coffee at a wedding (the end)

Every fiber of Eleanor's being hurt. Her smile was forced. Her footsteps were shuffles. Her shoulders couldn't help but slouch. She was traumatized by how she reacted to Spencer. The poor man had only been trying to understand where he went wrong, and she hadn't helped him to, as she should have. She avoided him out of fright. Worsening their relationship was the last thing she wanted. Approaching the situation was foreign to her. Fear was what kept her away from him, despite the fact that all she wanted to do was see him.  

Seeing one another came faster than they expected. 

Will invited Eleanor to a wedding at his friend's home. He noticed her mood lately. He was not a fan of it, at all. He begged her to come, insisting that the wedding would brighten her sadness. It hadn't mattered that Eleanor didn't like to dance or drink, however, Will didn't take no for an answer. 

Alas, Eleanor stood in front of a mansion. Timidly, her curled fist knocked four times on the massive mahogany door. 

A graying Italian man swung open the door. "Hello, hello! Will said we might have an unknown coming. Eleanor, isn't it?"

"Yes, I'm Eleanor. It's nice to meet you," she greeted, reaching to shake his hand.

"I'm David Rossi," he introduced. "Follow me."

Eleanor was careful to keep her hands to her chest as he walked briskly through the beautiful house. He showed her where the bathroom and the bar was located. Then, he guided her out of the back door, where his backyard was beautifully decorated with fairy lights across the garden and gazebo. 

"Oh, wow," breathed Eleanor. "This place is breathtaking, David."

"Thank you! I'm afraid I had nothing to do with the decorating, but I'm honored to have provided the spot where those lovebirds are getting married," sighed David. "I'll introduce you to a few people... Guys, this is Eleanor."

"Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Emily," said the dark haired woman. "Are you related to J.J. or Will?"

"Oh, no, Will's a frequent at my coffee shop. I've babysat Henry a couple times, and all," explained Eleanor. 

"Coffee shop? Huh. We should have you provide coffee for our work," said the other man. He waved. "I'm Aaron Hotcher. My son, Jack, is around here somewhere. If I find him, I'll be sure he meets you."

David pointed across the backyard. "Jack and Henry are over there watching a magic show," he laughed. 

"And, of course, sweet talking the bride's mother is--"

"Derek Morgan," squeaked Eleanor.

"Uh-oh," said Emily. "You know Morgan?"

The color from Eleanor's face faded entirely. Struggling to talk, let alone breathe, she tried to excuse herself. "I... I think--"

"Sweetie, are you okay?" wondered Emily. 

"You look a little pale," noticed David. Worriedly, his hand hovered over her back. 

"I-I can't be here. Tell Will that I'm sorry, okay? Tell him I'm so sorry," rambled Eleanor, stumbling backwards.

"Hold on a second," said Aaron pointedly. "What's the matter?"

Breathlessly, Eleanor said, "Will told me before his girlfriend worked at the FBI, he says it every single time when he brings in Henry for breakfast and I ask why I never see his mother, but I never connected the dots to my own boyfriend working at the FBI. How? How did I not ask if Will knew--"

"Okay, okay, you should sit down before you pass out on us," interrupted Emily.

Eleanor shook her head. She extended her gratefulness for being invited. She started back into the house, ready to bolt, when a voice called out to her. Eleanor stopped dead in her tracks. 

"Hey! Is that Reid's girlfriend I see?" shouted Derek Morgan himself. 

"'Girlfriend?'" whispered David.

"I did not see that coming," admitted Emily.

Eleanor regained her breath and sprinted into the house before she could make things worse. She didn't make it too far. Passing the bar caused a collision between she and Will. 

"Eleanor! Hi! I'm so glad you came. Listen, I..." he felt silent. "Eleanor? Are you all right?"

Eleanor clutched onto his arm for balance. "I have to leave."

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"The reason I've been down, the source of my sadness, I'm pretty sure he's here. I need to go. I can't face him yet, Will, I treated him terribly. I can't ruin things farther," said Eleanor. 

"Nonsense. I'm not letting you leave. Besides, you're here, you're dressed up all pretty, and I've asked the bartender to whip you up something special in case you came," declared Will. 

"I told you I don't drink."

"It'll calm your nerves. Just take it," he ordered, placing the mug into her hands. "Listen, I invited you here for a reason. I need you to do me a favor."

"Will..." mumbled Eleanor. 

"Would you stand with me at the alter, Eleanor?"

Eleanor clutched the mug. Frowning, she mumbled, "I'd love to, Will, it's just--"

"You can bring your mug!I know how your hands shake when you're scared. If it makes you feel  comfortable, by all means, bring it," he compromised. 

Will asked a simple task of her, one that meant the world to him. Eleanor was terrified of what she left behind in that backyard, of what she may have to face if she was to return. Despite how nauseous and close to fainting she felt, Eleanor had to agree. Letting down another person who lived close to her heart was a task she wasn't capable of completing. 

Arm in arm, Will and Eleanor passed through the backyard. She didn't raise her head from the grass. At the center of the gazebo, she stood to the side of Will, staring into her spiked coffee. 

Suddenly, Will leaned closer to her. "It's Spencer, isn't it?" he asked.

Eleanor choked. 

Patting her back, he continued, "From what I hear, Morgan is a one night stand champion. You're not into that, I assume. Rossi is out of your age limit. So is Hotch, though not by much. It's automatically Spencer... Well, that, and he hasn't stopped staring at you."

Eleanor met his eyes sadly. "Really?"

"Really," agreed Will. "What went on between you two?"

"I think he's embarrassed to have his team know I exist," admitted Eleanor.

"I can tell you right now that's not the case, Eleanor. He tried to hide your relationship, didn't he? It's a profiler thing. J.J. did it to me. Hiding you from a group of profilers is how he avoids their interrogative tenancies when they notice his mood is happier than normal. He only wants something to keep to himself," explained Will. 

Eleanor looked up at him. She sighed, then wrapped her arms around him. 

Will chuckled. "You're welcome, Eleanor."

"You get discounts on all your coffee form now on," sniffled Eleanor. She wiped at her eyes.

"Are you going to talk to him tonight?"

Eleanor tilted her mug in his direction. "Maybe after enough of these."

It was then music started. The guests rushed into the gazebo. Henry took his spot beside his father. All awaited the beautiful bride to cascade to her family. Vows were exchanged, a few tears were shed, and when they kissed, the guests cheered excessively. 

Eleanor split from the gazebo when it wasn't noticeable. She asked for a refill at the bar. For the first time in her life, she requested the bartender to not go easy on the rum. She tried her best to refrain from draining the mug as soon as it was in her hands.

"You never mentioned you knew Will," he said softly.

"Uh, yes, well, I know a lot of people. If it's a good day," she mumbled.

"It's because I refused to bring the team coffee, isn't it?" he asked.

"It was mainly about the way you kicked me out of your office, but feel free to add the refusal of coffee for them, too," said Eleanor with a second of thought. "If you didn't want me to be known yet, that's fine, Spencer, but--"

"This team is filled with behavior analysts. Anytime one of us has a minor change in attitude, they're all on it. I didn't want them to know yet. You were my secret, my escape from the job. I just wanted something to myself," he stressed.

Eleanor brought her eyes to him. "I'm sorry, Spencer."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, El," he said.

"If we're keeping it that way, you might want to order something. Morgan's coming this way," she offered. 

"I don't care."

"Excuse me?"

Spencer closed the proximity between them. His hands cupped her face. "If you want me to shout it to the world, I'll shout it to the world. I don't care that my team knows now. I don't care if Derek teases me, or if Rossi and Garcia and J.J. pester me about you. All I want right now you and I together."

"I want that, too," agreed Eleanor brightly.

"Good," he breathed, then he brought their lips together hard.

"Pretty Boy!" shouted Derek, rather drunkenly. Luckily for them, he missed their encounter. "You planning on taking your pretty girl out to the dance floor?"

"Oh, I don't..." started Eleanor, at the same time Spencer tried to say, "Well, I can't..."

Derek stared between the shy couple. "Wow. I see it now."

"I'll dance, if you do," offered Spencer.

"Okay," sighed Eleanor.

He led her into the backyard. On the dance floor, he encircled her waist with one arm and laced their hands together. 

Eleanor slung her arm loosely on his shoulder. She was careful not to touch the warm mug too close to his suit. 

"This is weird for you, isn't it?" he whispered in her ear.

"Maybe a little," she admitted. 

"I could leave you here to dance with coffee."

"I would prefer being in your arms."

Spencer tilted his head against her own. Chuckling, he said, "Really, El? Me over coffee? I'm pretty positive that's the first time you've chosen anything over coffee."

"Well, you're not just anything to me, Dr. Spencer Reid," said Eleanor sweetly.

"I'm glad to hear it," he said. He kissed her lips faintly. "I missed you, Eleanor."

"I think missed you. I can't remember," she said.

Spencer was, no doubt, going to say something about how unfair it was for her to make memory jokes. He would have, if not for Will asking to cut in.

"No, not at all," said Spencer. "Mind if I dance with J.J.?"

"She's all yours," agreed Will. He took Eleanor into his arms. "Did you talk to him?"

"You're an advice guru, Will! He said almost the exact thing you said to me," she told him happily.

"Does this mean I get free apple juice for Henry, too?" asked Will.

"Absolutely. Now, I have to ask you something important. Ready for this?"

"I'm ready."

"When is the right time to tell him I love him?"

"Right..." he paused, watching over her shoulder. "...Now!"

Abruptly, Will spun her. J.J. ducked out of her way. Eleanor hit Spencer's chest. Ignoring the warm coffee that trickled onto their shoes, the two noticed they were back together. Simultaneously, they told the other they loved them. Hearing the other, smiles of relief broke out across their faces. 

Eleanor grabbed his face and kissed him. 

"Oh, yeah!" shouted Morgan. "Get it, Pretty Ricky!"

"I hate him," muttered Spencer against her lips. 

Eleanor smiled. "You don't hate him."

"What are you, a profiler now?" he teased. 

"No," said Eleanor, brushing his hair from his forehead. "But you do learn a few things being madly in love with one."

It was Spencer's turn to grab Eleanor's face and kiss her. 

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