NO GOOD DEED || S. REID

3.3

KATHARINE WOKE WITH A START THE NEXT MORNING. Flashes of last night's nightmares still swam around in her mind, images of her torture at twenty-three, and a room in which she tries to save all of her loved ones but ultimately fails.

It's a terrible nightmare that's been plaguing her dreams recently, every single person that she loves just dematerializing in the wind. She rubbed her temples, trying to erase the images from her mind.

She crossed her legs, criss-cross applesauce, very reminiscent of a child. Katharine looked off to the right side of her bed, faintly remembering the genius that had fallen asleep next to her the previous night.

It wasn't uncommon for Spencer and her to share the bed on the nights he stayed over. Within the first couple of times, he had gradually shifted from the guest room bed and into hers on account of the fact that she woke up screaming a few times too many.

They found that sleeping in the same bed kept the nightmares more or less at bay and if she did wake up screaming, he would be right there to help her through it.

She blinked, still trying to wake up, the details from her nightmare slowly fading out of her mind. Katharine smelled the faint scent of bacon frying and figured Spencer had woken up earlier to make breakfast.

Katharine climbed out of bed, drawing her blankets around her like a cocoon. She trudged her way to the kitchen, sleepily making her way into a seat at the island. She laid her head on the countertop, greeting Spencer when he turned around to say good morning to her.

"Do we have to go in today?" she asked, barely opening her eyes. She heard Spencer set something down in front of her and smiled at the mug of coffee he had made for her.

She reached out and grasped the mug with one hand, taking a sip and sighing as the warmth of the liquid moved through her system. If she could inject the beverage straight into her veins, she would.

"Hotch gave us the day off on account of what happened last night," Spencer told her, plating two dishes and turning off the stove. He left the fan on for a little while longer to dispel any of the smoke that might have accumulated during cooking.

Katharine accepted the plate of food, setting it down in front of her and shifting her blankets so that they were draped across her lap instead of wrapped around her body. She could remember the first time Spencer tried to cook for her. It had been about three or four weeks ago, he had stayed over and somehow managed to wake up before her.

Within the first ten minutes, he had managed to burn the toast and Katharine woke up to a burning smell in the kitchen. Thinking something was wrong, she had grabbed one of her firearms and made her way into the kitchen to find Spencer holding the plate of still-smoldering bread under the faucet and the stove hood running on high.

She had laughed and made them breakfast that day, taking it upon herself to teach the man how to cook a decent meal himself.

Spencer was a quick learner, though he would insist it was due to her superb teaching skills. Today, he managed to create a decent looking breakfast with whatever Katharine still had in her fridge considering she had yet to go grocery shopping. There were fried eggs, toast, bacon, and baked beans, all four of her favorite breakfast foods plus a few slices of fruit in a bowl on the side.

"What's the occasion?" she asked, motioning to the breakfast. She finally looked up at the brown-haired boy as he took off her "Kiss the Cook" apron.

He shrugged, settling into the seat next to her. "I don't know. A thank you for being there for me last night."

Katharine leaned sideways on Spencer's shoulder, squeezing his bicep slightly. "I'd be there for you no matter what."