Bitter

Epilogue

"Yes, I was infatuated with you: I am still. No one has ever heightened such a keen capacity of physical sensation in me. I cut you out because I couldn't stand being a passing fancy. Before I give my body, I must give my thoughts, my mind, my dreams. And you weren't having any of those."

― Sylvia Plath

It had been five years since Spencer had last seen Manon. He had received one letter from her about four years ago, just asking how he was doing.

Morgan had left the BAU, Prentiss was Unit Chief, Hotch retired to spend time with Jack, Lewis was running a new experiment, Luke and Simmons stayed on the team. Hotch had forgiven him, but only about a year ago.

JJ still came over a lot, Spencer had put a play structure in the yard for Henry and Michael. Spencer had also published some books. Some non-fiction about profiling, and one about a hitwomen and an FBI agent. He dedicated it to Daisy.

His days at Georgetown were fun. He often gave guest lectures, and his students loved him. He was only about thirty-seven.

He left his house to get the mail, he hadn't sold it, it was all he had left of either of them. He had been invited to a charity benefit in New York, supporting schizophrenia, he had been donating a lot since his new found wealth. Manon occasionally sent him money, usually on the anniversary of their great escape.

Spencer climbed his stairs grabbing a suitcase from the closet, he packed a suit and tie, and his converse. He grabbed the watch Manon had sent him for his thirty-fifth birthday. He had been employing Pavol since he came back, it was nice, he found he liked the comfort his lifestyle offered him.

*

After landing in New York Spencer went to his New York apartment, it was a penthouse at the top of a tall building overlooking Central Park. He spent a lot of time in New York for his job and liked watching the animals.

He milled around his dwelling. He read for a bit trying to kill the time before the benefit. It was a masquerade ball, and tickets were expensive but since he was a generous donor he had already been invited.

He had a dark velvet suit that matched the mask he had gotten on amazon. He tied his converse and got in the elevator. Pulling out his phone to a text from Pavol that he was outside he walked out of the building. The event was in a highrise ballroom, with views of the Hudson. Spencer walked out of the car and made his way into the lobby, signing in and getting the code for the elevator.

Stepping out of the elevator Spencer was shocked at the amount of people, he had expected a crowd but not this. He walked over to an abandoned corner and stood there with a drink. Watching couples dance the night away. He hadn't met anyone since Manon. Sure he had had flings and the occasional one night stand, but nothing real. Someone walked behind him and his nose was filled with a sweet smell.

Vanilla, roses,

And daisies.

Spencer whipped his head around, the only person in the world that smelled like that he had seen five years ago, and walked away from her in Italy. When his eyes met her, he smiled. Her eyes looked the exact same, sure some more lines cracked the porcelain, and half of her face was obscured, but her lips were still the same soft pink.

Her eyes like oceans and honey, he said a simple sentence.

"Hello Manon."