Strange Encounter - a Criminal Minds fic

Chapter 6

Amelia was overly aware of the tall FBI agent trailing behind her up the stairs to her front door. "I'd say welcome to mi casa, but well, you've already been here" she said awkwardly, trying to fish her keys out of her purse. She unlocked the door and led him inside.

She watched as Spencer gestured for her to stay silent and unholstered his gun, holding it in front of him as she realized he was going to make sure no one was in her apartment. She froze immediately, she couldn't believe she didn't even think that she could be in danger in her own home. She watched as he swiftly made his way though the apartment, thankful for once for the small space.

 "It's okay, no one's here" she heard Spencer shout from her kitchen. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and followed his voice. "I just wanted to be sure, better safe than sorry." She rounded the corner and laughed, seeing him standing in front of the open fridge.

"Well Doctor, I'm glad you've made yourself at home. I'm hungry too, let me see what I can whip up" she said, shooing him away from the fridge and peering inside. She felt her cat weave his way through her legs, and leaned down to pick him up and nuzzled her face into the top of his head. 

"Looks like someone else is hungry, huh smoosh? Spence, could you open that drawer behind you and give him one scoop in that bowl over there?" She used the cat to gesture toward the window, making Spencer laugh.

"Spence huh?" He said, not making eye contact with Amelia as he dug the scoop in the bag and measured it into the bowl.

Amelia didn't look at him either, instead fixing her eyes on the cat in the arms. "I uh, sorry, I mean do you prefer Spencer? I can call you Doctor Reid I just figured-"

"Amelia, I'm kidding. Of course you can call me Spence" he said, laughing even more than he was before.

She felt herself flush. "Oh you think you're so funny?" She chuckled too, starting to relax. "Well, in that case you can call me Lia. Amelia can be a mouthful. And this" she set the orange tabby on the floor near Spencer's feet, watching him purr and claw at his leg for attention "is Swoop. I call him smoosh, but Swoop is his actual name."

"Why Swoop?" He asked, kneeling down to scratch the cat as it started to eat from it's bowl.

"Seriously?" She looked at him incredulously. She was met with a blank stare. "The Eagles! You're in Philadelphia! And I've gathered that you're somewhat of a genius, so you have to know what I'm talking about."

He couldn't help but smile at her obvious enthusiasm for the local team. "But, I thought their mascot was just... the eagle?"

"Oh Doctor Reid, I have so much to teach you. Swoop is the eagle! But no matter, we have time. Okay so I have some yogurt that expires tomorrow, some frozen pizza.. orrrr, I can call in a couple of cheesesteaks from this place down the street. Schooling you on Philadelphia sports history over cheesesteaks just feels right." Amelia said shutting the fridge and looking over at Spencer, who was now sitting down next to Swoop on her kitchen floor. The sight made her smile, and she realized she hadn't felt so relaxed since he showed up at door just this morning. She took a deep breath and leaned her hip on the counter. Hearing her inhale, Spencer looked up at her.

"That sounds incredible. Believe it or not, and I'm kind of scared to tell you this, but.."

"Spencer Reid, do not tell me you've never had a cheesesteak."

"I had one once. While in New York-"

"Hi, can I place an order for delivery?" He looked up and chuckled realizing Amelia had called while he had been trying to tell her about the awful cheesesteak he had from a hospital in New York while waiting for a patient to wake up for an interview.

"Right, they should be here in 20 minutes or so. They're usually pretty quick. Would you mind keeping an ear out? I kinda wanna hop in the shower, wash off that lovely police department smell." Amelia asked Spencer as he stood up from the floor. He nodded at her and she handed him her cellphone. "In case they call!" She grabbed his other hand and pulled him into her living room. She pushed him onto the couch by his shoulder, and realizing she was being a bit much stepped back.

"Sorry, this is me trying to make you comfortable. I hover. So, here's the remote for the tv, I'll be super fast."

She turned and left him on her couch, heading into her room. She shut the door and leaned against it taking a deep breath. Why couldn't she function properly around him? She's used to being loud and exuberant, but his very presence was making her over think every move she made. She had to admit, she already felt safer knowing he would be in her home with her for the night. He had a soothing presence over her, something she hadn't experienced in some time. She knew the reasoning for him being here was less than ideal, but she already was getting sad at the thought of him leaving.

'Dingus' she muttered at herself as she pulled on her robe. 'You met him this morning. Of course he's going to leave once his job is done. You've been reading too many romance novels'. Slipping her feet into her slippers, she quickly ducked out the door into the hallway.

She glanced into the living room and saw Spencer laying on the couch, Swoop curled up in a ball on his chest. He held a book overhead, trying to turn the page without disturbing the cat. Amelia peered trying to get a glimpse of what he was reading, and couldn't help but let out a loud laugh when she realized. Startling both Spencer and Swoop, she had to kneel down and catch her breath.

Spencer sat up, looking at the young woman wiping a tear from her eye. "What? What's so funny?" He was genuinely baffled at the site.

"Off all the books on my bookshelf, you know I have some non fiction somewhere at the bottom I think, you picked... Twilight?" She started laughing all over again. The site of this tall, handsome genius laying on her couch with her cat reading the teen romance novel was too much for her. That, plus the exhaustion sinking into her bones, her laughing fit hit so hard she had to sit on the floor. She looked over at Spencer and saw a wide smile on his face, clearly not realizing why she was laughing but enjoying the moment all the same.

She tried composing herself as he stood up and grabbed her hand to pull her up. As she stood, she realized she was only inches from him in nothing more than a bathrobe. His large hand still held hers, and his smile stayed put on his face as he looked down at her. She felt her breath hitch in her throat, the laughing fit she was in moments ago gone instantly. He tucked a stray curl behind her ear.

"You know, you've been through the ringer today. I've seen a lot of people go through traumatic events like this but you held yourself together in a way we don't normally see. I know this has been hard and I've been worried about you, but seeing you laugh.. it makes me feel better." Spencer said in a low voice she was sure she wouldn't have heard if she was any further away.

She looked up and met his eyes, still hardy breathing, worrying about how clamy her hand must have felt to him. She cleared her throat, worried actual words weren't going to come out.

"I, uh, I was worried this morning. When you showed up at my door I figured it was a big misunderstanding but.. I'm scared. I've been scared all day. Being around you though, it sounds corny, but I feel safe." She immediately looked at her feet, backing up as she did so. He was intoxicating and she was scared she would do something she'd regret. He sensed her shift in mood and let out a cough, turning around to sit back on the couch.

"Go shower, Lia. I'm on cheesesteak duty" he said breaking the tension. He waved her phone in the air, indicating that he had it handled. Amelia gave him a small smile and ran down the hall to the bathroom, not trusting herself to say another word until she stood under the cold water and cleared her head.