Chapter 35

warnings: none

May 15

Spencer looked up from his book when Clooney hopped off the end of the couch where he had been covering the long feet. "Don't take too long; I'm getting cold." He looked at the front door when the dog gave a snappy bark in reply. Flipping the book over onto the coffee table, Spencer made his way to the door where Derek slowly moved into the house. "Oh my god. What happened?"

Derek's shoulders were hunched; he had a large knot on his cheek, a couple of stitches on his forehead, and a large bandage around his left forearm. "Unsub."

"Let me take that." Spencer grabbed the go bag and pulled it out of the way. He saw the limp when the older man moved down the hall way. "Come on, I'll run a bath for you and make a couple of ice packs."

He went to the bathroom and started the water running. He rummaged around under the sink for the carton of bath salts. Spencer carefully sprinkled them in the tub and agitated the water. He looked up when Derek stepped into the room with an old pair of sweats, underwear, and a faded t-shirt. "I'll get the ice packs. Do you want anything else?"

"Water and Tylenol." Derek began stripping his shirt off.

Spencer pulled some candles out of the linen closet and lit them before leaving the bathroom.

He returned five minutes later with two ice packs. Derek was already lounging in the tub with his bandaged arm resting on the edge. The lights were off, so Spencer simply handed over the medication and water.

"Thanks."

"Are you sure you're all right?"

"No, but I will be. I'm going to be a while; you can go on to bed."

x-x

An hour later, Derek made his way to his bedroom. The warm bath and soothing candles had helped him relax. He stepped into his bedroom to find the covers turned down and Spencer asleep on the floor with his head flipped back onto the bed. He saw a tube of liniment clutched in one hand with the other one resting on top of Clooney's head. Derek was deeply touched by the sentiment. To use a clichéd phrase, it warmed his heart to see Spencer taking care of him instead of being the one taken care of. Like the Grinch, his heart felt three times bigger. Spencer really was going to be okay.

Derek carefully sat on the edge of the bed. "Spencer? Spencer, wake up." He shook the bony shoulder.

"What?" Spencer looked around. "I'm up, I'm up. I've got liniment for you . . . ." The lanky limbs were uncoordinated from sleep, and he almost lost his balance in his efforts to get up.

"Go to bed, Pretty Boy." Derek grabbed his shoulders to keep the boy upright and pushed him toward the door.

"But I've got-" The liniment was held aloft.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I'll be fine. Now go to bed."

x-x

May 29

Spencer rubbed the scar on his wrist. He was nervous for some reason, but he was also excited to finally be going back to work and getting on with his life.

"Stop that," Derek smacked at the hand rubbing the scar. "You have nothing to be nervous about. Although, I must warn you that Garcia is dying to have you back, and she will probably keep you locked in her office for at least a week."

He smiled. Garcia was great; she was so quirky that he practically looked normal next to her. "I think I can handle that."

True to his word, as soon as they walked through the glass doors, Garcia had wrapped her arm around his and dragged him to her office. Spencer was surprised to see a cookie buffet lined along one wall.

"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. Are you ready to get back to work, Boy Wonder?"

"Absolutely, but isn't Hotch going to miss me?"

"Psht, he can come find you." She pushed him into a chair, handed him a plate with one of every type of cookie, and swiveled his chair around to face one of the monitors. "You are not going to believe the footage I have to show you."

They spent the next two hours eating cookies and looking at the video mash-ups that Garcia had created of various people and bathroom antics.

A few minutes later, though, JJ stuck her head in the door. "Spencer, we have a case. Conference room in five minutes."

x-x

Hotch watched the team file in and take their seats around the table. Everyone looked up and smiled when Reid entered. "If I eat one more cookie, I'm going to be breeding minis for the rest of my life."

"I wouldn't let Garcia hear you complain." Morgan said.

"Oh, I'm not." Reid held his hands up in an 'I surrender' gesture. "Do you have any idea what she keeps video of?"

"Yes!" Everyone replied in unison.

Hotch smiled at the antics. It was good to have the young man back with them-happy, healthy, and in one piece.

"All right everyone, pay attention."

THE END

A/N: The Daniel Lattimer case was based off of recommendations from catdoctor and Brianne M.Y

There will be about a one-month hiatus before I begin posting Job Enhancements so I have several chapters ready and hopefully not run into any RL situations that interrupt the posting. Keep an eye out for Reunion Picnic to be posted within that time frame. It has already been beta-ed but I need to go over it at least once more before uploading it.

And last, but certainly not least, I am tremendously humbled by all the reviews, story alerts, author alerts, and favorites that this story has generated. I was leery to post it at first because it is an AU and I wasn't sure how well it would be received.

I also want to thank everyone that sent condolences when I had to put my cat to sleep in July. A word of warning, if you have always had just one animal, getting three is WAY more than triple the work it takes to take care of one. I may end up doing a one-shot where Spencer gets a cat that has to be on Prozac. I had no idea they made the drug for kitties until one of our new babies had to be put on it.

Let me know how you liked the ending.