Author's Notes: Sorry that this took so long to get to you. I have been busy with school and work and then when I was free, I was writing the Deal Breaker Series, which is mostly Lila/Reid at this point, but will have Elle and Morgan and the rest of the gang eventually. I would really really be glad if y'all checked that out, it's just a series of one chapter stories. (I think theres 16 now?) it begins with the story Safely, which is M, so if you dont wanna read that one, just move on to Coming Home. I didn't expect that I would get to 16 or else I would have just posted them in one story thing so they were all together, but it's too late to do it now. But! if you do want to read them, which I hope you do! I love y'alls criticisms as well as the good stuff ;), they are in a community in the Criminal Minds section called "Deal Breaker Series" - real creative huh? Hah. They're also numbered for your convience in the summaries. Uh, but I'm going to shut up now and let y'all get to the story that you actually DO want to read. Enjoy!
Oh wait! I also have another JJ/Reid story called Life. Well it will eventually be JJ/Reid. right now it's still JJ/Will, but we're getting there!
Okay, now, really... Enjoy.
Henry squeals as Ryan pushes him on the toddler swing - the type he can't fall out of, even if he said he was big enough to hold on. She didn't want to risk it. "Higher, Mama, Higher!"
Lily looks up from her book. It's weird to hear Henry call the other woman Mom, but she had to admit, to a passerby, Ryan looked to love the child as much as her own, although the blue-eyed child looked nothing like her. She smiles as the little boy squeals with laughter again. Her eyes go back to her book as the woman continues to play with the boy.
"Hey." a voice behind her says and she jumps, turning to see Spencer.
"Whoa, hey, what are you doing here?" She looks to see where Ryan and Henry have gone, but she can't spot them, figuring they're in the tunnels or something.
"Lunch break. I thought I'd play with Henry." He turns his attention to the park and frowns. "Where is he?"
"He.. uh… ahh, well, you see-"
"Mama! Catch me!" The little boy squeals before he comes in view of the two on the bench. Lily watches his reaction. Henry spots him and his eyes widen. "Dadddddy!"
Lily turns back to see Ryan who had previously been chasing the boy, freeze, shocked. Lily's eyes go back to Spencer who is just staring at the woman, the little boy crawling up his leg.
"Daddy! Daddy! MAMA RYAN HERE! You See her? See her, Daddy!"
Spencer eventually nods, bending over to pick up the boy, his eyes never leaving Ryan.
"Yeah, buddy, I see her."
"She came to see me, Daddy! She tell me on the phone. It was a secret. I keep it and then, she show up like she said! And she talk with Mommy and…and I sleep, and I wake up and she was still there! She come to the park with me and we play and now you here! You here and you play with us!" He looks around to make sure it's okay with Ryan and frowns when he doesn't see her close. He turns in the man's arms and grins when he finally spots her.
"Mama! DADDY HERE! COME SEE!"
Lily watches the two adults, both seemingly frozen. She stands up and grabs the little boy. "How about we go see if the ice cream man is here yet?"
"I get ice cream?"
"As long as you tell her Daddy got it for you." She says and Henry giggles.
"Daddy get me ice cream a lot, huh, Ms. Lily?"
Lily grins at him, walking away, looking over her shoulder to see Spencer walking towards the woman.
Criminal Minds || What Happens
"You're here." He says and she breathes in. He looks different. He's cut his hair, bought new shirts. He hasn't shaved in a couple days, he has stubble under his lip, on his chin. God, she forgot how attractive he was.
"I'm here." She repeats, unable to form her own words as she continues to take him in. The circles under his eyes are darker than before. He looks skinnier although the muscles in his arms are visible against the shirt that's rolled up to his elbows. She licks her lips.
"You look good." She says and an uneasy smile flickers on his face. His eyebrows raise and fall before his eyes move over her.
"You look good too. You… you lose some weight."
She had lost the baby weight, he means. The last reminder she had left of their aborted fetus. The thought burns her throat. It's easier to call it a fetus, she thinks to herself, as if it wasn't as important. It's a lie though, she knows it. It wasn't just an aborted fetus, it was their baby girl, Dylan Alexandria Reid. The thoughts make her eyes tear up and he frowns, but stays still. She knows that he knows exactly what she's thinking about. His shoulders tense, he clenches his jaw as he eyes move past her to the swing set, neither know what to say. Neither can say anything.
"Daddy look! It's a Rocket!"
He clears his throat and she wipes her eyes when the little boy walks over with his popsicle. She watches as he smiles at the little boy, kneels down.
"Wow, buddy, that looks good."
"You have some." Henry offers his dad a taste and Ryan finds herself smiling when Spencer opens his mouth for a big taste. He pulls back and his lips are a little redder than before. He smiles at him.
"Yumm."
Henry's pleased and he looks at her. "You too, Mama!"
She takes her lick and tells him it's delicious before Spencer tells him to go give Lily a lick.
"Ms Lily already took a bite, See!" He shows his dad the popsicle and Spencer smiles.
"Well go tell her she can't bite your ice cream anymore."
"She said she had to test it, but I think she just want some."
Ryan chuckles and Spencer grins. "Well go sit down and eat your ice cream while I talk to Ms. Ryan, okay?"
Henry looks between them. "I gotta tell Mama secret, first, kay daddy?"
Spencer looks up at her and she shrugs. "Okay, buddy." He says before Henry grabs her hand.
"You tell him you love him, right?" He says, in a half-whisper that she knows Spencer can still hear.
"We'll see."
Henry doesn't like the answer. "Nooo, Mama! You tell him and then he tell you and you be happy and you move here with me!"
She gives her best fake smile. "I'll see what I can do, okay?"
He pouts but he takes it, sucking on his popsicle as he walks back over to Lily.
Spencer looks as uncomfortable as she feels, but she takes the leap.
"He's…right, you know. I still love you. And you told me that you loved me too. You…you still do, right?"
"It's not that easy, Ryan."
"I know that, Spence, but…I miss you."
She takes a step towards him and he takes one back. She trys to not let it sting, but it does. It stings a lot.
"This isn't the place to do this." He says, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "We…I just want to spend time with my son right now, is that… Can we just do that, right now?"
She nods. "Yeah." She says softly. "We can do that."
He give a tense nod before turning to walk towards the little boy.
