A/N: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS! I love the show, but it isn't mine, because if it was Maeve, Haley, and Erin would all still be alive.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS!
Spencer trudged through the apartment building, on his way to his apartment, he hated elevators, so he decided to take the stairs, even if he did live on the fifth floor.
By the time he walked through the doors to his apartment, Spencer Reid was tired, so he walked over to his couch and sat down. He looked at the clock to see that it was only 11:42 on Christmas Eve night, he couldn't wait for the holiday to be over. He just wanted to get past the holidays and to regular days so maybe being alone wouldn't effect him so much. He sat and thought; JJ has Will and Henry, Morgan has his new girlfriend, Garcia has Lynch, Blake has her husband. Then he remembered two people who were in the same meteforical boat as him; Hotch and Rossi. Hotch lost Haley over four years ago, but he still had Jack, and now he has Beth...no he doesn't, they broke up over two months ago...the little voice in his head reminded him. Either way, the holidays still have to be rough on him, and Rossi just lost Strauss a few months ago.
Spencer sighed and thought about calling one of them, but then optioned against it because Jack was probably sleeping or sitting up waiting for Santa, and Spencer didn't want to ruin Hotch's time with his son, especially on a holiday. Then he considered calling Rossi, but then figured he had probably gone to bed some time ago since the team had gotten a few days off with no case. Spencer had gone to the bar for a while, being one of those lonely depressed guys that cry in his beer, though he didn't do much crying, just greiving. He still missed Maeve.
Spencer sighed, "For once, I wish Christmas would just come and go and leave me the hell alone." he muttered as he stood up, starting to go to the fridge to get a beer.
"Spencer, Spencer, Spencer...how can you want Christmas to leave? Its so joyful and uplifting." A woman's voice said.
Spencer froze and slowly looked around him, the voice was all too familier, "Maeve." he let out with his breath, it was practically a whisper.
"Yes." the voice was closer to him now
"How...how can I..." Spencer shook his head and closed his eyes, "I'm hearing things...I..."
"No, you're not...turn around." The voice whispered in his ear.
Spencer turned around and slowly opened his eyes, "Maeve." he said again, the same way as before.
There in front of him stood the pretty brunette, "Hi." Maeve smiled at him.
"You...you're here...how?" Spencer asked, gently touching her cheek to make sure she was real
Maeve smiled, "Sometimes you just have to believe in Christmas magic." she said softly, then seeing his face, added, "It's better not to think too much into it."
Spencer nodded and smiled, "I don't want to think about it...I just want to spend as much time as we have with you." he hugged her.
Maeve hugged him back and rubbed his back
"How much time do we have?" Spencer asked softly.
"I'm not sure." Maeve admitted, looking him in the eyes.
"I...ah...I never got to tell you, but I...I do love you, Maeve." Spencer said softly, looking in her deep blue eyes
Maeve smiled, "I love you too."
Spencer grinned, "Gosh...you're beautiful...I mean, I knew you would be but I can finally tell you and I never thought I'd get to tell you because..." he rambled then his voice broke and he looked down, tears stinging his eyes, "I'm so sorry I couldn't save you." he whispered, trying hard not to cry.
Maeve gently lifted his head, "It's okay." she said softly, wiping his cheek with her hands and cupping his face
Spencer looked at her, tears still in his eyes.
Maeve gently kissed him on the lips
Spencer was shocked by the sudden kiss, but he was all too happy to kiss her back, he carefully wrapped his arms around her.
Maeve pulled back slowly, "Wow..." she whispered softly
Spencer smiled softly, he never thought he'd hear someone say that after a kiss from him.
Maeve smiled, "You're tired."
"Yes but I don't want to take a chance on you not being here when I wake." Spencer said
"I'll be here." Maeve said softly
Spencer frowned slightly, "How do you know?"
"I just have a feeling." Maeve said
Spencer nodded slowly, "Would you...lay with me?" he didn't want to be so bold but he wanted to hold her
Maeve smiled, "Of course."
Spencer laid on the couch
"That can't be very comfortable." Maeve remarked
"Well, I'd lay in my bed but I don't want you to think I'm trying to make a move or anything." Spencer said
"I wouldn't think that." Maeve said softly
Spencer got up and led her to his room and laid down. He fell asleep with her in his arms.
Aaron Hotchner walked into the living room, carrying two cups of hot chocolate, with tiny marshmellows at the request of his 8 year old son. He handed one to Jack, "Careful, its hot."
Jack nodded but took a sip anyway, "Ow."
Aaron couldn't help but chuckle, "Told you it was hot."
Jack giggled slightly and took another sip.
"Don't burn yourself." Aaron tells him, smiling, "So, are you going to set out cookies for Santa?"
Jack sighed and set his cup of hot chocolate on the coffee table.
"What's wrong?" Aaron asked, worried about why his son was acting that way.
"I know Santa isn't real." Jack said, "I know he was a man named Saint Nickolas and that he died and I know that there isn't a fat man in a red suit coming in and leaving presents."
Aaron nodded, "When did you find this out?"
"A kid at school told me." Jack said as he sat next to his dad on the couch.
Aaron nodded, "Even if you know the truth it doesn't mean you have to stop believing in him. In the magic."
Jack smiled, "I know magic's real."
Aaron raised a brow, "You do?"
Jack nodded, "Of course. Not like pixie dust or anything like that. Its something everyone has."
Aaron smiled and kissed his son's head, it was times like this that reminded him of Haley, "Would you like to watch a movie?"
Jack nodded, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas?"
Aaron smiled, "Of course." he stood up to put the movie in, "You know this is one of your mother's favorite Christmas movies?"
"It was?" Jack asked
Aaron nodded, the past tense made him a little sad but he hid it for Jack, "We watched in every day in December each year up until Christmas."
Jack smiled, he had only two Christmases with his mother, he wished he could remember them better.
As the watched the movie, Jack and Aaron both became increasingly tired. Jack yawned as the final scene played and he slowly got up, "I'm going to bed." he said and gave his dad a hug.
Aaron hugged him and kissed his head, "Want me to tuck you in?"
Jack shook his head and went to his room.
Aaron sighed, he sat on the couch for a while, just thinking, then when he was sure JAck was asleep, he put in a home movie he and Haley made of Jack's first Christmas. Aaron smiled sadly at the video, he laid down on the couch and ended up falling asleep there.
"Aaron...Aaron, wake up." a voice drifted through the fog, dirupting his first peaceful dream in four years.
Aaron stirred, "Yeah...yeah?" he yawned as he sat up and opened his eyes to see her eyes, he blinked a few times and leaned back so they weren't so close, he rubbed his eyes then opened them again, thinking it was an alusion from his dream, "H-Haley?" he couldn't believe it.
Haley smiled and sat next to them, "Is this what yours and Jack's Christmas has become? Drinking hot chocolate and watching a movie then bed?" she asked, a bit upset that he didn't carry on the tinsle tradition, "Look at your tree."
Aaron looked at the tree, "What? Its decorated."
"Where's my beads that Jack and I used to put on? And where's the tinsle? There is no tinsle on that tree, Aaron." Haley looked at him, giving him a pretend scoal with a small smile, "The tree needs tinsle."
"I promise I'll get tinsle next year." Aaron said
Jack had snuck out and was watching from behind a wall, he kept peaking, then he hid again and let out a breath. His mom was there! He knew magic was real, he knew it!
Haley smiled wide, "No...you're putting tinsle on the tree this year."
"Hales...it's too late for tinsle this year." Aaron said, groaning slightly because of the choice in conversation. Well, he'd rather this than being here without her or talking about her death and...he was NOT going there. Never. He shook the images from his head.
"No. We have tinsle in with the beads." Haley smiled, "go get them." she gently poked his sides like she would have before she died.
Aaron was sure this was all a dream that he'd wake up from, but in the mean time he'd go with it, "But Jack is sleeping."
"We can wait until the morning." Haley said
Aaron took in a deep breath as he stood up.
"I couldn't sleep." Jack said as he walked in, fully awake now as he ran to his mom, "Mom!" he hugged her tightly
Haley hugged him back, "Hi baby boy...well, I guess you aren't a baby anymore." she held him back to look at him then hugged him again.
Jack smiled, "I missed you so much."
"I missed you too." Haley whispered softly.
Aaron blinked and rubbed his eyes again, he couldn't believe what was happening, he ran a hand through his hair and then decided he'd just go get the beads and tinsle and try to figure this out later. When he wasn't so tired. He came back upstairs from getting the box that had the beads and tinsle and set it near the tree, "Alright, ready?" He asked Haley and Jack.
Haley grinned and stood up and the three began to add the beads and tinsle to the tree, the tinsle resulting in them throwing some at each other.
David sat there at his desk, looking at a photo of Erin. God, he missed her so much. He had spent Christmas Eve with her three kids, since there dad was away on buisness and there mom was...well, you get it. They had really welcomed him in and he them. They talked about the good times that had with Erin, amongst other conversation topics, but they mostly talked about Erin. They all missed her.
Slowly, David set the photo of Erin down on his desk, sighing as he picked up the glass of scotch he had sitting under the desk lamp's glow, he took a small sip before setting it down. Not even it had the power to erase even a little of his pain, and he had already drank three glasses.
David sighed as he glanced around the room, seeing how dark it was he looked at his watch, "getting close to midnight, suppose I should head to bed." he muttered to himself.
"Do you really want to do that?" Erin asked
David turned around, "Erin." his eyes widened as he stoof up and walked to her.
Erin smiled, "Hi Dave." she hugged him
David was shocked and instinctivly wrapped his arms around her.
Erin pulled back slightly, "Dance with me."
David smiled, "One moment." he stepped away and put on 'their song' before stepping back to her and taking her hand. He held her close as they swayed to the music, both smiling wide.
"I can't believe you're here." David whispered to her
Erin smiled, "Me either."
Like it? Please review. Just so everyone knows, this is going to be a multi-chapter story. The main characters, I'm sure you can already tell, are Spencer, Maeve, Aaron, Haley, David, and Erin and Jack will be in it a lot as well. Later chapters will include the rest of the team.
Please review and let me know what you think!