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“What’s so damn special about this guy?” Lexy asked, her words slurred and her voice venomous. “He can’t be as great as you say and seriously be interested in YOU?!”
My eyes stung with unshed tears. She’d been downright cruel since she’d returned home from her seventh failed date that month… It was only the twelfth. I wasn’t even sure why she was picking a fight.
“Like, look at you!” she said, gesturing to my whole body. “You aren’t even that pretty. Why would a guy choose you over me?!”
I stayed quiet, forced myself to not say anything. She was just drunk and unhappy. I just needed to get out of her way, and stay there. But it hurt. I thought she was my friend… At least, I always tried to be her friend.
“Something must be wrong with him, to choose someone like you…” she spat at me. “Maybe that’s why he’s gone all the time. So he doesn’t have to deal with you.”
I couldn’t keep quiet at that… Not when she was implying what she was implying.
“He has an important job,” I said, with watery eyes. “He saves lives. THAT is why he is gone all the time. And… And honestly, I don’t know what he sees in me. But I’m so lucky he does see something… I… I love him. And for some reason, he loves me!”
Lexy laughed, cruel and bitter.
“What could anyone see in a fat bitch like you?” she huffed. “Seriously, do us all a favor and wake up from your stupid dream, sitting around and writing all day like someone actually cares what you have to say. You’ll never be a success, anyway.”
At that, I dropped the glass I’d been trying to fill for her. The plastic cup clattered in the sink, and I simply left it there. Going into my room, and locking the door behind me.
That was the final straw… I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t… Tears started rolling down my face, and I wiped them away before they could drip off my chin.
What did Spencer see in me? I have no clue. But he… He loved me. He said so all the time. He just… He had to work a lot. That was why I didn’t get to see him for days on end…
I tried to ignore what Lexy said, but it settled somewhere deep in my soul. The place where old wounds still lingered. The wounds of not being chosen, of growing up without a father, of always having to move from place to place. Never having a home, or family… Dark, and painful, and making my insecurities seem magnified.
It’d been two weeks since the fight with Lexy. And a little over two weeks since I’d last seen Spencer… At first, I thought it was a coincidence. He was often away for long periods of time. We still talked on the phone every night.. But weirdly, things kept getting in the way of us meeting up in person.
He’d gotten back from Seattle rather late, and was too tired to meet up after he got home from work, so we settled for a phone call. Then, we’d planned a date, but a case came up in Arizona. When he got back from the case, I had work… The late shift. We couldn’t even have our nightly phone call then, but we had texted while I was on my break. And the next day, he was sick… I wanted to come over, and take care of him, but he made a very good excuse of why I couldn’t. Since I was a waitress, getting sick would mean I couldn’t work, and he didn’t want to cause me any financial burden. I tried to call him later that day, but apparently he’d been conched out on cold medicine most of the day. Then, another case. Once more, completely across the country. Oregon. It was almost starting to feel intentional, rather than just a string of annoying coincidences.
Lexy’s words haunted me. They came back up in my head every time our plans fell through, or another thing came up. Maybe Spencer HAD gotten sick of me. Maybe he was trying to let me down gently, rather than just break up with me. Maybe…
But he still called me, and we talked. He sounded as caring as ever. Still, I couldn’t get her words out of my head.
Spencer could hear it, in the phone calls. He was concerned, asking me if I was alright. He could hear the exhaustion in my voice. The exhaustion that came with packing up my life every moment I was home from work. Packing up, and looking for new places to live…
I told him I was alright. That I was just working a lot. That I was just missing him… Which I was. He said he missed me as well, and promised to make it up to me when he got back.
The exhaustion was a lot… Not just physically, but emotionally. I just… I wasn’t sure what I needed, but I needed something. I needed a break. The last two nights I’d been too exhausted to answer his calls. I couldn’t pretend to be okay, and I didn’t want him to worry about me. I didn’t want him to know that my insecurities were eating me alive. He’d done nothing wrong… It was Spencer, of course he did nothing wrong.
Penelope had called me a few times, too, but I asked if she’d be okay texting, and she seemed fine with that. She was texting me about a convention that was coming up in a few months. Sci-fi-gate. I was planning to go with her this year. With her and Spencer. She apparently used to go with her boyfriend, but apparently they’d recently broken up… Which was unfortunate.
I knew she was checking up on me, too. I texted her that I was okay. I didn’t want her to worry about me. And a small lie wasn’t a big deal… It was all in my own head, anyway.
My room was filled with packed cardboard boxes. All except the few essentials were in those boxes, waiting for the moment I found a new room to rent. Clothes, books, writing supplies, dinnerware and cookware. I’d taken everything that was mine out of the kitchen, and had lived off food from work and take out. I was ready to move… Except for a place to move to. And I’d been looking… I couldn’t live with Lexy anymore. Not after… Not after I found out how she really felt about me.
We didn’t talk anymore. She spent her time on dates and out with friends. I spent most of my time working, saving up for a security deposit. When I wasn’t working, I was looking for a place to move, or staying in my room with a locked door. Thankfully, at the moment I had a bit more leeway at the apartment, since Lexy was currently on yet another date. I’d just opened up my google docs page, when the doorbell rang.
I knew it couldn’t have been Lexy. She had her key… Maybe she’d accidentally over scheduled dates… It wasn’t going to leave the poor guy waiting in the pouring rain because of her mistake. Not like I’d let some strange guy into the apartment, but I could at least yell through the door to let him know she was out.
It was raining pretty hard outside, and our apartment door had barely any overhang to keep the rain from pelting you. I went to the front door, and looked through the peep hole.
Spencer stood there, in that long black coat of his. The one I loved. His hair was bedraggled from the rain, and he shifted back and forth almost anxiously. As I was watching, he ran a hand through his soaked hair. He looked so… worried.
I opened the door, barely giving him time to react before I grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside. He let me drag him inside, looking both shocked and relieved. I closed the door behind him, and locked it.
“Penny,” he said, shocked. His voice strained and tired. There was a partially drowned bouquet of flowers in one of his hands, while the other went back to running his fingers through his hair.
“Spencer, what’s wrong?” I asked, noticing how dishevelled he looked. It wasn’t like him. It worried me.
All my stupid insecurities flew out the door when I saw him. He looked so worried, and upset… But not in the ‘breaking up with you’ way… No one would bring a bouquet to break up with someone.
“I’ve been replaying every conversation we’ve had over the last month, and I don’t… I don’t know what I’ve said wrong,” he said, speaking way too fast and agitated. He was moving around anxiously, running his hand through his hair again and again. “And I’m sorry. Whatever it is, I’m sorry. Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. Please… I’ve been so worried these last few days… I don’t want to lose you. If it’s about my job, I’ll talk to Hotch… I’ll take time off if I have to… I know… I know we’ve had to cancel our last date…. And I missed our three month anniversary… Well, it’s not an anniversary, since anniversary is from the words annus and versus. Which means year turning. But still, I know some people celebrate milestones like three months. I’m sorry I wasn’t here for it… I haven’t been able to stop worrying… It’s been miserable. And I just hope I haven’t lost you for good. Please say I haven’t…”
He looked at me with pleading eyes, and my heart clenched.
My insecurities seemed stupid. Definitely stupid compared to the sight of the man I loved standing in front of me, dripping wet, begging me not to leave him.
I… I couldn’t speak. If I did, I’d cry… My heart was filled with too many emotions to name. Too many to speak. I… My eyes stung, and my cheeks felt wet.
I threw my arms around Spencer, hugging him as tightly as I could. I didn’t care that he was still wet from standing out in the rain. I didn’t care if I’d get wet from the contact…. I would have completely melted into him if I could. I’d missed him… so much. He hugged me back, just as tightly, as I buried my head into his shoulder. Sobs ripped through me, coming out short and strangled.
He started rubbing my back, as I clung to him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, softly. His voice calmer now, more sure of himself. Thought there was still a hint of confusion there as well.
“I’ve missed you,” I said, shakily, through my tears. My voice was muffled by the way my face was smashed into his shoulder. “And my roommate said something cruel, and it made me start doubting… She really was awful. And I knew what she was saying wasn’t true, but still… My insecurities got out of control. And I didn’t want you to worry about me… I was too tired to pretend I was okay when I wasn’t. That’s why I didn’t answer your calls… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry I worried you… I’ve missed you so much. So very much… So much that it hurt…”
“Penny,” he said, softly, as we hugged. Pressing his lips to the top of my head.
We stayed there, as the minutes passed. Both resting in the weight of what the other said. That we still cared about each other, and that we were finally together again. When my sobs stopped, I drew back, looking up at him with red rimmed eyes.
“I love you,” I said, intensely. “You didn’t say anything wrong. My stupid roommate did. I don’t want to lose you either… I never want to lose you…”
Spencer cupped my cheek with his hand, drying my tears with a thumb.
“What did she say?” he asked, sympathetically.
“She called me a bitch,” I replied, with a shaky breath. “Well, more accurately, she called me a fat bitch.”
“What?!” he asked, not expecting that.
“And she said that the reason you’re gone so much is because you need time away from me,” I said, with a sniffle.
“When did she say all of this?” he asked, intently. The look in his eyes… It took my breath away, and made me want to cry again.
“Two weeks ago,” I replied, throwing my arms around him again. This time, I wrapped my arms under his wet coat, and laid my head against his chest. Listening for his heartbeat. “You were away on a case…”
“And then we kept missing each other because of my job,” Spencer said, realizing. “Oh, Pen, I’m so sorry.”
He held me close, and pressed another kiss into the top of my head.
“I’m sorry for what she said, and how it made you feel,” he said. I could feel his voice rumbling in his chest. “And I’m sorry that I didn’t realize sooner how much you needed me. Is there anything I can do to help?”
My heart squeezed as he spoke. He really was amazing. I didn’t know what I’d done to deserve him. Maybe I didn’t deserve him… I probably didn’t… But he loved me anyway.
Pulling back again, I looked up at him.
“Well, if you know anyone who needs a roommate,” I said, in a joking tone. My voice was watery with the tears I’d shed. “I need to get out of here. Lexy’s awful.”
“Now that you mention it,” Spencer said, with one of his blinding smiles, and a wink. “I’m looking for a roommate.”
“You have a one bedroom apartment, why would you need a… oh,” I said, it’d taken way too long for me to realize what he’d been implying. “Do you really mean it?”
“Of course I do,” he replied.
“When?” I asked, suddenly excited.
“As soon as you can pack,” he replied.
“Is… Is tonight too soon?” I asked, thinking of how nice it would be to get away from Lexy once and for all.
“No, why…” he began.
I grabbed his wrist, and pulled him into my bedroom.
“I’m already packed,” I said, as he looked around my room.
He looked endearingly confused, as he took in just how bare my bedroom looked.
“I’ve been so tired the last two weeks… Taking up more work, looking at so many apartments, and packing…” I told him. “The furniture was already here when I moved in, left over from another roommate. So everything I own is packed away, just waiting for me to find a new place to live. I just… I want to be out of here. I don’t want to have to see Lexy ever again!”
“Tonight works for me,” he said, after a moment.
It turned into a moving day. We packed as many boxes as we could fit into Spencer’s car, and took it to his apartment… In total, it took us two trips. He helped me double check that I got everything, and I left the keys and a note on the kitchen counters. I locked the door behind us, and said goodbye to that part of my life. Glad to be moving on.
Three months might have been a bit too soon to be moving in together, but it didn’t feel that way. Maybe we were moving too fast, but I’d never been as sure of anything as I was sure of Spencer.
When we got back to Spencer’s… To our apartment, we talked everything through. Sitting down on the couch with hot coffee, we talked over the last two weeks. I told him the entirety of my fight with Lexy, word for word.
“You might not want to tell Garcia about this,” Spencer suggested, taking a sip of his coffee. “Unless you want her to absolutely ruin Lexy’s life…”
“Hmm…” I replied, with a happy hum. “You know, that gives me an idea…”
“You don’t actually want that, do you?” Spencer asked, with a smile.
“You’re right,” I replied. “I don’t want Garcia to get in trouble for helping me get revenge on my roommate.”
“Former roommate now,” Spencer replied.
“I’m so glad for that former part,” I told him, leaning across the gap between us, and kissing him. “I like my new roommate much better.”
“I’m glad,” he said, with a happy chuckle. Initiating another kiss. “I like you, too.”
“Just like?” I asked, between more kisses.
“Love. I love you,” he replied.
“I love you to…” I said, before leaning back and taking another sip of coffee. “Would… Would you mind if we don’t unpack tonight? I’d… I’d kind of like to just watch something with you. And maybe have some dinner…”
“That can be arranged,” Spencer said. “Do you want to cook together, or order takeout?”
I finished my coffee. “Let me take a look into your kitchen, and decide,” I replied. “I need to take my coffee cup into the kitchen anyway.”
He looked slightly disappointed when I got up from the couch, and walked away from him. But he followed me into the kitchen. I put my coffee cup in the sink, when my eyes caught on the bouquet of flowers Spencer had gotten me. I’d made its way to Spencer’s apartment on our first trip, and had been left in the kitchen as we headed back to get the rest of my stuff.
“Oh, I almost forgot the flowers!” I said, completely changing the subject. “I think… I have a vase in one of the boxes… I just don’t remember which one…”
Spencer was right behind me. I could feel his presence, as he seemed to reach up and pull something down from the upper cabinet. A glass vase. He set it in the sink, and started to fill it.
“Why do you have a vase?” I asked, surprised.
“It actually came with the apartment,” Spencer explained, grabbing a pair of scissors from one of his drawers and handing it to me. “Forgotten by previous tenants. It should suffice until we can unpack your vases.”
“Thank you,” I said, with a smile. I took the bouquet out of the paper, and started trimming down the stems.
The bouquet was beautiful. As I trimmed each stem, Spencer took them, and arranged them in the vase. Somehow, he made them look even more beautiful as he arranged them. He definitely was hiding a talent for flower arranging.
Each part of the bouquet was chosen with care. It was obvious. Each with a message.
“Thank you,” I said, bumping Spencer with my shoulder. “For everything.”
“You know I love you, right?” Spencer replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice.
“Mmhmm,” I replied, smiling to myself. “You said as much through the bouquet. Cedar and Myrtle, Bachelor’s Buttons, and Pinks… Specifically Double Red Pinks. You love me, pure and ardently… You’re faithful to me, even when you are away... You live for me. And you are hopeful in our relationship…”
“And I mean all of it,” Spencer replied. “As soon as my paperwork was finished, I headed to the closest florist… Thankfully they had everything I needed.”
“You know I love you, too,” I said, finishing my task with the flowers, and moving to kiss him on the cheek. “Don’t you?”
“I’m learning that,” he replied, and I pouted up at him. “The kisses are rather convincing… Maybe I need a few more before I really know…”
“Shameful,” I chuckled, before kissing him on the lips. “But.. I can’t complain.” I kissed him again, wrapping my arms around his neck. “As long as.” Another kiss. “I get to…” I was going to keep talking, but he grabbed my face, and started kissing me back.
Spencer started to notice that there was something wrong during the case in Oregon. Penny didn’t sound alright when they had their nightly phone calls. He knew how she worried… He assured her he was being safe. But there was something else, he could tell. Something more insidious. Which worried him. She said things were going well at work. That her writing was going smoothly. That she just missed him. He let her know how much he missed her too.
It’d been too long since he saw her in person. He hated that he hadn’t been able to see her between the last few cases, and he wanted to figure out a way to fix that. He just didn’t know how yet.
She wasn’t texting him as much, which concerned him. And when she ignored his call… Well, calls, he worried. Had he done something wrong? Had he made her angry somehow? Was she alright? Did something happen?
His mind raced with everything that could have happened. He caught serial killers for a living, after all. Of course he worried.
When Penny ignored his call for the third time, he’d called Garcia. He told her everything, and she offered to check in on Penny for him. He was grateful. When Garcia told him that she didn’t answer the call, his concern grew. But, apparently Penny at least texted Garcia.
The second night, when she didn’t answer, he worried even more. It must have been something to do with him. He must have done something wrong, since she apparently was fine talking with Garcia. Just not with him.
Instead of sleeping, he replayed everything in his head. Trying to figure out what had gone wrong. He would apologize, whatever it was. He loved her… And while he knew the job usually led to broken marriages, and ended relationships, he didn’t want that to happen to them. Penny had very quickly become the reason he wanted to make the world a safer place.
It had only been a few months, yet she was… She had become a soft place to land for him. She showed him that there was still beauty in the world. And that maybe he hadn’t let himself down.
He might have been moving too fast… Maybe she knew, and that was why she was pulling away… But he was already looking for engagement rings. While to most people it seemed too soon, he was already looking ahead to the future. And the future he wanted… He wanted her there by his side.
Rossi had helped him order a ring off the internet. Spencer wanted to get Penny the perfect ring. He’d ordered one from a small business jeweler, so he could design a ring she’d just love. He knew exactly what she’d want. He’d seen it once, when she’d been over for a movie marathon. They’d been cuddling, while she’d been on Pinterest. He saw, over the top of her head, when she’d saved an engagement ring. To a pinterest board named Someday. He’d filed that picture away in his head for use later.
He’d asked Rossi to help him, because he didn’t want to have to swear Garcia to secrecy until who knows when. Spencer ordered a custom designed rose gold ring, with blue sandstone in the center, surrounded by smaller alexandrite. It would look just like the one she’d saved.
The order had been placed three days ago, and now he worried that he’d never be able to give the ring to Penny. Would never be able to ask her to be his wife… The ring would take a few months to make, and send out… Maybe he could still save what he had with Penny.
As soon as the case was done, and his report was given in, he headed out of
Quantico. He’d gone to the closest florist, and waited about fifteen minutes for them to put the bouquet together… He considered, briefly, trying to call Penny again. But she hadn’t answered the last two days. He didn’t even know if she was home, but he hoped…
It was pouring down rain by the time he’d gotten on the road heading towards Penny’s apartment. He parked, and took a second to compose himself before going up to the door. He was already soaking wet when he rang the doorbell. It was really cold and wet… He started wondering if she was even home, when he finally heard movement on the other side of the door.
But it could be her roommate. Maybe she wasn’t even there. He was anxious. He’d been running through what he’d say as soon as he saw her, all throughout the plane ride, and waiting at the florist, and the drive to Penny’s apartment.
What if she didn’t want to talk to him? He wondered… running a hand through his hair. He couldn’t stand still. He couldn’t stop the anxiety bubbling up within him.
The door opened, and suddenly he was being pulled into the apartment. It was so fast he didn’t have much time to react, but when he saw it was Penny, he relaxed some. She was home… And she’d let him in, rather than locked him out.
“Penny,” he said, almost involuntarily. She’d let go of his hand, and he ran his hand through his hair. He was still holding the bouquet he brought her, but he needed to speak first. He needed to tell her what he’d come here to say. He’d practiced it in his head hundreds of times already.
“Spencer, what’s wrong?” Penny asked, sounding worried.
He swallowed, preparing himself to speak. He needed to tell her. To talk…
“I’ve been replaying every conversation we’ve had over the last month,” Spencer started, following the script he’d crafted. The one he knew he needed, so that he could get through everything he needed to say. He was speaking fast, and he knew that, but he needed to get the words out. “And I don’t… I don’t know what I’ve said wrong.” Please just tell me what I did wrong? “And I’m sorry. Whatever it is, I’m sorry. Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. Please… I’ve been so worried these last few days… I don’t want to lose you.” I don’t know what I’d do if I did. “If it’s about my job, I’ll talk to Hotch… I’ll take time off if I have to…” However much time I need to. I’d… I’d even quit, if that’s what you want me to do. “I know… I know we’ve had to cancel our last date…” And I’m completely off script now. “And I missed our three month anniversary… Well, it’s not an anniversary, since anniversary is from the words annus and versus. Which means year turning. But still, I know some people celebrate milestones like three months. I’m sorry I wasn’t here for it…” I really wanted to be. “I haven’t been able to stop worrying… It’s been miserable. And I just hope I haven’t lost you for good. Please say I haven’t…”
He felt like a man lost. Without her, that’s what he would be. He watched her, trying to gauge her response… She wasn’t speaking.
Tears started rolling down her cheeks, and he wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or a bad one… Then she hugged him. Holding on as tightly as possible, as she cried.
He returned the hug, grateful he had her in his arms once more. He was holding her like he never wanted to let her go again. Which was true… Her tears turned into sobs, and he pulled her even more into him, rubbing her back.
He hadn’t known what to expect when he went to her apartment that evening, but he hadn’t expected that. He hadn’t expected her to be crying like that… Maybe it wasn’t something he had done wrong at all. Maybe there was something wrong going on in her life… Something she hadn’t told him. Maybe she’d gotten bad news, or gotten laid off, or…
“What’s wrong?” he asked, keeping his voice gentle. He was confused, he could handle this. He could help with whatever was wrong, since it was clear that their relationship wasn’t the thing that was wrong.
“I’ve missed you,” she whispered into his shoulder. “And my roommate said something cruel, and it made me start doubting… She really was awful.”
From everything he knew about Lexy, he believed it. But what could she have said?
“And I knew what she was saying wasn’t true, but still… my insecurities got out of control. And I didn’t want you to worry about me,” she continued, through her tears. It was just like her, to not want him to worry. “I was too tired to pretend I was okay when I wasn’t. That’s why I didn’t answer your calls…”
So, it had nothing to do with him. She was upset about something, and didn’t want to worry him. Sweet Penny. Whatever happened, he knew it was bad. If she thought it would worry him… He’d worried anyway.
“I’m sorry,” Penny said, pressing her face even further into his black wool coat. “I’m sorry I worried you… I’ve missed you so much. So very much… So much that it hurt…”
“Penny,” he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
They were okay. They were together, and they were okay. He missed her too. Every time he was away, he missed her. Even if it was only for a few days. He… He should have known there was something wrong, and headed home. To talk with her in person, not just phone calls. He should have been there for her…
Her sobs slowed, and then stopped completely, and he still held her. He’d hold her forever, if he could. But she drew back then, gazing up at him with red teary eyes.
“I love you,” she said, with an intensity he couldn’t misunderstand. “You didn’t say anything wrong. My stupid roommate did. I don’t want to lose you either… I never want to lose you…”
His heart sped somewhat at that confession. He cupped her cheek, wiping away a stray tear with his thumb.
“What did she say?” he asked. He already didn’t like Lexy, but he disliked her even more now. Because whatever she said made Penny cry.
“She called me a bitch,” Penny said, her voice wavering somewhat. “Well, more accurately, she called me a fat bitch.”
“What?!” Spencer said. He was angry, that sort of anger that simmered beneath the surface. That sort of anger that he didn’t let himself show. The kind that he used, that he tapped into to get things done.
How could her roommate, her friend, say something like that to Penny?
A plan started to formulate in his mind, when Penny spoke again.
“And she said that the reason you’re gone so much is because you need time away from me,” Penny said, sniffling away her tears.
“When did she say all of this?” Spencer asked. He could tell, by how Penny was acting, that it wasn’t something just said a few days before. So how long… How long had she believed the words of her awful roommate?
“Two weeks ago,” she said, hugging him again. Pulling herself even closer to him, as she rested her head on his chest. “You were away on a case…”
Two weeks ago, when they’d been on that case in Washington. She’d been carrying all that for so long… And, because of the job, and because he’d gotten sick, they hadn’t seen each other since.
She hadn’t known, all that time, how much his arms ached to hold her. Maybe she even started to believe it was true, because they hadn’t seen each other since…
“And then we kept missing each other because of my job,” Spencer said, heart breaking somewhat when he realized how he’d unintentionally hurt her. “Oh, Pen, I’m so sorry.”
He hugged her to him, kissing the top of her head. He hadn’t meant to hurt her, but he knew that he did. And she hadn’t felt like she could tell him about all of this over the phone… He should have known… It’d been two weeks ago…
“I’m sorry for what she said, and how it made you feel,” Spencer said, holding her tightly. Hoping to convey just how sorry he was. “And I’m sorry I didn’t realize sooner how much you needed me. Is there anything I can do to help?”
She pulled back again, and looked up at him. His heart reacted, once more, to the love in her eyes. He’d do whatever she needed, to help her. Of course he would. He loved her.
“Well, if you know anyone who needs a roommate,” she said, with a watery laugh. “I need to get out of here. Lexy’s awful.”
The plan that’d started forming in his mind minutes ago, came back up. If she were willing… It would solve a lot of their problems. Penny would get away from Lexy. He’d get to see her in between cases, even if one of them worked, or was tired. He was already ready to propose, so moving in together wouldn’t be that drastic. He would love to get to see more of her. Those little domestic moments that he missed out on when he’d have to head home, or she would. Late nights and slow mornings.
“Now that you mention it,” Spencer said, smiling at her. It would be perfect… He added a wink, for good measure. “I’m looking for a roommate.”
“You have a one bedroom apartment, why would you need…” she said, not getting it. And Spencer considered stopping her, so he could spell it out for her, when he could see the realization in her eyes. “Oh… Do you really mean it?”
She was beaming up at him.
“Of course I do,” he told her. Anything for you.
“When?” she asked, seeming even more excited then he was. And he was definitely excited.
“As soon as you can pack,” he said. As soon as possible. Now that the decision had been made, they both agreed, it couldn’t start soon enough.
“Is… Is tonight too soon?” she asked, smiling brightly. She started rocking up on her toes, excitedly.
“No,” Spencer replied. It would take a while to get her packed, he was sure… Maybe he could call in Morgan as reinforcements. That way they could get it done tonight… It’d be a late night, but they could do it… “Why..”
Why tonight? Why don’t I call my friend to help? Why didn’t I think of this before? Before he could think, to finish his question, she grabbed his wrist, and pulled him along into her bedroom.
He’d been in there before, so it took him only a moment to realize the differences. Her room was practically empty.
“I’m already packed,” she said, excitedly.
He’d just brought up the idea, but she was already ready to move in? It was… surprising, to say the least. Not that he’d complain. Just…
“I’ve been so tired the last two weeks,” Penny said, with a soft sigh. “Taking up more work, looking at so many apartments, and packing… The furniture was already here when I moved in, left over from another roommate. So everything I own is packed away, just waiting for me to find a new place to live. I just… I want to be out of here. I don’t want to have to see Lexy ever again!”
He could second that sentiment… He should have been there, though. To help her pack up. To suggest she move in with him earlier, so she wouldn’t have to deal with her nightmare roommate. But he couldn’t go back in time, and fix that. Time travel was a statistical improbability. If it ever was going to exist, they would already know about it. So, he could just do better going forward, rather than wishing to change the past.
“Tonight works for me,” he told her. It was even better than he imagined. A start to their future together, starting that very night.
They began moving Penny right then, filling Spencer’s car up with as many boxes as could fit. Penny was a light packer… Except for the boxes of books. They were hard to carry, but Spencer still insisted on carrying them for her, even though he struggled.
The bouquet Spencer had gotten from the florist, specifically following the Victorian Language of Flowers that Penny knew, was left on the counter in Spencer’s Kitchen, as they were focused on getting Penny’s stuff from her apartment.
The second trip was fewer boxes, and they were able to double check the entire apartment for anything that belonged to Penny. Since Penny was subletting from Lexy, she didn’t have a lease that she needed to worry about. So, when they were sure all of her stuff was out of the apartment, Penny left her keys in the kitchen, with a note, and they went Home.
Home. It would truly be home with Penny there with him. With the boxes all piled up in the apartment, making it slightly hard to move around, Spencer started a pot of coffee for both of them. He wanted to hear everything that happened.
It took less than ten minutes for them to be sitting on the couch, drinking coffee, as Penny told him everything about her fight with Lexy. Feeding Spencer’s growing dislike of Lexy. When Penny was done with her story, Spencer spoke up.
“You might not want to tell Garcia about this,” Spencer said, though he very much wanted to tell Garcia about it. He took a sip of his coffee. “Unless you want her to absolutely ruin Lexy’s life…”
He did. Or at least teach her a lesson. But he would take the high road. He knew Penny would as well.
“Hmm…” Penny said, sipping her coffee. “You know, that gives me an idea…”
“You don’t actually want that, do you?” Spencer asked, smiling at her. He knew Penny wouldn’t, but… they could imagine.
“You’re right,” I replied. “I don’t want Garcia to get in trouble for helping me get revenge on my roommate.”
“Former roommate now,” Spencer pointed out. He was glad that it was former at that point. That now, she’d stay… She wouldn’t leave. It was her home now, too. And he wanted it to feel like home to her.
“I’m so glad for that former part,” Penny said, leaning forward and kissing him. “I like my new roommate much better.”
It made Spencer so happy to hear that. And he didn’t mind the kissing either.
“I’m glad,” he said, with a laugh. He wasn’t content with one kiss. He needed more. So he kissed her. “I like you, too.”
“Just like?” Penny asked, after a few kisses.
Definitely more than just like. Spencer thought. “Love,” he said, with another kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Penny said, giving him one more kiss, before she pulled back to drink her coffee again. “Would… Would you mind if we don’t unpack tonight? I’d…. I’d kind of like to just watch something with you. And maybe have some dinner…”
“That can be arranged,” Spencer replied. He hadn’t expected to unpack that night anyway. She’d said she was tired, and she sounded it. But Penny had said, several times in the past, that cooking was relaxing… She enjoyed cooking… “Do you want to cook together, or order takeout?”
Penny finished her coffee, before answering. “Let me take a look into your kitchen, and decide. I need to take my coffee to the kitchen anyway.”
She got up, and headed to the kitchen. And Spencer immediately missed her presence. So he followed her to the kitchen.
“Oh,” she said, suddenly. “I almost forgot the flowers! I think…” She looked back at the pile of cardboard boxes. “I have a vase in one of the boxes… I just don’t remember which one…”
Spencer knew he had a vase… Right near where Penny was standing. Without saying anything, he went to the cabinet, and grabbed the basic vase that’d been left when he’d moved in. He put in the sink, turning on the cool water to fill it.
“Why do you have a vase?” Penny asked, sounding surprised.
“It actually came with the apartment,” Spencer said.
He was glad, now, that it had. As the sink was running, he grabbed a pair of scissors from one of the drawers, knowing the stems would need to be trimmed before the flowers were set in the vase. He handed the scissors to Penny. When the vase was full enough, he turned off the sink.
“Forgotten by previous tenants,” Spencer told her. “It should suffice until we can unpack your vase.”
“Thank you,” Penny replied, as she started to trim down the stems. Handing the flowers to him, which he arranged in the vase.
He’d picked out each of the flowers with care. With a message in mind. He wanted her to know just how much he loved her. He’d hoped, in case he’d done something wrong, that they’d soften her heart towards him. Now, when things were still perfect, he was still glad he’d got them for her.
“Thank you,” Penny said, leaning over and bumping Spencer’s shoulder. “For everything.”
“You know I love you, right?” Spencer asked, as he worked to make the bouquet look pretty. He was smiling a goofy smile, so happy to have her there with him. He’d missed her. He’d missed her so much.
“Mmhmm, you said as much through the bouquet,” Penny said, and he could hear the dreamy smile in her voice. “Cedar and Myrtle, Bachelor’s Buttons, and Pinks… Specifically Double Red Pinks. You love me, pure and ardently… You’re faithful to me, even when you are away… You live for me. And you are hopeful in our relationship…”
It’s true. Spencer Thought. “And I mean all of it,” he assured her. “As soon as my paperwork was finished, I headed to the closest florist… Thankfully they had everything I needed.”
“You know I love you, too,” Penny said, handing him the final flower, and kissing him on the cheek. “Don’t you?”
An idea came to Spencer. Maybe he was being selfish, but he wanted more kisses, and he had an idea of how to get them.
“I’m learning that,” he replied, looking down at her. She pouted at him. Fully pouted. “The kisses are rather convincing though…” Please keep kissing me. “Maybe I need a few more before I really know…”
“Shameful,” Penny laughed, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him. “But… I can’t complain.” Another kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, so she could steady herself. “As long as.” She kissed him again. Small pecks. He wanted more… so much more… “I get to…”
His self control snapped, and he put his hands on either side of her face, and started kissing her. Really kissing her.