Chapter 3

“Well, looks like I’m going apartment hunting.”

Prentiss and Morgan hug me, “Wow, a group hug, and no one invited little ole me.” I opened up the slot between me and Morgan, and Garcia slid right in. We separate, and Garcia resumes, “So I’m assuming Ms. L/N will be a part of our little family?”

“You guessed that right, P. How about after work, we all go out for drinks. Y/N this could give you a chance to get better acquainted with the team and us a good opportunity to catch up with you.” Emily said when Jennifer and an unknown, I’m assuming agent, walked over.

“Hi, I’m Y/N L/N-”

“Doctor Y/N L/N, might I add,” Emily added in.

“Thank you for adding that in Em,” I said, rolling my eyes with a smile.

“I’m Doctor Spencer Reid he introduced himself quickly, glancing at you with a hint of nervousness. “I—I’ve read some of your work, particularly the studies you’ve done on psychology and human behavior. It’s… it’s really insightful. I’ve been involved in some similar research, though I focus more on the neurological and statistical side of things.” He adjusted his bag, looking a little unsure. “I’m sorry, I’m rambling. Just… yeah, your work is impressive.” I think I’ve met my match; I know I’m going to like him.

“So, Y/N, you have good news?” Jareau said, looking at me with hope in her eyes. Those blue eyes made my stomach queasy, and I was not complaining. “I’m guessing, from the hug and the word ‘drinks’ in less than 30 seconds, things must have gone well.”

“Yes, Em suggested drinks after you guys get off, and they are on me, everyone on the team is invited. How about The Gibson off 14th?” Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. “All right, I’ll see y’all later.”

*6 p.m*

Everyone was already there when I arrived at the bar; they put us in a little room in the back. I buy the first round of drinks and start to socialize with the team. Reid and I talked for 30 minutes about different studies and cases we’ve worked on in the past. Everyone’s glasses were starting to get empty, so I ordered another round. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jennifer come over to where I was sitting.

“You gotta be careful with this group and alcohol; they will run up that tab.” She said, laughing.

I giggled, “My old co-workers in London were way worse than this group, Jennifer, trust me.”

“You can call me ‘JJ’ everyone here does. But my friend is an apartment manager not too far away from here. I can introduce you to her and possibly get you an apartment. I could text her to see if she could see us tonight if you want.”

“That would be awesome, JJ! Thank you very much.” I smiled, keeping it casual. “I’m sure having someone as helpful as you are will make transferring a lot easier.” We chatted a little bit more, and she got a text back from her friend telling us to meet her at her building. I grabbed my things and told Derek where we were going. JJ rode with Reid to the bar, so I drove us to meet her friend.

I signed the lease for the penthouse, still a bit in awe of how quickly everything had fallen into place. “This place is amazing,” I said, looking out at the city skyline from the balcony. “I can’t believe how smooth this all went. Seriously, JJ, you’ve made my day.”

Jennifer smiled, clearly pleased with herself. “Well, I’m glad I could help,” she said. “I’m sure you’ll love it here. Just let me know if you need anything else.”

As I gathered my things, preparing to leave, I turned to her with a teasing grin. “You know, with all the help you’ve given me, I might just have to have you over to celebrate once I’m settled in. It seems only fair.”

JJ laughed, giving me a playful wink. “I think I could be persuaded,” she said, her tone light but suggestive. “Let me know when you’re ready, and we’ll make it happen.” I felt a spark of excitement as we walked out the door, knowing that not only had I found the perfect place but that maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something a little more than just a favor between friends. I drop her off at her house and head towards Alex’s.

Alex was sitting on the couch with her laptop, and she immediately asked me how my day was. We chatted about everything that happened, and then, all of a sudden, her mood shifted. I noticed the subtle change in her posture—her shoulders tensed, and her fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment before she looked up at me, her expression now more distant.

“Everything okay?” I asked, concerned.

She hesitated for a moment before offering a forced smile, but I could tell it wasn’t the usual easygoing one she gave me. “Yeah, just something on my mind,” she said, her voice quieter than usual.

I raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. The air between us felt thicker now, the familiar comfort of our conversations replaced with an unspoken tension.

After a minute, she finally spoke again, her eyes not quite meeting mine. “I guess I’m just… feeling a little left out, you know? It’s like everything’s moving forward for you. The new place, the team—hell, even your connection with JJ. I mean, I know we’re not… anything, but I thought maybe I’d be more of a part of things by now.”

Her words hit me harder than I expected. It wasn’t anger, just a quiet vulnerability I hadn’t anticipated. I swallowed, unsure how to respond at first.

“I didn’t mean to make you feel that way,” I said softly. “I’ve just been focused on getting everything sorted out… it’s been a lot lately.”

She nodded slowly, still not looking at me. “I get it. I do. It’s just… I don’t know; I thought we’d figure things out eventually. You know, with us. But I guess that’s not happening, is it?”

“Our past is so complicated, Lex, and I’ve changed a lot in the past three years,” I said, my voice soft as I considered the weight of the conversation. “I think I just want to take things slow. We don’t need to rush into anything, you know?”

She looked at me for a moment, her expression unreadable, and I could see her shoulders relax a little. I wasn’t sure if she was processing what I said or simply letting herself breathe again.

“How about you help me move into my apartment this week?” I suggested, trying to keep it easy and low-pressure. “We could go shopping, set things up at my apartment. We can just enjoy being around each other with no expectations. I don’t know what I want right now, but I just don’t want to let things get too complicated. I’d like to spend time with you before work completely takes over.”

Her eyes softened, and I could see the tension in her face start to fade. She let out a small sigh and gave me a slight, almost relieved smile.

“I get that,” she said quietly, her voice now more relaxed. “I think I was just… worried. I didn’t want to jump back into something if that’s not where your head’s at. I’m glad you said that.” She shifted a bit on the couch, finally meeting my eyes. “Honestly, just hanging out, catching up, being friends? That sounds good. I can do that.”

I grabbed the wine that I had picked up on the way. I put on a movie meanwhile, We scrolled through furniture websites, laughing at some of the ridiculous options we found. Alex kept suggesting bold, out-of-the-box choices while I leaned toward something more minimalist. Eventually, we found a good balance, and by the time the movie credits started rolling, we’d pretty much bought everything for the living room, dining room, and bedroom. The major pieces were covered, but there was still that little something missing to make the place feel like home.

As I sat back, closed my laptop, and finished off the wine, I realized how much easier it had been to make decisions with her here. There wasn’t any of the usual tension I’d expected—just comfortable conversation and a shared sense of purpose – this felt good.