The Keeping of Words | Spencer Reid

34| Falling Stars

"We've all done this – created our mix and match families, our homemade safety nets." – David Levithan

The flight home was always longer. Movies and books helped to pass the time, but they could only do so much. After a patch of turbulence over the Atlantic, the seatbelt sign had remained on for nearly the entirety of the flight. To be back on the ground and able to move about freely was a relief.

Bianca dropped her bags on the living room floor and fell onto the couch in mock-exasperation. As much as she loved traveling, it could be tiring. There were small comforts that came from familiar places, and the apartment was now a blend of her possessions and his. Penelope had taken the liberty of bringing over the last of her things from the Cairo while they were away.

Beside her on the couch, Spencer took a seat, sighing. "I always forget how much slower commercial flights are."

"Well, we're home now," she said. What was once his apartment was now theirs. A shared dwelling. It felt right, that they should finally be under one roof. So much of their time in the last year had been spent together, they may as well have been living together as well. Bookshelves, chairs, curtains – nothing here was foreign to her. Her own possessions were slowly blending in as well. Her mugs in the kitchen, pictures of her friends on the table, her favorite books interspersed throughout his.

"Our home," he agreed, grinning. She wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning in to kiss him slowly. That would never get old.

"So what first? Do you want to unpack, make coffee, or shower?"

"Mmm, I'm kind of tired. Maybe we could just sit here a little while longer." His lips found hers once again, but before she could lose herself in the feeling, his phone rang. The theme from The Avengers which Penelope had personally programed into his cell. "You've got to be kidding," he groaned, answering the call. "Reid here... Really? Garcia, I just got back from – yes, I know... Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Let me guess? The Avengers are assembling?"

Spencer nodded, already scrambling to find his go-bag. "I'm so sorry. There's been a plane crash in Colorado, and they need us out there. I know we just got back, but hopefully I won't be there too long..." He trailed off, digging through his luggage to find one of his cardigans.

Bianca hopped off the sofa, gently setting a hand on his arm. "Don't worry about it. I'll still be here when you get back, remember?"

In the rush to re-pack, he seemed to have forgotten that small fact. The distance between them was made insignificant, no more trekking across town to visit each other. They would be found in the same place, a shared space. Home was finally home, the tangible surroundings matched the emotional definition.

He gave her quick hug, and promised to call when they landed. "Be safe," she called after him.

And then he was gone.

After the door closed, she stood there for a moment. She'd never been in the apartment without him there before. Once when he was unconscious, and even while he was asleep in another room, but never in his absence. No matter how familiar the place was, it was still a strange epiphany, that this would be their new normal.

It was easy to feel overwhelmed by the series of little revelations. Amsterdam had been an escape, and half a world away all that awaited them upon return could be pushed aside. A return to classes, to work. The constant traveling his job demanded. Separation once again. The apartment was deafeningly quiet alone. To shrug off the sense of something vital missing, she tried to distract herself.

Staying busy wasn't hard, when there were boxes and suitcases to be unpacked, and classwork to catch up on. Over the next few days, she settled in, furniture and knick-knacks finding their ways to shelves or dressers or drawers. Things in the kitchen were rearranged and grocery shopping was done. While many of the other inhabitants of the building were people she had run into at some point, she took the time to meet his neighbors.