#criminal minds family au

[ldflow3r]

Title: Colored Cardstock Saves Lives (not really, but it helps avoid questions)

Relation(ships): Derek Morgan & Emily Prentiss (platonic, adopted siblings

Rating: Teen

Summary:

Dad had gone to pick up Penelope and JJ from the mall, and Mom would be back soon from taking Spencer to redeem his Dippin' Dots gift card he'd won at the library's summer reading contest for the third year in a row, and- oh yeah, Spencer. Derek shared a bedroom with Spencer, which meant he would probably find out about the wall incident. Maybe he could deal with that eventually, but today, he would rather not try to explain why the anniversary of the worst day of his life caused him to punch a hole in his eight-year-old little brother's side of the room. Or, Derek has a bad day and does a not-great thing. Emily helps him out.

[happiest-hotch]

Deserving

Summary: Aaron has a rough day being a dad, and you reassure him that he is very deserving of your family

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Fem!Reader (Angst/Fluff)

Word Count: 2.3k

Life with three children is not always easy. It's crazy to think it's been over a year since you and Aaron went from having two kids- Jack and your daughter, Eden- to three, adding sweet baby Noah to the family.

Mornings, although they've become a well-oiled routine, are always a challenge, but they're a satisfying one to complete.

Today, Aaron's slightly changed the patterns. Without an early morning budget meeting, mountains of paperwork, or active case, he's home until a 10 am call time for a case briefing at the BAU, which is very rare for a weekday.

So, instead of breakfast duty, you're taking the first shower while he handles getting everyone fed. 

You don't doubt his abilities, but your morning showers are always quick and effective, as opposed to your relaxing nighttime ones, which, when you're lucky, take place with Aaron, so you're dressed and ready for the day quickly. However, the glorious difference of having someone else there is that you don't get interrupted once. 

The chaos quickly catches up when you walk downstairs and hear your sweet baby boy crying loudly, very unhappy.

Aaron's frantically trying to calm the tear, offering him different types of cereal as a substitute for his toast and every juice in the fridge as he deduces the cause of an early morning crying fit. Jack looks done with his younger brother, sitting at the kitchen island with his hands over his ears, which makes it difficult for him to eat. He'd love a momentary reprieve of being able to travel two years back in time. He adores his younger brother, but you're not totally sure he wouldn't send him back for some momentary peace. As for Eden, she's nowhere to be found.

You spot the problem in a second, walking over and kissing the top of Jack's head before ruffling his hair affectionately. "Can you stop him now?" He implores.

Aaron looks at you with similarly pleading eyes, ready to admit defeat. 

You take the plate from in front of the toddler, open the cupboard and take a different one out before you switch the food over and slide the new plate across the countertop.

In a second, his tears stop, and he digs into his toast like nothing has happened. The tears on his red hot cheeks dry as he eats happily. With a look of thanks, Jack digs into his breakfast.

"He doesn't like the blue plate." You explain to Aaron.

Your husband frowns, as confused as you were when you first noticed the quirk. "He eats off it every night." You've even learned to bring it to Rossi's for your fussy baby. 

"Only at night and occasionally afternoon snack." You report to him.

Aaron's heart sinks, and the fact he doesn't know that about his own child hits him deep down. It's no secret that he's not always there, physically much less than most dads, and it weighs heavily on him.

"Oh." He lets out, trying to mask the disappointment he feels with himself. He turns around, grabbing your favorite mug. "Coffee, baby."

You smile, kissing his lips before gratefully taking the mug. "Thank you." You glance around the room again, not seeing a four-year-old coming running into the room. "Where's E?"

Aaron quickly puts down his mug. "Shit." 

Jack chuckles at his dad's unusual swear before looking down at his oatmeal when Aaron glowers at him. 

"It's okay." You place a gentle hand on his chest. "I'll sort her." With a quick kiss on Noah's forehead, you leave before Aaron can stop you. 

Her great drama of the morning is an easy fix when you brush through her hair with the detangler meant for dry hair, not wet. She didn't inherit straight hair like her older brother and dad, and she wants to keep her hair long, which means it gets knotted overnight. You don't blame Aaron for the hiccup. He can't have known when you're the one who usually brushes his hair- his specialty being braiding- and the bottles look identical aside from the tiny writing, which you know he can't see because, although you wouldn't tell him, he probably should be wearing reading glasses. 

"What's wrong?" Aaron asks, his voice laced with panic when his head peaks around her door. 

"You're done, baby." You tell her, letting her climb off the chair and go to brush her teeth. You walk over to Aaron, hoping to provide some relief that nothing is wrong and that his children are just as dramatic as he is. "She only uses the one in the bathroom if her hair is wet. When it's dry, it's the one at her dressing table." You love your boys, biologically related to you or not, so much, but you love having a girly girl. Aaron's out of his depth. Even learning to braid took effort and nights of practicing on your hair, but he succeeded. As ill-prepared as he feels for the future, you know he'll always try for his baby girl. It's something you adore about him.

"I'm sorry." He apologizes sheepishly, looking down at the carpet.

You wrap your arm around his waist, and his arms hold you tightly, both of you appreciating a quick hug in the hallway. "You can't expect yourself to be perfect."

But you are. Aaron doesn't say it, but it's on the tip of his tongue. 

"Go get ready." You instruct him. "I'll hold down the fort." 

You're always holding down the fort. "Okay." He agrees, only leaving your side after taking a long kiss that he feels undeserving of. 

Aaron's packed Eden and Jack's lunchboxes, which you're sure he's added loving notes to.

You get Noah changed for daycare, making sure he's got an extra change of clothing in his bag since he got paint all over his spare shirt.

Then you place him in front of the TV to watch cartoons with his siblings. Jack's too old for them, but he's such a good big brother that he never complains.

Your next task is packing lunch for the person who overlooked packing it for himself, writing him a note that you hope makes him smile. 

He's also effective at getting himself ready, often having to do it quickly and in the middle of the night without enough sleep, and he's finished quicker than you were. 

Aaron surveys the scene in the living room when he comes downstairs to find it quiet, much different from how you had. "How are they all ready to go?" He asks, and you see confusion where he's plagued with self-doubt.

"You did a lot of it." You assure him, aware your role this morning was fixing mistakes. "Are you taking Jack, and I'll take the other two?"

He's quiet for a second, brain buzzing away inside his head. "Yes. Yeah, that works." He agrees. 

You notice those little details, but it's easy to assume it's about the incoming stress of his workday. "Okay, well, I love you."

That gets a quicker reaction. "I love you, too." He says, cupping your cheeks to kiss you sweetly. 

"Team Hotchner?" You offer out a fist bump. 

Aaron takes it with a chuckle that momentarily halts his frown. "Team Hotchner." He turns to the living room. "Jack, you ready?"

He nods, high-fiving his sibling before tossing his backpack over his shoulder and walking to the door.

"Love you, and have a good day." You tell him, pulling him into a side hug. 

He hugs you properly. "Love you too."

Then two of your favorite people are out the door to continue their days, and you turn back to the other two. "Alright, babies, let's go."

~

Jack fills Aaron in on what's going on at school, or- as Aaron profiles it- everything minus the social aspects. 

They pull up to the drop-off zone, and Aaron stops, knowing Jack has grown past wanting his dad to walk him into class. "Have a good day, bud." He says. 

"Uh, Dad?" Jack starts awkwardly. "Did you bring lunch money for me?" Nope. Aaron didn't even know Jack's been buying his lunch. "It's just Y/n always-"

Aaron nods, fishing out his wallet from his pocket. "Y-yeah, of course." He answers. 

Due to how infrequently he pays in cash, the only notes he has are $50s, probably- and hopefully- not what you give Jack each day. 

He hands it over, and Jack scrunches his nose. "This is way too much." He states. 

Thankfully, Aaron thinks quickly on his feet. "Treat your friends." He offers.

Jack grins, knowing he has permission to carry such a large sum of money to a 13-year-old. "Awesome. Thanks, Dad." 

Then he's gone, and once he's out of eyesight, Aaron throws his head back against the headrest, hitting the steering wheel in frustration. 

He runs a hand through his hair, feeling utterly useless and like he doesn't have enough of a purpose in the family you've built together. Although you've always treated Jack like your own, you know his son better than he does, and that's a warning sign that he can't ignore. It doesn't feel like it was together when he thinks about it. He was just there while you effortlessly did it all.

It's a bad day at work. It starts before he gets there, and it doesn't get better. The silver lining is there's no case that the team can't consult on from Quantico. Still, he can't bring himself to return home when he should. It gets later and later, and his thoughts spiral as he looks out across the dark bullpen and feels like he's 12 years in the past when he was losing Haley because he couldn't be a dad or a husband. He's trying to be different, better, learn from his mistakes because he doesn't get another shot, and he can't stand the thought of letting you down. He's surprised he even got a second chance.

By the time he gets home, the kids are in bed. Jack's light is still on, but the house is silent. The TV's on low, but you're paying more attention to your phone than it. 

"Hey, baby, long day at work?" You wonder, not at all sounding mad about it. 

Aaron feels like he needs to be punished, yelled at, and made to sleep on the couch, but he's met with understanding. 

"Mhm." He answers, dropping his briefcase in his office and his keys on the side table.

"There's dinner in the microwave." You continue talking in your lighthearted tone. 

It's wrong to be short with you, and he hates himself for it. "Thanks." 

It's a pretty obvious sign.

You know something's wrong. 

He thinks he's good at hiding it, but he's not when your focus is solely on him. 

You're patient, letting him take your time as you put your phone down and wait until he's sitting next to you on the couch after eating. 

"What's wrong?" You ask. 

Aaron can sense your watchful stare and acts like he's focused on the TV. "Nothing." 

"Aaron Hotchner." You warn. "I would appreciate your honesty. Whenever you're ready." 

God, he loves you. There's nothing he's done in his life to deserve someone as understanding as you. "You're the definition of a supermom." He tells you. "I'm not jealous. You keep everything running smoothly here, and any stumbles you react to with so much grace. But I'm failing." You hate that he thinks that of himself. He's not perfect, but neither are you or anyone. One thing Aaron isn't doing is failing. "I barely know anything about our kids, stuff I should know, and I would know if I were a good dad. The thing is, I'm never here." Before you can dispute the claim, he continues. "I'm not, Y/n. If it's not casework, it's paperwork, but I'm never here as much as I should be. I don't deserve any of this."

You hate seeing him like this, having talked himself into his feelings all day. "Aaron." You coo, cupping his cheeks and trying to wipe up his tears. "Baby, you're allowed to make mistakes. Our kids love you and think you're the best dad in the world." You assure him. "Jack has looked at you like you're a superhero since I met him, and E and Noah do too. Every time you're away, they know you're out there saving people."

"You really think so?" He asks. "All of that?"

You nod, brushing your nose against his gently. "100%. There's never been a doubt in my mind that you deserve this family. You've got to believe me." 

A flicker of a smile lights up his face. "I do." He decides. 

"Did you eat your lunch?" You wonder. 

Aaron's unsure where it came from, but he sheepishly looks away from you. "I didn't."

You hit him lightly on the chest, scolding him for not eating. "Then you didn't see the note I added." 

"What did it say?" He asks, more excited knowing he's not in trouble.

You debate making him wait until tomorrow, but he needs to know. "Thank you for being the best dad ever to our kids. I love you." You recite.

It seems too convenient, and he frowns. "Really?"

"I think it's a soulmate thing." It's the only explanation you can come up with, having not known this morning that his stress was because he was worried about not being a good enough dad.

"I love you." He says, closing the small gap between you to kiss you.

You go in for another kiss once he pulls back. "I love you, too." You remind him. "Bedtime?" You ask when he yawns. "Then you can have another shot at perfecting the morning routine." 

He nods, grateful for everything. "Let's do it."

[radiant-reid]

In The Dark

Summary: After a few months without contact, Reader assumes Spencer has ghosted her and she's shocked when he has the nerve to turn up.

based on the request: would you write something about spencer going to prison and being in a relationship for a few months, so the team doesn't know about her and no one tells her about him, so she thinks he just ghosted her and is really sad :( but someway she finds out?

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader (Angst)

Content Warning: prison arch and mention of Spencer's SA and drugging

Word Count: 4.0k

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Spencer Reid is a great boyfriend. For someone with such little experience, he's mastered date planning, check-in phone calls, and romantic words. It's not a surprise when he's good at everything he tries, but it's impressive and incredibly appreciated by his girlfriend, Y/n.

He gets back into DC late from a case, something about an UnSub murdering people he sees as a threat to his soon-to-be ex-husband in the hopes of rekindling their relationship. It was sad and tragic but nothing exceedingly troubling. After more than a decade on the job, Spencer had seen just how powerful a motivator jealousy could be.

Adding to his stress, Y/n knew he was still struggling with looking after his mom, not as much as before, but it was still stressful. So she was a little surprised when Spencer called, wondering if she was free that night to go out. She tries to keep her calendar flexible when working around Spencer's unpredictable schedule, and she quickly agrees to spend some time with him before he gets whisked away on his next case.

Spencer's never late, but he knows to knock on the door no sooner than five minutes early to avoid Y/n worrying about not being ready if he arrives early.

Every time he sees her, especially after he's not seen her for a while, Spencer can't believe how he got so lucky to be with someone so beautiful.

"Hi." He says softly, trying to remember to function despite being totally blown away by her. "You look gorgeous."

Y/n gives him a little twirl in the new red dress she knew would be perfect for a date night. "Thank you. I missed you." She replies, not letting him get past the entryway of her apartment before wrapping him in a tight hug.

"I missed you too," Spencer says, resting his head on hers. He didn't know what it was like to miss someone until he met her, to think about someone fondly and wish you could see them. That was a first Spencer had never experienced before her. He still hates the longing to see her, but he loves that he has someone to miss.

There's not a feeling like being in Spencer's arms. It's safe and warm, and she loved it from their first hug.

When she pulls back, Y/n smiles up at him. "Also, you look very handsome." She tells him before leaning in to kiss him softly.

Spencer always grins like an idiot about having someone to kiss casually. There's no other feeling like it.

"Should we go?" She asks, her tone just slightly teasing at the spaced-out look on Spencer's face.

He snaps back into it. "R-right, uh, yes, yeah, let's go." His actions are more decisive than his words, and he steps aside to let her into the corridor before him.

"So, where are we off to?" Y/n asks curiously on the way to the elevator, hand-in-hand with Spencer.

With the hand not holding hers, he reaches into his suit jacket pocket and produces two ticket stubs. "The theatre."

Her eyes light up with delight as she takes the tickets to confirm they're real. "How did you- these were sold out?" She's as puzzled as she is excited.

"I know people," Spencer says mysteriously, making her giggle and playfully nudge his arm.

"Thank you." She says, voice overflowing with gratitude. She had mentioned how much she wanted to go, but she couldn't find tickets, and somehow, Spencer found some. Things like that make him the best boyfriend.

He proves he's better than other boyfriends by opening her door when they get to the car, and even drives, although he doesn't like it.

They arrive at the Kennedy Centre with enough time to get food and drinks before the show, and Y/n's even more impressed by his feat of getting tickets when she realizes just what good seats they are.

Despite being shy to touch her at the start of their relationship, Spencer has quickly warmed up, and his hands don't leave her the whole night, holding hers or resting on her thigh or his arm wrapping around her shoulder.

After the show, they walk down the street to a restaurant for dinner when Spencer offhandedly mentions an idea. "We should go to the real thing." He says dreamily.

"Like, in Paris?" Y/n replies with a frown. It's a very forward proposal to get from a boyfriend of two and a half months, who she's only been out with on seven dates and never slept in the same bed as.

Spencer quickly shakes his head when he realizes the implication of what he's just said. Of course, it's in his future plan to take her to the City of Love- even to see the entire world if she wants that. But telling her so soon would be coming on too strong, potentially scaring her off, and he does not want to do that.

He chuckles awkwardly, clearing his throat. "No, uh, I just meant to New York to see it on Broadway."

Technically, it's only a three-hour train ride, which isn't a huge commitment, but the show would end late, so they'd probably have to spend the night in the city together..., and she should stop fantasizing so much about something he's only suggesting.

She settles on a more laid-back answer. "Yeah, we should. I'd really like that."

Spencer makes a promise to himself right there as they walk down a street of DC on the way to dinner. He'll take her to New York City and then Paris one day.

He only gets the confidence to speak the latter thought that night. They're lying in bed together after Spencer once again has proved he's good at things he says he doesn't have much practice at.

"We're going to go to Paris." He vows, holding out his pinky to lock with hers.

Y/n frowns. "Right now? I'm too comfortable here." It's so cozy under her covers, and she feels safe beside him, resting on his bare chest for the first time.

He shakes his head, messier curls dancing on his forehead. "No, I mean just at some point in the future. You know, eventually." He explains before waggling his pinky finger. "Now, promise me."

She snorts with laughter but locks her pinky around his. "I guess we're going to Paris together."

He's about to add something, but his phone ringing on the side table stops him. Spencer can guess who it is, but he knows that she doesn't know he has a BAU-specific ringtone and that that wasn't it. He avoids showing her the screen, taking advantage of her focus on her fingers drawing patterns on his skin.

Y/n notices how he stiffens once he reads the message. "Do you have to go?" She asks softly, purposefully making herself not sound upset. She's not, but sleeping alone won't be as easy as it was about to be when she assumed he was staying the night over.

"I'm sorry." Spencer quickly apologizes, but not for needing to go, just for lying.

She shakes her head quickly, leaning up to kiss him softly. "Don't be." She assures him before moving off him so he can get out of bed and leave. Spencer slips out of the covers, collecting his clothes from the floor and awkwardly- but adorably- clumsily redressing. "Where are you off to?"

"Houston."

Brownsville, then Matamoros, Mexico.

He hates himself for lying to her. He hates himself for lying to the team too. He hates himself in general recently. Lies always snowball. He's only lied by omission to her before, simply saying he was out of town when she asked rather than admitting he was in another country.

When he's finished redressing, he stands awkwardly by her doorframe. He wants to kiss her goodbye but doesn't think he's worthy of affection.

Like he knew she would, Y/n ushers him over. "You have to kiss me before you go." She reminds him with an innocent giggle.

"Right, sorry." Spencer apologizes, making his way across the room to her and resting his hand on the mattress to lean over and capture her lips in a soft kiss.

She pulls back with a smile. "Be safe."

He nods. What he's doing, although technically not illegal, is definitely not safe. For a moment, he thinks about telling Y/n. It would be easy to blurt out what he's actually going to do, but he's not about to dump all of his problems on his new girlfriend. She's too precious and innocent to be involved in his mess.

"I will." He promises. He needs to be for her and for Paris. "I'll call you when I'm back. It shouldn't be more than a few days. Then we can plan New York." He promises as he moves away from her towards the door.

She grins broadly, nodding eagerly. "Okay. I'll look forward to that."

He will too. In fact, dreaming about their future plans is where he'll go in his head as his happy place.

To say Mexico didn't go as planned would be a drastic understatement.

The plan was not to get high, enter a car chase with the police with cocaine in the trunk, and ultimately get arrested.

And there are no words to describe even a tiny fraction of Spencer's despair as he comes down from the awful mix of cocaine and heroin and realizes what's happening. Y/n's on his mind when he starts coming down, but there's so much else happening around him while Emily tries to save him from ending up in a deadly Mexican prison.

Thankfully, his face is so pale, and he looks so ruined that no one notices the dread set in when he's on the jet back to the US, and he finally focuses on his girlfriend. It's a moral dilemma that he doesn't have the morals or energy to work through.

Don't get the team to tell her, and Y/n will believe he doesn't want to be in a relationship with her but is too cowardly to say.

Or get the team to tell her, and she'll be forced into his mess.

He chooses not to tell anyone he's in a serious relationship and holds onto hope that the team can quickly prove his innocence or that he'll get bail and be able to do it himself. He knows JJ, Penelope, or Emily would be delicate, but it's jaw-dropping news, and he needs to be there to beg her to stay if- when, in his mind- she decides she doesn't want to be with a suspected murderer.

At his arraignment, she's who he's thinking about when he gets hauled away, having not been granted bail. He can't make his mind up between speaking up about her and the existence of their relationship or not, and as time goes on, it seems easier not to.

Y/n's not worried the first night he's away, and she doesn't get a text. They're still getting into a routine, and she knows his job often doesn't allow for breaks. On the second day, a missing child's case hits the news, and she figures, although not explicitly stated, that possibly that's what Spencer and his team are working on.

Once it's announced that they found the little girl, Y/n's concern amplifies. It's the longest there's been no contact between them. All her phone calls go straight to his voicemail, and her messages only send as texts.

It's inconceivable that he would purposefully not contact her, so she repeatedly puts his name into Google, knowing it would be published if he were injured or, even more heartbreaking, killed. Something like that would probably make a martyr of him, but it would be an explanation for his disappearance.

Nothing.

There are a few articles on notable cases he's worked on and his remarkable intellectual achievements, but they're all from much earlier.

So it's logical that he's alive and unwilling, rather than unable, to speak to her.

And eventually, she accepts that she got ghosted. The person she thought was the most honorable she'd ever met left and never explained it.

It's heartbreaking, each unreturned message and call piercing her heart and crushing her spirit. Everything about Spencer seemed so perfect. He treated her like glass, delicate and beautiful. He was gentle with her feelings and his words. He never pushed too hard or didn't care enough.

Spencer was everything she wanted, and she had him.

And then he was gone.

She wishes she could be more angry. Of course, she's furious at the abruptness, at Spencer leading her on and possibly treating her so well she won't be able to accept less in the future. She's angry that she looks like an idiot, played perfectly by someone who's probably laughing about it to his friends. And she doesn't even know any of his friends! That's how blinding his affection was.

But she's hurt, heartbroken. What about her is so unloveable that Spencer couldn't stay? And, on top of that, what makes her so unworthy of an explanation? It's worse than a breakup in that way, no answers to the questions plaguing her mind. Doubt and insecurity plague her mind every day. The weight of her sadness felt suffocating. Y/n tried to occupy her mind, but the memories lingered and taunted her. Then there were the inquiries from everyone around her about how her relationship was progressing, everyone who had seen her overjoyed just days before.

She took a weekend to cry about it, to mourn the loss of something good with a promising future.

But, even more than two months after their last contact, it's still difficult to think about. Spencer's absence is found every day in her life. He's not an easy person to forget.

It feels like hundreds of times she's typed out text messages to him, ranging from begging him to reconsider their relationship to demanding answers about why he left without a word. Then it dawns on her that maybe it's not even still his phone. Maybe Spencer does the whole dating thing with lots of different girls to get off, and he has a burner SIM for each of them, and he's thrown hers out.

Still, she has to send that last text message. A final conclusion, two months after the "Please just let me know you're okay" text message that Spencer didn't return. It got sent with trembling hands and a heavy heart, but the final one wasn't. It's impersonal. Structured formal language, blocked out her feelings, and commanded he never contacts her again.

So, the last thing she expects at 7 pm on a random Tuesday night is Spencer to be at her door.

Spencer with, through her view from the peephole, a blonde woman. So this is probably his wife, and now she's about to get accused of being the other woman and sleeping with a married man.

Y/n only opens the door for the chance of seeing him getting slapped by her or slapping him herself.

His eyes soften as hers fill with tears. It hasn't even been that long, but Spencer looks different. He actually looks like shit, totally worn down with his messy curls, deep bags under his eyes, and unshaven facial hair, and she's unsympathetic to it. She felt like that, so he deserves to look like it. Spitefully, she might be enjoying it.

"You good?" The blonde next to him asks, but her eyes aren't judging, just concerned.

So she's probably not a wife, but he has no right to bring an emotional support person to a confession about being a complete dick to her.

Spencer barely glances in her direction as he nods. She hastily exits down the hall while Y/n stares him down.

"I don't want to speak to you." She informs him sternly, shaking her head to avoid tears falling. She's not going to let her walls crumble for him. That was a lamentable mistake and a pitiless lesson.

When she goes to slam the door, Spencer puts his hand in it. He's an asshole, but she won't go as far as to break his fingers.

"Please." He begs, voice grave. "Please hear me out."

Y/n scoffs, dramatically rolling her eyes. It's a facade for how destroyed she is internally. "Why? Why should I?" Unfortunately, she couldn't turn off her caring like he could turn off his attachment.

"I promise I can explain." He assures her.

Her patience is gone in an instant, and she snaps. "Explain!?" She balks. "You can explain why you've been ghosting me for two and a half months? Why you lead me on with these fantasized plans of us going on vacation together only to not speak to me again? Well, that sounds delightful."

Spencer had anticipated the hostility he's met with. "Can we talk inside?" He offers calmly. His fuse is shorter after prison, but he needs to set this right. There's not an ulterior motive. All he wants is for her to know the truth, even if she never speaks to him again.

"Sure." She voices, stepping out of the way to let him in.

It chills her to think that the last time he was here, they were making gentle love and vows.

"Was it all just a ploy to fuck me?" She spits out.

That was the deep insecurity she had about the situation. It couldn't have been a coincidence that, proceeding their first night, he wouldn't return a call.

She continues, voicing all the built-up feelings that are finally exploding. Her emotions are like a pressure cooker with a strong need for release. "Because that's so fucking low. I trusted you! I let you in, and you were such a coward you couldn't tell me you finished with me."

The cracks show. Spencer can hear the pain in her voice and see the tears she's fighting. He wants to reach out and hug her- he needs to. It's what he's been thinking about for so long, but he can't, not yet.

"I was in prison." He says calmly. There are so many ways he's played this out, but in the moment, it came out simply.

"Fuck off." She says, not at all believing a word. An easier lie to sell would be that his mom died or his phone got stolen. Neither are good excuses, but they're much more likely.

Spencer shakes his head. "I'm not lying, I promise." His voice is so profound that it's hard not to believe him.

But he could easily be a psychopath, doing this for more sadistic pleasure.

"Why should I believe you?" Her arms cross over her chest defensively.

"Because I am crazy about you." Her heart stops, and those butterflies are impossible to suppress. They're second nature when she's around him. "I would never jeopardize that on purpose." He swears, but he can tell she needs more. "You are lovely, everything I could ever want in a partner and more. Your kindness is like nothing else I've ever experienced, and I'll always be grateful I met you."

The self-preservation instincts in her brain are screaming at her, warning bells going off. "I need to hear the rest of your explanation." She says strictly.

"Can we sit?" He asks, nodding at the couch. "It's a long story."

Hesitantly, she agrees. She needs to guard herself, but she needs answers just as badly.

So Spencer recounts it. From why he was in Mexico, what substances he was getting for his mom, the other times lies about his whereabouts, the cocaine and heroin forced into him, his hallucination about having sex with her in the motel room, the car chase, the arrest, the cocaine in the trunk, coming off the drugs, the holding cell in Mexico, his team turning up, the times they had to repeat what had happened because of how high he was, the childhood flashbacks, the eleventh-hour transfer to the American authorities, the realization of his situation, the arraignment, the horrible verdict, prison without protective custody, the beatings, his friend dying, the fear, feeling like it was forever, all the interviews and meetings with his lawyer, the unlikely savor on the inside, finally getting out and having his name cleared, and the somehow more stressful ending.

By the end, he's crying, not trying to wipe away the soft tears falling down his cheeks. Y/n hasn't realized she has started to cry, but she can't stop it.

"I'm so sorry." She apologizes, but it's primarily for the internal resentment she's harboring for him and all the hateful things she said about him in her head.

"It's okay," Spencer promises. His guilt is overwhelming already, but it's going to increase tenfold if she's remorseful about it. "You didn't know."

"But I sure as hell didn't give you the reasonable doubt." She adds in.

He shakes his head. "I haven't spoken to you in almost three months, Y/n." He speaks softly, still weeping. "The logical conclusion to draw is that I left you on purpose. I can't imagine how much I've hurt you, and I'm so sorry for it."

"I know it's not your fault." She says, before tacking on, "Now."

He's so grateful she just gave him a chance to explain. He's hopeful it will bring her peace, but there isn't a doubt it will do that for him.

He stands up awkwardly. "Thank you for hearing me out... and for the best few months of my life. It's truly been a pleasure."

"Wait." She pleads softly, making him spin around quickly. "You're leaving?"

"Do you need something?" Spencer asks. He'll do anything she wants in a heartbeat, hoping it will ease some of the misery she's been in.

Y/n bites her bottom lip, thinking through what she's about to ask, but she knows she has to go with her heart and gut. Spencer is Spencer, and she'll never be able to convince herself that he's hurt her on purpose.

"You." She admits.

Spencer's heart gets crushed in an instant. She knows about it now, but there's no way she can fully understand the changes, so he'll have to let her down again and break both their hearts, hearts that long for each other.

"Y/n..." He trails off. "I'm not who I used to be."

She shakes her head. "I don't care." Her confession is nonchalant. It's a quick decision, but it feels right. "Please don't leave again."

"I've been in federal prison." He reminds her.

She gulps, feeling the full power of his rejection. It's a much more Spencer way to do it, letting her down gently. "Mm-hmm." She mumbles. "Okay, I understand." She gets up to show him out, and it feels like the weight he's relieved has been piled back on. "If you ever want to be with me again... you know where to find me." She knows it sounds pathetic, but she needs to say it.

If he ever wants her. There's nothing more than Spencer wants. "Y/n." He coos softly. His hands come to cup her cheeks, relishing touching her skin and being close to her again. It's a natural desire to kiss her, but he stops himself from doing it a few inches away from her lips.

"Don't." She begs in a whisper, more tears clouding her vision. "Not if you're not going to stay."

"I want to." He promises. "But I'm different."

Y/n shakes her head in his hands. "Not inside. You might have more walls, but your heart will always be good."

So he doesn't let himself self-sabotage. When he kisses Y/n, it feels like everything is right in the world again. It's what he's been dreaming about for as long as they've been apart. It's fireworks and butterflies and every cliche possible, but there's a reason those cliches get repeated: they're true.

Spencer pulls back once he's kissed her until they've both run out of air. He's crying as much as he's smiling. "We're okay?" He double-checks.

"You're going to be," Y/n promises. "And that means we're going to be."

Tell me what you think

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[anon2710]

if criminal minds was a family, my pov

disclaimer: this doesn't include every character from every season, but on the characters that I connected with and fit with my headcanons the most -- i.e., these aren't fact, just how i see it <3

also i.e., pls pls don't be mad if we have different headcanons

the basics:

aaron hotchner: father, single dad, can be strict but will always listen to and be there for his kids, doesn't smile very often but has the BEST, most contagious laugh

david rossi: cool, fun uncle, gave the kids their first sip of alcohol (only when they're 21 though), the more 'chill adult', a playboy, but finally married their aunt krystall who is their favorite

derek morgan-hotchner: oldest child & son, very protective of his siblings, a little bit of a playboy but does settle down, smart without trying

emily prentiss-hotchner: nicknames are em and ems, second oldest, oldest daughter, very smart (smarter than her little brother spencer sometimes) and the most emotionally intelligent of the siblings though this surprises most people because she's very rebellious and very private - opens up to people but with time

jennifer jareau-hotchner : nicknames are JJ and jaje, middle child, quiet and responsible, very popular athlete, surprisingly kind of a badass when her family or friends (especially her little brother and sister) are hurt

spencer reid-hotchner: nickname is spence, youngest son, penelope's twin, very smart with an IQ of 187 and very sensitive, sometimes gets bullied but always protected by older brother derek, a bit nerdy like his twin

penelope garcia-hotchner: nickname are pen, penny and garcie, youngest child and daughter, spencer's twin, a little bit loud and boisterous at times but also very sensitive and kind, great at computers and majored in comp-sci in college

tara lewis, matt simmons, luke alvez: triplets, but not related to the hotchners, though they have been family friends with them for years and are treated as family

luke: very popular, football player and jock but not a playboy at all, a little quiet and secretly a nerd, LOVES musicals and baking

tara: very smart, loves psychology and crime-thrillers, very funny and and a bit of a smart-alec, loves teasing her little brother luke

matt: nickname is matty, very mature, very kind and very responsible, also a football player with his brother, often breaks up the arguments between tara and luke when one or the other takes it too far

other details of the headcanon

aaron is currently dating beth who will hopefully be the family's step-mom soon (aaron has been planning to propose for a long time and the kids keep teasing their dad that it'll never happen)

though derek is a playboy all throughout high school, he eventually settles down with a smart girl on the pre-med track in college named savannah

derek often gets into fights with his dad, especially when he was younger, but that's happens less as he gets older and when he finds comfort in savannah

JJ's been dating her high-school sweetheart, Will, since freshman year, they've already started planning how many kids they want and their names (as it stands: 2 boys and a girl, henry, michael and maggie)

matt has also been dating kristy forever, since high-school and they both want a big family

emily, jj and tara are an unlikely trio of best friends; emily has only ever told the other two her biggest fear

derek, matt and luke are also best friends and often include spencer in their hang-outs

penelope and luke were very 'will they, won't they' for a long time because penelope often resisted luke's charm because she was afraid of getting hurt, but eventally start dating and are everyone's favorite couple

penelope dated a bunch of assholes before luke (kevin, shane, tyler) and is part of the reason why she was afraid to date luke -- luke is aware of this and does her best to treat her like a queen

spencer just started dating max but can see himself marrying this girl; max has helped him come out of his shell

spencer is the older twin by 5 minutes and often holds this over penelope's head

matt is the oldest triplet, then tara and then luke (who is the baby and treated as such by his siblings)

spencer and penelope are built-in best friends and watch doctor-who, marvel and star-trek marathons together -- max and luke join these when each couple starts dating

tara, luke and matt often see aaron/dave as parental figures and lean on them for support

they are all very protective of each other, but everyone is the most protective of penelope

tara and penelope call luke 'lukey' as a nickname to bug him, but he secretly loves it

the eight kids (penelope, luke, matt, tara, emily, jj, spencer, derek) don't have that much of an age gap between them so they are all very close, hang-out a lot and very much fit the found-family trope

dave and aaron take the kids (including matt, tara and luke) on a family trip every year -- 2024 is going to be a beach trip

Okay, I have a lot more, but these are some :) love to hear your thoughts on this

[forever-eternal]

I need to introduce you to The Babies

[anotherpassiongirl]

Master list

🌶️ 18+ content

❤️ romance

🩷 friendship and/or family

😭 not a happy ending

📑 from prompt

📚 on AO3, if you're logged in

Criminal Minds

Hotchner x Y/N

Shower sex 🌶️

Hotchner x Y/N x Snape

Principal's Orders: Assignment in Snape's Office ❤️🩷📚

Harry Potter

Snape x Y/N x Hotchner

Principal's Orders: Assignment in Snape's Office ❤️🩷📚

Miraculous ladybug

Marinette x Adrien

Marinette Agreste 🩷📑

Others

Ariel x Vincent

Graduation and Silver ❤️🩷📚

[mustangs-flames]

what does alt cesar do when meeting new people (mark is supervising him of course he’s not allowed to be around other people alone)

It really depends on when in the au he's meeting someone new! For the most part though, he relies heavily on Mark and the real Cesar's memories to learn social cues and what's expected of him in certain social situations. Alt!Cesar doesn't get out much and he's okay with that - he has the people he cares about (Mark, Dave, Thatcher, etc.) and that's good enough for him. Plus, they all understand him and are patient with him when he messes something up or says/does something strange - it's hard being human and having to experience all these new things after eons of never having anything like that. It's a big change and alt!Cesar is doing his best and that's all that anyone can ask of him.

Is he a murderous incomprehensible eldritch horror from a plane of existence mortals will never understand? Yes. But is he also touch starved and eager for affection and approval? Also yes.

[permanent-rose]

Thinking about Henry being JJ and Emily’s with the help of donor Hotch. Him and Jack being best friends and also brothers makes me very soft inside.

Hotch would be so surprised but very honoured when they ask and would be so happy to help some of his closest friend have a family.

After Haley dies the five of them start operating as one big family a lot of the time. JJ and Emily give Hotch all the love and support he desperately needs as a person and as a parent.

[sleepy-achilles]

I'm here to show off some recent character ships I've been working on. To show you guys I do have more character than just Leon. (Leon's in this a few times tho...old habits die hard ig?)

All the ships and their info are at the end.

Quick note; Cassie, Leon, matt, achilles, Jeanne, Neo, Valentina and Ashe are all Family of Destruction Canon.

[criminalmindsgonewrong]

my mama’s in the kitchen, worrying about me

criminal minds fanfic rating k wordcount: 3.8k part of the ‘hotchniss future au’ series

Part of the 'Hotchner's Future AU' series. The Hotchner's are awoken in the middle of the night by phonecall; one of their kids needs them, as usual.

read on ff.net, ao3 or under the cut.

"The first things that she took from me were selfishness and sleep, she broke a thousand heirlooms I was never meant to keep. She filled my life with colour, cancelled plans and trashed my car, but none of that was ever who we are."

- Brandi Carli, 'The Mother'.

___

"Aaron." Her voice was warm, familiar, but not quite strong or urgent enough to pull him out of his slumber.

For most of his life, Aaron Hotchner had been a light sleeper. Always on high alert for an unprecedented work call and, later, the high-pitched, mewling cries of his children, he hadn't been able to fully relax into unconsciousness since his teenage years. In recent years, however, ever since his early retirement from active duty, in part due to injuries sustained at work and in part due to wanting to finally dedicate most of his time to his family and life at home, he had become a much more restful, relaxed person.

So it was that Emily had to raise her voice and roughly shake his shoulder to rouse him from sleep as his phone buzzed on the nightstand.

"Aaron!" She said, irritated by his ability to sleep soundly through it. Perhaps, when she retired in the next few years, she would achieve the same level of zen. Emily sincerely doubted it.

Finally, though, after a particularly vicious punch to his arm, her husband blinked awake, bleary eyed and confused, with a mumbled, "Wassup?"

"Phone." Emily told him, falling back against her pillow, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes and seeing stars.

Uncoordinated in his half asleep state, Aaron sat up, grasping for his phone, tiny in his hand, and blinked at the light as the screen flashed a name up at him.

Olivia

"It's Livvy," The clock read 2:30am and he was suddenly as awake as he had ever been, as was his wife beside him, already climbing out of bed and searching through the sheets for the sweats she had taken off only hours ago.

"Liv?" He answered the phone, his voice terse, and was immediately greeted by what sounded like a mewling cat on the other end.

"Daddy," His crying daughter said in relief, "Daddy, I'm s-sorry it's s-so late." She was stumbling over her words, having worked herself into such a state, and by the slurring, Aaron could tell that she was drunk.

Already up and pulling trousers on, the phone balanced between his shoulder and his ear, Aaron let his wife take it and put it to her ear, as he finished dressing. "Olivia, where are you?" Emily demanded of her daughter; no pomp or ceremony, and Aaron knew that, right now, Emily would not appreciate being told how much she reminded him of Elizabeth in those moments when she took a no-nonsense attitude with their children. Come to think of it, he didn't think there would ever be a right moment to tell her that.

"Mommy," Livvy's crying became more hysterical at Emily's voice and she collapsed into tears on the phone.

"Are you still at Sophie's?" Emily asked, already knowing the answer, and Olivia's sobs only confirmed it. Emily closed her eyes, biting back the reprimand that rose to her lips. "I have your phone linked to my Find your Iphone," she said, instead, "Just stay where you are and stay on the phone."

In their experience and line of work, a crying, drunk nineteen year old was a red flag, a cause for concern, and when it was their daughter, neither of them hesitated which was why, fifteen minutes later, they had pulled up outside of a dingy club that, from the outside, was nothing more than a red metal door on a wall full of graffiti, to find their youngest daughter sat in the rain, on the freezing cold floor, heels at her side and mascara on her cheeks.

She had stopped hysterically crying, instead being reduced to pathetically sniffling and as they pulled up, she hung up the phone. Aaron climbed out of the driver's side to bundle her up in his coat and Emily got out to open the back door. Livvy didn't even look at her mother as she climbed into the car, and Emily and Aaron shared a glance over the roof. Emily opened her mouth, furious and concerned in equal measure, but one look from her husband and she was restrained and, in that way, she was completely different to Elizabeth.

The drive home was completely silent, aside from the occasional sniffle from Livvy.

___

"Straight to bed, young lady," Aaron told his barely adult daughter as they stepped into the house, though he needn't have. "And try not to wake your brother."

Livvy dropped heels Aaron had never seen before at the bottom of the stairs, where they clattered on the wood, and Emily turned to Aaron, a furious expression on her face. He shook his head, and, to her credit, she said nothing. She chewed her cheek, folding her arms across her chest tightly as she shook her head, disapprovingly at her daughter's retreating frame. She turned to Aaron, shaking her head more vigorously in an I can't believe her kind of way, and walked past him, into their kitchen. Aaron watched Livvy disappear onto the landing, and waited for the click of her bedroom door closing, before following her mother into the kitchen.

"I can't believe her," Emily gave voice to the expression that had been on her face since they'd picked Liv up off the curb. She was clanging around the kitchen. She went into the glasses cupboard and, finding the shelf completely empty, slammed it shut with a bang. "She's so irresponsible. Out, at her age, dressed like that-" She was sounding like Elizabeth again, but there wasn't a chance in hell Aaron was about to tell her that. Finding the dishwasher was also bereft of glasses, Emily slammed that, too. "I'm so sick of having a house full of teenagers who never bring down their dishes," She shouted at the ceiling, unaware that it was 3:30am and Aaron approached her, taking her shoulders in his hands, rubbing gently to soothe her.

"You'll be lost in two years when Alex goes off to college and we've got an empty nest for the first time." He said, and Emily didn't reply because she was annoyed that he was right. He leaned his face against her hair, kissing her head. "What do you need a glass for?"

"To take your daughter a drink." She said, shortly, and Aaron smiled against the back of her head.

"She's your daughter, too, Emily." He said, going back to the dishwasher and taking out a mug. He filled it with water and crushed ice from the dispenser.

Emily was shaking her head, her lips pressed together in a tight line. He set the glass down in front of her and Emily regarded it a moment before she lifted rich brown eyes to his and shook her head. "Ava was never this difficult."

"Yes, well, sometimes I think Ava is too much like me for her own good." Aaron said, leaning his forearms against the counter.

Above them, they heard the familiar groan of the pipes that told them Livvy had started running her shower.

"And Olivia is too much like me." Emily pointed out, with a heavy, impatient sigh. She chewed her lip again, contemplating, then looked at him with sad eyes. "What is she punishing me for, Aaron?" The question took him aback and he frowned at her. "What?"

"When I acted out the way she does, it was because I was trying to punish my mother. For being absent, for being present. For making me move or making me stay. For my dad not being there, or for making me see him. So what is Olivia punishing me for?"

"Baby," Aaron moved closer to her, wrapping strong arms around her shoulders. Emily rested her hands on his arms, the fabric of the fleece he'd pulled on soft beneath her fingers. "I don't think Liv is punishing you. If she was, I don't think you would have been her first port of call tonight."

"I wasn't," She murmured against his chest.

"What?"

"I wasn't," This time, her voice broke a little and Aaron thought he might have to deal with two crying Hotchner women this evening, "You were."

She had him there and he took a moment before speaking again.

"Livvy is a spirited, outgoing, social girl. She has been all of those things since before she could even talk, so I don't think it's about punishing you, darling. Really. I think she's trying to find herself." He raised a hand to stroke at his wife's soft hair, "She's got you and Ava and Elizabeth to live up to. Not to mention the others; JJ and Penelope and Tara and Kristy. She's surrounded by so many women she's aspiring to be like and I can't imagine that's easy."

"I don't compare her to Ava," Emily defended and Aaron chose not to point out that she had done just that not five minutes before.

"Let's just give her the benefit of the doubt for tonight," Aaron suggested, "And try to talk to her."

"I'll go," Emily said. Above them, Liv's shower groaned as she turned off the water, and they both cast a glance to the ceiling. "You get yourself to bed, I'll be up soon." She kissed him, then turned to pick up the glass from the counter and headed up the stairs.

___

Olivia's room was a good reflection of her daughter. They had redecorated it a few years ago, for her sixteenth birthday and not much had changed since. The walls were a rich forest green, aside from one which Emily had insisted stay white, to brighten the room and make it appear bigger, but Olivia had since covered that wall with all manner of things; doodles and paintings, album prints and magazine cuttings, song lyrics and book quotes. It had become somewhat of a project; an artistic amalgamation and, though she didn't often venture into her daughters room anymore, whenever she did, Emily saw that Olivia had added to or changed it, always having a new verse or drawing. It was an unending project and there was a tin of white paint on the floor (Emily tried to ignore the splatters of paint on Olivia's cream carpet) so that Liv could always have a blank canvas; there was always a blank space, waiting for her, so that, should the mood take her, she would have the space to create.

The door to Olivia's ensuite clicked open and her daughter walked out, barelegged and wearing an oversized t-shirt that Emily recognised as once having belonged to Jack. Emily thought he'd handed it down to Alec but clearly Olivia had stolen this one for herself. Her face was scrubbed clean and red from the shower, the black trails of mascara gone from her cheeks, the red lipstick that made her look too old washed from her full lips. She looked at her mother and her cheeks began to flush, though whether she was embarrassed or preparing for a fight, Emily didn't know. She hesitated only a second when she saw Emily, then carried on across her room, throwing her dirty laundry at, not into, the washing basket, and climbing onto her bed with a thump.

"I'm really tired, mum," The shower had sobered her somewhat, Emily could tell. She shoved her comforter down with the heels of her feet, shuffled under it and then pulled it right up to her chin, turning over so she was facing away from her mother. "Can you just go? And turn out the light when you leave."

Emily looked at her daughter, remembering when she was so much smaller, all tucked up under her blanket, eager for her mother to read her a bedtime story. She looked at the back of Olivia's head, dark curls laying limp and knotted on her pillow and, even with her daughter right in front of her, found herself missing that little girl.

She padded quietly across the carpet, and sat down softly on the vacant side of Olivia's queen-sized bed.

"Sit up, have some water before you sleep." Her anger had somewhat dissipated, replaced by a quiet sort of sadness at her daughter's easy dismissal of her.

"I'm fine." Olivia said, stubbornly, into her pillow.

Emily paused for a moment, biting back the retort she wanted to snap at Olivia, then said, softly, "Just a sip, Liv, please. It'll help."

Olivia heaved a sigh, but she sat up, shoving down the comforter and turning to her mother. Aaron's eyes, though full of a defiance that Emily knew came entirely from her, met her own, as Olivia took the mug from her hands. She sipped, pointedly, at the water, paused, and then, with a glance at her mother, gulped it down until most of it was gone. Handing the mug back to Emily, and wiping the back of her hand across her mouth, she gave her a little, shy smile. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, baby," Emily returned her smile, setting the mug down on the side table. Her hand hesitated and she pulled open its draw, taking out the heavy, wooden hairbrush she knew she would find there. On it's back was painted an ornate O, in pink calligraphy and surrounded by tiny pink and white roses with big green leaves. A present from Auntie Penny, years ago. "Turn around."

Olivia didn't argue this time, turning away from her mother and letting Emily partition her wet hair. It was knotted, from the shower, but Emily was practised and gentle, and she didn't tug or drag. When she began to brush it, she started from the bottom, methodically working her way up, carefully teasing out any knots that she found, and Olivia barely felt it. She closed her eyes against the sensation, relaxing as she let her mother take care of her like she was a little girl again.

They were quiet for a while, as Emily teased out the knots that had formed in Olivia's hair. Where her curls had come from, Emily didn't know. Her own hair was naturally pinstraight; Aaron said his mother's hair had been straight, too. It was, like Alex's green eyes, an anomaly. Liv didn't strike up a conversation, and Emily didn't try to push one on her. She was just grateful that Olivia was letting her take care of her.

Emily spied something fluffy beneath the pillow on the spare side of the bed and, smiling, tugged it free. She held it out, over Olivia's shoulder. "Want Rocco?"

Olivia took the plushy from her mother's hand with a little smile, thumbing the fur of her stuffed raccoon. He had long since lost his tail, and one of his ears had split a long time ago so that it flopped, sadly, down towards his eye. He was greying on his brow, where she had rubbed away his fur over the intervening years since her first birthday, when Auntie JJ had gifted him to her, but he was still her Rocco. Out of habit, Liv brought him to her face, rubbing her nose against his head, like she had since she was a tiny child. It made Emily's heart ache.

"You brought him home from college." She said, casually, as though it were no big deal and not the sweetest thing to her.

"I take him everywhere, mom," Olivia said, in a small voice, as Emily finished brushing her hair. She tilted Liv's head back, gently, and split her hair into three pieces, beginning a french braid from her crown.

"Hm, you always have." Emily was quick, practised, and the braid was perfect, and the quiet, relaxed way Liv was letting her in made her confident, made her brave enough to ask; "Do you want to talk about it?"

"About what?" Olivia was acting dumb, but that was fine, Emily didn't mind elaborating.

"About whatever had you so upset tonight, Liv." She smoothed out Liv's hair, which she thought needed a trim. It was longer than Livvy had worn it for years, reminding Emily of when she was younger.

"You're not going to yell at me for being out at a bar?"

"I thought about it," Emily said, honestly, with a hint of humour in her voice. Liv cringed slightly, and Emily took pity on her, "Your dad talked me out of it."

On another night, she might have blown up on her daughter. If Aaron hadn't been there, she for sure would have. But he was right; their daughter was a social butterfly, outgoing and exuberant. Emily was right, too; she was too much like her mother for her own good. Emily sighed, telling her so.

"Honey," she shook her head, "If I had a dollar for everytime I went to a bar with a fake I.D…" She trailed off, and Olivia was quiet for a moment, picking at Rocco's little black, plastic eye.

"You did that?" Emily wasn't about to tell her daughter all of the things she had done; she was sure Olivia didn't need more ideas putting into her head on how to worry her parents. Instead, she gave her an affirming "hm" and didn't elaborate any further. Olivia, though, seemed contented by that answer, and it made her brave enough to open up a little more.

"So there's this girl…" Ah.

Aaron and Emily had never been under any illusions about Olivia; not since she was four years old and pointed to Modern Family on the TV, telling them she was going to marry Sofia Vergara. Then when she was five, she was going to marry Harry Styles, and so on and so forth. Their daughter was an out and proud bisexual from childhood. It was a non-issue, commonplace in their household. It had never even been a discussion, just a fact, one that neither Emily nor Aaron had ever questioned.

"I see," Emily responded gently, waiting for Olivia to go on, not wanting to push and have her close up again.

"I don't know," Olivia shrugged, "I guess I thought she liked me," Her voice went quiet, like she was embarrassed, "But I saw her making out with some guy." Another shrug, "It doesn't matter. It's just hard, sometimes."

"What is, baby?"

"Being me," Olivia hadn't been this frank with her in a long time, and Emily felt she was treading on uneven ground, as though any wrong step would make her close up again, and who knew how long for. So again, she didn't force it, she just waited for Olivia to carry on, which, after a heavy sigh, she did. "Liking girls, it's hard to know when they like you back. It's still not really…normal, you know? It is, but it's not. Not like liking guys is. When I like I guy, I can be pretty sure he'll like me back." She gave a little shrug, "Maybe that's vain, I don't know. But with girls...you never know until you know and sometimes, by then, it's too late and you've already made a fool of yourself."

Emily finished wrapping the hair tie around the bottom of Liv's plait, taking her time, enjoying being this close to her daughter again; she couldn't remember the last time Liv let her do her hair. Maybe middle school? That was so long ago. Emily wondered, between then and now, how many heartbreaks like this had her daughter been through that she knew nothing about? With Ava, it was different. Not only had she been with Henry for so long that anything before him had been fleeting and fickle, but she had never hesitated to come to her mother with romantic problems. Emily had always been Ava's first port of call, in happiness or sadness. Olivia preferred to either keep things to herself, or, if she needed someone to talk to, she usually went to Jack or Ava.

"Hey," Emily rubbed her hands up and down Liv's forearms, "You have always been open with your heart. That's not a bad thing."

"It just never works out for me, mom," Liv was staring down at her hands, rubbing anxiously at Rocco's ears, one upright, one folded over, out of habit.

"Sometimes having a big heart leaves you open to getting hurt." Where Liv had gotten her openness, her frankness, her trust in people from, neither of her parents knew. They theorised that it came from her Uncle Sean, with whom Liv had always gotten along like a house on fire. "So this girl wasn't the one," She carried on, softly, gently, and Liv leaned back against her mother's chest, relaxed, calm. "She doesn't know what she's missing."

"You have to say that, you're my mom." Liv made to sit up, but Emily wrapped her arms around her daughter, hugging her, and Olivia didn't fight her.

"You're nineteen, baby," Emily reminded her, rocking her from side to side, like she was five years old again. "You've got time. You're going to find somebody amazing, and who sees how amazing you are. You're going to find someone who sees all of that love you have to give, and wants to give it back in return. I'm so confident about that, Livvy," And she really meant it, "You're too beautiful of a soul not to."

They sat there for a minute, Liv listening to her mother's heartbeat in her chest, feeling her breathe, finding comfort in the quiet and the closeness. Her night had been turmoil, between the anxiety of using a fake I.D, the heartache of seeing Dani kiss that guy, the fear of calling her parents to come get her. But she had called them. She always called them. No matter what kind of mess she got herself into, no matter the time of night, no matter how mad they would be, she knew her parents would always show up for her, no hesitation. It had always been that way, and she knew it always would be that way.

"Thank you, mom, for always being there for me," She mumbled, and Emily blinked, smiling, savouring that moment. She turned her head, pressing a kiss to Ava's damp hair.

"I love you, too, baby."

___

"Mother is a verb. It's something you do. Not just who you are."

- Cheryl Lacey Donovan.

[hyvnology]

cataclysm.

paring(s): none for now

tags: crime au, spies, bang chan centric, hwang hyunjin centric, criminals, organised crime, found family, hurt/comfort, mystery, angst, undercover, criminal minds au,

can be found: here

intro under the cut!

How could he believe in those monsters when he had grown up with the light in his mother's eyes slowly growing dimmer? How could he believe in the make-believe when he saw the barely concealed bruises painting his friend's skin, saw the hollowness in his neighbour's eyes?

In every story we hear, monsters are described as creatures of the night, with sharp teeth and even sharper claws. They are described as these hideous creatures, with molten faces, with disfigured limbs, that hid in the shadows, prowled in the darkness of the night waiting to strike someone who hadn't been looking behind their back. Monsters, they said, were creatures that existed under your bed. They were creatures that existed in the darkest corners of your closet, in the thick shadows of your room when it was past midnight and the moonlight wasn't bright enough to light up the place.

Maybe if he had grown up with the stories of these monsters, Bang Chan would not be the person he is today. He didn't believe in monsters, not the ones that hid under your bed or in your closet. He didn't believe in monsters with claws and sharp teeth and blood-stained lips, not when he grew up hearing his mother's muffled cries.

Monsters, to him, at the end of the day were people. People who let the worst parts of themselves show to the world through cruel cruel acts. Monsters were creatures that looked human, that acted human but showed their most vicious side through blood and piles of bodies behind a closed door.

Monsters were people, people that need to be behind bars, people that were not humane. Monsters were creatures that pretended to be a friend, a sibling, a kind stranger, a father. Maybe that was why at the age of twenty-two, he had signed his name on the crisply printed paper. Had in a way, sold his soul, to catch these monsters that walked freely in the streets of Seoul.

And he did exactly that, catching one monster after another, climbing up and up the ranks until he was in charge of a team, a team that he had handpicked, a team that was one of the best in the whole Bureau. Making a name for himself in the Bureau in the seven years he had worked to now have access to cases that most would think he didn't have clearance for.

So, when at eight thirty-two in the morning, Supervisory Special Agent Bang was called into the Director's office, he wasn't surprised. It wasn't unusual, nor was the fact that he had to sign an NDA even before he was allowed to utter a word or even know why he was here.

What was unusual was the presence of his entire team, which included their newest addition who most in the department still looked at with suspicion and barely concealed fury. This was the first time all seven of them had gathered for a case that the Director personally handed to them and from the tense lines of Director Park's body and the furrowed eyebrows, it was not a good one.

Chan had a suspicion that it had something to do with the serial killer that the department had apprehended, which also coincided with the sudden radio silence from one of their agents in the field. An agent who had been looking into a particular family. But, he didn't voice anything, not until all the members were done reading through their files and had signed their names.

"Three weeks ago, Agent Kim Minhyuk was assigned a case regarding the White Wolves. After the massacre in Mirroh, the family has been exceptionally quiet." The Director's voice was stiff with a coldness to it that Chan had rarely heard. "Every Wednesday, he checked in with his handler, relaying all the information he had gathered. However, he had failed to arrive at his assigned spot last Wednesday."

Director Park paused, pushing a pile of files towards Chan. He passed it on to his team and opened the one meant for him. His lips pursed into a thin line as he read it over, dread setting into the pit of his stomach as the severity of the situation hit him. It was worse than he had expected.

"Agent Kim Minhyuk was found yesterday at seven hundred hours. From the medical report, you can see, that there were no physical signs that could show the cause of death. No bruising, no bleeding, toxicology report came out clean. However, once the brain scans were redone, we didn't have to test. The results were eerily similar to the Siren's final victim."

"It was poison then." SSA Lee concluded from the Director's words.

"Yes," Director Park nodded, "A poison that we've flagged before."

"One of Siren's?" SSA Seo voiced, "do we have a copycat in our hands?"

"No," Director Park shook his head, "Not a single chemical composition matched the data the Siren had given us. It doesn't belong to him."

"It doesn't belong to the Siren," SSA Bang found himself saying, looking away from the Director and directly at the newest addition of his team who shook his head, mouth set into a thin line and shoulders tense, a clear way of displaying his displeasure at not knowing the sort of poison used. "Then who?"

"The Prince."

first chapter will be posted soon!

[marvelwitchergilmore]

Love In The Bureau

Part 2 

They hadn’t seen one another in 8 years until her boss decided to leave, leaving the position of Team Leader up for grabs. Kate wasn’t the happiest when she found out who it was, but maybe something can change this time round...

Enemies to friends to lovers. CM level violence. AU!

By the time Kate made it back to work, the team had seen a complete change in both her and Dean. They had gone from being icy and rocky with one another to being...kind. Nice. Warm people. Something they never thought they'd witness between their team mate and team leader.

One morning, Garcia had walked in, getting ready to place up a few balloons for Kate's 'welcome back' but Kate has already beat her to the round-room.

Kate had been sat with a couple of files surrounding her and two coffee's on the table including two pasta breakfast bowls. One which was Kate's, the other's was Deans.

"Wha-" Garcia had said upon seeing her. "You're back? But - But you weren't meant to be here for another hour."

Kate gave a 'eesh' face when she saw Garcia and the small handful of balloons. "I know. I'm so sorry."

"No, don't be. It's good that you're back. I just wanted to do something nice and fun before you came back."

Kate slowly stood up and walked over to Garcia. "I love the thought. And I love you."

Garcia smiled. "Fine. You're forgiven. Just hug me first."

"I can do that."

The pair shared a tight hug before pulling away, Garcia handing Kate her balloons. "Welcome back!"

"Thank you." Kate smiled with laughter. "I love them."

"Hey, just...out of curiosity, who have you been here with? And how long have you been here? Because I would have bumped into you on the elevator when I came into work this morning."

"I've been sat with Dean," Kate admitted, placing the balloons out of the way before walking to sit down by the desk again. "I couldn't sleep last night. First day gitters, I guess. So, I came in bright and early. Dean was in before anyone so, we decided to have breakfast together and go over a couple of cases."

"Dean?" Penelope smiled as she looked at Kate.

"Don't give me that look."

"What look?" Garcia asked, innocently. "There's no look."

"Uh, yes there is. It's that one you're giving me right now." Kate told her. "That's you suggestive look."

"I don't have a -"

With a quick movement, Kate snapped a picture of Garcia before showing her. "Oh, wow, there is a face. I thought I was really good at hiding my thoughts."

Garcia gave a small pout of sadness at her secret being uncovered.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, that's your new icon picture for your contact in my phone."

Garcia smiled again. "Ooh, yay! Please tell me you've found one for JJ. I can never get the perfect picture for her. Of course, she looks perfect in all of her pictures, but that's the problem."

"We'll catch it one day."

"Not on my watch."

"JJ!"

"Hey! You're back!"

"Thank god."

Before long, everyone was back in the conference room, Dean finally coming back from retrieving the new case file.

"How bad?" Kate asked.

"Oregon."

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Over the following hours, the team, save for Dean and Kate, studied the latter. They no longer sat on opposite sides and ends of the plane but either across from one another or next to. The talked to one another, mostly eye contact when they did. It was like, over night, they had their own language. They didn't even have to speak or look at one another to know what the other was needing or thinking.

But, the team hadn't seen the nights and late afternoons Kate and Dean had spent together finishing paperwork, consulting on cases and just simply talking.

It was definetly a change of pace compared to the last few months of arguing or heated looks that could kill in an instant. That was even if they looked at one another. Or spoke whilst in the same room.

And now they had landed in Oregon, staying in a local hotel close to the station.

"We've only got so many rooms so some of you will have to bunk."

"I call JJ!" Garcia called out.

"I'm not sharing with Reid." Alvez spoke out. "I love you all, but I need my alone space."

"I'll share with Reid." Emily said, raising her hand.

"I guess that leaves you and me."

Kate took the key from the desk. "You better not snore."

An hour later they were on the case and getting to work.

"Who's for coffee?" Dean asked as he walked in with a palate of coffee's. His tie was off, his sleeves rolled half way up and his blazer was thrown on the back of his chair.

"Ah! You are a saviour!" JJ exclaimed, taking her cup.

Other "thank you"'s came from the others however, as Kate took a sip of her's she scrunched up her face. However before she could say anything, Dean handed her a couple of sugars.

"JJ's right. You are a saviour." Kate smiled, taking them from him whilst a small smile came to his lips before he sat down on the table, one foot still on the floor. Kate had stolen his seat.

"Anything new?"

"A couple of tips but Alverez called. It's nothing but they're checking out another one right now. We're waiting for his call."

Dean nodded, turning his head as he was called in by the lead detective on the case.

Four bodies had turned up in the town in a matter of weeks. All died the same. All cut the same. However, there was only something different between the three women. Hair colour.

And now another had turned up. Only, this time, it was a man. Again.

"Alright, Kate and JJ you're with me. Prentiss, call Alverez - tell him to meet us there. Can you take the witnesses?"

Emily nodded.

"Great. Garcia? Press."

Garcia nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Lets go."

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By the time it reached 2am Kate and Dean were the only ones still awake. He had sent everyone to be hours ago since they'd had next to no sleep within two days. But, of course, Kate didn't follow his instructions. Then again, he wasn't following his own.

They had been down stairs at first before transfering everything upstairs so they could continue working in a more comfortable situation.

And, as the clock began to reach half-past, it finally hit Kate.

"Holy shit!" she exclaimed as she threw her hands up into the air, her pen flying with them. "Oh." She was sat crossed-legged on Dean's bed, surrounded in each case file of the victims.

"What?"

"I found his MO."

"You have? I thought we already-"

Kate nodded. "Yeah. We did. But look at their pattern."

Dean took the photos from Kate's hand and looked down at them. "I don't see it."

Kate stood up in frustrastion stood next to him. Pointing at the pictures, she explained; "Look at them. They remind you of anything?"

Dean was a little silent and then, "Oh!"

"See it now?"

"No." he answered honestly.

Kate let out a groan. "Blue dress, blonde hair. The girl, right? Well, look at the guy. Chrisp white shirt, jacket, pocket watch, nice suit. Hair perfect. And then the second vics. Red hair and a purple shirt and blue-ish skirt. Our second vic? Relaxed shirt, slightly longer, jet black hair? How do you not see this? Ugh, right, look. Our third vic?" Kate said, walking over to the bed and picking up the third girl's picture. "Perfect, long blond hair, pink dress, lips as red as the rose?"

"They're Disney couples." Dean said aloud realising what she had spotted. "They're Disney couples! They're...Disney couples?"

Kate nodded and hummed. "And I bet you any money, if he manages to get a third male victim, he'll be in a black shirt and trousers and have a red jacket."

"You're a genius."

Kate shrugged. "I just watched a lot of Disney growing up. It's kinda creepy, if you think about it. Childhood innocence now broken because of some ranging psychopath with a Disney fetish."

"When you put it like that."

Two days later, they finally caught the Unsub about to mark a final victim. Thankfully, he was arrested before he could do so, but another two minutes and the victim could have died.

And now, whilst the others slept peacefully in their rooms, Kate and Dean had finally made it up the stairs and into their room. However, with all the folders and files of old cases, Disney lore and much more, the pair collapsed onto one bed.

"Sometimes I wonder how we can still do this?"

Dean moved his hand from his face to look at her. "Do what?"

"This. No sleep for three days. Crash for a couple of hours and then solve the case before finally being able to get a decent night's sleep."

"Offenders don't take breaks, Carter. But I get your point."

With silence filling the room, it didn't take long until Dean flicked off the light and they were both dead to the world.

By the time they woke up, JJ was knocking on their door, growing louder and louder with each and every knock.

"Come, guys! Wake up! The Plane's ready, we just need to leave."

Kate groaned as she woke up to the light, as did Dean - neither of them realised however that they had moved closer in the night, Dean's arm lay across Kate's side whilst she lay inches from his chest.

"We better get up."

"I hate Mondays." Kate groaned.

"It's Thursday."

"Well, I hate them, too."

Dean managed to crack a small smile as he got up. "Come on, I'll get you coffee."

"Black?"

"As your soul."

Kate smiled, tiredly. "You know me too well, Winchester."

"Come on, before JJ breaks down the door."

Five minutes later, Dean was ready to open the door when Kate stopped him.

"What are you doing?"

"Just, wait. Is JJ out there?"

Dean looked through the peep hole. "Yeah, but-"

"Just...watch."

As Dean opened up the door, JJ began to speak but was halted when a flash went off in her face. "Thank you." Kate said to herself, and JJ.

"Wha-"

"That's what you get for waking me up."

JJ rolled her eyes. "Fine. Just, come on."

By the time they got back on the plane, Kate was half way through her coffee sat across from Dean by the window, Spencer next to her and Emily sat across from him. Alvez was sat at the end of the plane and JJ was fast asleep.

But, even as they all sat in silence, their each were processing their own thought. And what was going on with Dean and Kate's? Well, they couldn't deny it was the best sleep they'd had in years.

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Dean and Kate always seemed to find some way to be always touching each other. Whether it be touching legs under the table in the jet as they sat across from one another, like that had done after Oregon, or touching arms when stood next to one another. Or the other having their arm around the other's shoulder - this usually being Dean's arm over Kate's since she was the shorter of the two. The team had even found them holding hand sometimes. This usually happened because they were helping one or the other down or up into something whilst searching a location and clearly they didn't want to let go. But, the odd thing was, neither of them seemed to realise it. It just seemed to happen.

This is what confused the team the most because the pair had gone from hating one another to practically being best-friends over night. They smiled, they laughed, they talked. The team had questioned if they were dating, but since they couldn't just come right out and say it, they had to guess. But, for all that they did, this was just one case they couldn't solve.

Dean and Kate would get coffee together in the mornings. Garcia had caught them a few times at her local coffee shop. Dean knew Kate's order straight from memory as if he'd known it all his life. And she always knew his food order. Just as if she had known it all her life.

They were so in sync on cases that they didn't even had to look at one another to know what the other needed. A case file, a coffee, a screwdriver. That one had been an odd one, something no-one could explain. But Kate found one anyway and handed it to Dean as he was stood in the kitchen listening to the creaking of the cupboard door.

They were always next to one another as well. Dean still did his job as Team Leader of course, and treated everyone the same. But there was just something about his connection to Kate that made it seem different. It ran deeper than even, as the team suspected, Kate and Dean knew.

"I wonder what happened that night." JJ said aloud as herself, Emily, Spencer and Derek sat at the four seats whilst Kate and Dean sat opposite one another at the two seats at the end of the plane, talking and even laughing every now and then.

"What night?" Spencer asked, moving another chess piece.

"When they were kidnapped." JJ said. "They were gone for maybe two hours? And everything since then, they've been like, well..." JJ just nodded towards the pair at the end of the plane.

"Neither of them have talked about it." Emily mentioned. "Maybe they finally talked?"

"Whilst being in a killer's grasp?"

Luke shrugged. "She was put in danger. She was the first of any of us to get a hit whilst out in the field since he took over after Hotch. Maybe that's what changed it?"

"Well, either way, they're both happier." JJ said, her eyes still focused on the pair.

Emily quickly looked over her shoulder. She could see Dean with a clear view, but could only see part of Kate since she was lay with one leg up on the chair.

"Are we sure there's not more to it? I mean, have any of you seen Kate like this before?"

"No."

This was the generic answer becuase, as much as they had all seen Kate happy and smiling and laughing, something about this was...different. And as much as it was their job to read people, there was just something about these two they couldn't put their finger on.

Dean and Kate had gone from hating one another, the hate simply radiating off the gaze they gave one another to something more than friends.

"Maybe they're soulmates?" Spencer offered.

"Soulmates are just a myth." Luke replied.

"Well, during Ancient Greece it was said at the beginning of time humans were first created with four arms, four legs and a head with two faces but with the Gods fearing their power, Zeus split them in half condeming them to always be in search for their other half. Maybe they finally found their other half?"

It was plausable. As much as it was a myth. It was once a belief. Maybe they had found their soulmate. Maybe that was why they couldn't put a finger on it? It was something stronger than just love and friendship. It was a soul connection.

[happiest-hotch]

pov: your Instagram but you're married to Aaron Hotchner

Liked by mommyjareau, doctorreid and 228 others

y/nhotchner: another day being my bitch 

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d.morgan: this feels a little too personal to be seeing → badass_em: agreed, especially with his tie untied

aarhotcher: *another day of adoring my wife → y/nhotchner: synonyms, baby

Liked by davidrossiofficial, babygirlpg, and 241 others

y/nhotchner: breakfast duty

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aarhotchner: somehow i’m always the one on breakfast duty → y/nhotchner: i didn’t hear any complaints this morning   → aarhotchner: there was adequate repayment      → d.morgan: y’all know we can all read these comments, right?

Liked by d.morgan, doctorreid and 419 others

y/nhotchner: baby Theo Oliver Hotchner

view all 93 comments

babygirlpg: I call dibs on babysitting

jessbrooks: congratulations. so happy for your family <3 → y/nhotchner: love you <3

Liked by badass_em, d.morgan and 284 others

y/nhotchner: date night!!

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aarhotchner: you’ve got to stop taking photos of me, baby → y/nhotchner: sorry not sorry. you’re so handsome → babygirlpg: shippppp

Liked by mommyjareau, davidrossiofficial and 254 others

y/nhotchner: hearteyes

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aarhotchner: I've been looking at you like that for five years → y/nhotchner: and i’ve loved every minute of it <3

babygirlpg: we love to see our unit chief smiling → doctorreid: Yes, statistically the more times he smiles a day, the more likely we are to get the weekend off

Liked by doctorreid, badass_em and 285 others

y/nhotchner: the cutest Darth Vader ever... and some other dude

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jessbrooks: he was so excited before you two got back with the costume

mommyjareau: spiderman/ darth vader playdate → y/nhotchner: yes! and i’ll bring baby Chewbacca 

Liked by davidrossiofficial, babygirlpg and 301 others 

y/nhotchner: imagine the state of the bathroom floor

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sean_hotchner: big man is looking a lot like baby Aaron → aarhotchner: he’s got a baby Sean personality though → y/nhotchner: they want a visit from uncle Sean asap 

babygirlpg: those big brown eyes! → y/nhotchner: and long eyelashes... jealous

Liked by doctorreid, ablake and 312 others

y/nhotchner: the boys out in LA

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d.morgan: weren’t you guys meant to be at the crime scene? → y/nhotchner: i’m an opportunistic photographer  → aarhotchner: she made us, and get back to work on the files   →d.morgan: yes bossman   → babygirlpg: that smile doesn’t look forced

Liked by teelewis, sean_hotchner and 426 others

y/nhotchner: bring your kid to work day... but your parents travel on a private jet

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aarhotchner: *disclaimer* there were no usual BAU discussions

d.morgan: little man and Henry had a good point about web shooters → doctorreid: agreed → teelewis: agreed → mommyjareau: agreed → babygirlpg: agreed, and i’m not even in the field  → davidrossiofficial: agreed → y/nhotchner: pressure is on @/aarhotchner

[radiant-reid]

Rays of Sunshine

Husband!Spencer rights and Dad!Spencer rights

Summary: Just a relaxing morning in the Reid house with the couple’s baby

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader (fluff)

Content Warning: nothing

Word Count: 1.1k

Masterlist Navigation

Waking up to something other than baby cries was becoming less and less common in the Reid household, and Y/n didn’t hate it. It was nice to not be woken up at 2 am to a screaming infant, like what was happening 5 months ago, but she missed when Maisyn was a newborn. Now they’d had a baby for as long as Y/n had been pregnant, and she still couldn’t wrap her head around that. 

That morning, Y/n woke up when Spencer did. It always happened like that when he got home the night before. His arms wrapped tighter around her just before he fully woke up, like he needed to make sure she was as close to him as possible. 

She pulled away from him a little bit, so she could actually breathe, which woke Spencer fully up. “Morning.” He mumbled, voice thick from sleep. 

Laying on her stomach, Y/n rested her cheek on her hands like she was using her hands as a pillow so she could look at her beautiful husband. “Hi, handsome.” She whispered, reaching out to run her fingers through his brown curls. They were much messier than last night, even though Spencer hardly moved in his sleep. 

He smiled at her, taking a long moment to take in her beautiful features and wonder how he possibly got so lucky. Things had been difficult for a long time before he met Y/n. Sometimes life and his job were still hard, and terrible things happened, but everything felt brighter with his girls. 

Y/n was doing the same thing to him, her eyes mapping out his face like it was the first time she’d ever seen him. She could never work out which feature was her favorite. His cheekbones and jawline were sculpted like he was a Greek God. They framed the perfect nose their daughter inherited and pink lips that Y/n loved to kiss. Then there were his eyes that were so perfect she looked for the color in everything she saw. The honey-colored pupils always looked at her with so much love that her heart felt full. 

“I love you.” He declared with as much weight as he’d said it the first time. He felt even more in love with her than he did back then. 

“I love you, too.” She replied, cupping his cheek that wasn’t on the pillow and stroking her thumb over the soft skin. 

They were about to fall back into a silent staring session when there was gurgling on the baby monitor, and Y/n turned away from him to pick it up. There wasn’t any crying, in fact, the live feed showed Maisyn holding the side of her crib and shaking the white wooden bars. 

She moved to sit up so she could get out of bed but Spencer stopped her with a large hand on her bare thigh. “I can get her.” He offered, pealing the white sheets off him. 

Y/n shook her head. “I’ll bring her back.” She assured him, knowing that he liked to spend as much time with his daughter as he could while he was at home. 

The carpet was plush under her feet as she walked out of the bedroom, leaving Spencer in bed. The wooden floor leading down the hallway didn’t seem as cold as it did in winter. Y/n pushed open the bedroom door faster than when she put Maisyn to bed. The room flooded with light from the hallway once the door was opened, having previously been pitch black thanks to the blackout blinds.

Spencer had enlisted Penelope’s help to decorate her goddaughter’s nursery and it was the most perfect space. There were little butterfly decals on the walls, a big armchair in the corner, and a planet mobile Spencer had insisted on over the crib. 

Contained by the bars, Maisyn curiously examined her mom as she walked over, grinning widely when she recognized the woman. It was the same thing most morning, and it never failed to make Y/n smile.

“Hi, sweet baby.” Y/n cooed, matching Maisyn’s smile as she stepped closer. The little girl giggled when she got closer with her open-mouth smile not faltering. “Did you wanna come to see Daddy?” She asked in a curious tone before waiting for a beat, like her daughter would answer, before continuing. “Come on then, sweet thing.” She leaned down to pick her up, straightening out her strawberry print one-piece and kissing her cheek. While holding her, she turned off the white noise machine before walking out of the room.

Maisyn reached out to clutch at her hair as she rested against Y/n’s waist. It was like she could sense what was happening because her babbling only got louder the closer to the master bedroom they got.

Y/n bounced her up and down while she walked to the bed. “Are you ready?” She asked the little girl who only looked at her with a confused frown. Spencer chuckled slightly, still laying on his stomach but glancing down to the foot of the bed where Y/n had just placed Maisyn. “Okay, go!” She cheered.

Maisyn must have understood what to do because she quickly crawled up the covers, her tiny little fits, and knees pioneering through the messy bedding until she reached Spencer’s bare back. 

The soft sunlight streamed through the window since he must have opened the curtains in the time she’d been gone. The summer sun had made him slightly more tan, and the golden sun bouncing around the walls lit up his skin and made both Spencer and Maisyn’s hair look lighter. Her little fists tapped against his skin as she climbed on top of him while giggling. 

“Is that my little ray of sunshine?” Spencer asked, and she moved further upward until her curls were tickling his. 

Maisyn had been without a middle name for Y/n’s entire pregnancy, but she was born just as the sun rose and they decided Rae was perfect. Ever since then, she was their ray of sunshine.

He reached out to grab her, wrapping one arm around her small and turning around. She gave him the same open-mouthed grin, two teeth pointing out while he kissed all over her face. 

“Dadda.” She recognized him, her open palms slapping against his face while he held her out in front of him. 

He sat up against the headboard and held Maisyn out in front of him before launching forward and blowing raspberries onto her chest which made her giggle even louder and happily kick her legs.

It was so precious that Y/n just watched them for a few moments, relishing in every perfect minute they got to spend together.

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[punksarahreese]

Revenant | Found Family!AU

When I met you all those years ago, I never expected to find love in that storm