The Chariot (Spencer x Reader)

NINETEEN

"Hi," I breathed, my eyes not yet open.

Spencer stopped mid-sentence and jumped up to stand next to my bed. "How are you feeling? Can I get something for you?"

I barely opened my eyes, the fluorescent bulbs still too bright for my retinas. I didn't answer either question, instead choosing to pose my own, "what were you reading?"

Spencer blushed, "Anna Karenina... I went and got it from your place, I'm sorry. I-I just thought that you'd want to pick up where you left off."

"Thank you," I said softly. "For reading to me and... f-for being here."

He reached his hand to tenderly hold the side of my face, his thumb brushing lightly against my cheek. "There's no place I would rather be. I love you, y/n."

I turned my head as much as it would allow so I could place a kiss on his palm before confessing, "I love you, too." His eyes seemed to look right through me, deep into the recesses of my mind. My aversion to vulnerability begged me to look away, but I refused. I gazed right back.

That is, until Garcia knocked and came in the room with a way-too-energetic flair for being surrounded by sick people. "Hello, my sweet, sweet, y/n! How are you?"

I winced at the volume of her voice and started to respond, but she promptly cut me off and began taking out little figurines and stuffed animals from her bag, placing them on every available surface in the room. "I brought you some things from my office. They always cheer me up, so I thought they might make you feel better too."

"Thanks, Pen," I smiled as big as I could bear. It was a sweet gesture, but the clutter in the room was already getting on my nerves a bit. I was by no means a minimalist – evidenced by all of the stuff in my apartment, but this was just a lot. Then again, maybe I was just an asshole.

JJ and Emily walked in soon after. They must've been talking to the doctors or something. Spencer fidgeted his hands a bit, growing slightly uncomfortable with his continued presence in the room. "I uh- I'm gonna go grab some food; I'll let you guys catch up." His eyes flashed a goodbye to mine, but I knew he would be back as soon as they left.

"So, how long was I asleep?" I had absolutely no idea about what time it was, other than there wasn't any sunlight coming through the blinds. Hopefully Garcia brought a clock, too.

"Two days," JJ answered. "And Spence has been here the whole time." Her grin implied there was some other reason that he would stay here with me.

"Oh, I just got shot and you're already interrogating me about Spencer? Don't act like he wouldn't do the same if any of you were in my position." I waved off her silent accusation, but my defensiveness and blush that was creeping up my cheeks paved the way for more questions.

"Hey, Em?" Garcia pondered.

"Mhm?" Prentiss responded with a fake innocence.

"Would Reid hold my face and stroke my cheek and look at me all lovey-dovey if I was in the hospital?"

Shit. I thought she hadn't seen that. I closed my eyes in embarrassment.

"As much as he loves you, I think only Derek would do that," she quipped. "Y/n?"

"Sorry, can't hear you. I'm sleeping." A tight smile formed on my face, which I quickly squashed as I began to fake snore. After a minute, I eased up on the fake snoring, but kept my eyes closed. They continued to talk while I actually did drift asleep.

----

A week and a half later

"Stay right there." Spencer hopped out of the driver's seat of my car and grabbed the bag of my clothes he had brought to the hospital for me from the trunk. I watched him through the side mirror as he slung the bag over his shoulder and came to open my door.