Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds
Also this is my longest chapter yet and it.
Two weeks later Reid's teammates and Rachel helped Harper get moved into Spencer's apartment, and Morgan offered to help Spencer and Harper find a house for when they are ready to get their own house. Spencer and Harper decided to treat everyone to dinner to say thank you and then Spencer's phone started to ring. Spencer looked at the caller ID and he went pale. Reid's teammates knew that it was not good news and Spencer went outside to take the call.
"Dr. Reid speaking."
"Hello Dr. Reid this is Dr. Norman calling about your mother. 30 minutes ago she was admitted to Desert Springs Hospital and I don't want to tell you what is going on over the phone because I want to speak to you in person. Do you want me to contact your father or do you want to contact him?"
"I can try to see you tomorrow morning, and I will contact my father."
"Okay, I will see you tomorrow."
Reid stayed outside before heading inside to his teammates, Harper, and Rachel.
"I have to make an emergency trip to Vegas, my mother was transported to Desert Springs Hospital and my mother's doctor won't tell me anything over the phone. Harper I want you to come with me, because I have a feeling that this might be your only chance to meet my mother."
"Sure Spencer I will go with you. Do we have to arrange a flight?"
"I will call for the next ticket."
"No Reid why don't I call the pilot for our jet and you can take the jet to Vegas but the Jet will leave after your and Harper get off. Cruz will understand. Take as long as you need with your mother. If you need anything don't be afraid to call."
"Thanks Hotch, here is the money for all the food we ordered. Sorry Harper and I have to bail on this outing."
"Its OK Reid, go get your bags packed because the jet will be ready in two hours."
Reid and Harper made it to Reid's apartment and started packing their bags. Harper called her boss and let him know that she needs some time off because Spencer is dealing with a family emergency in Vegas and she is going with him as support. And her boss approved since she barely takes time off. Spencer also called his father and told him that his mother was transported to Desert Springs Hospital and he and Harper are arriving in Vegas in a couple of hours. William Reid offered to pick them up from the airstrip and have a guest room set up for them, and they will head to the Hospital in the morning. An hour and forty-five minutes later Spencer and Harper got onto the BAU's jet and the pilot was told by Hotch that he was just taking Spencer and his girlfriend to Vegas because his mother landed herself in the hospital. And that Dr. Reid and Harper were going to stay for as long as they need and that he can just fuel up and return to Virginia and that Dr. Reid knows that the jet will be returning right after.
"Spencer why are you thinking that this will be your last visit with your mother?"
"I think so, and this will probably be your only chance to meet her. My father is picking us up from the airstrip and then the three of us are going to see her tomorrow."
"I agree to wait until morning to see her because it is after 9PM right now and it would be after midnight when we arrive in Vegas."
A few hours later Spencer and Harper landed in Vegas and William Reid was waiting on the airstrip with his car. And they drove to a 24-7 diner because William had a feeling that Spencer and Harper were probably hungry because of the couple of hours long flight. Then they headed to his house. And since it was late they decided to go to bed, and when they wake up in the morning they would eat breakfast and then drive to the hospital.
The next morning…
Spencer, William, and Harper woke up, showered and went out for breakfast before heading to the hospital where Diana Reid was transported to. And when they arrived at the hospital Dr. Norman was at he entrance with a Dr. Lee Rodriguez who wanted to talk to Spencer Reid and Mr. William Reid about Diana Reid's condition. The doctor gave Harper permission to join along since he was able to tell that she is Spencer' girlfriend who is there to support him
"Mr. Reid and SSA Dr. Reid I am Dr. Rodriguez, SSA Dr. Spencer Reid what do you prefer me to call you: SSA Dr. Reid, Agent Reid, Dr. Reid, Mr. Reid, or Spencer. Dr. Norman gave me your full title and I want to hear your preference."
"I am not on duty right now since my Unit Chief placed me on leave due to a family emergency so Dr. Reid will do. Even though at the FBI I am called Dr. Reid or just Reid. If you call me Mr. Reid you would just confuse my father and I."
"Dr. Reid it is then. I have read some articles about you and articles you have published. You are such a brilliant man. Is that woman by your side your girlfriend."
"Yes Dr. Rodriguez her name is Harper Crawford and she is here to support me. She is a fellow genius like me. We have met around eight months ago. So what is going on with my mother?"
"Your mother has developed a tumor in her brain, it wasn't detected sooner because of her schizophrenia and she has about a week to live. Dr. Norman and I agreed to wait to tell you her condition until you arrived because Dr. Norman didn't know if you were out on a case at the moment or not. And I appreciate you getting here as quickly as you can for you can spend you mother's last moments with her."
"Can you take us to her room if she is awake right now. If she is sleeping I am supposed to call my boss to let him know how long of a leave I need."
"Your mom knows that you are coming and before you arrived I was alerted that she was sleeping at the moment. I will let you or your father know when she is awake. Just go call your boss."
Spencer walked outside and sat down on a bench and he allowed the tears to fall for a few minutes before he called Hotch. He was hoping that his mother will live to see him get married and meet her grandchildren but now that wont happen. Then an idea popped into his head, and he knows that his teammates wont get angry with him if his mother requested an impromptu wedding before she passes away. So he dialed Hotch.
"Hotchner"
"Hey Hotch, its me Spencer, I found out my mother's condition."
"Hey Reid, you are on speaker phone with Rossi, Morgan, JJ, Garcia, and Cruz who wanted to hear how you are dealing with the news about your mother."
"I am outside right now while my father and Harper are in the waiting room since my mother is currently asleep and I decided to call you guys and give an update on how long I need. My mother has about a week to live. So I will need about two weeks off for I can spend some of my mother's last moments with her, and pack up her room at the sanitarium. And I don't need you guys to come join me in Vegas because I only need my father and Harper at the moment so please focus on cases.
Cruz decided to answer for everyone
"Take as long as you need Dr. Reid. You will still get your annual leave the same time as your teammates, because I heard how you are about taking vacation time. Plus if your teammates get a case while you are in Vegas, I will take your place in the field, so just spend time with your parents and Harper. Just give us some updates at least once a day."
"Thanks Cruz."
Spencer took a deep breath before he wanted to tell his teammates something that might upset them.
"I am thinking about asking the hospital pastor to hold a small impromptu wedding ceremony if my mother asks for one to happen. Because when I was a kid she was talking about being at my wedding if she lives long enough to see me get married to the right girl. And if my mother asks for an impromptu ceremony I will have a small one given and Rossi already told me he wants to host my wedding like he did for JJ and Will."
Garcia decided to answer
"We won't be mad about a small impromptu ceremony being given in front of your mom. We know how much of a mama's boy you are Reid. If your mother asks for one give her an impromptu ceremony because it could be one of her last wishes before she dies. Maybe a wedding can happen during our annual leave"
Rossi, Hotch, JJ, Morgan, and Cruz gave grunts in agreements about giving into his mother's dying wishes. Spencer saw Harper and his father coming towards him so he knew he has to get off the phone.
"Hey guys, my father and Harper are approaching me right now, I will call you tonight Hotch."
"Bye Reid." shouted everyone
Harper and William came up to Spencer and told him that his mother is awake and the three of them walked to Diana's room together.
"Hey mom, I would like to introduce you to my girlfriend Harper Crawford."
"Come here Harper, let me get a good look at you, you are much prettier than what Spencer described about you in his letters. Every time he talked about you his words are filled with love. Has he proposed to you yet?"
"Not yet, we were going to travel here within the next couple of weeks, but Spencer brought me along because of some bad news."
"Yes, I heard that I have about a week to live. I just wish I can see you two get married before I go."
William Reid decided to take this time to go and find Diana's doctor and ask him if he can contact the hospital pastor because when he met Harper the night before he knew that she is perfect for his son. Spencer decided to let his mother rest for a while and left a message for his father and he took Harper to the garden outside and got onto one knee and pulled out Harper's late mother's ring, and Harper let out a gasp.
"Harper, few weeks ago I went to visit your sister to ask for her blessing to marry you, on the I met you, I fell in love with your voice when you were singing the same song I was thinking about, I want to give into my mother's last wishes, so will you marry me. And do an impromptu wedding while my mother is still alive?
"Yes I will marry you, if we are going to do an impromptu wedding here at the hospital are we still going to have a real one back in DC with our friends and coworkers?"
"When I was on the phone with my teammates earlier I told them that my mom might ask for an impromptu wedding before she passes away, and they told me to give into her wishes and we will have a real wedding at Rossi's during my annual leave. So my coworkers wont kill me for giving my mom an impromptu wedding during her last moments because they know I would want her present at my wedding and she is too ill to be transported to DC right now. And I bet my father is trying to find the hospital pastor right now and see if he can help us. So lets go find my father."
Spencer and Harper found Spencer's father in the lobby with the Hospital pastor.
"Dad, I just proposed to Harper and she agreed on an impromptu wedding for my mother and then in a few weeks when I have annual leave Harper and I will have a real wedding in DC in front of all our coworkers and friends."
The hospital pastor agreed to have an impromptu wedding in front of Diana Reid because he has granted wishes like this for dying patients and is glad that Spencer and Harper will have a real wedding in the upcoming weeks. The Pastor, William, Spencer, and Harper decided to let Diana rest for the day and have the impromptu ceremony the next day. Then William, Spencer, and Harper went to find some lunch before going to tell Diana their plans for the next day. William and Harper made a pact to make sure Spencer took care of himself while he was worrying about his mother. And Spencer and Harper agreed that they would just wear their regular clothes and wait with wedding bands until they have their real wedding since they are just giving Spencer's mother a pretend ceremony during her last moments. After lunch Spencer, Harper, and William went to Diana's room.
"Hey mom, we have a surprise for you tomorrow. We are going to have an impromptu wedding ceremony here and then in the next couple of weeks one of my coworkers is going to host Harper's and my wedding. And Dad is going to be planning to move to DC within the next couple of months for when Harper and I have children in the future."
"Thank you Spencer for deciding to have an impromptu wedding for me and then you have a real wedding in the near future. That gives me an opportunity to see you somehow get married. I think you and Harper will have beautiful and intelligent children. And William, I like the idea of you moving closer to Spencer. Now leave and don't come back until the impromptu wedding tomorrow. I want to be well rested for tomorrow."
Spencer, William, and Harper walked out of the hospital and went out to eat for supper. William knew he had to keep Spencer away from the casinos since Spencer is blacklisted from a lot of them. When they got to William's house, Spencer decided to go and call Hotch and tell him that he proposed to Harper since his mother asked for an impromptu wedding. And they will have a real one in a few weeks during annual leave. Hotch told Reid that he is proud of him for giving into his dying mother's wishes and to make sure he takes care of himself, and Spencer told his boss that his father and Harper are making sure he eats and he and Harper are staying in his father's guest bedroom instead of a hotel. And Hotch is glad that Spencer is reconnecting with his father more even if it is during Diana Reid's last moments.
The next morning…
Spencer, William, and Harper walked into the hospital where the pastor was waiting for them.
"Dr. Reid are we going to transport your mother into the chapel, or do you want the impromptu ceremony at her bedside?"
Spencer, William, and Harper looked at each other and agreed to do it by Diana's bedside.
"Her bedside" said Spencer
That afternoon they had the impromptu ceremony and the cafeteria sent some cake to create a small celebration. Then Spencer, William, and Harper left the hospital to go out to eat and after they paid the bill Spencer got a call from his mother's doctor and told him that his mother has a few hours left and he should get to the hospital. When they got into Diana's room Spencer asked his mother to read to him for one last time and Diana agreed. William and Harper sat in the room listening to Diana reading out loud one last time. When Diana finished a chapter she fell asleep and didn't wake up. Spencer and Harper were in tears. Spencer passed his phone to his father and told him to call Hotch and tell him the news. William found Hotch's name in Spencer's contacts and pressed the speed dial.
"Agent Hotchner, this is William Reid Spencer's father. I am calling to tell you that Diana passed away a few minutes ago. I am calling because Spencer is too upset to talk right now."
"Thank you for calling me Mr. Reid, does Spencer need any help with funeral arrangements?"
"Spencer and I have the arrangements under control Agent Hotchner, we were discussing to cremate her and have the urn brought to DC when I move to DC within the next few months. And we are going to have a small funeral at the hospital that Diana resided in since Spencer was 18 and I think Spencer is fine with just Harper and me."
"Please pass on the FBI's condolences to Spencer and if he needs anything he should call me and he should take as long as he needs before returning to work and I am planning to have him on desk duty from now until my team's annual leave is over because I can't have him dealing with grieving in the field."
"Thank you again Agent Hotchner, and I cant wait to meet you when I come to Spencer's and Harper's wedding." and the line went dead.
Back in the room...
Nurses came in and took Diana's body away as Spencer sat there staring at the empty room his mind flashing back to the moments he spent with his mother as a child
"Spence?" Harper asked squeezing his shoulder lightly causing him to snap out of his daze, he looked at her "You alright?"
"Yeah," he said blinking away the tears in his eyes
"Look me in the eye and say that,"
"I'm fine," he said avoiding her eyes
"You can't hold your pain in forever, trust me I've tried, it has to come out some day, I know what it feels like," she said looking at him
"I never even got to spend time with her," he burst into tears hugging her
"It's alright, let it out, let it all out," she whispered rubbing his back with one hand as she hugged him with the other while he continued crying into her shoulder
Two days later a small funeral was held at Bennington and then Diana was cremated. Spencer and William agreed that Diana's ashes will be brought to DC when William moves to DC. Spencer, William, and Harper worked together to pack up Diana's hospital room and shipped some of her books to DC. They donated her clothing to Goodwill. And during Spencer's and Harper's last few days in Vegas they helped William start packing up his belongings and shipped some of his books to DC. And William agreed that over the next few weeks he will continue to send some of his belongings to Spencer and Harper.