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"How's the arm?" Spencer looks up when he hears JJ's voice, his eyes flickering from the blonde and down to his injured arm. Six stitches hold his skin together, hidden under his shirt sleeve.
"It's fine," He mumbles and removes his messenger bag from his shoulder.
"I bet," Morgan joins the conversation, a smile resting on his lips. "You know, you never told me how the ride was."
"Nothing to tell," Spencer insists, eyes avoiding his coworkers.
"I'm lost," JJ says, looking between the two men.
"Reid didn't tell you about the pretty EMT who patched him up?" Derek asks even though he knows the young man hasn't.
"Ooh," JJ hums in interest but before she can say anything else, Spencer speaks up.
"She's a paramedic," Morgan and JJ's eyebrows both raise and they share a look that Spencer sees. "There's a difference." He defends with a shrug.
"Uh-huh," Morgan nods. "So, you get her number?"
"What-no," A pink tint rises in Spencer's cheeks and he shakes his head, face scrunching. His colleagues only chuckle. "She's-... too young, anyway." His weak excuse earns him an eye-roll from Derek.
"Please," The man scoffs. "What is she? Twenty-one?"
"Tweeny-two," Spencer mutters.
"See!" Morgan gestures to him, ignoring how old he suddenly feels. "That's not bad, it's only a six-year gap. I've dated with bigger ones."
"Dated?" JJ repeats, her eyebrows rising, lips pursed.
"Whatever," Derek shakes his head and waves her off. "This isn't about me."
"Wow, that's a first."
"Okay, what is happening?" Morgan backs up and raises his hands in the air. "How did this turn to me?"
"Yeah," JJ agrees. "I wanna hear more about this EMT. Oh, I'm sorry, I mean paramedic." She teases and Spencer sighs.
"Oh, look at that, we got a case." Happier than he's ever been about getting a case, Spencer jumps to his feet and rushes to the briefing room.
********
"I don't know how you eat that stuff," Devyn shakes her head at Richard, resisting the urge to prop her feet on the dashboard of the ambulance.
"I don't see how you don't," Richard says through a mouth full of sugary snacks.
"I don't like sweet stuff, so what?"
"So what? So what? Geez, kid," Richard shakes his head. "I need to ask for a new partner."
"I'm hurt," Devyn's voice is flat when she says this, her eyes scanning the view out the windshield.
"You sound it," Richard mumbles while throwing away the candy wrapper. "I won't though, to much trouble."
"Admit it," Devyn's head rests on the back of her seat and she turns it towards him. "I'm growing on you."
"Yeah, like an itchy rash," Richard says and Devyn rolls her eyes. "You've never said why you chose this line of work."
"You care?" Devyn raises her eyebrows and Richard gives her his Blank Look ™. "I like helping people." She shrugs and turns back to look out her window.
"No, it's more than that."
"Says who?"
"Says the man who's been on this job long enough to know when his partner is bullshitting him," Richard tells the girl but he sounds as if he couldn't care less.
"I liked it better when you only spoke to me when you had to." It's not true. Devyn had to bug the man for him to say anything other than what was necessary to her in the beginning. Getting the gruff old man to open up is one of her proudest accomplishments.
"Mm-hmm, sure, kid," Richard says with disbelief but he doesn't bring it up again. And he doesn't get the chance before static filters through the radio and they speed away on their fifth call of the day.
********
"Does that hurt?" A teenage boy asks his friend, eyes full of interest. Devyn sighs but doesn't turn to him when she speaks, her attention still on her patient.
"His bone was sticking out of his leg, of course, it hurts." She then turns her eyes up to the injured boy's face, her voice taking on a softer tone. "Don't worry, Nathan, it'll start feeling better really soon and your mother is meeting us at the hospital."
"Oh, dude," The other teenager speaks up again and Devyn wonders why they let him ride along. "Your mom is going to murder us."
"Okay, seriously?" Devyn finally looks at the boy. "He needs to stay calm and relaxed right now, so do both of us a favor and shut your mouth, okay?" Despite her words, she smiles at the boy - obviously forcedly - before turning back to her patient.
"No, he's right," Nathan grits out through clenched teeth. "She'll be so mad."
"I'm sure she'll be happy that you're alright," Devyn tries to assure him. "Maybe mad that you got hurt but only because she cares. Any yelling comes from love."
"It's not her I'm worried about," Nathan mutters to himself but Devyn hears, and her stomach drops. She looks from the boy and to his friend but doesn't say anything.
Coming to a stop outside the hospital, Richard rushes around to the back of the ambulance and opens the back doors. The kid's friend jumps out and he moves forward to help Devyn move the gurney out of the vehicle and roll it inside.
"Compound fracture to the shin," Richard tells the nurse and doctor who meet them. "Was set in the field."
"Alright, we have it from here," The woman nods before she and the nurse take the boy the rest of the way.
"What do I do?" Turning back to Nathan's friend, Devyn gestures towards the ER waiting room.
"Wait," She tells him simply before turning to go fill out paperwork. The least favorite part of her job.
Sighing, Devyn stands beside Richard at the nurse's station and gives a quick report on the call they just returned from. Her lower lip juts out into a pout without her even realizing it but when a voice speaks up beside her, she schools her features and turns towards it.
"Miller?" The dark-skinned man asks. "It is Devyn Miller, right?"
"Yes," She nods. "Agent Morgan."
"Please, Derek," He says, offering his hand for her to shake. They hadn't exactly met properly last time.
"Nice to see you again. Why are you here?" Her eyebrows furrow but she stands up straight, her face turning a bit sheepish. "Sorry, it's not my business."
"It's fine," Morgan shakes his head before gesturing over her shoulder. "Keeping Spencer company."
"Spencer?" Devyn asks and looks to the way he pointed. "He's here? What happened?"
Hesitating, Morgan opens his mouth and sighs. "Perks of the job." He says with sarcasm. "He'll be fine. Want to say hey?" A small smile pulls at the older's man lips when Devyn looks over her shoulder to the man he guesses to be her partner.
Shrugging, the young woman nods. "Couldn't hurt." Turning, Devyn follows Morgan towards Reid's room. He's sitting up in bed, his head down, eyes watching his hands fidget.
"Hey, kid, got a visitor," Spencer looks up at Morgan's voice, his eyes first falling on his friend before they shift to the door to Devyn. His eyebrows raise in surprise and he clears his throat, suddenly self-conscious.
"Hey, Spencer," Devyn waves but doesn't move any further into the room. "Remember me?"
"Uh, yeah, yes," Spencer nods, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear.
"I can't stay long but Derek told me you were here so I thought I'd come say hi." She informs him while leaning against the door frame. "How are you feeling?" Though she doesn't know why he's here, he looks okay to her for the most part. Maybe a little pale but otherwise fine. She chooses not to ask again, Morgan seemed hesitant the first time she did.
"Good, um, better," He says and nods again, offering her a smile.
"Good, good," Devyn copies his nod and looks from him to Derek. "Well, I should-"
"Miller!" Richard's voice calls out, cutting her off.
"Go," She finishes and purses her lips. "It was good to see you both again."
"G-good to see you too," Spencer stutters, waving when Devyn pushes off the wall and leaves. "Shut up." The young genius grumbles when Derek laughs.
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I love the relationship between Devyn and Richard. I can't wait for you guys to see how that developes through this story!
Thanks for reading! I'd love to know what you thought of this chapter!
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