We're Us

Spencer

I don't understand why we spend the day laying in bed watching TV, that we aren't even actually watching, both of noses buried in a book. I hear Stephie sigh and then the sound of her closing the book follows, I place my small piece of paper back into my book to keep my place and turn to stare at her. This is the third weekend we've spent together since coming back from case in LA three weeks ago.

"I'm bored Spence," She turns over in her bed and screams into her pillow. I'm taken back at the sudden urge she had, I wasn't really expecting that at all. It makes me chuckle.

"You think my boredom is funny?" She glares at me and I quickly shake my head no,

"Why don't we go for a walk? It's nice outside," I refer to the rather chilly early autumn air.

"Are you trying to kill me Dr. Reid?" She sits up in bed, drowning in my old Caltech jumper. She has to be 5'2, which would make me almost a whole foot taller than her.

"You know what?" She climbs out of the bed and walks towards her closet. "I think you forget that I am also a doctor, I have a PhD in psychology." She stares into her closet and then grins pulling out a t-shirt of where she went to the college, Stanford University.

"Which is two less than me," I remind her she rolls her eyes, I don't mention the fact I have two BAs also, and currently working on my third.

Stephie puts the shirt back and pulls out a white sweater, she just changes right in front of me. I try not to look out of respect but I feel like if she was worried about me staring she'd just change somewhere else or ask me to leave.

"You're gonna freeze in that," I tell her when I notice her entire shoulder not covered up. I watch as slides her sweatpants off and pulls a pair of black leggings on, I'm still staring.

"Perv," Stephie snickers differing for a pair of socks.

"I..uh, i'm not a pervert!" I defend and she laughs, taking a seat next to me on her bed to slide on her fluffy red socks.

"Are you going to get dressed or are you walking in your pajamas?" She stands back up and walks out of the room, I didn't know we agreed to go in one.

I reach for my bag full of clothes since I had planned to stay the whole weekend at Stephies apartment, she stayed at mine the weekend before.

"Spence," She walks into the room, tooth brush hanging out of her mouth and her hair now in a braid. It startles me because she came out of nowhere and I was half naked but, she doesn't seem to mind at all.

"I need my necklace, where did you put it?" She mumbles through her mouth full of toothpaste and I point to the nightstand.

"Ahh," She cheers and picks up just to hand to me and turn around in front of me. I put it over her neck and then clasp the back. Stephie turns around and smiles.

"Thanks Spence," She walks back to the door I put my shirt on and turn around when i hear her plan smack the wall.

"Cute butt, B-T-Dubs," She giggles and I shut the door behind her. I don't know what's more annoying Stephie when she hated me or Stephie when she likes me?

"I vote we pick coffee on this walk," Stephie is standing by the door holding my coat when i walk out of her bedroom.

"You just had coffee," I remind her but she groans and starts complaining it's not the same.

"Okay, we'll get coffee." I put a scarf around her neck and she stops me.

"You're going to complain that you're cold two seconds into this walk, plus you're wearing a sweater that's barely even a sweater." I continue wrapping her up.

"I'm wearing a coat over it?" She shouts at me and grabs the door handle just accepting the defeat, saying at least the scarf matches her socks.

As we walk hand in hand, yes I let her hold my hand. It's different when it's her, when it's Stephie holding my hand it's not as bad as a hand shake from some random detective. I don't have the urge to wipe my hand off either. I notice the leaves slowly changing colors, it's only mid September but it's so cold today. The only other thought that's been racing through my head nonstop is one lingering question.

"What are we, Steph?" I speak but and feel her hand tense but she doesn't show her expression on her face, she's a good liar.

"What do you mean?" She smiles at me while playing clueless.

"You know I mean," I sigh and she nods her head slowly, we've only been sneaking around the BAU for weeks and sleeping at each others apartments every weekend, and sometimes week days.

"We're us, why do we need a label?" She stops walking and drops my hand, crossing her arms as we stand in place.

"I didn't say that we did, I just, uh..I was just thinking about it." I stumble over my words and she just glares at me.

"Do you want a label, Spence?" She grins at me and then links my arm with hers as we walk into the coffee shop.

"I..uh.." Thankfully i don't have to finish that sentence because Penelope and Derek are standing in line when we walk in, Stephie quickly lets go of my arm and gives me a wide eyed look as we step in line behind them hoping they don't see us.

"Reid?" Penelope's voice chimes behind me and I turn round slowly."Foster?" She sounds even more surprised now as Stephie gives a small wave.

"No way, I knew you guys were getting along now but hanging outside of work is a huge step!" She pats my shoulder and I see Derek give me look, I know that look. That's the "What's going on here" look.

"I got bored, practically ripped this one's book from his hands and forced him to come with me." Stephie steps next to me and explains, well lies, about our actual story.

"It's so nice my favorite genius' are getting along." Penelope smiles and then her order is called so she goes to grab it.

"See you two tomorrow," Derek smirks and follows Penelope.

"What was that look for?" Stephie asks as soon as they're far enough away that they won't hear us.

"Uh, what do you mean?" I respond fast and rolls her eyes, I sigh.

"You fell asleep on my shoulder on the way home from the sniper case, Morgan thinks there's something going on." I admit and she widens her eyes at me slowly, raising her eyebrow sightly.

"Oh, does he now?" Stephie's tone was light, but there was a hint of curiosity in her eyes as she glanced sideways at me.

I shifted, suddenly aware of how close we were standing to each other inside of the busy coffee shop.

"Yeah, he actually teased me about it the next day," I admit, feeling heat rise it my cheeks.

Stephie chuckles, her gaze turning thoughtful. "And what did you say?"

"I... I didn't really say anything," I run the back of neck momentarily. "Just shrugged it off." Stephie nods her head but before we can say anything's it's our turn to order.

"So, you mentioned earlier that you wanted you know what we are," She starts to speak again once her coffee has hit her lips, the cold slaps us in the face as we make our way back to her apartment.

"That's not what I said," I correct her and she shushes me with her hand.

"I don't want the team to view us differently, if we're like together..? But I also love what ever it is we have going on right now." Stephie is walking with her arms folded against her chest.

"You're really confusing, did you know that?" I turn my head in her direction and to my surprise she agrees with me.

"Get that a lot," She shrugs and I can't help but chuckle, at least she knows she's difficult.

"You really want a label Spence?" Stephie suddenly turns around and almost sounds mad, not like yelling mad but worried mad. I'm not really sure what happened.

"Steph, what? What happened?" I grab her shoulders, awkwardly trying not to spill my coffee.

"I don't know, I just, I.." She loses whatever words she had in her head and just stares at me. I can't even guess what could be wrong all of a sudden, not only is she a good verballiar, she can liar with her face too. Which is why she's always so believable.

"Don't lie to me Steph,"

"I haven't even said anything, besides nothing wrong." She bites her lip, that's her tell.

"You're lying," I can help but let a small smile just knowing that I finally know her tell. I've been trying to pick it up for years.

"Wrong, and don't profile me." She looks at me with a glare as we walk down the sidewalk, suddenly forgetting the pervious conversation.

"What do you mean wrong? I've been trying to pick up on your tell for years." I pretend like my voice doesn't raise a few octaves as I get defensive.

"Really? Okay, do inform me Dr. Reid, what is my tell?" She almost teases as we approach her apartment.

"You bit your lip, you did it earlier and thinking back on it now you bite your lip a lot." I point out holding the door open for her as we walk inside. Stephie stands in the doorway, blocking me outside.

"Interesting, only that's not my tell. I don't have a tell." She grins and then moves to the side so J can finally walk in.

"Everyone has a tell, and believe me Stepheni Foster I will figure yours out." I hang my coat back up and Steph is right in front of me when I turn back around.

"Can I ask you one more question?" She beams, a smirk lining her face. I nod, accepting her request.

"How did I bite my lip?" She cocks her head to the side. "Was it like this?" Stephie hits her bottom lip, I get that tingling sensation most people refer to as butterflies, it's actually just adrenaline and cortisol.

"Don't do that," I turn away from her and walk towards the couch to sit down, I refuse to get sucked back into her bed to continue rotting. I also refuse to let her see how hard that made me blush.

"Hi," Stephie prances into the room and walks right up to me, she's straddles herself around my lap and runs his fingers through my hair.

"Hello," I answer staring up at her, I think she should be tested for bipolar disorder, you'll never catch me admitting that to her though.

Stephie actually does the opposite of what I was expecting her to do, which was kiss me, instead she laid her head in the crook on my neck, almost in a hug like state. I wrap my arms her body and trace shapes on her back.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," She mumbles and part of me wonders if she means the way we're sitting or the way we are in general.

"Did Gideon call you? It sounds urgent," Stephie has her toothbrush hanging out of her mouth once again because she genuinely never does stop talking. Also why is brushing her teeth at two in the morning?

"Speaking of," I hold my phone up as it rings and when I answer I am met with Gideon telling me to get down to the BAU as fast as possible.

"What do you think it's about?" Stephie asks searching for what she claims is a black shirt she brought to my apartment tonight.

"Hard telling, but probably a case I'm sure." I go behind her and grab the shirt that's right in front of her face and she smiles at me.

"I'd loose my head if it wasn't attached."

"Believe me, I know Steph." I chuckle and then we're out the door.

"Everyone, sorry for calling you it was urgent." Gideon starts off as soon as Stephie and I join the rest of the team in the briefing room.

"The CIA's counterterrorism unit is engaged in a mission to save one of its informants. They suspect one of their agents is a mole and until the identity of that mole is discovered, they've locked down the unit." Hotch stares us, he definitely didn't want to be called in tonight either.

"This gives us the opportunity to profile the unsub up close." Gideon turns to a man whom I am assuming works for the CIA, but why does the CIA need us right now?

"John Summer's was the CIA 's best field agent in the middle east, three nights ago he was found in his home in Washington, he was tortured and killed." Hotch explains at the TV clicks on showing us a picture of this John Summer's guy. When Stephie turns her head I watch her yawn, I told her we should have went to bed four hours ago but she refused, at least then we would have had a little sleep.

"The CIA made it look like suicide," Gideon adds and I study the imagines before us.

"How'd you like to have that job?" I turn towards Derek who is standing up now and walking towards the TV, he begins to point out wound patterns.

We finish the debrief and now we get to go on a late night field trip to the CIA, how is Gideon even associated with them?

When we walk in our cellphones are taken from us and Stephie makes us quite obvious she is not happy.

It feels like everyone is starring at us when we walk in.

"Creepy," Stephie chimes behind me as she spins on her heels in a circle, the way she says it is creepier than the place actually is.

It wasnt very long until til we figure out that Bruno Hawk was actually the mole. The case was closed right after and we were able to get home just as the sun started to rise.

"I think we all deserve a vacation?" Hotch opens the doors to the BAU and we all star at him in silence.

"Like a real vacation, with no getting called in?" Elle sounds like a kid in a candy store and it makes Hotch laugh.

—————————AN: We are entering a prime Spence and Steph era, it will not last long 😔

sorry for short little chapter next will be a LONG one, buckle up.