it’s late, and the hotel hallway is quiet except for the low hum of the air conditioning and the muffled sounds of traffic from the street below. the team has settled in for the night, each of you trying to get some rest before the next day's work on a particularly tough case. you’ve been in your room for an hour now, the tv on but muted, and you’re staring blankly at the screen, your thoughts far away.

there’s a soft knock on your door, a gentle rapping that you recognize immediately. you hesitate for a moment, not really feeling up to company, but something in the way the knock sounds — tentative, almost cautious — makes you get up and open the door. spencer stands there, looking slightly nervous, his hands fidgeting with the hem of his sweater.

"hey," he says quietly, his gaze searching your face. "can i come in?"

you nod, stepping back to let him in, and he walks past you, pausing in the middle of the room. you can tell he’s been thinking about what he wants to say. spencer’s never been great at small talk, and he gets straight to the point.

"you’ve been… different today," he starts, his voice soft but direct. "i mean, i know this case is hard, but… it feels like there’s something else going on. i just wanted to check if you’re okay. or if you wanted to talk about it."

you close the door behind you and take a deep breath, your chest feeling tight. you knew someone would notice — of course it would be spencer. he’s always so perceptive, always paying attention to the little things that others might miss.

you sit down on the edge of the bed, looking down at your hands. “it’s just…” you start, but your voice falters. spencer sits down in the chair across from you, leaning forward slightly, his hands folded in his lap.

"you don’t have to tell me," he says gently. "but… i’d like to help, if i can."