Content Warning: spencer's pov, necromancer!spencer, death and talks of death, swearing, talks of spencer's traumatic past (kidnapping, addiction, Diana, and prison), post prison/post series, mentions of throwing up, two character death, mentions of Maeve, kissing
this was written as a part of a fantasy au challenge
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I never know what the day usually brings. It was different every time. And it was, of course, different for everyone. No one knows what will happen. Psychics are full of shit when they say they know what happens. Prophets or prophecies were also full of it. Karma, destiny and fate didn't exist either. Although I wish I knew what was going to happen that day, so I didn't go into work, and I could make sure things didn't happen the way they did.
The worst day of my life happened. I always thought it was the day I was kidnapped, or when I was going through withdrawals of Dilaudid, or the day I got the news my mother's condition was worsening. Not even the nearly 3 months in prison were as bad as this day.
The team and I were gone on a case in New York. A young woman was killed and left to be found in a nearby park. The case was a little on the harder side because she didn't have any family, trusted friends, or job history. She was a high risk victim with no leads. Solving this case was going to be harder than usual.
"Reid, you go to the morgue and talk to the M.E. I know it won't be easy, but get as much information as you can. Then get back here as soon as you can." Emily looked at me. I looked back at her and nodded. Collecting my things into my bag, I quickly left, making my way outside to one of the SUVs.
The drive to the morgue was quiet, quick and easy. Usually I hated driving, but cases that I knew were going to be long and tedious I enjoyed them. It gave me the time to call back home and see how my mom and best friend was.
Mom was usually fine. Phone calls with her didn't last too long, mostly because she wouldn't remember who she was on the phone with by the time I had to go. Sometimes I questioned why I called her.
Then I'd call my best friend. Phone calls with them usually lasted longer. If I was gone for weeks at a time, or even a few days, our phone calls would last 45 minutes to an hour. They would tell me about everything they were doing while I was gone, as if I was still there. Those were the phone calls I enjoyed the most.
When I got to the morgue, and I was safe and parked, I called my friend. I made sure that the phone call was short, even though I didn't want to hang up.
"Woah! So you don't know anything about her?" they asked as I unbuckled and got out of the SUV.
"No, so it's hard to say when we'll be back."
"That's so dumb. You can't just... Call out. Say you're sick?"
"You act like you miss me."
"Well... I do! You're my best friend, Spencer!"
"I suppose it's a good thing I miss you too," I laughed and shook my head. "Enough about me. What are you doing today?"
"Well, my brother wanted to get lunch today. But he just called me saying he was sick. I don't think I entirely believe him though. So I'm going to walk to the craft store down the street and to pick up a few things... Crafty to keep me busy," it was their turn to laugh. I smiled and nodded. My head hung low, looking at the pavement as I continued walking.
"Sounds like it'll be fun." I smiled as I paused outside the doors, leaning against the wall. "I gotta go. I'll see you later?"
"Not if I see you first! Bye, Spencer!"
"Bye, Liebling," I replied back before shoving my phone into my pocket.
I smiled fondly as I remembered their confusion the first time I called them 'Liebling'. It meant 'Favorite' in German. I felt bad that their confusion brought me joy, but they loved that I had a secret nickname they didn't understand. I plenty reassured them that it was a good one and I wasn't calling them something bad in a language they didn't understand.
As I entered the building, I mentally prepared for the worst to come from talking to the mortician and reading over the chart. It was going to be hard.
But... I had a secret. Along with my eidetic memory, and high IQ, I had another... Special talent. No one knew about this one, not even my own mother and best friend.
My special talent included bringing people back from the dead.
A simple touch anywhere on their body, and they'll be back up as if nothing happened. I only have a minute with them before I reap what I sow. After a minute, if they're not back to being a corpse, someone else would take their place. And that's not a good thing when we're trying to solve their murder and they're alive.
I know that sounds weird. It's because it is weird. People bringing dead people back to life wasn't normal. "Normal people" shouldn't be able to do that. No one would believe me if I told them. And I'm sure if I told someone, especially someone in the FBI, I'd be dragged away to a secret government facility and tested on. Though, even though I work for the FBI, I don't think those exactly exist.
"Hi I'm Doctor Spencer Reid," I started as I fumbled for my badge. Once it was in my hand, I flashed it to the nurse, showing her my credentials. "I'm investigating the murder of Harper Lang. I was told her body would be down here." I smiled as I shoved my badge back into my pocket.
"Yeah, right this way." She smiled as she led the way to the morgue. I silently followed behind her, looking around the halls. "It's a shame, isn't it?"
"Mmh? Oh yeah."
"The Sheriff said it's a complicated case. Nothing about her to help solve the case."
"Yep, that'd be correct."
"She seemed so nice too."
"I can't really talk about the case. I'm sorry." I looked at the nurse as we stood outside of a door. She looked up at me with an odd smile before nodding.
"Well, if you need help with anything feel free to shout. The medical examiner should be down in a few minutes." She nodded before scurrying off, back to the safety of her desk.
I stood just outside the morgue, taking a moment of silence. I always hated when Emily sent me to these places. It was never the smell or the corpses that bothered me. No, it was the uneasy feeling that I felt.
My hand pressed flat against the door before I pushed it open. I quietly stepped into the room, looking around before my eyes landed on the stiff body of our victim. I looked over my shoulder, making sure no one was following. The last time I was being so secretive of something was in prison. But that was different. I was fearing for my life. This time I'm protecting a secret.
I slowly approached the body. My steps were quiet, though there really was no need for that. She wasn't waking up any- Well, she actually was.
I looked down at her body. She looked so... at peace. But I suppose that's the thing about death. It could actually be so peaceful.
My fingers hovered over her arm for the briefest of moments before they touched her.
Harper Lang jumped up so she was sitting. She had a mildly alarmed look in her eyes. I had to make this quick otherwise I'd find a dead nurse down in the waiting room.
"Hi, I'm Spencer," I spoke as softly as I could. I didn't want to freak the poor girl out. She'd already been through enough. This would end up being more traumatizing for her if I told her she was, in fact, dead. I've made that mistake one too many times. If I don't tell them what happened right away, I'll get more out of them.
"I-"
"You're Harper Lang, yes I know. Listen, Harper, we don't have a whole lot of time right now."
"Am I in heaven?"
"What?" I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked at her. "H-how do you know-"
"Well, I was at home with my boyfriend," she continued for a moment, only to stop when I cut her off.
"Boyfriend? What's his name?"
"Adam Goldinger. We were sitting at home and he pulled a knife on me. I don't know why though."
"Harper, I'm so sorry, but that's all the time we have right now," I spoke swiftly as I talked over her. She was talking about how she wanted me to make sure her mother was told she was fine, even though she wasn't anywhere near fine.
I gently pressed my fingers back onto her forehead, causing her body to fall back onto the slab, cold and dead. I stared at the body with wide eyes. Although I hated when Emily sent me to the morgue, I do love getting all the information I needed about the unsub.
Harper Lang returned to the peaceful sleep she was in before I showed up.
I left before the medical examiner even arrived. I got enough answers just from her. In fact, I got all the answers I needed. The medical examiner couldn't tell me that Harper Lang's ex-boyfriend, Adam Goldinger, killed her. Actually, no one could tell me that.
I sped back to the station. Part of me wanted to take my time back, especially since I was so fast at the morgue. But also I just didn't want to return to work at the moment. I enjoyed the hecticness of it all, but at the same time I needed a moment.
"Reid! Great, you're back!" Luke looked at me as I re-entered the conference room. I looked back at him and nodded.
"Did you find anything with the medical examiner?" Emily asked as she turned away from the white board.
"Uh! Yeah! Adam Goldinger. Her ex... We should look into him," I spoke as I sat at the table. Everyone in the room looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
"You learned that from the medical examiner?" JJ asked.
"Spence, h-how do you know?" Emily looked at me with a raised eyebrow. I looked back at her, feeling an anxiety bubble in my stomach.
"One of her friends stopped me as I was leaving the morgue. I should've called. I'm so-" My phone began ringing, cutting my apology short.
Briar Ridge Hospital Calling...
"I have to take this," I muttered as I looked back at Emily. I walked away from her and stepped outside.
I was so used to something being wrong with my mother. I wasn't expecting anything else. What I was anticipating was a nurse calling to tell me my mother had fallen ill and that she needed to spend the night or two.
But I wasn't expecting it to be about my best friend.
"Hello this is Stacey from Briar Ridge Hospital. I'm calling for Spencer Reid?" A woman's voice asked from the other end. I took a deep breath and looked at the ground.
"Speaking." I could feel a shakiness in my voice. My back pressed against the brick building of the police station. "Is it my mother?"
"No, Spencer, I'm calling in regards to-"
My heart leapt to my throat once she said my best friend's name. The way my chest tightened scared me. It was like I almost couldn't breathe. Something wasn't okay, and I just knew it.
"I'm calling because we have you down as their emergency contact. Would that be correct?"
"Uh, yeah, yeah. That would be correct... Is everything okay?" My eyebrows furrowed. Sure, they were clumsy. But they were never clumsy to the point of landing themselves in the hospital.
"Spencer, I'm calling to let you know that there's been an accident."
I struggled to keep my body upright, I was happy I was leaning against the building. Because what the woman on the other end of the line said knocked me like a ton of bricks.
"I'm so sorry, they didn't make it," the woman had a sort of faux sympathy in her voice. I'm sure she made phone calls like this a hundred times a day. And, I'm even more sure that I wasn't her first, or last, phone call.
I should be used to death at this point, right? I am around death almost every day for work. But this was worse. This was so much worse. There's no way my best friend was dead. I was on the phone with them no more than an hour ago. They were going to the craft store, and then they were going to create. That's what they did. Maybe this was a prank call? It'd be one helluva cruel prank call. I don't think they'd do that.
"Mister Reid?" The woman on the other end spoke.
"Yeah, yeah sorry. Could you repeat... Repeat that? I'm not so sure I heard you right... It sounded like you said they... They died," I spoke with a laugh of disbelief. Because they can't be dead.
"Mister Reid..."
"It's Doctor."
"Doctor Reid," she started and began giving me details of the accident and everything that happened. "They did everything they could."
"Of course, thank you..." My voice grew shaky and I couldn't breathe. The feeling of being sick quickly settled in my stomach, and if I didn't get off the phone now, I'd throw up while she was still talking.
"If there is anything we can do to help you, please call us."
"Right, thank you..." I let out a breath of air before she hung up. I quickly shoved my phone back into my pocket before hunching over and allowing the contents of my breakfast make a reappearance.
Anything could have happened. But I wasn't expecting to get a phone call saying my best friend was dead.
After I gave myself a moment to recollect myself before I went back in. Emily was quick to my side, asking me more questions about the case before catching up with my sudden appearance.
"Wait, wait, Spencer, what's wrong? Who was on the phone? Is everything okay with Diana?"
"Uhm... Is it okay if I drive back home?" I asked, my throat raw from the acid of my throw up. Tears were rolling down my cheeks, and I did nothing to stop them. "I just..." I took a shaky breath as I explained what the phone call was to Emily.
Honestly, I should have just left. I didn't want to explain this to anyone. But I suppose giving them an explanation was better than just leaving. They'd get one either way. I just didn't want to say the words out loud, because then it'd be real. I didn't want it to be real.
"Spencer, of course you can. Do you want anyone to go with? I can send JJ back with you if you want."
"No, no it'd probably be better if I went by myself. I need to work things out. You need all the help you can here. I'll be okay," I whispered as I looked at her.
"Of course, of course. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call." Emily was quick to pull me into a hug. I buried my face into her shoulder and nodded. "Call when you get home?"
"Yeah. Thank you so much, Emily." I whispered before leaving.
I had to prepare for the longest drive back to DC.
{***}{***}{***}
The drive from New York back home was long. It was terrible even. My mind was reeling in thoughts of what happened some days ago. Someone on the team coming with me would have been a good idea. Just so I wasn't alone. I just needed to be alone, I needed to figure things out. Things I didn't need to figure out now.
I didn't bother going home. Home didn't need me, and I didn't need to go home. I probably should've gone home, I've been on the road for 3 days. I went right to the funeral home. I've been to too many morgues and funeral homes in the last few days. And I've been talking to too many dead people for this to be normal.
But then I remembered, I wasn't normal. I can talk to dead people. I can do much more than that. I had a secret that no one else knew. Maybe I could fix this issue. Or, maybe, I could make everything much, much worse than what it already is.
I slipped out of my car once I was parked in a spot. A certain dread sat heavily on my chest, as if it was an elephant instead of an emotion. I wasn't sure if I would be able to do this without feeling sick. Hopefully I'd be safe enough to get in the room without passing out, or throwing up or anything else.
Everything about this still felt fake. Like it was just a very bad dream that could end at any minute. But it wasn't a nightmare. It was reality and I guess it hadn't hit me yet. It was about to. I was already entering the morgue.
The uneasy feeling never left me. It just worsened. There was a pit in my stomach that felt like it was moving up my chest. I never imagined being in this issue with anyone of my loved ones.
I think the thing that made this worse was... They weren't just my best friend. I mean, I was their best friend, and they were my best friend. But there was a certain emotion that came with our friendship. I loved them and I never got the chance to tell them.
Sure there was the friendship love. But what I felt for them was different. It was stronger than that. I've only ever felt this way towards someone once before, almost nearly 10 years ago. I knew it was love, even if it'd been so long since the last time I loved someone.
That someone was Maeve. I missed my second chance with her. If she wasn't so brutally murdered and in front of my team, I would have brought her back. But you don't exactly recover from a gunshot to the wound easily.
"Excuse me," a voice asked. I blinked and looked around when I realized I was at the receptionist desk. A woman was sitting behind said desk, looking up at me with a concerned expression on her face. "Can I help you with anything?"
"Uh, yeah, yeah. I'm here to see-" My words trailed off once I got to their name. The woman looked back at me, the concern on her face instantly changed to sorrow. It only caused my chest to tighten more.
"I'll bring you to them," she whispered with a nod. I watched as she stood up and started taking the lead. I followed behind her and towards a secluded room.
There was a certain gloominess to the way the hall looked, and even felt. It felt like it stretched as I walked down it, even though it was just the anticipation of everything making it feel longer.
I could tell that the funeral home director tried hard to make this place feel warm and safe. But it was not possible. Considering the reason why I'm here was not a warm and safe reason. I suppose it should be a good thing that they were trying to keep it safe.
"If you need anything, let me know," the woman whispered as she stopped in front of a door. I looked over at her and nodded. She gave me one last sad smile before leaving me.
I turned to face the door, the dreaded pit in my stomach grew the longer I stood behind the door. Just bite the bullet and go in. The worst that could happen has already happened. I couldn't kill a dead person. Well actually...
With one last breath of air, I entered the room. I locked the door once I was on the other side. My moment of quiet wouldn't be interrupted by anyone. No one needed to know what was about to happen here.
A silver casket sat in the middle of the room. Chairs were lined up in front of it. I was really the only person they had, so I didn't expect there to be a big thing for them. I don't think they'd even want a big thing. The casket I was sure was rented, just like the space here. I didn't bother questioning who was paying for this, in the end it was probably going to be me, and that didn't matter.
I slowly approached the casket. My hands were balled into fists, but they were sweating so bad. My feet dragged across the ground. This was a nightmare come to life.
The lid to the casket was lighter than I was expecting. I lifted it up carefully, not wanting to disturb anything. Disturb what exactly?
I looked down at their body once the lid was open. The person I knew as full of life and energy for the both of us was... no longer full of life. They were, much like Harper Lang, stiff and lifeless.
But not for long.
Just a light touch. That's all I had to do, right? But where? Most of the time I just touch a person's arm or shoulder. But this time was different. I felt that this time needed to be special. I've known this person for years.
I didn't spend too much time on it, nor did I want to spend too much time. So, I just gently touch the back of their hand.
They sat up with a shriek before shoving a hand on the dead center of my chest. I stumbled backwards, nearly falling into the rows of chairs behind me. I only caught myself before the chairs all clattered around.
"Woah! Woah! Calm down! It's okay!" I exclaimed as I stumbled back towards the casket. They looked at me with wide eyes before looking at the casket they were sitting in.
"Why... Why did you wake me up? Also... Also more importantly... Why am I in a casket?" they asked as they looked at me, then down at the casket.
"Wait.. Wait, you don't know?" I asked as I approached them more. They looked back at me with an alarmed look in their eyes. "Liebling, you... you died."
"Don't say that, Spencer. I didn't die," they laughed as they leapt out of the box. I stepped back and looked at them before stepping back away from them. I could tell they wanted to grab my hand or hug me. But I couldn't allow that.
"Yes you did. Why else would you be in a casket in a funeral home!?" I half whispered-half shouted. They looked at me as they looked around the room we stood in.
"I just assumed you were pulling a prank on me," they whispered before going on about what they thought happened. I couldn't let them keep going on about their theories that were so obviously false.
"I brought you back from the dead!" I shouted, cutting off their arguments, "You died! And I brought you back!"
"So... I'm a zombie?" They looked up at me with furrowed eyebrows and confusion on their face. I lifted both my hands to my face and rubbed my eyes. "Am I?" they asked again, causing me to drag my hands down my face.
"What? No! You're alive."
"Okay, good, because I definitely didn't have a craving for brains," they laughed and shook their head. "How long have you been able to do this? You can bring people back from the dead? How do you do it?!"
"I don't know! I've never figured it out."
"And... You've kept this a secret for how long?"
"Since I was a kid," I paused as I looked at them. They looked back at me with furrowed eyebrows. I could see the gears turning in their head as they thought about my secret. "To answer your next question, it's just you."
"Not even the team knows?"
"Not even the team. It's just me... And, well, you know too." I gestured towards them. "I'd prefer to keep it this way too..."
"Yeah, yeah, I get that. Don't want to be taken to Area 51 and tested on." They smirked as they stepped closer to me. I nervously stepped back, again, this time hitting the chairs behind me. "Why did you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Bring me back to life? Why me?" They asked as they folded their arms over their chest.
I silently stared at them, it was hard to say how long I was quiet. But it was safe to say that it was a long time. 'Why me?' They asked. Well there was a reason why it was them. I've kept a different secret from them for a long time. I could either tell them the truth, that I loved them, or I could make up a lie. I didn't want to do that though. They didn't deserve that.
I always thought this moment would be perfect. And this moment was in no way perfect. But it was, in fact, a moment. If I was going to tell them it'd have to be now. Otherwise I'd miss this moment forever. A second chance like this doesn't come up often.
"B-because I... I love you... And I've always loved you... And, I missed my chance to tell you. You were taken from me too soon, before I got to tell you."
"You love me?"
"Y-yeah, yeah I do. I wanted to tell you before but..." I kept my voice low as I gestured back towards the casket. They looked over their shoulder to look at it too. Their shoulders slumped slightly once they realized the reality of the situation. "I was too late."
"I really died?" they whispered before turning back to face me. I looked at them and nodded. "Were you there?"
"No, no... I was in New York. We were on the phone not even an hour before it happened," I whispered and dropped my gaze to the floor. They hummed before stepping closer to me. It got to the point where it genuinely scared me.
"I can't touch you anymore." I quickly grabbed a chair and held it between us before they could get any closer to me. They looked up at me with a confused and angered look on their face. "If I touch you... You die... again... Forever...." I watched as they grabbed their own chair to sit down.
"No more hugs?" They looked up at me with a raised eyebrow.
"We'll have to figure out a way... But right now, no more hugs."
"Damn, because I could really go for a hug right about now," they laughed nervously.
"C'mon you know I'm not much of a hugger to begin with." I reassured them as I sat back down. I looked over at them, watching as they hugged their arms around their body for some sort of comfort. It was really hard to not feel bad about this. All they wanted was a hug, and I couldn't give it to them.
They already had a day. I mean, it's not everyday you die and then come back to life. And, it's not everyday that your best friend tells you they brought you back from the dead. Of course they wanted a hug.
"Any other weird things I should know about you? Can you turn invisible? Fly? Teleport?" they asked after a few minutes of silence. I couldn't help but laugh and shake my head. "Okay, you laugh like those are the weirdest things in the world... But you just told me you can bring people back from the dead just by touching them."
"No, no I can't do any other weird things like fly, teleport, or turn invisible." I laughed as I looked over at them. They sat back and raised an eyebrow. "As far as I'm concerned."
"Okay good. Because I don't know how many wild secrets I can take in one day... And I think I'm at my limit," they laughed lightly as they waved their hands. I smiled and nodded.
"That... That would make sense. We should go..." I mumbled as I stood up from the chair. They looked back at me with a raised eyebrow and confused expression.
"Go? Go where?" they asked as they copied my action and stood up. They looked at me with a mildly concerned look as they moved so they were a foot away. "I mean... I can't exactly go home, can I?"
"You'd probably be safer if you stayed with me," I mumbled as I shrugged my jacket off. I handed my jacket over to my friend, silently telling them to put it on.
"I've always loved your apartment," they laughed as they slipped my jacket on. I chuckled lightly as I cleaned up the room a little bit, trying to make it look a little less like a crime scene and more like a funeral home.
"That's a good thing, right?" I spoke as I gently closed the lid of the casket.
"I think it is."
"Ready?" I looked over at them as they nodded. The nervousness in my chest grew again once I realized we had to leave. I wasn't sure how we'd both get out of the funeral home without someone noticing a person who's supposed to be dead but they're alive.
"Only if you are, Spencer." They smiled at me as I stared at them. In the time I knew that they were dead, I immensely missed them. I was hopeless, thinking I had lost my best friend forever. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I... Uh..." I swallowed roughly before shrugging my jacket off. I placed it over the back of a chair and pushed it over to them. "I was thinking. Wear this. I don't want anyone questioning you..."
"Question me? You're the one stealing the body," they laughed as they picked up the jacket. They slipped it over their arms and stepped up beside me.
"Just... Stay quiet and keep your head down," I instructed as I walked towards the door.
With one final breath of air, we both exited the room. I glanced over at the person beside me and silently thanked them for actually listening to me. Their head was held low and they stayed quiet.
When we finally made it outside, I let out an audible breath of air, and pulled out the keys to my car. It was difficult to let the worry so prominent in my chest. So many people watched us leave the building, we had to be even quicker leaving the property. My person wasn't wrong... I was basically stealing a body...
"Shotgun!" they shouted as we finally made it to the car.
"Could possibly you sit in the back seat?" I asked as I paused by the driver's side door. They looked at me from the other side of the car with confusion before they remembered I could possibly kill them again.
"Yeah, yeah, I can do that... Captain Buzzkill," they mumbled with a glare before sliding into the back seat.
"There's a reason why I'm Captain Buzzkill, Liebling," I muttered as I slipped into the driver's seat.
"So you really drove all the way from New York just to bring me back to life?" They asked quietly from behind me. I looked up at the rearview mirror and nodded lightly.
"That would be correct. Why?"
"B-because you love me?" They leaned so they were between the two front seats. I stayed still as I drove, being cautious of the person behind me.
"Again, that would be correct. Is there a reason why you're-"
"I love you too, you know," they whispered as they rested their head on the passenger seat. The tightness in my jaw melted slightly at their words. I almost had to ask them if they were being serious, because everything that's happened the last few days felt so fake.
"Really?"
"Really." They smiled softly. I glanced over at them and noted that they were staring at me. There was a certain admiration in their eyes that made my heart melt. This wasn't the first time I looked at them and saw this look in their eyes. I think they thought I never saw it, but I almost always did.
"Then I'm happy that I brought you back. I don't know how I would've lived with myself if I hadn't told you."
"Why didn't you tell me before? Before I died, that is."
"I don't know. I wish I did tell you. Maybe things would be... Different had I told you." My voice was low. I tried not to think about the what ifs. But it was so hard when they already existed in my mind.
What if I had told them before? Would we still be friends? Obviously we would be because they said they loved me too. Would they have stayed alive if I told them? Would they have been safer?
"Well, I'm happy you told me anyway."
The ride to my apartment was comfortably silent. The person in the backseat had asked me to click the radio on. So music quietly occupied the silence.
"You can sleep on the bed. I have no issue taking the couch," I spoke as we entered my home.
I took a deep breath, breathing in the familiar scent of my home. The old book and stale coffee made me feel safe the more the more I stepped in. Of course, I could thank the old books and stale coffee that sat in my home for that.
"I love you apartment," they spoke from the doorway. I turned and looked at them. A small smile grew across my lips as I watched them enter my home. They looked around the place, taking in everything that I had left out.
"You've said," I laughed as I shrugged my jacket off. They looked back at me, their hands resting on their hips.
I've always hated bringing people back to life. I hated that I could play God with people and their corpses. Usually I regret that simple touch on the body. But for the first time, I was happy that I did this. I didn't think of the repercussions of it all. I truly didn't care, I was happy that they were back in my life.
"I guess it's a good thing you love my apartment so much," I nervously laughed as I watched them shut the door.
"Why would that... Be a good... Thing?"
"You sort of can't leave the apartment... either..."
"What!? Why?"
"Well, you sort of died... Publicly... People will know something is weird."
"Your stupid, but cool, has a lot of dumb rules. Can't I just wear a disguise?"
"Well, actually..." I lifted a finger and pointed at them. "I... Well..." My words failed as I realized how my argument didn't exactly hold up. My finger slowly lowered as I looked down at the ground.
"I'd kiss you if it didn't kill me," they spoke with a smile. I couldn't stop myself as I stared at them again. They didn't call me out this time, considering they were also staring at me. We were both quiet for a long time as we kept our eyes on each other. I could only imagine that they were imagining kissing me. Because that was what I was imagining, kissing them
"So... Uh, do you want anything to eat?" I finally asked, breaking the long silence.
"God! I thought you'd never ask! I'm starved!" they shouted before breaking off towards the kitchen. I laughed and shook my head as I followed behind them.
"Well feel free to have whatever you want. Surely there's something you'll eat in there," I explained as I leaned against the counter behind them. I watched as they pulled the fridge open and began ransacking it.
"Anything? Even this blueberry yogurt?" they asked, spinning on their toes and holding up the yogurt. I smiled and nodded before pulling open the drawer beside me, pulling out a spoon for them.
"Even that blueberry yogurt." I smiled as I offered them the spoon. They looked at it for a moment before cautiously grabbing the furthest end of it. For a brief moment I had forgotten why they were so scared to grab a spoon. Then I remembered. I was so caught up in having them back to life that I forgot that I'd kill them if they touched me.
"So, do you use this..."
"Skill... Let's call it skill..."
"Okay... Do you use this skill at work? Like... Do you bring people back to life in the morgue? I bet that'd cut cases short pretty quickly!" They tore open the yogurt before eating it.
"I try not to. But if I get sent to the morgue alone... Chances are I'll use it." I shrugged. They nodded before hopping up to sit on the counter. "Emily doesn't send me to the morgue too often though."
"Because you don't like it?"
"Death makes me feel... Uneasy."
"That's ironic... Considering your skill," they laughed into their yogurt. I laughed and shook my head.
"Yeah, it is, isn't it?"
"So, you touch a dead person once, they come back to life?" they asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yep, that would be correct."
"And then you touch them again and they're dead, again?"
"Forever."
"With that knowledge that means no..." They wiggled their eyebrows and smirked. I stared at them for a moment, trying to figure out what they. And then it hit me.
"What? No! That means no... You're still gross..."
"And that will never go away," they laughed as they placed their empty yogurt container on the counter. "Do you have a time frame? Like, between bringing a person back to life and when they have to be gone?"
I should've anticipated that question. Why didn't I expect it? Everything was going accordingly. I got my second chance with them. And now it's all going to go to waste because they asked if there was something to it.
They're going to find out soon, right? I still don't want to tell them... But I probably should.
With a deep, reluctant, sigh, I began speaking, "Take a life, give a life..."
"W-what?"
"I only have a minute before a person has to be... dead again... After the minute is over, and the person isn't dead... A different life is taken..." I paused for a moment. Mostly to myself.
"Spencer... It's been a lot longer than a minute..." They looked at me with wide, damp eyes. I swallowed roughly and looked at the floor. My heart leapt up my throat and my chest tightened.
"I... I need you to understand... I never ever do this. It's a one time thing..." I lifted a finger. I bit my lips together before wiping my cheeks. "When I got the phone call that you were dead, my heart stopped. I didn't know what to do. I just knew I had to fix the issue. It's wrong and selfish of me, I know. But I don't think you realize how important you are to me."
"But someone else died so I could take their place?" Their shoulders dropped as they looked at me. I nodded lightly.
"I know it's wrong, and I'll never do it again. I promise. I just know I wouldn't be able to navigate life without you in it," I whispered as I looked up at them. It almost felt too difficult to breathe because of this. I should have lied. They wouldn't have been able to tell if I was lying or not. "You're saying I shouldn't have brought you back?"
"That's not at all what I'm saying, Spencer! I just... Does it... What if it took an important person's life? A mom? A dad?"
"You are important!" I shouted without meaning. They looked at me with a still expression on their face. The atmosphere in the room grew tense, nearly suffocating.
"Don't follow me," they spat as they slipped off the counter and left the room. I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath of air. I gave them a brief moment before I exited the kitchen and looked around the living room, noting that they weren't there. But then I noticed that my bedroom door was closed.
I closed my eyes for a moment before walking over to the door. I pressed my back to it before sliding down.
I felt like garbage.
"I know you said you didn't want me to follow you but, hear me out... Please..." I whispered, my voice cracking slightly.
"You can talk, but I'm keeping the door shut." Their tone was irritated. And rightfully so.
"I know it was selfish... And I know it was wrong... I just... I didn't intend on bringing you back. But as I was driving back home, I kept thinking about how I'd have to live life knowing I'd never see you again, and I genuinely couldn't live with that thought. I couldn't fathom the idea of never seeing you or talking to you again," I paused, letting out a breath of air. Tears were rolling down my cheeks. "When I got to the funeral home, and entered your room, my plan was to just tell you that... That I loved you and... I couldn't bring myself to touch you again."
They stayed quiet, I almost wasn't sure if they were still there. They could've used the fire escape and just left. But then the door opened, causing me to fall back onto the floor. I opened my eyes and looked up at them.
"It's fucked up."
"I know."
"I'm still mad at you."
"Rightfully so."
"You better hope that it wasn't a mom or a dad."
"Could've been an old person on their last leg."
"Spencer."
"Sorry. Sorry."
"I may still be mad at you, but I accept your apology," they whispered as they looked down at me. I smiled softly and nodded. "Now, get off the floor. I like it when you're standing."
"I appreciate that." I nodded as I pushed myself up.
"You're lucky I love you."
{***}{***}{***}
It'd been 2 months since I brought my person back to life. Their anger towards me went away with time, but it still hurt knowing that they were mad that they were alive and someone else died. Again, rightfully so.
The person that took their place was, like I guess, an elder woman who was moments away from death anyway. I know that sounds cruel, and I hated that that was my thought. It wasn't like me.
Having a partner that I couldn't touch was terrifying. One wrong movement could be fatal. Bells... Bells, though they were annoying, they helped our situation. My person wore bells on their shoes. And shouting before and after we entered a room was another fix.
Our fix to the sleeping arrangements was also easy. I wanted to get separate twin beds, but they wanted a bunk bed... We ended up with the latter.
Whenever we went out, they wore a little disguise, like they suggested. And instead of making them sit in the backseat, I figured out a fix for them to sit up front. A piece of plexiglass sat between the passenger seat and driver's seat. At the very bottom of the plexiglass was a hole with a rubber glove... Who doesn't like holding hands while driving?
"Coming!" I called before I entered the kitchen.
"You're safe!" they called back. I let out a sigh of relief as I entered the room. They were standing on the far side of the kitchen, a big mixing bowl sitting on the counter.
"What are you making?" I asked, looking from a distance into the bowl. It appeared to be cookie dough.
"Chocolate chip cookies." They smiled as they lifted the bowl to show me. "You can bring them into the office! Tell them you got cookies on the way in."
"That'd be smart. Did you also make coffee?" I asked as I grabbed a coffee mug.
"Uh, yep!" They placed the coffee pot onto the counter in front of me. I nodded at them as I waited for them to retract their hand. I grabbed it and poured a sizable amount into my mug.
I stepped away from the counter, holding my mug close to my chest. As I turned to face my person, they came up to me, a very large piece of plastic wrap in their hands. They quickly, and roughly, pressed their lips to mine, with the plastic wrap between us. It caught me so off guard that I dropped my mug to the ground, causing coffee and shards of porcelain to go everywhere.
We both stepped away from each other, shock and terror on our faces. I looked between the mess on the ground and my person with wide eyes. They had a small smile on their lips as they looked at me.
"That was very dangerous." I stared at them. They nodded.
"I know... But it was worth it." They grabbed a dish rag and went to their knees to begin cleaning up the mess. "I just really wanted to kiss you."
"Maybe that can be a fix to that situation," I nervously laughed as I grabbed paper towels for them. "I'll finish cleaning. You have cookies to make." I knelt on the ground as I began collecting the shards of porcelain.
"What would I do without you?" They looked at me with a dreamy look in their eyes. I laughed and shook my head. I stopped myself before I was brutally honest, telling them that they'd be dead.
"I ask myself that everyday."