It was Friday afternoon and the BAU bullpen more closely resembled an elementary school moments before the dismissal bell. Spencer was lost in a report and jumped when the phone on his desk rang.
"Dr. Reid."
A ponderous frown crossed his face.
"Okay."
Prentiss looked over to his expression as he hung up the phone.
"Everything okay, Reid?"
"They said I have a visitor but I'm not expecting anyone. I'll be right back."
He loped out of the room only to return a minute later smiling and hand in hand with Maggie.
"Are you sure it's okay that I just dropped by, Spencer?"
"It's perfectly fine, Maggie. Wouldn't you agree, Emily?"
Prentiss looked sheepish. She had been staring, partly because she was worried about Spencer and wanted to know that he was okay and partly—mostly—she was just being nosy.
"I think it's wonderful she came in, Reid. But I think I need to steal her away for a little girl talk."
Maggie was quickly ushered in the direction of Garcia's office where J.J. would soon join them so they could gush over the ring and talk about girly wedding things. Spencer stood lost in the middle of the bullpen until Hotch clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Get used to this, Reid."
Rossi nodded sympathetically.
"Yeah, we'll have to teach you an appreciation for sports now. You'll never wedge your way into that hen party."
Spencer was actually quite pleased that Maggie had been so readily accepted by the women he worked with. They were good, kind people and Maggie had never had many friends. Besides it was always a good thing when your family liked your intended.
"So what did she say?"
Spencer and Maggie were sitting on his couch reading.
"What did who say?"
"Your mother."
He knew Maggie hated talking about her parents and he knew the conversation wasn't the sweet mother/daughter fare of a Hallmark commercial. Otherwise she would have told him about it over the phone during the week.
"Well, she didn't say word one about her granddaughter. I thought maybe she'd at least say something. She asked about you. I told her you were a triple doctorate and worked for the FBI. She sounded kind of pleased about that. She asked when the wedding would be and I told her we hadn't even thought about that yet and she said they would try to make it when she knew when it would be."
Maggie's voice cracked.
"Try to make it?"
"Yeah, their only child and they'll see about attending my wedding."
"I was thinking, who will give you away?"
"I'll walk down the aisle by myself. I had already thought of that. Even if I knew they were coming it's how I would do it. I am no one's possession or responsibility but my own and I think I need to give myself away."
He knew that the conversation with her mom had been hard on her but she actually sounded proud and happy about her decision.
"So, a date?"
"In the spring, like when we met. I want to see flowers blooming and blossoms on the trees…unless you have a better plan."
"Spring is perfect."
A calendar was quickly produced, even though Spencer would know the day of the week any date landed on off the top of his head, Maggie needed to see it in front of her. A date in late April was selected and Maggie snuggled into him.
"You know what we need to do now?"
"What?"
"Decide where we will be getting married."
"Wherever you would like, I'm not really religious so I really have no preference—wait, Maggie, I don't even know what religion you are. Do I have to convert to anything?"
"No sweetie, I like to consider myself spiritual but not specifically religious. I think probably not a church wedding, then."
"Well there is no shortage of beautiful historic sites here in Virginia. I am sure we can find the perfect spot with just a little research."
"I like the way you think."
She snuggled closer to him and knew that no matter where the wedding was, it would be perfect because of the man she was marrying. That didn't change the fact that she wanted a picture perfect wedding with all of the bells and whistles.
"Just one more."
"Maggie we have looked at twelve houses today. We are both exhausted. How about we just call it a day? We can go out again tomorrow."
"No, just one more, please?"
Spencer hoped that if they did someday have children that he would have more of a backbone as a father than he did with Maggie because all she had to do was draw out the word "please" and pout a little and he caved in every time.
"Okay, Maggie, we'll look at one more and then we go home and get some food, okay?"
"Deal! Besides what could be luckier than house number thirteen on the day?"
Spencer laughed at her comment and the fact that he was pretty sure she meant it. And so they pulled up in front of what they agreed would be the last house of the day, they got out of the car and followed Gwen, their realtor to the front door. They found themselves approaching a breathtaking Queen Anne styled home with a large porch.
"Look, Spencer, a swing!"
He smiled. He would have made sure there was one anyway. From the moment they walked in the door he could tell Maggie was in love and he was rather taken with the place himself. They walked a short distance from Gwen and had a short private conference before returning and announcing to Gwen that they wanted to make an offer on the home. Now all that was left to do was wait to see if the offer was accepted. So they went back to Spencer's apartment and finally allowed themselves to get some dinner. Maggie couldn't stop talking about the house.
"Did you see the garden out back? We could put in a gazebo, how cute would that be? And the front corner room on the second floor, the rounded one, would be perfect for the library. Oh and on the third floor, I see a kid's playroom. When we have some kids of course."
"Slow down, honey, we don't even know that we have the house yet."
"But we have to. It's too perfect for us not to get it."
"It is perfect isn't it?"
"Absolutely perfect!"
"What do you think Barrett and Browning will think of it?"
"I know they will love it once they get used to it."
"And do you really think we need that much space?"
"Well, we'll have a couple of kids and then we'll have an extra room if we have guests. And you can have a study. We'll fill that space and wonder how we crammed our lives into that place."
"You're right it is absolutely perfect for us."
