I Will Never Let You Go (A Maxcer Fanfic)

A Special Day Together.

Max could feel the disappointment burn inside her, but she knew to downplay it so she didn't make Spencer feel bad. Willow's third birthday was tomorrow and they'd just been given a new case last minute to Kentucky, so unless a miracle came out of nowhere, he wasn't going to be around for her party. The past two years they'd been lucky, but they both knew it was bound to happen. When they weren't together on their own birthdays, they didn't mind celebrating immediately once he got back; but Spencer's presence meant a great deal to Willow, so not having him there was sure to break her little heart.
"She'll be alright, I'll make sure of it." Max assured him over the phone.
"I know, but it's the first time I'm not gonna be around for her birthday. I don't want her not to have a good day tomorrow."
"She will. We'll be at the playhouse, she'll have her friends; everything will be fine."
"Okay, well just tell her I'm really sorry and we will do something really special for her once I get back. I actually already have an idea that I will text you about once I've got it all planned."
"Okay. Safe travels. Text me when you land."
"Of course. I love you girls."
"We love you too. Bye Spence."
"Bye."
Max ended the call and ran a hand through her hair. Willow had been at Harper's house for the past couple of hours and hadn't heard the conversation, so she was going to have to break the news to her herself. By tomorrow, Max was positive that she'd be fine, but initially telling her was going to be a challenge; which meant going out to dinner was out of the question but going to get ice cream once she calmed down would be necessary.

The next morning, Spencer woke up a half hour earlier so he could do some research in bed before getting ready for work. It was still a little early for him to call Max and wish Willow a Happy Birthday, so he browsed his tablet for a while until he had his special surprise arranged. He would only need a few more key items, but those he planned to get while he was out and about.
At 7 a.m, Spencer went out to the parking lot to meet with his team. Everyone was already there waiting, except for Tara and Emily.
"ETA on Tara and Prentiss?" Spencer asked no one in particular.
"They headed to the ME's office already. Prentiss wants JJ and Matt to set up at the precinct; you, me and Luke will head to the first crime scene." Rossi explained, pulling the handle to the driver's side door open.
The case involved two families that had been killed in their homes: the Maroneys and the Jackmans. Both families had two kids, a son and a daughter each. The parents were found tied up in their bedroom with their throats slashed, while the kids were found in various places throughout the house killed in the same fashion.
Spencer went to inspect the bedroom of Allison and Matthew Maroney. On the outside of their door, there was blood on the knob and marks on the finish, as if someone was pounding on the door desperate to get inside. Moving inside the room, Spencer could see the dried pool of blood where the couple were bound back to back. A glass vase was broken on Matthew's side of the bed, indicating that he must've fought back.
"Matthew was a retired marine. There's pictures in the dining room and on the fridge. Allison worked as a real estate agent, and Meghan and Matty both went to the middle school not far from here." Luke said, entering the room.
"There's blood on the outside of the door but not on the inside."
"Yeah I noticed that too; and the marks look like they came from small fists. I'm willing to bet it was Matty."
Spencer opened the door wider so he could see each and every mark, mapping out Matty's hits in his head.
"There wasn't any forced entry on the first floor, was there?" He asked.
"No, why? What are you thinking?"
Spencer moved over to the window, paying close attention to the locking mechanism. The latch had been knocked from its proper position, making it useless. Right outside the window was a pine tree, and Spencer started to build his hypothesis.
"He broke in through the window, tied up the parents and somehow locked the door behind him so the kids couldn't get it. He chased them around the house probably making them scream--"
"All while the parents are alive and can hear it all."
"He kills the kids, makes it back to the room and finishes the job. He had them compromised from the start and yet he kept them alive."
"He wanted them to suffer by hearing their children die." Luke finished.