Paranoia - s.reid

Warm and Inviting

A case had come up in New Orleans and Liz was more than happy to go, obviously not because someone was dead but because she had a CRAP ton of friends there.

Liz once again spent a majority of her time with Morgan and Emily, and when she couldn't be with them she had to be with Hotch. She knew Hotch was still evaluating what he thought were her homicidal thoughts, and it was scaring her more than anything, but she didn't let Hotch know that. When Liz wasn't scoffing at Hotch, she was teasing JJ about a certain William and her and Spencer didn't speak of their personal issues.

The case had been closed and the team had one extra night in the city of New Orleans. Liz sat in front of the hotel's vanity in the hotel room, applying her last swipe of red lipstick. She stood up, twirling in the black dress. "You look good." Spencer compliments, a smile on his face.

"Thank you. You're coming, right? To see your friend?" Liz knew that Spencer had gone to see his friend from Las Vegas during the case. "Yeah." Her phone rang when Spencer responded.

"Elizabeth Bundy, here."

"Well hello, Ms. FBI agent." The teasing voice of Klaus Mikaelson rung in her ears as she shook her head. "Everyone's here except for Damon, Elena and Alaric."

"Why where are they?"

"Still in MF. After Stefan, they never really left." 

"Yeah, tell Rebekah I love her and that I'll be there in 20 minutes." They said their goodbyes, ending the call. 

The bar was loud and rowdy as Liz was caught dancing with some of her oldest friends. Spencer had said hi to all of them before running off to sit and watch his friend on an instrument when Gideon joined him. "How'd you find me?"

"You're not all that hard to profile. Your friend is good." Gideon's eyes were trained on the man playing the piano. "I missed that plane on purpose."

"I know. Liz fully freaked out when nobody could find you, yelling at herself and all. She's paranoid someone's going to take you away again."

"I'm struggling. She tries, and she really helps, but I'm struggling." Spencer's voice was just above a whisper. "Well, if anyone's been through what you've been through recently, would struggle." Gideon set his eyes on the young man beside him.

"This is all I was groomed for. I never even considered another option. Not unless Ellie and I fully settled down and you know, had kids together then I would consider it."

"Now you're questioning whether you're strong enough to be here?" Spencer nodded, his eyes drifting to the brunette girl dancing in the distance. The love of his life. "I have been playing at this job in one way or another for almost 30 years. I've felt lost. I've felt great. I've felt scared, sick, and insane. I guess the day this job stops gnawing at your soul and your hands stop feeling cold, maybe that's the time to leave." Gideon smiled sadly.

"I guess I just needed to try to figure out if I could step away from this job. I realized that if Ellie kept working, I'd never be able to handle her being away all the time. I think I'd start to envy how she's doing what I love." Spencer's eyes narrowed slightly.

"So?"

"I'll never miss another plane again." Gideon nodded, smiling.

"You know, you've been carrying that ring around for almost a year now, when did you buy it?" The older man rose an eyebrow, a smirk threatening to play on his lips when Spencer smiled. "I bought it on our one year anniversary, I've been waiting for the right time. I time when we're not struggling, or on a case."

"Good."

"Gideon!" Liz called, forcing the men to snap their heads up at her giggling figure. "I think my friends are done for the night, mind if I join you?" 

"Of course not."

-----

Time had moved fast and the BAU had been working cases like there was no tomorrow.

The building was about to blow and everyone knew it. The BAU had been working on a case concerning a serial arsonist, and now a man had just trapped himself in a building with the unsub, ready to blow both himself and the unsub up.

Liz, Hotch, Morgan and Gideon were too far away from the building but that didn't stop Hotch from getting out of the car, wanting to save the innocent. "Hotch! Stop! It's too late!"Liz yelled, holding Hotch back.

"He's burning to death and we're just gonna stand here?" The building had gone up in flames, a large bang emitting from it. "He wanted his death to mean something." He murmured. Liz watched the man collapse into her outstretched arms, tears threatening to spill from his tired eyes.

"I know, honey." She cooed, wrapping her arms around him and stroking his hair.

-----

Home had never felt some warm and inviting than it was now. She saw a real smile spread on Spencer's face, a real look of joy when she sat on his lap.

It had been weeks since Gideon spoke to him in New Orleans, and Liz was curious as to what the man said. Spencer had brightened up slightly, slowly and steadily returning to his normal genius self. The irritation was barely there and Liz found 3 completely full vials of dilaudid in her drawer. Spencer had stopped, and intended on keeping his streak going. "Hey, doll." He cooed, wrapping his arms around her while she straddled him.

"Hi, baby." She rested her head on Spencer's chest, immediately groaning when her ringtone blared. "Don't make me answer the phone."

"But you have to." Spencer nudged Liz up, smiling as she answered the call.

"Elizabeth Bundy, here."

"Are you up for a girls night? It's me, you, Penelope and JJ. Something tells me Clyde Easter's about to call you up and ask you to join Interpol, you might need a drink." Liz rolled her eyes, sighing.

"Sorry, Em, but I think I'll stay in tonight. I'm exhausted." Liz eyed Spencer's smirk. "And if Clyde calls with a job for me, I'll redirect him to you and let you deal with him."

"Or you could beat his ass."

"Yeah, but I don't fancy a trip to London."

"Aren't you and Reid celebrating two years tomorrow? Maybe he'll pop the question." Liz's cheeks flushed red. "I love you Em, gotta go." The call was ended. "Now tell me, what has gotten into you?" She smiled, wrapping her arms around the doctor's neck.

"Nothing, just came to a few realizations."

"Interpol want me in London with them, or to be honest, any branch I want that isn't here." Liz blurted. She knew she was going to have to tell the genius somehow. "Well, do you want to go?"

"Absolutely not, I want to stay here with the BAU." Her words were rushed.

"But?" Spencer looked at her expectedly.

"The money is really good, Penny. And if we ever want to settle down, only god knows when that'll happen, I'll be working a 9-5 job." Liz didn't want to go, but part of her knew that if she did it would benefit them. "What about us? If you can't stay here, and if I come with you I'm jobless. If we leave, we have to sell the house and find a new one, moving and all."

"You know we both love the BAU. I don't want to go anywhere but maybe this is a good deal. If you don't want to come, you don't have to. We can do the long distance, right?"

"Are you actually thinking of moving?"

"I don't know. You know that if you ever wanted to move I'd come." Liz's eyes went soft.

"Yeah, but you can be a lawyer, you have the degrees. I don't know what I'd do." Spencer sighed. "I think our best bet is to stay here, isn't it?" Liz whispered.

"I think so."