What If I Asked You to Stay?

Dear Katy,

Thank you for sharing that with me. I've honestly spent the better part of the last twelve hours trying to come up with something to say to you that would even begin to express the way that made me feel, but there are no words. That's not a talent many people have, to evoke emotion so profound in another person like that. Please hold onto it, and please send me more as you continue writing your novel.

I'd love to read it.

Love,

Spencer

Spencer sat at his desk, refreshing the tab with his email open over and over again. Finally he shook his head, exiting out of the page and picking up a pen to start working on some paperwork that had been sitting on his desk since the previous Thursday. He started writing, his thoughts coming out scattered and extremely unprofessional. He subconsciously reached for the mouse, nearly making it before he stopped himself.

No, he thought, Stop. You're gonna give yourself an aneurysm. Stop clicking. Stop refreshing.

He got up from his desk, his eyes moving around the room. His coworker and best friend Derek Morgan sat across from him, hunched over, intensely typing. He wondered who he was writing to, and what he was writing about. He took a few steps toward the older man's desk, not saying a word as he closed in. Derek looked up at him, an impatient smiling forming on his lips.

"Do you need something, Reid?"

Spencer's hand nervously scratched the back of his neck, "Not really. I just can't concentrate."

Derek leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head as he went. He let out a loud groan and shook his head, laughing at the younger man, "Spence. You just emailed her like an hour ago. She'll reply. Don't freak."

Spencer clenched his fists, biting anxiously down on his lip, "It's not- It's not that."

Derek raised his eyebrows in skepticism, a snort escaping his nose, "Right, I suppose you clicking your damn mouse every ten seconds on the dot was because you're waiting for the newest Nerd Newsletter to hit that inbox, huh?"

"I can't help it Derek, she just... She makes me feel this way that I've never felt before. She makes me crave conversation in a way that no one else has. I'm sure you feel that way with Savannah."

Derek's face lit up at the mention of his girlfriend and he nodded, "Yea, she... she's something else. Just be careful pretty boy, don't get to invested. I don't want you to-"

He stopped himself, moving his eyes to lock with Spencer's. There was a silent understanding of what they were talking about and Spencer nodded slowly, pressing his mouth into a thin line. Even though Derek hadn't directly mentioned anything, the conversation sent the man's heart dropping to his stomach. That was his worst fear- a repeat of last time.

"I understand," Spencer shifted nervously, his hand resuming its place on the back of his neck, "Uh, I think I'm gonna go make a coffee run real quick. Want anything?"

Derek shook his head and Spencer smiled, heading toward the elevator. He shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling around for the paper that had been floating about for a few days now. When his fingers found it, he clutched it tight, butterflies flooding his stomach.

He exited the elevator, heading out the door and in the direction of the coffee shop across the street from his office. He frequented the establishment, and most of the baristas knew his name and order by heart- large cup of house blend, as hot as you can make it, with an obscene amount of cream and twice that amount of sugar. He loved it there. It was like his home away from home.

He entered the building, and immediately the barista, a young girl with crimson red hair who's name was Maddie, greeted him with a huge smile, "Hey Spencer!"

She turned to her coworker, rolling Spencer's order off of her tongue before turning back to the guest at the front of the queue. She quickly worked her way through the line, and it wasn't long before Spencer was at the counter, digging cash out of his pocket.

"Large house blend, hot as the machine goes. Lots of cream and sugar," Maddie said to him. He handed her two crumpled up bills and she banged a few buttons on their keyboard, "What's new in Spencerland?"

"Not much," Spencer laughed, "The usual, fighting crime. Kicking butt and taking names. And contemplating calling someone."

"Oooh," she smiled, counting out change, and handing it to him, "There's someone in the running for future Mrs. Reid??"

Spencer chuckled, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

Maddie's smile widened and she leaned over the counter, "Call the girl, Spencer."

He clutched his coffee tighter and nodded, "I think I will."

"Good!" She said, clapping her hands together, "And if things don't work out with her, give me a call."

He nodded, rolling his eyes slightly, "I'll see you later."

With that, he turned around and marched out of the shop. He paused for a moment outside, setting his cup down on one of the tables provided. It was fall, and it was beginning to cool off, so steam was rolling off his coffee in waves. He reached back into his pocket, removing his phone before reaching into the other to retrieve the paper with Katy's number on it. He typed it out into his phone and stared at the buttons for a moment, his thumb lingering over that little green call button. Call the girl, Spencer, he heard Maddie's voice echoing in his head, Call the girl. With a sudden burst of courage, he hit the button, mashing the paper back in his pocket and picking his coffee up before he could panic and hang up.

After three rings, she picked up and Spencer's chest flooded with relief.

"Katherine McCarroll. What can I do for you?" Her voice was more velvety and comforting than he could have even imagined. It was like bundling up in your favorite coat in the middle of the snow.

"Uh... Katy? Hey, it's me Spencer. Spencer Reid?" Spencer was shaking with nerves, and he took a sip of his coffee as soon as he finished speaking, to mask how heavy he was breathing.

"Spencer! Oh my god, hi! I'm so sorry it's taken so long to get back to you, it's a crazy day at work. We've just been swamped."

Spencer relaxed a little, "It's totally okay, we've been pretty swamped at my job as well, so I honestly haven't thought much about it. I figured you'd get back when you could."

"I appreciate you being so understanding."

Spencer couldn't shake the way her voice made him feel. It was almost enough to knock him flat on his back. He probably wouldn't complain though, because then he could lie there and listen to her speak for the next few hours.

"Of course," he replied, hoping he sounded cooler than he felt, "Hey, speaking of being swamped though, I don't have much time. I was just calling because I was really hoping I could talk you into grabbing dinner sometime."

In the pause that followed- which couldn't have lasted longer than a second, Spencer thought he was going to unravel. Every single organ in his body decided to flip and bounce alongside his heart and he was sure he was going to pass out. He held his breath until she started speaking again.

"You wouldn't have to do much talking me into doing that," she laughed, "I've been dying to meet you in person. I'm not sure what you're doing tonight, but I was supposed to go out with a friend, and she cancelled, so I have a reservation for two at an Italian restaurant in Manassas at 8 PM?"

Spencer smiled, "That sounds perfect. I'll pick you up around 7?"