~Spencer's POV~
I take a deep breath, straighten my sweater vest, and knock.
A kind, middle aged couple opens the door and the woman smiles but the man looks confused. I clear my throat.
"Is this the Brooks residence?" I ask sheepishly. The woman nods and lets me in. I sit on the couch with them, my knees trembling. I haven't even met Carmen's parents before and I'm terrified. My parents haven't met Carmen either, and I wonder if we're rushing things.
"Mr. and Mrs. Brooks, I've been dating your daughter Carmen for a while now and she's the love of my life. I was hoping you would grant me the honor of having Carmen's hand in marriage." Even while I say it, it sounds like a question. Mrs. Brooks smiles and Mr. Brooks still looks skeptical.
"And how come you've never come around before?" He almost snarls.
"Never mind him." Mrs. Brooks tells me and chuckles. "We've heard so much about you. You've really made Carmen feel special."
"Thank you. She really is something special." I agree.
"You're absolutely right. She deserves respect and that's what she'll get." Mr. Brooks tells me. I nod sincerely. "If you can promise me to put her first in everything you do and promise to be loyal until you both shall die... Then you may marry her."
"Thank you sir." I say and turn to thank Mrs. Brooks when he pulls me close.
"And Spencer," he whispers in my ear. "She is my only daughter. If she so much as comes home with a bruise out of place, I will call the authorities and have you arrested. She's gone through a lot, don't ever take advantage of her."
"Yes, sir, I would never dream of it."
~•~•~•~•~
I drive to the BAU with a box in the passenger seat as Mr. Brooks' words echo through my mind. She's been through a lot. I wonder what he meant but even so, keep looking over at the box with anticipation and cannot possibly wait to get to the office. Yesterday was Carmen's first day back at the BAU and everyone is super protective of her leg.
Garcia comes to her desk hourly and checks to make sure she's okay and JJ keeps her in the loop about cases that she's not allowed to help with, yet.
I look over at the box one more time and turn into the FBI parking lot. I don't know what's in it and I don't think I will until Carmen opens it.
Carmen's parents only told me three things about the box: one that it was a gift from her grandmother before she died of cancer, two that it was to be given to Carmen upon proposal, and three, that Carmen was the only one that could open it using the key her grandmother gave her.
I don't even think Carmen knows what's in it, but her parents did warn me not to buy a wedding ring, that it was a tradition for the ring to be passed down from grandmother to granddaughter. I park my car and go to the other side, gingerly picking up the box and nudging the door closed behind me. The old wood feels rough under my hands.
I walk up the steps and get on the elevator, my hands sweating. By the time I get to the right level I'm so nervous I think I might puke. The elevator doors open and I walk up to Carmen's desk. I already told everyone about the proposal and their eyes follow me, some pulling out their iPhones to take pictures and videos.
"Carmen?" I ask. She looks up from the case file she's working on and smiles at me. She looks down curiously at the box in my hands and recognition crosses her face. Her eyes fill with tears and I get on one knee, holding the box out in front of me in replacement of a ring box.
"Carmen, from the first day I met you I knew that you were different than most people. You know how to handle yourself and your good at negotiating to get your way. I love everything about you like that you keep pictures on your phone of your little brother because you wish you were closer to him. Or that you kept the first flowers your dad gave you, even though there dead now."
By this time I was a little choked up but I continued.
"I love that you watch princess movies and eat ice cream when you're depressed. I can't wait to cuddle with you and watch cheesy princess movies for however long it takes until you're happy. I love that you're adorable when you cuddle and when you fall asleep on my chest I feel like I'm on top of the world. I know you're afraid to have kids and we don't have to until your ready. I know that you love kids and I can't wait until, maybe 10 years from now, there's our child with your eyes running around our house and calling you momma."
Carmen and I are both crying and smiling at the same time.
"I love that when you're sick you just want to be held and when I can, I promise to do nothing but hold you and even though you might be sick I hope you know that I will always be there for you. I love that when you're anxious or scared you curl up in a ball under the covers and listen to ocean waves on your phone. But most of all I love that you love me. I can't wait to see our future kids running around the house and playing. I can't wait to grow old with you and be your everything. Carmen Brooks, I love you to the ends of the earth, will you do me the honor of marrying me?" I ask, and Carmen smiles from ear to ear.
"Are you kidding? Of course!" she says and we all laugh. I look around and don't see a dry eye in the room. Even Hotch has a tear rolling down his cheek.
I stand up and she wraps her arms around me, her lips land on mine and almost knocks me over. I smile and she pulls away.
"What's in the box?" JJ asks and I hand it to Carmen.
"I have absolutely no idea." I say and they laugh, thinking I'm kidding. "No really, her parents gave me it and told me to use it as a ring box... But it's locked." I say drying my eyes a bit.
Carmen sits back in her desk and pulls a chain from around her neck. An old brass key hangs from it and we all crowd around to see what's inside. Carmen turns the lock, opening the dusty lid. She immediately bursts into tears again and I wonder if she's happy or sad.
On top of a stack of Polaroid pictures is a ring with one big pear in the center, two next to it, and diamonds surrounding the pearls. It truly is beautiful. I step in and slide it onto her ring finger. Everyone claps and then are silent again, waiting to see what comes next. Carmen's almost too emotional to continue.
She takes a deep breath and pulls out the stack of Polaroids bound in a simple rubber band. Carmen lays it aside to look at later. There's two things left in the box. Carmen pulls a gold locket from the box and with shaking hands opens it, peering inside. There's a picture of an elderly lady on one side and an elderly man on the other.
"My grandparents." Carmen explains. I help her put it on and then she lifts a worn envelope from the box, the last item. Carmen hugs it to her chest and smiles through the tears. "Does someone have a letter opener?" JJ runs to her desk and returns quickly with one. Carmen carefully slices the paper and begins to read silently.
"Read it out loud." Hotch coaxes and Carmen starts over.
"My dearest Carmen,
With these past couple months I've wondered what is most important to me. I haven't decided who to include in my will and which possessions I would trust in my relatives. One thing is certain, you are so important to me. You have such a sweet heart and more courage than anyone--" Carmen stops, takes a shaky breath and continues.
"Than anyone I've ever met. I know my time has come and that cancer is winning. I'm not scared because I know that my memory lives within you. I want you to have my locket and ring to keep your grandpa and I close to you always. I know he loved you very much. When I asked you to sing at my funeral and you ran out, I--" Carmen stops again and tears stream down her face. Morgan hands her a tissue.
"You don't have to continue if it's personal." He says and Carmen smiles.
"No it's okay." She looks back down at the letter and dries her eyes. "When I asked you to sing at my funeral and you ran out saying that I couldn't die, I knew it would be hard for you. But I also knew that no one in the world could take your place, you have a beautiful talent for singing, Carmen. One that always brightened my day, even when I felt too weak to continue. Please keep singing, the birds stop to listen and everything stands still."
I look over at Morgan who's choked up and tries to cover it by coughing.
"I have enjoyed the years I have been given to spend with and become closer to you. Please know that I love you very much and hope that this life will bring you happiness beyond measure. I know life throws things at you that most people can't handle because you aren't most people, you're Carmen Brooks, the bravest little girl I know. I asked your parents to give this box of memories to you upon engagement, so I want to say congratulations and even though I won't make it to your wedding in person, I'm sure he's the one. If he cares about you and puts you first, he's the one. I love you Carmen.
Love, Gram."
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