baubabble - Tumblr blog

baubabble · 4 years

Text

“Fifth Time’s The Charm” Spencer Reid x Doctor!F!Reader

Summary: The reader is Spencer’s neighbor and after he comes home from prison, they keep running into each other. Five times to be exact...

Word Count: 3796

Warning: None

Song I Wrote To: “Hurts 2B Human” by P!nk

Note: Was feeling a little Spencer love today.

---------

The first time Spencer Reid met you, it was shortly after he had gotten out of prison.

It had been quite the adjustment to get back to normal. With everything that had happened with his mother and Catherine Adams, Spencer was hoping that he could spend some time alone to gather himself before he had to head back into the office. Of course, he was also on probation and had to teach when not working on cases, but he was still grateful that they had welcomed him back. Not that Emily would have ever allowed them not to.

One afternoon, he was pacing around his apartment, tripping on the many books that littered his floor when a knock came at his door. Spencer froze, unprepared for any kind of company. Also, he still wasn’t used to being around other people besides his friends and family since getting out of jail.

Slowly, he approached the door and peered through the peephole. His brow furrowed when he saw you standing on the other side. Spencer opened the door, the chain still attached and you looked up with an easy smile on your face.

“Dr. Reid?” you asked.

“Can I help you?” Spencer asked. You paused, rocking back on your heels for a moment before offering another smile.

“Are you Dr. Reid? Because if not, then I apparently can’t read the numbers on apartment doors. Though, I don’t think the mailman can either,” you said, lifting an envelope that was in your hands. “This was delivered to my place by mistake.” Spencer grimaced, feeling awkward.

“Oh, right,” he said as he quickly closed his door and took off the chain. When he opened it again, you were already handing him the thick envelope that had the FBI seal on it. Clearly, the courier who had brought it had gotten confused. It was probably Anderson, Spencer thought.

“Don’t wanna lose something like that,” you said with a small laugh.

“Thank you,” Spencer said, holding the package close to his chest. You stood there for a second and then nodded quickly.

“Yeah, no problem, Doctor,” you said before turning away.

“It’s Spencer,” Spencer called after you. You turned to look at him, your head tilted. “My name, it’s...it’s Spencer. You can call me Spencer,” he said slightly flustered. When you smiled back at him, something stirred in his chest.

Something he hadn’t felt since Maeve.

“(Y/N),” you introduced. “It’s very nice to meet you, Spencer.” Reid gave you an awkward wave as you smiled again and walked the rest of the way to your apartment that was just two doors down.

Stepping back into his own place, Spencer closed the door and leaned against it.

Yeah, he was very happy to be home.

----------

The second time Spencer ran into you, it was when he was coming home after working a long case in Alabama.

He and Matt had stayed up all night on a stakeout, trying to figure out who the unsub was. Unable to get any sleep on the jet, Spencer was running on only black coffee and an energy bar Luke had forced him to eat. As he trudged up the staircase of his walk-up, all Spencer could think of was falling into bed and not getting up until noon the following day.

Spencer leaned against the wall by his door as his hands dug into his messenger bag, searching for his keys. Garcia had told him many times to get a proper keychain, but the genius hadn’t bothered to do so yet.

As he fumbled for his keys, a door opened down the hall and you stepped out of your place. Spencer looked at you, observing you from his spot a few feet away. You were dressed in dark blue scrubs with your hair pushed out of your face. A bag was slung over your shoulder and a travel mug of coffee was in your hand.

As you closed your door, you noticed the Doctor and you smiled. “Spencer,” you greeted.

“Hi, (Y/N),” he said as you approached him.

“Are you just getting home?” you asked, gripping the strap of your bag. Spencer’s eyes went to the badge that was clipped to the side of your backpack, recognizing the name of the hospital.

“Yeah, I just finished a case,” he explained, offering you a tight-lipped smile.

“So, you do actually work for the FBI? I mean, I figured because of the package, but you never know in this town,” you said and then realized you were rambling. “Sorry, it’s none of my business,” you muttered as you swiftly tried to move past him, but Spencer stepped into your path.

“No, no,” he said quickly, “it’s alright, you can ask. I am in the FBI. I’m a profiler.”

“Really?” you asked, instantly intrigued. “Do you enjoy it?” Spencer hesitated at your question. He hadn’t been asked that in a while. Since being released, everyone outside of his team seemed to be walking on eggshells around him. JJ had said that it would just take some time to get back to normal, but Reid didn’t think that was ever going to happen.

He was different and the FBI definitely felt different than it had before Mexico. However, looking down at your interested face as you played with your keys, he felt an old excitement. One he used to get when people asked about his profession.

“I love it,” Spencer admitted. “It’s trying at times, but I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.” You looked to be thinking over his words, as you bit the inside of your cheek. Spencer logged that as one of your idiosyncrasies.

“That’s nice to hear,” you said. “You don’t hear that a lot.”

“Hear what?” he asked.

“Just that people love what they do,” you explained. “Usually, people do a job because they have to and not because they want to.”

“Is that why you do yours?” he asked, gesturing to your scrubs.

“Being a doctor wasn’t so much a choice, but a calling. I wanted to help people and love doing it.” Spencer smiled at you, ducking his head slightly.

“I’d say we have that in common,” he said with a bit of hesitation in his voice.

“I’d say we do,” you agreed with a small laugh. Suddenly, your phone beeped, gaining your attention. You frowned at the message.

“I know that look,” Reid said. “Duty calls?”

“Yeah,” you sighed. “Hopefully there is more of this when I get in,” you said raising your coffee mug. “You, however, look dead on your feet. You need sleep, Spencer, and trust me, I am a medical professional.” Spencer chuckled and then nodded.

“Yes, Doctor,” he said with a small salute and you beamed at him.

“Have a good night, Spencer,” you said as you passed him.

“You too.” Spencer watched after you as you jogged down the stairs and out of the building.

Suddenly, Spencer didn’t feel that tired anymore.

--------

The third time you crossed paths, you were coming home with boxes stacked in your arms.

Spencer was getting his mail when he noticed you and rushed forward to help you. “This is why this palace needs an elevator,” you grunted as Spencer took the top two boxes from the stack.

“You could have done multiple trips,” he offered and you scoffed.

“Please, we both know that nobody ever actually does that,” you laughed. “Would you mind helping me put these boxes inside?" you asked, gesturing towards your door. Spencer swallowed but nodded. He had only seen you in passing, whether it was one of you leaving or getting home from work. He had never been into your home before.

You balanced the box on your hip as you pulled out your key and fit it into the lock. You backed up into your apartment, letting Spencer follow you. “You can set them down there,” you said, gesturing to a table near the window at the far wall.

Reid dropped the boxes where you asked and then took in your main space. There were two doors on the far side of the apartment that he figured lead to your bathroom and bedroom. Your place was much lighter than his. The walls were painted a light blue and your kitchen was bathed in whites and blues as well.

He could see small things dotted around your place that told the story of your career. An extra lab coat was thrown over a chair by the entrance, papers were strewn across a desk in the corner, and at least three different pairs of sneakers were by your front door ready to be slipped on before rounds.

“Want one?” you said, interrupting his thoughts. Spencer turned to see you holding a water bottle in your hand. He nodded and you tossed it to him in which he clumsily caught.

“So, what is all this for?” he asked, gesturing to the boxes.

“Clinical trial. I’m helping a friend out with some of the legal stuff and start-up procedure,” you explained, leaning against your kitchen counter that overlooked the main room.

“And you have time to do it?” Spencer asked.

“Oh, definitely not, hence the new home project,” you said, tapping the top of the box nearest to you. “I figured I could help whenever I’m home and offer him some ideas.”

“What’s the focus?”

“How a specific protein introduced will affect the number of white blood cells to combat the reoccurrence of Osteosarcomas,” you explained. Spencer nodded thoughtfully at that.

You smiled softly over the rim of your water bottle, unsure of where to go with the conversation. It had been a while since you had spoken to anyone outside of work and while you liked Spencer Reid, he intimated you more than he realized.

You didn’t know if it was his height or because he was an FBI agent, but you were never quite sure what to say around him. When you had moved into the building, nobody had been living in Reid’s place, but based on the whispers you had heard from the landlord and other tenants, something had recently happened. You weren’t one to listen to rumors or gossip and so you had kept to yourself.

However, one day as you were coming home from a long shift, you saw him entering the building and had been instantly stuck by him. The way he walked, it was as if he trying to avoid everything life had to offer and it had made you instantly curious.

When the courier had delivered the package to you instead of the Good Doctor, you had jumped at the chance to talk to him. Now, however, every time the two of you ran into each other, that first-time nervousness entered your gut.

“(Y/N)?” Reid said and you blinked at him. “Did you hear what I said?”

“Sorry, I was lost in my brain,” you said, your nose scrunching up slightly which had Spencer nearly on the floor at the small movement. “What did you say?”

“Uh,” he said, “I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out sometime.” Your eyes widened slightly at his question and then you were nodding quickly.

“Yeah, anytime,” you said and Spencer mirrored your expression. You just hoped that anytime meant soon because Spencer Reid had definitely made an impression.

---------

Anytime wasn’t soon at all.

You were working late in the ER when you got a call that the EMTs were bringing in a gunshot on a Federal Agent. Being the only Attending trauma surgeon on call for the night, you were called to intake immediately.

As soon as the bus arrived, you were moving with a flock of residents behind you. As soon as the gurney crashed through the main doors, the EMTs were catching you up. “Supervisory Special Agent Matthew Simmons, forty-two, penetrating GSW to the upper left thorax.”

“Exit wound?” you asked, checking the agent’s pulse.

“Negative. Fluids were administrated en route and the patient was responsive up until three minutes ago,” the EMT you knew as Santiago said.

“SSA Simmons, can you hear me?” you asked, checking his pupillary response. A slight groan came from the man on the gurney and you breathed a sigh of relief. “Don’t worry, Agent, we’re going to take good care of you.”

Suddenly, three people came crashing through the emergency doors, their eyes finding your patient immediately. Leading them was a woman with dark hair and a determined look in her eyes. Behind her was a blonde that was running quite well on the high heels she was wearing. Finally, you properly saw who the third person was.

It was Spencer.

His eyes found yours as you leaned over Simmons and there was pure fear on his face. You then realized Simmons was one of his, a fellow profiler. “Where’s Doctor Emery?” a nurse said, pulling you away from Spencer as you wheeled your patient towards the elevator.

“He’s off tonight,” you explained, “so you have me. We don’t have time to wait. I want him prepped for surgery right now and call Doctor Parker in Cardio, I think the bullet grazed his heart.” The nurse nodded and ran to make the call.

“Doctor,” the dark-haired woman said as you stopped at the elevator. “Do I need to call his family?” she asked. You glanced down at Simmons and then back at the three agents before you, not holding Spencer’s gaze for too long.

“I would, yes,” you told her honestly and she nodded. As soon as the doors opened, you followed your patient, already stripping off your jacket in preparation for scrubbing. “I’ll be out to update you as soon as possible.” The woman nodded and then the doors shut.

-----

Spencer couldn’t stop pacing.

Shortly after you had taken Matt up to surgery, the others arrived, joining Reid, Prentiss, and Penelope in the waiting room. JJ, Luke, Rossi, and Tara all sat around, trying to remain hopeful as Matt lay open on your table.

Prentiss had called Matt’s wife and Kristy had shown up soon after. She was now being comforted by Penelope and JJ, both women keeping their arms around her.

It had been three hours since Matt had gone under and Spencer couldn’t take the waiting anymore. He was blaming himself. He had cleared the rooftop and was sure that there weren’t any more gunmen, but he was wrong.

The last unsub had come out of nowhere, firing his weapon, hitting Matt beneath his vest with a well-aimed shot. Spencer had taken the man down with a shot of his own, but it was too late, Matt was down and a weight fell on top of Spencer very fast.

Emily had tried to tell him that it wasn’t his fault. Nobody had profiled that there were more than three. The fourth shooter had been a surprise to them all. However, Reid couldn’t help but think that if he had spent more time off before getting back into the field then he would have been sharper.

JJ watched him pace, trying to think of something to say, but Spencer didn’t want to hear anything, not from her and not from anyone. Well, maybe one person, but you were a bit busy trying to save one of his best friend’s life.

It was another hour when you finally appeared in the waiting room, exhaustion weighing on your shoulders. Penelope nudged Kristy awake and pointed at you. Kristy approached you. “Mrs. Simmons?” you asked and she nodded. You smiled at her.

“Matthew is going to be just fine,” you announced and Kristy sagged over in relief. You reached out to grab her hands before she could fall over completely. “The surgery went well and our Cardiologist was able to fully repair any damage that the bullet did to the surrounding cardiac muscle. We are both confident that with time and some physical therapy for his shoulder, Matthew will be up and walking in no time.”

“Thank you so much,” Kristy said as she pulled you into a hug. You hugged the woman back. You always loved this part of your job, the times you could provide good news.

“They’re just finishing up right now and then he’ll be moved to recovery where you can see him. Someone will come down and let you know when you can,” you told her as she pulled back. Kristy thanked you again and then you were shaking hands with the rest of the members of Simmons’ team.

Turning to find Spencer, he was a few feet away, relief very apparent on his face. Walking towards him, you tried to gauge what he was thinking. “I thought you were an Oncologist,” he said in greeting.

“No,” you corrected, “I was just helping out a friend. Trauma is where I live.” Spencer nodded and you could see that he looked more tired than usual.

“Thank you for saving him,” Spencer said as he wrung his hands. You then noticed that they were still speckled with blood.

“Come with me,” you said, lightly touching his arm. Reid followed you, ignoring the stares of confusion by his friends. He hadn’t told them about you yet. Not that there was much to tell. The two of you hadn’t officially gone out yet and while he was absolutely smitten, he wasn’t sure what to refer to you as. Also, he just wanted to keep you to himself a little while longer before Penelope and Luke began teasing.

Entering one of the empty exam rooms, you flipped on the light and gestured for Spencer to sit down. “I’m fine, (Y/N),” he assured you, but you rolled your eyes.

“Remind me which one of us is the medical doctor here,” you said, producing a tray with saline and gauze.

“You are,” he said.

“Exactly, now let me treat my patient. You got some scrapes on your palms,” you said and Spencer looked down, unaware that he had broken skin when he slid to Matt’s side. Gently, you took his left hand and wiped it clean of blood with the saline before grabbing the peroxide.

“It was my fault,” Spencer said in the silence.

“What was?” you asked, dabbing the disinfectant along his long fingers.

“Matt getting shot,” he whispered, “I missed the final shooter.” You looked up at him, trying to look into his eyes, but he kept his long hair shagged in front of his face. Hesitantly, you used your other hand to push back his curls, getting him to look at you.

“It wasn’t your fault, Spencer,” you said. “You didn’t pull the trigger and you didn’t want Matt to get hurt, right?”

“Right.”

“Then don’t beat yourself up,” you said, returning to your task.

“Easier said than done,” he said. You finished with his left hand and took the right. “There’s something you don’t know.”

“And what’s that?” you asked, taking your time to make sure his palms were clean and wouldn’t scar.

“The reason my place was vacant when you moved in was because... It was because I was in prison.” Your fingers stumbled for less than a second before they continued their smooth rhythm.

“What happened? If you don’t mind me asking,” you said, grabbing the disinfectant.

“I was framed for a murder I didn’t commit,” Spencer explained. “With what I do, enemies come with the job. This woman, Cat, she had masterminded the entire thing. The reason why isn’t important, but I just felt the need to tell you before…”

“Before what?” you whispered.

“Before we decided to explore whatever this is between us,” he admitted. Spencer then curled his hand around yours, holding it tight. “There were things I did while I was inside that you may not like.”

“You just told me you were framed, whatever you did I’m sure you did it to survive,” you told him. Spencer looked at you as if you had grown another head. “What is it?”

“You are something else,” he said and you smiled back at him.

“So are you, Doctor Reid and your friend is going to be fine. Remember, ‘...All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.’”

“Did you just ‘Confucious’ me?” Spencer asked. You raised your brows at him in answer. “That is so hot.”

-------

You were sitting at the main desk in the Emergency Room when your coworker, Amanda, kicked your seat.

“Hey!” you exclaimed, kicking her back.

“Isn’t that your hot doctor?” she asked, pointing over at the entrance. Glancing over the counter you saw Spencer. In his hands was a paper bag, the label of your favourite Mexican restaurant was on the side.

“Indeed it is,” you said as you stood, smoothing down your scrubs. When Reid spotted you, he smiled wide. Approaching him, you dodged a few frantic interns. You hadn’t seen him a bit. You both had been working overtime in your respective fields and then Spencer had gone out of town for a few days to solve a case down in Texas. Seeing him now in your element felt like Christmas.

“Hi,” he greeted.

“What’s this?” you asked, leading him into a small office just off the ER. Spencer smiled at you.

“You once told me that you never have time to eat when you’re working a long night shift and I saw a take-out menu for this place on your counter that one time. I figured you may want some dinner.”

“Be still my heart, Doctor Reid,” you said as you took the food from him. You instantly sighed at the smell of chilis and black beans. “Are these spicy steak tacos?”

“You had it circled in very bright green marker,” he said sheepishly.

“How has nobody snatched you up yet?” you wondered.

“Guess I’ve just been waiting for the right person,” Spencer offered and you temporarily forgot about the tacos.

“Is that right?” you asked.

“I don’t want to keep dancing around any of this anymore, (Y/N),” Spencer said. “I like you, a lot, and I would really love to take you out on a proper date.”

“One that doesn’t involve take out menus?” you asked.

“Preferably,” he said with another smile. Stepping closer, you moved your hand to the side of his face.

“I think that is a brilliant idea, Doctor,” you told him and Spencer leaned into your hand.

“Well that proves a theory I had,” Spencer said.

“And what was that?”

“That fifth time’s the charm,” he whispered and you grinned. Spencer then took your face into his hand and leaned down. You met him halfway, finally letting your lips meet and you both knew then that perhaps good things weren’t that difficult after all.

A/N: I don’t know how old Matt actually is. I guessed. I’m not the happiest with this one, but I did want to finish it instead of abandoning it.

#spencer reid imagine #spencer reid #criminal minds imagine #criminal minds #CM imagine #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x you

641 notes · View notes