Daddy Loves You- A Criminal Minds Fanfiction

I Love You

4 years later

"Daddy?"

Spencer Reid looked up from the book he was reading and saw his 4 year old daughter standing in the hallway leading to the living room. It was late(11:46 to be exact) and Spencer had put her to bed at 8.
"Hey, what's up?" Reid asked her.
"I can't sleep."
Reid stood up and walked over to her. "Come here." he said, holding her hand. He brought her over to the couch where he had been sitting, sat down and sat her on his lap. He kissed her on the cheek.
"Now," he said, "what's making you unable to sleep?"
Natalie shrugged.
Spencer our his arm around her. "Well, you were asleep for 3 hours, right?"
Natalie shrugged again. "Not really. I don't think I was for that long."
"So you think you might've just been for an hour or so?" Natalie nodded.
"Alright then." Reid said. "Let's chat then for a little while, it'll make you sleepy."
"Ok daddy."

Spencer looked over at a picture of Maeve that was on a small side table against the wall. He stared at it for a few seconds.
"Nat," he said, pointing at it. "do you know who that is?"
Natalie nodded. "Mommy."
"Right. And do you know where mommy is?" Reid asked her.
"Gone." She answered.
Reid sighed. That was the best way he could explain it to a four year old.
Spencer nodded.
"Daddy," Natalie asked, "do you miss mommy?"
Reid nodded. He was going to cry, he knew it. He didn't want to in front of Nat.
"I miss her every day." He started to cry. It wasn't a heavy cry, it was just light tears. But Natalie saw that, and she hugged him. Reid hugged her back.
"She loved you very, very much, Nat." Reid assured her. "All she ever wanted was to be there for you."
"It's okay, Daddy." She told Spencer. "I have you. Wouldn't mommy be happy that you're doing what she wanted to do?"
Reid laughed over his tears then nodded. "Yeah. I guess she would." There was an awkward moment of silence, which Reid broke.
"I love you."
Natalie smiled. "I love you too, Daddy."
Spencer asked her if she wanted him to read to her, and she said yes. So Reid went and got her favorite book out of her room and sat back down on the couch.
He put his arm around her and Natalie snuggled up real close to him. She put her head on his shoulder and listened to him read to her. She slowly fell asleep.
By the end of the book, she was out cold. Reid picked her up and tucked her in. He kissed her forehead.
"I love you, sweetie." He whispered.