The Ghost of Princeton ||Spencer Reid||

six weeks

SPENCER

Six weeks. What was I supposed to do for six whole weeks?

Because of everything that had happened in such a short amount of time, the entire team was being forced to take a six week break. So far we were only half a week in and I had already helped Mum settle into a new home that could care for her better than I could, and Cressida had moved in down the hall.

We had talked about it when I had gone to visit her in the hospital the day after she woke up. A pros and cons list was made, and I decided the fact we could carpool to work far outweighed any con – of which there was only one; ease of stalking if I break my promise.

I'd helped her move in, considering the fact she still couldn't use her right arm yet. At least, not at full capacity. It was nice, knowing that she would be down the hallway. I thought it might help me sleep better at night knowing she was close.

I was putting away her plates when she came over to me, a smile on her face.

"So I've been thinking..." She trailed off, having just closed the door behind the now finished movers.

"About what?"

"Um, our situation I guess." She said, leaning on the kitchen bench currently scattered with items that needed a new home.

"I still don't know if I'm ready to-"

"Not that aspect." She cut me off and picked up one of the keys to her apartment. "Again, take as much time as you need, I'm not going anywhere. I just wanted to give you this."

"Cress..." I trailed off as I took the key from her gentle fingers.

"I'm giving you that because, well, when I got away from the Horsemen, I couldn't relax properly until I shared your bed with you. Knowing I wasn't alone, that I was with someone I felt safe with, could hear their breathing, feel their warmth... it helped me a lot. That key is to use whenever you feel you need some company." She explained, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"What do you mean?"

"If you feel like you need someone with you, to make your bed feel less huge... you can use that key and sleep in mine with me. No judgement, no cuddling unless you want to." She had a smile on her face, playing with a silver ring on her pointer finger.

"You want me to come over at bed time if I feel like I need some company?"

"No, I want you to come over whenever you need to know you're not alone. Whether that's three in the afternoon or at three in the morning, I want you to let yourself in and make yourself comfortable."

"What, you'll be awake at three in the morning?" I asked, she furrowed her brow and shook her head.

"Why would I be awake at three in the morning?" She replied, and I didn't quite know how to respond.

"You said I could-"

"I didn't say I would be awake." She cut me off, tilting her head to the side.

"But-"

"I trust you with my life, and I want you to know that. It would mean everything to me to know you trusted me in that same capacity, but I know you don't yet." I wanted to argue, but she cut me off before I could. "This is me proving that I trust you, and that if you want to, you can trust me. You have my full permission to do this, and that permission is forevermore unless we end up on bad terms, obviously."