We All Fall Down - A Criminal Minds AU

Six

The funeral was, well as far as funerals go it was as nice as it could be.

You'd finally pulled yourself together and got dressed, realising at the last minute that the short sleeved black shrug you were going to wear wasn't going to be adequate. Spencer had gripped your wrists so tightly this morning that you now had red marks on each arm, marks you knew would soon turn light purple. You'd always bruised easily, often waking up after drinking binges with marks that you couldn't remember where they came from or how you got then. You traded it for a long black cardigan, Spencer giving you the once over when you met him in the hallway. You must have met his approval for a change as he didn't comment.

A car came to pick you up, Diana, Jennifer and Will seated inside. Diana greeted you warmly, clasping your hands as you sat opposite her. Her eyes were red rimmed as was to be expected but she seemed to be coping well. The ceremony itself was full of heartfelt readings from the family and afterwards the funeral goers made their way out to the graveside. You stood by Spencer's side, as close to him as you dared stand without touching him. He'd barely spoken to you at all since you'd like left the house this morning.

Afterwards, you didn't know what to do with yourself. The was family was being approached by various people, all of whom wanted to offer Diana and her children their condolences. You spotted a bench off to once side and took yourself away to it, sitting and waiting until you were summoned by Spencer again.

In the end it wasn't Spencer who came to you, it was his mother, your mother in law. She sat by you and rested her hand on your knee, the contact unfamiliar to you.

"My dear, we're all going back to the house now. William didn't want a wake as such but the family and a few close friends will be there."

You waited, unsure what you were meant to say. Spencer was stood close to by, a frown on his face. Diana continued.

"Spencer had mentioned that you weren't feeling well this morning and that you might not be able to join us. A migraine he said?" Ah, another illness stopping you from interacting with his family. You caught his eye, seeing him shake his head.

"I wondered if you were perhaps feeling well enough to come with us? I haven't seen you in so long, and although I know I'll be able to see a lot more of you now that you're staying in town, on days like these family should really all be together. Will you come? I have some extra strong painkillers back at the house if it is very bad."

Spencer was glaring at you now, his mother oblivious to it. Don't you dare, his eyes were saying. You didn't want to anger him but you didn't want to say no to Diana. She was being so nice to you and seemed to want you there with them.

Against your better judgement you found yourself replying, "I feel much better now. I think it was just the emotion of today getting to me. Of course I'll come with you."

...

The rest of your afternoon was spent with you feeling so incredibly out of place. Both Spencer and Jennifer barely acknowledged your presence, where as Will and Diana seemed to be trying to go out of their way to make you feel welcome. Diana had linked her arm through yours once you'd entered the LaMontagne residence, the close physical contact making you jump. She led you towards a large couch, parking you down and sitting next to you, instructing Will to bring you both a large glass of wine.

You paced yourself, knowing that getting drunk this particular afternoon would do you no favours at all although you desperately wanted to throw back the whole glass in one go and ask for the rest of the bottle. Expecting Diana to bombard you with questions about yours and Spencer's lives together, you were suprised when she didn't. Instead she settled for felling you about the town you had moved to, about her and William's favourite spots and the best place (there weren't many) to buy take out from.