✓ | 𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗘 · ͟͟͞͞➳ spencer reid

CHAPTER 28 ━━━

"Oh my God!" Spencer yelps, immediately hugging his mother. "Mom! What are you doing here? Meryl said you didn't think the trip was a good idea!"

Diana gives a smug grin. "That girl is real persuasive when she needs to be. I got one of those old coots to give me the go ahead. Gotta fly back tomorrow."

Spencer laughs in shock. "But you hate flying?"

The skinny woman pats his cheek. "I needed to see my son for Christmas. Now, where's the woman I get to thank for my panic attack?"

"Oh shit," Meryl rushes into view. "Oh- crap, I mean. I apologize for the profanity, and for your panic attack. It's an honor to meet you, ma'am."

Diana smiles, enjoyment sparkling in her eyes. "I didn't have a panic attack, sweet girl. Tiny little thing, aren't you? But so pretty. Good job, Spencer."

"Oh, mom, we're not-"

Diana gives Reid a shushing look and then pulls a shocked Meryl in for a hug, which Penelope grabs a few pictures of with a massive smile on her face.

When Meryl pulls away, she scoots back and opens the door wider. "Would you like to come inside, ma'am? I have kind of a large dog, but he's very well behaved. Expresso?"

With a dismissive hand gesture, Diana shakes her head. "Thanks, sweetheart, but there's a lovely woman cooking breakfast at the lodge. Maybe we could all head down there together."

Spencer nods. "Sure thing. Let us grab our jackets and Elia real quick, we can catch up." He closes the door somewhat abruptly.

"Spence, wha-" Meryl gets cut off as Spencer holds both sides of her face and kisses her deeply, almost making her take a step back with the intensity.

When he pulls away, a couple tears run down his cheeks. "Thank you," he murmurs, "Thank you so much."

Meryl smiles happily and wipes his tears and then her lipstick. "I'm just happy to see you happy. Let's go before they get suspicious." Elia trots over from his place on the couch with his leash in his mouth and Meryl clips it on, bouncing out the door and reminding Spencer vaguely of a hyperactive ferret.

Morgan and Penelope immediately start chatting up a storm in the corner but allow Spencer to spend time with his mom. They're burning with questions, desperate to find out what happened, and Spencer is more likely to crack than Meryl, who takes a sip of Emily's bloody Mary.

Spencer talks animatedly and listens deeply to his mother. It's surreal to see her here outside the walls of the sanitarium, but it's lovely. Apparently, her chaperone is staying in the lodge as well, just until they leave in the morning.

"I can't believe you're flying back on Christmas Eve," Spencer emotes as Diana finishes off a pancake. She takes his smooth hands in her wrinkly one and gives it a squeeze. "Better than nothing, Spencer. And, hey, I like that girl. I'm happy you're marrying her."

Spencer almost chokes. "Marrying?"

The elder Reid purses her lips. "Aren't you guys engaged?"

His wavy hair falls across his forehead as he giggles awkwardly. "We got together yesterday, literally."

Diana makes a "pft" noise. "If you say so. Whatever, she's good for you. Makes you happy and a little nervous."

She looks over at where Meryl throws her head back and laughs at something Beth said. "Pretty, isn't she?" Reid hums in agreement. Perhaps Aphrodite wasn't such an intangible relation.

The bright eyed woman catches both their gazes and waves enthusiastically, to which both Reids smile back at. Diana grabs Spencer's hand and kisses his cheek. "I'm going to go take a nap."

He squeezes her hand and nods. "Alright, love you."

Diana pats Spencer's shoulder as she passes. "Love you too."

There are three beautiful seconds of quiet before Morgan takes Diana's seat. "Okay, kid. Out with it."

Spencer rolls his eyes. "With what, Morgan?"

The undeniably smug playboy in front of him tilts his head. "You know what. You and Meryl, spill it. We've all seen your Tesla level love connection."

Spencer breaks then, an affectionate smile on his face. "I really, really like her, Morgan. I have for a while. And she likes me, which is kind of still blowing my mind."

Derek grins. "Y'all are together?"

"Just since yesterday," comes the reply of the jubilant man. Derek pulls out his phone and Spencer narrows her eyes. "Don't you dare. Not yet. We haven't talked about if people get to know about us yet."

Morgan nods and pockets his phone. "Your green eyed secret is safe with me, pretty boy."

Spencer wondered briefly how this would look if someone were to file a workplace relations charge. They were both more than capable field agents who had proved unbiased in the face of personal cases. They were on the same level. So a complaint gets sent in and an investigation gets done, they'd be okay. Spencer runs the outcome in his head and arrives at a conclusion that he likes. They had a 98% success rate. Like condoms.