ENTANGLED | CRIMINAL MINDS

Wine Talk

Jean's heels clicked on the tile as she walked into Rossi's mansion for her celebration. She was anxious walking in to see her team even though she knew she shouldn't be. She had yet to speak to Spencer one-on-one and knew it was coming soon. It was inevitable.

"Jean, get your ass over here" Prentiss shouted out from across the foyer, opening her arms up to Jean. She picked up the pace and ran into her arms, Emily pulling her in tight, almost as if to make up for all the time they had been apart.

"God, that ass looks amazing in that dress" JJ giggled out as she smacked Jean's ass lightly. The green dress showed off her curves in ways she didn't know was possible.

Slowly, the girls made their way into the dining room to settle down and Jean was surprised to see that everyone was already there. Her eyes darted around the table for an empty seat, leading her to discover that the only one left was in between Spencer and Morgan.

Jean slid her way into her seat, taking a giant gulp from the glass of wine that Rossi had passed to her. Her favorite wine would be the only thing getting her through this dinner. 

She could feel a bundle of nerves in her stomach at the thought of being in such proximity to Reid again. She had no idea what he felt for her still or what was running through his mind at this moment.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard someone call her name. "Jean, meet any lucky men back in the Big Apple" Penelope questioned, stirring her margarita with a sparkly straw that Rossi kept around just for her.

Jean's face immediately turns red. "Look at that face, that means there was someone!" JJ shouts out. Jean didn't even dare look at Hotch or Reid, knowing the look on their faces would be full of anger.

"Jesus, JJ, give me a chance to speak" Jean spoke out with a light laugh, trying to play off the whole question. "There was nobody in New York, okay? I was there for myself and myself only, I didn't have time for anyone there".

"We're just pressing your buttons, Jean. You know we all love you" Morgan exclaims, swinging his arm around Jean and leaving it there, much to Hotch's dismay, as the conversation veered to the story of how she ended up throwing up on national television. 

"So what happened was some girls I had met at a yoga class wanted to go out for a round of drinks and it's all a blur from there. I was throwing back shot after shot. Lord knows what shenanigans we got up to that night as I don't remember a single thing but next thing I know I'm vomiting in a bush in front of Michale Strahan on national fucking television" she exclaimed.

The whole table erupted into laughter, even Hotch and Spencer cracking a smile. Jean took a moment to excuse herself to the restroom. As she finished washing her hands, she smiled to herself in the mirror, ready to walk out when she heard the door swing open.

In walked Spencer, looking just as handsome as she had left him.

"I am so sorry, I didn't realize you were in here, Jeanie, I mean Jean" he stuttered, already backing out of the room when Jean pulled him back into the bathroom and closed the door.

Silence hung heavy between the two of them in the air. "Spence, I missed you" Jean spoke first. He looked at her and enveloped her into a bear hug and just like that, all the pain that she felt he had caused vanished.

In that place, came back all the warm feelings that he had caused. The memories of him shouting out affirmations of her from her rooftop or comforting her in times of need. That Spencer Reid she knew and missed.

However, she knew she had to return to reality and confront the cold hard facts.

"Spencer, I want nothing more than to melt into your arms and stay there forever, but I can't forget that you were with Maeve. I can't" Jean spoke, detangling herself from his arms and putting distance between them.

"Jean, I tried to tell you when you were with Hotch in the car but you didn't give me a chance to speak to you and next thing I know, you had vanished in thin air" he cried out, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration.

"Maeve is no one to me. On my mother, Jean, we were collaborating on a project together, researching stem cells and how they can help those who struggle with schizophrenia" he whispered.

"What you overheard sounded bad, I agree with you. I was telling her how much I wanted to be there getting back to work on something that has the potential to change my mom's life, to save her! Maeve showed me that I was capable of doing things in research that I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams" he exclaimed.

Jean felt her cheeks rush red, embarrassed that her doubt clouded her judgement and caused her to immediately write off Spencer. She thought of all the pain she had caused him, all the hurt, all because she did not want to wait two minutes to listen to a single explanation of his.

"Spencer, I am so sorry" she spoke softly, closing the space between them and grabbing his hand. With his other hand, he pulled her in tightly to his chest and held her tightly, so he couldn't lose her again.

"Please let me make this up to you, Spencer. I feel like the world's biggest asshole right now and I would do anything to make it back up to you" she proclaimed.

"You being back here is all I ever wanted. Did you know every night I prayed to God that he would bring you back to me? I'm not a religious man but I was willing to do anything if it meant that there was the slightest chance my sunshine would return home to me" he whispered, his eyes staring deeply into her soul.

Her heart exploded at the mere thought of Spencer going to sleep every night, the last thought on his mind always being about her.

Without a second thought, Jean rushed forward and connected her lips to his, the two of them fitting together like perfect puzzle pieces. She knew this man would move heaven and hell for her and wouldn't dream of hurting her. Was this what she wanted? 

Author's Note: I'm planning on wrapping up the book soon and have the ending semi-planned out! Who do you guys think Jean will end up with?