The Story of Us

Chapter 25- Sober

Spencer got out of rehab right on time. He was doing well. In fact, if you asked him, he would tell you that he didn't even think about the drugs anymore because all of his thoughts were once more consumed with none other than Amanda Hotchner. He remembers what she said to him in that cabin what seemed like a lifetime ago. Evan had gotten clean for her, not himself, and Reid was determined to be different.

Reid had gotten clean because he didn't want to become the person he was becoming so he did what he could to prevent that. Amanda was just a plus. When he was in rehab it was almost like it was when they were back in college. They would joke and talk and watch movies that Spencer would never watch at any other point in his life. She had convinced him to read the entire Harry Potter series because she said that everyone had read them.

Even now, as he was being discharged, she was still concerned for him and his recovery. "Spencer, you're supposed to spend 24 hours with someone after rehab to recover. You most definitely aren't supposed to go back to work," she chastizes.

"I'm supposed to spend 24 hours distracting myself from taking drugs. What's a better distraction than work. I have to give my 100 percent so I can't be thinking about things like Dilaudid." She frowns at him before nodding and sighing.

"We have a case. I'll drive you but if you get distracted for even a second, you tell me. Got it?" He nods at her with a smile before following her to her car to head to Quantico.

"What did Evan do for his 24 hour period?" He can't help but asks and Amanda takes her eyes off the road for a second to look at him before looking out the windshield once more.

"He asked me to dinner. It was all really cheesy. Pretended we had never met, lied that he just happened to be walking by the rehab building, and then gave some line about how he didn't want our relationship to be a lie so he felt that he had to tell me that he was addicted to heroin and he wasn't supposed to be alone for 24 hours. Said it would just be great if he could spend it with me because he couldn't possibly think about drugs when with such a gorgeous woman," she chuckles and Spencer can't help but smile.

"That sounds really sweet."

"It was. You would've liked him. He would love all your facts. He used to turn to me about the most random thing and ask me for statistics on it just because he knew that I couldn't forget them once I saw them. He loved magic too. Had no idea how to do it but was insanely fascinated with it. Actually, he always wanted to meet you because I told him about how you were so good at it. I used to send you letters but you never answered."

He frowns. "That's because I was an idiot who took what I had for granted. Believe me, Amanda, I'm never going to do that again," he vows and she snorts as she pulls into the parking lot of Quantico.

"No offense, Spencer, but you don't have a great track record with keeping promises." With that, she exits her car and heads towards the building. Spencer sits in the car for a few moments longer, not only watching her but thinking about what she had said, and realizing that it's going to take a lot more than merely getting clean to earn back both Amanda's trust and her friendship but he was willing to do whatever it takes.

He keeps that mindset as he walks into the BAU and heads for the conference room. JJ is surprised to see him there so early and mentally scolds herself for allowing herself to get used to his erratic behavior but refusing to hold her breath and hope that Spencer was back to normal. The rest of the team tries to hide their surprise as they enter and see a much more normal-looking Spencer. Emily walks in and sits next to him, paying him a small smile which he returns and she sees that happiness behind it making her happy as well.

She's even happier when she jokes about him not giving exact statistics leading to him explaining that he was trying to be more personable to which she responded it wasn't working. Everyone, but Amanda, waits with bated breath to see if Spencer will snap but he just shakes his head with a smile, making JJ and Morgan smile believing that they have their friend back. As the team goes over the case some more, Reid can't help but allow his eyes to drift over to Amanda.