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Spencer leaned over and brushed his lips gently against her temple. She was sleeping, soundly. She’d had a restless night, one in which, he was sure, she didn’t want him to know. She had cried, and he’d been awakened several times by her quiet sniffles. He wasn’t entirely sure what was eating at her but he knew that she doubted him, doubted them. He just didn’t know why.
He quietly dressed and picked up his shoes, slipping out of the dark bedroom and making his way silently down the hall towards the front door. He grabbed his keys and bag, making sure to have his cellphone tucked away in his pocket this time.
He eased the door shut behind him, slipping his phone from his pocket he firing off a quick text. He glanced at the door behind him before heading down the stairs to the first floor of his building.
Annaleigh’s cellphone lit up the room. The screen displaying a heart and the words ‘I love you’ from Spencer. She didn’t stir, her breathing even, her mind still. She snuggled further down into the warmth of the covers, not even noticing that the body that had been next to her, was gone.
I do not love you for the way you kiss
Though your lips, they can put me at ease
And I do not love you for your sweet green eyes
Though I love when they’re looking at me
Spencer arrived at his destination. The brilliant jewels in the display windows glimmered in the early morning sunlight. He slowed and glanced at the sparkling gems that adorned the various earrings, necklaces, and rings. He took a deep breath. He grabbed the handle and listened to it jingle as he pulled it towards him.
And I do not love you for the way your hands
Can touch me and quiet my soul
I love you for all of this and so much more
Spencer hurried down the street towards his next destination. He was late. It had taken him longer than originally planned and now he feared that the entirety of the day would come unraveling apart. His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out. A text from Penelope, asking where he was, was displayed before him. He hurriedly texted her back, letting her know that he was mere moments away.
Through another door, of another establishment and he was standing before his eccentric co-worker.
“You are never late Dr. Reid.” She stated matter-of-factly. “If you expect all of this to be pulled of before tonight, you need to work on your time management skills.” She stood from her seat, picked up the many bags that had been littered around her brightly colored shoes. “Well, let’s get going.” She pushed past him and he had to hurry to keep up with her.
I do not love you for the way you dress
Though you do look so lovely tonight
And I do not love you for the things you know
Though I’ve always admired your mind
“Are you sure that this space is going to be big enough?” JJ stood beneath him, clinging to the ladder that he was perched upon.
He glanced down at her, “Garcia tells me that this space will be just fine. I have no inclination to doubt her. I have to trust in her skills in this matter.”
JJ blinked up at him, “Okay, if you say so. Just…reading over the guest list, Spence, you’ve invited a lot of people to this thing.”
“It’s Annaleigh’s 30th birthday party. Don’t I have to go big?” Spencer stated as he climbed down from his precarious position. “I mean…she’s been so down lately, I just want her to be happy, to be surprised.”
“And I get that, I do, I’m just not convinced that she wouldn’t want, what you’re planning to do, to be done in private. You’re taking a huge step here Spence. Are you sure that she’s ready for it?” JJ handed him another streamer, placing her hand on his arm before he climbed back up the ladder.
“I really am hoping that she is.” Spencer breathed out, his eyes catching the hopeful look in his friends. “She does love me, right?”
JJ nodded, “More than I think you realize.”
And I do not love you for the way I feel
That first moment you walk through the door
I love you for all of this and so much more
Spencer had been gone all day, gone all day on her birthday. Annaleigh wasn’t quite sure where he had gone; just that he had things that needed to be done. At least that’s what his text had said. Though, what was more important than spending time with her, on this day in particular, puzzled her greatly.
She was stretched out on the couch. Her body was covered with a fluffy blanket and she snuggled down into it. She was enthralled in some romantic comedy, the beauty and magic of it, sweeping her off into the unrealistic world of love. She was so involved that the pounding on the door startled her.
She untangled herself from her swaddling and shuffled to the door. Pulling it open, the small blond walked past her into the small apartment. “Get dressed Anna.”
She was blunt, to the point and when Annaleigh tried to ask why, she just held a finger out, pointing towards her bedroom. She dressed quickly, being instructed to wear something ‘nice, like you’re going to a party’, but was given no further instructions than that.
She followed JJ out of her home and down the stairs. Exiting into the evening air, she allowed her petite friend to steer her in the direction of the black SUV. “Where are we going?”
JJ was silent as she climbed into the driver’s seat. She kept her eyes ahead of her as she pulled out into traffic. Annaleigh tried again, but to no avail, so she sat silently.
And all I know is you’re the part of me that keeps me strong
And what I want is for us to face forever
Standing up together, eyes turned towards the heavens, arm in arm
The outside of the building was nondescript. Annaleigh was perplexed. She turned to her small companion. “And where exactly are we?” She waited for an answer, but all she received in return was a gesture to follow. Shrugging her shoulders, she gave in and followed with no more questions.
It was dark. There was no sound. Annaleigh was beginning to get worried. Sure, she fought off bad guys on a daily basis, but she wasn’t sure she liked the idea of being in a dark, scary building with nobody but the short woman who stood next to her, though, Annaleigh thought; she sure wouldn’t want to run into JJ in a dark alley. She leaned in closer to JJ, “Umm…are you sure we are in the right place?”
The room was bathed in light, light so bright at first that Annaleigh had to shield her eyes. Shouts of ‘Happy Birthday’ were being thrown her way and out of nowhere, Spencer now stood by her side. She glanced up at him. A look of adoration and love was strewn across his face and the uneasiness she had felt over the last few weeks, faintly started to disappear.
I do not love you for the way my heart
Seems to live somewhere inside your chest
And I do not love you for the way your arms
They can hold me until I forget
“Happy Birthday Annaleigh,” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him tightly. She leaned into him, her arms encircling his trim waist.
She looked up at him and he bent down, capturing her lips with his. The kiss was filled with passion. More passion than she’d felt from him, in her mind, in quite some time. The last few weeks started to flash through her mind. Every time she’d doubted, every time she’d questioned, every time she’d felt him pulling away, could all be explained by the secretiveness of planning a party. Could it be that she had interrupted the signals wrong? Could it be that she had been the one pulling away? She loved him, did he love her just as much?
The music reverberated throughout the space, her favorite songs filling the air. She grabbed Spencer’s hand, and amid his protests, dragged him out onto the dance floor. She held onto him tightly as he spun, dipped and twirled her around to the beat of the pulsations.
During a slower song, the song she had come to associate with them, he pulled her to him, his arms holding her close. His mouth close to her ear, “I love you Annaleigh, so very much.” He whispered, loud enough for only her to hear. She turned her head, kissing his cheek. Nuzzling her head into his neck, she sunk even deeper into his body.
The song ended and he pulled away. She stared dumbfounded at him as he began to kneel. “Spencer, what are you doing?” She reached out of him, grasping his arm and tried to pull him back to his feet.
His strength kept him down, and she gasped as he pulled a small blue box from his pocket. “Spencer….” She stopped; the words catching in her throat he slowly opened the lid.
The beautiful diamond twinkled in the flashing lights and Annaleigh held her breath. He held the ring out to her, the music growing dim, the room falling silent.
“Annaleigh….”
And I do not love you for the way you’ve been
Exactly what I’m looking for
I love you for all of this and so much more
“Annaleigh, I love you more than anything. I’ve loved you since the first time I saw you, that awkward girl who felt so out of place on her first day at work. The sound of her laughter filled my heart then, and fills my heart now. I want to be yours for the rest of my life. So I ask you, Annaleigh, will you be my wife?”
She didn’t hesitate. She knelt down beside him. The tears streaming down her face, ruining her makeup, “Yes, Spencer, I will be your wife.” She kissed him, her arms grasping at him, not wanting him to ever leave her. “I love you,” Were the words whispered before the awaiting crowd broke out into cheers and congratulations.
I love you for all of this and so much more