#Green card | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

aperrywilliams · 1 year

Text

Green Card - Ch2: The Arrangement (Spencer Reid x Fem!OC)

Author Masterlist / Series Masterlist

Previous chapter < > Next chapter

——————

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!OC (Ana María González)

Series summary: What reason leads two complete strangers to marry? For Spencer, the chance of his mom being admitted into a new medical trial. For Ana María González is to get the elusive green card.

Chapter summary: Ana is mad after talking with Spencer, and he wants to apologize. But at some point, Spencer's crazy offer doesn't seem that crazy.

Word Count: 3.7k

CW: None I can think of.

A/N: Chapter 2 is here. I’m back with the series. Let me know what you think.

——————

What the hell was he thinking?

When Spencer got to his apartment, the rush of the previous hours subsided. That led to deep regret for what he did.

He insulted Ana. He wanted to take advantage of her need to fulfill his own. What kind of man does that? Spencer felt terrible and barely slept. Tossing and turning, his main worry wasn't his mother's medical treatment anymore. It was how badly he acted with Ana. He needed to apologize for it. He would do it the next day. If he were lucky enough, the team wouldn't be called on a case, and he could go to the coffee shop to talk to her.

When Ana woke up the following morning, she didn't want to get up. A headache settled as she opened her eyes. Good thing her shift didn't start before noon. That gave her some time to feel a bit better before work.

But as soon as she entered the coffee shop, Sarah jumped to ask her questions, and Ana was convinced her headache would return quickly.

"How come the Pumpkin-pie-guy came after you yesterday, and you didn't call me to tell me? Did he ask you out? I knew he only had eyes for you. I assume you gave him your number. When is your first date?"

Ana rolled her eyes and huffed. This was the least she wanted: being reminded of her awful moment with Spencer the day before.

"Sarah, please, stop. I'm not in the mood," the girl groaned, passing by her coworker and heading to the kitchen. But Sarah didn't give up and followed her.

"Oh, come on. Won't you tell me anything? It's not fair!"

Ana halted and turned to look at Sarah sternly.

"Okay. Do you want to know? The only thing I'll tell you is the guy is a jerk - un real estúpido - like every man in this world. Period," she grumbled, grabbing her apron from the hook to put on.

"What did he do? Did he do something to you? Oh, that bastard! If he did something, I'm going to kill him!" Sarah threatened. Ana sighed, shooking her head.

"No, no. The guy didn't ‘do’ anything to me. I mean, he just behaved like a jackass. That's all. I'm okay," Ana reassured Sarah before grabbing some cutlery and cups to put on the rack.

Sarah didn't know if pushing it was a good idea, so she kept silent and stopped asking questions. It's not she didn't want to know everything, but Ana looked so disappointed and sad. She decided to keep her mouth shut, just for now.

Ana tried to focus on work that day. The hustle and bustle in the coffee shop were enough to keep her head on it and not on her problems, at least for a couple of hours.

For Spencer, though, trying to focus on the job didn't work. While the stack of paperwork was huge, it didn't stop him from dwelling on the events of the previous day over and over again.

On the one hand, he needed to get used to the idea his mom would lose her chance in the clinical trial because he could not fulfill a little requirement. Maybe 'little' was an understatement, but Spencer kept telling himself it was a stupid requirement after all.

On the other hand, his mind wandered to the fact he acted like an idiot with Ana due to his desperation. He hated himself for that.

JJ's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Why so pensive?" she asked, sitting before him. Spencer didn't feel like talking, but it was JJ, his friend. Shifting in his seat, he leaned back, and his arms slumped to his sides.

"My mom,” he prefaced. “Remember the medical trial I mentioned last month?" JJ nodded. "They rejected the application."

An empathetic look formed on JJ’s face after hearing Spencer.

"Oh, Spence. I'm so sorry. When did this happen?" she asked, leaning to talk to Spencer, not speaking too loud.

"Yesterday,” he cringed, remembering his meeting with Fogarty.

"I'm so sorry. But Spencer, I'm sure you'll find another way. If it is not this one, you'll find another," JJ assured him.

Comfort words? Yeah. Spencer appreciated the worry, yet it wasn't handy for his predicament.

"Hope so," Spencer shrugged.

"I know you will," she patted his shoulder. "Hey, changing the subject, we will grab lunch with Luke and Matt now. You coming?"

Spencer checked his watch. He guessed Ana had started her shift by now. Could it be a good idea to show up now? Better sooner than later, he thought.

"I'm sorry. I have to be somewhere else," Spencer apologized, standing and clutching his satchel. If Spencer noticed JJ's frown after his answer, he let it pass. It was better not to give details.

Entering the coffee shop, Spencer first noticed the hustle of lunchtime. Sarah and Ana were moving from side to side, taking orders and carrying trays.

Shit, maybe he picked the wrong moment.

When Ana saw him, a visible huff left her mouth. Spencer tried to approach, but Sarah stopped him.

"Not so fast, pal."

"I'm sorry, but I - I would like to - to have a word with Ana?" Spencer stuttered.

"She is busy. So I am. If you want to order something, take a sit and wait," Sarah pointed to a corner where there was an empty table.

Sarah’s harsh tone told Spencer she knew about the day before, so he didn't push his luck. Nodding, he went to the table and sat. Another girl, Collin, came to take his order. He asked for his usual coffee.

He would wait. It was the least he could do.

As the patrons left the coffee shop one by one, Spencer's eyes focused on the main counter and the kitchen door.

Ana noticed how Spencer didn't move a muscle in the past hour. She tried to avoid looking at him, but since Sarah confirmed he wanted to talk to her, it wasn't easy to forget he was there.

"Maybe he wants to admit he fucked it up," Sarah hypothesized.

"Or maybe he wants to keep being a jackass," Ana pointed. Her coworker raised an eyebrow, thinking about how bad the previous day's encounter must have been to see Ana so defensive.

"You'll never know if you don't talk to him.”

Sarah had a point. Would Ana’s curiosity be stronger enough to give in and talk to Spencer? The answer's ‘yes.’

"Okay, fine. But if the guy insists on acting like a jerk, I’ll kick his ass, and I don't care if the cops come to get me,” Ana warned before walking out of the kitchen.

As she strolled in Spencer's direction, Ana swept her hands over her apron.

Spencer’s eyes widened when he noticed her.

"I thought I let myself very clear yesterday,” she said without prompt.

Spencer gulped and cleared his throat.

"Yes. Yes, you were. In fact, I'm here to apologize. I'm sorry; I shouldn't have done what I did. Can I have a word with you to explain myself? I don't want you to think I'm a total asshole, even when I acted like one yesterday. Please?"

The girl narrowed her eyes. Believe him or not?

Even if Ana didn't want to discuss the topic again, she wondered what he could possibly tell her.

"This is not a trick or something? Like a way to insist on your weird petition?"

Spencer shook his head vigorously.

"No! I promise. It's not that. Believe me. I just want to explain.”

Ana considered Spencer’s words for a second.

"Okay. Fine. I have a little break right now. But let's talk outside. I don't want the peanut gallery watching,” she suggested, seeing from the corner of her eye how Collin and Sarah were looking at them.

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

They walked outside and far from the coffee shop windows. The street wasn't busy, so it was a decent spot to talk.

Apologizing for the umpteenth time, Spencer recounted what happened in the meeting with Fogarty and what led to his weird petition. Not in deep detail, but he told enough, so Ana had a picture of why his poor behavior.

"So you thought marrying was a good idea?" Ana asked the man.

"I would say just an idea more than a good one," Spencer pointed, shrugging. Ana chuckled.

"Yeah. You're right."

Spencer felt somewhat relieved for Ana listening to him, and Ana even felt empathy for the guy in front of her.

"Please, can you forgive me? It was totally out of line and - and I feel so embarrassed. I never wanted to offend you.”

Ana kept silent for a moment, pondering Spencer's words. He waited expectantly.

"Supposing you're telling me the truth, I think I could understand,” she decided. Spencer nodded faster enough to converge his following words.

"I do! It's the truth. And I'm so sorry to bring this to you. You have your own problems to deal with.”

Ana cringed at the mention of it.

"Don't remind me, please.”

"I’m so sorry. I didn't -”

Spencer hastened to apologize.

How come he keeps fucking it up?

Ana saw Spencer's terrified look and didn't want him to collapse from the nerves.

"It's okay. Really. In fact, I think it's sweet of you. I mean, what you were willing to do for your mom,” she explained. Spencer exhaled.

"And desperate," he added. Ana chuckled at his own teasing.

"I'm not in a position to judge."

"It's okay; you can say it.”

Spencer’s shoulders slumped, knowing it was true. He was entirely desperate.

"I mean, yeah. It's weird, but if it were about my mom, I would have done anything for her, so I understand,” Ana conceded.

"Really?" Spencer asked in disbelief. Ana nodded solemnly.

"Yeah. Really."

"Thanks, it makes me feel better. For real.”

It was the truth. Knowing the girl felt some empathy for him and was not disgusted made him feel slightly better.

"No problem."

Spencer knew Ana was a good person. If it had been anyone else, he would have gotten his ass kicked, and with good reason. It was a shame she was struggling as well.

Spencer's phone ringtone broke the silence. The caller id showed Penelope's name. Spencer gave Ana an apologetic look.

"Sorry, I have to take this one."

"Don't apologize. Go ahead," she gestured to the device in Spencer's hand.

"Garcia, what's up?"

Ana looked to the side to not snoop on Spencer's call, although she was. Once Spencer finished, she knew what it was about.

"Work?" she asked for confirmation. Spencer nodded.

"Yeah. I have to go. Again, please, forgive my attitude from yesterday. I didn't want to bother you."

"It's okay. I totally get it,” Ana reassured him.

"Thank you. I got to go. See you around?" Spencer asked before leaving.

"You know where to find me," she quipped.

“Yeah. Right. See you then.”

Ana watched as Spencer walked away. She no longer believed he was a complete crackpot. A weird guy? Yes. But she could understand his reasons and even empathize with them.

That night in her bedroom, Ana rescued Spencer's business card from the trash can and put it on her nightstand—a symbolic act of reconciliation with the man.

Things could have stayed there, but Ana was not that lucky. A few days after what happened with Spencer, she came to work her usual shift when her boss approached her.

"Ana, you got this," Logan announced, handing her an envelope with a government stamp.

'Dear Miss Gonzalez,

Hoping this letter finds you well, we inform you that your reconsideration request for your residence application has been rejected. This means you must leave North American soil in the next two weeks unless you submit new information within your petition.'

Suddenly she felt as if the air had become heavy, and she was having trouble breathing. Ana's eyes scanned over and over the letters of the fateful letter. She had been rejected again, and worse yet, she had a deadline to leave the country. She had no further options of appeal. Everything had gone to hell.

"Ana, are you okay?" Logan asked.

She didn't want to explain what was happening, so she nodded, saying everything was fine and that she would get ready to start work.

And so she did, but there was no way she could concentrate. In her head, the only thing spinning was the idea that this was the end. That she had failed, and all was lost.

At the end of the day, Sarah walked over to her, knowing something had happened. That's when Ana broke and ended up crying in her arms.

"Hey, sweetheart. What's wrong? You can tell me," the girl encouraged Ana, who couldn't stop sobbing.

“Me rechazaron de nuevo. Tendré que irme del país (I got rejected again. I'll have to leave)." In her misery, Ana didn't bother to speak in English. That wasn't an issue for Sarah, though. She had been learning Spanish with Ana, and it wasn't difficult to understand why the girl was so upset.

"Oh, dear. I'm so sorry to hear that."

“¿Qué hice para merecer esto? Mis papeles están en regla. Tengo un trabajo. No estoy pidiendo vivir gratis! (What did I do to deserve this? I have everything in order. I have a job. I’m not asking to live here for free!).”

"You have done all good, sweetheart; it is not your fault. It's unfair. Life is unfair."

Ana is not one of those people who like to show their vulnerability. But these circumstances were already overtaking her. Besides, Sarah was the only one who knew more about her coming to North America. Only a few details, but enough to understand this was important to her.

"Come on, let's go to my apartment. I'll make some tea," Sarah offered.

Ana thanked her. She didn't want to be alone in a moment like this.

At Sarah's place, Ana regained some composure. She wasn't crying anymore but left an extreme bitterness.

"Must be something you can do. Are you sure you can't plead again?"

"I can't. At least if my current situation doesn't change. I think I should get used to the idea of leaving," Ana shrugged. Sarah bit her lower lip. She wanted to say something, but maybe Ana won't take it so well.

"What?" she asked. Sarah shook her head. "There is something, Sarah. Just spill it out."

"You still have the pumpkin-pie guy’s offer," she muttered. Ana sighed.

"No. I don't. I told you the guy apologized for it. It would be nonsense of me to say I am interested now," Ana pointed out. That made Sarah raise an eyebrow.

"Does that mean you're interested now?" she asked.

"That's not the point. The poor man was already feeling bad enough when he did apologize," she recounted.

"Well, these are extenuating circumstances. Don't you think?"

Ana thought about it. Why? She was desperate, and she didn't want to leave the country. But what if Spencer rejected her now? He could do that. He had the right to, as she did weeks ago.

That night the poor girl didn't sleep. Holding on to a miracle, she hoped the following day everything would be okay in the blink of an eye.

Spoiler alert: it didn't.

Sighing first, Ana took the card and dialed Spencer's number.

"Spencer? Hey, it's Ana from the coffee shop. I'm sorry for calling, but can you talk?"

Spencer was surprised when he got the call and was deeply curious about what she wanted to talk about.

The girl sounded distressed, and even he could tell she was crying, but he didn't want to ask so as not to make her uncomfortable. Both agreed to meet in a park near the coffee shop that afternoon. Fortunately, Spencer wasn't called on a case so that he could meet up with her after work.

When Spencer arrived at the place they agreed, he spotted Ana sitting on a bench, her eyes staring at the dirty floor. He couldn't help but wonder how a young girl, so beautiful and with such a good heart, could have such a troubled life. Yes, maybe he didn't know her well enough, but years doing his job have taught him a lot about how invisible the weight people usually carry on their shoulders can seem to the world.

He was sure Ana was one of those people with a crude past, but even with that, her smile never faded.

"Hi, I hope I'm not too late," Spencer apologized. Hearing his voice, Ana tilted her head to look at him and smiled. But it was a different smile: a weary one with sadness in her eyes.

"No, you're perfectly on time. Sorry for calling you so suddenly."

"Don't worry about that. Can I sit there," Spencer asked, pointing to the empty spot on the bench.

"Sure. Of course," Ana conceded. Spencer sat with his hands on his lap, shifting awkwardly when Ana didn't start the conversation.

The girl knew she needed to say something, but words were stuck in her throat. Spencer noticed but didn't want to push. Analyzing her micro-expressions, he could tell she was scared and conflicted. Spencer had a feeling about what was going on.

"Well. I'm sure you're waiting for me to tell you why I called you. It's uhm - I don't know how to phrase it. I feel a little hypocritical, if I have to be honest. I mean, yeah, it's kind of embarrassing. Jeez, I don't even know how to explain myself," she let out a nervous chuckle.

Spencer's expression was soft and attentive. He kept his mouth shut, giving Ana all the needed time, but the girl freaked out and decided to give up.

"It's uhm - you know? I'm sorry for making you come. Maybe I shouldn't have," Ana hastened to say, standing from the bench. She was losing her nerve and just wanted to run away.

Spencer stood too, his profiling skills paying off to this point.

Before Ana could walk away, Spencer spoke.

"You got rejected," he inferred.

Ana halted but didn't dare to turn to see him. But she nodded nonetheless.

"I'm sorry," Spencer mumbled.

"Yeah, me too," she sighed, feeling the tears pricking her eyes.

Spencer positioned in front of her. Ana didn't walk away though she didn't make eye contact with him.

"You know? I really thought it would work this time. Even I was looking for an apartment, making plans," Ana lamented with a notorious heaviness in her words.

Tentatively her gaze found his. Spencer caught sight of the tears pouring from her eyes. It pained him, and he didn't know what to do, even if it wasn't his fault.

"I'm so sorry. It's unfair," he muttered with an apologetic look.

What else could he say? What else without addressing the clear reason that made Ana call him?

"Yeah. I think so too. But it is what it is. Right? Life is unfair," Ana concluded, wiping the tears with her thumbs. "I'm sorry I made you come here for this. I - uh - I don't know what I was thinking," she mumbled, averting his gaze.

Spencer sighed. He did know what she was thinking.

"You were considering my crazy offer. Am I right?" Spencer pointed, gauging Ana's reaction.

She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing a hole in the floor could swallow her whole.

"I told you it was hypocritical from me," she admitted. Spencer shook his head.

"I don't think it is. I know it's a crazy idea, but you have your reasons to consider it, and I'm not going to judge you. No, when it was me who suggested it in the first place," Spencer told Ana, tilting his head to catch her gaze.

"It's more than a crazy idea. It's delusional. But I can't stop thinking about it as my last chance," Ana confessed.

Which was true. Since she got the letter and Sarah brought it, Ana hadn't stopped thinking it might be her only option. Maybe Spencer's offer was some kind of sign about what she needed to do.

"I'm not the best person advising on this matter, so I'll just say my offer still stands," the man pointed. Ana's eyes widened.

"What? Even after I mistreated you for suggesting it?"

Spencer nodded.

"Yes. Because it was reasonable for you to do it, and I think even so, we deserve a chance to get what we both want," Spencer said.

'What we both want.' Ana knew Spencer had a point. It was something beneficial for both of them. Besides, the guy didn't look like a bad person, if not someone as desperate as her. The more she thought about it, the less absurd it seemed.

"You really think this would work? For both of us?"

Ana no longer felt defensive about the topic. Now she was looking for the confirmation she needed to make a final decision instead.

"Yes. You need it. I need it. I can help you, and you can help me. It's uh - an agreement between two grown-up people."

Although Spencer seemed like he was saying these words to convince Ana, in the end, he was telling them to convince himself of his own offer.

"Yeah. An agreement between two grown-up people," she repeated. Spencer could see the gears running inside her head. It was a giant leap, but Ana told herself not back down this time.

"Alright. This being so, then I will do it. I'll marry you so you can get the spot for your mom, and I can get my green card."

Ana held out her hand to seal the deal. Spencer nodded, smiling, and reached to shake her hand.

The pact was sealed.

Both Spencer and Ana should have been relieved after the agreement. And they were, in part. But this could be more complicated than they expected it to be. They hoped not, though.

------------------

Previous chapter < > Next chapter

------------------

Spencer Reid's Taglist: @dreatine @nomajdetective @jayyeahthatsme @rosalinasam2 @averyhotchner @tvandfanfic @lovelyxtom @princessmiaelicia @pastelbabygirl19 @reidsbookclub @alexxavicry @gspenc @spencerreidisbae123 @calmspencer @pauline5525mgg @disaster-in-waiting @anamiad00msday @milivanili99 @laylasbunbunny @leahblackk @miaxx03 @missabsey

#spencer reid #criminal minds #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid angst #dr. spencer reid #spencer reid fluff #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid smut #spencer reid series #green card #the arrangement #spencer reid x original female character #spencer reid x oc

62 notes · View notes

aperrywilliams · 10 months

Text

Green Card - Ch7: It’s for Our Own Good (Spencer Reid x Fem!OC)

Author Masterlist / Series Masterlist

Previous chapter < > Next chapter

——————

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!OC (Ana María González)

Chapter summary: The tension between Spencer and Ana is stronger as the weeks pass, but they know nothing should happen if they don’t want to get hurt. But maybe it’s too late for that now.

Word Count: 7.1k

CW: Strong words. Discussion about Diana’s illness. Spencer is slapped across the face almost twice. Mention of cheating. Conflicted Spencer. Drunk Spencer. Let me know if I forgot something.

A/N: I would slap Spencer across the face too.

——————

"So we were trapped in the elevator. It wasn't a surprise I was hyperventilating, but Morgan freaking out and calling Hotch? That was new. A moment later, the doors opened, and Hotch looked at us sternly. We tried to play cool, obviously failing," Spencer finished his story while Ana couldn't stop laughing. They were walking down the street with an ice cream each one. After breakfast in the new coffee bookstore Spencer found, they spent time looking for books, and now they were on a nice walk in the park near Spencer's building.

"Do you miss them?" Ana questioned after the laughter subsided. Spencer nodded.

"Yeah. I mean, I fully understand why they left, but yeah, I miss them," Spencer confessed before focusing again on his chocolate ice cream.

"I get it. You're all very close in your team from what I noticed," Ana commented, having some trouble with the vanilla-choco-chips ice cream dripping from the cone.

"We are. Well, I have known some of them for a long time, and we spend a lot of time together," Spencer added, chuckling when he saw Ana struggling with her treat. He fished a handkerchief from his pocket to help her. Ana blushed when she noticed Spencer reaching out with the fabric.

"Shit. I must look like a child learning to eat," she complained. Spencer chuckled.

"The important thing is you are enjoying it. What matters if there is an ice cream stain or two?" Ana chuckled, taking the handkerchief.

"Thank you," Ana could stop the dripping and prevent a disaster on her clothes. "And thanks for suggesting this walk too. It has been fun."

Spencer smiled, his heart proudly swelling at her admission.

Damn! Why did he feel like a teenager?

"Yeah. Sometimes I have good ideas," he teased, looking ahead and spotting a bench where they could sit.

They sat and focused on their respective treats while chatting about what type of candies they liked as children. At some point, they went silent, and Spencer noticed the pensive attitude in Ana.

"Are you okay?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. Ana hummed, contemplating what to say next.

"I don't know if it is the best way to put it, but- how often have you felt that life gives you a break from the awful things, and well, you feel happy and optimistic even though the world seems to be on fire around you?"

Spencer tilted his head to look at her, thinking about her question. Funny, he had wondered about that more than once in the past.

"Not often enough, I guess," he conceded. Ana's eyes filled with empathy. Of course, a guy with a job like Spencer's sees the world in flames daily. It's tough. "But- you know? Moments like this one are a good way to remind me that those good days exist. Needless to say, I have had a good amount of those with you in the past months," he finished with a warm smile. Was that too daring? From the blush on Ana's face, Spencer thought maybe it was. But he wasn't lying.

"Come on; you're only telling me that because I'm your wife," she joked to lighten the mood. Spencer laughed.

"Well, you are. But I'm being serious when I tell you the great woman I think you are. And I think you deserve more of those days, too," Spencer confessed, earnestly looking at her.

"Thank you. And since we are in confession mode," Ana prefaced, chuckling. "I think you are an amazing person, Spencer. And I'm glad I met you. Really," she patted his knee appreciatively.

"I'm glad too," he continued. "And happy." The last part was a slip. It wasn't meant to be said at loud, but Spencer couldn't help it. As the words left his mouth, Ana locked eyes with him. What meant 'happy'?

At that moment, something in the air changed. It was like any thought disappeared. They kept staring at each other, feeling a strange force bringing them closer and closer. Spencer's eyes darted briefly to Ana's lips, but enough time for her to notice. Ana could have died there.

Did he want to kiss her? Did he want to do it as much as she wanted?

She thought she was imagining things when Spencer subtly started to lean in. Words left her in any capacity, and the only thing she could do was mimic him. They were halfway there, feeling their breath fanning their faces. When they were about to close their eyes to savor the prohibited fruit, Spencer's phone chimed. Both jumped back immediately. Seeing Spencer didn't react and the phone still rang, Ana prompted.

"Uh. May you want to answer that," she said, shifting back on the bench and breaking eye contact with Spencer. Still dazed, Spencer cleared his throat and fished his phone from his pant pocket. He saw who was calling, and his eyes widened.

Heaven and Hell conspiring: It was Maeve.

"Maeve, hey," he answered, still looking at Ana, who nervously glanced at him and quickly averted her gaze. Why did she feel like she had been caught doing something terrible? Maybe because she was about to kiss that woman's boyfriend.

It was a short call. And Spencer mostly uttered monosyllables. But from what Ana could deduce, Maeve was in town, and they agreed to meet in an hour.

Spencer cleared his throat. He didn't know what to say or if it was prudent to address what almost happened, so he played the oblivious card.

"I think we should come back to the apartment," he mumbled. It wasn't far from there, but Ana didn't want to prolong the awkwardness, so she decided to part ways.

"You can go. I want to buy some things at the store there if you don't mind," Ana said, pointing to the opposite park corner.

"Oh. I can go with you if you want," Spencer offered. Even if he felt the tension between them, he felt bad leaving her there alone.

"No. Please. You should go. Maeve must be waiting for you."

Why did those words sound so bitterly rolling off her tongue?

Spencer didn't push and nodded.

"Okay. See you later?"

"Sure."

But they did not see each other later. When Ana came back to the apartment, Spencer was gone, and he didn't return that night or the next day.

She didn't want to give it too much thought, but her stomach knotted, just thinking this woman didn't deserve a man like Spencer.

Why not? Even if Ana didn't know her, from everything Spencer had told her and seeing how their relationship worked, she concluded Maeve wasn't giving Spencer the worth he deserved. And that made Ana mad.

Sarah questioned her about it when Ana told her about what almost happened that day in the park.

"You don't know what ensues between them behind closed doors," Sarah reasoned, making Ana scoff while washing some dishes in the coffee shop kitchen.

"Oh, bet your ass that I know. She only calls when she's in town. And the poor guy must sprint to see her. He has never mentioned a date that was not a dinner or a drink in her hotel bar," Ana recounted.

"So you think they only fuck, and that's it?"

"I don't think they do much more than that, honestly," Ana confirmed, grabbing the remained dishes to wash.

"And that bothers you?" Sarah asked as she clutched the dishes from the rack to dry them with a towel.

"Of course! I mean, what kind of relationship is that?" Ana turned off the tap and took another towel to dry her hands.

"Maybe he likes it that way. What's wrong with it?"

"In principle, nothing. It's just I think he deserves more than that."

Sarah chuckled, shooking her head in amusement.

"What?"

"I'm trying to figure out if you are jealous only because she knows what it is to fuck the guy or you're jealous because you're falling hard for him."

"What?! No! Is non of that! I mean, he can do whatever he pleases," Ana hastened to declare defensively, earning a scoff from Sarah.

"Sure. Come on, Ana. Just admit you want the guy."

Ana rolled her eyes. She knew Sarah was right, though.

"What difference does it make? Nothing will ever happen between us. It's just a friendly business arrangement. I will get my green card, and everything will be over."

"Yeah, girl, keep telling yourself that," Sarah sneered, giving her a knowing look.

Ana indeed did that. She kept repeating to herself it was pointless to think something could happen between Spencer and her.

Not Spencer nor Ana mentioned that day in the park the next time they saw each other. And things stayed more or less the same, even though you could feel the tension between them.

Using all the tools he'd learned as a profiler, Spencer managed to mask his internal battle over his feelings about Ana pretty well. Was he supposed to do something about it?

As usual, Spencer just let things take their course without further intervention.

Maeve stayed in DC longer this time, so Spencer wasn't very present in his apartment: if he wasn't on a case, he was with Maeve. So he was slowly convincing himself that this was how his life should go. Thinking something else could change things was useless, so he tried to keep his distance from Ana.

That didn't stop his mind from wandering to her as he stared out the jet window or at the ceiling at night before sleeping. But as soon as he realized what he was doing, he forced himself to think of something else.

Spencer was doing that again when his phone went off, sitting at his desk in the BAU. It was Fogarty. Had something happened?

When Fogarty spoke on the other end of the line, he told him Diana was refusing to take the medication the treatment indicated. No one could reason with her, so it would be a good idea if he could come and talk to her.

Spencer rushed to the sanatorium to see his mom. Diana was sitting in one of the armchairs in the common room, looking at the patio through a large window. Spencer moved closer to her until he was in her line of sight.

"Mom," he called her attention. Diana looked up, and her look steeled. It wasn't a usual occurrence, so Spencer knew she was pissed off. "Mom, please, talk to me."

Without saying a word, Diana stood to come face to face with her son. Her gaze continued hard with a glimmer of betrayal. Without warning, she lifted her hand and slapped Spencer across the face, a slap that resounded throughout the room, earning curious looks from the people there.

Still with his head tilted to the side, Spencer began to rub the cheek that took the impact. Embarrassment and confusion filled his features. When he finally turned to face her, Diana's anger began to spill out through her words.

"You lied to me! You betrayed me! You never told me I would be a guinea pig in this awful place!" She yelled.

"Mom, please. Can we talk about this outside?" Spencer tried to convince her. They were making a scene for anyone to see.

"Why? You don't want people to know how a bad son are you? Someone capable of lying to his own mother?" Diana scoffed, folding her arms over her chest defensively.

"I didn't lie to you. I told you this place would give you a different treatment," Spencer clarified, although it seemed a poor excuse at this point.

"But you forgot to mention it was an 'experimental' one, didn't you?"

Spencer bit his cheek from the inside. Diana was right; that was the part he omitted from his explanation when they discussed moving from her old sanatorium.

"Would you have accepted if I had told you?" Spencer asked instead of keep defending himself.

"So you admit you didn't tell me. That's precisely lying, Spencer! I wouldn't mind if it were something else. But it's my life! You don't get to decide what I have to do with my own life. Did you hear me? Jeez! You're so selfish! You only think about what you want. Have you stopped to ask me what I want? This is my illness and my life. Not yours."

And with that, Diana stomped out of the room toward the gardens outside. Spencer called for her, but she didn't answer or turn to see him.

Spencer stood there, not knowing if it was a good idea to follow his mom and try to talk to her. She was already distraught. He settled with going to Fogarty's office and discussing what they could do from here. Was it against Diana's wishes? Yes. But Spencer only wanted to do the best for her. At least, it was what he convinced himself he was doing.

Fogarty was very understanding and told Spencer they could go easy with Diana for now. Still, she needed to agree to the treatment if they wanted this to work.

Diana barely looked at him when he went to say goodbye to her. Though his heart broke when Diana said nothing to him, he leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"Bye, mom. I'll come back soon, okay?"

Still no response.

After that, Spencer sighed and finally left the sanatorium.

He felt lost, baffled, and sad. Very very sad. On his way out, he got in a cab, and his first instinct was to fish his phone and dial Maeve's number. The phone rang and rang.

"Answer, please. I need you," Spencer muttered into the receiver. But Maeve never picked up. "Fuck!"

He texted her several messages telling her what happened, but as he arrived at his building, he yet didn't get a reply.

It wasn't even five in the afternoon when Ana heard the jingle of keys in the lock. She got there not long before and was scanning the fridge for things she could use for dinner.

Poking her head to look at the entrance, she saw Spencer, head down, peeling his jacket and hanging it on the rack.

Ana noticed the ring on his finger. Spencer wasn't coming from work or from seeing Maeve. He was at the sanatorium. And for the way he looked, things didn't go okay.

"What happened? Something is wrong with your mom?"

Spencer didn't say anything; although he heard Ana's question, he was still mulling over Diana's words. Ana's gaze followed him until he plopped on the couch, exhaling sharply.

"Am I selfish?" Spencer asked. Ana didn't know if it was a rhetorical question, so she said nothing waiting for him to continue.

"She says I'm selfish for forcing her to do something she doesn't want. Isn't she the selfish one for resisting the treatment that could help her?"

Spencer racked his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Everything I've done has been to get her a spot on Fogarty's medical trial!"

As Spencer ranted, Ana noticed a forming bruise on his left cheek. Things got pretty bad with Diana, she could guess. Spencer's gaze followed Ana's line of sight to his face and saw the worry in her eyes.

"It's okay. She was upset. I'll be okay," he dismissed.

"Can I at least bring some ice for you?" Ana offered. Spencer nodded.

After returning with an ice pack and handing it to him, Ana sat beside him. Spencer put pressure on his cheek to ease the sting he still felt. Maybe it was just psychosomatic: the pain of replaying in his mind when Diana slapped him.

"Why she was so pissed anyway? Fogarty told her something bad?"

"I should have anticipated this. I mean, my mom is a clever woman. She would find out this was an experimental treatment and not a conventional one," Spencer mused. Ana raised an eyebrow.

"Wait a minute. Your mom didn't know about the medical trial until now? What did you tell her?"

Spencer's cheeks turned pink at the question. Why did what he was doing sound so wrong coming from people's mouths?

"I - uh. I knew my mom would have said no if I had told her everything. And I didn't want to overwhelm her, and I wanted her to get the best treatment possible. So I thought- well. I thought it was better like that."

As the words left his lips, Spencer realized he had crossed a line he shouldn't have.

"I fucked up, didn't I?"

"Do you really want to know my opinion?" Ana cautioned. She knew Spencer was vulnerable right now, so she didn't want to overstep. Spencer nodded. "Well, think about how she's feeling right now. I mean, she realized why she was there, and you didn't ask her if she wanted to do it. I think the trust issues are understandable."

"I just want to help her to get better. I'm doing this for her," Spencer defended as he did in the sanatorium.

"I think you need to tell her that. Maybe she thinks you're selfish because you want to decide how you want her to be. Maybe she thinks you're not accepting her like she is, and she truly believes that things- well, things won't change no matter what you do."

Ana tried to be as gentle as possible. She knew it wasn't something Spencer wanted to hear. He had to clear his throat before speaking because of the lump formed there.

"So, do I need to give up? Do I need to accept I lost my mom forever?" He cracked. The thought hurt him beyond belief.

"Don't say that as if she wasn't here anymore. You still have time. Why don't you use that time to see her happy and be happy with her? In her terms?"

Spencer's head hung low, trying to mask the tears falling down his cheeks. Ana rested one hand on his knee in a comforting mode. "I know it's not me going through this now, but as someone who had lost her mom, I only can tell you I would have liked to spend much time with her more than fighting against the fact I was going to lose her sooner than later."

Spencer's eyes traveled up until meeting Ana's. She had hers glassy with unshed tears.

"I don't want to lose her. I can't. I can't even imagine my life without my mom," he confessed before bursting into tears. Ana scooted closer and wrapped his arms around him. Spencer hid his head in the crook of her neck and cried.

"I know. And I know you are doing everything you can to help your mom. Hell, you even married a stranger for her," Ana spoke, stroking Spencer's back soothingly. "You need to talk to her, though. Tell her how you're feeling so she can understand and tell you what she really wants."

Spencer thought about that. In the last few months, he had been so committed to getting Diana on Fogarty's program that he hadn't stopped to wonder if Diana would eventually agree. In Spencer's eyes, the most logical thing was trying everything to make his mom better. But was this path the one she wanted? Since Diana changed sanatorium, Spencer hadn't seen her very often, and he even stopped writing to her in the way he had been doing. He didn't know how she was feeling.

To cheer him up a bit, Ana prepared a dinner she knew Spencer would like. He thanked her endlessly as he emptied the plate. Spencer hadn't realized how hungry he was. Spencer's cell phone dinged when they were having coffee after dinner, announcing he had a message. Spencer took it out of his pocket to check it. It was a text from Maeve.

"I can't talk right now. I'll call you as soon as I can."

Spencer rolled his eyes and tucked the device in his pocket again. Ana frowned at the action.

"Something happened?" She probed, trying to decipher Spencer's expression.

"Nothing that could be worth that much," he bluntly replied, changing the subject. "You know, I'll talk to my mom. You're right. I've been only guessing what is the best for her, and maybe she's right. I've only been thinking about what's best for me."

And that was what he did. Spencer asked Emily for some days off to sort things with Diana. Without question, Emily granted him that.

Knowing how difficult it was for him to talk about his feelings, before going to visit her, he wrote her a long letter explaining his apprehensions and why he had not wanted to tell her about the experimental treatment. Spencer wrote to her about how sorry he was and wanted to apologize in person but asked her to read his entire letter first.

He made Fogarty hand her the letter and waited outside the room for Diana to read it. When he finally walked in to see her, Diana had tears in her eyes. She got up from her seat, and without a word, she hugged Spencer tight. Spencer let his tears run free as he clung to his mom.

"I don't like to be mad at you, honey. And I'm sorry for slapping you," Diana apologized as she stroked his hair.

"You don't have anything to apologize for. It's me who needs to apologize. I should have talked to you about this. Please, I need to know what you're feeling. I don't want to assume something that's not what you want."

They talked their hearts out that afternoon. They agreed to take the treatment slow. Spencer offered to call it off, but Diana opposed it. She wanted to try it but asked Spencer not to get his hopes up; she preferred to spend more time with him than walking from doctor to doctor to try new things.

A nurse brought them a teapot and two cups. Diana liked to drink some tea at these hours. Diana's eyes posed on the ring on his finger as she served his son a cup.

"And how is my daughter-in-law?" she asked amused. Spencer rolled his eyes. "I know; you told me about your job, and there was a 'thing' you both needed to do. But you know I'm not stupid, Spencer. I only hope you know what you are doing."

Spencer could have told her the truth, but it was already too much information, and Diana might feel bad about the real reason for his marriage to Ana.

"Yeah. I know it sounds weird, but everything is fine."

Is it, though?

Diana hummed, narrowing her eyes.

"What?" Spencer asked, knowing something was on the tip of her tongue.

"You like her." Spencer wanted to refute, but Diana stopped him. "And don't tell me it's not like that. Before I moved here, your letters only talked about that girl Maeve. You haven't mentioned her again in months."

"It doesn't mean that-"

Again, Diana cut him off.

"Maybe not, but I can feel something. Call it mother intuition or whatever, but I can see it in your eyes. And I will only tell you one thing: stop thinking about everything. Start feeling and acting on it. In matters of the heart, you need to follow what makes you happy even if it could not seem what it's supposed to happen."

Spencer was still amazed at how well his mom could read him. He wouldn't admit it, but in his internal debate, he knew he had to do something about his love status. On one side was Maeve and this increasingly one-sided relationship. Even so, Spencer still thought there was something salvageable after a year of dating. On the other hand, there was Ana, who, in a few months, had gained his heart and become someone significant to him. But that scared him. Spencer hated being abandoned, and knowing Ana would eventually leave his life made him step back. At least Maeve still sticks around. In a very unusual way, but she does.

Spencer decided to take a course of action similar to the one he took with his mom: talk to Marve and tell her what he was feeling and ask her what she wanted for real.

So one afternoon, when Maeve called him saying she was in DC, he asked her to meet the next day so they could talk.

Spencer waited for Maeve in the bar they used to go to. Time passed, and she still hadn't arrived. Spencer checked his phone and called her several times, leaving voicemails and texts. When Maeve finally called back, she apologized, saying she couldn't make it. She had an awful headache and couldn’t grab her phone until now. Spencer offered to check on her, but she dismissed him, telling him she only needed to rest.

The Spencer of a few weeks ago would have stuck with that explanation and gone home, but he was already tired of this coming and going, and he needed Maeve to understand how difficult it was for him to continue like this. That's why he left the bar and took a taxi toward her hotel. Spencer wasn't going to go home without talking to Maeve first.

Once he got there, he hesitated if it was a good idea. In his guts, he felt like he would regret pushing Maeve to talk to him. But before he could turn and leave, he was greeted by the hotel front desk man.

“Dr. Reid. Nice to see you. Are you here to see Dr. Donovan, right?”

“Hi, Oscar. Yes, I’m here to see Maeve.”

“Give me a second; I’ll announce you,” Oscar said, about to take the phone and call upstairs.

“Actually, if you don’t mind, I want to surprise her. You know, I got her a gift, and I would like it to be a surprise.” Spencer didn't know why he lied about it, but he didn't want to risk Maeve denying him entrance. Oscar seemed to buy the story. Smiling, he granted Spencer access to the elevators.

“Oh! Of course, you know where to find her.”

Spencer walked to the elevator and pushed the 7th-floor button. Once there, he walked through the corridor he knew so well. They stumbled there many times as Spencer passionately kissed Maeve doing the path to her room.

He stopped in front of room 706. Sighing, he was about to knock when he heard laughs from the inside. Spencer frowned. It wasn’t only Maeve’s. He could swear he heard a male voice as well.

Spencer knocked. And just a few seconds later, a half-naked muscular man opened the door.

“Yeah? You are not from the room service, are you?”

Spencer didn’t know what to say; he only stood there looking dumbfounded and trying to understand what was happening. “Mate? Are you okay?” The man asked, seeing Spencer going pale.

“Maeve is here?” Spencer asked, just above a whisper.

“Oh. Wait a minute,” the man turned and went inside. Spencer heard as he called. “Babe! Someone is here asking for you.”

Maeve quickly appeared at the door, a silk robe covering her frame. Her eyes widened when she saw Spencer standing there.

“Spencer. What - what are you doing here?”

“Now I’m asking myself the same,” he mumbled, eyes filling with tears. “I didn’t know your headache had such a muscular appearance.”

“Spencer. We can talk about this -” She tried to reach his arm, but Spencer stepped back.

“Don’t. I don't think there is something to talk about. I - uh. Well, now I get why you are so busy all the time. But don't worry; I won’t bother you again.”

Before Maeve could say anything, Spencer turned and walked down the hall toward the stairs. He didn't want to wait for the elevator. Maeve’s voice calling for him wasn’t enough to slow his pace.

Spencer felt so stupid. How did he not see it before? He’s a damn profiler, for fuck’s sake. Why did it hurt so much? Spencer already knew he wasn’t that important to her. Maybe it was a part of his heart that loved her and a part of his ego plummeting from that 7th-floor.

Ana got home after a draining shift that afternoon. Logan had been a pain in the ass all day, and the patrons got more demanding than ever. Collin was sick, and Ana had to cover her alone until Sarah came to help after lunch.

Spencer wasn't in the apartment, so she suspected he had a case or was with Maeve.

She had a quick meal and made a beeline to her bed. In her mind, one thing: sleep until next week. So it didn't take long until she dozed off.

When her phone went off, Ana didn't know if she had just fallen asleep or hours had passed. Without opening her eyes, she stretched out one arm to reach for the device on her nightstand.

"Hello?"

Sobbing was heard on the other end of the line. That alerted Ana and caused her to open her eyes and check the caller ID.

On the call: Spencer Reid.

"Spencer? Is that you?"

Another fit of sobbings filled Ana's ears. Sensing something was wrong, she sat on the bed, totally awake.

"I'm broke. Nobody loves me," Spencer hiccuped, slurring his voice into the receiver.

"Where are you?" Ana asked, but Spencer sounded too drunk to answer that.

"I - I don't know. A bar?"

Ana heard the noise behind Spencer's voice, and it might as well be a bar, but where?

"Are you alone? I need to know where you are," Ana demanded, trying to get Spencer's drunk attention.

"I shouldn't be. I was supposed to meet with Maeve," he said before sniffling again.

"Where is she?"

"Not here. She didn’t show up," Spencer slurred. "And now I know why. Did you know she was sleeping with a man who wasn’t me? What a bitch!” He high-pitched blurted.

‘Por la puta madre, lo único que me faltaba (Fuck! This is all I needed right now,)’ Ana thought, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Spencer. Listen to me. Don't move from there. I'm coming to get you, okay?"

Ana put on some clothes as fast as she could, grabbing her keys and purse. She took the first cab she found in the direction where she suspected Spencer was.

Her hunch proved true. When Ana entered the place, she looked directly at the bar. Spencer was sitting on a stool, head resting on the counter, looking at the glass of whiskey he nursed in one hand.

Gently she put a hand over his shoulder. Spencer turned to see her. His eyes filled with tears, and trying to sit straight, he only got to shove his arms around Ana's shoulders, hiding his face in the crook of her neck.

"You came," he slurred. It was like the best thing that had happened to him. It took Ana a moment to register she had Spencer clinging to her like dead weight.

"Yeah. I couldn't leave you alone right now," she confirmed, rubbing Spencer's back. "Come on, let's go home."

Ana had dealt with drunk people more than once in her life, but drunk Spencer Reid was something else entirely. In addition to trying to say goodbye to everyone who saw him go by on his way out of the bar, he didn't stop talking in the cab. Ana learned about the probabilities of risk of alcohol poisoning considering at least a dozen combinations Spencer assured to report. She also learned about the five most efficient car routes from the bar to his apartment and how synchronizing the traffic lights saved at least 5.2 minutes of commuting time.

But without a doubt, the worst part was trying to get him out of the taxi and up to the apartment. Spencer didn't want to use the elevator, and Ana had to help him up the stairs, keeping him from falling every time he stumbled on a step.

After such a procession, they reached their floor, and Ana immediately led him into the apartment and to his room. She managed to leave him sitting on the bed while she looked for clothes he could wear to sleep. As Ana fumbled into the drawers, she didn't notice Spencer looking at her.

"You're so beautiful," he garbled. Ana rolled her eyes, grabbing a pajama and turning to help him.

"Not with the flattery now, Spencer."

"You're gorgeous. How is it you can't see that?" His high-pitched voice was enough evidence of his inebriated state.

"Yeah, whatever," she mumbled, kneeling to help him to rid of his shoes.

"I mean it! You are the most beautiful girl I have met in my life."

What was that? The guy just got his heart broken, and he's trying to flirt right now? Ana was confused but mostly pissed off.

"We're not discussing this right now. Come on, put that on." She pointed to the pajama on the mattress, standing up and ready to leave him there.

"No! Don't go! Please. I'll shut up. But please, sit by my side for a while."

And there they were: those puppy eyes melting away any resolution Ana had.

"Spencer, you need to lay down and sleep," she used a more gentle voice this time, sitting by his side and rubbing his back.

“I don't want to sleep. I need a drink,” Spencer demanded with a pout. Circumstances aside, Ana found it cute.

“No, you don't. You had many tonight. Believe me, you’ll regret it in the morning.”

Spencer breathed a laugh.

“You know what I do regret? Wasting my time with her. I should have known, you know? She is not even half of the woman that you are.”

Why is he comparing Maeve with her? Ana didn't want to be in between this.

“You’re sad and pissed. I get it. But you need to think about this when you won’t be drunk, okay?”

Spencer scoffed, waving a hand in the air.

“Do you think I didn't before? Ana, I - I have been thinking about this plenty in the past months.”

Ana narrowed her eyes.

What did that suppose to mean?

Here is the thing. Spencer barely drinks, but when he does, any filter to his words is long forgotten, like now. He’s telling everything he has on his mind, even if it doesn't make sense.

To prove his point, Spencer continued talking.

"You don't believe me? Look at you! You're great. Beautiful, kind, funny, and so so so sexy. God, I want to kiss you right now. Hell, what am I saying? I have been thinking about kissing you for weeks!”

Ana couldn't believe what she was hearing. But she knew she couldn't give any credibility to that. There were just drunk words.

"Spencer, stop. You don't mean anything of that. You're way too drunk."

The man shook his head eagerly but had to stop because he dizzied himself.

"Maybe I’m too drunk. But did you know 85% of Americans think drunk people tell the truth, and it's not a myth? I personally believe it's very accurate.”

"Of course, you have statistics for that," Ana scoffed, averting her gaze to the floor.

"Ana, hey. Please, look at me,” Spencer requested, softly resting his palm on her cheek. When her eyes traveled up and found Spencer’s, her heart skipped a beat. Although the alcohol was running through his veins, his gaze was intense on her as he wanted to say the things his mouth still couldn't.

"Spencer-"

Ana was about to say anything to break the spell but couldn't think of anything but how good his touch felt on her cheek.

“I don't know why I have been dragging this until now. I don’t know why I cry for her when it’s you who I want.”

Ana didn't know when the distance between them shorted that way, but the booze in Spencer's mouth should have been a warning. Ana knew everything Spencer was saying wasn't true. His mind was confused, and he was vulnerable. She should have backed off. It was the right thing to do, but

Spencer's lips were so close now. He said he wanted to kiss her. And he was leaning to do that. Why deny the urge? Suppressing any warning, Ana closed her eyes as her lips met his.

Is this how it feels? Ana could swear she went to heaven and came back. Sure, it wasn't how she imagined this moment, but perfection wasn't given by the moment but by how she could feel her heart pounding while Spencer kissed her.

Even though their senses were somewhat clouded: Spencer's from the alcohol and Ana's from the astonishment of what was happening, their lips moved in unison in a long, sweet kiss.

When they pulled away, Ana inspected Spencer’s face and found a lovesick smile.

And so the anxiety returned to Ana. It was wrong. It felt so right, but it was wrong.

"Spencer. You need to sleep," she insisted. Spencer wouldn't stop smiling, but his eyes began to close on their own.

"I don’t want," he tried to fight as Ana helped him lie down. Without much resistance, she tucked him with the comforter before he fell into a deep sleep.

Once in her room, Ana let herself freak out.

What was it that had just happened?

Of course, she had imagined more than once Spencer might reciprocate her affections in some capacity, but she never thought she would hear it coming from his mouth in that way.

But as much as she was excited by what had just happened, she didn't want to give herself false hope. Ana has never believed in fairy tales, and this time was no different, even though her heart swelled at the memory of how Spencer's lips felt on hers.

Ana fell asleep thinking about the awkward conversation she would have with Spencer in the morning.

The following day brought a not-pleasant wake-up for Spencer. The light peeking through the curtains felt like stakes on his eyelids, and the headache became increasingly torturous as he gained consciousness.

The worst part was he barely knew how he ended up in his bed. Spencer noticed he had on the same clothes he wore the previous day, as a clean pajama sat at the foot of the bed.

He tried to assemble the puzzle from the night before, but it all came in flashes without much detail. The bar, the call to Ana, and from there, a couple of images going up the stairs and sitting on the bed.

Shame filled him when he realized the state in which Ana had seen him. An apology would not be enough for the hard time he had surely put her through.

He went straight to shower and then changed his clothes. Now with a white shirt and sweatpants, he padded to the kitchen and saw Ana eating a toast and drinking coffee.

"Hey," Spencer mumbled, embarrassed. Ana looked up to see him and could guess the heavy hangover he was experiencing.

"There." She pointed him to a glass of water and some Advil on the counter. Ana thought Spencer needed to feel a little bit better if they were to have this conversation.

The water and Avil were followed for a black coffee and a few toasts.

Silence took over the room. Ana didn't want to be the first to speak, and Spencer felt too ashamed of the sad spectacle of his drunk self. But he needed to apologize correctly, and for that, he had to know how much of a pain in the ass he was last night.

Clearing his throat, he called Ana’s attention.

"I am terrified and too mortified to ask, but I need to know to apologize for whatever stupidity I said or did. What happened last night?"

Shit. Was he wanted her to say it? Ana's mind started to spiral, but she needed to be cautious.

"What? You don't remember anything of what happened?"

Could it be that possible?

"I mean, yeah—a little. After seeing Maeve with another man, I left the hotel and went to the bar. I asked for a whisky first and then another one. I got drunk and called you. You showed up, and then everything is a blur. I remember the stairs and you helping me to sit in bed. I was talking, but I don't know much of what I said,” Spencer admitted, cheeks pink for the mortification.

Ana’s mouth was agape.

He doesn't remember. Unbelievable.

Or maybe he was playing ignorant. Ana didn't know. But whatever it was, it broke her heart. Last night, for a moment, she thought Spencer was being honest and that the kiss they shared had a real meaning for him. And now he doesn't remember anything.

What a stupid girl you are, Ana María González.

"Yeah. I went to pick you up, and I brought you home," she summed up. Spencer's eyes filled with regret.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"What? To get drunk or calling me?" Ana asked defensively. Spencer noticed and assumed she was pissed about her hard time caring for a drunk.

"Both?"

"It's okay; you needed a safe way to come back."

It was the real thing, Ana thought. Spencer needed help to get home. Everything that followed was a bad joke.

"Even so, I had no right to put that on you. I hope I didn't cause you too much trouble last night or make you too much uncomfortable. Although I'm sure you were already uncomfortable seeing me like this. I'm sorry."

Ana internally scoffed. 'Dude, do you really have no idea?'

"Stop apologizing, Spencer. I wanted to help. It's not a big deal,” she dismissed, suddenly finding deep interest in her empty mug.

"Did I tell you something else about what happened?"

Yes. More than you can imagine.

"Not much. Maeve and the man in her room, no more than that,” she lied.

"You were right. Maeve has been only using me. I should have ended it."

"But you love her," Ana concluded as her brain replayed his words: ‘I don’t know why I cry for her when it’s you who I want.’

"I - uh. I guess so."

Ana thought this conversation would take any direction but this one. What a waste of time. She felt terrible for nurturing the hope of something between them. Now it was clear it was an irrational hope.

She could understand him, though. Spencer was struggling with his relationship, and she was only his friend. She only needed to be understanding with him, nothing more and nothing less.

"You will figure it out. Give you some time, and you'll see things more clearly,” Ana advised, trying to sound as casual as possible. But inside, she only wanted to slap him across the face.

Fucking Spencer Reid.

——————

#spencer reid #spencer reid fanfiction #criminal minds #spencer reid angst #dr. spencer reid #spencer reid fluff #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid smut #spencer reid x original female character #spencer reid x oc #spencer reid x latina!oc #spencer reid series #green card

34 notes · View notes