Strange Love// Spencer Reid// Criminal Minds

22

"Daddy?" I asked, pushing open the door to his office.

He didn't say anything as I softly pushed open the door and stepped into his office, which was usual off limits, but I was eager to see him after his long day at work.

"Daddy?" I asked again.

He spun around in his chair, pulling a grin across his face. "Mads!"

He scooped me up in his arms, spinning me around. I hugged him tightly.

"How are you, sweetheart?" He asked, pulling back to look at me.

"How are you?" I grinned, looking at the board behind him.

It had red and green pieces are yarn, pinned into other pictures of woman and men, along with crime scene pictures. My dad was a Detective on the Quantico force for nearly twenty years. As a little girl, I always wanted to be in on the investigation, to help find those people.

His phone rang in the background as he sighed, setting me on the ground. He talked on the phone for a few moments before sighing once again, setting the phone on the desk.

"Are you leaving again?"  I frowned at my father.

"I am, sweetheart," he frowned. "But I'll be back later tonight."

I frowned again. "Please don't go, Daddy."

He kneeled down in front of me, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "I'll always come back, Mads."

I sighed as the hot water ran down my sore body, releasing the tension from my muscles. For the past week, I've been in bed, nothing but sleeping and crying. Reid and everyone had come by, trying to make me feel better, leaving gift baskets outside my door.

I didn't answer the door, I didn't answer anyone's calls but Hotch's. My father's funeral was tomorrow, but there was no way I would go. No way that I could go. 

After my shower, I had one new voicemail from Reid. I clicked it, setting my phone on my dresser as I pulled on my robe.

"Hey, Madeline," he said through the phone. "I know you haven't been feeling good- that isn't the right word- feeling oka- I don't know. Anyway, Rossi is having a dinner for everyone tonight, to teach us how to cook, and it would be nice if you came, you know, maybe it could make you feel better. I hope to see you there, Maddy."

I sat on the bed, thinking about it. Perhaps it were a good idea. Maybe getting out was a good idea. I eventually got dressed, cleaning up the mess that had accumulated over the week. I cleaned the floor and vacuumed, did the dishes, took out the trash. After, I stood in my living room, my hands on my hips, and sighed; It was the best I've felt in a while.

I sat on my bed, staring at the dress that I would wear if I went to Rossi's dinner. 

Did I really need to go? What would everyone say? 

I pulled on the dress that I had picked out, pulling my hair back and into a high ponytail, putting on my red lipstick. (picture at bottom)

Reid texted me the address, even though he didn't know that I was coming. I wasn't sure whether I was prepared for all the questions.

I arrived at Rossi's about an hour later, knocking on the door. It opened and Morgan stood on the other side, smiling at me.

"What a surprise!" He grinned, pulling me into a hug.

I smiled, following him inside. Everyone gave me a hug, telling me how beautiful that I looked. I all praised them, giving them big smiles. I looked around, seeing that Reid hadn't arrived yet. Rossi had started his cooking lesson, passing wine around. Was he even coming?

There was another knock as Rossi sighed, looking up at Morgan. "I'll get it."

Reid came into the kitchen, smiling at Rossi before turning to me, raising his eyebrows in shock. "You-you came."

I smiled softly, nodding. He smiled again, his hand on the small of my back. 

"You look beautiful." He said to me.

"Thank you."

We all ate dinner together, laughing and talking around the dinner table. It was nice, being apart of the family again. Having people like them around me was special. After dinner, everyone drifted apart, talking to each other, Morgan was still eating, Garcia by his side. JJ and Emily laughed about something while Hotch and Rossi talked over drinks. 

I strayed away from the groups, overlooking the amazing view that Rossi had from his home. Reid came up beside me, his hands in his pockets.

"It's beautiful." Reid said, his shoulder brushing against mine.

"Hm." I hummed, agreeing.

"So, are you-uh- okay?" He asked me.

"You know, I hate that question," I sighed, not looking at him. "I mean, does it really matter if I'm okay or not?"

"It does to me."

I turned away from him, looking into the city from the hill. "I don't miss him, you know, my dad."

Reid didn't say anything, he just listened. 

"When David asked me to marry him, I was 15," I said. "Because I was underage, I needed parent's consent to get married. My father was the one that signed the paper, he was the one that let David do everything to us. To his daughters."

He reached over and took my hand, squeezing it softly. 

"He knew what David was doing to us, but he let it go on, and on, and on," I said, tears starting to burn my eyes. "He didn't even care. No one cared."

Reid turned and looked at me. "I care."

He took my face in his hands as he met my eyes, his brown ones looking into my blue ones. "I care about you, Madeline."

He swiped the tears from my cheeks as he smiled at me. He leaned down, his lips pressing against mine in a kiss. The kiss was slow and passionate, exactly what I needed to calm everything and make me feel better. 

He pulled back, his forehead resting against mine as his eyes met mine. He smiled at me, wiping one last tear from my face. I returned the smiled, wiping my red lipstick from his

"You two are so cute, it's almost sickening!" Morgan grinned, slapping Reid on the back.

I smiled as he pulled me into his side, my head resting against his shoulder. Everyone crowded around us, grinning at us two. 

"You guys know that I love you, right?" I said to them.

"We love you too, Madeline." Morgan smiled at me.