Chapter 16: Dinner Party

The next morning Spencer and I wake up late on our day off to the sound of his phone ringing. I hold my breath and feel my insides twist in disappointment and panic thinking he's leaving for another case. Spencer answers the phone with a gruff "Reid" not even checking the caller ID. I hear him say "oh hey, Rossi." I hear garbled chatter on the other end that I can't make out and then I hear Spencer say "Sure we would love to come! Count us in, see you tonight!" He rolls over and looks at me with his adorable sleepy expression and says "do you have plans tonight?" I chuckle in response and ruffle his hair while saying "I was planning to spend it tangled up with you, do you have different plans?" He smiles sheepishly and says "Well Rossi wants you and I to come to a team dinner. He's cooking and it's always really good food." I smile and say "I think I could rearrange my plans to attend. What's the dress code?" He hums and says "most people just wear jeans and like a nice sweater or shirt. Not too fancy, not too casual." I nod and say "yeah I can make that work. Guess I'll just have to get my hoop skirt out for another dinner." Spencer gives me a look of confusion and I laugh saying "I was just kidding about the hoop skirt." He nods and says "I was hoping so." I go to get out of bed causing Spencer to groan and make grabby hands at me with a pout. I chuckle and tell him "I think I'm going to go to the gym, wanna come with? I've been seriously slacking since I started dating you. You distract me too much," I say with a wink. He smiles and says "I guess I could go with you. Will you judge me if I can't keep up?" I smile and say "Spence, it's not a competition. It's just to get the blood pumping and do something good for the body." He leans up with a suggestive smirk and says "I can think of other things we can do that's good for the body and gets the blood pumping." I look at him and said "I meant for the blood to be pumping to other places besides your dick, Spence," and walk to the bathroom. Spencer half yells "it was worth a shot!" from the bed. I get ready in my sports bra and leggings and tennis shoes and look at him and say "last chance, Spence." He groans and I say "I'm working my glutes today," and he shoots out of that bed faster than I've ever seen him move. I look at him, shake my head, and roll my eyes saying "underneath all that genius you're still just a typical man." He turns pink as he gives me a sheepish smile. We crate Ryder because he's already been out this morning and head out. We get to my gym and pay the $5 fee for Spencer to be my guest for the day and hit the treadmill. I tell him he can do whatever he wants he doesn't have to do my workout but he insists. I say "okay well first I usually stretch and warm up and then I run 2 miles or walk for 30 minutes if I don't feel like running." Today I opt to start out walking and then run a mile and Spencer decides to just walk today which is probably best for his knee anyway. After we get done on the treadmill we go to do the glutes lifting circuit I have picked out. We do four rounds of 10 each of banded hip thrusts, Russian dead lifts, goblet squats, and good mornings with varying weights. After we finish we are stretching together in the back corner of one of the rooms and Spencer says "you made glutes day sound more fun than it was." I roll my eyes and say "fine, next time you come with me I won't let you stare at my ass while I squat like you definitely were today. You do know there are mirrors everywhere here right?" Spencer turns bright red before saying "I didn't know you could see me." I chuckle and say "it's okay Spence, I'm glad you like my ass. Especially since you didn't even look at another girl the entire time we were here. You passed the test. You did a great job on the workout today, too." He looks at me with a disappointed expression and says "I couldn't run or do a lot of weight." I tell him "baby, you were shot in the knee a few months ago. You can't run or do a lot of weight and not risk injuring yourself. I'd rather you be safe and not hurt yourself instead of trying to worry about looking athletic to me or complete strangers. Now let's go get coffee." He nods and hops up and helps me up before we leave hand in hand to get coffee on our way home.

•••••

We are getting ready to go to Rossi's for dinner and I'm wearing jeans, a black over sized sweater, snakeskin booties, and some stacked necklaces and earrings. I do a neutral toned smoky eye and just scrunch up my natural waves after my post workout shower. I feel super cute and ready for my first semi formal event with Spencer and his team. I'm just so proud of my man and want to be involved in his life. I guess I would be more nervous if I hadn't met most of his team already. I met JJ briefly at the club yesterday and at the funeral. I met Rossi very briefly at Haley's funeral and I like everybody else that I've met and talked to on Spencer's team so far. Spencer comes in the room in a black button up and black pants and converse while putting on his watch looking at me saying "ready to go?" I smile and say "yep! Let's just crate Ryder and grab the desserts and then we can go." I made cheesecake brownies and homemade banana pudding for the dinner tonight because my mother taught me to never go to a party empty handed. Spencer carries the brownies while I carry the pudding and we secure them in the back seat before starting the 30 minute drive to Rossi's. I'm nervous but excited. I hope everybody likes me. Spencer senses my anxiety and grabs my hand and says "quit stressing, you've already met everybody at least once, no matter how briefly. You look beautiful as ever. It's going to be a great night. I love you," and he pulls my hand up to his face, giving my fingers a kiss. I blush and smile sheepishly at him and say "I hope you're right, Spence." He laughs and says "the probability of me not being right based on past statistics is low, Annie." I shake my head and roll my eyes as we continue our drive to the Italian's mansion. We arrive at Rossi's. Spencer opens my car door for me and helps me carry the desserts. We make it up to the front door and I go to ring the doorbell, but Spencer just walks in. I guess they really are like family. We walk into the large living area and it's one of the most beautiful rooms I've ever seen. As soon as the group spots us they all erupt in excited greetings. Rossi approaches us and says "hey kid, I'm so glad you both could make it!" I smile as Spencer introduces me to Rossi again and I say "I've heard a lot of great things about you, thank you for inviting me tonight. I brought some desserts I made to add to the spread." After I said it I hear my southern accent from my Tennessee upbringing coming out worse than normal out of my nervousness. Rossi laughs and says "Spencer you've brought a true southern belle to dinner tonight. Welcome, my dear, you didn't have to bring these, but I'm sure we will all gladly partake. Let's get you guys something to drink!" Rossi takes the desserts and Spencer kisses my cheek before telling me he's going to get us drinks. I hear excited squeaking as Penelope makes her way over to me and captures me in a hug. She says "I'm so glad you made it! Can't wait for the whole team to meet you and love you like I do!" I smile bashfully and tell Garcia I'm excited, too. Penelope introduces me to her boyfriend, Kevin Lynch; they are just adorable together, like they were cut from the same cloth. Emily makes her way over to us, lightly hugging me and says "I don't think I've ever heard you talk with such a prominent southern accent before. You'll fit right in with JJ's boyfriend, Will, who is from Louisiana." In my head I think to myself there's a big difference in our accents but keep that to myself. I smile and say "it's good to know I'm not going to be entirely alone. Usually my accent comes out the most when I'm nervous, really tickled and laughing very hard, or drunk. Sometimes it makes surprise appearances apparently. I'm surprised it's that shocking for people to hear my accent when we are in Virginia." Emily laughs and says "I guess D.C. is just different." Hotch and Morgan greet me. I smile and say hello to both men as well as bending down to say hello to Jack. He gets excited and asks me if I want to play LEGO's again with him some time and I smile and say "sure kiddo, I love LEGO's!" He gets excited and gives me a hug. I pick him up to give him a proper hug and I see one of Hotch's rare smiles. He says "you're really good with him. It's been hard for him since Haley died. He smiles a lot when he's around you, though, so thank you." I blush and tell Hotch that if he needs my help with Jack while he's on cases and such he has my number and can call me. Hotch takes Jack back before going to greet Spence. Morgan looks at me with an eyebrow raised and says "you are really good with kids. Have you and pretty boy talked about the possibility of that?" I scoff and laugh out of shock and nerves and say "Morgan it is very early for him and I to be talking about kids!" Morgan laughs and says "it's not too early to know if you want them one day or not. I know pretty boy wants his own kids one day," giving me a knowing expression. I smile sheepishly and say "yes I want kids some day but not today. I want to enjoy my life with Spencer just the two of us for a while first. A long while first." Morgan nods in understanding before saying "fair enough." I look at him and say "don't tell Spencer we were talking about him and I having kids one day. He's going to think I'm crazy." Morgan laughs heartily and says "I'm sure the thought has already crossed his mind, Annie." Spencer walks up with our drinks, he has a whiskey on the rocks and he got me a glass of Chardonnay. He knows me so well already. Soon after his friend JJ who is holding a baby and a man I assume to be Will come to greet Spencer. He introduces us and I smile and greet them. I turn to Will and say "I hear you won't be alone with your southern accent now that I'm here." He smiles and says "you know I bet they don't even really hear the difference between our accents."JJ laughs and says "what do you mean?" Will looks at her and says "a Louisiana accent and a Tennessee accent are very different." JJ gives an incredulous look and I say "his accent has more of a French sound to it than mine does." Will nods in agreement. Rossi walks in the room at that moment and calls everybody to the dining room for dinner. Jack walks up to me and asks if he can sit next to me at dinner. I tell him "of course! I would be honored." We grab our plates from the dining room table and go into the kitchen to make our plates for dinner. I help Jack make his plate and carry it to the table. The dinner is chicken carbonara, salad, and dinner rolls all made by Rossi. It was amazing. Rossi is an amazing cook, I have no idea why he works for the FBI and not a 5 star restaurant. During dinner I try to keep the focus off of me and try to learn about my boyfriend's coworkers, but with a room full of profilers that proves difficult. They want to know where I'm from, where I went to school, why did I move to D.C., why speech language pathology, and all the little details about my life. I tell them I got my undergraduate degree in Tennessee before moving to Mississippi for graduate school. Will laughs and asks whether I'm a Tennessee or Mississippi fan and I laugh as well telling him I was never much of a sports fan, but the atmosphere at school is actually quite fun despite that. I learn that JJ and Will met while working a case in New Orleans and Rossi has been married, and subsequently divorced, three times. Penelope met Kyle after he had to step in as the analyst for the BAU when Penelope was targeted and shot by an unsub. It's definitely an FBI kind of meet-cute. Throughout the dinner, Spencer is either holding my hand or keeps a hand on my leg. He's very touchy tonight and I am definitely not complaining about it. Jack is constantly vying for my attention on my right and I wonder if this is what it would be like one day to have a miniature Spencer Reid also competing for my attention with the full sized Spencer Reid. Spencer leans over and whispers in my ear "what are you thinking about?" I smile softly and say "tell you later," and he nods in understanding. After everyone has finished eating their dinner, Rossi brings out the desserts I brought and has everybody pass them around the table and serve themselves. I suddenly become anxious and say "I was hoping that everybody liked at least one of these. Not everybody likes chocolate and not everybody likes banana, but I hope that there's not a person here who dislikes both." Hotch looks at me with a kinder expression than normal and says "that's very thoughtful of you, Annie. Thank you for taking the time to make these." I blush and tell them my mom always taught me to bring something for a crowd or for the host and I love to find excuses to cook anyway. After everybody has had dessert, and loved it, we make our way back to the living area to chat before everybody goes home for the night. JJ's 10 month old, Henry, starts fussing and crying a lot like he has been most of the night. I can tell JJ is frustrated and I say "let me take him for a few minutes so y'all can visit with everybody uninterrupted for a bit. I think he's just a bit overstimulated. I'll take him with me on the patio for a bit so y'all can have a break." JJ looks at me with gratitude and says "thank you, I appreciate it." I nod and gently take the baby from her arms. I rock and bounce Henry on my way to the patio door, giving Spence a smile from across the room as I exit the room out to the patio.

~Spencer's POV~

Annie has knocked it out of the park with everybody tonight. As soon as she's outside and out of ear shot and eye sight the entire team whips their heads to me in unison. I start to get nervous as Rossi says "well I bet you're happy you got exposed to anthrax now, kid." Everybody chuckles as JJ gives me a genuine smile and says "seriously, Spence she's great. I've never seen a new person calm Henry down that fast." Emily nods and says "I really like her, too. You also seem like you're much happier now compared to when I first met you. I think she's a keeper." Penelope speaks up and says "I second that statement. I wanna keep her. And her little doggy we need a team mascot anyway." I chuckle at that as Hotch says "she's also great with Jack. She takes initiative with him and she always gives him the attention he craves from her even if she could be doing something more suited to her." Morgan piles on saying "she was there for you when you got shot even before you two were officially official. She even got you groceries and cooked for you. Also when everything happened with Haley she was right by your side the whole time. She obviously cares about you, probably even more than you care about yourself. Also those desserts she brought were fantastic." I smile happily to myself as I reminisce on the memories of the early stages of our relationship not too long ago. I look at everybody and say "I'm glad you love her as much as I do. I am pretty happy for that close call with anthrax because I never would've met her otherwise." After a minute everyone returns to their conversations amongst each other. Derek gestures for me to join him in private in the hallway. Once I make it over to him he smiles and says at a low volume "I gotta know, how is the sex?" I give Morgan a shocked scoff and say "for your information Derek we haven't had sex yet." Morgan returns the shock and says "What? Why?" I look around tentatively before saying "it's not any of your business but she's a virgin so we are taking it at her pace, okay?" Morgan gives a shocked but understanding nod and facial expression before saying "you mean for like 4 months you guys haven't done anything?" I feel my face turn red with a blush and betray me before Morgan says "oh you dog, you definitely started her on something." I laugh and say "I've told you all the details I'm going to tell you." Morgan nods in agreement before saying "you should go talk to her while she has Henry. Bet it's a pretty cute sight out there." I smile and nod and move to join Annie on the patio. I walk outside and hear her talking to Henry with a baby voice and see she's bouncing him on her hip. I smile to myself thinking how beautiful she looks in this moment and stand back and watch for just a second before she realizes I've joined her. Once she senses my presence she turns and smiles sheepishly at me. I walk up to her and push some hair out of her face and behind her ear and turn to look at Henry who is babbling and laughing happily in her arms. "You're really good with him," I say to her. She smiles and says "well I was nanny in college and grad school and being good with kids is a big part of speech language pathology." I nod at her and say "I didn't know you were a nanny before." She smiles and says "yeah I was a top requested nanny and babysitter in my home town. Being good with kids and enjoying them is what solidified speech as my career choice." I nod again and say "but you don't really see kids now do you?" I shake my head and say "I mainly see adults and maybe some preemies in our NICU. I plan to settle down and work at a clinic or school one day." I give her a quizzical look and say "settle down? When do you plan on doing that?" She blushes and hesitates a bit before saying "well when I have kids I plan to work PRN for a hospital or for a clinic until my kids are in school and then I want to work for a school when they're in school so I can stay home with them when they have breaks." I smile at her softly and ask "why do you look so nervous to say that?" She smiles bashfully and looks down and says "I just don't know how you feel about kids, Spence, and I didn't want to make you uncomfortable by talking about them." I chuckle softly and tell her "it makes me beyond happy to hear you talking about kids and to know you've already thought so much about it." She smiles and says "one of the reasons I like speech is that it's a really good mom job." I smile and nod "it sounds like it since you can change up your location and hours so easily." Henry reaches for me and I pick him up with ease, settling him on my hip similar to how Annie was just holding him. Henry reaches up and grabs my hair in his tiny fist and lightly and tugs causing me to exclaim lightly in pain. Annie chuckles as she pulls his hand from my hair and talks to Henry telling him hair pulling isn't nice but she will let it slide. I laugh and talk to Henry for a minute as I bounce him on my hip. Annie looks at me with a content expression and says "you're a pretty great godfather to Henry and Uncle Spencer to Jack." I smile sheepishly and say "I've had more practice with Jack than I've had with Henry. Plus I've read a lot of books about kids and stuff." She smiles at me and says "or you're just naturally good with kids Spence, some things can't be learned even with a million books." Just then JJ comes out and walks over to us with her arms outstretched saying "thanks for taking him out of our hair for a while, but I think Will and I are about to head home for tonight. After you have a kid you don't stay out as late as you used to." I hand Henry back to JJ and say goodbye to him and Annie does, too. Before JJ leaves Annie says "JJ, I've told Hotch I would do what I could to help out with Jack while y'all are on cases and I will do the same for Henry. Just give me a call if there's anything I can do to help y'all out. Even if you just want a date night with Will I'd be happy to take Henry off your hands for a while." JJ smiles and says "thanks, Anneliese, we'll keep that in mind." Annie says "don't mention it. And you can call me Annie. Ever since Spencer started calling me Annie everybody does and I definitely don't hate it." JJ smiles, nods, and bids her goodbyes as Henry begins to get cranky again. Annie and I are left alone on the patio and she's shivering just a bit. I wrap my arms around her from behind and she leans in to the embrace. She sighs in contentment and says "thank you for bringing me Spence, I had a great night with everybody." I kiss her temple and say "good because as soon as you went out here with Henry everybody gave me their stamp of approval on you." She turns around in a surprised and happy shock before saying "really!?" I laugh at her shock and say "of course baby everybody loves you. I don't know how anybody couldn't." She blushes and says "how about we head home for the night, pretty boy." I nod my head in agreement and follow her out as she leads me by hand to the door. We bid the rest of the team our goodbyes and get in the car to head back to her apartment for the night. Before I forget I turn to her and say "um I should probably mention that Morgan was asking questions and I probably gave him more details about our sex life than I should've." She laughs in response before saying "I bet whatever you've told him pales in response to what I've said to Alison and Killian." I look at her in shock and horror and say "what do they know?" She laughs and says "a few not so minor details along with general play by plays. It's normal girl talk, Spence, don't worry. And I paint you in a really good light every time." I smile and nod smugly and say "okay then I approve." I hold her hand as we drive back into Quantico and think about how happy and content I am with her in this moment.