AN: I own nothing don't hate me and please review!
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You are a teacher first, and you are a molder of men. -Tami Taylor
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Julie handles Spencer's job well enough, she just avoids his office and tries not to look to close at the files. She never thinks murder itself will touch her but as she turns to hand someone their cinnamon latte she looks up at the tv mounted on the far wall of the shop, she's not really sure of the reason she's seeing Brian "Smash" Williams on the screen until she reads the ticker on the bottom of the screen *Dallas Cowboys Rookie Of The Year Brian "Smash" Williams found dead in his Dallas Apartment.* She gulps for air grabbing the remote from the counter she turns up the volume.
"The Dallas Police Department gave a statement saying they believe the twenty-five year old native Texan, was killed by an overzealous fan, his body was found by his girlfriend Waverly Grady…we will have more on this story at ten. I'm Laney Portmont KGPX Channel 4."
"I…I…need to go Cara cover for me." she mumbles and rushes from the shop leaving Cara to call after her. She waits for a break in traffic and crosses to the bureau with tears in her eyes. She swept through the glass door, dialing Spencer's number she wipes at the tears streaking down her face and tries to decide if she should sit down or go find him. The phone rings in her ear. "Julie, this is a pleasant surprise. You take your break early?"
He hears her whimper. "Jules,"
"I need to go home Spence,"
"Are you okay Honey?" He catches Garcia's eye from across the lunch table.
"Have you seen the news? One of my friends was killed."
"What? Where are you?"
"I'm in the lobby."
"I'm on my way down now." He heads toward the elevator bank and Garcia followed him.
He found her pacing and talking to her mother on her cell. "Yeah, okay…well I'm as good as I can be how's dad? Yeah I'm going to get the first flight out I can…I may bring Spencer…alright yeah you'll like him I…well lets just say the jury maybe out awhile on dad's part. I love you too. Bye mom." she hung up walked over and hugged him her resolve crumbling. She cried he backed up slightly to catch her eye. "Can you tell me what happened?"
"My friend Smash was found dead in his apartment today,"
"Smash as in Williams? Player for the Cowboys?" Garcia asked. "What I watch football ." she defended.
He's one of my dad's state players, a star he blew his knee out my dad helped him recover and get in at A&M before going pro. Anyway I need to get home if you can't go I-"
"I'm going." Spencer cut her off firmly.
Eric Taylor was not blessed with sons of his own flesh, blood, and bone and he's okay with it. Julie knows that. What made it okay for him are those sons, those men he raises on that field. So, she can't help but wonder how losing one of those sons will affect him.
Her Daddy, that quietly powerful man who is concise and deceive in his element, in his church and is so easily befuddled by the women in his life. A man who lets people be who they are and still guide them on their way.
"Would you like something to drink?" the flight attendant asked.
"No thank you." Julie replied.
Spencer catches her eye. "Can you tell me what the forehead wrinkles are about?"
"Don't profile me Spence, it'll piss me off."
"Not the profiler asking just your boyfriend Julie."
"Fine, its just I've been thinking and I know I'll be ok different but okay, What about his mother, sisters, my father? Brian was the man of the Williams family and my Dad he put in so much time with Brian I'm just worried how they'll all deal."
"They'll change but they will survive it Julie. Trust me I'm someone who understands catastrophic changes and how to live with them he picked up her hand intertwining their hands "Peanut?" He asked. Holding out his open bag.
Tami Taylor answered the front door. Opening it too see her daughter looking tired forehead tightly wrinkled. Leaning on a slightly built shaggy haired young man wearing black dress pants and dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
"Julie hi baby." Julie hugged her mother tightly. "How is everyone?" she murmured into Tami's shoulder. "As well as can be expected Darlin' now, introduce me."
"Oh yeah…" she lets go of Tami momentarily. "Mom this is my boyfriend Spencer Reid."
"Spencer, this is my mother Tami Taylor."
"Pleasure to meet you." Spencer said.
"Like wise Julie's told me a lot about you its nice to put a face to the name."
"Where are Dad and Gracie?"
"Your Dad is on the back patio and Gracie is watching Cinderella in her bedroom."
Spencer is unsure whether or not to follow behind Julie but Tami's silent nod told him too. He likes to watch Julie sometimes he can learn more from that than what ever it is she may or may not tell him.
For instance she's never said much about her dad, just that he gets a little lost in all the estrogen in their family and that he loved his boys and was the most honest man she knew.
Standing quietly on the porch with no noise to mar the moment. He watches as Julie walks over placing her hand on Eric's shoulder he turns from his hands on hips staring at nothing stance to draw Julie to him wordlessly. He's pretty sure he can hear "Sorry Daddy." muffled into Eric's shoulder. He squeezes Julie with the arm he has looped around her. "So am I sweet heart. So am I." he kisses the top of her head.
Spencer realizes that what that relationship is, is communicated in that moment. Julie's mother may be her confidant but her father is her solace in life. She is understood and accepted for exactly who she is. He's not sure how he knows it he just does and its then he understands how and why she accepts him flaws and all as easily as she does.
They feel themselves being watched now and turn.
Spencer automatically finds himself being appraised. Julie whispers something he can't quiet catch and they are striding toward him now. The introductions go well enough, but at dinner as he starts spouting off random factoids out of neverousness, he knows her mother sees it for what it is but her father can't figure him out and look a little chagrined by it all.
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Spencer and Julie joined Gracie in her room to finish Cinderella after dinner.
"Did you know that the earliest published account of Cinderella was in 1634 but the earliest told story dates back to first century BC when a Greek girl was bathing and a bird stole her sandal and dropped it in the kings lap the king was so taken oddness of the occurrence and the shape of the shoe he found the girl and married her."
"So, the king had a foot fetish?" Julie looked over to where he was lounged on the floor. he craned his neck back to peer over at her where she lay on the bed with Gracie.
"Yes, it would appear that way. Ohhh, the Fairy Godmother my favorite part. even though its inaccurately portrayed. It was originally based on a Chinese maiden's mother who is reincarnated into a magical fish when the fish dies the girl uses the bones in her dress."
"Eww.." Gracie said.
"Does he ever give you a headache?" Gracie whispered to her sister.
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"Where'd Julie find this one Tami?" Eric whispered as they climbed into bed. He ran a hand through his already mussed dark hair. Tami almost smiled at the worried expression that mirrored Julie's so well. Julie may look like her and have her mannerisms but sometimes she was so much her father's daughter it was frightening.
"He's a little different I'll give you that but he's sweet and seems to love Julie very much. He came with her, faced us so she wouldn't have to do a very difficult thing all alone. I know that counts for something with you."
"Yeah, it does but he hunts down serial killers that scares me and he some how convinced Gracie not to eat fish because she'd be eating her fairy god mother or some mumbo jumbo." Tami Laughed. "Really? Ok so he's a lot different. Still he loves Jules."
"Yeah well I'm startin' to miss Saracen."
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Spencer fixed his tie in the mirror above the bureau as Julie tried clasping her cross necklace she wore a simple black dress and heels. Spencer wore a grey suit white shirt and black tie.
"Here babe let me." he murmured. Moving behind her to fix her jewelry she raised her hair off her neck. "Ready to do this?" he asked closing the clasp.
She caught his eye in the mirror " As I'll ever be." looping his arm around her shoulders he leaned in to kiss her and was interrupted by someone impatiently clearing their throat. "You two ready?" Eric asked from the bedroom doorway.
"Be right there Dad give us five kay?" Julie smiled for good measure. He nodded and was gone.
"I don't think he likes me Jules."
" No Spence, he likes you fine he just has really good Julie's about to do something sexual radar." She kissed him. "Mama! I can't find my dress shoes." Gracie hollered.
"I got it Mom." Julie shouted and stepped around him . "Grace did you check under your bed?"
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Spencer left the funeral feeling as though he knew something of who Brian "Smash." Williams was. A smart, talented, funny caring, and bright young man whose light was too soon extinguished.
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Two Months later:
"It appears the Williams murder was serial, Mathew James Saracen was found by the high school grounds keeper of West Dillon High School on the fifty yard line of Hermann Field. As you can see his throat was also slashed."
"Oh god…" Penelope murmured
"What baby girl?" Morgan asked.
"Please tell me you did not just say Matthew Saracen."
"Why?"
"He's the High School sweet heart of our very own Julie Taylor."