toying with the picture in the center, one taken by Em of Spencer staring at you as you danced, love abundant in his eyes.

   "I-I didn't know someone took that?" He said suddenly, sounding very emotional. Your stomach dropped. Did he not like being seen with you? "I can take it down if you'd like," you said quietly. It was your favorite picture. The idea of taking it down made you tear up slightly. Spencer looked taken aback when you finally looked at him, "No love. I just- I love that the way I feel about you is so obvious. I want the world to know, even if the team doesn't," you rolled your eyes at him. "Spence at the very least Emily and Penelope know. Plus, I'd say based on this alone," you tapped on his eyes in the photo, and his face erupted in a breathtaking grin, "I'd say most of the team has a clue." You finished while stepping into your apartment. You were starting to shiver from the cold. Spencer noticed your shuddering and snagged the huge blanket from the back of the couch, wrapping it over your shoulders.

   "Does that mean we should tell the team?" Spencer whispered softly as his palms stroked your arms through the fabric of the blanket. It took almost every muscle to keep the shock off of your face. Racing through your mind were all the ways telling the team could go wrong. Nonetheless, your heart was fluttering in your chest at the thought of no longer hiding your adoration for Spencer and making things up when someone asked about "Jackson." "You don't have to," Spencer said softly, dragging you to sit with him on the couch. "No. Spence, I really want to. I just, I don't know how."