Adopted daughter of Aaron Hotchner joins the BAU. Harper Vincent, naturally reserved with her head always in her sketchbook. Spencer Reid, naturally shy with his head always in a book. Some would say it's fate, others would say it's a curse.
[kinda...
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𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿
"Spence do you have her elephant?" I shout from my room. "No, I thought you had it." He replies. "Damnit" I mumble under my breath. "She won't go anywhere without it." I groan. "Harper, calm down It's in her diaper bag." He assures me.
"Thank God." I sigh. "Are you ready to go to the zoo?" I ask Bethany in my baby voice. She babbles happily while clapping her hands. Spencer suggested that to stimulate her brain we should take her to the zoo so she can experience the animals.
"Well if we want to beat all of the soccer moms we need to leave now." I check the time on my phone. "Okay my girls, let's go."
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"That right over there is a chicken, scientifically Gallus gallus domesticus." Spencer informs Bethany as she gazes from her stroller. "Spence look at the miniature donkey!" I smile.
"It's a petting zoo" he chuckles. "Give me Bethany." "What?" He furrows his brows. "We are going to pet the donkey," I state matter-of-factly. "Harper do you know how many germs-" "Spence," I warn.
"Okay fine" he sighs as I unbuckle Bethany. The zookeeper opens the gate for us and I walk slowly towards the donkey. "Be nice." I slowly pet the back of the donkey, letting Bethany do the same.
She giggles as the donkey lifts its head up to look at us. "Hi." I smile as it allows me to scratch between its ears. One of the baby cows comes up to us and nudges Bethany gently.
"Well hello there." I grin as I begin to bend to the ground. I hold Bethany's hands as she stands. The calf sniffs her carefully and backs away when Bethany giggles.
"It's okay." I soothe the calf. Next thing I know I am surrounded by goats. Yes. Goats. "Okay, how do I get out of here?" I chuckle as I look at the goats surrounding me. One of the zookeepers brings out a large bundle of hay causing the goats to make noise and run away.
I sigh with a chuckle as we walk out of the petting zoo to find Spencer. "I got so many pictures." He laughs. "Good, my dad would never believe that just happened."
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"How is she not sleepy yet?" I sigh as Bethany bounces in her crib. "Let's go over the routine, she won't be able to sleep until the routine is finished." He states. "She's been fed, tucked in, has her elephant, oh! I have read to her yet." I rush to the small bookshelf in my room and find the collection.
"What if we read to her together?" He suggests. "She would love that." I smile up at him as I flip to a poem.
"It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know by the name of Annabel Lee;" I begin. "And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me." Spencer's eyes flick to me for a moment.
"I was a child and she was a child, In this kingdom by the sea: But we loved with a love that was more than love- I and my Annabel Lee" I gaze down to Bethany as she smiles up at me and Spencer as we read to her.
"With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven Coveted her and me. And this was the reason that, long ago, In this kingdom by the sea, A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling my beautiful Annabel Lee;" Spencer smiles at Bethany.
"So that her high-born kinsman came And bore her away from me, To shut her up in a sepulchre In this kingdom by the sea."
"The angels, not half so happy in heaven, Went envying her and me- Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know, In this kingdom by the sea) That the wind came out of the cloud by night, chilling and killing my Annabel Lee."
"But our love it was stronger by far than the love of those who were older than we- Of many far wiser than we- And neither angels in heaven above."
"Nor the demons down under the sea, Can ever dissever my souls from the soul of the beautiful Annabel Lee, For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams of the beautiful Annabel Lee;"
"And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,"
"In the sepulchre there by the sea, In her tomb by the sounding sea." Spencer finishes. We gaze down at the sleeping figure of our daughter.
We step back and sit on the edge of my bed. I lean my head on his shoulder. I feel Spencer's hand on my chin, turning my head to face him.
We stare in each other's eyes, flickering from lips to eyes and back again before finally pressing our lips together gently.
Kissing him felt the same as it did a year ago. I felt the familiar sparks flow through my body as he held my face in his hands. "Mm, Spence, Bethany is right there." I giggle softly.
"Well, then we can continue this another time." He smiles before giving me a kiss on my forehead.
࿏ YES YES YES Okay so I may be overreacting- Word Count: 923
