Silent Evidence ~ Spencer Reid

"You did not tell me that seminar was going to be in front of over two hundred people," Evelyn said, her tone a mix of disbelief and frustration as she carefully stuffed her notes into her bag.

Rodriguez, leaning casually against the podium as she packed up her laptop, grinned. "Why would I? If I told you, you'd have found an excuse to back out before I could even finish asking. And don't forget, you owed me one."

Evelyn groaned, shaking her head. "Sometimes, I swear you're the absolute worst."

"And yet," Rodriguez shot back, her smirk widening, "you still can't live without me. Admit it, you'd be lost without my brilliance and moral support."

Evelyn chuckled, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Moral support? Is that what we're calling blackmail now?"

Rodriguez gasped in mock offense, clutching her chest dramatically. "Blackmail? Evelyn, I am offended. All I've ever done is push you to reach your full potential."

Evelyn laughed, shaking her head. "You're absolutely insufferable. You know that, right?"

"Of course," Rodriguez replied with a smug grin. "And yet, you still keep me around."

Their laughter echoed softly as the last few attendees filed out of the lecture hall. They started down the hallway, their banter still going strong.

"Evelyn!" a familiar voice called from behind them.

Both women turned, and Evelyn's face lit up as Spencer hurried toward them with a slightly flustered expression on his face.

"Hey, Spencer," Evelyn greeted, her voice a mix of surprise and curiosity.

"Hi," Spencer replied, slightly out of breath but smiling. "I didn't realize you taught seminars. I, uh... attended this one."

Evelyn froze mid-step, her eyes widening in shock. "Wait... you were in there?" she asked, her voice rising slightly.

Spencer nodded, his smile growing more awkward.

"Oh god," Evelyn groaned, immediately covering her face with both hands. "I was a complete wreck! Rodriguez didn't warn me there'd be so many people. I was two seconds away from having a panic attack!"

Rodriguez bursted into laughter. "That's what you get for trying to bail on me. Honestly, you should thank me. You crushed it... well, mostly. Next time, I'll make sure the crowd's twice as big."

Evelyn shot her a glare from behind her fingers.

Spencer chuckled softly, his gaze warm as he spoke. "For what it's worth, I thought you did great. Really. You had some excellent points." He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "I like attending seminars when I can. It's a good way to keep learning. I, uh... teach a few myself, but not as often anymore."

Evelyn peeked out from behind her hands, her cheeks pink. "Thanks, but I'll still probably cringe about today for the next decade."

Rodriguez, ever the instigator, grinned and nudged her shoulder. "You hear that? You've got a fan. Maybe we should start booking your tour now. 'Evelyn Bennett: The Public Speaking Phenomenon.'"

Evelyn groaned, swatting at Rodriguez's arm with an exaggerated sigh. "I'm sorry. She thrives on my misery. It's like her fuel."

Spencer chuckled softly, the tension in his posture easing as he glanced between them. "If it makes you feel any better, public speaking isn't exactly my favorite thing either. But, uh... if you're interested, I could let you know when my next seminar is."

Rodriguez's smirk widened, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, we're definitely interested. Right, Ev?"

Evelyn rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile. "Yeah, of course. That sounds great."