heart like yours (jennifer jareau)

2. twelve

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"most days, i am a museum of things i want to forget." - ee scott

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Delilah paced up and down the living room area connected to her hotel room, chewing her thumb nail as she moved between the couches. It was almost twelve and she was waiting for Nora and Colin Hart to arrive so the three of them could mourn and celebrate what would've been Dylan's twenty eighth birthday, today.

Delilah turned twenty eight, today. She had woken up an hour ago to texts from Dave, Hotch, Haley, Gideon, Liv and JJ telling her they were thinking of her and were just checking in, Dave, Liv and JJ asking that she called them if she felt up for it.

She'd texted them all back to say thanks, not promising any phone calls because she didn't know how long Nora and Colin would stay. She wouldn't make them leave early, either. She wasn't going to deny them what was, arguably, the only piece of Dylan they had left; her.

There was a knock on the door and Delilah stopped pacing, taking a deep breath before walking over. She undid the locks and pulled the door open, staring at Colin and Nora heart with a nervous smile.

She hadn't seen them in two years, since two thousand and four. She got back from her time away and they met her in California when she was taking the week off for the anniversary her first year on the BAU team.

They hadn't changed. Colin still had the same black hair with grey starting to spread through it, his beard tinged grey. He was still wearing his usual jeans and flannel shirt with a black coat over them, workboots on his feet.

Nora was still the same greying redhead, her eyes wrinkled from years of laughing and crying, the same mothering smile on her lips that had belonged to Dylan, once. She was still wearing her usual jeans and knitted jumper, converse on her feet that matched the colour of her jumper, her red coat over her jumper to keep her warm.

Delilah had changed more than they had. She'd grown up from a tiny newborn into a grown up in front of her eyes, but she barely remembered them changing over the years. Their hair had started greying and they had wrinkles, but their smiles didn't change and their personalities didn't.

"Hi, dizzy," Nora said, "Happy birthday, sweetheart."

Delilah had lied when she said nobody ever wished her happy birthday. She didn't allow anyone else to wish her happy birthday, only Nora and Colin. Delilah and Dylan had celebrated every birthday together. He'd died on their last birthday together. Nora and Colin lost birthdays with their son, but they didn't have to lose them with Delilah, too.

"Hi. Thank you," Delilah said.

She stepped aside to let them in, Nora pulling her into a hug as she stepped into the hotel room. She was still taller than Delilah, her arms still as warm and safe as they'd always been, the kiss dropped on her forehead as soothing and motherly as it had always been. Delilah's eyes pricked with tears. It wouldn't be the last time.

Nora let go of Delilah and stepped into the hotel room, Colin moving forward to pull Delilah into a side hug, the same side hug he'd always given her. Usually, Dylan would be on the other side, and Colin would squish them both together until they were giggling and trying to wriggle away.

"Hey, kiddo," Colin said, resting his chin on her head before moving into the room.

"Hi," Delilah said, closing the door behind them and locking it. "Coffee?"

"Thank you, sweetheart," Nora smiled, moving to the kitchen with bags Delilah hadn't noticed before. "I brought us a lot of junkfood, some birthday gifts, there's a birthday cake, and I even picked us up my favourite gin, so, we can have a few drinks later," Nora said.