Episode Series

Magnum Opus (S.R)

Based on Criminal Minds Season 8 Episode 13

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When Maggie's dad came home two weeks ago, the air felt different. She was asleep but she could still feel it. Before he had left for this case, he seemed more on edge and agitated. This case felt different than the others. He left and had the neighbor check in on his daughter every few hours. Maggie was pretty independent for someone her age and didn't need a lot of supervision.

He came back that night while she was asleep. Normally, he would just stick his head in her room and leave her be and wait till the morning to catch up with. That night, he slowly walked into the room and sat on her bed. Maggie stirred when she heard him crying. It was a new sound for her and she immediately sat up, "Daddy? Why are you crying?"

Spencer looked up at her and pulled her onto his lap. He kissed the top of her head but didn't respond. He just held onto his daughter tighter, not saying anything. He eventually laid both down and held onto her throughout the night.

The next morning, he was sitting on the couch when Maggie woke up. She sat down next to him and he wrapped his arm around he. It looked like he hadn't stopped crying since the night before, "Did you have a bad case?" she asked him.

Spencer smiled softly at his daughter. How he wished he that was the case. He wanted to live in the childish innocence that she did, "Yeah kind of," he said. Maggie looked up at him, urging him to give more detail. He always talked to her after cases, good or bad. He felt bad for venting and talking about the cases to his eight year old but she liked it. Maggie loved hearing how her dad helped the team and how they solved the case, "We didn't get to save the person."

Maggie's face fell. She just thought that maybe someone was hurt, not killed, "Oh," she mumbled, "Did you get the bad guy?"

Spencer nodded, "We did."

"Then why are you sad?"

He took a shaky breath before he explained. He knew he would have to, just not this soon. He wasn't sure if he could get through the story without breaking down but he would certainly try, "You remember when I started having headaches last year and I talked to that doctor?"

Maggie nodded.

"Well, her name was Maeve and um," he had to pause after he said her name. It was the first time he said it since she died, "Maeve and I stayed in touch for a while after she helped me. We became really close friends."

"Do you like her daddy?" the girl gasped when an idea formed in your head, "Is she your girlfriend?" she got excited at the thought. She loved her dad but knew he was lonely and deserved someone who loved him. More than just his daughter.

Spencer laughed lightly, "I did. She was," he watched as his daughter jumped up from the couch, clearly overjoyed by the news.

"When can I meet her?" Maggie was bouncing on her toes but Spencer grabbed her wrists gently, stopping her motions. She saw tears form in his eyes and she leaned over and hugged him, her arms around his neck, "What happened to her?"

Spencer wrapped his arms around Maggie and rested his head on her shoulder, "Someone had been watching her for a long time because they were mad at her."

"Was that the case you were working on yesterday?" Maggie asked. He nodded.

"That person took her and we found them but it was too late," he had tears running down his face now. He explained to his daughter as simply as he could. He didn't know if it was for her benefit or his. He hated having to retell this story but Maggie had to know. She deserved to know why her dad wouldn't be okay for who knows how long.