Sincerity - Criminal Minds || Spencer Reid Fanfiction

34. Emily

"I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light." ― Helen Keller

The Fighter

Beth closed the front door behind her and my dad, and we all stood in the centre of the living room, looking at each other.

"Momma, is that you?" A little voice sounded from the top of the stairs, and I spun so fast my neck cracked painfully. I winced and Spencer flinched towards me at the sound.

"Hey baby-love," I said, hurrying over to the stairs, ignoring my family's worried gazes.

"What're you doing out of bed my angel?"

"I heard an alarm, I was scared." She pouted. "What happened to you momma, are you okay, you're all hurt."

She looked sad and I smiled, kneeling down, swallowing my winces as my entire body ached. I pushed the hair out of her face, tears shining in my eyes.

"You make all of the pain go away, baby-love," I said truthfully, looking into her eyes and feeling like I was home. "C'mon, let's get you back into bed." I turned to Spencer who helped me to my feet, and together we took our daughter along the hall to our room.

*

The next day, we slept.

The day after that, Tilly had had enough and insisted we go to the beach with her.

And so we did. All of us. Even Jason who was distant and grumpy and only spoke when Tilly asked him something.

It was beautiful to see the pair of them interacting.

Since the fight, he'd been distant and vague. Responding in grunt and glares or foul language, but never really saying anything.

But Tilly... She wasn't having any of that.

She sat him down on the sofa and brushed his bald head, put a hairband on and spritzed him with fake perfume.

She sat him down in the back yard and read him stories in the sunshine. She forced him onto the sofa and watched movies together.

Eventually, he began reading the stories to her, and one evening, he combed her hair for so long that she fell asleep on his lap.

"Emily wasn't the only one to fall in love with him." I smiled, watching as Jason carried Tilly upstairs with Spencer in tow.

"I know... She's going to be devastated when he goes home." Beth commented with a small sigh.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Jack asked worriedly.

I sighed and leaned against the counter, finishing my glass of wine.

"Honestly Jack," I sighed. "I don't know."

The Protector

Once Jason and I had put Tilly to bed, we went back downstairs where Mel and her parents and Jack were sitting around the table, waiting for us.

"I got a call from the President today," Aaron began as soon as Jason and I had sat down. Beth choked on her tea and Jack froze with his cup to his mouth, confused.

"There's a huge political mess to clear up and he'd like us with him to help negotiate things." Aaron explained, looking between Mel and I hopefully.

"The President wants you to work with him?" Beth almost-shrieked.

Aaron smirked at her tone and nodded his head.

"Not permanently, only to help clear the mess up."