141 | | ash

➳ fourteen

➳

I run into Reid after I storm out of Ashton's room. My eyes are flooded with tears. I can't see very well without blinking them a few times to get the salty liquid out of them. I don't care that I've just fallen onto Reid, I sob into his chest. I feel weak, vulnerable, and not myself. However, for some reason, I can't stop crying.

I feel Reid's hands snake around my waist and rub small circles into my back. My chest heaves as I try and calm myself down. This whole case has been unprofessional on my part, and I can't even control myself right at the end. We're leaving for Quantico in three hours, and I can't compose myself and say a decent goodbye to the boys.

"You okay, Hart?" Reid manages after I stand in his arms for a good five minutes.

I pull away and wipe my eyes nodding. Thank God I didn't put on make up this morning or else my eyes would be a raccoon mess. "I'll be fine, Reid."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I shake my head and turn from him wiping the remaining tears from my eyes. I walk down the hall towards the cafeteria where I know I'll find Morgan. He's the only person I want to talk to right now. For some reason, he's the only one I trust to give me decent advice. I need to come clean. I need to admit I like Ashton because if I don't now, I never will.

I find Morgan sitting alone in the cafeteria eating some pudding and reading the newspaper. I smile and sit next to him leaning into his arm slightly. Morgan and I have a very close relationship. He's like an older brother to me, and he's very protective of things I do, which is why I trust him to tell it to me straight. I don't know what I'd do without him.

"You look like death," Morgan says with a laugh turning away from his paper.

I laugh and rub my tired eyes feeling drowsy from my recent crying attack. I hate how after you cry, you always feel tired. "Thanks," I respond. "I've been waiting for that comment all day."

Morgan wraps the arm I'm leaning on around my shoulders. I let out a deep sigh as he does this. "You like Ashton, don't you."

I nod into his chest and cover my face feeling tears come again. Fücking hormones. "I'm such an idiot. I shouldn't like him. It's unprofessional. I'm never going to see him again, anyway."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do. They're going off to tour in next months and we'll be leaving for Quantico in three hours. Our job is so busy; it's almost as busy as their's."

Morgan sighs and shakes his head. I look up at him with a confused expression on his face. "Hannah, you're an idiot. He likes you, you like him. It's not like he's the victim anymore. I'm sure Hotch can suck it up if something were to happen. And how do you know your busy schedules won't make life easier? All of us have had a relationship at some point with someone just as busy or who understands our busy schedule. Life is about making decisions and learning from those decisions. I'd say go for it, Hannah, because if you don't now, you never will. Who knows? Maybe Ashton will be someone you want to spend the rest of your life with."

I stare at Morgan when he finishes talking. I've never heard such words come from his mouth before. I don't know what made him say all those things considering just yesterday, he was the one who told me to watch myself when I was around Ashton. He's right, though. Ashton isn't the victim anymore. He's just a normal person with a not-so-normal job. I can relate.

"Thank you," I say smiling quite a bit.

Morgan shakes his head. "Not a problem. That's what I'm here for. If it's any consolation, JJ and Prentiss also 'ship' you guys, whatever that means." He crinkles his nose and shrugs. "I'm not in with the lingo."

I laugh and throw my head back. "That makes two of us. I have no clue what that means." I stand up, but I wrap my arms around Morgan's huge shoulders before returning to Ashton's room with a smile across my lips. I make a trip to the bathroom and decide to freshen myself up. I apply some mascara and make sure the redness in my cheeks and eyes go away before I finish the journey to Ashton's room.

When I arrive, I knock on the door-frame seeing Luke talking to Ashton. When they hear my knock, the both look up, and Ashton's face gets extremely red. I blush, myself, and look down.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting," I say taking one step into the room.

"You're not. Luke was just leaving," Ashton says giving his friend a quick look.

Luke gives a soft chuckle and nods. "Yeah, I was. I'll be back in a little while, Ash. Nice seeing you, Hannah." He passes me with a smile and leaves the room leaving me and Ashton alone.

I bite my lip. "I could've just come back."

Ashton shakes his head and brushes my statement off with the wave of a hand. "Nonsense. C'mere." I pats an open space next to him on the bed.

I lick my lips and oblige walking over to the bed and sitting down on the spot he patted with his hand. "I'm sorry for storming out like I did."

Ashton shrugs and smiles. "It's no big deal. I knew it was coming."

"You did?" I say raising a brow.

"I did. I just didn't expect you to come back. I knew I messed up, big time."

I laugh and lean back on the bed so our bodies are parallel. "You didn't mess up, Ash," I say using his nickname. It just came out naturally. "I was just so concerned about what my team thought about my decisions, I didn't realize you're probably the best thing for me."

He props himself up on his elbow and furrows his brow. "Wait, what are you saying?"

I bite my lip and turn on my side. "I like you Ashton, like a lot, and I don't want to worry about the fact we're both extremely busy people."

He smirks. "You want to date me?"

I shrug. "If you want to."

Ashton laughs his laugh I love so much and falls back onto the bed. "You're so awkward, you know that?" He exclaims holding his stomach from laughing so hard.

I manage a laugh, myself. "Yeah, I've been told that once or twice!"

Ashton composes himself and nods. "Well, I would really like to date you, too, if that's alright with you."

"It's perfectly alright with me," I say lowering my voice. Ashton brings his one good hand to my cheek and smooths the skin with his thumb. I crave more of his touch. He brings my face down to his, and our lips touch again. This time, it isn't for a game. It isn't because he's dying. It's for us. It's for two unlikely friends.

It's magical, and I never want it to end.

T H E  E N D 

- - -

JK ITS NOT THE END THERE WILL BE AN ADORABLE EPILOGUE UP TONIGHT

THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS READ, COMMENTED, AND VOTED ON THIS STORY

IM CRYING IT GOT SO MUCH MORE SUCCESS THAN I COULD EVER IMAGINE SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING AMAZING

I LOVE YOU ALL