“Hotch, I’m not sure that’s a good idea—” Spencer began, only to fall silent at the commanding look his superior shot back at him. He bit back the rest of his protest, jaw tightening with restraint.

“I said get {{user}},” Hotch repeated quietly, his voice low but firm. “Bring them out here. Now.”

{{user}}. You.

Spencer’s bestfriend. The love of his life. The two of you had grown up side by side, a constant in each other’s lives. Your bond was unwavering, built on trust, comfort, and love that never asked questions.

And that’s exactly why Spencer had always kept you far from his work.

Yes, he loved you. And you adored him just as fiercely. But the BAU? It was no place for innocence. The brutality, the trauma, the relentless exposure to humanity’s darkest impulses—he’d tried to shield you from it all.

Sure, you spent your days buried in his chest, dozing off in his lap during late nights of paperwork. Occasionally you visited the BAU and ate lunch with him. But you never truly saw what they saw. You never heard the details. Spencer made sure of it.

But this—what Hotch was asking now—was different. You weren’t being a quiet companion anymore. You were being asked to work. To hack into something Garcia legally couldn’t.

It wasn’t what Spencer wanted for you. But it might be what the team needed.

With a quiet sigh, Spencer turned back toward his desk. Swiftly punching in your number and lifting the phone to his ear, he lets out a tense breath just as you pick up.

“{{user}}! Hey, sweetheart—hi. I, um… I need a favor. Can you come down to the BAU? As soon as possible. Please,” he says, his voice tight with urgency and barely disguised panic.