the only exception

𝙻.𝙳.𝚂.𝙺.

Lorelai, Spencer, and Hotch showed up to practice for Spencer's re-testing for the firearm qualification. It was Spencer's turn to shoot. He walked over, pointed his gun at the head target, then pulled the trigger three times but missed.

"On swat, we broke shots down to three steps," Hotch said, "one--front sight. Focus on the front sight, not on the target. Two--controlled trigger press. Three-- follow through. After the shot, you come right back to the target. Now, what did you do wrong?"

"I didn't follow through," Spencer answered.

Hotch nodded, "Right. You came off the target to see where you hit."

"Hotch, my firearm qualification is tomorrow morning. I barely passed my last one," Spencer said frustrated.

Hotch patted Spencers back while raising his eyebrow at Lorelai.

She nodded, "it's true. He got a 48 out of 60 shots."

"And you?" Hotch asked.

"I got a 55," she answered him.

Hotch nodded, then moved Spencer out of the way to show him the three steps, "Front sight, trigger press..." he pulls the trigger, "follow-through. Lorelai."

She walks over, taking her gun out of her holster and points her gun at the target. She takes a breath before finally pulling the trigger hitting the target right on the chest.

Hotch then turned to Spencer, "You do those three things, you'll hit your target every time. Just like Lorelai did here."

Spencer nodded and walked over to where Lorelai was standing. Taking his gun out to shoot the target right in the private area.

"Did Elle teach you that?" Hotch jokes, making Lorelai laugh.

Spencer sighed, "They're gonna take away my gun."

"Profilers aren't required to carry," Hotch stated.

Spencer nodded, "Yeah? And yet you carry two of them."

Hotch then bent over taking the gun that's on his ankle out and fired at the chest area of the target three times.

"When I joined the BAU, Gideon said to me," Hotch said, taking off his earmuffs, "you don't have to carry a gun to kill someone."

Spencer raised an eyebrow, "I don't get it."

"You will. Good luck tomorrow, both of you," Hotch said.

The two nodded thanking him for coming.

Spencer put his earmuffs back on grabbing his gun shooting the target once more in the shoulder.

"Maybe you should take a break," Lorelai suggested.

Spencer put down his gun to look at her, "But the test is tomorrow. I need to practice, Rory."

"I know, but you're putting all this pressure on yourself. Come on, let's get some coffee," she pleaded.

Spencer thought for a moment, making Lorelai roll her eyes.

"Pleaseeee?" she said, dragging the 'e'.

Spencer then took his earmuffs off, "Fine let's go."

"Yes!" she said, taking off her earmuffs and running for the door.

Spencer smiled at her as he followed behind.

******

A while later, Spencer and Lorelai walked into the local coffee shop and went to order.