Let Me Be Myself Chapter 3: Memory Lane
Summary: Spencer and Reader take a trip down memory lane courtesy of their inquisitive kids.
“Hey, Mom, how did you and Dad fall in love?” My daughter asks Y/N. I snort, remembering that it started with a dare. Y/N snorted herself. “Aunt Emily said it was ridiculous.”
I glanced at Y/N, wondering what she was going to say. This was the first time any of our quints had shown any interest in how they came to be. “It started with a dare.” Y/N finally says. “Mine, to be accurate.”
“Yours?” Our daughter echoes in disbelief which makes her siblings start listening in as well. I'm surprised Emily actually said anything on the matter.
“Yes, mine.” Y/N said with a chortle as I remember.
“Come on, Einstein, it's just a prediction! Most often, they don't come true.” Y/N tried to convince me as I doctored my coffee. I snorted.
“You expect me to walk into there for something I know won't come true?" I hissed. My dearest wish has never happened. I wished last year on my birthday that Y/N would finally see that her current boyfriend was an asshole. “Wow, that's actually a new low for you.” I took a measured sip of my coffee. “Why won't you take Reginald?”
She sighed. “I tried, Spencer. Every time he makes up an excuse as to why we can't go.” I rolled my eyes as I made up my mind to go with her. Reginald's continued excuses are the reason I’m going with her. I’m also her best friend...though I wish I weren't friend-zoned.
“I’ll go but Reginald’s still an asshole.” I said as I added a bit more sugar to my coffee. What can I say, I like it sweet.
“Thank you, Spence!” she exclaimed and kissed me on the cheek. I blushed and thankfully, she didn't notice that my face had gone as red as my cardigan sweater. “I don't know what I would do without you.”
“Let’s hope you never find out.” I muttered before taking another sip. “Is Reginald working late tonight?” Y/N nodded miserably. He was probably cheating on her, the bastard. I’d seen him making out with his current receptionist the other night. “Come over to my place. Let's finish the Tenth Doctor tonight.”
“As much as I would love to, you and I both know he hates our Doctor Who nights.” she replied. I hated knowing that I’d be a healthier choice for her to have a relationship with than Reginald.
“Actually, who names their child Reginald? Even Elton John had the sense to change his name!” I exclaimed as we went out into the bullpen.
"Not everyone is Elton John, Spence." Y/N wearily replies as she sits down at her desk across from mine.
“You had to coerce Dad into going?” Our first daughter asked, bringing me back into the present. Our other kids were laughing uproariously at Y/N’s recount of convincing me. “I thought coercion was wrong.”
“Honey, your mother didn't coerce me. There's actually a difference between coercion and persuading, which you’ll find out the definition of in a few years.” I said, smiling at the memory. “Besides, I got what I wanted in the end.”
"And what was that, Dad?" One of our two boys asked.
"I wanted your mother and by extension, you." I simply said as I squeezed Y/N's hand lightly to let her know I loved her. She gave me a smile and leaned her head into the crook of my neck.
We walked into the fortune teller’s tent. I was still highly skeptical about it. I still believe that most fortune tellers prey on human emotions, it’s a profiling turned carnival trick and that it’s not adequately rooted in science. She took one look at us, rose to her feet and bluntly asked, “When’s the wedding? You two make a lovely couple.”
Awkwardly I answered, “We’re...not together.”
She smirks at me and says, “Yet. Fate wants you two together.” I blinked in surprise at her declaration that we were supposed to be together.
After telling her that we weren't interested in a full session, we walked out of the tent. Suddenly, “Oh shit, tonight’s date night!” came out of y/n’s mouth. I raise my eyebrows at her. Twice a month, our team held Date Night, which gave established couples a chance to relax and have fun. I always volunteered to babysit Henry and Michael on those nights because I didn't want to see Y/N with Reginald.
The fortune teller came out and said, "Mr. Reid, a quick word before you and your friend leave." I nodded and went back into the tent, while Y/N went shopping since our task was completed. “You need to go to date night tonight. I'm sensing that this is the chance that you've been waiting for all year.” I blinked in surprise again.
“It’s Doctor and how did...” She pointed to my FBI ID Badge. I had forgotten to take it off when we left work.
“But how did you two get together?” our three daughters ask in unison. I laughed. Whenever the kids were inquisitive, they were my kids. “And how did you know this would be your chance to sweep mom off her feet?”
“A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell.” I stated.
“In Dad speak that means you think we're not old enough.” Said our second son. I could see the disappointment on my children's faces. I wasn't going to share everything about what the fortune teller had said to me that day.
“No, it means I haven't told your mother how I knew.” I calmly replied. “And there are some things I would rather keep to myself.”
I had totally spaced on Date night. I found a sexy number that I had gotten for my birthday and hadn't worn (as Reginald hated it) in the back of my closet. It was a rose-gold colored knee-length bodycon dress that showed a healthy, tasteful amount of my cleavage (which wasn't much, thankfully).
“You are not wearing that tonight.” Reginald said as he walked by my room. I frowned, bristling at the imperious demand.
“I will wear whatever I want.” I replied, deciding on the dress in that instant.
“You look like a skank in that dress.” He said and then left to make his own preparations. I ignored him and put on the dress. The moment he saw me in it, he refused to speak to me. When we got to the bar that the team was at, JJ raised an eyebrow.
“And here I thought Reginald wouldn't let you wear that.” JJ remarked.
“It looks good on you!” Penelope gushed. “Spencer chose well.” I looked at her, shocked. “Wait, you didn’t know Spencer got it for your birthday? He saw it and knew it had to be yours.” I shook my head.
“That's why he refused to put a gift tag on it.” JJ explained. “He knew Reginald would never let you wear it as we all did. How...” I grinned, emboldened by the knowledge that Spencer had gifted me this dress.
“I told him I would wear whatever I wanted.” JJ and Garcia both beamed.
“Good.” both women remarked as they took sips of their drinks. I was drinking a piña colada and despite Reginald being an ass while ignoring me, I was having fun.
He seemed to be getting into an argument with Prentiss and Rossi when I looked for him. I frowned since that likely meant he was drunk. He'd pick a fight with Bigfoot, if Bigfoot existed, while he was drunk. “Where’s Spence?” I asked. After he had finished speaking to the fortune teller alone, I tried to get him to tell me what she’d said and my best friend immediately clammed up.
“He’s here somewhere.” JJ remarked as Reginald came up to us. This surprised me as Spencer preferred sitting for his godsons rather than come to Date Night.
“We’re leaving.” He growled. “Doctor Noodle Boy is here.” Again I bristled, this time for the nickname he gave Spence.
“No, we just got here. If you want to go, go. JJ and Penelope...” I started with tears threatening to fall. Why had I not heeded Spencer's warnings about Reginald?
“I said we're going.” he restated, raising his voice.
“Let me go to the bathroom first.” I said. He nodded and I ran to the bathroom, intending to cry my eyes out but before I got there, I was pulled into a warm, minty embrace. It was Spencer.
“Spence...” I cried into his shirt. He lifts my chin and tenderly wipes away my tears.
“F*** him.” Spencer said. “Leave him and be with me. I don't know when I'll have another chance to convince you.” Spencer murmured before kissing me on the forehead.
On a preserving whim, I decided to leave Reginald. I pulled Spencer's head down, stood on my tiptoes and kissed him just as Reginald stomped towards us. “You wore that for him, didn't you?” Reginald snapped. I gathered my courage which was boosted by Spencer standing behind me.
“We’re over, Reginald.” I said.
“We’re over when I say we're over.” he growled, forcefully grabbing my arm. “We’re going, NOW!” However, Spencer looked at him.
“I’ve been very tolerant of you up until now for Y/N’s sake. Get your hands off her before I break your fingers.” Spencer said coolly.
“Make me, *Pretty Boy*.” Reginald challenged.
“Don’t touch what's no longer yours.” Spencer hissed and broke Reginald’s wrist, ignoring his howl of pain as he escorted me away. I looked back to see cops escorting Reginald outside. When we got back to the dance floor, ironically, ‘You Shouldn't Kiss Me’ was playing. “I knew that dress would look gorgeous on you.” he whispered as he led me onto the dance floor.
We danced to song after song like we were the only two in the room. “I hate to interrupt,” Rossi said coming up to us some hours later. “But the bar’s closing.” Spencer gave me a final twirl.
“Now, how about that Doctor Who marathon?” he murmured. I beamed at him in response and nodded my head. He intertwined his fingers with mine and we walked to his car.
“Thank you.” I murmured, holding onto his hand tightly.
“For what?” Spencer asked.
“For everything. You were right. He was an asshole.” I said, twining my arms around his neck.
Our kids were laughing uproariously at Reginald’s wrist being broken and my admitting that Daddy was right. “It wasn't that funny.” I mumbled.
“Y/N, you rarely admit you are wrong so yes, it is funny.” Spencer said as I rolled my eyes. I was waiting for the kids’s bedtime to break some welcome news to my husband. I was pregnant again.
“What happened next?” Our kids eagerly asked in unison. Spencer’s lips quirked into a small smile.
“Your mother broke her foot while we were on a case.” he said with a chuckle. “Not to mention the fortune cookies with dinner that same night.”
I fell down, my gun falling from my hands as I heard a loud crack. I tried getting up but couldn't. Prentiss directed Spencer to carry me before cautiously going into the house. I groaned as Spencer lifted me up, held, and carried me bridal style. “How is it that now we're finally a couple, odd things keep happening?”
“The fortune teller said Fate wanted us together.” Spencer replied as he carried me to an SUV. I groaned at his answer.
“How can you be so...blasé about all of this?!” I exclaimed as he drove to the emergency room. What happened to our man of science?!
“I knew from the moment I met you that you were the woman I’d love for the rest of my life.” My eyes widened. I hadn't expected that answer out of him. “You know, I want kids.” He said as he drove.
“Where did that come from?” I asked. Spencer said nothing. “So do I.” I admit as I keep my eyes on the road to distract me from my pain.
Thanks to my foot being broken, I had to hobble on crutches which meant I couldn't fly. It had something to do with what Spence had done before I was hired, apparently. Prentiss arranged for me to have a ride home with JJ as I lived in the same general area. “Could you drop me off at Spencer's?” I asked, seeing Reginald on my doorstep. JJ nodded and turned around. I slowly made my way up to his apartment after she dropped me off and knocked on the door.
When he answered, he said, “What's wrong?” as he let me in.
“Reginald is waiting for me on my doorstep.” I replied. Spencer made a disgusted noise before kissing my forehead.
“When is that guy going to learn?” He mumbled. Then he brightened. “I was just about to order Chinese, want some?” I nodded in agreement. While we waited for our food, Spencer asked, “Doctor Who or Star Trek?”
“Star Trek.” I said as I realized I didn't have any clothes. Fortunately, Spence was one step ahead and had earlier bought me a change of clothes besides pj’s from the store. He also handed me a hoodie sweater.
“This is yours now, Y/N.” I unfolded the sweater to see that it was his Caltech hoodie. “I figured that bastard wouldn't give up.” he said as we settled down to watch Star Trek Voyager. We only had to pause it once in order to get the food and we ate in companionable silence.
When I took our dishes in, I saw a hastily written note taped on top of a couple fortune cookies. It said, ‘Doctor, these are for you and the Mrs.’
Mine read, ‘A good marriage requires falling in love many times — all with the same person.’ I agreed with the sentiment. Spencer’s read, ‘If I know what love is, it is because of you.’
“That is so true.” he murmured.
“It’s still true.” Spencer replied as he looked at our kids who were making faces at us for kissing.
“Don’t I know it.” I replied. “Not a day goes by without me thanking the Lord that you were there when Reginald tried to force me to go home.”
“Me too.” Spencer said, kissing me on the forehead, like he had been ever since that first night.
“Moom!” Our daughters said, embarrassed. Our sons groaned.
“Our love only grew stronger, Y/N.” my husband reminded me. I smile at the five kids, soon to be six. I couldn't keep quiet any longer.
“Come December, there's going to be a new Reid.” I announced. Spencer’s eyes widened at my news. The kids looked delighted.
“That’s wonderful!” Spencer exclaimed, hugging me. Then in my ear, he whispered, “Remember that time we had to share the same bed on a case?” I chortled.
“How could I forget?” I replied.
“I'm sharing a room with who, Prentiss?!” I exclaimed in shock. Prentiss had just informed me that I'd be sharing a room with my new boyfriend.
“There aren't enough rooms, so you're rooming with Reid.” Prentiss repeated, “I didn’t expect any protest considering he is your boyfriend.” She shrugged and I followed Spencer to our room. But I received another shock when we entered the room. There was only one bed. Thankfully, there was a couch.
“I’ll take the couch.” I said, not noticing that Spencer was behind me.
“We can share the bed.” he murmured. When I started to protest, he added, “We’re only sharing a bed, it isn’t the end of the world.”
“I thought to save it for my husband.” I absentmindedly said.
“Oh, so you think I won't be your husband? Don't worry, I’ll behave. I'm only joking.” he promised.
“I know you will. I trust you with my life so I can trust you with my virtue. Okay, we can share the bed.” I agreed. He put his arms around me. I leaned into his embrace.
“You were the one that didn't behave.” he reminded me quietly. I grinned, remembering the rest of that night. That had been the night that the quintuplets were conceived.
“You could have said no.” I replied. I felt his chest rumble with laughter.
“I should have made you promise to behave too.” He mumbled. I laughed as he kissed my neck.
“Mom, what happened next?” Our three daughters asked.
“I nearly lost your father.” I said.
Tears fell down my face. I was pregnant with Spencer's child after two months of marriage and he was in the hospital in Texas with another neck injury, this recent injury courtesy of Reginald. “Hey, you okay?” JJ asked.
“What if he doesn't pull through? I can't do this without him.” I sobbed.
“Do what?” JJ asked again.
“I’m pregnant, JJ.” I said, still sobbing. “I can't raise this kid without him. Diana won't be much help...”
“Y/N, the doctor wants to talk to you.” Emily called out before JJ could say a word of reassurance to me.
Reginald’s bullet narrowly missed Spencer's carotid artery and hit Spencer a few inches below it. I didn't need to worry about him, since he went to prison for assaulting a federal agent. I was told I could visit but was warned to not excite him as he needed to rest. Angry, I went to visit Reginald.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” Reginald asked smugly.
“Your stunt. You could have killed him, Reginald. If he dies, you better believe I will be pushing for you to go to Death Row.” His eyes widened.
“I only wanted you back,” he explained.
“How does killing the man I lo-” I pause, considering my words carefully. “How does killing the man I love get me back?” I demand. “Let me tell you something, Reginald, if you ever loved me, you will let me go. Never contact me again.” I left after that. I went home, cried, ate ice cream, cried and went to sleep.
Three weeks later, I was beginning to show when Spence woke up. The funny thing was JJ had to drag me to the hospital because I did not want to see him unconscious again.
I entered his room to see him sitting up, animatedly chatting with Luke. Luke smiled and got up. “I’ll just um...” he left.
“Spence...” I breathed in relief and kissed him. “If you ever...”
“I know, I know. You’ll kill me.” he murmured softly. His fingertips brushed the curve of my growing belly. “Are you...” he asked excitedly.
“As of yesterday, ten weeks pregnant.” I answered, just as excited as he was.
“Um, love, you don't look ten weeks pregnant.” Spencer said. “You look thirteen, maybe fourteen weeks pregnant...”
Our kids were howling with laughter at my telling daddy to shut up. I laughed too because it had been funny.
“I was right after all though.” Spencer said as he held me in bed after we’d gotten the kids to bed. “Five children...”
“I’d never been more terrified in my life than I was at the moment we found out I was pregnant with quintuplets.” I muttered. Well, that was a lie. I had been so petrified at the idea of raising Spencer's child on my own if he died. There was no way I could have raised all five on my own.
“Ready to see our baby, Einstein?” I asked Spencer the day of my second ultrasound. Spencer smiled at me and nodded as he tenderly tucked a lock of my hair back into place behind my ear. I noticed Spencer’s enlarged eyes and shocked expression first before hearing the doctor’s words.
“That would be babies, Mrs. Reid.” the doctor dryly stated as he looked at the ultrasound screen . Both Spencer and I stared at the screen in shock.
“Babies?!” I repeated dumbly, seeing a pair of fetuses on the screen.
“I was only joking! Do twins even run in your family?” Spencer exclaimed and then asked. In fact, yes, multiples did tend to appear on both sides of my family.
“They do, Spence.” I said softly. “At least they’ll have each other growing up.”
“Looks like quintuplets.” the doctor informed us. Both Spencer and I paled. That meant a high risk pregnancy.
Pulled out of my reminiscing by Spencer's lips on the top of my head, I took a look at the ultrasound photo. “Seven, Einstein. There's possibly twins in here.” I said as I pressed his palm to my still flat stomach.
“I’m glad I accepted your dare, Y/N. Happily married to the woman I love and adore more than my own life with seven kids to boot.” We were both wrong. Later, we would find out, much to JJ’s and Garcia's amused delight, I was pregnant with triplets so we had eight energetic, bright, and happy children.
“Now will you tell me what the fortune teller told you?!” I asked in exasperation. Spencer smiled. “And don't give me that ‘A gentleman never kisses and tells’ shit you gave the kids earlier.”
“She told me that I needed to attend Date Night the night that we got together.” Spencer said, shocking me as he drew patterns on my tummy with the pad of his finger. “Why, do you regr...”
I put a finger to his lips and remarked, “If you love me, Spence... don't ever finish that sentence.”
“Your wish is my command.” Spencer said, kissing me tenderly as one of our babies kicked.
