LAUGHTER LINES, spencer reid.

chapter seventeen.

LAUGHTER LINES.
chapter seventeen.

Spencer was pulled from his peaceful dreams by the sound of Keith Urban singing one of his many ballads. He shifted and buried his face in a pillow with a groan. He really wanted to sleep some more, but the alarm clock beckoned him from the realms of sleep and into the world of the awake.

"Is it six already?" Gwen asked from next to him.

Reid felt her turn over in the bed and he turned his head to look at her. Gwen was smiling at him in her mess of thick brown hair. She reached a hand out and tucked some loose strands of Spencer's hair out of his face. "You know you have to get up and go to that hearing," she spoke quietly.

Reid blew out a sigh. He had spent the last two days at Gwen's place. He didn't really want to sit at home thinking about the hearing, and her place provided him with a distraction. He had thus far, read all of her books, including the ones written by her mother. Lizzie and Greg talked with him about school, and they had introduced Spencer to the mind numbing joys of primetime television.

Now, it was time to face the Senate committee. Reid had to go in and tell the panel of Senators what had happened the night Ian Doyle died. This was not something he was looking forward too.

Spencer turned over so that he was no longer facing Gwen. He listened as she slipped out of bed and turned the alarm off. She walked over to her closet and pulled out some clothes before she walked back over to Reid.

She crouched down and met his eyes. "You can't avoid this anymore, Spencer," she said gently to coax him out of the comfort of her bed. "This place can be your safe haven, but that doesn't mean you don't need to leave every once in a while."

Spencer lifted himself up and rubbed his face in attempt to rid himself of the tired feeling that weighed down his body. "I don't even know what I'm going to say."

Gwen stood up. "You can start with the truth," she answered as she threw her clean shirt over her shoulder. "That's often times the best one can do when in a situation like yours. The committee may not like what you have to say, but telling the truth isn't likely to hurt you in the long run. You'll feel better too."

"Why do I get the feeling you're speaking from experience?" Spencer asked.

"I'm only telling you the words my dad told me after he was in a situation very much like your," Gwen shrugged. She had a small moment where it seemed to Reid like she was somewhere else. She blinked and smiled. "A boy is alive today because you acted. Don't forget that, and don't doubt yourself." Gwen stood up and made her way to her bathroom and closed the door with her foot.

Spencer sat on the bed; he heard the water turn on as he thought about what Gwen had said. He had to wonder if it was so simple. If it was, why did he suddenly feel like today wouldn't go according to plan?

Gwen came out of the bathroom a few moments later. Her hair was wrapped up in a towel as she pulled a flannel long sleeve shirt over her orange tank top. "I have to go into D.C. to meet my brother. How about I drop you off at your hearing?" she suggested as she opened a drawer of her dresser to pull out a belt for her stylishly ripped black jeans.

Reid smiled as he stood up. He grabbed his go bag off a chair in the corner of Gwen's room and kissed her on the way to the bathroom. She was slipping on a pair of orange feather earrings. "Attempting some sort of rocker look?" he asked while he continued walking to the bathroom.