After the USPS creates a penpal pairing program, Elizabeth Mills is encouraged by her friends to sign up and talk to someone new. Spencer Reid, bored with only getting bills and advertisements in his mailbox signs up for a penpal.
The two get paire...
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The next few days of the Invitationals were rough for Elizabeth. On Monday, she managed to win both of her games, leaving her in fourth. The next day, drew one and won one, leaving her in fourth. Wednesday, she once again won both games, pushing her up to third. She was surprised that she'd even managed to do it. She honestly wasn't expecting the games to go so smoothly.
The Wednesday night, she and Spencer went out for dinner in Georgetown. It was on of the few places in the city that served kosher food. The two of them enjoyed the night.
"So why did you choose chess?" Spencer asked, fiddling with his fork.
"I started playing when I was four, against my dad and other kids at synagogue. Then my parents thought it would be good if I could meet other kids who liked chess so they signed me up for lessons and took me to chess meets. I guess, eventually I decided it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. My parents still wanted me to get a degree though."
"You went to college when you were 15, right?"
"Yeah. Pretty sure the chess team weren't too happy when a 15 year old who got grandmaster status a year before started sweeping the floor with them."
"Is that unusual, becoming a grandmaster that young?"
"Most people don't get it before 18. The youngest so far got his at 12. Of course I slowed down a lot after I got the title. I played in tournaments that the chess team went to and a few others, but other than that, I barely played. When did you start playing chess because I know for a fact you are defiantly not new to the game."
"I actually started playing in college. My roommate was on the chess team and decided to teach me. You'd have beat me so easily, I was terrible at the game."
"I'd beat you now. Granted you're not terrible, but I could still destroy you."
"Really? Whose to say I wasn't going easy on you the first time we played."
"Is that you saying you want a re-match Dr Reid?"
"One day. Though right now, I would like to enjoy a meal with you."
"Well, I look forward to our rematch and I am enjoying your company." She smiled.
Spencer smiled back. Elizabeth found herself enchanted by Spencer's smile. His face seemed to brighten when he did so, and his eyes caught the light, creating infinite pools filled with stars. His hidden dimples came out when he smiled. In her mind, they were divine. Spencer seemed to have some kind of otherworldly radiance when he smiled, when he truly smiled. He had the same smile when he got to talk about the things he loved. The way he talked when he had that smile on his face was mesmerising. It was like angels singing their heavenly songs, true passion coming from the lips of a human.
"How do you think tomorrows going to go? You'll be playing Reshevsky in the morning."
"I've played him before. About two years ago. From what I could tell, he usually plays the scotch game, and he's playing white so I'll have to follow his lead. Though recently he has been playing a lot more Ruy Lopez openings, so I'll have to be paying more attention."
"Do you think you'll win it?"
"Maybe. Reshevsky the guy to beat. If I win, I'll likely maintain third seat for the rest of the tournament. If I loose, I'll probably have to replay him either way but I won't be getting higher than third."
"What happens on the last day. I was looking at the roster and it was talking about there only being one match up."
"You play the person who's usually be on the same table. So first seat and second seat, third and fourth and so on. It basically determines your final placement. Then after, closing statement and one hour press conference." She took another bite of her food. "Normally it's all over by 2, so we can finally get on with the Doctor Spencer Reid Mystery DC Tour."
Spencer smiled, "Is there anywhere you want to go while your here?"
"The Smithsonian Institute. And the Botanical Gardens. I'll let you choose."
"An afternoon at the Smithsonian sounds nice."
The two finished up their food and paid their bill before walking into the cool summer air. The evening was young, and the two of them decided it wasn't to be wasted. They wandered down to the river and into the park that ran alongside the riverfront.
The two walked alongside each other in a comfortable silence, enjoying the sounds of the water and the city surrounding them. Spencer watched Elizabeth as she admired the glowing lights of the city. The city was reflected in her deep brown eyes, and a small smile on her face made Spencer's heart flutter. Though he avoided physical contact at all costs, Spencer desperately wanted to hold her hand as they walked through the park. He'd rarely wanted to touch people, and yet, when it came to Elizabeth, all he wanted was to hold her.
"It's beautiful here." Elizabeth said, sitting down on a set of stairs on the riverbank. Spencer quickly joined her.
"Yeah, I really like it here. Sometimes, if the weathers good, I'll come down here to read. It's quiet."
"I get it. I like sitting in my backyard to read. It's quiet and all you can hear is the waves. Sometimes it's just nice to be alone with your thoughts."
Spencer understood. God did he understand. On nights after cases, when his team all wanted to go out and be distracted, all Spencer wanted was a quiet night. In crowded spaces, all he could think about where bacteria and his odds of being drugged. He didn't want to be sent spiralling again. When it was quiet, he could read and delve into books, distracting himself in what he considered a more productive way.
Of course, now he had Elizabeth's letters that he looked forward to after cases as well as his books. And Elizabeth was with him at that moment, sitting next to him, looking angelic.
"How do you think happens when you die?" Elizabeth asked, continuing to look out into the water.
Spencer frowned, "I used to be certain that it was just nothingness, but I'm not so sure anymore. Why are you asking?"
"I don't know." She shrugged. "I guess I've just been feeling off recently. It's probably nothing."
"Did something happen back in Portland, or here?"
"No, nothing. It's fine." She lied. Spencer could see the lie in her eyes. He didn't know how he could have missed it. She was suffering when she thought about it.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"It's fine, Spencer. I promise, I can deal with it myself." She said. "It's just, have you ever stopped someone from doing something because its wrong and they take offense to it? And it just freaks you out because you know what you did was right but they don't seem to see it the same, even though what they were doing was wrong but you're also scared because what if everyone else takes their side and you're the one that's wrong."
Spencer sat in silence for a moment. It was the first time he didn't know the answer to a question he was asked. Sure, he'd been in a situation where he stopped people from doing things that were wrong, it was his job. But he knew he was right in that situation. He caught murderers, rapists and kidnappers for a living, of course he was in the right. But what she was suggesting was a grey area, where even she didn't know if she was right. "I think, if you think what you did was right, you shouldn't worry about what others think."
"Thank you. Sorry, I shoved all that on you."
"It's okay. Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine." She shivered slightly as a breeze swept up the river, chilling her.
"Are you cold?" Spencer asked.
"A little, it's my fault. I should have bought a jacket."
Spencer quickly shrugged off his blazer before putting it over Elizabeth's shoulders. "Let's get you back to the hotel, you've got a busy day tomorrow."
