I Will Never Let You Go (A Maxcer Fanfic)

If I Need You.

"Mommy said I get to go to Harper's house after school today." Willow told Spencer as he was getting ready for work. It was six weeks after Max's surgery and she'd been feeling a lot better in the past week, so she urged Spencer to return to work. He was still allowed to take as much time as they needed so he could help with the girls, but Max seemed confident that she could make do without his constant presence.
"Well you can tell me all about it tonight over the phone before bed." He said, looking down at her as he rolled up his sleeves.
"Why do you have to go to work Daddy?"
Spencer crouched down in front of her.
"Because there are bad things that happen in this world, and my team and I try to keep that from happening.
"What bad things?" Willow asked, tilting her head. That was where Spencer usually drew the line, at least for now.
"I'll tell you more about it when you're older; but for now, we gotta eat breakfast." He deflected.
Downstairs, Max was putting two more slices of bread into the toaster. She was making eggs, bacon, and toast for breakfast, having taken over the responsibility since Spencer was going back to work. She made breakfast for her and the girls too many times for her to count, but after Spencer had covered all the house tasks for the past few weeks, it felt weird for her to get up early and make breakfast. Somehow it also made her feel comforted, that they were finally getting back into their groove after such a big life event.
"Hey, you've got your go bag ready?" Max asked as Spencer and Willow came down the stairs.
"It's waiting by the door as we speak." He said. Spencer helped Willow onto the chair before taking a seat himself. Max turned away from the stove to face them, leaning with her elbows on the table.
"Now you're sure that you'll be okay while I'm gone?" Spencer inquired, looking her deep in the eyes.
"Yes Spence, it's time you go back. We'll be fine." She said, the answer seemingly ingrained in that line of conversation. Even though she didn't entirely feel that everything was fine, she did wholeheartedly believe that it was best for them to return to their normal routines, thinking maybe that would ease her worries.
A slight smokey smell entered their noses and Max's eyes widened before she whipped around to the eggs in the frying pan. She'd let them sit for a few minutes without agitating them, causing them to become crispy on one side. Hearing Max grumble in frustration, he came around the table and put his hands on her shoulders.
"They're fine, no harm done." He said, peering over her to see that the eggs weren't ruined.
"Yeah, but Willow is picky. She only really likes them when you make them."
"That's not true."
"It is most certainly true, ask her."
Spencer turned around to Willow.
"Who's eggs do you like better, Mommy's or Daddy's?"
"Daddy's." Willow said.
"Mmhm, she's a daddy's girl alright." Max said, scooping up the eggs onto separate plates for them. She put a few small pieces on Ayla's tray, who immediately started gobbling them up, while Willow made a face at the slight crunch. Spencer cut a piece for her and put it on the edge of her toast, then brought it up to her mouth.
"Take a bite." He instructed. Willow hesitantly did as she was told and bit down over the piece of egg and toast. She chewed it and didn't seem to mind the combination.
"If you don't like the crunchiness, just put it on your toast so you don't notice it." He said, doing the same with his eggs and toast. Willow continued to eat her breakfast like that, reveling in this new way of eating eggs that she hadn't even thought possible.
Willow had two more hours before she'd need to be at school, but Spencer was due into work in a quarter of that time, so he cleared his plate and kissed his girls' foreheads before leaving the house with his satchel and go bag.
"Be safe, keep in touch, and let me know where you're headed." Max reminded him, pecking his lips before he walked out.
"Last chance, say the word and I will put all of this by the door and stay for a while longer."
"Goodbye Spence."
"Alright, but if you change your mind, call and--."
"You'll come running." Max finished for him. He smiled and gave her a nod, before stepping off the porch and shoving his stuff into the car.

In all the time that Spencer had been at the BAU, he'd noticed that there were two vibes that he could sense whenever he was gone for an extended period of time; when he'd gone on paternity leave with the girls, he'd come back to feel the positive energy radiating from his team after hearing his pleasant news about his babies. Then, for the times back when his mother was around and he'd have to leave to go be with her during a rough patch, he'd come back and feel like everyone was tiptoeing around him. He knew it was simply because they didn't know what to say, nor did they want to make him talk about it if he didn't want to, but part of him disliked seeing the sad looks on their faces at times when they looked at him. As he rode the elevator up to the sixth floor, Spencer was sure that was the aura he'd be met with; that and plenty of hugs.
When he entered the bullpen, he smiled briefly at Luke, JJ and Matt when they looked up to see him walk in. They reciprocated and JJ stood to give him a squeeze.
"Welcome back Spence, how are you?" She asked.
"I'm doing alright."
"How are Max and the girls? We haven't really talked in a while."
"They're--."
"Reid, it's great to have you back. We have a case in Roanoke and we need to be there ASAP." Emily announced from the catwalk. Her and Rossi started to head for the doors, so the rest of them followed suit.