Family Ties (the Reids, Mia)

[SSA Mia Dearden]

Mia stayed inside the car as they stopped to let William get in. Spencer had gotten out of the car to help get his suitcase in the trunk. She looked back as William slid into the back with DJ.

Hello, Miss Diana. Do you remember me?! I am Grandpa William. She couldn't help but smile as DJ just grinned and flipped her sunglasses down. She seemed to remember her grandfather, or at least, remember being told about him.

ANd you must be Mia...Spencer and Aimee mentioned you once. It's nice to meet you. Where is Aimee?

She nodded and smiled at William. "Nice to meet you, William. Yes, I am Mia. Aimee is at home finishing up chores. We were just out getting her birthday presents, so naturally she couldn't come along" She reached back and extended her hand for a hand shake.

[SSA Dr. Spencer Reid]

Spencer was trying hard to fight his natural tendency to be rude to his father. He wasn't sure why he still harbored such hatred, but he WAS working through it with his therapist. He had started to see someone again, in case the migraines really WERE just due to stress. It had been a rough few years-being a single dad was hard, especially when you were too smart to be practical.

Oh, sorry. William, this is Mia Dearden, my fiancee. Mia, this is my father, William Reid. He glanced in the rearview at DJ, who had her head turned to the man, but her sunglasses flipped down. He had learned to read his young daughter's expressions, though, so he realized she was curios. He had tried to explain what a "grandfather" was, but he wasn't sure how much she had understood. But he knew that she understood what "daddy" was, so when Aimee said that he was HER dad, and Daddy's dad, the little girl seemed to connect the dots.

Nice to meet you, William. Yes, I am Mia. Aimee is at home finishing up chores. We were just out getting her birthday presents, so naturally she couldn't come along. He nodded.

Right, and also, she's started dinner. Pork chops and apple sauce. We need to make a quick stop before we arrive home, and get some cream. Do you mind if I just run in, Mia? Normally, he wouldn't ask her to spend a few minutes alone with a perfect stranger, but he didn't know WHAT might happen if he stayed behind. He turned the car into the nearby grocery store. Deej. Behave. I'll be right back. He grabbed a cloth bag and hurried into the store.

[SSA Mia Dearden]

Right, and also, she's started dinner. Pork chops and apple sauce. We need to make a quick stop before we arrive home, and get some cream. Do you mind if I just run in, Mia?

Mia nodded for Spencer to go on ahead. He obviously was doing his best to not be rude to his father. She watched as he parked the car and grabbed a cloth bag. Deej. Behave. I'll be right back.

She just had to raise an eyebrow at Spencer. She was pretty sure that DJ was not the one who was having some difficulty behaving. The irony was actually quite funny. She recalled that she had made a pie for Aimee to put into the oven. She pulled her phone and managed to send her a text reminding her to put the pie in the oven at 375 degrees.

She sat in the car , feeling ever so slightly awkward at the silence. "So, how was your flight?"

[William Reid]

William smiled lightly.

It's nice to meet you. Unfortunately, neither Spencer nor Aimee have spoken much about you, but what HAS been said has been lovely. He smiled, and shook her hand. He wondered why his son was so secretive, but he would not ask. It never did any good. He turned to DJ.

Hi DJ. I am sure you don't remember me, but I am Grandpa William. Don't let Aimee or your dad tell you anything otherwise. He chuckled a bit, sadly. But DJ smiled at him.

Grandpa? Daddy's daddy...William. Hi. I'm DJ. I'm three. William nodded and then replied.

I know, my dear. I brought you a present for your birthday. You may have it when we get home. He was relieved when Spencer showed back up, and they headed for home.

[SSA Dr. Spencer Reid]

Spencer paid for the box of cream, and headed back out to the car. He could see William talking to Mia and DJ, but they were smiling, so he sighed. Maybe it wouldn't be TOO bad. He climbed into the car.

Everyone ready to go? The rest of the ride went on in silence, and when they pulled up to the house, Spencer spoke.

This is our new house, William. Welcome. I think Aimee has the guest room set up. He climbed out of the car, helped Mia out, got out the stroller and suitcase, and took DJ inside. He really REALLY didn't want to doing this.

[SSA Mia Dearden]

Mia got the feeling that dinner tonight would be pretty awkward. She hoped that it wouldn't be as silent as it had been in the car. The blonde helped put DJ's stroller away as she watched William come inside. "If you'd like , I could show you where the guest room is. Let me just go tell Aimee that you're here. Would you like me to get you something to drink? Maybe a glass of sweet tea? "

[William Reid]

William noticed his son's coldness. It was hard to miss, really. He stayed quiet for the rest of the ride to Spencer's. He had already known that they had moved to a house-that Spencer had purchased his first home. He knew this because he still visited Spencer's mother, twice a month, and she had told him. He smiled as they pulled up-the house was nice, and he could picture Spencer there, with his future wife, and DJ with him.

He let himself out,following Spencer and DJ, as Mia spoke to him.

If you'd like , I could show you where the guest room is. Let me just go tell Aimee that you're here. Would you like me to get you something to drink? Maybe a glass of sweet tea? He smiled.

That would be lovely, thanks. He followed her to a kitchen, where he saw Aimee, her head bent over the oven. He smiled.

Hello, Aimee.

[Aimee Reid]

Aimee was at home. She knew FULL well what her brother and Mia were doing. She and Spencer were sort of like adults in that way-they just said "I would like this for my birthday/Christmas/holiday", and the other would try to make it happen. Gone were the pretexts of surprises, or secular things like "Santa". So when the three left, she was happy. At least she would get her CD, and she and Mia could torture Spence with country.

She ran the vaccuum, and finished tidying up the house. Her father was coming in for her birthday, and they were hosting him for a few days. She went in and got the guest room ready-she put on fresh linens, and made sure that there was plenty of extra blankets and a fresh set of towels.

Then she started to get dinner ready. They were having pork chops with applesauce on top, baked potatoes, and a side salad. DJ was probably just going to have some pasta with no sauce-the little girl didn't like meat. She poured herself a glass of juice and set about preparing the meal. Mia had also left a pie for her to put into the oven, which she could do at the same time as the potatoes.

Finally, she got the stuff in the oven, and settled onto the couch with her laptop to mess around on Facebook until the timer went off. Finally, she heard the buzz, and then got up to poke the potatoes. As she was poking them, and checking Mia's pie, she heard her father show up. She raised her head.

Hey, Dad. Nice to see you. I am just checking the potatoes, and then I will change, and it will be time to eat. Hi, Mia. Aimee smiled, and wahsed her hands.

[SSA Mia Dearden]

Mia could feel the awkwardness sort of fill the house as William entered. Well, so much for the elephant in the room. She knew that she had to be kind and courteous to their guest. After all, that was what her mama taught her.

That would be lovely, thanks.

She smiled and nodded as she went over to the cabinet to get two glasses. She smiled at Aimee as she pulled her head out of the oven. Dinner smelled wonderful Hey, Dad. Nice to see you. I am just checking the potatoes, and then I will change, and it will be time to eat. Hi, Mia

"Hello, Aimee. You go on up and get dressed. I can take it from here. " She smiled as she got a pitcheer out of the fridge. She poured the tea from the pitcher into the two tall glasses. She looked at William and smiled. "Would you like some ice in your tea?"

[William Reid]

William was not really expecting a warm welcome from Spencer, and he knew that Aimee still harbored some anger at him for "abandoning" her with her brother, but at least Aimee had looked up at him, and had smiled. He would keep on trying with Spencer-now that he was to be married, and might have another child, he might be able to make up for being a bad father by being a great grandpa. He could only hope. At least Spencer had not said that he had to keep away from DJ-William didn't know if he could deal with that.

Hey, Dad. Nice to see you. I am just checking the potatoes, and then I will change, and it will be time to eat.... He smiled back.

Hi, Aimee. It smells great. He watched her go, a hint of something like sadness that he was missing her growing up, but Aimee had wanted to stay with Spencer and DJ, and he had a suspicion that it was more for DJ than Spencer, but at least the siblings got along ok. He took the glass of tea from Mia.

Would you like some ice in your tea? He shook his head.

No,thank you. It's cold enough. Would you point me towards the guest room? I can find my own way, don't worry about that. He could at least take the time before dinner to get his things squared away, and the presents he brought ready.

[Aimee Reid]

Aimee nodded to Mia, and went upstairs to change. She had just been wearing sweats, but she was dirty from cleaning and cooking. She just put on some jeans and a clean t-shirt and brushed her hair. She went back downstairs to start setting the table. On the way, she passed DJ's room, where Spencer and DJ were sitting on the floor, playing with blocks. She stopped at the doorway.

Be nice to Dad. He's TRYING, ok? It's time for you to start getting over it. She went downstairs after that, and to the kitchen, where Mia was finishing the food.

I am starving. I didn't eat while you were gone.

Aimee's dinner outfit

[SSA Mia Dearden]

No,thank you. It's cold enough. Would you point me towards the guest room? I can find my own way, don't worry about that.

Mia nodded and handed William one of the glasses of tea as she walked out into the hall to show him the way to the guest room. "The guest room is just around that corner, it will be the last door on your left. One of us will come tell you when dinner is ready. Which, shouldn't be in too long."

Mia smile as William headed of to the guest room and she went about getting the food finished. She pulled the pork chops out of the oven as well as the potatoes. They were perfectly cooked. Her pie still needed a while longer, but that was why it went in later. it WAS dessert after all. She got a pot of water boiling and made some pasta for DJ since she didn't like meat. It was understandable, meat could be tough to chew. Besides, it was a bit healthier anyways.

Mia got out the plates to start setting the table when Aimee cane back into the kitchen after getting dressed.

I am starving. I didn't eat while you were gone.

Mia gasped with a bit of surprise. She shook her head and laughed a bit. "Aimee, you know you could have grabbed a snack while we were out. But, it's a good thing that dinner is almost ready then, isn't it? Would you mind setting the table while I go tell Spencer and your father that dinner is ready?"

[SSA Dr. Spencer Reid]

Spencer was annoyed. He WAS still annoyed at his father, but he felt justified in this. The man had left him alone, to fend for himself with his unstable mother. Of course, William WAS his father, but he wasn't "dad", like he was to Aimee. And even though Spencer could reason that at least William believed Aimee when she told him she had been molested, he also was upset that William didn't do more.

He was now sitting on the floor in DJ's room, helping his daughter build a block "castle" which she would immeditely knock down. This was an advanced developmental stage, but he encouraged it, not to encourage destruction but instead the idea of action-and-consequence. If DJ built a pretty castle, and knocked it down, she would have to do it again. Conversely, if she built the castle, but left it standing, she could show it off. So far, she seemed to not mind having to rebuild things over and over. He didn't care-the noise only bothered him if he had a headache, and he could sit and watch DJ all day.

He saw Aimee appear in the doorway.

Be nice to Dad. He's TRYING, ok? It's time for you to start getting over it. He made a face. DJ had stopped knocking over blocks when AImee apperead. Now the little girl turned to face him, a hand on her hip like her aunt.

Yeah, daddy. Be nice. DJ is hungry. He wasn't sure why DJ oftentimes talkd about herself in the third person, but it was a habit she had. He stood up.

Me, too, Deej. Let's go find Mia. She showed up then, telling them that the food was ready. Soon, the family was seated at the table.

[SSA Mia Dearden]

Mia smiled as everyone sat down at the dinner table. Aimee had helped her set the table. She set the food out in the middle of the table where almost everyone could reach, save for DJ. She helped DJ get situated in her chair before she sat down at the table. The food was being passed around and DJ was enjoying her pasta.

"Well, this looks lovely, Aimee." She smiled as she took a bite. The food was really good. "And it tastes as good as it looks."

[Aimee Reid]

Aimee settled in as Mia brought the food, and Spencer appeared with DJ on his hip. She gave Spence a pointed look, but he ignored her as he put DJ into her high chair. Aimee started to get a plate of food ready, and poured some drinks for herself and for Mia. Spencer and Daddy would probably have some wine, but she and Mia would have some tea. DJ was going to have juice, and so Aimee got up and filled her sippy cup with some grape juice and diluted it with water. She patted DJ on the head as she passed, and the little girl started to eat her cut-up noodles with a fork.

Finally, the adults were settled in at the table, and Mia spoke. Well, this looks lovely, Aimee...And it tastes as good as it looks. Aimee smiled, and took a bite.

Thanks! It is... So. Spencer. You should tell Daddy about work.