˗ˏˋ "the whole point is for it to be a secret." 'ˎ˗
spencer never had contacted her to apologize, mostly because he was really busy with cases. but a minute didn't go by where aurora didn't cross his mind.
and of course, he never left her mind.
aurora was baking cookies in her kitchen with assistance from her good friend, penelope.
"ya know, you should be a baker!" penelope smiles as she picks at the left over cookie dough that was still in the bowl.
the two were making all types of cookies; sugar cookies, chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, and oatmeal and raisin cookies.
aurora chuckles, "thank you, i'm trying to perfect it though.. for the christmas party."
"oh sugar, it's amazing! and perfect as it is." she admitted as she started to help clean up. "i'm kind of glad you and spencer aren't on speaking terms. don't get me wrong, yes it's sad seeing you sad. but, one, i have you all to myself and two, you've been baking like you're feeding a village!"
she smiles, "glad you like my pastries."
they started to clean up as they waited for the cookies to bake.
and meanwhile, aurora asked, "penny, be honest with me here..."
"of course, what is it?" she asked as she started to gather the dirty bowls and such that they used.
"why does spencer have an issue with.. like getting close to someone? did he have a girlfriend before that might've broken his heart in some way..?"
penelope's eyes widen, of course she knew what spencer had gone through when maeve died in front of him. and she figured, spencer hadn't told aurora that. which was understandable, but aurora had the right to know. penelope just didn't know if she should be the one to tell her.
she sighs, "rory.. i don't know if i'm the one to tell you this.. it's not really my place."
aurora frowns slightly, "so someone did?"
"it's a long story.." penelope continued, "there was this girl, maeve, she was shot and killed in front of him. and ever since, he's been heart broken."
"i..." she began, but couldn't get words to get off of her tongue. aurora felt terrible, she just wished he would've mentioned it.
✧
it was the last day of november, and aurora was in the bookstore looking for a present for spencer.
"do you think he has a copy of to kill a mockingbird?" she asked as she showed penelope it.
"oh honey, he has every book." penelope chuckled as she skimmed through the book shelves trying to help.
aurora sighs, "i'm going to get him this, then i'll get him... a copy of.. pride and prejudice, the silence of the lambs, and the great gatsby."
"either way, you shouldn't worry too much about it! he's going to love whatever you get him. and he will cherish it." her friend reassured her giving her a side hug.
"i hope so.." she thought for a second. "what else should i get him?"
"you could get him a card? but i feel like those books are enough." penelope admits, "are you guys on speaking terms now?"
aurora chuckled, "no.."
"still?! why not? do i have to talk to him again?"
her eyes widen, "you told him?!"
penelope's face turns a bright red, "look i might've mentioned that you miss him.. and that i was gonna go with you to go christmas shopping for him.."
"penelope! why?!" aurora whispered yet yelled.
"because! you guys haven't talked for while, and both of you are miserable!" she defends, "or am i wrong?"
aurora grabs the four books and sighs making her way to the register. "you're not wrong."
once she paid for the books, walking out penelope beside her, "i'm sorry, it's just, you are pretty stubborn. and he meant to text you, he's just been busy working cases."
she shrugged, "look, i'm just going to drop these books in front of her apartment door, with a note saying merry christmas."
penelope groans, "rory.. at least wish him a merry christmas and deliver the present in person."
"maybe." she sighs, "wait, so when are we doing the secret santa picking thing."
her friend squeals, "right! it's going to be tomorrow, we're going to have dinner at a restaurant at 6:00, i'll send you the address when i get home."
secret santa is essentially just a circle of people who secretly exchange gifts, not knowing who bought your gift. you buy someone a gift, and someone buys you one.
aurora had never partaken in one, just always heard about it. she was fine with it because it would've been a lot to buy everyone on the team something.
but, she did have three exceptions, that were out of secret santa. spencer, enrique, and her father. if she did get spencer in secret santa, then she'll just give him the books then.
"alright pg, i'll see you then." aurora hugs her friend before she gets into her car.
"bye sweetheart, love you. drive safe!"
"love you, and you too penny."
✧
restaurant
third person pov
6:02pm
"hi, i have a reservation." aurora smiles at the hostess.
"under the name david rossi?" she asks looking down at her long list of names, and the number of people next to it.
to which she nods, and the hostess leads her to the table, "right this way."
arriving at the table, she sees that everyone was already seated, but noticed penelope hadn't arrived.
it was a fairly long table, and the one side of the table sat david, jj, hotch and emily. as for the other side, there was spencer and derek, but an empty chair in between for penelope and aurora.
she smiles, "hey guys."
they all greet her, and spencer gave a half smile. slightly hoping aurora would return one, and to his surprise, she does.
she sits down next to spencer. she was awaiting for penelope to arrive and fill the empty chair next to her. which a few seconds later, she arrives with a smile plastered on her face and a hat in hand.
"hi fellow travelers! before we eat..." penelope sits down next to aurora and sets down the hat in the middle of the table. it being filled with small papers.
"we are going to pick now, so we can enjoy our food later!"
"who wants to go first?" david asks, we all look around.
jj shrugs, "i'll go."
she reached into the hat and picked one piece of paper, and the rest of us did the same.
when it got to aurora, she reached in and got the last one.
she opens it trying to keep from anyone from seeing it, it read penelope.
aurora folds it and puts it into her pocket, "this is going to be fun."
"who'd you get?!" penelope asked excitedly.
"penny, the whole point is for it to be a secret." she chuckled.
nobody shared who they got, obviously, but here's who got who for your advantage and reference. your welcome.
jj: got rossi
morgan: got spencer
pg: got hotch
spencer: got aurora
rossi: got morgan
hotch: got emily
aurora: got pg
emily: got jj
the rest of the dinner went well as always, but spencer and aurora hadn't spoken a word to each other.
he accidentally bumps his foot against hers.
"sorry."
"it's fine."
aurora then bumps hers against his, not looking over to him but she couldn't help but smile.
"what was that for?" he whispered.
"payback for walking out on me." she whispered back.
spencer furrows his eyebrows, but smiles. he found it somewhat cute that, that's how she gets back at him. in his mind, aurora could have ranted to him on how terrible he was for walking out. but no, she just playfully bumped her foot against his. maybe she's over it? he thought to himself.
"can i please explain why.."
"we'll talk about this some other time, spence." she whispered softly, to which he nodded with a smile.
a/n
this was kinda short
sorry!!!
but hope you enjoyed
:)