Front Lines| Spencer Reid + Anne Grey

nineteen

Anne Grey and Spencer Reid were heading into their apartment, done with work for the day. Today had mainly only consisted of slacking off at the BAU.

After her birthday party, the only productive thing Anne did was recap Hotch on any information that he had missed over the past couple months. She had also moved her things out of his office, which she was pretty ecstatic to do. Being back in her usual desk felt ten times better than a lonely office. She had wondered why Hotch liked it so much.

Other than that, though, the team had gotten next to nothing accomplished. Morgan, Reid, Grey and Gideon had even set up a game of poker in the kitchen during lunch, and played for about 90 minutes.

Now, though, everyone was at home, taking a rest.

"Did you know that the human gag reflex is actually a survival trait?" Spencer asks. "Infants use it as a way to keep themselves from eating things that are too large for their stomach to digest." The two had just witnessed a baby gag on applesauce in the elevator, and the topic seemed like fair game.

Anne holds up her left fist, pressing her fingers down on her thumb. "Did you know that this stops your gag reflex from functioning?"

He raises his eyebrows, unlocking the door to their apartment. "This has taken an odd turn." Swinging open the door, he steps in, slipping his bag off of his shoulder and setting it on the floor.

"You can't tell me that it was off topic," Grey defends, following behind him. She tosses her car keys on the kitchen counter, adding, "It's a fact!"

"I'll grant you that," laughs Reid, as he continues through the apartment, holding up a finger and saying, "I'll be right back. I gotta grab your present."

A smile immediately surfaces on her face as she sets her bag on the counter. Spencer hadn't shut up about the gift he had bought, and she was excited to see him give it to her. It was barely even the concept of the present, but rather the way that she knew he would look when she told him that she loved it. Anne had no clue what it could be, but she was certain that she would appreciate it immensely.

Heading into the living room, she immediately collapses onto the couch. Her back was mildly sore from sitting for the majority of her day, and she needed a quick relief.

Seconds later, Reid had gotten back from the bedroom, where he had been keeping the present. He sighs, laughing, "You're taking a nap already?"

"Nope, just resting," she giggles, sitting up, as to offer room for him to take a seat.

He takes the opportunity, sitting down and handing a orange gift bag to Grey. "Right, so, technically, it's two things."

"Technically?" she asks, grinning as she pulled a bit of tissue paper from the top of the bag.

"I guess I didn't really have to say technically," he chuckles, setting a hand on her knee. "They're pretty seperate things."

Grey continues to smile, pulling out an object from the bag. Once she gets both hands on it, she quickly realizes that it's a book. "The New Psychology of Love," she says, her tone hinting at laughter.

"You got me a book on my birthday, so I figured that was a level gift," Spencer explains, "Plus, only reading Freud's material is kind of a travesty, even though he's pretty much the Jesus of psychology."

"Well, Freud does have a fucked up concept of what love is, so I'm sure I'll enjoy this," Anne assures, running her fingers across the cover with a smile. "Thank you."

Reid shakes his head, rejecting, "No, that's not it. Get the other thing. That one's more interesting."

She squints, obliging and reaching back into the bag. Her right hand eventually finds the second object, pulling it out and looking it over. "You did not," she lowly says, staring at a small, black, velvet-textured box.