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 weekend went fast, and before they knew it, it was the morning of Elizabeth's departure. Both Elizabeth and Spencer spent practically every moment together during that weekend, visiting museums while Spencer told her facts that you couldn't find on the placards on the exhibits. He showed her his favourite coffee spots and the small second hand bookshops that he found where they'd flicked through some books and read each other some lines they thought were pretty, along with any notes that came with them if there were any.
The morning of her leaving, Elizabeth was not happy. For the first time in her life, she was not happy to be going back to Cannon Beach. She liked Washington, it was a little faster than Cannon Beach, but not enough to be overwhelming. She was seriously considering taking up the job offer as a professor.
Though that wasn't something to be thinking of at that moment. She'd agreed to meet Spencer in the lobby with her bags for breakfast before he dropped her off at the airport later that day. She'd packed most of her things the night before, after she'd gotten back from spending the day wondering around the National Gallery of Art, mainly to avoid the rain, though she did enjoy telling Spencer all about the different types of art and the difference between the baroque and romantic era. She was certain he already knew, but he let her talk either way.
She packed what was left of her things, which at that point was just her pyjama's and chess board, and left the room, double checking to make sure that she hadn't forgotten anything.
Checking out was quick and easy, saying her thanks to the receptionist as she left the hotel. Most of the other players had left the previous morning, each saying their goodbyes at breakfast. Her suitcase following behind, she stepped out of the hotel and began walking towards a café just down the street where she and Spencer had agreed to meet that morning. She could spy his car sitting in the parking bay just down the road.
The café itself was cosy and the aroma of coffee and sugar swimming through the air and clinging to the plush seats. Spencer was sat on one of the couches by the window, reading a book while sipping his coffee.
Elizabeth walked over, giving a small smile to the tall man as she sat opposite him. He pushed a to go cup over to her.
"I got you some coffee, I figured you would want some." He smiled up at her from his book.
"Thank you." She said, taking a sip. Vanilla. "You remembered my order?"
He nodded, "Sorry if that's weird. I just wanted to make sure that you enjoyed it."
"No, no. That's actually really nice Spencer. I just didn't expect it." She took another sip. "So, what are you reading?"
"The Sun Also Rises. It's good, a little depressing, but Hemingway has a way with words."
"I know what you mean, I remember reading 'The Garden of Eden' and being captivated by his work."
Spencer nodded. "Honestly, if I could read only one author for the rest of my life Hemingway would be in the top ten. He covers so many different theme's in his writing it's difficult to get bored with his books."
The two finished their coffee's before heading to the car. The two were silent for most of the ride, as though trying to preserve their memories of each other. The silence was complemented by the sounds of traffic and conversation from outside of the car, though neither felt stifled by the lack of conversation, rather both felt comfort.
The airport wasn't particularly busy that morning, Spencer pulled up and got out of the car, Elizabeth following after him. He pulled her bags out of the trunk, placing them on the sidewalk before standing up with a smile.
"I suppose this is it." Spencer said, a slight tinge of sadness in his voice.
"I suppose it is."
"I- Call me when you get home, so I know you're safe."
"Of course." Elizabeth nodded. There was just one more thing she had to do while in DC. "Can I give you a hug?"
Spencer nodded, almost immediately. She pulled her arms around his waist, her head resting in his chest. After a few seconds of Spencer deciding what to do with his arms, Elizabeth felt him wrap them around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. One thing she hadn't expected from Spencer was how good of a hugger he was.
Eventually, they had to pull apart. "I'm going to miss you." Spencer said, holding onto Elizabeth's hand.
"I know. I'll miss you too." She said. "Promise me you'll still send the letters."
"I promise. I also promise that the next time we see each other I'll be better at chess."
"And I'll promise I'll know more about Dr Who."
Spencer chuckled, "You should go check in. Your flight's leaving soon."
"I know. I'll see you soon." Elizabeth smiled, pulling her bags behind her as she walked into the airport. She waved back at Spencer before heading in.
The next day, back at the BAU was strange for Spencer. Although he remembered the BAU and all it's familiarity, it felt like how him home usually felt to him, comfortable, yet unfamiliar.
He sat down at his desk, flicking though the mountain of paperwork that has built up over the week. It was mainly consultations, and writing up his monthly weapons check. He could get it done pretty easily, though he'd likely have a few questions about his week from the others.
He began on the paperwork, quickly working through the weapons check and moving onto his consultations, when he looked up to see both Derek and Emily walking over to his desk.
"Have we got a case?" He asked, seeing their urgency.
"No, pretty boy. Why would we have a case?" The muscular man asked, their being a slight lightness in his voice.
"You both seemed in a rush. I thought Hotch might have called us into the meeting room."
"Nope." Emily's lips emphasised the 'p'. "We actually wanted to hear about how your week of with the woman of your dreams was."
Of course, at that point Penelope was walking through the bullpen. "I'm sorry, did I just hear that the resident genius has found a lady genius?"
Spencer's ears went red with embarrassment with the attention the team was giving him, and Derek answered for him.
"That he does, baby girl. Though he still hasn't told us her name."
"It's like he's convinced we're going to do a whole background check on her." Emily joked.
"No." Spencer objected, despite knowing he didn't have a counterpoint.
"Oh really?" Derek asked. "Then why won't you tell us her name?"
Spencer wasn't sure what had stopped him from giving the team her name before. He wondered why, though there was no doubt in his mind that even a search on the internet now would bring up her life story, and way too much about her life that she likely wouldn't be comfortable sharing. "She's well known in her field of work. I just don't think she'd be comfortable you knowing all about her life before she knows you."
"So she's famous?" Emily asked.
"Not in the TV way. It's more she's an expert in her field." Spencer smiled. "She recently became the best in the country, though she's been in the top ten for the last year. Watching her work is incredible."
"Oooh, pretty boy's in love." Derek teased in a sing-song voice.
"Leave him alone." Penelope smacked Derek, "Let him talk, I need to know all the details."
Spencer smiled at Penelope, he knew it was going to be a while before she gave up on trying to figure out who she was, but he was alright with that.
