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frauleinsmaria · 6 years

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Chance Encounters

Based on the prompt “I don’t know who you are but we keep running into each other on the street and getting into screaming arguments over the stupidest things and I’m actually looking forward to our next meeting bc you’re annoying as hell but damn you’re hot and it’s kind of fun to argue with you”

Written for my match for the Captain Swan Spring Fic Formal. Surprise @welllpthisishappening! Laura, I’ve had so much fun interacting with you over the past few weeks- although it’s been hard to make sure I didn’t reveal myself talking to you elsewhere 😂 You’re such a wonderful presence in this fandom and I’m so glad I got to be paired with you. I know you like both friends and enemies to lovers and lots of banter, so I hope you enjoy reading this lil fic as much as I enjoyed writing it <3

Also thanks @distant-rose and @awkwardnessandbaseball for getting the @csficformal together! It’s been a blast

Also on AO3

It’s certainly not how he expects his Monday morning to start.

It shouldn’t surprise him though, considering the direction his day is already heading in from the moment he wakes up. A power outage in his apartment building the night before causes his alarm clock to reset, meaning he wakes up less than half an hour before he’s supposed to leave for work. He cuts himself shaving thanks to being in a hurry and hopes no one will notice the nick on his chin. He goes to make his regular cup of coffee after getting dressed and realizes he ran out of coffee beans over the weekend and forgot to buy more.

His last resort is leaving everything else he needs to do as is so he has time to stop by the coffee shop on his way to the office. Of course it’s not his biggest priority, but he’s already heard about the workload Regina has waiting for him today and knows he won’t be able to deal with it properly without some kind of caffeine.

Thankfully, the line this morning is short, and he’s able to order his drink and be on his way quickly. But it’s just his luck that his phone vibrates with a text from Liam as he’s turning to head out the door, and he’s reading it when he collides with a wall and spills coffee on the front of his white shirt.

“Damn it!”

Whoops, not a wall. A woman, and a very angry one at that, judging by the expression on her face and the similar coffee stain she now sports on her own grey blouse.

Killian shakes his head as the shock wears off and takes in the death stare he’s receiving from the blonde in front of him. She’s holding a drink in her hand as well, but most of it still seems to be in the cup rather than on their clothes like his. “I’m terribly sorry, love. I should have been paying more attention to what I was doing.”

“Yeah, you should have,” she snaps, pulling a napkin out of her purse and attempting to clean up the mess she’s wearing.

There’s a snarky comment on the tip of his tongue, but he manages to hold back and tries to think of a way to be the bigger person here.

“Love, if there’s anything I can do-”

“The best thing you can do right now is to leave me alone so I can go before I’m later for work than I already am. And I’m not your love.”

Any desire he has to be polite is out the window as the the events of the morning all catch up to him. “With that attitude, I’m bloody glad you aren’t!”

“So am I!” She turns on her heel and leaves the coffee shop before he has a chance to say anything else.

By some stroke of luck, he’s able to make it through the day without any other mishaps.

But he can’t explain why the thought of the annoying blonde from the coffee shop stays in his mind long afterwards.

-/-

It’s Thursday afternoon when Killian runs into her again- not literally this time, thank goodness. He’s on his lunch break, headed to the gym near his office when he sees her leaving the building as he’s walking up. She glances in his direction briefly when she sees him, doing a bit of a double take as she realizes where they’ve seen each other before.

“Afternoon, love.”

She makes a sour face. “I thought we established that I’m not your love,” she reminds him, using her fingers to draw air quotes around the word.

“Sorry, lo- lass,” he corrects himself. “Just a habit I suppose.” He blames it on Liam; their mother made quite the effort to ensure the two of them both had adequate manners, and he’d enforced the same ideals on Killian long after she passed.

But it’s clear by her unwavering expression that she doesn’t buy it. “Whatever.” It’s not unlike her reaction a few days earlier when he’d tried to apologize for the coffee incident.

As much as he wants to ignore her and go about with his day, something keeps him there. He’d be lying to himself if he said it wasn’t at least partly attraction; he hadn’t paid much attention to her in the coffee shop thanks to the circumstances, but now he can’t seem to focus on much besides blonde hair, green eyes, and the black and white outfit she’s clearly just finished a workout in judging by the way it sticks with sweat to her thin frame.

And yet, while he’ll willingly admit to finding her attractive, there’s something else- maybe it’s the attitude she’s developed toward him, or her unwavering stubbornness, he doesn’t know- that keeps him from letting things alone like he normally would. “Do you always act like this when someone tries to apologize or be nice to you?”

Killian watches as her jaw sets and sees he’s struck a cord, although he can’t say whether or not it was unintentional. “Do you always butt into other people’s business?”

“Regardless, it seems yours isn’t worth my time.” She rolls her eyes and walks away from him for the second time.

His annoyance with her is just the motivation he needs for his workout, but like the time before, his thoughts stay occupied with the woman he knows nothing about, aside from the fact that she must be some kind of a force to be reckoned with.

He can’t decide whether she intrigues or irritates him more.

-/-

The next Tuesday is when Killian becomes convinced that the universe hates him.

He’s walking to work, sans coffee after finally replenishing his stock at home, when he catches a familiar glimpse of blonde hair coming out of a store as its owner taps away at her phone. He doesn’t try to get her attention; she’s not exactly his biggest fan as it is, and bothering her for no reason certainly won’t change that.

It doesn’t matter how honorable his intentions are, though, since she notices him when she glances over her shoulder not a moment later. She stops in her tracks and he hears her groan as he’s walking up.

“Are you following me or something? Because I have a gun and-”

Killian holds a hand up to stop her. “Not to worry, lass.” (He’s remembered what not to call her this time.) “Believe it or not, it seems that you and I are yet again the victims of mere coincidence.”

“Seriously? Who talks like that?”

“A person who’s about as thrilled with our recent pattern of encounters as you are.”

“I’m not making you walk beside me to chat, you know! I think you and I both have better things to do.”

“Finally something we can agree on. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

He wastes no time leaving her behind and getting to work just as fast as he can. He’s annoyed yet again, something he’s convinced will be a common theme whenever he runs into her. But, bloody hell, he still can’t answer the question as to how and why she’s managed to get both under his skin and stuck in his mind so easily.

-/-

Killian goes a week without running into her after their last encounter on the street. He feels relieved considering how things between them are all but guaranteed them to go- or, at least, he thinks he does. It’s Liam that brings it to his attention when they’re at The Rabbit Hole sharing a drink after work.

“Looking for someone, are you?” his brother asks, seeing Killian’s eyes go to the bar’s entrance when the bell above the door chimes. A group of women arrive together, but he quickly loses interest in the redheads and brunettes.

He shakes his head as he takes a drink. “No. What makes you ask?”

Liam doesn’t look convinced. “Every time we’ve been out over the past few weeks, you seem to be waiting for someone else to show up. Not only that, but you’ve been examining every blonde within a mile’s radius, and I’d like to know just why.”

“You’re not going to leave me alone about this, are you?”

“Not a chance in hell.”

“Alright then.” Killian pauses as he tries to figure out how to explain his recent series of meetings to his brother. “To make a long story shorter: there’s this woman-”

“I knew it,” Liam mutters under his breath.

“There’s this woman,” he continues, ignoring him. “I haven’t the slightest idea who she is, but we keep running into each other and always end up having some petty argument before we part ways, only to see each other a few days later and do the same thing all over again.”

“Huh. And just what exactly are you and this lass always arguing over?”

“That’s just it; it’s usually just mindless bickering because I seem to annoy her as much as she does me.”

“Is she pretty?”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Just a question.”

Killian rolls his eyes, but mutters, “Aye. Very much so.”

A moment of silence passes as Liam taps at the side of his glass and processes everything Killian’s just told him. “Well, I wish I could think of something to say to help you out, but all I’ve got is that you’re making this situation much more difficult than it needs to be.”

“How?! It's not like I'm intentionally trying to run into her.”

“No, but it doesn't sound as if you're trying to avoid her, either,” Liam argues. “Just admit it, Killian: you like her.”

“I don't bloody know her well enough to like her!”

“Maybe you should get to know her then. What’s that saying, opposites attract? She could end up surprising you.”

Killian wants nothing more than to argue with his brother and insist his suggestion is ridiculous. But as much as it pains him to admit it, he's up for having another run in with her just to see if there’s a way to make it out without yelling or sarcastic remarks. He doesn't tell Liam all of this, only says, “Maybe I’ll think about it. Maybe.”

He can already tell from the smug look on Liam’s face that he's going to get an I told you so if things turn out in his favor.

-/-

It's only three days later when he thinks maybe the universe doesn't hate him after all.

He's only been at work for a little over an hour, things going relatively well for a Friday morning, when there's a knock on his office doo. He looks up from his seat behind the desk to see his boss in the doorway.

“Regina, something I can do?”

To Killian’s surprise, the brunette actually smiles at him. He can't tell if it's genuine or not, but it's a smile just the same. Those can be far and few between where Regina Mills is concerned.

“Yes. But first, there's someone I'd like for you to meet.” She steps to the side and Killian has to bite his tongue to keep from cursing. “This is Emma Swan. Miss Swan, this is Killian Jones, one of our top family law attorneys.”

Her eyes widen as she recognizes him, but she doesn't say anything other than a quick, “Nice to meet you” and shakes his hand when he stands and offers it to her.

“Killian, Miss Swan is here for Humbert’s Bail Bonds. She’s looking for some information regarding the Lewis case from a few weeks ago; I figured you would be the one she needed to see.”

She's not wrong, the file he'd used to hold the casework from a messy child support ordeal is still in the top drawer of his desk where he'd left it once the trial was over. “Yes, I'm sure I can help with whatever's necessary.”

“Good to know,” Regina answers. “I'm due for a meeting downstairs, so I'll leave you to it.” The blonde- Emma- thanks her as she walks away, leaving the two of them alone in his office.

“So, the Lewis case, eh? I hope that's an incident I don't have to repeat any time soon,” he says, going through the desk drawer and pulling out the file she needs. He gestures for her to sit down as she takes it from him.

“Yeah. I'm the one who tracked the husband down, and my boss apparently needs the rest of the case information to turn over to his boss for one reason or another.” Her eyes scan over the words on the pages before she pulls a small notebook out of her purse and begins to scribble notes on a blank page.

Killian waits for her to say something about their past meetings; some kind of sarcastic remark, at least. But to his surprise, her focus stays on her work for the ten or fifteen minutes she's there, occasionally asking a question or two about his work or making a comment about the weather. Either she wants to avoid a confrontation, or she actually doesn't recognize him. The second option seems unlikely, but still believable.

Emma hands him back the Lewis file once she's collected all the information she needs. “I appreciate your help.”

“It was my pleasure,” he answers, for once remembering not to refer to her as love.

“Oh, and Mr. Jones?” She stops at the door. “It was...surprisingly nice to have a conversation with you without any yelling.”

She's out the door and gone before the “bloody hell” has a chance to leave his lips.

-/-

It doesn’t take long for Killian to think that maybe the universe does in fact hate him after all, because having a name to go with the face only makes it that much harder to get Emma Swan out of his head.

They’re still all but strangers- knowing the other’s name and workplace doesn’t exactly count as having an acquaintance- but he had to admit that he could accept the idea of that changing. Seeing they were capable of having a pleasant conversation has him believing that it’s possible, if only barely so. He toys around with the idea of somehow trying to get more information about her from Regina, but that could likely end with both women angry at him, his boss for using her influence the wrong way and Emma for going out of his way to get to know her.

Things soon take another turn and make him wonder just what kind of ridiculous dream he's stuck in.

Liam talks him into going to his girlfriend’s sister’s birthday party the next Friday night. He doesn't want to go- socializing with a crowd of mostly strangers isn’t something he goes out of his way to do- but he likes Elsa, and Anna seemed like a nice girl from the few times they've met, so he agrees. He and Liam show up at Elsa’s apartment precisely at seven, a bottle of wine tucked under his brother’s arm.

It should be no surprise that Emma’s is the first face he sees after Elsa lets them in.

She’s standing in the hall talking to a brunette with a pixie cut, laughing at something the other woman has said when she notices him and pauses. They’ve gotten so good at this now that she doesn’t have to wonder who he is or where she’s seen him anymore, especially thanks to her office visit. Speaking to her hasn’t always been the greatest idea, but he’s not about to waste the chance if she is indeed warming up to him. He tells Liam he’s going to speak to someone, but she’s standing right in front of him when he turns back around.

“Jones?”

“Yes, it seems we meet again.”

“What are you doing here?” she asks.

“What are you doing here?”

“I asked you first.” He catches a glimpse of her quizzical expression as she takes a sip from the beer bottle she’s holding.

“Elsa is my brother’s girlfriend.”

“You’re Liam’s brother?!”

“You know him, too?”

“I’m pretty sure he’s tried to give me your number more than once.”

“Oh, bloody hell.” He glances over his shoulder at Liam who’s trying- and failing- to pretend he hasn’t been watching them. To think he’d already talked to his brother about her at the bar that night and he’d already known who she was.

“Yeah. But I don’t like it when my family and friends try to set me up with other people, so I thought I’d be nice and return, er, I guess not return the favor.” He can tell she was trying to save him from an unpleasant experience she’s likely had in the past, but it might be her way of letting him know she wouldn’t be interested regardless. He’d be lying if he said it didn’t deflate his confidence a bit. “Er, so how do you know Elsa and Anna?”

“They’re friends with my sister-in-law,” she answers, nodding her head towards the woman she’d been standing with earlier, who smiles when she sees them looking her way.

“Ah. It’s a small world, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I guess so. Smaller than I thought.”

Killian chooses his next words carefully. “I would offer to get you a drink, but it seems that’s unnecessary,” he gestures to the one she already has.

“Maybe so, but rumor has it Elsa’s got pizza in the kitchen, and I haven’t had dinner yet.” Emma raises an eyebrow, indicating this is his chance and he’d better take advantage of it now.

“Give me five minutes.”

“I like pepperoni!”

-/-

“How long are you giving Liam to finally pop the question?”

“Honestly, love? I’m quite surprised he hasn’t already. Perhaps he’s worried Elsa won’t say yes.”

“Are you kidding? Look at her; she’s as much of a lovesick puppy as he is.”

Killian follows her eyes to where the couple stands outside together on the balcony, completely oblivious to everyone else around them. “Aye. They seem to be quite the good match for each other.”

“They remind me of David and Mary Margaret in that way; I couldn't have picked anyone more suited for either of them.” He senses a bit of disappointment in her words, but she doesn’t elaborate on the subject, and he doesn’t ask.

She’s asking about his job and the law firm when her phone vibrates. “It’s my boss,” she groans after taking a look at the screen. “Give me a sec?” He nods as steps out to answer.

Emma’s back not a minute later, frowning. “Sorry, I have to bail. A skip I’ve been tracking for almost a month was just spotted downtown, and my boss wants me to grab the jerk before he tries to run again.”

“Not a problem, lass,” he tells her, attempting to mask his own disappointment. “I can tell you put a lot of effort into what you do.”

“Yeah, maybe sometimes too much,” she mumbles, getting her purse and jacket from the seat beside him. “I guess I’ll see you around, Killian.”

He smiles as he watches her leave because he knows she’s probably right.

-/-

She’s right.

They cross each other’s paths three times over the next two weeks, twice at the coffee shop where they first unofficially met- with no coffee spilt either time, thankfully- and then at a local carnival that Liam has yet again coerced him into going to. (Killian thinks later that his brother wouldn’t need to go to so much effort to get him to do things if he knew Emma would be there.) Each encounter they’ve had since the party has been much different than the first few; although they both have a dry sense of humor and are too sarcastic for their own good, there has yet to be an instance that involves yelling or has someone convinced they hate the other.

It’s gotten to the point now that he’s begun to think of Emma as more than just a regular acquaintance, but maybe even a friend: He texts her corny jokes when she’s bored during a stakeout and she’s taken to willingly sitting at his table when they show up at the same restaurant for lunch. They haven’t gone as far as to share the more painful details of their pasts, but he’s convinced her background must closely mirror his own somehow based on her demeanor when something along the lines of childhood or family comes up in conversation. She always changes the subject or gives some kind of vague answer and he knows better than to push the subjects any further. It’s evident she’s been through quite a bit in her life and he sees no reason to make her reminisce any more than she already does.

And, yes, he likes her. A lot, if he’s being honest. And it’s just his luck that he realizes it about the same time Liam does.

“Why not ask her out already? The worst thing she can do is say no.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Killian groans. “I can’t complain; I’m lucky we’re even able to be friends considering the way we met.”

“And you’re always going to wonder what could have been if you don’t take that chance.”

Liam’s words stick with him for quite some time afterwards because he knows he’s right. Emma may hate him for going through with this, but he may come to hate himself even more for being a coward.

It’s Monday night when he goes over to Emma’s apartment after leaving the office.

“Hey, Killian,” she greets him when she comes to the door. “What brings you by?”

“Go out with me?”

“What?” The dumbfounded expression on her face makes him regret not thinking this through.

“Sorry, love, it’s just I know we didn’t exactly start off on the right foot, but I’ve found myself becoming more and more fond of you and I was wondering if...oh, bloody hell,” he curses, running a hand through his already unkempt hair. She was definitely going to say no. “You know what, Swan, forget it. I’ll just go.”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry for botheri- wait, what?” He can’t have heard her correctly.

“Yes.” Emma smiles. “I was hoping you would ask eventually.” She leans forward and presses a kiss to his cheek before turning to go back into her apartment. “Tomorrow night, pick me up at seven. I’ll be waiting.”

Liam yells “I bloody told you so!” when he calls him on the way home. Killian’s too thrilled to care.

#cs ff #cs fic #cs fic formal #welllpthisishappening #cs fluff #cs au #captain swan #captain swan fic #meredith writes

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sweater-vest-reid · 6 years

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All You Need is Love: Chapter 7 “I’ve Just Seen a Face”

A Love Story Told by The Fab Four / Inspired by “Across the Universe”

Spencer Reid: a genius, hardworking, dedicated FBI profiler. Persephone “Percy” Jacobson: a passionate, brilliant, ambitious FBI specialist, and the newest member of the BAU. Spencer doesn’t believe in soulmates. Persephone doesn’t believe in happy endings. Told nonlinearly, watch as time, each other, and The Beatles, proves them wrong.

Chapter List

~~~~~

A/N: Hey everyone! I just want to say thank you all so much for your continued support! It means so much!

Listen here

~~~~~

I've just seen a face

I can't forget the time or place

Where we just meet

She's just the girl for me

And want all the world to see

We've met, mmm-mmm-mmm-m'mmm-mmm

{2004}

“JJ, do we have a case?” asked Morgan.

“Nope.” Replied JJ.

“Then why did Gideon call a meeting?” asked Spencer.

“Beats me.” Said JJ.

Morgan groaned, “Well if I know anything, it’s that surprise team meetings never mean good things.”

Moments later, Hotch walked into the conference room. With a cup of hot coffee in his hand, he sat down and greeted the agents.

“Hotch? Do we have a case I don’t know about?” asked JJ.

Hotch shook his head, “Not at the moment, no.”

“Then why did Gideon call this meeting?” Spencer asked.

“Probably to introduce the newest agent to the team.” Replied Hotch, taking a sip of his coffee.

Morgan was shocked, “Wait, hold on. Did you say, new agent?”

“Yes, Gideon is in his office talking with her right now. They should be here shortly.” Hotch said.

“Her?” questioned Spencer.

Hotch’s phone began to ring and made his way to the door.

“Wait, Hotch-“ JJ called, but before she got get another word in, Hotch was already out the door taking his call.

“So when was Gideon planning on telling us about the new team member?” said Morgan.

“It might be nice to have another person around. Might lighten the paperwork load.” Responded JJ.

Spencer felt conflicted. On one hand, all of them were pulling double duty. Their job was stressful, and it would be nice to have someone to balance the workload. But on the other hand, Spencer disliked change. In fact, he hated it. The thought of someone new entering the team only increased his constant anxiety.

Suddenly, Garcia ran into the room, a stack of papers in her hands.

“Did you guys hear about the new agent?” She asked, out of breath from her sprint up to the conference room.

“Yeah, we just did. When did you find out?” asked JJ.

“About five minutes ago. Gideon requested me to add her file to the team’s joint file.” Garcia replied, placing the papers she was holding on the table.

Morgan opened the file, “So your first thought was to print out a copy and bring it to us?”

“Aww my sweet Morgan,” Garcia said, placing her hand on his cheek, “You know me so well.”

“Here kid,” Morgan said, passing Spencer the folder, “Tell us about her”

Spencer opened the manila folder. He scanned the information, his heart beating faster and faster as he flew through the pages.

“So?” JJ asked.

“She’s a new agent,” Spencer began, “Joined the bureau a little over a year ago”

“Only a year? How did she go from sitting in a classroom at the academy to kicking ass with the BAU in a year?” asked Garcia.

“She was the top of her class at the academy,” Spencer replied.

“Don’t you mean ‘at the top of her class’?” said Morgan.

Spencer shook his head, “No, I mean she was the top of her class. In both academic subjects and the field training.”

“Prior education?” asked JJ.

“A high school in New Orleans. Then she went to college in the Midwest. Graduated in two years. Went on to get a Ph.D. in Religious Studies.”

“My god, Reid. It looks like you have some competition.” Morgan laughed. Spencer blushed.

“Wait, guys, what’s her name?” asked JJ.

Garcia opened her mouth to reply, but another voice answered.

“Dr. Persephone Jacobson. But you can call me Percy.”

Spencer turned his head to the door, and he could feel himself falling for her. Her accomplishments on paper were enough to make his heart swell. But seeing her in person made Spencer feel a way he’d never felt before. He didn’t know much about her, what her personality was like or if they would even get along, but Spencer didn’t care. Now that Spencer was aware of her existence, he knew he wanted her to be a part of his life in whatever way possible.

Gideon entered the conference room moments later. “Well everyone, I would like you to meet Persephone. She’ll be the newest member of our team”

Percy and Gideon went around the room. Gideon introduced each member of the team as Percy smiled and shook their hands. Spencer could tell her smile wasn’t fake. Percy was excited to meet the team members and to join the team. That relieved Spencer a bit, but still, he was hesitant about her. It was one thing to feel infatuated with someone, it was another to trust them with your life.

“And finally, this is Dr. Spencer Reid,” Gideon said, walking Percy over. Percy held out her hand, but Gideon stopped her.

“He doesn’t shake hands,” Gideon explained.

“That’s not a problem, Dr. Reid. Say, aren’t you a little young to be a doctor?” Percy asked.

“I could say the same thing, Dr. Jacobson.” Spencer joked, instantly regretting his response.

“Touché” Percy replied, laughing.

Then, Hotch walked into the room, a file in his hands.

“Sorry to interrupt, but we might have a case. Here Gideon, take a look at this.” Hotch said, handing the file to Gideon.

“How many victims?” asked Morgan.

“One. A woman her 20’s. There is another missing woman that they think could be the next victim.” Replied Gideon.

“But If there’s only one confirmed victim, how they even know that the unsub kidnapped this other woman. How do we even know that we have a serial on our hands?” asked Spencer.

“Both of the victim’s parents received a letter after the women disappeared. And the crime scene indicates a serial killer.” Hotch explained.

“Well Persephone, it looks like we’re going to need your expertise right away. Do you have a go bag with you?” Gideon asked.

“Yes, yes I do. I keep one in my car at all times.” Said Percy.

“Great. Okay, everyone. We leave in 30.”

Had it been another day I might have looked the other way And I'd have never been aware But as it is I'll dream of her Tonight, di-di-di-di'n'di

“So what did the letters to the parents contain?” asked Percy.

The team was meeting on the jet, discussing the case. The case had religious elements, and Percy was in her natural habit. Her knowledge filled in where the team’s left off, and so far, it seemed she was a good fit for the team. And yet, Spencer was still unsure about Percy.

Gideon read the evidence report. “The letters contained a piece of white paper. The victim’s name written on the top of the page, and a tarot card taped below the name.”

“Did both letters contain the same tarot card?” Asked Morgan.

“No,” Replied Hotch. “The first letter contained the star card and the second contained the four of pentacles.”

“The star usually represents hope or inspiration. And the four of Pentacles represents stability.” Spencer explained.

Spencer glanced at Percy. She was staring at the report, a troubled look on her face.

“What’s bothering you, Jacobs?” Morgan asked.

Percy pointed to the pile of pictures on the table, “Are there photos of the letters in there?”

“There should be. Why?” asked Gideon.

“Because,” She said, going through the photos. “The evidence report didn’t mention the orientation of the cards.”

“I’m not following.” Said Morgan.

“Dr. Reid is correct about the meaning of the two cards. But that meaning only applies if the cards are facing upwards. Aha, found them.” Percy said, placing the two photos on the table. The photos revealed that, underneath the unsub’s chicken scratch, the tarot card was taped upside down.

“Let’s say you were doing a reading. If you drew the four of Pentacles upright, it would represent stability. But, if the drawn card is reversed, or upside down, it represents greed. Since the unsub taped the cards upside down, it shows that the reversed meaning is what he is intending.”

“And what does the star reversed represent?” asked Hotch.

“Lack of faith,” responded Percy.

“You know, it possible that the unsub is trying to send a message about the victims? Maybe he read the victims tarot cards and that’s all the reason he needed to kill them.” Hotch suggested.

“Perhaps.” Said Gideon.

“What faith would this unsub even practice?” asked Morgan.

“Well, tarot cards are a tool often used by people who practice witchcraft or Wicca. It is possible that he is of that faith.” Spencer commented.

“Actually, Dr. Reid, it is due to the way that the unsub uses the tarot cards that makes me believe that he is not Wiccan.”

All heads turned to Percy. It was rare that someone challenged Spencer. And it was even rarer if someone could prove him wrong.

“Anyone who understands tarot cards knows if one card is missing from the deck, the whole deck is useless. If the unsub is using the cards to read his victims, and if he was Wiccan, he would know that his readings would not be accurate if cards were missing.” Percy explained.

“But what if he used different decks each time?” offered Spencer, desperate to prove his theory.

Percy shook her head, “It’s possible, but both of these cards are from the same deck. I recognize the artwork, I have the same tarot deck at home.”

Spencer was growing frustrated, “Could he have many sets of the same deck?”

“Well sure, that’s completely possible. But, look at both the cards. See how they both have a small water stain on the bottom right-hand corners? It’s possible that the cards were in their box, and water was spilled on them, soaking all the cards. Since both the cards have the same stain, it’s pretty safe to say that both the cards came from the same deck.” Percy argued.

For the rest of the flight, Spencer was silent. Percy had left him in shock. He didn’t know what to do, or what to think. Percy intimidated him. His heart was telling him to love her, but his head was telling him not to trust Percy.

“Okay, so when we land: Persephone, Reid, and myself will go to the crime scene. Hotch and Morgan, you will go to the station and speak with the parents.” Gideon directed.

Percy looked at Spencer and smiled. Spencer let out a small smile, before quickly looking away with a glare on his face. He didn’t know what he was going to do about Percy. Should he just get over his hesitation and get along with her? Or should he listen to his brain and keep his distance.

He wasn’t sure, but he knew he had to figure it out soon.

Falling, yes I am falling And she keeps calling Me back again

“Reid, can I talk with you for a bit?” called Gideon, motioning Spencer over to him.

They had been at the crime scene for half an hour, and the agents were still combing over every inch of the scene. Spencer was keeping his distance from the other two agents. He was still embarrassed by the plane ride that had occurred earlier.

“What do you need, Gideon?” asked Spencer.

“How do you feel about Persephone?” Gideon asked.

“Excuse me?” Reid squeaked, his heart beating fast.

“I mean, do you think she’ll be a good fit with the team?” Gideon clarified.

“Oh,” Reid responded, relieved, “I’m not sure if she’s a good fit yet. I don’t know her very well.”

“But you seem to already have an opinion of her,” Gideon commented.

Spencer glanced down at his feet, “What do you mean?”

“Well, the rest of the team seemed very comfortable around her. But you, you were tense the entire flight here. And you were quite short with her as well.” Gideon explained.

Spencer was growing frustrated, “Gideon, what exactly is the point of this conversation?”

“Do you want to know why I hired her, Spencer?” Gideon offered.

“I think we’d all like to know that.” huffed Spencer.

Gideon started to explain, “I’ve been looking to add a new team member for about a year. And around four months ago, I was at the FBI office in Minnesota.”

“We didn’t have a case in Minnesota. Why were you there?” Spencer interrupted.

“I was consulting on a case. A favor for an old friend.” Gideon began, “Anyway, Persephone was one of the agents on the case. She was the newest member on the team, but you would have never guessed that by watching her work. Investigating came to her so naturally, it was incredible to watch. She could find clues in details the rest of the team considered useless. When the case came to it, she stepped up to the plate. That case would’ve gone cold if it wasn’t for her. After that case, I put in a request for her to take the behavioral analysis training. I didn’t know how she would do, but she completed the initial training with flying colors. She’s still learning, but I know that she’ll become a valuable member of the team.”

Spencer remained quiet, almost ashamed of his previous behavior.

“When you joined this team, others didn’t take you seriously. They saw you as a kid. But every day you continue to show them how wrong they are. You proved yourself, showed us all why you deserve to be on this team. All I’m asking is for you to give Persephone the same chance you were given.” Gideon finished.

Before Spencer could reply, Percy walked over to them.

“Excuse me? I hope I’m not interrupting anything important, but I think I found something that will help us.” Percy said.

She lead them over to the body, kneeling down by one of the hands.

“So the victim was tied down, so there was no way she would have been able to defend herself, right?” Percy explained.

The two agents shook their heads. Percy opened the hand and revealed a few light colored hairs hidden in the palm.

Percy continued, “I checked, and these hairs, at least as far as I can tell, don’t belong to the victim. Her hair is dark brown. These hairs are blonde and much shorter than the victim’s hair. I think that she managed to rip a few hair out of the unsub’s head before he was able to tie her down. And look, you can see the cuts in her palm from her nails. She held onto those hairs for dear life. She knew she wasn’t getting out of this alive, so she protected the evidence that she knew would help us catch him. And, if we’re lucky, the hairs might still have their follicles.”

“So we might have the unsub’s DNA.” Said Gideon.

Spencer took another look at the hairs. They were so small, and the light color barely contrasted the color of the victim’s skin. Even experienced forensic specialists could have missed those hairs.

“Great find Persephone,” Complimented Gideon. “Have forensics process those hairs as fast as possible.”

“Will do,” Percy confirmed, motioning for the forensics team over.

Once Percy walked away, Gideon looked over at Spencer.

“You see what I was talking about?” Gideon asked.

Spencer nodded, a look of amazement on his face. The more he learned about Percy, the more he wanted to love her.

And Spencer never wanted it to end.

I have never known The like of this, I've been alone And I have missed things And kept out of sight But other girls were never quite Like this, da-da-n'da-da'n'da

The case was over and the jet soared through the sky on its way back to Quantico. It was approaching the early hours of the morning, and the team was asleep. Well almost everyone was asleep. Everyone except Spencer and Percy.

They sat on opposite sides of the plane. Percy stared out the window, her mind too preoccupied to sleep. Spencer was attempting to read. He was close to finishing his novel, but he kept getting distracted by Percy.

Spencer was still avoiding her. But it wasn’t out of hatred or distrust anymore. Spencer didn’t know how to act around her. He wanted Percy to like him, but he didn’t know how to make that happen. He felt like he had already ruined his chance with her.

Percy suddenly stood up, and made her way over to Spencer, sitting down across from him.

Spencer leaned farther into his book, anxious for the upcoming conversation.

“Hey,” Percy greeted.

“Hi” Spencer replied, before diving back into his book.

After a few moments of silence, Percy finally said what was on her mind.

“So, Morgan tells me I’ve won over everyone on the team except for one person.” Said Percy.

Spencer swallowed, “And who would that be?”

Percy looked into his eyes, “You, Dr. Reid”

“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He stuttered.

“Listen, I went through the same training you did, Doctor. And I may not have as much experience, but I can still tell when people are uncomfortable.” Percy stated, “And I understand. Honestly, I do”

Spencer stayed quiet, but Percy continued.

“You and I understand what it is like to be un-respected. We’re young, and we have a job that agents with decades more experience would kill for. Every day, it’s like we have to exceed the highest of expectations just to prove that we deserve to be here. I need you and the rest of the team to understand that I am not taking this opportunity lightly. I worked my ass off to get here, and believe me, I plan to continue working my ass off until the day I retire. I know my lack of experience is making you hesitant. I get it. To be completely honest with you, it makes me a little hesitant too. I don’t feel that I have completely earned this job yet, but I’m not going to let that stop me. Agent Gideon went on a limb to get me on this team, and I don’t plan on disappointing him, or anyone else, anytime soon. I promise I won’t let this team down.”

Spencer didn’t know what to say. Here she was, pleading for his acceptance, and he stayed silent.

Percy looked out the window, clearly uncomfortable with Spencer’s lack of response. The mutual silenced remained for a few minutes before Percy broke it.

“Can I tell you a secret?” She asked.

“Sure” Spencer replied.

A look of shock appeared on Percy’s face, as she clearly was not expecting Spencer to answer her. Eventually, she carried on with her story.

“Joining the BAU has been a big dream of mine since I was a teenager. Honestly, it might be the real reason I joined the FBI in the first place.”

“Really? Since you were a teenager? Why?” Spencer asked.

“When I was younger, the BAU worked on a case that involved someone I knew,” Percy explained with a twinge of sadness appearing on her face. “I got the chance to meet some of the agents, to watch them as they did their work. Their passion and dedication was inspiring. I had so much respect for the work they did. I knew that if I got the chance to work with them when I was older, I wanted to take it.”

“You were close to the victim, I take it” Spencer commented.

“Don’t you dare profile me, Dr. Reid,” Percy replied, sneaking a small smile.

“Sorry. Force of habit.” He apologized, returning the smile.

“Anyway, I’ll let you get back to your book. Thank you for listening to me, Dr. Reid.” Percy said, getting up from her chair.

“Reid.”

“Excuse me?” Percy said, turning back around.

“You can call me Reid. Or Spencer.” He corrected.

“Spencer.” Percy repeated, “Well, thank you, Spencer.”

He smiled in response, feeling his cheeks warm as she walked back to her seat. It seemed to Spencer that his head and his heart were finally agreeing. That maybe this new team member was a good idea after all.

Spencer returned to his book. But every once and awhile, he still glanced at Percy, now asleep in her seat. With every secret glance, Spencer could feel himself falling deeper and deeper in love.

And Spencer didn’t mind one bit.

Oh, falling, yes I am falling And she keeps calling Me back again

Tagged (Want to be tagged in all upcoming chapters? Message me and I’ll add you to the list!): @beysenpai / @theofficeofsupremegenius @everybodywantstobetouched / @keepcalmandlovetomhiddleston / @criminal-navy-writings / @whale-of-a-time / @anton-shudders / @lizardbet @bestillmystuckyheart

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submissivelynick · 7 years

Text

Domesticity | Bethan & Nick

Tagging: @duvaldomme & @submissivelynick Location: Bethan’s Suite Date: Friday, May 26th, evening Summary: Scene Week scene, involving home ec [Nick].

Bethan found it strange to see Nick on his knees by her couch but then she knew if they didn't start out the correct way the whole scene would fall apart. They could chat later, for now she needed to set the rules. "For the purposes of this scene you will call me Miss and I expect you to complete each task to the best of your ability. Do you understand? I don't think I'm going to ask you to do anything that you do not know how to do but if you are unsure at any point I expect you to ask promptly and not waste our time. Now I don't intend to push any limits but remind me of them and your safeword just to be sure."

Nick didn't mind kneeling for Bethan. When he'd seen that he was paired with her for the presentation, he'd initially felt a little weird about it. She was his sister, after all. The more he thought about it, though, the more he realized that he trusted her implicitly. With trust being such an important foundation for a scene, he really couldn't think of anyone he'd be more comfortable submitting for. "Yes, Miss," he said when she was finished speaking. "I understand. My safewords are yellow to pause and red to stop, and my limits are anything sexual and anything that would create a permanent mark."

Bethan smiled at him with a nod. "Be careful with the knives then," she grinned as she stood up. "I plan to make some spring rolls later so I want you to be my sous chef to start us off. I need carrots, cabbage and scallions all finely sliced and put in a bowl. Everything you need is laid out. I have some homework to finish so I'll just be in my bedroom when you are done and I expect you to come and find me once it is tidied away and the chopped vegetables are in the fridge. Any questions?"

Nick rolled his eyes at his sister's comment about the knives. He knew plenty well how to use a knife safely. "No, Miss," he said, giving a shake of his head. "No questions." He stood up and headed into the kitchen, seeing that she really had set everything up for him. He washed his hands and set to work quickly, getting all of the chopping done in just a few minutes. The veggies went into the fridge and he spent a few more minutes cleaning off the counter top and washing up the few dishes he'd used. He double checked that everything was taken care of before going back to his sister's bedroom and knocking on the door. "All done, Miss," he said with a smile.

Bethan looked up as he knocked and surprised he was finished so fast but then they had both been taught by their mother and knew what they were doing. It was for that reason she didn't bother going to check that they were done correctly either. "I would like you to dust the bookshelves please and then vacuum the living room. Once that is done you can choose to either help me with the spring rolls or I will find you another cleaning task." It felt slightly awkward asking him to clean her room but he was always much tidier than she was so it amused her a little too. However they had to complete the scene but she didn't want to push his good nature too much.

Nick 's smile faltered when he heard the list of things Bethan wanted him to do. He knew it was part of the scene, and he also knew that this was an easy way for both of them to gain some points, but it still bothered him a little bit. "Yes, Miss," he said, deciding not to argue. He found a feather duster in a closet and used it to take care of the dust on the bookshelves, lifting up the few knickknacks on them to get those clean as well. He went from room to room, making sure he got all of the bookshelves in the suite, before putting the duster away and moving on to vacuuming.

Bethan didn't miss the change in Nick's smile and while it upset her to see it she was impressed at the way he pushed it aside and got on with the task. He was clearly doing a thorough job on the dusting as it took him quite a while to finish up but she finally heard the vacuum start up. When it was finished she went to find him. "You're doing really well sweetheart, thank you. For now I want you to choose between helping me in the kitchen or cleaning the bathroom but I also want you to think about what you would like as a reward when we are finished. You can tell me when I have finished making the spring rolls."

Nick was just putting the vacuum cleaner away when Bethan joined him again, and he nodded at the praise. "Thank you, Miss," he responded quietly, trying not to let his annoyance get the better of him. He wrinkled his nose at the thought of cleaning her bathroom while she got to do the fun job of cooking. "Obviously I'm going to help you in the kitchen," he said, laughing a little. "How is that even a question, Miss?"

Bethan laughed along with Nick. "It's a question because you may have suddenly found a great love of cleaning bathrooms and I would be denying you that right by saying straight away we are going to the kitchen." She walked to the kitchen with him following and once hands were washed and she had put on her apron she was ready to start. "Get out the veggies and then heat the silver wok, I need it half full of oil," she ordered. The kitchen was one domain where she had no issue giving instructions and while he did that she got out the filo pastry. "Chop four sprigs of coriander and two red chillies please," she instructed as she began to mix up the filling.

Nick rolled his eyes again at Bethan--something about her just brought out that teasing nature in him. "Right," he said, shaking his head as he followed her into the kitchen. Doing what she told him to do was fairly easy going now. The fact that they were both working together to cook helped a lot, rather than it simply being him doing the work--and also, he was familiar with the recipe she was going to be using to make the spring rolls, so he was able to anticipate what she was going to tell him to do. He got the oil heating in the wok and chopped what he was asked to, setting the knife down to the side on the chopping board to await further instruction.

Bethan glanced over a few times but she didn't need to monitor Nick closely and noticing he was done she scooped up everything off his board and added it to her mix. "Do you want to roll or make the dressing," she asked before remembering it was a scene and she should be giving clear instructions. "In fact I would like you to fill and roll the pastry and I will make the dressing. You need an egg wash to seal it." He knew all this but she needed the practice too and being clear in what she wanted was probably going to be something she needed to work on.

Nick was about to respond that he'd do the dressing when Bethan changed her mind and decided to give him the other task. It struck him as odd, but he didn't really care what he did as long as he was here in the kitchen and not stuck cleaning the bathroom while she cooked. "Yes, Miss," he said, moving to grab a bowl and get the egg ready before he started to fill and seal the rolls.

Bethan worked quickly and effortlessly making up the dressing, she was sure she could make these in her sleep. "You should get 12 out of that mixture," she advised Nick as she looked over. "Just start frying them off as soon as they are ready." She got a plate and kitchen towel ready, not wanting him to take too long as the oil was hot and beginning to spit.

Nick nodded. "Gotcha." He counted through the rolls that he'd already made, then divvied up the rest of the filling into equal parts for the remaining rolls. It didn't take too long for him to finish making them, and once he'd sealed the last one, he started to put them in the hot oil. He stood back and glanced at the clock on the microwave to keep track of how long they were in the wok.

Bethan stood back and let Nick finish off the snack. It was dangerous to have too many people dealing with the oil anyway. Once done she took the plate and left it to the side for a moment to cool before giving him his final orders. "Leave the oil to cool but you can wash up the boards and knives and then serve the snack. I'm just going to finish of something quickly and I will meet you at the table in ten minutes." She wanted to leave him to tidy up as a final reminder it was a scene but she felt this was the best way without rubbing his face in it. They did work well together in the kitchen but in this instance it wasn't an even share of the workload.

Nick just kept working through his sister's instructions. He knew how to handle cooking with her, and he'd been cleaning up for his mom for years. "Yes, Miss," he said lightly as he finished frying the rolls. It was calming to finish cleaning everything up on his own--kitchen work always had been for him--and he brought the plates rolls to the dining table when he was finished. "All ready, Miss," he said as he slid the plate onto the table. "Bin appetit." He stood back, wanting to wait to see if he had any more instructions before joining her.

Bethan smiled at the sight as she came through. "Good boy," she said softly, knowing it was strange to them both to hear her use it in an actual scene but wanting to let him hear it all the same. "Come and join me Nick. You've done everything I asked and without any issues so you can definitely come and eat and as far as I'm concerned the scene is over. But you also deserve a reward so it's your choice. We could watch a movie or it's not too late to go into town or whatever you want really."

Nick blushed a little at the praise. He definitely liked hearing it, but it was just another reminder that this whole afternoon had been a scene for them. He slid into the chair across from her and served them both an egg roll--he'd heard her say the scene was over, but he could still be a gentleman. Their parents had raised them both correctly. "So, is getting some of your brownies completely off the table, Miss?" he asked with a grin.

#gleedsmscene1 #para #p:bethan #p:domesticity

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