Spencer Reid One Shots

I'm already there

A/N: inspired by the song I'm already there by Westlife.

Spencer was sitting alone in one of the hotel rooms somewhere in Tacoma. The BAU team had been here for almost six days now and they still didn't seem anywhere near to catch a serial killer.

He reached for his phone that was lying on the bedside table and scrolled through some pictures. Pictures of his wife Anna and his two children, Samantha and Nicolas. A sigh escaped Spencer's mouth. He missed his family a lot whenever he had to be away for a case. But most cases didn't take more than a week. This one though looked like it would take at least two weeks.

Spencer dialed Anna's number a few minutes later and listened to the free-line signal while he let himself fall on the back so he was lying on the bed now.

"Spencer." Anna's voice made him smile immediately. "Hey", he responded and let his fingers run through his hair. He was exhausted and the best would have been if he'd just lay down and get some hours of sleep. But he'd rather talked to his wife.

"How are you? Everything's okay?", Anna asked and Spencer could hear the concern in her voice.

"Sure, everything's okay", Spencer said to not worry her, but then he changed his mind and sighed. "Well, to be honest, that whole thing is disappointing. We seem to not make even one step forward", he murmured, "and if we're unlucky we won't be back home within the next week."

He could hear Anna sigh on the other side of the phone and felt guilty all of a sudden. It had been something different when Anna and Spencer had been just the two of them, with no kids. Of course Spencer had missed her a lot, but now there were also kids and he missed them so much if he would have had the possibility, he would have jumped onto the next plane and fly back to Virginia.

"Spence...I love you. And I miss you. But that job is important so you have to keep your head in the game, okay?", she tried to encourage him, what conjured another smile on his face.

But then he heard the kids in the background. They were laughing and a voice came nearer. "Mommy, who's on the phone?", Spencer could hear Nicolas' voice.

"It's daddy, sweetheart", Anna said.

"Let me talk to him", he grouched and a few seconds later, Spencer could hear his son's voice clearer. "Daddy, when you're coming home?", was the first thing the five years old boy said and Spencer had a hard time not to sigh or to show him how much he missed him. He swallowed and hoped the lump in his throat would disappear.

"Listen, buddy. It might take some more days...do you think you can handle that?", Spencer asked.

"No, I want you to be back", the little boy whined. Spencer bit his lips to not sigh. What should he say? He hated it to see or hear his son being upset. Especially not when he was the reason for it.

"Nicolas, I'm already there", Spencer then started, not really thinking about what he was saying now. He just wanted Nicolas to be happy again. "You know I'm never going away, I'm always with you. And do you know why?"

"No, why?", he asked and Spencer couldn't hold back a smile.

"Because you're my son and I'm your dad. We're connected, no matter how far away I am", Spencer tried to explain to his four years old boy. And he could hear him chuckle. "And you promised me to look after mommy and Samantha, as long as I'm away, remember?"

"Of course!" Now Nicolas sounded proud and it seemed like he just remembered what he had talked about to his dad right before Spencer had to leave for the case.

"So you'll continue doing that, being the man at home, okay?", Spencer asked.

"Okay. I love you, daddy", Nicolas said. "I love you too, buddy", Spencer replied. "Would you let your mom back on the phone again?" He could hear noises before he there was Anna's voice again.

"The kids are missing you", she quietly said.

"I know", Spencer sighed and got up from the bed again to walk around in his hotel room. "I miss them too."

For some seconds there was silence between Spencer and Anna, before she sighed and said: "I miss you as well." Her voice wasn't more than a whisper. "I wish I could lay in your arms and you'd hold me. I hate when you're away."

Spencer swallowed and rubbed a hand over his cheek. He knew Anna and the kids missed him whenever he was away. And he missed them too, maybe even more than they missed him.

"Spencer?" Anna's voice sounded.

"Yeah, I'm...here", he murmured. "I wish I could hold you in my arms. Hotel rooms are lonely." Another sigh escaped his lips and then Spencer shook his head. No, he had to get his head back into the case. He couldn't allow his feelings to distract him from everything. The sooner they'd catch the killer the sooner Spencer would be back home with his family.

"Okay, listen...I don't want to disturb you any longer and I have to bring the kids into soon", Anna said and Spencer could actually hear the smile that was on her lips right now. "Okay, babe", Spencer replied, "Although we all miss each other, don't forget – and please tell the kids as well – I'm already there. I'm already with the three of you because I know I'm in all your hearts and dreams. And I promise you, we'll be back soon."

"I'll tell them. I love you, Spencer."

And with these words Anna hung up and left Spencer all alone in his hotel room again. It was quiet, too quiet and his thoughts were running loudly in his head. He decided to take a shower and then lay down to get some sleep.

While the hot water was prouding down his body, Spencer couldn't stop thinking about his beautiful wife and his kids. He knew Anna would never let him quit his job because of her and the kids. She knew how important his work was and that it was everything he ever wanted to do for a living.

But there were days Spencer missed his family so much he seriously thought about quitting and doing some bureau job.

"Never think about quitting just because of us, Spencer. We'll be alright. I know that your job is important and the kids will understand when they're older. You're important for this team and the team is important for the country. And you love your job, no matter what. So, never quit what you love."

Spencer could almost hear Anna's voice saying the words she told him some weeks ago when he had been talking about the future with her. But she hadn't wanted to hear about quitting. And Spencer had huge respect for his wife to handle a life like this, for accepting the job he had and liked to do.

When he was away, he had to work, he had to keep focussing about the psychopath they had to catch. But Anna would sit at home with the kids, praying and hoping that Spencer would return safe.

When Spencer was lying in bed and looking at the pictures on his phone, he couldn't hold back a smile. No matter how much he missed his family and how much they missed him, no matter how far away he was, it always felt that Spencer was wherever Anna, Samantha and Nicholas were. They were connected to each other, he had to keep thinking about this.

He was always in his kids' hearts; he was always in his wife's thoughts. And he was always in their dreams, so he was never away from them. Not really. And with that thought Spencer finally found some sleep and promised himself to solve that case as soon as possible, so he could finally embrace his kids and wife again.