Lies - Criminal Minds || Spencer Reid Fanfiction

40. Happiness

"It is such a happiness when good people get together -- and they always do." ~ Jane Austen

The Daughter

Spencer told me he'd never been to England before, so that day was pretty exciting for us. 

We were all together as a family on a commercial flight; pushing a real pram with our real baby girl inside; dressed in casual holiday clothes rather than formal work-wear; my dad and Beth and Diana and Jack following suit as the rest of the team brought the jet over with their families.

I was so excited to show my family the place where I'd grown up; the place I'd called home for so long and the place I hadn't seen for years.

I hadn't realised how much I'd missed England until we pushed out into the crisp early-September air and inhaled the car fumes and faint pollen.

"Wow. England is cold." Spencer said from next to me. I glanced up to him and laughed at his expression. 

He had hunched over slightly and I found it adorable how he'd been here moments and already thought it was too cold.

Immediately he leaned down to the pram in front of him and rearranged Tilly's blanket around her, making sure she was all tucked in and secure.

"Spence, it's not that cold I'm sure she's fine." I chuckled, wrapping my arms around his arm.

"I know," He shrugged with a bashful expression. "It's just that she won't be used to the cooler air that's all." I laughed and shook my head, stretching up to kiss his cheek lovingly.

"Alright, car park D allotment twelve." My dad's voice came from the airport behind us and we turned to see the rest of our family leaving the building with all of our luggage built up on two trolleys. 

"Are you all okay to wait here while I go get the car?" He asked and we all nodded our heads.

"Take your time!" I called after him as he jogged off in the direction of the allotment.

"So Mel, how does it feel?" Beth asked me, grinning as I slid my sunglasses on over my eyes.

I took a deep breath in; properly inhaling the scents around me.

I could smell the strong newspaper ink from the newsstand a few feet away from us; an elderly scruff of a man selling "The Sun" from a tiny red cart with a little flag.

I could smell the strong exhausts on the taxi's on the rank to our right; lined up and begging for passengers to extort.

I could smell the freshly cut grass on the fields to our left; the endless greenery stretching alongside the mile-long runways.

"It feels great," I admitted after a few long moments. "Not that I've been back long, but it feels great." I nodded.

Spencer wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed the side of my face.

"It's so good to see you so happy and at home," Diana grinned excitedly. "I can't wait to see the galleries. I hear England has the best museums."

"We can look forward to all of that in a couple of days, mom." Spencer said patiently, turning to grin over his shoulder at his mum.

"Hmm, that's what you think dear." She winked and I laughed at her mischievousness, Jack joining in too.

*

We were all staying at one of the fancy English hotels in Woodford; a town just outside of London where we'd flown to Luton airport. 

It was a relatively short drive from Luton airport to Woodford; the scenery surprisingly unfamiliar to me.