"Being genetically related doesn't make you family. Love, support, trust, sacrifice, honesty, protection, acceptance, security, compromise, gratitude, respect and loyalty is what makes you family."
-Unknown
The smell of pancakes wafted through the air, waking Evie up. Her eyes fluttered open, taking in the sunlight from the window causing her to immediately close them again. She groaned and stretched out, instantly realizing that this wasn't her bed. The surface below her was more firm, and the pillow that the side of her face was pushed up against was a different material. When she stretched, her hand brush up against a structure behind her head: she was in her living room.
The events of last night came back to her from going on a walk in the park with Spencer, to finding her door open, to falling asleep on him in the middle of her living room while watching a movie. Without opening her eyes, she also knew that Spencer was no longer underneath her. Yawning, Evelyn decided it was safe to open her eyes. She squinted against the light until she adjusted, looking at the empty space next to her. There was a clanking noise in the kitchen and a light flooded into the living room from the same direction. He must've gotten up earlier. Was he making breakfast? Evie bit her lip. She felt like screaming. How had she gotten so lucky to have someone like him?
Surpressing the bursting feeling in her chest, Lawrence pushed the blanket off of her that Spencer had most likely draped across her earlier. She pushed herself up and smoothed down her tangled hair as best as she chould, knowing it wouldn't do much. Evie quietly made her way across the floor and into the kitchen where Spencer's back was turned. He was pouring orange juice into two glasses on the counter, not noticing Evie coming up behind him. She silently moved right behind him and wrapped her arms around his torso, pulling his body into hers.
"Hey there, sunshine." he chuckled, glancing back at Evie's tired expression over his shoulder. She smiled and nuzzled her face into his back, taking in the smell of his clothes that she loved. Evie would love waking up to this every morning.
"I didn't know 'staying a little while' meant all night." she joked, taking a deep breath into the back of his dress shirt that he still wore from the night before. He chuckled and closed the orange juice.
"Sorry. You fell asleep on me and I didn't want to wake you." he said. Evie loosened her grip on him so that he could turn to face her, leaning against the counter.
"Don't apologize, I'm glad you did." she said, taking both of his hands in hers. He smiled a tired smile at her and pressed his forehead against hers.
"I um... I kinda found a few new tooth brushes in your bathroom and opened one." he said, looking guilty. Evie kissed his forehead and then pulled away from his body.
"That's fine. Might as well keep it here for you in case you ever fall asleep here again." Evie called over her shoulder as she walked towards her bedroom to get ready. "I'm going to get ready before breakfast real quick." she added, walking through the living room.
"Ok. Better hurry; we have to leave for work in 7 minutes and 43 seconds." Spencer called after her. Evie gasped and ran through her room, looking for suitable clothes.
"Spencer! Why didn't you wake me up earlier!" she shrieked, running around frantically and pulling off and pulling on different clothes.
"You looked so peaceful!" he said from the kitchen. Evie chuckled and rolled her eyes. At least she had clothes to change into. Spencer had to work with the same ones he had on now. She hoped no one at work noticed. They would be anything but quiet and suggestive about it.
"Woahhhhh... Are those the same clothes as yesterday, Pretty Boy?" Morgan's voice came behind Spencer who was in the conference room, looking through report files. Spencer sighed and turned to see Derek beaming in mockery, clapping Spencer on the back. "Did the Spencer Reid get some last night?"
"No! Morgan!" Spencer protested, rolling his eyes at his nosey friend. Morgan pursed his lips in disappointment.
"So explain your clothes." he prodded further, poking Spencer in the side and making him jump away. Reid shot him an irritated glance and stacked his papers together, not looking up at Morgan.
"I stayed with her for the night 'cause when we returned to her place from the park, her door was unlocked and open. I didn't feel safe leaving her there alone." Spencer explained in an distracted tone while picking up files.
"Wait... really?"
"Yes Morgan, really. I swear nothing else hap-"
"No, no. Not that. When I got home the other day it looked like someone had been through my apartment too. I just brushed it off until now." Derek told Reid, all of his joking put aside. Spencer finally turned his attention to Morgan now, with a confused frown.
"Weird..." he muttered, looking at Morgan who gave him the same gaze back. Spencer sat there thinking about it for a moment before they were interupted.
"Spence, I-" JJ started, but she stopped in mid sentence upon seeing Spencer. He looked at her strangely, wondering why she was looking at him in the same way.
"Are those the same clothes as yesterday?" she asked, eyeing him up and down. Spencer groaned and began walking out of the room. He should've known. Why did everyone have to notice everything?
JJ and Morgan fell in step behind him, following him to his desk where Garcia was already talking to Evie. Spencer raised his eyebrows at Evie to show her that he was getting very irritated with his friends at the moment. She held back a laugh. Spencer would have playfully rolled his eyes at her, but just seeing her smile made him cheer up. He set his bag down at his desk as JJ leaned in close to him to whisper.
"Did you and Evie... you know..." she started off, trying to be subtle and failing. Unfortunately, Garcia wasn't too keen on being subtle.
"YOU GUYS HAD SEX?" she exclaimed loudly, making a few heads turn to them. Spencer shot her a look that was a cross between pure surprise and anger. Garcia made an "o" with her mouth, realizing what she had done. Evie covered her mouth with her hand, either because she was so startled or trying not to smile. Spencer didn't find it quite as funny at the moment, despite Morgan's uncontrollable laughter from behind him. Reid burried his face in his hands and then ran them through his hair. He loved his friends dearly, but all families got on eachother's nerves.
"Come on, baby girl. I think it's time to go back to your lair, isn't it?" Morgan managed to say when he had calmed his laughing. Garcia who was still in shock from what she had burst out nodded and gave Spence an apologetic look before leaving with Derek.
"Um... well I was originally going to ask you a favor Spence." JJ said hesitantly, like Spencer might lash out. He took a deep breath and brushed the Garcia incident off. He forced a smile at JJ and nodded for her to continue. "Will and I are going out on Friday for a night to ourselves. Could you and Evie maybe watch Henry?"
JJ always called it a "favor" when Spencer would watch Henry for her. He had always considered it a privelage for himself. He loved his godson. It was one of the best moments of his life when JJ had made him Henry's godfather. Ever since then he had pledged to be the best he could for Henry.
"Yeah, definitely. Evie?" he cued her, looking over to her desk.
"Sure, I'd love to meet Henry." she said, smiling at JJ.
"Henry loooooves Uncle Spence." she said, smiling at Spencer before squeezing his shoulder. "If you guys could be there at seven, that'd be great."
"Will do." Reid assured her. When she left, Evie got up and walked to lean against Spencer's desk as he sat down. He loved having her desk right across from his. Sometimes he wondered if Hotch did that on purpose.
"I didn't know you were so close with Henry." Evie said, taking a pen off of Spencer's desk and taking it apart. She often did this and then put it back together. Reid had realized in the time he's known her that she always needs to be fiddling with sometime. Where some people would find this irritating, he found it completley adorable.
"Yeah, he's my godson." he said, watching Evie freeze her fidgeting hands.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Well in that case, I didn't know you and Jayge were so close!"
"Yeah, she's my sister."
"REALLY?"
"No."
Evie laughed and hit him on the arm for messing with her. Spence smirked at how she had gotten so worked up. He was glad she was so easy going about how he messed around with her. She overthought a lot of things, but not to a point where it was unbearable. It was to the point where it was extremely cute. Now that he was going to be able to have her meet Henry, Spencer was excited. He loved the idea of someone who he deeply cared about meeting another person who meant just as much to him. He had a feeling she'd be good with Henry too. Babysitting may not have sounded like everyone's ideal Friday night, but Spencer had always looked forward to spending time with Henry. This Friday wasn't an exception.
"Knowing how beautiful Jayge is, Henry's got to be a pretty cute kid." Evie said when in the car next to Spencer. He was pulling out onto the main street outside of her complex, focused mainly on the road.
"Yeah, he is. Evs you're no less gorgeous." he added, glancing over at her. Evelyn felt herself blush. She had been dating Spencer for almost two weeks now and he still had the power to make her blush. The last two weeks had been the best of her life. She just hoped that it wouldn't ever have to end. She committed herself to Spence, but at the same time she was careful not to throw all of her hope in for a future with him. That's how she got hurt last time. She was naïve and believe everything Calvin had told her. Of course she trusted him, she just didn't want to get caught up in a future that didn't exist.
"Evs?" she questioned him, noticing what he had called her. Spencer seemed confused at first, before remembering what he had said.
"Oh... I don't know. It just kind of popped out." he said, sending her an apologetic smile. Evie bit her lip and took his hand in hers that wasn't on the steering wheel.
"I like it."
Spencer turned to give her another smile that she couldn't sworn made her warmer all over. He squeezed her hand and she sighed happily. She wouldn't have had the last two weeks go any other way.
After the car ride that was only about five to ten minutes, Spencer and "Ev" were standing at the front door step, listening to JJ unlock the door from the inside. She swung the front door open in her dark blue sleeveless dress, black heels, and curled hair.
"You look great, JJ." Evie complimented right away, making JJ smile.
"Thank you. Sorry, Will and I are running a bit late." she said, waving them in and then frantically going through her closet for a coat.
"Speak for yourself." someone with an accent spoke up from the top of the stairs. Evie glanced up to see Will for the first time, walking down the stairs with a suit jacket and dress shirt. He was like Evelyn had imagined him for the most part, especially the accent that Spencer had told her about. He smiled kindly at her when reaching the floor and shook her hand.
"Hi, you must be Evelyn. I'm Will, JJ's husband." he said, firmly shaking her hand. She already approved.
"Nice to finally meet you." she replied with a smile, hoping he'd like her just the same. He smiled kindly back and then clapped Spencer on the shoulder.
"Hey Spencer. How've you been doing?"
"Alright, you?" he continued with the light conversation until JJ interjected in a rush.
"Will, do you have the-"
"Keys?" he asked, holding up a ring of keys for JJ to see. She sighed in relief and stopped running around the house, trying to get ready.
"Henry!" she called out while slinging her purse over her shoulder. "Uncle Spence and his friend are here."
The sound of a door opening upstairs was heard followed by the small thumping of footsteps. A small boy of about 6 or 7 showed up at the top of the stairs. He had blonde hair just like JJ's, and the resemblance to both parents was obvious. His hair was combed over to one side, the other side cut short. He smiled when he spotted Spencer and hurried down the stairs before jumping off the last step into Spencer's arms.
"Ugh, Henry. You're getting big, aren't you?" he grunted, wrapping his arms around Henry to hold him up. Evie watched in admiration as Spencer made Henry giggle wildly while swinging him in his arms. She felt the familiar warm feeling build up in her chest whenever she took time to watch Spencer and appreciate how adorable he was.
"Alright, we are heading out." JJ said, throwing her coat over her shoulder with a flustered look on her face from being rushed. She smiled at Evie who smiled back and squeezed Spencer's shoulder. "Thank you guys so much for doing this. Henry?" she addressed him while Spencer set him down on the floor again. Henry looked over towards his mother so that she could give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Be good for Spencer and Evie, ok?"
Henry smiled and nodded before giving Will a hug. They thanked Evie and Spencer one last time before they waved and left out the door. Evie, Spencer, and Henry were left standing alone in the foyer. Evelyn looked down to see Henry eyeing her nervously. She had expected this. She was a stranger with his "Uncle Spence". He was probably shy, but she was prepared.
"Hey Henry. I'm Evie." she said, finding a happy medium between speaking as if to a small child and normally to an adult. She didn't want to treat him like too much of a little kid, she knew how kids at that age liked considering themselves old.
"Are you Spence's friend?" he asked, gripping Spencer pant leg. He was brave though. He smiled sweetly up at her which made her feel a little less nervous. He was only about seven and she was the nervous one about making a first impression! It made sense though. He was so important to Spencer, so he was important to her.
"Yeah, I am." she said, reaching into her coat pocket to pull out a dum-dum sucker. She always kept them at her place for some reason which was convenient for now. Henry looked at it excitedly, all shyness falling from his face. He looked up at Spencer for permission. Reid ruffled his hair.
"Go ahead, Henry." he said. Henry looked to Evie and smiled before taking the sucker.
"Thank you." he said, starting to already unwrap the paper. Evie watched him while he did. She could see why him and Spencer were so close. There was nothing not to love about this kid. He was such a sweetheart, just like JJ. She raised him well.
"Hey, do you want to play Star Wars?" Spencer asked, making Henry jump and down excitedly. He smiled, one of his teeth missing. Evie guessed it was probably his first.
"I call the red light saber!" Henry said, turning to run through the foyer and into the living room, leaving Spence and Evie in the room alone. She took Spencer's hand in hers and he kissed her forehead.
"He's so cute." Evie whispered as they walked hand in hand to the edge of the living room to watch Henry go through the closet for his toys. Spencer nodded and squeezed her hand.
"Here, Uncle Spence." Henry said, holding out a closed light saber towards Spencer.
"Why don't we have dinner real quick so we can have time to play?" Spencer said, walking forward to take the light saber and lay it on the couch. Henry looked up at him, dissapointed. "We'll have even more time to play, Henry. Your mom already heated up chicken nuggets." Spencer assured him, ruffling Henry's hair. The dissapointment fell away, and Henry rushed to the kitchen. Reid smiled, watching Henry go and Evie smiled watching Spencer. She had no idea he was so good with kids.
"Does Miss Evie like chicken nuggets?" Reid asked, wrapping his arms around Evie. She chuckled and lied her head on his chest, snaking her arms around his waist as well.
"Only if they're dinosaur shaped." she joked, talking into his shirt. Spencer snorted in amusement.
"I didn't know I was taking care of two kids tonight."
After dinner, Evie sat down and watched Henry and Spencer battle with their light sabers. Sometimes Spencer would catch Henry in a tickle fight and sometimes he'd let Henry win. Sometimes Evie wasn't even sure if Spencer was letting him win which amused her. She watched him in affection, loving how kind he was with Henry. She couldn't help but imagine them with kids of their own. She couldn't ask for a better father for her children. She reminded herself that it's only been two weeks since they've been dating, but it felt like she had known Spencer for a lifetime. They've told eachother everything that they've never told anyone before. They shared secrets, trust, likes, dislikes, kisses, cuddles... everything really. And Evelyn loved every second of it.
"Hey... Henry..." Spencer whispered, leaning down to whisper something else in Henry's ear. Evie snapped herself out of her thoughts to look at them in confusion. He glanced at her, a devious gleam in his eye. She didn't like the look of that.
Suddenly, they both dropped their light sabers and Spencer rushed forward. He wrapped his arms around Evie and pulled her to the carpet floor. She shrieked, eyes widening as Spencer started tickling her. She hadn't been tickled years and years. It was an experience she never really wanted again because of how unbelievable ticklish she was. It didn't make it much better when Henry came to help Spencer in her torture.
"No! Spencer!" she managed to say through hysterical laughing. She writhed on the floor, trying to get out of his grasp. "Henry!"
"Ok, let's spare her. What do you say, Henry?" Reid smirked. Evie groaned and slapped him on the arm. Her stomach was sore from the mix of tickling and laughing as she pushes herself up on the floor to prop herself against the bottom of the couch.
"Do you love Spencer?" Evie heard Henry's small voice ask. The question caught her wayyyyy off guard. He said it in such a sweet innocent voice, making her chest warm. Spencer's eyes were wider then usual, obviously taken aback from the question as well. Evelyn laughed and then softly smiled at Spencer before turning to Henry who stared up at her, a hopeful look on his face. She smiled and gently squeezed his shoulder.
"Yes, very much." she said. Henry broke into a smile directed up at Evie. She had never meant anything more in her life. She did love Spencer. "Very Much", just as she had said. "Let's go get pajamas on, huh Henry?" she said sweetly. Henry nodded and pushed himself up to pad across the floor towards the stairs in the foyer. Evie watched him go, feeling herself smile inside and out. She really had come to love Henry.
"Mmmm..." Spencer groaned into her shoulder as he leaned into it. She shivered at his hot breath seeping through the fabric of her tight long sleeved shirt and chuckled as he nuzzled into her neck, sighing.
"Tired?" she smirked, stroking his ruffled hair. He nodded and gently planted kisses on her neck. She loved when he nuzzled her. Evie felt herself swell at how cuddly he was being.
"I'm glad I almost spilled your coffee." Spencer said, obviously referring to when they first met. Evie laughed and kissed the top of his head while he continued gently kissing the soft skin of her neck.
"Can we watch a movie!" Henry's voice came from right around the corner. Spencer jerked back away from Evie in time for Henry to come in the room, pjs already on. He had blue pajama pants on with small pictures of Marvel's The Avengers characters all over them. He wore a matching pajama shirt as well. Evie smiled at how completely adorable he was.
"Sure, what do you want to watch?" Spencer said, still a little flustered from almost being caught by Henry.
"Avengers!"
"I would've never guessed." Spencer mumbled, looking at how Henry was dressed. Evie laughed and opened her arms for Henry to jump on her lap. He most definitely wasn't shy anymore, and Evie wasn't nervous about being approved. They had both warmed up to eachother pretty well. They watched Spencer pop the DVD out of the case and then put it in the DVD player.
"Hey, I'll go get you some apple juice. How does that sound?" Evie asked Henry. He nodded excitedly.
"Yes please."
An hour later, they were about half way through the movie. Henry was spread out on the floor drinking his apple juice and Evie sat on the couch watching the movie with him. She had never seen the movie and was liking it so far. Not so much as Henry however. He wouldn't tear his eyes from the screen. Spencer wasn't too aware of the movie at all. He stood behind the couch and massaged Evie's shoulders. She sighed happily, letting Spence relax her. She loved this. She loved playing 'house' with Spencer and imagining having a kid of her own one day. Maybe they'd have a movie night like this every week where their kids would watch the movie while Spencer massaged Evie's shoulders which she loved. They'd have their own house in a nice safe neighborhood, not too far from the FBI headquarters. It would be everything Evie always dreamed of, and she wanted to share it with Spence.
"So what about our own?" Evie whispered, craning her head up to see Spencer look down at her. His eyes looked even darker in the shadows. He had told her there literally was a such thing as 'dark eye syndrome'. She loved it though. She loved everything about him and wouldn't change a thing.
"Our own what?" he asked softly.
"Kids."
Spencer froze the rubbing of her shoulders and looked away from her in surprise. She kept her eyes on him though, waiting for an answer. The corners of his lips rose a bit as he turned his eyes back down on her.
"What has it been, like two weeks only?" he joked, referring to how long they'd been dating. Evie chuckled and glanced at Henry to make sure they weren't interupting him. He seemed unphased so she looked back up at Spencer when he resumed massaging her shoulders.
"Really, though." she whispered. Spencer leaned down and kissed her forehead.
"Yeah. I'd like that." he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. He smirked at how she reacted and then straightened again. He resumed his movements and she relaxed back into his melodic massaging. She slowly closed her eyes in bliss, but before she caught a glimpse of something out the window... a face. It was hard to catch since it was already at its darkest hour outside, but she could've sworn it was there. She snapped her eyes back open, but it was gone. Had she imagined it? Was she going insane? Maybe she was just tired. Either way, Evie hesitantly let it go. She had had too many late nights. The lack of sleep was most likely getting to her.
Throughout the movie, Evelyn couldn't help but feel paranoid. The entire house was dark and she fought the urge to go around and turn on every single light to make her feel better. Every sound coming from another room made her jump. She had tried to dismiss the feeling and dismiss what she had thought she saw, but she just had a feeling.
"Evie, you just jumped for the fourth time in the last twenty minutes. What's up?" Spencer questioned her. She sighed and decided to tell him.
"I- I just thought I saw someone out the window earlier but I must've imagined it." Evie said. Spencer tensed behind her.
"Evs, don't doubt yourself." he said. She knew he'd take it seriously. She didn't blame him after everything he's seen and been through. Things had been on edge ever since they found her apartment door open as well. Reid had told her that Morgan had had some strange things happen to his house as well. The thought scared Evelyn. Maybe she shouldn't doubt herself...
Just as Evie was about to suggest they look around the house, a sound came from the foyer. It was a rattling and clicking sound... someone was trying to unlock the door. Evie and Spencer froze in synchronization. Their heads snapped to the right towards the front door. The clicking didn't stop. It sounded like someone was trying to pick the lock.
"JJ and Will aren't supposed to be home for another hour or two." Evie whispered. Spencer shook his head. Evie felt shivers go down her spine and a piercing realization ran through her. Spencer solidified her thoughts...
"That's not Jayge. Someone's trying to break in."