Spencer Reid and Elle Greenaway

Plane Ride Home

We had just finished a case and were on the jet back home. Reid, Morgan, and I were playing poker while JJ watched, occasionally looking up from her book. Hotch and Gideon sat on the opposite end of the plane, deep in conversation. I had trip Aces.

"All in." I raised my eyebrows at Morgan, sitting across from me and Reid.

"Damn, you got me." He turned his cards over and shifted his forearms onto the table.

"Reid?" I turned towards him, his fingers nervously drumming the table and his nose scrunching up to adjust his glasses.

"I'm in."

"Ok, you'll regret it..." I revealed my hand. Reid seemed puzzled at first, and then dropped the act when he revealed his full house. Kings over fours. I rolled my eyes in defeat. "Cheater."

"No!" He squeaked. "I've said it a million times, poker is math. It's a simple probability formula taking into account the cards played versus-"

"We know Reid, take the chips already." Morgan gestured to the pile of Lay's chips on the table, our substitute for cash.

"Nice one, Reid." JJ gave him a thumbs up without looking up from her book.

I loved playing cards with the team on our way home. Sometimes I would have talks with Hotch about the bureau, or rustle Spencer's hair while he squirmed under my hand. Regardless of the emotional toll, I loved the job. However, something about this case was different. When Reid and I were working on the geological profile, his voice would stumble and crack. He fumbled with writing utensils and retracted when our arms made contact. Even playing poker on the plane, I noticed his cheeks flushing and pupils dilating when I glanced his way. Reid liked me. I never thought about Reid that way. I always saw him as the team's lovable, know-it-all younger brother. Today, though, I noticed his defined cheek bones and the way his "shop teacher" glasses sat on his rounded nose. I noticed the way his long fingers drummed the table when he was thinking. I fully took into account how impressive his mind was, the sheer capacity of his knowledge. Everyone on the team had an IQ of over 130, but Reid's had to have been in the high 180s. I think he told me 187, but my memory isn't like his. Anyways, I wanted to test my theory as Morgan left to talk to Hotch and JJ went to the bathroom.

"Nice job on the case, Reid," I said, turning my torso towards him and gently patting his shoulder. They were broad, but bony. I rubbed my thumb over it affectionately. "We could never solve a single case without you." I said this light-heartedly, but it was true.

"I think we all have our strengths, but thank you." His lips did that white-boy-smile thing where they kinda disappeared into a small grin. His eyes acknowledged my hand and he leaned his cheek into where it rested on his shoulder to express his gratitude.

He lifted up his head and looked at me. "You know, poker isn't all math."

"Really?" I raised one eyebrow and scooted slightly closer to him, undetectable to anyone else on the jet but us. JJ had been talking to the rest of the group after she left the bathroom. We would be alone for a while. I let my leg brush against his, and I saw him swallow. He was cute when he was nervous.

"Sometimes I forget to factor in human error. Bluffing." He gestured to the cards left on the table and twisted towards me a little more.

"It wouldn't have made a difference, though." I did my signature half-smile and stared into his pretty brown eyes. "Genius."

"I think you're a genius, too." He said, raising his eyebrows.

"But not as much as you, Doctor." I playfully hit his chest, and he smiled.

"I think intelligence manifests itself in different ways. You can read people; their emotions, what they mean. Sometimes I miss sarcasm or pop culture references and it makes me feel like I'm not so smart anymore."

"Nobody's perfect." I placed my hand under his chin and rubbed his jaw with my thumb. We both smiled, keeping it mostly platonic. I hope it wasn't too subtle for him to understand. For good measure, I placed my hand on his thigh and said, "Don't sweat it, Spencer." My use of his first name should have clued him in. I usually only call him Reid.

He shifted in his seat and said in a slightly higher voice, "Thank you, Elle." He cleared his throat and reached for the cards to shuffle them.  I smiled and stole a chip, holding onto the moment we had alone before JJ and Morgan returned for another hand.