Spencer Reid winced as the paramedic carefully cleaned the wound on his arm, the sharp sting of antiseptic making his breath catch. The mission had gone south faster than expected, and now he was sitting in the back of the ambulance, trying not to focus on the pain.

She was a vision of calm amid the chaos. Her name had been called out when she arrived, and it was now imprinted in his mind. Her quiet, stoic presence contrasted sharply with the hectic scene around them, but there was something mesmerizing about the way she worked. Her hands were steady, precise as she dressed the wound, and despite her intense focus, she was gentle, never rushing.

Spencer found himself watching her, heart hammering in his chest, forgetting to breathe. He had seen many paramedics, but something about her made him feel like she was the only person in the world at that moment. The way she concentrated on him without speaking, her eyes occasionally flicking up to meet his—he’d never felt so seen.

Her gaze lingered for a moment, before she moved on to the next step, and Spencer realized, as absurd as it seemed, he was already smitten.