Scarlet Rose

8

"Spence. Are you still in bed?" I asked when I opened the bedroom door and saw him still in bed, his arm draped over his eyes to shield himself from the morning sun that flooded in through the windows and into the room.

"No," he said with a smile, turning away from me.

I smiled and jumped onto the bed, shaking his shoulder. "Time to wake up, Spencer."

"No one called me saying we needed to come into work today yet." he said, rolling back over and opening his eyes. "So that means, we can spend today in bed."

"What? No. No, no, Spencer!" I giggled as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulling me down next to him, placing light kisses on my cheek and neck.

"Spencer. Spence, Aaron asked me to come over today." I said with a smile, having him look at me and place a kiss on my lips.

"That's great news. He's trying to build your relationship up again." he said, supporting himself on his elbows and brushing my hair away from my face. "You going to go?"

"I'll give him a chance." I replied, gently pushing him off and having him fall back onto the bed with a smile before finally getting up to get dressed.

"I'll get some coffee ready." I said as I got out of the bed and walked over to Spencer as he got dressed in a blue button-up shirt and added a black tie, seeing him struggle to get it straight.

"Let me do it. This is painful to watch." I said with a slight chuckle, fixing his tie and getting it straightened out.

"Thanks, Vanessa." Spencer said just as his phone rang and he picked it up, frowning a little.

"A new case?" I asked.

He put his phone away and nodded. "Yeah. Looks like we're going to have the coffee on the road."

I sighed and kissed his cheek before heading out into the kitchen and poured two cups of coffee, placing lids on them and turning around to see Spencer walk out of the bedroom and take a cup of coffee from me.

"Ready to head out?" he asked as he grabbed his keys and opened the door for me.

We walked out the door and locked it, heading down the stairs in the building and out into the breezy morning air; the drive to the BAU was quiet and peaceful, but once we got into the building, everything peaceful was disrupted. There were people walking around and talking, and others reviewing cases with their colleagues.

"Hey, Reid." Aaron said once he saw us, ushering is all into the debrief room. "Listen, Vanessa, how about you come over to my apartment after the case? You can meet Jack, and I can introduce him to his aunt."

I smiled. "I'd like that."

———

Emily had gone to run the Interpol office as Chief in London. We were all sad about her leaving, but this was a once in a lifetime opportunity so we were happy for her. Of course, it was hard to say goodbye, but it always is.

I sat on Aaron's couch talking with Beth (Aaron's new girlfriend) while my brother was out at the park with Jack.

"So, Vanessa, Aaron tells me you're dating Spencer." Beth said, "how long?"

"Yeah. We've been together for about a month now. But we've been living together for about a year." I told her.

"Why were you two living together?"

"Oh. Uh, I made some really stupid life-altering choices in my past, so...."

"Ah. Say no more." She said with a wave of her hand. "I have to say, I didn't know that Aaron had a sister."

"Yeah, well, we aren't on the best of terms, but we're getting there."

The door opened and Aaron and Jack walked through, the door closing behind them as Jack looked at me with a confused look.

"Jack, buddy, you remember me talking to you about your Aunt Vanessa?" Aaron asked his son.

Jack's face lit up and he ran over to me, hopping up onto the couch and wrapping his arms around my neck. "Hi, Auntie!"

I laughed and smiled at my nephew. "Hey, Jack. Your dad's told me a lot about you."

Jack smiled broadly. "Wanna know something?"

"What?" I asked with a smile and equally excited voice.

"I wanna be like Daddy when I grow up." he said in a quieter voice.

"I think that's a great choice, kiddo." I whispered back, having him high-five me and hop off the couch and run to his room, Beth getting up and heading to the kitchen.

Aaron walked over to the couch and sat next to me, looking at me. "What do you think of Beth and Jack?"

"I love them both. Beth is amazing. She's a keeper. And Jack is my nephew who I haven't seen for 28 years. I got a lot of catching up to do with him if I'm going to be his aunt." I told him.

"Just don't spoil him." He said,

"Of course not. Everyone knows that's Garcia's job to spoil that kid." I said.

Aaron smiled and nodded. "Speaking of kids, have you and Reid talked about it?"

"If we want kids?"

"Yeah. I mean, I can't see Reid as a father, but I feel like he would be a great father one day."

"Well...we haven't really talked about kids yet. I think he's afraid to bring that topic up with me because of what happens to my last child." I replied with a shrug. "But honestly? I would want kids. I love them."

"Kids?" Beth asked, coming out from the kitchen. "Vanessa, are you thinking of having kids?"

"One day." I replied, looking at her.

"I think you'd make an amazing mother." She said with a smile.

"Aw. Thanks, Beth."

A knock came on the door and Aaron got up to answer it, opening the door and greeting Spencer as he walked through.

"Hey, Spencer. Is it really time to go already?" I asked him as I stood up from the couch.

"Sadly, it is. You almost ready?" he asked.

"Yeah." I said goodbye to Beth and Jack before heading out the door with Spencer.

"Hey, Vanessa." Aaron made me look back at him. "Feel free to stop by anytime."

"Thanks. I will." I said and walked out of the building, getting into Spencer's car and driving off.

"Hey, Spence. Aaron asked me something today." I said as we drove down the dark misty road.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Kids," I replied.

"Oh. What'd you tell him?"

"That we don't know. But would you? Want to have kids?" I asked him.

"Well....yeah. One day. What about you? Are you ready for kids?"

"Yeah. I've always loved kids. And, by the way, you would make a great father." I said with a smile.

He glanced at me and smiled. "And you would make a great mother."

All was quiet again for a while until Spencer spoke up.

"When would you like to be a mother?" he asked suddenly.

"Wow. That was quick. Um. Honestly? Probably.......next year?"

"Next year? This year's halfway done already!"  Spencer said.

I laughed and put a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it soothingly. "It's okay, Spence. No need to panic. I said I would like to be a mother by then, not that I have to be a mother by then. I'm fine just the way I am right now."

He looked at me. "You sure?"

"Hmm. Ask me again in four months." I replied.