"She didn't need to understand the meaning of life; it was enough to find someone who did, and then fall asleep in his arms and sleep as a child sleeps, knowing that someone stronger than you is protecting you from all evil and all danger." ~ Paulo Coelho
The Technical Analyst
"Melanie gave this to me..." Jack's little voice was so small as he sat on the floor opposite me with a few of his cars. He showed me the SUV in his hand and Morgan whimpered on the chair behind me.
I reached behind my back and gently tapped his calf comfortingly as I gasped and observed the miniature SUV Jack was showing me.
"Wow, that's just like the one your daddy drives." Jack nodded enthusiastically with a small smile.
"Melanie drives one too..." He told me gently. "These are her favourites..." He said, pointing to the digger, the limousine and the BMW on his lap. "She said she's always wanted to drive a convertible." He said as he showed me the BMW.
"Really?" I said. "She'll love it when she wakes up." I nodded.
There was a short silence as Jack twirled the BMW in his hand.
"Did you know she's my big sister?" He whispered, leaning towards me as though it was a huge secret.
I leaned towards him and looked around us.
"I did know that," I nodded. "She's very proud of it." I told him with a smile.
"I like having her as a big sister. She's funny." He told me with a smile.
"I know," I nodded and sighed. "She's my best friend." I told him. He looked up at me with sad eyes before crawling across the waiting-room floor and climbing onto my lap, wrapping his arms around me securely. I closed my eyes and hugged the little boy back.
"Beth's calling, if Mel wakes up, I'm outside." Hotch stuck his head in the door, gesturing to his phone before hurrying out. We all nodded and Jack tried to get to his feet off my lap.
"Let's leave your daddy to talk Jacky." I said softly, catching his hand.
"Can I go see Mel please?" He asked in a small voice and my eyes widened, I hadn't realised that had been where he'd wanted to go.
"Sure of course." I got to my feet and gathered him into my arms again, Morgan following behind, his hands on my shoulders behind me for support as I struggled with Jack's impressive weight.
We crossed the hallway to Melanie's private room and my heart plummeted into my stomach, tears immediately pouring over my eyes as we took in the scene before us.
"Is Spencer so sad because he loves Melanie?" Jack asked me. I sighed and nodded my head, rubbing Jack's back in my arms as we watched Spencer clutching one of Melanie's hands to his lips, his eyes closed as his chest shook slightly.
"Yes, he is, little guy. He loves your big sister very much." Morgan answered when I couldn't. Jack nodded his head in understanding.
"I knew it," He said. "They're with each lots and he always gives her big smiles," I grinned at the little boy through my tears, knowing exactly what he meant.
"And she always laughs when he talks, even when it's not funny." I smiled at his expression and he giggled.
"They're what the grown-ups call in denial." I told him gently.
"Indie Niall?" Jack frowned in confusion, looking up at me from my lap. I smirked and shook my head.
"In denial," I said slowly. "It's when grown-ups don't tell each other how they really feel about each other." Jack frowned.
"Well, that's silly." I laughed and nodded my head in agreement.
"Yes, mini-Ron. It is very silly."
The Doctor
I'd been checked over by doctors and told to stay in bed, but that didn't work out very well. I'd discharged myself within five minutes and ripped the hospital gown they'd tried to put me in.
I was then given clothes from Morgan's go-bag until JJ could return with my own. Prentiss was also admitted to the hospital and was currently in surgery to remove the bullet from her arm.
Basso and the SWAT members who had apparently wound up lost when we were in the steel box, had turned up at the back of the building, shot execution-style.
But none of this bothered me. What did bother me was the fact that Melanie was unconscious and I wasn't.
Hotch was blaming me for what happened and I couldn't say I disagreed, but he was allowing me by her bedside at least, mostly because not even Morgan could move me.
Now however I was in my own clothes while JJ and Rossi were with Prentiss, explaining to her everything that happened. While Morgan and Garcia and looked after Jack as Jessica had driven him over as soon as Hotch had called her to explain everything that had happened.
Hotch's phone began vibrating, interrupting me from reliving those final moments spent with Melanie in that steel tomb we'd been trapped in.
He never said a word, simply got to his feet and rushed from the room.
I staggered a shaky breath and pressed my lips to Mel's hand before gasping at the familiar Melanie smell at the crease of her wrist. I felt weak all over again and pressed her hand to my forehead.
I was vaguely aware of Morgan, Jack and Garcia in the doorway but all I cared about was Melanie.
Here she was; hooked up to ridiculous amounts of machinery; beeps going off in intervals; her skin almost blue and papery-looking. She was dressed in the hospital's white and blue dotted gown, tucked under the itchy sheets.
"Melly..." I mumbled with my hands holding her limp left. My breath staggered again and I pressed a kiss to her palm. "I'm so sorry," I apologised softly.
"It should be me lying in there," I admitted hurtfully.
I sat there, holding her hand and watching her peaceful face for what felt like a lifetime.
"Please wake up, Melanie." I whispered, pressing her palm against my right cheek as though she were caressing my face herself.
Her skin was still pale grey and papery, but suddenly her mouth opened and her hand twitched against my cheek, a moan escaping her lips.
"Melanie!" I gasped, leaping to my feet, the three people in the doorway gasping.
She whimpered again and her brow fluttered in a frown, her head moving to the side. She started coughing and moving her jaw.
"Here!" I gushed, pouring some water into a cup from her nightstand with shaking hands and pressing the cup to her lips. Gently I helped her sip from it before replacing the cup on the stand.
"I'm so sorry, Melly, I'm so sorry." I apologised, sweeping her hair from her face with shaking fingers before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her forehead, just between and above her eyebrows.
She whimpered and sunk even deeper into the pillows but her eyes did not open.
Moments later she was asleep again.
The Leader
"Hi Beth." The cold air bit at my skin, at my unshaven face.
"Oh Aaron, how is she?!" Her panicked voice travelled down the phone to me.
"Still the same. She's unconscious still. They have her on IV but everything's still the same."
"And Spencer?" I didn't say anything.
"Aaron..." She groaned. "This isn't his fault. This isn't your fault. This is just one of these things that happen. This is just a bi-product of the job, you know this." She told me.
"How is it that whenever Melanie ends up in danger or injured, he's there, Beth?"
"Because she's probably injured herself protecting him, you know what she's like Aaron!" She exclaimed frustratedly.
"Surely you pick up on how they feel about each other?"
"If that's the case then why isn't he the one in the hospital bed?" There was a silent pause.
"I'm sure Spencer's asking himself the same thing..." Neither of us spoke for a moment.
"How's Jack holding up?"
"I think he's confused..." I mumbled, rubbing the back of my head. "He's sad but Penelope's with him." Beth chuckled.
"If anybody can keep him happy, Penelope can." She agreed. "What about Emily?" An SUV pulled into one of the spaces at the front of the hospital and I recognised Alex from the driver's seat.
"She's out of surgery so Dave and JJ are with her right now."
"Does she know what's happened?"
"She was there when we got Mel and Spencer out of the water so yes, she should do." I sighed.
"Okay, well, stay tight honey okay? I'm on my way right now. I'll call you when I land in twenty minutes and I'll head straight to the hospital."
"I can't wait to see you."
"I know honey, me too. See you soon."
"I love you."
"Love you more." She disconnected and I slid my cell into my pocket.
The Doctor
Jack, Morgan and Garcia returned to the waiting room after I sat back down by Melanie's side and moments later Hotch returned.
He said nothing for a long while.
I assumed this was how it was going to be, and I was fine with that. I didn't want to argue over Melanie's unconscious body.
"Spencer. I've spoken with Beth, and JJ and Emily and Dave. They're all right. What happened with Melanie isn't your fault and I have no right to be blaming this on you. I apologise."
I looked up from Melanie's ghost hand in mine to Hotch's worried expression looking down at his daughter.
"Hotch she's your daughter. You can blame whoever you want," I said softly. "But I blame myself too if that helps. I wish it were me lying there. She doesn't deserve this. She's been through enough." My voice cracked and I looked back down at her hand, my tears falling onto the paper sheets by our hands.
"So have you, Spencer. And if it wasn't for you, my daughter wouldn't be laid in this bed. She'd be on a slab in a mortuary," Hotch's voice cracked. "I couldn't have been as persistent as you were. You saved her life. And for that, I will be forever grateful." I didn't quite know how to reply to that.
Save her life? She was unconscious on the bed in front of us? How had I saved her?
*
"Beth should have arrived by now. I have to check if she's okay. I won't be long." Hotch announced about an hour later. I nodded my head and managed the smallest of smiles as he left.
I cleared my throat and turned my face skyward, pleading for strength.
Suddenly a small voice cleared their throat in the doorway and I turned to see a sheepish Penelope giving a small wave.
"Just came to see how you're doing love. D'you need anything?"
Love.
That's what Melanie called me so many times.
"N-n-no thank you." I choked, turning back to Melanie.
"Uhm Penelope..." I began in a small voice before she could leave. "Could you maybe stay with me?" I whispered, looking at Melanie. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her nodding her head, so I sighed again and leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Mel's forehead.
"Please wake up, Melly," I whispered before sitting back down and hiding my face behind her hand. "I'm so scared." I admitted. I closed my eyes and pressed her hand to my lips, sighing.
Suddenly Penelope gasped emphatically from behind me and a moment later an unusual croaky voice whispered to me,
"What could you possibly be scared of, Doc?" Underneath all that coarse and roughness her voice was still audible.
My eyes flew open along with my mouth and there, I saw her beautiful blue eyes blinking back at me.
"Melanie!" I gushed, leaning down and throwing my arms around her in desperation.
Penelope's heels hit off the floor as she ran from the room.
"She's awake!" I heard her squeal into the waiting room before her heels were heard on the floor, running down the corridor obviously in search of Hotch.
"I thought I'd lost you." I gasped into her shoulder, breathing in the clinical smell of her hospital gown.
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again," She said in a weak voice and a large smile. "I'm really not that easy to lose."
She laughed in a completely foreign voice. I pulled back with a massive grin, my tears dripping from my chin onto her chest. She smiled up at me and reached for my face with her left hand; the one with the needle taped in.
"I told you we weren't going to die." She said in a barely-there whisper. I didn't even think of my next move, I just done.
I leaned down and pressed our lips together again in a kiss so happy and euphoric it was as though I was giving her mouth-to-mouth all over again; transporting my life energy back into her.
I heard Derek wolf-whistle from the door and pulled away from Melanie in a blind panic, spinning to see everyone standing in the doorway, grinning tearfully. Melanie gave a short laugh from the bed before choking and spluttering.
Panicked, I frantically reached for the cup of water and helped her sip from it again as everyone piled inside the room.
Penelope's heels were heard on the floor again and Jack ran into the room blindly.
"Melanie!" He gushed, running across the room, jumping onto her bed. Mel hissed as he threw himself against her roughly and I winced, my hands fluttering around him panicked before he pulled back gushing,
"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" She shook her head with a tearful smile, her eyes watering with the pain.
"It's okay Captain, it's alright, c'mere." She grinned, and pulled him to her again, wincing and ignoring the pain as she wrapped her strong arms around the small boy.
I stood watching with a smile, holding her cup of water and not realising Hotch was by my side the whole time with a hand on my shoulder.
The Daughter
My chest felt as though it was on fire, as though bricks were on top of it; crushing me to death. My throat burned like sand-paper every time I spoke and my eyes stung as though I'd been swimming in chlorine with my eyes open.
Jack's tiny body was warm and frail in my arms, but he was certainly a whole lot stronger than I was in that moment. I held onto him tightly, remembering the fear I'd felt when I realised I might never get to hug this little boy again.
"I was so worried." Aaron's voice came from my side. I looked up to see him standing beside Spencer with a hand on his shoulder and I panicked, did he know about us?
The atmosphere was tense, I realised. It was euphoric like it had been after the bomb attack, yes, but it was tense too. It was tense as though everyone was walking on eggshells, a little unsure of what to do or say, but happy that I was alive nevertheless.
"I'm a fighter." I croaked and reached up to hug Aaron as he reached down to hug me.
"Beth's on her way. She's so worried about you." He told me as he pulled back.
"There's really no need to worry," I didn't even recognise my own voice. "She'll have travelled all this way for nothing."
Footsteps frantically approached down the hall and a second later Beth's worried face appeared in my doorway.
"Melanie!" She cried, running over to my bedside opposite Hotch and Spencer as the others dispersed.
I sighed in relief as Beth rushed to my side and threw her arms - carefully - around me and I wrapped both arms around her; squeezing my eyes closed and refusing to let go.
The Doctor
I'd sat down on my usual chair and taken Jack into my arms and still, Melanie had her arms wrapped around Beth, tears slipping under her eyelids and her fingers white from the tight clutch.
"I was so scared." I heard her croak.
"I know sweetheart, I know," Beth said soothingly, running a gentle hand over her hair and holding her up slightly with her other. Tears were rolling down her cheeks too. "But it's okay. You're safe now. You're a fighter." She said with a broad smile. Melanie nodded but she still didn't let go.
"Why is everyone sad?" Jack asked in a loud voice. "Melanie's not sleeping anymore, she's awake." He smiled.
"We're not sad, we're happy." I told him gently.
"Then why're you all crying?" I smiled at him and so did everyone else as Beth pulled back from Melanie and pushed the hair out of Mel's pale face.
"Because we're all silly." Melanie sniffed, wiping her eyes.
"We're just glad you're alright." Hotch sniffed, leaning forward in front of me and taking Melanie's left hand into his own.
"I'm fine. Honestly." She nodded enthusiastically.
"Well just until you're back on you're feet you're staying with Aaron, Jack and I." Melanie frowned at Beth's words and shook her head.
"No, don't be silly, I'll be fine in my flat, really."
"No," Beth put her hand up, signally no arguing about this. "I insist. There's no way you're staying in that empty apartment on you're own. There's no way you're fit enough to go all the way up there and look after yourself. You're staying with us."
"But what about your work?" She asked, looking at Hotch and I.
"I'm taking time off," Beth said matter-of-factly. "And Aaron will give you as much time as you need. I'll be with you in the house." Tears slid down Mel's cheeks again and I pushed the lump out of my through, rebalancing Jack in my arms.
"You really don't need to do all of this." Melanie claimed in a weak voice.
"No, but I want to, we want to."
Hotch turned away emotionally and went to fetch the doctor and everyone else.
"Thank you, Beth," Melanie cried. "Really. Thank you so much." Beth leaned down and kissed Mel's forehead.
"It's what I'm here for, sweetheart."
*
After everyone had come and chatted with Melanie to make sure she was alright, they left, and shortly afterwards Melanie fell asleep.
Jack and I continued playing with the cars he and Mel had been playing with before she'd fallen asleep, but then came the tension of Hotch and I being left alone. Beth had taken Jack home for dinner and bedtime, and they'd both kissed Melanie goodbye.
But I wasn't anywhere near ready to leave the hospital yet, which was clear to Hotch. Unfortunately, neither was he, which was also clear to me.
"Hotch," I cleared my throat, my voice barely above a whisper by Melanie's side. We were both on opposite sides of her bed, which meant we were awkwardly facing each other. I was holding one hand, Hotch the other.
"I don't quite know how to say this..."
What an excellent way to begin Spencer!
"But I'm in love with your daughter," Hotch's eyes grew slightly wide at my words and I licked my lips, took a deep breath and continued on in determination.
"When we were trapped in that steel room with no escape, the thought of leaving this earth without telling her how I really felt about her, terrified me more than the thought of death.
"I haven't felt this way about any other woman besides Maeve. And I know Melanie better and more than I ever could have known Maeve.
"When I got out of that room and was faced with the prospect of no longer having her next to me, I couldn't believe it was happening again and I was so terrified and enraged that it was happening again. I'd have given anything to have been the one lying in Melanie's position, because that's how much she means to me, Hotch.
"I am so sorry for what's happened, and I am so sorry that I never came to you first with my feelings for your daughter, especially considering our situation within the Unit.
"But truth be told, none of that matters to me, because I'm in love with her, and any rules of fraternisation or inappropriateness can be approached if and when necessary because to me they don't matter. Melanie does."
I sat breathless for a moment, disbelieving all of my words.
Had I just said all of that?
Aaron looked shocked also, but then his expression changed when he looked at Melanie.
He glanced back at me with a curious expression.
"And what if brass or Strauss finds out and refer you to the fraternisation rules? You above everyone know the rules Spencer considering you're the one who quotes each of them on a weekly basis if and when necessary."
Ouch. Okay, point taken.
"If that happens, I'll leave the Unit. I can transfer. I'll do that."
"You'd do that? You'd quit the BAU?"
"If it means I get to be with your daughter, I'll do anything."
The Daughter
The room I was in was warm. Too warm. And bright. The light was burning my eyelids as I came into consciousness and I whimpered, lifting my right hand to cover them from the light.
"Ah sleeping beauty is awake!" Garcia's voice was close to me in the heated room. "Good morning Princess." She sang and I groaned, retrieving my left hand from somebody else's and running both hands over my face.
I opened my eyes and turned to my left side to see an exhausted-looking Spencer sat on the armchair at my bedside.
"Hi." I grinned sleepily.
"Hello." He smiled lopsidedly.
I cleared my throat and pulled myself into a sitting position and Spencer got to his feet slowly, reaching behind me and pulling the pillows, rearranging them behind me so I could sit upright.
"You're the only gal I know who can rock a hospital gown," Garcia admired, shaking her head in awe. "You really must be a Princess after all." She said with a decided shrug. I smiled bashfully and observed the flowers she was arranging on the table at the bottom of my bed.
"Of course she is." Spencer answered in a sleepy tone.
"You look awful," I told him truthfully, taking his hand in mine again, running a hand over his dribbled cheeks once he'd sat back down next to me. "Have you been home?"
He shook his head, chewing on his lip and looking at our hands rather than my eyes.
"Of course he hasn't, he hasn't moved from your side once." Garcia answered truthfully.
"Penelope..." Spencer groaned under his breath.
"Spence..." I tutted. "You need to look after yourself too, you know." I told him sternly.
"I've tried telling him that," Garcia said, clicking round to his side. "But he didn't listen. Obviously." She rolled her eyes and I smiled. I shook my head at Spence but he just smiled bashfully.
"So uhm," He cleared his throat and looked up at me with bright eyes. "The doctors say that you can go home today." I looked from Spence to Garcia with wide eyes and a hopeful expression.
"For real?" I gasped. "That's amazing!" I gushed.
"You're looking a lot better too." Spencer said enthusiastically, nodding his head with a broad smile.
"That's great, I'm so happy I'll get to go home. Did they say when?" Suddenly a nurse entered the room with a clipboard and a cup of tablets.
"Nice to see you're awake Agent Joyner. Here are your morning meds." She said, passing me a cup of tablets.
"May I look at that for a moment please?" Spencer asked, pointing to the clipboard. The nurse looked at him bluntly before recognition dawned on her and she nodded, giving him the clipboard.
My eyes were slightly narrowed as I watched this but nevertheless I took my medication with the cup of water Garcia poured for me. All the while Spencer's eyes scanned the pages on the clipboard and he nodded, contented by whatever he'd read before handing the nurse the clipboard.
"The doctor will want to come to see you, just to check your bruising and your breathing. I'll send him over as soon as he arrives, that way you'll get to go home quicker." The nurse smiled at me before I thanked her happily and she left.
"That's such good news!" Garcia grinned.
"What did she mean by bruising?" I asked with a frown. Spence and Garcia shared a dreaded look before she cleared her throat and walked to the table at the bottom of my bed.
"So I'm going to head over to your apartment and sort you a bag. Beth was going to bring one over this morning, but she had her hands full with Jack, and then Hotch, so I'll just go do it, that way you'll be able to go home in your own clothes rather than the dirty ones you came in with." She shuddered and smiled, kissing the air to me before leaving in a hurry.
I frowned after her and turned to Spence with a scowl and questioning eyes.
"Did you know that drowning is the third leading cause of death worldwide with an estimated three hundred and eight eight thousand deaths in two thousand and four alone, accounting for seven percent of all injury-related deaths? Also, it's the second leading cause of death in children under the age of twelve after car crashes."
I looked at Spencer who was blinking rapidly at me. Something he tended to do along with random fact spouting when he was trying to divert attention from something he didn't want to face.
I narrowed my eyes at him and opened my mouth to question what he and Garcia meant by 'bruising'. However unfortunately I was interrupted with Aaron entering my room with Garcia following closely behind.
"Look who I found on my way out." She laughed nervously and gestured to Aaron.
"Good morning sweetheart," Aaron said with a smile, setting my go-bag on the bottom of my bed and leaning down to hug me. "Garcia told me what the nurse said and I've just this minute seen the doctor enter the ward," He grinned. "How did you sleep?"
Well, Spencer's plan certainly worked; he'd diverted the attention long enough to have something else take the spotlight. And, when Aaron was done with small-talk, the three of them left so the doctor could examine me. I was made to breathe deeply so he could listen to my chest, and this hurt a lot.
"The pain with eventually dissipate soon, don't worry. The medication will help until then." He explained.
I then laid down and untied my gown at the side. The nurse was stood at the bottom of my bed the whole time, writing everything down in my notes with an encouraging smile. As the doctor moved my gown to examine my chest, I was thankful for the nurse's presence.
The doctor 'hmmed' and 'aahed', poking and prodding at my chest while I hissed and writhed and coughed. I didn't understand what he was doing until I peered down at my chest and gasped.
My skin from my chest running down to my ribs was covered in black and purple and greening bruises.
"What happened?" I gasped as I replaced and retied my gown, sitting up as the doctor mumbled to the nurse to retrieve my discharge forms.
"Unfortunately severe bruising after resuscitation and CPR is almost-always likely. Of course, the chest-compressions made by hand can sometimes break ribs and in severe cases when the outcome has been death; some patient's entire chest bones have been crushed.
"Your skin and bones appear to have bruising due to the CPR your colleague gave you. This is normal and nothing to worry about. It should disappear in a couple of weeks. The cream I've prescribed along with your medication will help with this." I nodded my head in understanding, and after asking the doctor to tell everyone to stay outside while I changed, I thanked the doctor and he left.
In my adjacent bathroom, I took my go-bag and retrieved the clean clothes Beth had chosen for me. A simple black hoodie with matching jogging trousers, with grey trainers and a t-shirt, was the clothes I was most thankful for. I peered at my reflection in the mirror, staring at the ghastly bruises covering my torso like a second skin.
I still didn't know what had happened, or how I'd ended up at the hospital. But all I knew was that I was alive; I'd made it out of that steel box - and so had Spencer. And to me, that's all that mattered.
The Doctor
Garcia left just after the doctor entered the room with Melanie, due to a new case being called in. Hotch and I agreed to stay until the doctor left and Garcia completely agreed. When the doctor came out with a broad smile and explained Melanie was making a full - and speedy - recovery, Hotch walked down the hall with him to discuss medication and recovery time. I decided to just wait outside for whenever Melanie was ready.
My cheeks were still warm from when she'd asked about her bruises. I knew she would've seen them by now and so I was building myself up to tell her the truth.
"Spence." Her voice sounded muffled from behind me and I turned, seeing her smiling on the other side of the door. She gestured for me to enter so I peered down the hall; making sure Hotch was still deep in conversation before entering her room.
"How'd it go?" I asked, watching as she packed her get well cards into her go-bag, clearing her locker of all the snacks and drinks we'd brought for her.
"Great. Doc says the cream will help with the bruising..." And there it was.
My stomach flipped. I nodded my head; both of my hands sweating as they buried deeper into my front pockets.
"Melanie..."
"Spence what happened?" She asked, turning to face me after zipping her bag closed. "I can't remember anything other than passing out in that room and waking up in here yesterday. What happened to you?"
She asked in a small, caring voice, approaching me slowly and reaching up to put a delicate hand against my cheek, her face full of worry and concern.
I cleared my throat.
"Maybe now isn't the best time for this..." I whispered, taking her hand from my cheek and crossing to the door to close it after confirming Hotch was still deep in discussion.
"I need to know now, Spence. What happened in that room was real, right?" She asked, walking to me and bringing my hands out of my pockets, lacing them with her own as she held my eyes. I chewed my lip, nodding my head emphatically.
"And you still mean everything you said?" She whispered in her still-rough voice.
"I meant every word, Melly." I whispered, reaching up with a sigh to run a calloused hand down her beautifully delicate face.
She smiled up at me tearfully and nodded.
"I meant everything I said too." She said and at hearing those words again my stomach swirled; my heart fluttering in my chest.
My eyes closed and my lips were on hers in a heartbeat, the cracks of her lips tickling my own as our mouths parted into the kiss.
The Leader
"Thank you so much, Doctor." I smiled, shaking the man's hand before accepting Melanie's bag of medication and travelling down the hall. I frowned as I realised Reid wasn't stood outside anymore. I continued down to the end of the hall and I looked in the window on the door before I opened it. But unfortunately, I was frozen still with my hand on the handle.
The pair were locked in an embrace so close there was no space for so much as a newspaper between their bodies, their faces flushed with lack of oxygen.
"Melanie!" Jack's voice sung as he shoved past me and into the room, separating the pair instantly. He ran at Melanie and threw his arms around her waist, knowing she couldn't pick him up.
I looked at Spencer as he glanced at me with wide eyes.
Slowly, I smiled.
The Daughter
"What're we gonna do about your dad and Strauss?" Spencer whispered to me as he took my go-bag and the flowers.
Beth was ahead of us with Jack, the pair of them singing happily as Spencer and I followed.
"It's fine," I told him. "I'll talk to him as soon as we're home."
"Melanie I have to work with him... Like today." He said, panicked.
"Hey," I grabbed his wrist, pulling him to a stop to face me. "This is okay," I told him, taking the flowers from his hand and lacing my fingers with his own. "I don't care what he or Strauss says," I told him.
"They're still our bosses, Mel." Spencer snapped, pulling his hand from my own, taking back the flowers and continuing down the corridor. I watched him go with hurt rage in my eyes and shook my head in awe.
I stopped by the nurses station to thank them and say goodbye, allowing Spencer to arrive at the elevators before me. Jack kept the elevator ride from being awkward, and then the team greeting us outside the hospital made me completely forget about everything.
Garcia explained that they were needed in Atlanta but that Spencer could stay with her in the tech room at Quantico and that Aaron could take as much time as he needed.
"That's quite alright, Garcia," He said as we crossed the car-park to the awaiting SUV's. "But once Melanie is settled back at the house with Jack and Beth, I'll be right out there." He said matter-of-factly.
"But sir-"
"If that's okay with you Mel?" He asked, turning to me.
"Of course," I nodded enthusiastically. "I'm great with Beth and Jack Sparrow over here." I said truthfully, ruffling Jack's hair. He buffed my hand away, laughing before wrapping his arms around my waist in another cuddle.
The team hugged me goodbye and I wished them all luck before Jack, Beth and Aaron climbed into their car. Spence and I were putting my bag in the boot before he left with Morgan and Garcia.
"I'm sorry for snapping before," He whispered hurriedly. "I'm just scared because I don't want him to come between us but I also don't want to come between you both." I scoffed and shook my head, taking his hand in mine subtly.
"Everything will work out, Spence," I promised him. "Just wait and see."