Chapter Text
It was early spring, and Spencer had spent his day playing chess in the park. Talking to the people there going through the motions. He had gotten sober, that was something that he was really proud of. It had been hard but he had managed it his first month sober. Spencer wondered briefly what the rest of his team was doing, Morgan was with his sisters and Garcia was with Kevin. Everyone on the team had people outside of the job, everyone except him.
Sometimes when Spencer could not sleep he would lay in his bed and wonder. Wonder how his life would have been different if he did not work for the BAU. What if he chooses to go with Alice. It hurts to think about Alice. Her bright smile, how he missed her body against his. Spencer never told his team about Alice, when he started it hurt too much to talk about her. He missed her too much, and it hurt more that he knew that it was the right decision. Neither of them would have been happy if they had stayed.
He decided that he could treat himself to coffee, while the leaves started to come it was still cold outside. Spencer looked around and went to his usual cafe. He made his usual order and then, Spencer looked around at the cafe for a seat. That was when he saw her, it had been so long ago he saw her so he did not believe his eyes at first. But there she was Alice. Spencer walked towards her and he could see the memory playing in his head.
Fifteen-year-old Spencer was walking around a full cafe at Caltech, there was only one chair that was empty besides a small woman who was reading a book. He walked nervously towards her and asked if he could sit beside her. She smiled at him and introduced herself. She was reading one of his favorite books so they got to talking.
They started to study tougher and they became good friends. One late night after studying Alice kissed him. It was his first-ever kiss. They became tougher and were a couple for six years, that was when they had to go different ways. Spencer was 21 when he got the offer for BAU, he wanted to go and both he and Alice knew that she could not move with him. She had just received a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go and excavate graves.
Spencer remembered their last night together as if it was yesterday. They held each other while they cried. He remembers Alice saying before leaving “you were the right person, but at the wrong time.” and then she left. they did not keep in contact because that would have been too painful. If it hadn’t been for Ethan Spencer did not know what would have happened. He was so depressed, he had lost the most important person in his life.
But now here she was, she looked older but her eyes and smile were the same. the way she held her book. She looked beautiful. Spencer walked towards her.
“Alice?” She looked up in shock, saw him, and then she smiled.
“Spencer!” She stood up and hugged him. Spencer held her close, savoring the feeling of having her here.
He sat down and they started to catch up. Both of them were older, both of them with new scares but in the end, they were still Alice and Spencer. She told him about being in Guatemala and then Argentina. Spending time in Egypt before taking an offer here. Where she now lived so close to him. Spencer told her about Hankel and about his job. They talked for so long that soon the cafe started to close.
They walked out and Alice gave him her new number and told him to talk. Spencer thought back to the fact that Alice was still single. It should not have mattered after so long a time but now he felt his old feelings starting to bubble up to the suffice. Spencer wanted to get to know this older Alice, to see her, understand her, and love her again. Thankfully it seemed like she wanted the same thing.
The next day at work Spencer was noticeably happy. The rest of the team just assumed that he was feeling better after his abduction. That day when Spencer sat down to do his paperwork he found that he was working slower than usual. His mind was occupied by Alice.
After work, Spencer sat down on his sofa and brought up his phone. He called Alice after some moments of thinking back. He waited for the first signal, the second signal, and then before the third, she answered.
“Hello”
“Alice, Hi”
“Spencer, I was hoping that you would call.”
“I really want to meet you again.” They planned to see each other again and then they just talked. They talked for two hours and then they just sat in silence.
“You know Spencer the thing I missed the most about you was the way you talk. Talking to you can never get boring.” Spencer was now laying on his sofa smiling.
“What I missed the most about you was the way you laugh.”
“Well, I guess I have to go to bed and work tomorrow.” Spencer looked over at the clock.
“Yeah you are right, but, is it okay if I call you tomorrow?”
“Spencer, you can call me how many times you want.”