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𝑷 𝑶 𝑽
❝ 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎, 𝚍𝚘𝚌 ❞

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ㅤ"𝐎𝐊𝐀𝐘, 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘?" Alina grinned at Gwen who nodded at her, which she took as her cue to slowly pull out the IV. It was the day after, and the women were allowed free rein over Stark's credit card. "There, you're good to go."

"Thank God," Gwen sighed in relief before standing up from her hospital bed. "Are you guys actually ready already?"

"Yep, we're just waiting on you."

"Right, give me fifteen minutes to get ready and I'll meet you all by the entrance," Gwen nodded. After days of being in a coma, and another just staying in her bed, she was ready to finally touch some grass. And she wanted out of her hospital gown and the hoodie-sweatpants combo they had her wear on her way to her room.

Alina grinned wider. "Okay, I'll round them up."

On the way to her room in the compound, she unexpectedly runs into Spencer.

"Oh hey," Spencer greeted her with a grin. He quickly pulled her into a hug. "You guys are going out already?"

"If we wanna get to the good dresses, then yes," Gwen grinned at him, pressing a kiss to his jaw. "I'm pretty sure Tony invited the whole state because I'm already seeing headlines. And well technically I already have a dress, I'm mostly just gonna be there to help them choose."

"Oh? You already have a dress?" He smiled a little. "You think I could--"

"Absolutely not," she laughed. "You will see my dress once we're at the gala." She smiled, placing her hands on his chest. "I'm really excited to see you in a tux."

He laughed. "You will see my tux once we're at the gala."

She shook her head, chuckling under her breath before giving him a peck. "Can I, uh...ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Do you wanna be my boyfriend?"

Spencer choked on air. He coughed, pulling away from her as he tried to catch his breath as he felt himself flush, his face growing hot. He playfully glared a little when he noticed her trying not to laugh at his misfortune. He coughed again, clearing his throat.

"I wanted to ask you," he admitted.

"Well, first come first serve," she teased. "So, what do you think of my proposal?"

"Hmm, well, I'll have to give it some thought," he joked. "I need data, look through journals--"

She grabbed his shirt and pulled him to her, chest to chest as she planted a big fat kiss to his lips. "Is this enough data?"

"...I think I'll need more."

She kissed him again, this time, when she pulled away, she gave his bottom lip a lick. "How about now?"

"...I don't think it's enough."

"Mhmm," she grinned, before kissing his lips and moving down to his jaw, and down to the junction of his neck and shoulder. She easily found his sweet spot and quickly paid attention to it by sucking and nipping. She felt him shudder and she smirked against his skin. She tilted her head up to whisper in his ear. "Now?"

"Y-Yes...a-absolutely."

She kissed his sweet spot again, loving how he squirmed. "Good."

Gwen decided on wearing just a black vest paired with black slacks, as well as her black Prada patent-leather loafers that had a bit of a platform to it, making her an inch taller. She decided on letting her straight hair down, and doing her everyday makeup and accessories; she was finished getting ready in exactly fourteen minutes, so she took the time to speed-walk over to the entrance, waving at the men who were all lounging together while preparing for the gala.

She grinned when she spotted the others, waving at them. Standing by the entrance were the BAU ladies, plus Alina. She wasn't surprised that Natasha wasn't there as the redhead, like her, preferred custom pieces, and probably already had a dress too. Pepper also most likely already has a dress.

Penelope pulled her into a hug, resting her hands on her upper arms as she let go. "You are gonna be our stylist, so please bestow us your fashion knowledge."

Gwen laughed. "Don't worry, Penny, I won't let you down."

It was Happy who drove them to New York City, and once they arrived, he told them to give him a call once they were ready.

Waving him goodbye, Gwen quickly led the women from store to store.

Each of them seemed to have tried on at least ten dresses before finding one that suited each of them well. JJ and Penelope tried not to look at the more expensive dresses, but both Gwen and Alina talked them out of their hesitation, stating that Tony won't even realize he's missing the amount of money they might spend.

"I'm telling you, Tony wouldn't care," Alina told JJ and Penelope. Emily had already been swayed by Gwen earlier on, even though she was still a bit hesitant to buy the dress she was holding; it was a beautiful coral gown from Zuhair Murad that had a deep V-neckline that all the girls decided was perfect for her—with Alina whistling in appreciation when Emily took off her bra when she tried the dress on.

JJ grimaced a little. "Is it worth it, though? I mean, I'm only gonna wear it once."

"Who says you can only wear it once?" Gwen scoffed. "When I'm bored, I put on my gowns, do my makeup, wear heels, and just walk around my apartment feeling all powerful. Like, it boosts my confidence. You should try it too. And in case you need to attend another gala, just wear it again! Beautiful gowns should not be wasted; we do not let capitalism win."

Penelope snorted. "Right, and you're using the money of a billionaire."

"That too," Gwen laughed. "So, are you getting that dress?"

JJ sighed, looking down at the silver Elie Saab dress. It a thin-strapped dress with a sweetheart neckline. It was cinched around the waist and even had a cape. It fit the blonde perfectly. "Well, it is gorgeous..."

"Then get it!" She laughed. "We still need to get gowns for Penelope and Alina while we wait for your guys' dresses to be altered. Luckily, there's not much to alter so it's only gonna take 'em a few hours. We may even have to buy shoes, get our hair and makeup done--basically, we have a lot to do. Now, come on!"

Unlike the other girls, Penelope was a bit intimidated by all the gowns presented to them.

"I don't know, guys," she pouted, a little crestfallen. "None of these dresses look like they can even fit me! Even if they did, the altering might take days! I'm not exactly as hot as any of you--"

"Excuse me?! Penelope Garcia, not hot?!" Gwen gasped. "Who the hell said that?! Let me at 'em."

Penelope waved her off, blushing a little. "You're too sweet, Gwennie, but I'm serious! I mean, look at these gowns! They won't even fit my boobs!" She gestured to the racks, ignoring how the store clerks were looking at them.

"Never say never, Penny. Besides, you're a goddess, okay? Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

With a determined look on their faces, all four ladies set off to find a gown for Penelope, who couldn't even move from the chair they left her on as they searched around. The women made it their mission to remind Penelope of how beautiful she was.

Alina gasped, pulling out a gown from one of the racks, beckoning Penelope over. It was a Ralph & Russo dress that starts out as soft pink which slowly fades to a mint green. It was sparkly, and even had puffs all over it. It also had a cute little cape that was made of mint green lace. It was fun, colorful, and screamed Penelope Garcia.

"Ooh! It's so cute!" Penelope squealed a little. "The fit isn't that bad either! I just need to maybe get the chest area altered, 'cause these babies can't breathe."

The others laughed as they all went near.

"Wow, it looks like it was made for you," JJ commented. "It looks really nice, Pen."

Emily laughed. "Of course."

"Alina's the only one left," Gwen realized, looking at Alina, who immediately raised her hands up in defense.

"I've already got one in mind, but I want your opinion."

Both Alina and Penelope grabbed their chosen dresses and headed over to the fitting rooms. Emily, JJ, and Gwen all settled in the chairs in the middle of the fitting rooms where all the other people sat on while they waited for whoever they came with to step out and show them the gowns. They gossiped amongst each other, side-eyeing some of the rather judgmental clerks, especially the ones who kept looking at Penelope earlier.

"They're so rude," Gwen rolled her eyes as she leaned closer to JJ and Emily to make sure no one outside of their circle could hear. "We can literally buy out this entire store in seconds and they look at Penny that way? Absolutely not."

"You mean Tony can buy out the store?" Emily chuckled.

"Hey, Tony might be a bit of an asshole, but he cares. One word and all those jackasses are fired."

JJ snorted. "I'm surprised you actually get along with Tony so well. You said you two were like siblings, right? How'd that happen?"

"When the Avengers were first coming together, I was there," she began. "I was shadowing Nat. Because she was kind of promoted when she became an Avenger, and also became a public figure, her more covert missions were handed over to me. I was, what, twenty-one, twenty-two, and I looked like a teenager." She laughed a little. "Fury introduced me to the team and all of them showed me respect, everyone but Tony. I took it personally and wanted to make sure he knew exactly who I was. Long story short, I beat him up, he took me under his wing, and the rest is history."

"You...you beat him up?" The blonde frowned.

"Well...ah, I can't get into detail without completely ruining his reputation," Gwen winked, before all of them turned the attention over to Penelope and Alina. The redhead twirled as she basked in the others' praises, especially Gwen who was whooping and catcalling. "Hot!"

"Thank you, thank you," Penelope bowed. "Don't I look like an angel?"

"Absolutely," Gwen winked. She then turned to Alina. "And you, wow."

Alina has been best friends with Gwen for a long time, and it wasn't that much of a surprise that they influenced each other's taste in fashion. The Ziad Nakad dress was flashy, and the high slit made Gwen very proud. The rather peculiar cut of the dress was also reminiscent of Gwen's personal style. The silver and purple tones of the dress, as well as the metallic design, made Alina look like some sort of medieval queen.

"I've never seen a dress like that before," JJ admitted.

"It's gorgeous," Emily nodded.

Alina blushed a little. "It's also way too long for me," she gestured down to her feet where most of the fabric pooled. Being barely five-foot-one was a pain. "You think they can fix this?"

"Of course. Plus, if you can walk in five-inch heels, anything is possible," Gwen told her.

"Luckily, I can."

"Great!" Gwen clapped. "We need to get these paid for and altered and we're good to go. Are all of you ready to knock the boys off their feet!" All four ladies cheered. "Alright, let's go!"

Spencer groaned as Derek purposefully messed up his hair. He randomly decided on getting his hair cut while he and the rest of the men all prepared for the gala several hours early. Like the girls, they all just wanted to look their best, yet the genius decided very last-minute to cut his hair shorter. Now, Derek was making fun of him for it.

"Nice," Derek teased.

"Not nice," Spencer frowned, fussing over his hair again.

They were all waiting outside the function room within the compound as the workers all fixed it for the gala. Most of the people sure to attend are several businessmen and women who were all working with—or want to work with—Stark Industries and were more than willing to share the spotlight, as Tony and Gwen decided on donating to five different organizations; two were orphanages, one was for a children's hospital, one for children's education, and one for a child sponsorship charity. Other than them, ex-SHIELD agents—those who were affiliated with the Avengers—and FBI agents were also invited, as well as their families. It was a grand gala, one that was sure to make headlines as it also publicized the fact that the Avengers and the FBI worked together.

Tony quickly called them over once the venue was finished. Of course, only the best for Tony Stark. It was completely different from what the BAU men were used to as everything was pretty flashy; from the décor, to even the food and drinks that were going to be served.

Rossi was already eyeing the bar.

"Guests are expected to arrive within the hour," Tony told them. "Happy said that the girls are already getting ready so all we need to do right now is to wait."

"Would it be okay if I do the waiting by the bar?" Rossi smirked.

"Absolutely, and you know what? I'll be joining you."

The guests soon arrived, and the gala was on full swing. Investors were mingling left and right, several business owners were also there. Spencer couldn't help himself from moving towards the bar, where everyone else gravitated towards. Everyone except for Will and Hotch, of course, who were by the catering area where the kids were busy choosing their dinner.

Derek smirked at Spencer, sipping on his scotch before gesturing towards Rossi and Mila. "They seem cozy."

Spencer followed his line of sight and raised his eyebrows. "It's undeniable now," he shook his head. Mila was sat on one of the stools, leaning back against the bar, while Rossi stood right beside her, arm on top of the bar as he faced her. By his body language, it was very obvious what it was he wanted from her. "It's strange."

"Eh," Derek shrugged. "They look good together though. They're both Italians too, so I can only assume they're speaking in Italian, talking dirty."

The genius grimaced a little. "Ugh, you made me look." Spencer let out a breath before admitting, "I can read their lips. They are saying very...uh..."

Derek laughed, patting him on the shoulder. "You excited to see Gwen?"

"More like nervous," he sighed, fingering at his coat. He was wearing designer suit and tie ensemble, and looked very out of his comfort zone as he kept fidgeting where he stood. "I'm kind of, um...out of my element here."

"Well, you shouldn't worry too much," Derek reassured him. "This is for Gwen. Don't even think about anyone else but her, alright?"

Spencer nodded, pursing his lips a little. "What's taking them so long, anyway?"

"You don't have to wait any longer, though, 'cause here they come."

Eyes were immediately drawn to the women who just walked in. The first in line was Natasha, who was wearing a rather simple black Alex Perry dress that was strapless and had a scoop neckline. The corset-like bodice hugged her small waist beautifully, and the slit that subtly made an appearance at every step captured everyone's attention. Her short, red hair was slightly curled at the ends, and she wore simple diamond studs on her lobes. She barely had any makeup on as she gracefully walked with her black four-inch Louboutins.

She slightly smirked at the cameras as even paparazzi were present at the event. She gave them all a sly look before making her way to where the other Avengers were, standing next to Steve and striking up a conversation.

The next to make an appearance was Alina, with her hair up in a high ponytail, which showed of her collarbones. She was also wearing simple makeup, and on her feet were silver five-inch pumps. She waved at the cameras, smiling politely at those who approached her, before heading towards the food, immediately grabbing herself a plate.

She didn't notice Hotch as he admired her, looking her up and down.

After Alina were the BAU ladies; first was JJ with her blonde hair in a low bun, parted in the middle, soft yet highlighted makeup; second was Penelope, her red hair tied up into little space buns, her makeup a little bit bolder and more colorful than the rest, and her light pink cat-eye glasses adding to the look; and finally Emily, with her hair down and slightly curled, her bangs fixed into place as she smiled, her makeup leaning more towards a bronzy look. All three of them wore three-inch heels. JJ was instantly by Will and Henry's side, Emily made her way towards Natasha, while Penelope headed off to Derek and Spencer.

She grinned at the latter. "You're gonna die once you see Gwen."

And on cue, Gwen graced everyone with her presence. Her hair was parted in the middle and was left straight, and she wore dangling pearl earrings. Her makeup was done a little more extravagant than usual. As for her dress, the most eye-catching part was the gold bodysuit, which reminded Spencer of armor. The way it was designed made people trace her body's natural curves; the curves of her breasts, the lines of her stomach, and shape of her waist and hips. Wrapped around the rest of her body was a slightly sheer turquoise cloth. The high slit caught everyone's eye.

Spencer's jaw dropped. "Wow."

"Wow is right," Derek raised his eyebrows, nodding appreciatively. He then turned towards Penelope. "You ladies clean up well."

The tech analyst grinned. "We have to thank Tony for lending us his card."

Spencer didn't even realize that he was walking towards her until she met him halfway through. The two lovers shared a quick smile, before Gwen led him towards the middle of the room, covered by several bodies. It somehow gave them the privacy they needed.

"Hey," Gwen greeted.

"Hey," Spencer replied before pressing his lips against hers. Due to her heels, they were the same height, and neither of them had any trouble with kissing.

Gwen kissed him back, wanting nothing more than to deepen the kiss, but she had enough self-control to pull away, placing a hand on his chest. "You look great. I love the short hair."

"Really?"

"Yeah," she smiled, before pinching his nose. "You look like a mouse."

"Is- is that a good thing?"

"Absolutely," she giggled. "You look adorable, doc."

Spencer smiled bashfully at her. "You flatter me too much."

"Is it a crime?"

"No, but..." he chuckled, blushing a little. "I'm not used to it."

"Well, you're my boyfriend now, get used to it."

"I'll try--woah!" He yelped a little, bursting into laughter when she pulled him close, flush against her body. Spencer grinned at her, clearing his throat a little when he realized what she was doing. "I, uh, I can't dance."

Gwen shrugged. "No one's here to judge our dancing skills, Spencer. Just...let loose, let the music guide you. Or, you know, let me."

Spencer nodded. "Alright. Where do I...?"

"One hand right here on mine," she instructed, lifting up her right hand which he gladly took with his left. "Good, now your other hand..." She guided his right hand and placed it on her waist. It felt warm, even through layers of clothing. Or was the room just getting hot? "That's right."

He licked his lips before pecking her again, not really caring about looking presentable, as all he could think about was kissing her. "Can I, uh..." He didn't even wait for a response before he pulled her even closer, if that were even possible. He let go of her right hand and moved it down to her waist, allowing her to rest her arms on his shoulders. "I love you."

Gwen giggled. "I love you too." And then she pulled him in for another kiss as they swayed to the soft music playing throughout the room. The two were oblivious to the looks they were receiving from their families.

Hotch smiled from behind his glass, nodding at Steve. The two teams eventually found their way to one another, and were all just settling in two round tables that were side by side.

"Guess we have to get used to all of that," the black-haired man commented before taking a sip of his scotch.

"It's great, seeing her happy, seeing him," Steve nodded. "They deserve it."

Hotch nodded wordlessly before glancing at Alina, which the super soldier noticed.

Steve chuckled. "You know...you should take a shot at happiness too."

The FBI agent looked at him before sighing. "I don't know...isn't she with Helen? I saw them..."

"They're not," Steve shrugged. "Alina's just...they hookup from time to time, it's not much of a secret. But we're all aware they're not actually together, so just...you know...once you can..."

Hotch shook his head. "We'll see."

"Can I have everyone's attention please?" Tony called, one hand holding a mic and the other a glass of his favorite scotch that the BAU men have been pretty much hoarding. Everyone turned silent at his words and faced him as he stood on the little platform with Pepper by his side. "This gala was arranged not just to celebrate Stark Industries' donations, but also to bring awareness. A very good friend of mine...she lost someone. But instead of getting angry, fighting everyone in sight like most people would've done, she decided to give. It was her that inspired me, and it was her that chose these five organizations." The heads of those five organizations stood there in front of everyone as well, Tony gesturing to them so they'd get recognized. "These organizations...they stand for the things my friend believes in. And I'm very happy to be working with them from this day forward."

Applause rang through the hall at his words, and Gwen couldn't help herself from grinning up at him and Pepper. She gave them both a nod of thanks. Flashes of light also filled the scene as paparazzi, reporters, each of them wanting to commemorate this moment.

"Thank you all," Tony waved, before stepping down. He fixed his blazer, placing an arm around Pepper's waist as he led her towards Gwen and Spencer.

The redhead smiled, nodding at Spencer, who waved in response. She was warned early on that he wasn't much for physical contact, and a feeling of fondness blossomed from within Spencer when he realized that everyone was respectfully giving him the space he needed and were willing to compromise for him even though he's new to the group. He grinned, looking down at the ground for a second when he realized that they've accepted him and all of his quirks.

"You must be Spencer," Pepper greeted. "I'm Pepper, we haven't met."

"It's nice to meet you," Spencer smiled shyly. "Tony here brags about you all the time."

Pepper laughed, hugging Tony close. "All good things, I hope." She then faced Gwen. "As usual, you're the belle of the ball, Gwen."

Gwen smiled. "Thanks, Pep."

"Well, I hope you guys enjoy the night, you deserve it."

Tony gave Gwen and Spencer grins before pulling the former into a hug. He pulled her close and reassuringly rubbed her back, whispering into her ear. "I love you, Gwennie. You'll always have us, if you need anything..."

"I'll let you know," Gwen nodded against his shoulder. "I love you too, Tones."

He pulled away, acknowledging the two with a nod. "You two have fun, alright? But I'm watching you, Reid. So is FRIDAY."

"Tony," Pepper scolded, slapping his chest. "Let the lovebirds be."

"Alright, alright." Then they walked away.

"Guess I'll have to look over my shoulder at all times," Spencer teased, eyes crinkling as he grinned so widely at Gwen, who was trying not to laugh.

"It's not them you should be worried about," Gwen gave him a warning look jokingly. "I can kick your ass just as much as they can if you hurt me."

Spencer pulled her close, hands dangerously low on her back. He shrugged. "We don't want that, do we?"

"We do not," and Gwen pulled him into another kiss. 

Never did Spencer Reid imagine his life would turn out like this.

author's note: aaaaa to be honest, i don't wanna publish updates everyday anymore bc im sad that the book's close to ending :<<<<

like, i don't want it to end ajhkjshdajsd

btw, what did yall think of the gowns?? i had gwen's planned out for weeks, but the others took a while. i had to search high and low on pinterest hahahah.

anyway, i hope you guys liked this chapter!! i'm also changing the title from 'pov, spencer reid' to 'pov, criminal minds' just so i can add like a lil number at the end so that ppl will know they should read this before rem, which, i'm still too lazy to make graphics for ᵔᴗᵔ

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