Unspoken Legacy

Unspoken Legacy 2

As Tonya walks out of Jason Gideon's office, she spots Lily surrounded by everyone. Her heart swells with emotion as she calls out, "Lily, come here, sweetie!"

Lily's head snaps up at the sound of her mom's voice. Her eyes grow wide when she sees Tonya and Gideon walking toward her. Feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness, Lily hesitates for a moment before running toward her mom, who scoops her up into her arms.

Tonya holds Lily tightly, her eyes soft with love. "Sweetheart, this is your daddy, Jason," she says, turning to face Gideon, who is standing a few feet away.

Lily looks up at Gideon, her shyness apparent as she clutches her doll tightly. Her voice is small, almost a whisper as she speaks. "Hi..."

Gideon's expression softens, and he takes a step closer, kneeling down to her level. "Hey there, little one," he says gently, offering a warm smile. "I'm your daddy, Jason."

Lily doesn't say anything at first, still holding onto her doll for comfort. Her blue eyes study him, but she doesn't pull away from Tonya's embrace.

Tonya gives her daughter a reassuring smile, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "It's okay, sweetie. You can talk to him when you're ready."

Gideon watches the interaction with a quiet tenderness, understanding that this moment will be overwhelming for Lily. He speaks softly, trying to put her at ease. "I know this is a lot, but I'm really happy to finally meet you."

Lily glances up at her mom, who nods encouragingly, then turns her gaze back to Gideon. After a long moment of silence, she softly says, "Nice to meet you... Daddy."

Tonya smiles, her eyes glistening with emotion. "That's my brave girl," she whispers, kissing the top of Lily's head.

Gideon reaches out slowly, his hand trembling slightly as he places it gently on Lily's shoulder. "It's nice to meet you too, Lily," he says warmly, his voice full of emotion.

Lily looks up at him, her shyness still there, but there's a small spark of curiosity in her eyes. She clutches Daisy even tighter, as if the doll's presence gives her a sense of security in this overwhelming moment.

Tonya steps back slightly, giving them space, while Gideon stays kneeling in front of Lily, waiting patiently for her to feel comfortable. "We've got all the time in the world," he says softly.

Lily doesn't say anything more, but the way she looks at Gideon speaks volumes. The first steps toward knowing her father have begun, but it's clear that it will take time. And Tonya, ever the protector, is right by her side, supporting her every step of the way. As Tonya heads off to work, leaving Lily with the BAU team, the little girl becomes more animated, chatting excitedly with anyone who will listen. She starts talking non-stop about her favorite things.

"I love books! I know a lot of fun facts!" Lily says, holding up her doll for everyone to see. "Did you know that Belle in Beauty and the Beast loves books too? She's so smart, and she sings songs in the castle!"

The team smiles, clearly charmed by her enthusiasm.

"I like Barbie too!" Lily continues, her eyes lighting up. "Barbie can do anything! She's a doctor and a princess and even an astronaut. She's like me and Daisy, we can do anything!"

Derek watches with a slightly amused expression, glancing around at the group of agents and doctors surrounding Lily. He listens to her talk about Disney movies, her favorite books, and her superhero doll.

After a moment, he raises an eyebrow and looks at Spencer, who's sitting nearby, watching Lily with a gentle smile. Derek leans over and says, "I think Reid did something to the kid."

Spencer looks at him with confusion. "What do you mean?"

Derek gestures toward Lily, who's now animatedly explaining some fun fact about a princess. "She's... uh, a little too into books, fun facts, Disney, and dolls. It's like she's memorized a whole library of information. Reid, did you get her into all this?"

Spencer laughs softly, shaking his head. "No, that's all Lily. She's always had a ton of energy, and she loves talking about everything under the sun. She's a smart little kid."

Derek grins. "Well, she sure knows a lot for a four-year-old. I think she could teach us a thing or two."

Lily, still talking about her love for Belle and her doll, looks up and notices Derek's joking expression. "I can teach you things, too!" she says confidently, her blue eyes sparkling. "I can teach you fun facts about all the princesses!"

Derek laughs, his playful side showing. "Alright, alright, I'm all ears, kiddo. Teach me something."

Lily grins and begins rattling off another fun fact, making everyone chuckle as they listen to her with amusement. Spencer gives Derek a teasing smile. "See? She's her own encyclopedia."

Derek shrugs, his smile never fading. "I think Reid has definitely influenced her... but maybe not in the way I expected."Lily climbs off the couch with her doll in her arms and walks over to where Gideon is sitting. She looks up at him with big blue eyes, her expression a mix of excitement and a little bit of nervousness.

"Daddy," she says, her voice small but determined. "I want to tell you everything about me."

Gideon, still kneeling down to her level, looks at her with a gentle smile, encouraging her to share. "I'd love to hear all about you, Lily."

Lily nods eagerly, her words tumbling out one after the other. "I like books! A lot! I love Belle and Barbie and Disney princesses, and I like reading about them. And I like to sing songs like Belle does, and I can dance like her too." She holds up her doll. "And Daisy likes princesses too. We both like to read and sing."

She pauses for a moment, her face turning more serious. "But there's things I don't like." She wrinkles her nose. "I don't like spinach. It makes me sick, and if I eat it, I have to go to the hospital. Mommy says it's bad for me."

Gideon listens intently, his heart swelling as he takes in the details of her little life. He nods carefully. "I see, Lily. No spinach. That's important to know."

Lily continues, "And I don't like loud noises, either. Like when there's a lot of people talking at the same time, or when things crash. It makes me scared."

Gideon's expression softens, and he reaches out to gently tuck a stray hair behind her ear. "Thank you for telling me, sweetie. I'll remember that."

Lily smiles, clearly happy that he's listening. "And I like chicken nuggets, and macaroni and cheese, but not too much cheese. That makes my tummy hurt."

Gideon chuckles softly, his heart growing fonder of her with each detail she shares. "Sounds like you know exactly what you like and don't like."

Lily nods. "Yep! And I like to tell stories, too! I'm a really good storyteller." She gives him a big grin. "I'll tell you one later, okay, Daddy?"

"Absolutely," Gideon says with a warm smile, reaching out to gently lift her up in his arms. "I'd love to hear your stories anytime, Lily."

Lily beams as she snuggles into his arms, happy to have shared a little bit more of herself with her dad. For the first time, Gideon feels the deep connection, even if it's just the beginning.