The storm raged outside as you and Spencer were stuck in a cabin after a BAU mission. Tension filled the room.

“WHAT ARE YOU SO AFRAID OF?” you burst out after Spencer kept pacing back and forth.

“I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU,” Spencer confessed, stopping his tracks.

“No, you’re not. You don’t get to make me the bad guy now.”

“But I am. Every day I fall deeper in love with you.”

“Stop it.”

“I can’t hide it anymore. I can’t breathe when you’re away, you mean everything to me.”

Your voice trembled with anger and pain. “I HATE YOU.”

“I know. Believe me, I know.”

Silence fell, the storm outside, hearts pounding.

“We can’t be together, Spencer. We’re partners. If it goes wrong, it ruins everything.”

Spencer’s shoulders slumped, his face heartbroken. Without another word, he turned and stormed out, the door slamming behind him. You hesitated, then ran after him into the rain.

“Spencer, please,” you called out.

You opened your eyes, sadness filling them. “It’s not that simple, Spencer. Our job is dangerous. We see the worst of humanity every day. I can’t risk losing you, not just as a partner, but as a friend. I can’t let my feelings compromise our work, or put us in a position where we could make a mistake because we’re too emotionally involved.”

Outside, the rain poured down, drenching you both. Spencer stood a few feet away, shoulders shaking. You approached him cautiously, your heart aching.

“Spencer, please,” you called out, barely audible over the storm.

He reached out, his hand gently touching yours. “But what about us?”

You pulled your hand away. “We have to be stronger than our feelings. I can’t be with you, no matter how much I...”

He turned, rain mixing with tears on his face. “So, what do we do now?”

You took another deep breath, the rain masking your own tears. “We move forward. We stay friends. We keep doing our jobs, protecting people. And we try to find a way to live with this.”

In the raging storm, you both knew you had to navigate the storm within your hearts.