February Night

Chapter 54

"Spencer, please! I really want you to join me!"

Since almost fifteen minutes, Lucy was trying to convince Spencer to join her to the horse stable. She had finally found one not far outside the city. And she had called there to ask if it was possible to have a horse to look after and go for a ride with. Much to her delight, the owner had told Lucy that there was a horse that could use someone who looked after it from time to time. It wasn't like a fulltime job but Lucy would still spend some time with it and that was what she wanted.

Now she was about to leave her apartment to finally go and meet the horse called Lucky. She wanted Spencer to come with her, but he was as stubborn as always. "I won't ride!", he exclaimed and Lucy laughed.

"No one said you have to sit on the back of a horse. I just want you to join me to see where I'll spend some of my free time. I want you to meet the horse I'll be looking after." She came over and wrapped her arms around his waist, peppering his lips and cheeks with kisses. She knew how she could change his mind. This way, it mostly worked.

Spencer sighed as he pulled her in an embrace. "Alright."

Lucy beamed at him and not even five minutes later, they were sitting in the car, driving a bit outside of the city. Lucy was excited. It had been way too long since she'd been horseback riding the last time. When she'd told Luke that she finally found a stable, he had chuckled and said he had been wondering how long she could make it without horseback riding again.

Spencer hesitated to get out of the car when they finally arrived at the stable. Lucy chuckled and grabbed his hand to drag him with her. "Come on. You jump into danger to catch the worst serial killers in the country but you're afraid of horses?" She shook her head at him and he grimaced.

"Well...you can't compare those two things", he murmured, but finally followed her. Lucy beamed when she got introduced to the horse she'd look after for some time. It was a beautiful all black half-breed.

"Oh, wow", Lucy whispered as she slowly went closer to stroke Lucky. The horse's ears went up and it seemed as if it liked her. "He's such a beautiful one", Lucy quietly said and when she looked at Spencer, she could see the little smile on his face.

"What?"

He shrugged. "Nothing. I just...this makes you happy, right?"

Lucy nodded. He finally seemed to understand. "Come on." She went back to him and grabbed his hand.

"N-no, wait...", he stammered but Lucy dragged him with her again.

"Don't worry. He's calm." Lucy placed Spencer's hand on Lucky's warm neck. Hesitating at first, Spencer slowly started to stroke the horse.

"Wow." Now it was him to be fascinated by this animal. "He's really beautiful", he then said and Lucy just smiled. She'd known that Spencer would lose his fear.

"You want to sit on his back?", Lucy asked and when she saw Spencer's shocked face getting pale, she couldn't help but laugh.

"No way! Just because I can stroke him now doesn't mean I'd sit on a horse's back! Never in a million years!" He stepped back from Lucky.

"Okay, okay", Lucy said and lifted her hands. "Do you mind if I take a short ride outside?" Spencer shook his head and leaned in to kiss her.

"Nope. But please take care." She gave him a huge smile before she went to one of the caretakers of the stable to get a saddle and horse-gear.

Twenty minutes later, Spencer was standing at a paddock and watched Lucy sitting on Lucky's back. The beaming smile on her face while she rode round after round, made him as happy as she was. And Lucy was incredibly happy to sit on the back of a horse again. It meant freedom to her. And it meant a lot that Spencer had joined her here. That he had shaken off a bit of his fear of horses and even stroked Lucky. She smiled at the thought of it. She was so important to him, that he fought his fears. She let go one of her hands from the rein and waved in Spencer's direction. With a smile, he waved back.

And suddenly, Lucy just wanted to be with him. She led Lucky back to the stable, unsaddled and groomed him and after she'd given the horse some hay and a carrot, she went back to Spencer who was waiting outside the stable, talking to the owner. "Hey", Lucy said and wrapped her arms around his waist as soon as she was close enough.

"Hey." Spencer placed a kiss on her hair. "I thought you might stay for longer." He couldn't hide his surprise that Lucy already was finished with horseback riding. She shrugged.

"As much as I loved it...I could need some coffee and time with you right now", she explained and the sparkle in Spencer's eyes appeared once more.

"Well then, let's grab a huge cup of coffee", he then grinned and kissed her before they left the stable again. On the way back into the city, Lucy thought that it had been the right thing to start horseback riding again. And she hoped Spencer would join her more often in the future. And who knew...maybe he would want to start horseback riding as well.

They were sitting in their favorite coffee shop, snuggled up on one of the comfortable couches and having a huge cup of their favorite coffee, when Spencer's phone suddenly started to ring. "Oh no", Lucy whined and buried her face in Spencer's shoulder while he rummaged for his phone to answer it.

"Garcia", he sighed and then listened to what she was saying. "Alright. I'm on my way." Spencer put the phone away.

"A new case?", Lucy quietly asked.

"Yeah. One in Philadelphia. Not far away, thank god. But I need to hurry now." He got up from the couch and Lucy did the same. "I'm sorry", he murmured, placing a hand on Lucy's cheek before he kissed her.

"It's okay", she said with a smile and briefly let her hands run down his sides. "Just stay safe." She stood on her tiptoes to give him another kiss. Then he was gone and Lucy was alone. Sighing, she sat back down and finished her coffee.