✓ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗢𝗳 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗻|𝗦.𝗥

𝗫𝗫𝗩𝗜𝗜| 𝗦𝗘𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡

𝟯𝗿𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻
The team had decided to spend their day off together. They wanted to spend time getting to know one another's partner. Hotch had brought Beth and JJ brought Will.

They were still recovering from the death of Supervisory Special Agent Harper Vincent. There wasn't a day they spent not thinking about her.

She is what brought them to an art gallery in the heart of Washington DC.

"Wow look at these paintings" Beth gasps. "These are beautiful." JJ smiles with tears in her eyes, the thought of Harper still hurting.

16 months three days and seven hours since Spencer had last looked at her.

His heart ached every day at the thought of her. He just wished that he could hold her one last time.

"Read the description." Emily points to the card underneath the painting.

[Monika Luniak]

She gazes out the window. Wondering if he was thinking of her too. Because he was the only word she could read.

"Artist sounds heartbroken." JJ sighs sadly. "I wonder how that feels" Spencer mumbles to himself. No one else heard. "Guys." Garcia points to the next one.

[Monika Luniak]

The smell made her think of the one she loves. She wishes she could see him. To tell him one last time how much he means to her.

"I wonder who she lost." Morgan raises his eyebrows, looking at the third painting.

[Monika Luniak]

In her dreams, she can feel his arms around her. The memory of dancing in the rain flashes through her mind every day.

"Harper and I did that one day." Spencer smiles with tears in his eyes. "Oh my god." Emily gasps as she sets her eyes on the final painting.

"Guys."

[I sadly don't have an artist but it is from Deviant Art]

All I can do is wait for the day I see you again.

"Excuse me, can we speak to the artist of these paintings?" Hotch asks one of the assistants close by. "Of course let me go get her." The woman smiles.

"Maya said you wanted to-" Their eyes land on the familiar figure. Her blonde hair cut shorter than they last remembered. Natural makeup on her face. Her outfit is different than what they were used to.

𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿
"Oh my god." I gasp as tears cloud my vision. "I'm so sorry." I cry out as my dad rushes forward to hug me tightly. "Harper." He squeezes me so hard that it hurts.

"Dad, ow." I sniffle. He pulls back with tears streaming down his cheeks. "Guys I am so sorry." I turn to the rest of the group.

"The director said that I wasn't allowed to see you guys, I begged to see you guys." I cry as they all hug me. Everyone except Spencer. "Spence-" "Stop" he waves me away.

My face falls as I observe his anger. "Spencer let me explain more, please," I beg. "Harper I know you said to give you time but she is crying up a storm." Maya walks towards me with Bethany in her arms.

"Hi baby" I coo to the seven-month-old causing her to smile. The group looks at her in awe. "This is Bethany." I smile with her on my hip.

"What is her full name?" JJ smiles as she gazed at her. "Bethany Diane Reid." I look up to Spencer, him storming away. My eyes soften as I watch him exit the gallery.

"Dad could you hold Bethany while I talk to him," I ask. "Of course." He smiles as he takes her into his arms. I smile and give her a forehead kiss before jogging to where Spencer went.

"Spencer" I breathe out.

"Harper, I don't want to hear it." He groans. "Spencer that is not fair." My voice is harsh. "What isn't fair huh? I thought you died. I lost you and my baby." Tears roll down his cheeks.

"Well, it joys me to assure you that both of us are alive and for the most part healthy. I can't ask for you to forgive me for what I had to do to keep both Bethany and me safe, but I can ask that you be the amazing father I know you can be to Bethany." I asked with pleading eyes, taking his hands in mine.

"Okay." He whispers, smiling at the ground.

We walk back into the gallery to see the team crowded around my dad and Bethany. They were laughing with her as she clapped her hands together, her favorite activity.

"Hey baby mommy's back" I smile as I take her into my arms. She looks behind her to see Spencer. She reaches her arms out for him and babbles a few syllables along the lines of 'da' as if she knew.

"You wanna go to daddy?" I chuckle. She smiles at him as I hand her gently to him. "Hi, Bethany." Spencer smiles at her.

She giggles happily and babbles more. "She knows." JJ smiles. "Isn't she beautiful" I smile down at her in Spencer's arms.

"Just like her mom." He mumbles so only we can hear.

࿏
I'm so happy I took a parenting class haha. Also in case, you didn't know I pre-write my stories before publishing them because of my anxiety so it's currently October 12 and my birthday is coming up...
Word Count: 886