Partners in Crime

Don't Overthink It

When they landed back at the BAU, the team walked out to the parking lot together, but Spencer tailed behind. As he drove home, he couldn't not think about what happened. He reviewed last nights events over and over again in his head. He caught himself at every red light or stop sign overanalyzing everything leading up to that kiss... and everything after.

Is everything going to be weird between them now? Not that everything wasn't already weird between them to begin with... but still.

He shook his head, as if it was going to shake all of his thoughts out as well, and gripped his hand tighter on the wheel.

Stop it. You can't start doing this.

He remembers the exact moment.

About 3 weeks ago. It was a paperwork day, and at around noon, he looked up from his paper to see Alex leaning back in her chair, with a case file spread open in her hands. She looked exhausted, but for some reason, it made him feel oddly calm. He saw the way her glossy, tired eyes scanned over the page, and every so often, she'd lick her thumb in order to separate and turn to the next page. She had her headphones on and he noticed that she was quietly humming to herself, she was listening to the song Girls by The 1975, a song that Spencer knew and liked quite well. It was at that exact moment that he realized how badly he had fucked up. 364 days, and he hadn't once taken the time to try to know her.

So the next day, her 'BAU-iversary', he brought her a coffee, as a sign of peace, to try and start over. And the rest is history. Ever since that day he's thought about her more and more. A little more than he's supposed to...

As Alex walked on the sidewalk towards the door of her apartment complex, she found herself completely zoned out to her surroundings, also thinking about last nights events. She'd never been kissed like that before, and Ryan sure as hell was never that passionate. She didn't know what that meant, but Reid does have skills. Way more than she ever gave him credit for.

Right as she reached for the double doors leading into the lobby of her apartment building, a woman was running out at the same time and nearly gave her a concussion. She ran out looking distressed, carrying her shoes and half her clothes in her hands.

Been there before, girl.

As the woman sprinted down the steps onto the sidewalk, she didn't even realize that she dropped her cardigan on the concrete.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Alex called out, as she knelt down to pick up the light blue sweater. But the lady was long gone. She shrugged her shoulders and examined the cloth, deciding to keep it for herself. Though it was missing a button at the top, it was still pretty cute.

She finally made it to her apartment and Ryan was laying across the couch watching The Walking Dead. Alex rolled her eyes as she threw her bag and keys on the kitchen counter.

"Hey babe, how was your trip?" Ryan asked, without moving a muscle. God, she hates when he calls them 'trips.'  It sounds like he's trying to make her incredibly stressful, dangerous job sound like a vacation. 

"Fine," she responded dryly, while she walked into their bedroom to grab some clothes and a towel because she desperately needed to take a calming shower. Their room was way messier than it was when she left. Snack bags and clothes thrown everywhere.

How does one even make this much of a mess in 3 days?

She called out to Ryan while she took off her necklace and rings, "So, what'd you do while I was gone?"

"You're looking at it!" He responded, and she chuckled. Ryan got up from the couch and followed Alex into the bedroom.

"Hey, you okay?" He reached out and put his hands on her shoulders, and started massaging her.

"Yeah," Alex sighed. "Just tired." 

"Do you wanna go out tonight? Get dinner?" He asked, and she smiled. Going out sounds better than having to cook dinner and tackle this mess of a room.

"Yeah, okay. Let me shower really quick."

At the restaurant, Alex looked across the table at her boyfriend as he looked down at his menu and let Reid's words to her on the jet run over her like water. About marrying Ryan. Here goes...

"Babe, just out of curiosity, why have you never asked me to marry you?"

Ryan looked up abruptly from his menu.

"What?"

"Well, I just mean... we've been together since high school, and you've never... I mean we've never even talked about..."

"I- I don't know, I guess I just never thought about it. I mean we're pretty much married already."

God, is that true?

"But since you're asking..." He folded his hands together like an imaginary box and then pried them open.

"Alexandra Torres... Will you marry me?"