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The one where Spencer turns 30
Spencer hasn’t left his apartment much lately. Besides going out for calls at the BAU and working on finding Ian Doyle, he doesn’t have much energy for anything else. Except for the new doctor he was seeing for his migraines. She was actually helpful in comparison to the others he had seen.
It’s only been four months since Emily Prentiss died and Spencer doesn’t feel any lighter. He just seems to be spending more time debating on whether he’d feel better if he started using again. At least he’d be numb. Feeling numb sounded better than being miserably sad at the loss of one of his closest friends. He knows in the back of his mind, if he did start using dilaudid again he wouldn’t be able to truly put his all into the Ian Doyle investigation. That’s what keeps him content to stay sober.
Spencer hasn’t visited the bookstore, not nearly as much as he used to. It’s enough to worry Margaux that she’s started to call him at least once a week. He’s sure that she probably wanted to call every day. She worried and fretted over him, and he knows it’s just a part of who she is, but he doesn’t feel deserving of the attention.
Especially when she takes it upon herself to visit occasionally.
He always opens the door for Margaux, he can’t help it, he doesn’t want to worry her. Even though when he looks at her face, he sees the clear concern behind her eyes.
He always knows when it’s her because her warmth and brightness almost roll off her in waves that gently brush and seep under the doorway. She’s her own force of nature. One where she sheds some color into his incredibly bleak world.
The only other friend who checks on him in the same kind of way would be Penelope. Which, she’s grieving in a very different way. It’s also hard for any of them to talk about Emily together without it being tainted by their Doyle investigation. He knows this isn’t a healthy coping mechanism, but he’ll be damned if he stops looking for the man that took away part of his family.
There’s an ease and tenderness that comes with Margaux. She never pushed him to tell her what’s wrong. She’ll ask, always testing the waters, shaking his raft, but she never pushed. She doesn’t force him down into the depths of his own consuming thoughts. The ones where he thinks he’s drowning and can’t recover from. The ones where all of his intrusive thoughts prick at his brain like tiny needles, trying to prove nonexistent points.
It wasn’t that Margaux wasn’t curious, because she definitely was. Sometimes when he closed off the conversation, he could see the hurt in her eyes. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, because Spencer would trust Margaux with anything, she was his best friend outside of the BAU. He even spent last New Years with her and her dad, Big Joe. Well, mostly Margaux had made dinner, they watched her dad’s favorite movie, which Spencer happily listened to Big Joe give him all his endless movie knowledge. After she put her dad to bed, they went out to a bar for a few midnight drinks.
Spencer just preferred to keep the FBI parts of his life out of his personal life. It’s been refreshing to not be a federal agent when he’s with her. If he had to explain everything about Ian Doyle and Emily’s death... he was slightly afraid Margaux wouldn’t want him in her life anymore.
Or worse, he’d endanger her like Hotch had with Haley...
So, Spencer does what he truly does best, holds his feelings close to his chest with his secrets. If Margaux’s smile faltered when he couldn’t tell her what was happening, he’d bite his tongue. He couldn’t lose another friend. Not Margaux. Even if his secrets kept her at arm's length.
-
It’s a random day in the middle of August when Spencer finally walks back into the bookstore. It surprised Margaux so much she rammed herself into the edge of her checkout counter. She curses under her breath but shoots him a hesitant smile.
“Hey, haven’t seen you in a while.” she softly said as she placed the books down to give him her full attention.
Spencer nods, “world keeps spinning, life goes on.” he said with a small shrug and a tight smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.
He couldn’t tell her that his dead friend faked her death and was alive all along. Just in Paris... while two of his friends lied to his face. That absolutely isn’t a can of worms he’s willing to unload onto her. Not today, maybe not ever. He still had some anger to process that he doesn’t want to direct towards Margaux. Spencer takes a deep breath and starts walking toward the cafe.
Margaux followed after him and smiled brightly. “Well, I’m glad to see you anyway.” She touches his shoulder lightly. “I’ve been worried about you.” she said warmly as she moved behind the counter to make him a coffee.
“I didn’t want to worry you,” He starts to rebuttal, but she cuts him off.
“I was going to worry regardless; I don’t know how to turn it off unfortunately.” She tried to joke lightly.
Spencer just furrows his brows, “Do you worry about everything ?” he asked. It comes across harsher than he means it to, but it rolls off her back.
“No, just about people. I’m worried about Birdie, like all the time, not to mention dad. I’m also constantly thinking about my coworkers, Josie... My friends in Georgia...” she pauses and bites her lip.
“That probably sounds like I don’t do anything else besides worry.”
“It sounds like anxiety.” he deadpanned.
Margaux shrugged and offered him his coffee. “Probably.”
“Oh! Spencer, since you’re here!” she quickly changes the subject whirling around to the computer, “Do me a favor and sign up for our new rewards program. I need a test guinea pig to make sure it actually tracks the points.”
Spencer nods and waits. Margaux swiftly taps information into the computer screen.
“It’s only a few questions,” she murmured, “Full name...Spencer Reid. Date of birth-” Margaux froze looking up at Spencer.
“I don’t know your birthday.” she said it like it was a genuine surprise and she frowns. “We’ve known each other for almost three years, how do I not know your birthday?”
Spencer gave a soft chortle of amusement, “I’ve never been in town for my birthday. I’m weirdly always out for work. Besides-” he shrugged. “I don’t know yours either.”
Margaux dramatically groans. “I cannot believe I didn’t know this! Birthdays are so important!”
Spencer tilts his head curiously, “I didn’t know you liked birthdays that much?”
“Don’t you? It’s the one day to truly celebrate a person. I mean you don’t need a day to do that, but doesn’t everyone want to feel special just one day? I mean you make your way around life another year and you should earn just a little treat for it! Living sucks sometimes.” She said matter of factly.
Margaux’s so passionate as she talks Spencer almost forgets it’s even about birthdays.
Spencer paused before his brain autofill's information like a search engine, “Did you know that the birthday celebration actually started in ancient Egypt with Pharoh's? It wasn’t for common folk at all. They acted as a coronation for a Pharoh. Greeks and Romans adopted them for their worship of the gods but really, individual birthdays weren’t well known. For a long time in history.” Spencer info dumps what he knew and smiled triumphantly.
Margaux nods, listening, she always listened to Spencer when he had the wealth of knowledge to just disperse whenever. It was charming.
“Sooooooo, what I’m hearing is, we should celebrate everyone like they are their own gods?” She teases him.
Spencer rolls his eyes, “Not what I meant.”
She hummed in amusement, “Well, I’ll be the judge of that.” She smiled, like she had a secret. “What’s your birthday Spencer?”
“October 12 th 1981.” He tells her with a sigh.
She plugs it into the computer, and she realized quickly that Spencer’s about to turn 30. She looked up at him, “That’s only a few months away. Makes sense it’s October.”
Spencer fakes a dramatic gasp as he looks at her in shock, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Margaux deadpans him as she finishes typing in the rest of his information. “It means- that for someone who loves Halloween it doesn’t surprise me you were born in October.”
“What’s your e-mail?” She asked him.
“I only have my work one and I’m not using that for your rewards program.” He said in fake exasperation, “By your logic,” he picked back up their conversation, “that means you also were born in October.”
Margaux makes a fake buzzer noise, “Nope!” she pops the P. “Try again.”
Spencer raises a brow, “There is a 1 in 365 chance for me to guess right. That’s not even one percent Margaux.”
“Do you care if I just put in my e-mail? We’re just testing it, I’m doing it anyway.” She taps away at the computer, “Also- ever heard of a zodiac sign? Thats at least like 1 in 12 chances. Better odds.” She gave him a pointed look.
Spencer rolls his eyes. “Are you seriously making me guess zodiac signs?”
Margaux wiggled her brows, “What? The genius doesn’t believe in the fate of the stars.” she smirked to herself as she types away at the computer.
“Do you actively want me to stereotype you?” He asked with a teasing smile of his own.
“Tik tok, it’s either guess the sign or the date.” she joked.
“You’re stubborn enough, let’s say Taurus.” he replied with a snark.
Margaux rolled her eyes and made a tsk sound, “Nice try, but WRONG. I’m a Cancer, July 8 th . A summertime baby even though I hate hate hate summer.” she groans thinking about the heat.
“Then your logic definitely doesn’t make sense.” He laughed in exasperation.
She shrugged, “never said I was right.”
Spencer glared playfully, “No but it was implied.”
Margaux just brushes him off. Finishing up the rewards program. “I think it works. It should track your drink purchases, and every tenth drink is free!” She said excitedly.
“You never charge me for my drinks.” He reminded her with a look of mild confusion.
“Shhhh, don’t let the other customers know I have favorites! They’ll get their feelings hurt!”
-
Margaux has been scheming since she found out Spencer’s birthday. 30 was a milestone and she wasn’t about to let him go by without even an itsy bitsy teenie weenie celebration. She wasn’t going to throw a surprise party or anything. After the fiasco that was a friend's surprise party when they were 21 she vowed to never again. The last thing she expected was for everyone to find out that her friend's roommate was cheating. Screaming surprise to a pair of twentysomethings trying to eat each other’s faces and their actual boyfriend being in the room was rough.
She learned no more surprises the hard way.
The only surprise Margaux had was she was determined to have Josie bake one of her delicious cakes for him. Margaux begged Josie, just a small chocolate cake with a gorgeous violet frosting. Nothing too insane, Josie just was the best baker she knew. Her cakes were to die for, but most of her pastries were.
Josie agreed, but only if Margaux agreed to take the deposits to the bank for the Holiday season. Margaux lived closer and Josie hated dealing with the general population outside of what she already saw during the holidays.
Margaux’s been hiding Spencer’s cake in the back freezer for a day, hoping he wouldn’t be out of town for his birthday. She had called him earlier in the week and asked him to swing by on Wednesday if he could. She had told him she really needed a taste tester for her new Halloween treat. Sugar was Spencer’s weakness.
Margaux’s pacing back and forth, trying to not be on edge, but she’s riddled with so much excitement it’s hard. She’s been decorating the new display case filled with Halloween themed books. She was hanging up a garland in the window display when she saw Spencer walking down the street.
Margaux quickly finished hanging up her ghost garland and quickly ran to the back freezer to get his cake out to let it defrost a bit. She throws the candles and lighter on the counter in the back room and she tries to make sure everything is set and ready to go.
The bell rings all the way through to the back and Margaux composed herself before stepping out again. She sticks her head out the back door that divides the cafe from the back kitchen and waves to Spencer.
“Back here!” She shouts.
The bookstore only had a few patrons tonight, none of which were happily there to hang out or study. They were perusing the isles and Margaux had already given them a few recommendations of books. She knows an insomniac when she sees one, and these people were the kind that needed something besides the empty fridge to look at for their late-night brain. It was later than normal, around two in the morning, when Spencer came walking in.
“I almost thought you weren’t coming by tonight.” She teases leaning against the counter.
“It was a late work trip.” He said with a tired smile.
“Well, I have a treat for you. Taste testing if you will.” She said, turning to the back room.
“I need you to close your eyes though. I’m really proud of it.”
Spencer rolls his eyes at her antics but does as she asks.
“No peaking!” she shouted, and Spencer could hear the door to the back close behind her.
Margaux checks the cake, and it's good to go. The back freezer wasn’t cold enough to freeze it solid, so the cake is still easy to cut. She presses the candles into the top, a three and a zero to make 30. She slowly lights the candles and backs up to bring the cake out. She gently sets it down in front of Spencer, who’s just standing there with his eyes closed and a goofy grin.
“Okay, open.”
Spencer opens his eyes, and he looks stunned. His mouth just kind of hangs open like a gaping fish before he murmured, “This isn’t a Halloween treat...”
“Happy birthday Spencer.” She whispers looking at his reaction and trying to gauge it. “I didn’t make your cake, Josie did, but I promise her cakes are the very best.”
Spencer was stunned into silence. He truly didn’t expect Margaux to remember his birthday, or know he was turning 30. Hell, even his team wasn’t aware it was his birthday until Emily told them. Which, he does appreciate her listening to him. He was having a crisis over his own accomplishments.
Margaux starts getting antsy when Spencer doesn’t respond. He’s standing there with his mouth open. She starts rambling, “I just thought, you know, 30 is a big deal! It’s a milestone and I didn’t get to celebrate your past two birthdays so I thought this would be a nice treat... I know I didn’t ask if you even like surprises, but it was so small-”
Spencer cuts her off.
“Sorry, I just... thank you.” He tells her with a soft smile. “I love it.”
Margaux’s dark blue eyes light up and she brushes her hair out of her face. The nerves leaving her body.
“Make a wish Spencer.”
Spencer doesn’t have to think about it as he blows out his candles.
“What did you wish for?” She asked, grabbing a knife to cut his cake.
Spencer raised a brow, “Well if I tell you, it won’t come true.”
Margaux rolls her eyes, “Didn’t peg you to be superstitious.”
Spencer just shrugged at that and bit his lip. If his wish had to do with Margaux, well, she didn’t need to know.
The one about Rocky Horror Picture Show
Spencer’s sorting through the collection of DVD’s Margaux brought over for their movie night. She brought an eclectic mixed taste of Halloween movies, from Hocus Pocus to Insidious . Spencer pauses on Rocky Horror Picture Show and Margaux makes a noise of excitement.
“Oh, we should watch it! I’m going to the showing next weekend and I’m so excited.” She said, reaching for the bowl of popcorn.
“I didn’t know they still showed it in movie theaters, I’ve never been.” he said casually popping open the case to grab the DVD.
“What do you mean you haven’t seen Rocky Horror Picture Show ? It’s like quintessentially a Halloween staple.” Margaux said in abject horror.
Spencer is once again being berated for his lack of pop culture knowledge. To be fair, he does know the movie. So, he isn’t fully aware of why Margaux is looking at him like he has two heads.
“I’ve seen the movie. I know what it is.” He gives a scoff and shakes his head.
“No, that’s not what I mean. Why haven’t you ever been to a local show? It’s iconic!” She said exaggeratedly.
Spencer rolled his eyes. “My job doesn’t always let me preplan my events well. Besides, it can’t be much different than watching the movie at home.” He said turning to press play on the DVD player.
Margaux audibly gasps standing up from the couch.
“Spencer Reid, that is blasphemous! You are absolutely coming with me to a viewing of Rocky Horror, like immediately.” She demands planting her hands on her hips and shooting him a playful glare.
“What makes it so different?” He cocked his head in confusion, brows furrowed. “It’s a musical from the 70’s that barely makes sense in the plot line and some of the verbiage is really outdated, borderline offensive really.” He states matter of factly.
Margaux sighed, “You don’t understand art! It’s about the experience of the show, it’s such a great time going to a live show and seeing everyone in costume and singing together, chanting, using props! It’s one of the best things to be in a room of similar people just having fun.” She told him in a dreamy voice.
Spencer nodded, still not fully getting her image, moving to go sit on the couch, “I didn’t know they were so... performative.”
“They are some of my favorite shows I’ve been to. Especially bringing new people.” She plops back down on the couch next to him.
“Why?” he asked, turning to watch the opening credits, leaning down to grab his late-night coffee that wasn’t nearly as good as what Margaux makes in the cafe.
“Because they’re virgins.” She said it like it was so obvious. Like it was a fact as simple as the sky is blue.
Spencer almost chokes on his coffee.
“Excuse me?” he asks a little baffled.
Margaux rolls her eyes, “When someone is brought to a live show and they’ve never been, they’re a virgin. There’s even a silly virgin ritual that’s super fun. The whole nights a blast.”
Spencer goes quiet, his face bursting into a red flush, “It’s not... it’s not like a sex thing, is it?”
Margaux’s laugh filters through his apartment bright and loud. She shakes her head, “God no Spencer! I’m not going to some crazy orgy almost every year.”
Spencer started coughing and looked at her with wide eyes, “I wasn’t implying that you- I-... shit.”
Margaux just shakes her head still trying to control her laughter, “Well you have to come with me now Spencer, to heal my wounded ego. I’m going on Halloween. Dress up please?” she asked with a bat of her lashes.
Spencer covers his face in embarrassment but nods, “Okay, okay, okay. I’ll go. Can we please just watch the movie now?”
“Can do.” She snickered settling back into the comfort of his couch.
-
Before Margaux can leave, she has a few things she needs to check first. Spencer is picking her up to walk to the theater together, which is sweet. She goes to check on her dad before she leaves.
Margaux knocks gently on her father's door before opening it a crack, “Daddy?” she whispers.
Big Joe is passed out in his bed, the television still playing faintly in the background of some sports game. His snores letting her know he was out for the night.
Margaux shakes her head with a sigh before going in to turn off his television and giving him a soft kiss on the cheek.
“Love you, I’ll be back later.” she whispered.
Margaux checks her outfit one last time in the mirror, looking at her Janet inspired pajamas. She was wearing tights, a silk slip dress, and wrapped in a similar slip night gown. She was going as Janet in her under garments, but something she was okay with wearing in public. She throws her long coat over it to keep herself warm.
Margaux hears Spencer’s gentle knock on her door, and she quickly moves to grab her last few items. She grabs her large tote bag, double checking to make sure she has the props she wanted to bring. She looks in her wallet to make sure she has both tickets, and she feels confident.
She slides on her heels and opens the door to greet Spencer.
“Hey! I’m ready.” She greets excitedly, moving to close the door behind her.
She looks at Spencer and sees he’s dressed as Brad from the start of the movie, glasses and all. She grins as she tilts her head.
“I didn’t know you wear glasses?” She said with a tiny smile pointing at his face.
Spencer shrugged, “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” he said holding out his arm for her.
“A gentleman too!” she faked a gasp as she wrapped her arms around his. “To the theater!” she proclaims with an exaggerated drawl of her accent.
It’s not the shortest of walks, but the duo arrive at the theater only a little chilly. Mostly Margaux even under her coat. She presents their tickets, and they are quickly ushered inside. Margaux immediately relaxes, feeling the warmth of the heater.
She moves to hang up her coat on the rake and Spencer catches what her actual costume is. His face flushed a bit.
“You, you look great.” He almost chokes on his words as he compliments her.
She does a little spin, her loose robe fanning out around her. “Thought it would be cute and comfy!” she tells him with a proud smile.
Margaux comes back up to Spencer to link their arms together again, “come on let’s go find our seats! I wanna make sure I have the props in the right order.” She looked up at him with unbridled excitement that’s just too contagious.
Spencer just gives a nod, “Lead the way, Janet.”
“Aren’t you just a peach Brad!” she responded without missing a beat.
Everything about this movie experience is the exact opposite of what Spencer would expect when going to see a film. Almost everyone in the crowd was dressed and just as many were carrying around props.
Margaux’s bag was filled with rice, newspapers, playing cards, he was honestly impressed by the Mary Poppins effect. He couldn’t see the bottom and every time she pulled something out, he really thought she had hit the end.
The Time Warp plays, and Margaux drags him out of his seat to dance with her. The whole room ignited into a loud cacophony of singing. Margaux’s laughter is the only sound he can hear pierce through, and he finds himself smiling along with her.
Once that musical number ends, they almost fall back into their seats, she leans closer to him and whispers in his ear, “Are you having fun?”
He turns and nods, bending down to grab some left-over rice to toss at her. “It’s a blast.” he laughs.
She squeezes his arm, “I’m glad.”
The evening is chaotic, loud, and so so so messy. By the time the movie ends the theater is a real mess. Margaux grabs as many of the large props as she can and shoves them back into her bag, trying to make the clean-up at least a bit easier.
Once they’re outside, and she’s wrapped back up in her coat, Spencer takes a deep breath.
“Soooooooooo?” She starts, giving him an expectant look.
“I had a lot of fun. I totally get the theater experience.” He chuckled looking over at her.
“Good! Maybe we can make it a tradition.” She said giving him a gently nudge with her elbow.
“You mean add more activities to our Halloween calendar? How will we ever find room!” He says in jest.
She shrugged lazily with a dramatic sigh. “We’re just too festive Spencer.”
“Clearly, we’re going to have to start Halloween in September next year.” He suggested.
“Oh, that would give me something to look forward to!” She said in excitement.
Spencer walks Margaux home and drops her off at the foot of the apartment.
“Thanks again Spencer. It was so much fun going with someone again.” She told him with a soft smile. “I haven’t been able to go with anyone since we moved here.”
Spencer steps forward to brush her hair out of her face, “I love spending Halloween with you.” he whispered.
Margaux’s face bursts into a deep flush as she can feel her heart almost beat out of her chest. “Goodnight Spencer.”
“Goodnight Margaux.”
The one where Birdie visits
Margaux’s cleaning some dishes left over from breakfast when the doorbell rings. She sighs, knowing it’s far too early for Spencer to come by to pick her up for lunch. It has to be Bridget. Her timing couldn’t have been more perfect, since Margaux had just dropped her father off for a checkup.
Her baby sister had called last night asking if their dad would be home tomorrow. Margaux was too hopeful to think that meant Bridget was trying to spend time with their dad. It’s like pulling teeth trying to get Bridget to spend some time with their dad. Since he’s been diagnosed it’s almost like she can’t stand to be in the same room as him. Big Jo tries to not let it hurt his feelings, but Margaux sees his face and how he deflates.
The day she came by, and he was in a wheelchair, it was like they’d both been hit by a truck.
Margaux plants a forced smile on her face as she answers the door, “I thought you were coming by later? When daddy would be here.”
Her sister shakes her head, shoving her hands into her coat pocket. “Nope, I just needed to stop by before I started running my errands for the day.” she said calmly.
“Well come in, come on, it’s freezing.” Margaux steps aside to let her sister in. Bridget quickly sheds her coat and scarf hanging them on the rack next to the door.
“Mags, did you pack any of my stuff when you moved daddy up here?” Bridget asks, walking into the kitchen and making herself a glass of water.
“Come on in, fix yourself a drink, don’t mind your sister... by the way do you have my junk?” Margaux mocks crossing her arms as she raises her brow at her younger sister.
“I didn’t mean it like that, I’m just in a hurry.” Bridget replied rolling her eyes.
“Well, what are you looking for?” Margaux asked.
“I can’t find any of my old high school stuff.” She said casually.
Margaux leans against the counter, “I didn’t take any of that stuff. I just packed up the essentials.”
“So my stuff is in a storage unit ?” Bridget asked irritated.
“No Birdie, it’s all still at the house in Georgia. I have Aunt Jo taking care of it. All your stuff’s at home.” Margaux replied exasperated.
“Aunt Josephine? I thought she was like... a recluse?” Bridget asked, making a sour face.
Margaux rolls her eyes, “No, Aunt Jo just never liked Lauren so she never came around.”
“God, can you just call her mom Maggie? I hate it when you call momma Lauren... it’s weird.” Bridget said defensively.
Margaux looks up at Bridget with a raised brow, “I’m good, thanks. That would involve her having to stick around to be my mom.”
“I’m not getting into this with you again.” Bridget says in a huff of frustration hitting the counter with her hands.
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
Silence settles over the two sisters and Margaux goes to open the fridge to grab a prepackaged cold coffee.
“Soooooooooo,” Margaux drawls out as she opens her drink.
Bridget looks at Margaux with a suspicious look.
“What are your Christmas plans?” She asks, trying to be casual.
“Jamie and I are going to see momma in Florida. We’ve had these plans for a while.” She said defensively not making eye contact.
“Birdie come on, you haven’t spent the past few Christmases with daddy, and if you did see him, it was for twenty minutes or a crummy half assed phone call.” Margaux pleads, throwing her hand up in emphasis.
“Margaux I didn’t come here for a lecture, I just needed to know if you packed my shit when you decided to pack up all our lives and move out to DC without asking me.” Bridget murmurs bitterly under her breath.
Margaux’s brows furrow as she’s taken aback by her sister.
“Bridget, I didn’t pack up everyone's lives- we still have the house in Georgia!" She said mildly irritated.
Bridget just rolls her eyes and puts her glass in the sink. “Whatever...” She murmured.
Margaux feels that small part of her, the one that gnaws and claws bubbling under her skin, poke itself to the surface. “What was I supposed to do? I had to make a decision for dad’s health!” She feels her voice rising in irritation that only her sister can bring out of her.
“Besides, I wasn’t the one who moved to DC to run away from her family.” Margaux states bitterly.
“Oh, come off it Maggie!” Bridget throws her hands up in defeat. “I’m not running away-this was the best program for me, and you know that!”
“Then what do you call never seeing dad! You even called to ask if he was home before you came today, Birdie, just so you could avoid him... What would you call that?” Margaux feels her voice raising and can’t stop the vitriol that spits out of her mouth at her sister.
There’s a pit in the bottom of Margaux’s stomach that twists and churns when it comes to her sister and her dad. She had tried so hard to get her sister to understand that their father was dying. They’re already lucky with the years they’ve gotten. He’s beaten the odds, but he can’t go on forever. She doesn’t understand how Bridget can just act like life is normal when every day could be their dad’s last.
“It’s not my fault daddy’s sick Maggie!” Bridgit shouts, her own voice cracking, “It’s not my fault you’ve given up your own life to be his caretaker! So, stop blaming me for living my life, while you’re stuck here playing nurse!”
“I’m not blaming you-”
“Yes, you are! You always blame me-”
“No, I don’t Bridget! If anything, I’m jealous about how selfish you can be!” Margaux feels the words tumbling out of her mouth like bile before she can stop herself. She’s so angry and sad all the time. It’s not fair that she’s so aware of her father’s mortality while her baby sister gets to run around and live her carefree life.
“I just wish you’d think about the fact that daddy is dying!”
The silence that falls between them is thick, the tension tight, about to break. Bridget looks at her sister with hatred, “I’m very aware he’s dying Margaux... I’m not stupid.” she whispers out in a hard tone.
Bridget turns around to grab her coat and rushes quickly to the door.
Margaux digs her heels in more, the words almost vomiting out her mouth in fierce resentment, “Go on Bridget, run away like you always do! I’ve been taking care of dad alone , anyway, not like he has two daughters!” Margaux’s voice peaks and cracks in frustration.
She blinks away the fat angry tears pricking her eyes.
Bridget turns on her heels to face her older sister, flipping her off, “Fuck you Margaux!” she hisses out in a venomous tone.
Bridget elbows her way past the man in front of her almost knocking him down as she runs off.
Margaux rushes to the door, about to yell something else after her sister when she sees Spencer standing to side in shock.
Her shoulders drop and she looks ashamed, closing her mouth tightly. She takes a deep breath.
“How much of that did you hear?” she asked quietly.
She can’t find it in herself to look up at Spencer yet, embarrassed by her own unbridled rage.
He moves to push Margaux gently back inside, “enough...” he replied softly closing the door behind him.
“C’mon sit down.” He gently moves her to the couch, forcing her to sit down.
He disappears into the kitchen for a short while and Margaux sits on the couch looking at her lap. She feels the wave of resentment she was holding onto leave and be replaced with the intense sorrow that follows. The tears that were building finally fell, landing on her lap as she just sobbed, trying to hold back her voice. Her throat feels tight as she sits there trying to hold herself together, to not scream her lungs out.
She feels the sofa dip next to her and a small mug is pushed into her hands. It’s warm tea.
“There’s a lot of honey in there, I wasn’t thinking so it might be too sweet.” he said softly.
She just shakes her head and sniffles, trying to compose herself. “No such thing...” She tried to joke, moving the cup to her mouth, her hands shaking the whole time.
A sob escapes her before she can even drink the tea.
“I’m sorry,” she tried to say, the tears just sliding down her face, she looks up at Spencer her lip quivering and eyes red.
Spencer gently grabs the tea and puts it on the coffee table before he opens his arms to her, and it doesn’t take but a short second before Margaux has her face in Spencer’s chest bawling.
He wraps his arms around her, holding her tight, rubbing soothing circles into her back. Her body shakes from her cries, she sounds like a small child with how they rip through her throat.
Spencer holds her until she calms down enough, when he finally feels her stop shaking.
“Do you feel better now?” he whispers.
Margaux pulled back and tried to dry her eyes, she could already feel the puffiness settling.
“No...” She murmured pitifully. “I feel worse, like I’m a bitch.” She looks up at Spencer and sees the massive wet stain from her tears.
“Sorry,” she points to his shirt, “didn’t mean to unload all of that on you. I thought you were coming later?” she said in a tiny voice.
“I was running early so I thought I’d just drop by, was that... Bridget?” he asked in a soft voice.
She nodded. “We were fighting about dad... again.” she admits finally grabbing her cup of tea that he made her.
Spencer face makes a silent ‘Oh’ as he nods in understanding.
“It sounded pretty bad.” he replied.
Margaux groans, “I don’t like fighting about it. I don’t like fighting at all!” she said facing him. “We used to get along great, then... I don’t know. Everything changed when our parents divorced, and the gap just never stopped growing... Now there’s this great divide I can’t seem to reach across and...” she pauses, taking a deep breath trying to stop the words from just falling out of her mouth. Exposing her raw skin that she’s picked at so much her bones are exposed telling her story.
“I know she thinks I hate her for living her life.” She sighs looking at Spencer, who’s just been sitting and kindly listening. Attentively. “I do sometimes resent how carefree she is... but” she bites her lip.
“Spencer, I’m so scared that when dad dies... it’ll just,” she scoffed, “Me and that god forsaken bookstore.”
“I don’t want to lose them both.” she said, her eyes brimming with tears again.
If there was anything Spencer felt confident that he could do, it was helping her handle loss. He’s experienced it enough.
“You won’t be alone Margaux.” He tells her confidently; he reaches out to hold her hands tightly. “I’ll be here.” he reassured her.
“If there’s anything I’ve learned, everyone handles grief differently. Bridget...she might not be able to handle how sick your dad is.” Spencer tried to reason, anything to make her feel less alone.
“Avoiding it won’t make it go away...” she muttered.
“No, and she’ll eventually see that. You can’t force her to confront that fear.” he said pushing Margaux’s midnight hair behind her ear.
“It’s so hard, how do you do it? Alone with your mom?” she asked softly.
Spencer loses his breath for a moment before he swallows. Trying to find an answer.
“Well, she has doctors she trusts now. And a home that she feels safe in... but I spent my childhood taking care of her.”
Spencer scoffs, “I resent my father, he left a child alone to take care of a sick mother? He never helped me.”
Margaux gives him a soft nudge with her shoulder, “my mom's pretty shitty too.”
Spencer gives a hollow chuckle, “Does everyone have a shitty parent?” he asks, squeezing her hand.
Margaux lays her head on his shoulder, “There has to be good parents... we just- we got unlucky.” she whispers.
“Maybe we did...” He murmured.
Silence settles between them and it’s calming, not the tense air that was with Bridget.
“You never told me what happened with your mom.”
Margaux feels herself tense up.
“It’s not a story I like telling...” She sighed, “When I was thirteen, I overheard my parents arguing. Long story short, my mom cheated on my dad. Bridget was so young, like six, so when they divorced, they tried to lie to us. That it was mutual. Civil... I knew the truth though; I couldn’t look at my mom the same after that." She told him with a bitter smile.
“I already lost my mom; I just couldn’t take away Birdie’s...”
“You never told her?” he asked in surprise.
“It wasn’t for me to tell. I just, I was a teenager...I wanted to protect her you know? She didn’t need the bitterness that bites at the back of my throat every time I see that woman.”
Spencer nods in understanding. “You know, you’re allowed to feel angry Margaux. You don’t have to be agreeable or happy about everything. It’s okay to get mad sometimes.” His hand moves up to gently brush her hair.
She doesn’t respond to his statement, just tries to not cry anymore.
“Can we go get lunch now?” she asked after a few minutes of silence.
“Anywhere you want.”
The one where Margaux finds out Spencer works for the FBI
It’s a rough morning.
Massively rough, actually. Margaux’s alarm didn’t go off and if it wasn’t for Spencer calling her, she would still be heavily sleeping.
She rolls over to grab her phone and answers it.
“Hello?” Her voice comes out groggy, slow, and thick with sleep.
“Hey! You still want to go to the convention? I’m leaving soon and I can swing by to grab you.” Spencer’s voice comes through.
She panics, and shots up staring at her bedside clock. “Oh god, Spencer I’m so sorry! I slept in!” She jumps out of her bed and almost trips over her own clothes strewn on the floor from the night before.
“It’s okay- I can wait if you need me to-”
“No, no no! You were so excited, don’t wait up!” she interrupts him as she throws clothes from her closet around trying to find something she wants to wear.
“It’s no big deal Margaux.” Spencer started to answer but she sighed.
“Spencer are you already dressed?” she pressed, grabbing one of her comfortable but cute skirts and a simple sweater. She throws them on her bed.
His silence is enough of an answer for her.
“You are.” She sighed and shook her head, “I have to go to the shop and pick up the money to deposit for the bank today. I’ll just meet up with you later. Promise. I just have to run this errand first.” she told him with a soft tone.
She hears his small huff, “It’s really not a big deal,”
“ Spencer” She chastises him. “You’re already ready to go. I’ll probably just take a little over an hour. Then I'll be there, okay? Just do a few laps in the artist alley for me.” she tells him teasingly.
She can almost hear him rolling his eyes. “Fine, but you owe me a coffee.”
“I always do.” she joked before hanging up.
Margaux rushes through putting on her makeup and throwing her clothes on. She gave herself a quick once over before deciding that she can’t waste any more time. She looked decent enough.
She rushed down the stairs and came around the corner to see her dad sitting at the kitchen table.
“You sure you’re okay without me today?” She asked him, leaning down to kiss her dad on the cheek.
Her dad huffs, “I told you I can handle one day. Maggie go out. You haven’t been out in months for fun.” He grunted in his deep voice, slurring his words together.
“I’m just asking daddy!” she snorted a soft laugh. “I want to make sure you don’t need anything before I leave.” she told him.
Her dad’s been able to move himself in and out of his own wheelchair for the most part, but she’s waiting for the day he can’t.
Margaux’s waiting for the day her daddy can’t do most things.
“Don’t worry about me, I’m gonna watch the Brave’s game today and I better see them win.” He mumbled nodding to her.
Margaux rolled her eyes, “Don’t hold your breath on that one. I love you.”
“Love you too pumpkin.”
She grabs her bag, “Be safe!” he hollers at her.
“I always am!” she shouts back to him before leaving for the bookstore.
-
Margaux’s checking her watch in a mild panic. She’s not super off on the time she gave Spencer, but she still hates making him wait. She should have just taken the money deposit on Friday, but she was so sleepy she barely could do more than take her dad to his appointment.
She huffed in frustration, she only had herself to blame.
She’s finally up to deposit the stores money, and she thanks the gods above, when Margaux’s, already bad day, goes terrible.
“Hey!”
Gun shots. Gun shots go off and Margaux’s frozen, her brain going into fight or flight. She turns quickly and sees a woman with a short bob holding a gun and the security guard is on the ground, blood pooling beneath his body.
Margaux feels her stomach fall out of her body and she’s shuffled with the crowd trying to get out. It feels like a blur.
“I want to see hands in the sky!” a new voice shouts.
Margaux’s hands go up, she sees at least three guns and three different ugly face masks swinging their guns around. She feels like her ears are ringing while she’s ushered into a corner with the other patrons.
Her body is shaking from fear. Who the hell robs a bank on a Saturday afternoon?
“Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are the Face Cards, maybe you’ve heard of us.” The woman’s voice rings through again.
Margaux stands next to a couple who start speaking lowly in a foreign language, she thinks it’s German. She knows that they’re trying to plan something together.
The woman with her face mask turns around pointing her gun at the couple quickly walking toward them, speaking in their language. Margaux has no idea what she says but she knows it’s a threat.
“Get your faces on the floor already. I see eyes, you see bullets. Get it?” the woman shouts at them.
Margaux slides down with everyone, fear eating away at her. She just hopes the police are either quick or the robbers are.
“Get down on the ground!” one of the males screams.
She feels like a rock is in her throat. She just keeps her head down, trying to keep herself together. She isn’t focusing on what they’re saying. She knows he’s demanding money but she’s trying to just focus on living.
She hears them shuffling, shouting, and then they're gone. Just as soon as she feels like she can breathe again, there’s more gunshots and the robbers come running back inside.
Margaux is being yanked up by her arm, forced to her feet. Her eyes meet the hollow black abyss of the woman’s mask as she holds the gun to Margaux’s stomach. She can’t breathe, all she can think about is how she can’t leave her dad alone.
“Make a wall, stand near the doors and windows.” she demanded, shoving Margaux toward the front door.
Margaux heard the woman walk away, and she released a shaky breath squeezing her eyes shut.
This is not how Margaux wanted today to go. She was supposed to be at a convention with Spencer. Dressed as Doctor Who characters, eating bland food, and buying something silly from the artist alley. She’d come home, make dinner, and watch a movie with her dad.
Now she doesn’t know if she’ll see her dad or Spencer again. God, she can’t think, what if she doesn’t see her dad again? Who’s going to take care of him? Her sister won’t. Her mind starts to spiral and she’s panicking, her breath becomes shallow.
She’s brought back by the woman who’s next to her grabbing her hand and holding it tight. It grounds Margaux to the present. She can hear the conversation happening with the squabbling face mask robbers.
“I can’t find anything. No doors, no grates, nothing.” The woman informed the man.
“Yo! Lynne! What’s another way outta here?” He shouts disgruntled to the woman who was working behind the counter.
“Just the main entrance and the side door. It’s for security.” She responds timidly.
“I know that. You think I’m stupid?” He shouted at her with an exhausted sigh.
“What went wrong? We were on count.” The woman growls out in frustration.
“I need a doctor. Is anyone a doctor?!” The man is clearly ignoring her and trying to save the other man that’s with them.
Margaux doesn’t hear much else, she starts to tune out all the noise into a hum that almost feels like tv static against her skin. It makes her itch, but she can’t be bothered to try to move.
There’s a murmur of conversation from the group next to her but it just makes white noise in her ears. She’s just numb and wants desperately to be home or at the coffee shop with Spencer. Anywhere else.
A phone ringing is the only thing that vaguely pulls her out of it enough to pay attention again.
One of the robbers is on the phone, the woman keeps circling murmuring her own commentary.
“He’s trying to negotiate .” the man’s gruff voice cuts through.
“We’re not playing games!” The woman sneers back.
Margaux feels the woman’s eyes scanning, heels clicking on the floor. She can feel her heart in her throat as it beats aggressively.
There’s sudden movement and near Margaux the woman pulls a small girl. She screams for her dad who’s with her and he spins around begging for his daughter.
“Either we get what we want, or everyone in this room dies.”
The father’s voice is shaking as he begs. “Take me instead, please. Take me.”
“It’s okay baby.”
Then the loud noise of gun being shot makes Margaux flinch as she sees the man falling backwards and lands on the ground in front of her. His daughter screaming for him and trying to grab him.
She squeezes her eyes shut, knowing too easily she could be shot too.
“You better send in some help or more people are gonna die.” The man tells the police calmly on the phone.
Margaux feels a shaky breath leave her body.
They keep going back and forth and she hears the phone again.
It feels like an out of body experience. She can’t think, barely can feel herself breathing. If it wasn’t for the occasional heel clicking or unfortunate gun shot, she’d think it was a nightmare.
The front door opens, and a man walks through a metal detector, he looks like medical personnel. The woman tries to pat him down, but the other robber is in the floor with a dying man screaming for help.
The room in dead silent as Margaux hears the man work, trying to save the robber on the ground.
The room is starting to smell like blood and what Margaux can only assume is the stench of death. She hates the iron that’s infiltrating her nostrils, and she’s never thought herself to be queasy with gore, but this is real. Not a horror movie.
There’s at least two dead men in front of her on the floor, a small girl sobbing into a strange woman, and soon to be another body.
Another gunshot.
She still flinches. The medics body now is dragged forward into the pile of dead men. Alongside the other robber. Four. Four dead men.
She wants to hurl. Margaux is not built for this, that’s why she runs a bookstore and cafe.
“Everyone move forward!” the woman demands with a shout.
She vaguely hears the phone ring again and she wonders when this will be over. Will they shoot all of them? Will they kill another person, five more? When does it end and what can the police even do?
She’s starting to think this bank will be the last four walls she sees. She has to blink back the tears and not let that thought overwhelm her.
She hears the man and woman squabbling. Turning on each other? She can’t really tell.
“I wanna talk to the cop who shot my brother.”
Well, there goes that tactic. No betrayals here... just possibly another dead officer.
The man gets back on the phone and the back and forth goes on, he keeps demanding the officer, even offering to let hostages go. That feels far too good to be true though.
One of the men near her gets dragged back, pulled over to the phone.
“Come on bud, let’s go!”
“Pick up the phone.” the robber demands.
“Why?” the man’s shaking voice asks.
“Pick up the phone!” he shouts, like he’s desperate.
“Hello?” the man is clearly scared, voice shaking and small.
“Tell him your name.”
“It’s...” He swallows, “It’s Shawn Harper.”
There’s another gun shot, and Margaux wishes she didn’t know what a body hitting the floor sounded like.
And that makes five innocent bodies, and one dead robber.
“Ugh, you just killed Shawn Harper. Not me, you.” the man hisses through the phone.
Margaux’s going to hurl, what a sick thing to say.
“I’m going to shoot another hostage every sixty seconds until you send in the cop.”
Margaux freezes.
She tries to close her eyes, and she’s never been a very religious person... which is not common for someone from Georgia, but she finds herself begging to some god, or whoever, that she can make it out. She has to make it out.
“Who’s next huh?”
He grabs a woman and drags her back. Telling her to pick up the phone. Margaux’s body trembled as she tried desperately to block out the gunshot she knew she would hear.
“Pick it up, come on. Pick it up.” he goads the woman, her sobs broken between her shaking breathes.
“What’s your name?” he pressures.
“No,” she gasps, “Please...” her voice broken.
“Tell him your name!” he shouts at the woman.
“Annie...” she gasps, swallowing a sob, “It’s Annie.”
“Annie, you got about 30 seconds, I hope Agent Rossi doesn’t make me shoot you too.” he tells her, with fake sympathy in his voice.
The man next to Margaux decides that now is the time to chat. He turned to face the woman with children, he whispered something to her, and she can’t believe this man has lost his mind.
“Hey! You! Come over here.” The robber yells at him, his gun pointing much too close to Margaux for her liking.
“Just let the women and children go. They don’t need to see this.” The man tried to negotiate with the robber.
Margaux almost scoffed, what did this guy think he was doing?
“Pretty soon they’re gonna be doing a lot more than seeing.” The man hisses out, “Annie, you just got yourself a reprieve, get in line over there.”
The robber grabs the man shoving him towards the phone and Margaux sighs.
“My name is Matthew Downs.” he speaks into the phone.
Suddenly an officer walks through the door, his hands up in surrender.
“Let those people go.” his accent is much thicker than Margaux’s, southern but he’s not from Georgia.
“Alright, you, you, you, you-” he pushes the woman and two children next to Margaux. “The kids, get out.”
He sounds like a man who’s finally found release, like he’s getting what he’s always wanted.
Margaux watches the officer talk to the robbers, and she sees him fall, two shots to his chest.
She released a shaky gasp. The man, Matthew? Who was at the phone rushes over and grabs onto Margaux. He directs her and forces her to put her hands on Will.
“Keep pressure on it.”
She nods and follows instruction easily.
Matthew grabs the medical bag and starts instructing her on what to do. She’s on the floor, holding a cloth and putting pressure heavily on the cop in front of her. He instructs the pressure is the most important and that’s what she does.
She’s trying to breathe, steady her hands to be helpful. The officer on the ground keeps trying to talk and Margaux is so close to panicking that she is about to yell at this poor man bleeding out on the ground.
“Are you armed?” Matthew asked Will.
“No.” He murmured, hissing in pain.
“Damn... I think we might have something of a chance here.” Margaux’s eyebrows were raised in surprise at his words.
“What?” Will looks just as confused.
“The girls gone and the guys off his head. He doesn’t know who to trust. We can work them against each other.” Matthew whispered to both of them.
“Wait are you a cop?” Will tries to ask, still struggling.
“A former marine.” Matthew grunts out.
Will’s moving too much, and his blood is all over Margaux’s hands. She can’t get the metallic smell out of her nose and she’s trying to keep herself together.
“You gotta listen to me, I need you to get a message to my girlfriend.” Will tried to ask.
“All right, you can tell her yourself when you get out of here.” Matthew reassures him.
Margaux huffs and looks at Will with determination, “I need you to not think in only death, okay? Everything looks a little bleak right now and I really need some kind of hope to hold on to. There are already five dead bodies, don’t make it six.” she hisses out at him.
“Only I’m not getting outta here... you need someone to cause a distraction.” Will murmured trying to sit up.
“What are you doing?!” she tries to push him back down but he’s surprisingly resilient for someone who was just shot.
“Her name is Jennifer, and she’s a federal agent. You tell her I’m sorry.” Will tells Matthew.
The two continue to go back and forth and Margaux can’t bother to get herself off the ground. She’s watching this officer like he’s gone mad.
Will walks on shaky legs, hobbling over to the robber. Will goads him, pushing the man. Turning his trust around on its head.
Then he’s walking off with Will to the back, and they’ve left an opening for them to escape.
Matthew bends down to help Margaux off the ground and shoves her out the door, and suddenly she can breathe again. Officers swarm them and escort them off to the safety of a police barricade.
She looks around, taking in the massive amounts of vans, officers, the FBI agents, and swat team.
She’s watching them move in, trying to do their jobs. Arrest the bad guys... but Margaux watches with wide eyes the massive explosion that destroys the inside of the bank. Shooting debris out onto the ground. It really hits her like a massive punch to her gut, how lucky she is to even be alive.
Margaux is with the rest of the survivors, huddled near one of the police cruisers, all of them waiting for medics to check them and for other cops to take statements. It’s all just a blur to her. Everything is happening too fast and too slowly all at once. She doesn’t even know what the time is or how long she’s been trapped in that bank.
Then through the fog of her head she sees something so familiar she has to do a double take to believe it.
Spencer.
Her Spencer, coming out of a federal vehicle in a bullet proof vest reading FBI. She’ll blame her adrenaline later, but her feet start walking away from the safety of her spot and it’s like tunnel vision. She’s running, and while she hears people yelling at her, she can’t stop. Her only goal is Spencer, he was lifeline in this moment. A grounding figure in her shock.
“Spencer?” Her feet pound on the pavement, the loud commotion around her fading into a buzzing sound behind her. “Spencer!” she shouts at him.
With laser focus he finds her, his face filled with relief but even more worry.
Spencer had seen her on the cameras, and it took every fiber of his being to not immediately want to drive down to barge in for her. He knew, logically, he was better helping out Garcia and looking over the maps. Every time Spencer heard a gunshot, it was a jolt of panic as his eyes scanned the cameras making sure it wasn’t her. Margaux couldn’t die. Spencer doesn’t think he could recover from that. She was bright and kind and the last person who deserved to be in this kind of hostage situation.
Every second felt like an hour and his brain was whirling a million different scenarios.
“Margaux,” he meets her halfway, holding her arms and walking her back to safety.
“Margaux you can’t be here, this isn’t safe.” He tells her sternly, his brow furrowed in a deep line. It’s an expression she’s never seen, so serious. His eyes flashed over her body trying to check if she was okay. He freezes when he sees the blood caked on her hands. He gently grabbed her hands, and it made Margaux look down.
“It’s not mine.” she murmured quietly.
Spencer sighed in relief and looked back at her with more determination.
“Just stay with the officers, okay? They will keep you safe. I promise I’ll explain but I have to do my job.” He tells her, he’s navigated her back to where she started, and he hands her off to a medic.
She wants to argue with him, but his tone leaves no room for it and her energy is fading.
“Make sure she’s looked at.” He told the medic in a fiercely intense tone.
“Stay with them. I will explain...later.” he said giving her arms a reassuring squeeze before he turns to leave.
Margaux has no energy left to try to argue. She’s just filled with exhaustion as the medic checks her vitals. She vaguely hears him talking to her, but she can’t pay attention. Her eyes never left Spencer as she followed him. He works his way around like it's second nature.
For a moment, she realized there’s a whole part of his life that she had no idea about... he’d never told her.
The rest of the evening goes by in a blur, Margaux doesn’t touch her phone until it’s well into the late evening. Seeing missed calls from so many people. She can only find it in herself to call her dad.
“Maggie? Maggie, please tell me you’re okay.” Her dad’s voice rings through, warbled like he’s about to cry. Big Joe isn’t a crier, he just never has been. A pang of guilt shoots through her because she feels guilty for not calling sooner.
“I’m, I’m safe daddy, I’m at the station.” She whispered, her voice hoarse from the smoke and underuse.
“Oh, thank god.” The sigh of relief speaks more than his words do.
“I’ll be home tonight, but I don’t know when I’ll be able to leave...”
“Come home as soon as you can sweetie.”
“I love you daddy.” her voice shakes, and it’s watery, almost on the verge of tears.
“I love you too. Come home safe, and I mean it.” His voice is firm, but filled with warmth and it has her cracking her foundation. Tears escaped her eyes.
She wipes them away furiously, trying to save her waterworks for when she’s alone tonight and processing what the hell even happened today.
By the time she hangs up she sees a small group entering the police station, and there's a familiar mop of brown hair.
Spencer beelines towards her. Margaux stands to meet him, and she’s enveloped in a tight hug and whispers she can’t hear against her neck.
“You’re safe, you’re safe.” She hears him chanting and from how he’s holding her she realizes he’s saying it for his benefit.
The two stand in silence, holding onto each other. She really couldn’t care about the onlookers. She almost died over a stupid bank robbery; she was going to hug her friend.
“So, is every day this scary for you?” she asked quietly.
“Kind of part of the job.” he chuckled moving back to look her over. His sharp eyes trying to see if there was something wrong, if she was injured.
“So, FBI?” she tilts her head with a raised brow. “Wouldn’t have pegged you for a fed.” she teased, trying to ease the tension.
“Behavioral Analysis Unit, specifically.” He adds.
Margaux’s eyebrows raise, “Jesus, I need a sedative...” she murmured. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Spencer just shrugged, “I just needed somewhere that was for me, yeah know? Keep the work out of the personal?”
Margaux nodded, “Yeah well, I’d would have liked to know that when my best friends out of town, it could be life threatening.” she said with a small fake punch to his arm.
“You worry enough about too much. Don’t worry about me.” he told her firmly.
“That’s easier said than done.” She murmured with a frown.
“Come on, let me take you home. I’m sure Big Joe’s worried sick.” Spencer said moving to grab her hand and lead her out.
Margaux just nods and follows behind him.
-
“Spencer, are you sure this is okay? I mean I don’t know anyone.” Margaux asked trying to straighten out her dress.
Spencer was behind the driver's seat in a tuxedo of his own and he was looking at Margaux’s nervous gestures. He reaches over to hold her hands and squeezes.
“I know it’s okay. Besides, you might as well meet everyone. I was going to introduce you to Garcia at the convention anyway.” He shrugs casually.
“I promise they don’t bite; besides, you definitely know Will.” he said with a faint smirk.
“Spencer Reid that does not count! I was applying pressure to make sure the man didn’t bleed out all over the floor of that bank!” She huffs in irritation.
“I promise you’ll get along, and if I don’t Morgan’s going to start thinking I’m taking out call girls after work.” He frowns in mild annoyance.
“Wow, glad to know you think I'm a step up from call girl.” she says jokingly, reaching over to pat his arm. “Great pep talk Spence.”
Margaux moves to get out of the car her giggles following. Spencer fumbles to escape the car.
“I didn’t mean it like that!” he tried to explain.
She puts her hand up, “It’s fine, come on my nerves are definitely gone now.”
Spencer just smiled at her, watching her smooth out her starry sky dress. The deep blue complimenting her as silver stars dangle from her ears.
“I’ll stop while I’m ahead.” he said.
“Good call.”
Spencer walks her up to Rossi’s house, well, mansion. Margaux’s eyes widened a bit before turning to him.
“Bestselling author... for multiple books.” he confirmed.
He takes Margaux out to the back to greet everyone’s who's there. Margaux’s distracted by the large space and beautiful displays. The flower petals on the ground, the beautiful tables, not to mention an open bar. Spencer gently guides her over to his team Hotch, Garcia, and Morgan who are gathered in a small circle.
Before Spencer can introduce her Morgan’s already looking Margaux up and down.
“So, you're the little friend Reid wouldn’t tell us about?” He points at her before returning his hand to his pocket. Morgan’s charming and mischievous smile on his face.
There’s a gasp, and Garcia gives a small, excited jump, “The bookstore girl!” She almost shouts at her. “You’re gorgeous!” She moved to hold Margaux’s hands and made her do a small spin to look at her dress. “So sparkly, I like!”
Morgan leaned over to Reid, “She might have already started drinking...”
“Can’t believe you’d keep us a secret Reid.” Hotch teased, his arm resting around Beth’s waist pressing her closer to his side.
“You’re all vultures, every single one. No privacy with you guys.” Spencer told them shaking his head.
“You’re lucky you lasted this long, if I had known just a little more, I could have looked into her.”
“That's... exactly what I’m talking about Garcia...” Spencer sighs heavily.
“I’m Margaux, it’s really nice to meet you guys.” She introduces herself with a smile and a small laugh.
“So, a bookstore?” Morgan raised his brow in question.
“Yeah! I co-own the Midnight Owl. It’s a bookstore and cafe that is open late nights to offer a space for book loving insomniacs like myself.” She said cheerfully.
“That explains how Reid met you.” Rossi’s voice drifts in as he comes up to meet Spencer’s new friend.
He extends his hand out to shake Margaux’s. “David Rossi, nice to meet you.”
She gives him a warm smile, “Thank you for hosting, your home is beautiful.”
Margaux leaves Spencer for a while going to walk off with Penelope as the blonde leads her to the open bar.
“How long have you been friends with Reid?” she asked Margaux.
Margaux takes a sip from her drink and thinks, “Three years, going on four.”
Penelope’s brows go up, “Oh he’s been keeping you a verrrrrry big secret.”
Margaux rolls her eyes, “Well he regretted to inform me his day job was being an FBI agent.”
“Does it matter?” The blonde asked tilting her head.
Margaux could feel Penelope’s piercing protective gaze on her, she shakes her head. “No obviously not. He’s my best friend. I just... will probably worry ten times more about him now.” she admits.
“They’re the best team I know.” Penelope tells her softly.
“Won’t stop me from worrying, but thanks for trying.” She gives a half smile before taking another sip.
“I worry too, constantly.” She stage whispers to Margaux.
Margaux bubbles into laughter and the two make their way back over to the small group.
Other groups of people were trickling into the back yard filling up space and chattering.
Spencer’s nowhere to be found with his coworkers and Margaux tries to search for him, finally finding him crouched next to a small blonde child. She excuses herself and makes her way over.
She tilts her head as she watches Spencer roll a ring between his fingers in front of the child and makes the ring disappear and reappear before the boy's eyes. He starts “Go on Henry,” he ruffles the blonde’s hair, “Time to go be the ring bearer. It’s a very important job.” Spencer ushers Henry off.
“You just keep surprising me.” she whispered walking over to him.
Spencer shrugs, “There’s a lot to find out.” he replied.
“Have you always been this good with kids?” she asked.
Spencer smiled, “I love them.” The way that he says it, she can see how much he wants that. To be a dad. To be in love.
“I think you’ll make a great dad one day, if that’s anything to go by.” She tells him.
Spencer just brushed the comment off and led her over to the altar.
“Who knows, maybe one day.”