It had been 3 weeks since James had been locked up. 3 weeks since Spencer and you finally felt safe once again. You had returned to work, publishing a new paper on a specific gene that serial killers seemed to have and how it allowed for a neurotransmitter imbalance in their nervous systems. It was the talk of every neuroscience and criminal justice program in the country.

But, instead of taking time to celebrate it, you just threw yourself into another project. Spencer was always gone and you hated being alone. Nate was away in some Eastern European country for an exchange program and Lola was overwhelmed by the chaos that was medical school. You would make time to see each other every month, but it just wasn't the same.

The brain program was taking off, with so much funding that they didn't know what to do with it. You had taken a sabbatical from it, to focus on your research. But, since that was published and over, you were now spending every day at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in a bunker, doing tests and protocols that surely weren't allowed above ground.

It was a lot. Frankly, you were exhausted. But, it kept you busy.

Spencer, on the other hand, also hated being away from you. But the BAU, gaining popularity by all the media attention, was called in at any minor inconvenience. It wasn't that he didn't want to help save missing kids or catch serial killers, but he missed spending time with you.

But it was ok because you both had vacations coming up. And you had decided that you both deserved a break. But, as luck would have it, a senator's daughter was kidnapped as you were heading up to visit your parents and Spencer had to go into work. "I'm so sorry," he said sadly. You frowned, kissing him quickly.

"It's not your fault. Come to Providence if you finish up? I'll miss you," you replied.

"I'll be on the first flight up," he promised, running out of the house. You sighed and sat down on the couch, your head in your hands. Everything going on felt like a wildfire and it didn't look like it was going to be contained any time soon.

You drove to the airport, getting on the flight a few hours later alone and sitting in your seat, pulling out your laptop. It was a short flight but you wanted to work on some data analysis, at least it would keep you busy. A man sat down next to you, making you look up. "Hi princess," he whispered.

"Spence, how?" you asked, blinking to make sure you weren't seeing things.

"I'll be working remotely. I told Hotch that we needed this and that, with everything that's happened in the last year, I didn't want to wait anymore."

"What are you talking about?" You asked, closing your laptop and turning to him.

"We're getting married next week. As long as that's ok with you," he whispered. You threw yourself at him, pulling him into a kiss.

"Next week?" You confirmed as he pulled away, Spencer nodding. "As in Halloween? We're getting married on Halloween?"

"Yeah, I thought it was perfect. I had Garcia do some magic and get us that venue you've been obsessing over," he said as you curled into his arms.

"How? The wait there was 2 years," you muttered.

"I didn't ask, I think it's better that way," he whispered with a small chuckle. You laughed, nodding.

"Spencer, I can't believe you did this for me. I don't deserve you, not one bit."

Spencer looked at you, his eyes locking with yours. "You are everything to me," he said, kissing your forehead. You snuggled further into his arms, enjoying this pocket of peace.

-

When you got out of the airport, your parents met you at the exit. Your mom grinned and hugged you. "Spencer asked us to bring two cars."

"Why?"

"it's a surprise," Spencer said, making you bite your lip.

"Spencer Reid, how many tricks do you have up your sleeve?"

"Enough," he teased, kissing your forehead before getting into the car with your dad. You shook your head, sliding into the passenger seat of your mom's car. She squeezed your hand and began to drive, pulling up to a beautiful shop.

"He asked me to bring you here." You smiled, twisting the ring around your finger. "He loves you so much, you are so lucky sweetheart."

"Oh mom, I know. He's the best part of me," you replied, opening the car door. You walked inside, Lola appearing from behind a panel. "What are you doing here?" You asked, grinning at her as you pulled her into a hug.

"That beautiful beau of yours flew me out here. My best friend only gets married to the love of her life once. I wasn't going to miss it, medical school be damned."

"He's really perfect, isn't he?" you muttered.

"Nobody's perfect. But he's as close as you're getting," Lola joked, grabbing your hand and pulling you into a dressing room. "Now, try these on," she said, throwing hangers at you. Two hours and 10 dress changes later, you had found it, the perfect dress.

You returned home and walked in, seeing Spencer and your dad chatting in the living room. You smiled, your dad treated Spencer like a son and it was the sweetest thing he could have done. You knew Spencer didn't have a good relationship with his father.

You rushed up the stairs, hiding the purchases from today and returning downstairs, sinking into the couch next to Spencer. "I have a surprise for you," you said, making him give you a peculiar look.

"Surprise? Any hints?"

"Nope," you teased, standing up and holding your hand out for him. "Sorry I'm stealing him away from you," you joked at your dad. He rolled his eyes, shooing you away.

You dragged Spencer out of the house and into the car, lacing your right hand with his as you drove with your left. You pulled up to a building, Spencer laughing as he got out of the car. "What are you doing?" He muttered as he opened your car door.

"2 years ago today you took me on the most perfect date there could possibly be. You made me laugh, you fed me bread, and you made me feel like the most special girl on the planet," you whispered, leaning into his arms. "So, I wanted to show you just how much you mean to me."

"Pretty girl, you didn't need to do all of this," he whispered as he looked at the Providence Athenaeum, a smile dancing on his lips.** You led him to a blanket laid out on the lawn, surrounded by candles.

"Spence, you are the biggest Edgar Allen Poe fan I know. What better way to spend our 2nd anniversary, for all intents and purposes, than at the place where Poe fell in love?"

Spencer smiled, leaning down to kiss you. "How did you manage this?"

"I've been planning this for months. Which is why I was so bummed when you had to go on the case," you said, making his grin widen. He wrapped his hands around your waist, pulling you against him.

"But we loved with a love that was more than love—I and my Annabel Lee," he quoted, making you swoon. You looked over at him as he spoke, your heart beating so loud you were sure he could hear you.

"With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven coveted her and me," you finished, reaching up and kissing him. His hand gripped your waist, pushing you onto the blanket as he rolled on top of you. He pulled away, pressing his lips to your jaw.

"But our love it was stronger by far than the love of those who were older than we," he whispered, kissing a little lower on your neck. "of many far wiser than we," he continued, placing another kiss at the base of your throat.

"and neither the angels in Heaven above nor the demons down under the sea," he murmured, kissing your collarbone. "can ever dissever my soul from the soul of the beautiful Annabel Lee," he finished, bringing his lips back to yours. You caressed his face gently, holding it still as you pulled away from the soft kiss.

"For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes of the beautiful Annabel Lee," he concluded, his eyes meeting yours.

"I would never grow tired of you reciting poetry to me," you whispered. Spencer smiled, placing a kiss on your forehead before laying down next to you.

"And I would never grow tired of waking up to your perfect smile," he replied, only making your smile grow bigger.

"Goddamn it Spencer," you muttered, your head resting on his chest, right above his heart.

"Or your happy tears," he added, his hand wiping your tear away as his other hand held you tightly against him, both of you watching the night sky, falling asleep under the moonlight in the sweet embrace of what forever would feel like.

-

Edgar Allen Poe is one of my FAVORITES so it was I include him in here. Not to mention MGG has a recorded version of the poem Annabel Lee on Spotify if you want to listen to him recite these exact lines (yes, I did this on purpose but also it's literally one of my favorite poems)

Also, a lot of people keep commenting about the niche things I throw in. I'm a STEM major and I have never taken a philosophy class (and the last English class I took was approximately 4 years ago) so anything from those realms is brought to you via quick google search or a micro obsession of mine. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed.