𝙰𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝙾𝚍𝚍𝚜 | 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝚁𝚎𝚒𝚍

Running

"Use your kind of language. The Genius language, you know?"

————-««»»————

Penelope couldn't believe her ears. Here she was being so excited to welcome Aitana back to work after such a long time being out and once they get to talking, Aitana tells her this!? It had to be some kind of joke!

"I'm being serious, Penelope," Aitana assured the blonde. They walked down the hallway heading for the bullpen to lead the newest case. "It's just not a good idea."

Penelope almost wished that Aitana's ankle was still a little bit bad so that it would slow their walk and leave a much wider opportunity for a better conversation. Aitana was speed walking the hallways.

"But we talked about this—"

"We didn't talk about it, you made fun of me as usual," Aitana huffed.

"Aitana, seriously! You and Spencer — it could work! It could so work!"

Aitana shook her head fervently. "No!"

"But the last time we talked about it, you seemed like you were getting on board with the idea!"

"That was then and this is now!" Aitana didn't even want to remember their valentines night. She couldn't shake the image of Spencer and that random girl at the bar. "I've had time to think about it more."

It was all she thought about during her remaining time off. They were gateway thoughts because each time, without fail, she ended up thinking more about Spencer.

"Whyyy!?" Penelope exclaimed, nearly begging Aitana to stop walking for a second. "You would be so cute together!"

"It's not a matter of being 'cute', it's about it working and it wouldn't!"

"How do you know it wouldn't work?"

"How do you know that it would?"

Penelope stopped walking abruptly and reached for Aitana's arm to yank her back. "Is that what it is? Fear?"

Aitana ripped her arm back from Penelope and groaned. "No! Look, Spencer and I are friends. We get along fine, great even, but that's about it. I'm not pursuing it. I don't need it." She'd come this far without having any feelings for anyone which meant this little thing would go away on its own if she ignored it.

"I'm very sorry but I disagree completely!" Penelope huffed. "You two are always on the same page! If it had been up to me, you two would've been dancing all night at the bar!"

Aitana scoffed, the images once again rushing to her mind. "Yeah, because that's why he never even came back from the bar. Because he so wanted to dance with me."

"He would have if you gave him the hint! Spencer's a genius but when it comes to this stuff, he's clueless."

"Forget it, Penelope," Aitana said, "At the end of the day, I'm not risking anything when I've worked so hard to forge these relationships with people I care about. I used to be great at maintaining my friendships, my boyfriends, but now I suck at them."

"No, no, you don't," Penelope shook her head, "You don't suck at all."

"No," Aitana said sharply and gave Penelope a matching look as they entered the bullpen. Penelope knew that the conversation was done...but only for now. Aitana was mad if she thought it was over.

The two walked into the conference room to find the rest of the team already waiting for them.

"Welcome back," JJ greeted Aitana happily.