Closer - A Spencer Reid story (2)

21

Spencer sat alone in his apartment, his mind racing in the silence, piecing together every detail of the past few weeks. June was still out there, somewhere—haunting his thoughts and leaving him uneasy, as though he'd missed something critical. He thought back on their final encounter, on the way she'd looked at him, her eyes filled with both accusation and despair. It didn't feel like closure, didn't feel like an end. And that nagging thought, that feeling of unfinished business, gnawed at him.

After everything that had happened, Spencer knew he had to talk to Yn. Their last conversation had been strained, full of hurt that ran deep for both of them. But if he was going to move forward and finally untangle the mess June had created in his life, he needed to be honest with Yn. He had to confront the truth they'd both been avoiding.

He took a deep breath, dialing Yn's number. His fingers lingered over the phone screen for a moment before pressing "call." After a few rings, she answered, her voice tense.

"Spencer?"

"Hey, Yn," he said softly. "Could we... meet up? There's something I need to talk to you about. Something important."

She hesitated, and he could almost hear the storm of emotions churning within her. "All right. Where?"

"The coffee shop by the precinct? It's... neutral territory," he suggested with a hint of a nervous chuckle, hoping to ease the tension.

"Fine. I'll meet you there in twenty."

As Spencer made his way to the coffee shop, his mind spun with everything he wanted to say. But as he walked through the door and saw her already seated at a corner table, he felt an overwhelming wave of relief and apprehension all at once. She looked up as he approached, her expression guarded but open enough to give him a glimmer of hope.

Spencer slid into the seat across from her, his heart racing as he searched for the right words to bridge the gulf between them.

"Thank you for meeting me," he began, his voice low. "I know things have been... complicated. And that's on me. But I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong. I think there's more going on here—more with June."

Yn's eyes flickered with a mix of curiosity and wariness. "What do you mean, Spencer? She left. She didn't exactly make a graceful exit, but... she's gone, right?"

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as he let out a sigh. "That's just it. I thought it was over too, but I keep going over everything in my mind, and I feel like I'm missing something. Something that doesn't add up."

Yn nodded slowly, her gaze fixed on him with a blend of understanding and empathy. "Spencer, you're the one who always taught me that if it doesn't feel like it's over, it probably isn't. Maybe your instincts are right. But... I have to ask you—why now? Why reach out to me after everything?"

He met her eyes, the depth of his emotions laid bare. "Because I can't let this go without talking to you. After everything that's happened... I realize that I want to try again. With you."

She looked at him, a glimmer of surprise softening her guarded expression, and he could see her working through her own tangled emotions.

"Spencer, trying again isn't just a switch we can flip," she said, her voice steady but gentle. "It's been a long road for both of us, and we both made decisions—painful ones. I need to understand why now, after everything with June, you're willing to face all of that."

Spencer reached across the table, his hand hovering just above hers before he pulled back, respecting her boundaries. "Yn, I know I hurt you, and I don't take that lightly. But being with June... it was a mistake. I was trying to move on, trying to convince myself that I could forget the past. But you can't just bury feelings and hope they disappear. Every time I was with her, I kept thinking about you. I thought maybe I could ignore it, that it was just something that would fade, but it didn't."

Yn's expression softened, a mixture of hope and caution filling her eyes. "Spencer... if you want me to believe this, I need to know it's real. I need to know that you're choosing me, not just as a fallback because of everything with June."

He nodded, his eyes earnest. "I know. I'm choosing you because I can't imagine my life without you in it. The thought of us... being apart, it's something I've tried to accept, but I can't. I want to be honest with you, no matter how messy or painful it is. You deserve that."

For a moment, they sat in silence, the noise of the coffee shop a comforting backdrop to the weight of the conversation. Spencer felt the ache of vulnerability pressing in, but he held his gaze steady on her.

"Spencer," Yn began, her voice soft but steady, "I can see that you mean it. But this—whatever it is between us—it's going to take time. I need to feel like I can trust you again."

He nodded, his face a mixture of relief and determination. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I know it's not going to be easy. I'm ready to take that journey with you, to rebuild whatever we lost."

As the moment of honesty passed between them, the tension that had clouded their relationship for so long seemed to dissipate, replaced by a quiet understanding.

Spencer's phone buzzed suddenly, breaking the moment. He glanced at the screen and felt a chill run down his spine. It was a message from the team.

He looked at Yn, worry etched on his face. "The team wants me back... they think there might be something we missed in the June investigation. I need to go."

Yn nodded, her own face growing serious. "Do you think... she's still out there?"

Spencer hesitated, glancing around as if June might be lurking in the shadows. "I think so. And if she's still out there... she might not be done yet."