My Partner Against Crime

Chapter 63

The sun peaked through the guest room windows. I didn't even realize how long I've been laying here stroking Spencer's unruly hair as he tightly held me against him. I don't think he'll be waking up anytime soon, and I have no intention of interrupting that so I slowly, and carefully pull myself out of his grip and slip a pillow in my place.

I look down at my shirt which has now been stained with Spencer's blood. I haven't fully seen his wounds, but shit. I trash the shirt in the kitchen and go upstairs to throw another on. I'm exhausted after yesterday's events with the school, Spencer, sending Marshall away, and you know, growing a human inside of me.

It takes me a while to find my phone hidden amongst the clutter in my living room after throwing my things down last night. I pick up the cold device, my screen lights up to reveal the messages and calls I've missed. I'm so thankful for Aaron, he took care of Marshall after everything and even kept in contact with my brothers making sure he safely arrived in California to be with them. I decide to call him first. I drop on my couch and wait for his voice to appear.

"Marina?" His voice is deeper than usual, and not to mention wonderfully raspy.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I wasn't even thinking of the time. Did I wake you up?" I hear slight adjusting and a quick throat clear before he speaks again.

"No, I was getting up anyway. How is everything? How're you doing?" I smile at his lie, it's so rare for him to make me feel bad.

"It's a quiet morning for sure. I just want to thank you, seriously. Yesterday doesn't even feel real with everything that happened, and without you I don't think it would have gone as smoothly so thank you, Aaron."

"I know you'd do the same for me. How is Spencer?" I glance back at the closed room door.

"He's still sleeping so we'll see how today goes. I'm going to call Marshall in a bit to see how he's doing. I'm sure Anthony kept him up late so he's probably sleeping in." I hope I haven't traumatized the poor kid, when we adopted him I really hoped we could give him a somewhat normal life even after his family's murder.

"Knowing you, you're probably stressing about Marsh wondering if you made the right move, but Marina he's a tough kid. Plus he really looks up to you. Yesterday I watched him read your face for a reaction, and as I drove him to the airport he was more than confident in you and his trip." I sigh with relief.

"Thank you, you always seem to know what I need to hear." I play with the strings on my shorts and listen as Hotch tries to talk through a yawn.

"I'm going to get ready and take Jack to the park, call me if you need anything?"

"I will, thanks again."

We end the call and I find myself staring at the guest room door for a minute. I should go back in, or I could give him time and let him come out when he's ready. I finally get up, the thought of him laying there alone feeling whatever he's feeling tortures me.

I carefully open the bedroom door trying my best not to disturb him. He lays in the same position I left him in, still hugging the pillow. I get on the bed and slide myself into the pillows spot while pulling it away from him and moving it behind me.

"Where'd you go?" Spencer says softly, eyes still closed.

"I just wanted to change out of last nights clothes." I match his tone and gently rub circles on his back.

"Thanks for staying with me. " He finally opens his eyes and looks up at me, he frowns. "Did you not sleep?" Damn, is it that obvious?

"No, but I feel okay. How're you doing?" He sits up and reveals his wounds. It takes everything in me to not cringe. I glance down at the now stained pillow he was laying on as well as a trail on the sheets. 

"I can still feel the girl's nails down my face." I see him bite down on the inside of his cheek. I scoot closer to him and carefully hold his face forcing his soft brown eyes to look into mine.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I massage the untouched side of his face with my thumb.

"At the school, this little girl was absolutely terrified of me. She didn't know who I was, or what I was trying to do, and to her she was fighting for her life. The look on her face is just haunting me." He smashes his hand against his eyes and rubs hard, almost as if he's trying to rub the memory away.

"Are you okay?" I don't know what else to say, and I'm having the hardest time reading him. Last night he was a wreck, I didn't expect him to seem so... normal this morning.

"I'm fine, I'm more concerned you didn't get any sleep." He stares down at my stomach, I know his mind is racing with all the things he wants to lecture me on all the things I've already done wrong in this pregnancy according to what he's read.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I ask him again, slightly worried he might snap at me.

"I'm good Mar, can you help me clean this?" He points at his face.

"Yeah, lets do this in the living room." I guide him out of the room and on to the couch. He lays back and stretches his arms across the top of it.

Hotch left a zip lock bag of supplies for him last night which I find on the entry table. I bring the bag over to Spence and kneel in front of him.

"This looks familiar." He smirks. I roll my eyes and pull at his shirt so he sits up and places his hands in his lap.

I don't really know what I'm doing, but I use the disinfectant first and gently wipe the crusted blood away. He's obviously in pain as he moves his hands to grip the couch.

"Do you want a second?" I pull away from him.

"Honey, I'm fine." It's not too often that he uses cute nicknames, but when he does I can't help but smile.

"Okay, just tell me if you want me to stop." I continue to clean him up using the various supplies from the bag. I finish off with Neosporin and I place a small bandaid at the top of his cheek where the cut runs deeper.

"Thank you, my love." He says softly and grabs my hands pulling me up and onto his lap. He lifts my chin, then slowly and softly kisses me. I rest my nose against his, our lips no further than an inch apart. He shifts and carefully lays me down on the couch with my legs over his.

"The calm before the storm." He says quietly, almost to himself.

"Hm?" I shift my head to look from the ceiling to him.

"Not in a bad way. I just mean right now it's just us, but in not too long it'll be Marshall hitting his teen years and a toddler running around, and maybe a baby in my arms." I playfully kick him.

"Relax, maybe one small will be enough for you." I haven't thought too far ahead kid wise. I've just seen Marshall but he's right, in not too long we'll have a baby and maybe not long after that, another.

"What about for you? Maybe you're the one that's going to want another. Or I guess I should say you'll also, want another... You know, you're the only person I've wanted this with? I mean I've always loved and wanted kids but with you it's different. You're my future, and anything I want, I want it with you. Like even that new coffee table you want, I only want it with you." I laugh at him.

"You're so cheesy sometimes." He picks up my right hand and gently kisses it, just proving my point further.

"But I am being serious. You're the person I want things with." I sit up and gently run my hand around his chest making him softly moan.

Spencer's phone buzzes on the coffee table, before I have the chance to even glance at it he quickly grabs the device and stands up, pushing me back in the crossfire.

"I should really take this." He rushes off and out the front door, somewhat aggressively shutting it behind him.

I furrow my brows, what the hell was that?