✓ | 𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗘 · ͟͟͞͞➳ spencer reid

CHAPTER 23 ━━━

# ! | CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
- they get reunited

━━━ A BLACK MARBLE
engraving with a olive green and navy blue logo carved into the rocky mountainside adjacent to the road they drive on welcomes the miniature caravan to Venus, where they have to get past a black wrought iron gate to enter the rest of the compound.

They drive past lines of solar panel farms, wind turbines can be seen on a hill in the distance. The cars turn into a tree lined side road and on the other side is a in the path. "To the left is the lodge and stables," says Joey in the other car. Garcia squeals as they pass a little stable with goats outside it.

However, they turn right. And down the road, there's a massive white brick mansion with black siding and roofing. There's a ton of black tulips perfectly trimmed around the outside of the house. Next to the mansion, there's a stable with a giant dark horse and a smaller donkey grazing in the fenced in area around it.

"Jeeeesus, this place really is something." Rossi's whistle is appreciative, Garcia nods in agreement. Hotch says nothing, nose buried in his phone.

"So do all of you guys live on sight?" Morgan asks.

Joey shakes his head. "Most everyone lives in the next town over. They'll all come for the party tonight."

"There's a party tonight?" Garcia perks up, suddenly interested.

Joey smiles fondly. "With Meryl? Of course."

The woman in question crawls over Spencer's lap in order to get out the door and run to the fence. "Steve! Thor!"

The donkey and the massive horse raise their heads and visibly perk, running enthusiastically toward her. Reid tightens. "They're gonna run her over?"

Ren pats him on the shoulder. "You'll see."

The horse gets there first, digging his hooves into the ground as to stop abruptly. He immediately shoves his head into Meryl's chest, getting a load of ear scratches. The donkey is next, bleating enthusiastically. Spencer pulls his phone out and navigates like a geriatric snail to his camera app, starting a video. She pops the gate open and then vaults onto the horse's back, squeezing with her calves until he walks forward.

"Ladies and gents, this is Thor. Little guy down there is Steve," Meryl explains, bending down to wrap her arms around Thor's neck. "Loki and Bucky are down at the other barn. You can meet them later. But look at my boys!"

The women are currently surrounding Steve, who has rolled over on his belly as though he's more golden retriever than donkey. Spencer warily approaches Thor, who shoves his white spotted muzzle into the tall man's outstretched hand.

"Surprisingly friendly," Spencer says more to himself. Meryl scoffs. "They better be, trained these two fellows myself."

She hops off Thor's back and guides the two equines back into their spacious paddock before turning to her guests with radiant cheeks. "Let's get to the lodge, our guests have just arrived."

ೃ⁀➷

It's half past five in the evening, and the whole BAU family is congregated outside the Murphy Mansion, as Momma Morgan deemed it upon her arrival. Jack and Henry and riding around on the donkeys, carefully supervised under the watchful eyes of JJ and Emily. Fran and Garcia sit under a pine tree and talk about Morgan, while the subject of their conversation catches up with his sisters. Hotch and Beth sit by the fence drinking mint juleps in somewhat matching red plaid jackets, the younger woman occasionally stroking the mane of Bucky, a bay horse almost the same size as Thor. Rossi sits with Joey, Ren, and Joey's wife, Leona.