third person's pov

It's been three weeks since Spencer and Sydney made up, and their relationship is back on the rightful tracks. The only thing that was missing was Sydney's birthday party, even if it had already passed. On Sydney's actual birthday and Christmas. Spencer wanted to make up for it.

Sadly, they couldn't start decorating for Sydney's birthday without Spencer because he planned it at the last minute. Her birthday theme is dark colors like Sydney's favorite colors. Which are black, burgundy, and other dark colors of that kind.

It started on a good start, Spencer made Sydney's favorite breakfast, which is double chocolate chip pancakes, with crispy (not burnt) bacon, scrambled eggs, and a bagel and cream cheese. But what made it go downhill is the yearly visit of her mother in prison, which she keeps escaping from.

Sydney got dressed, and the two made their journey to the federal prison in Virginia, which Sydney wasn't overly thrilled about because prisons creeped her out. So, she avoids them. That's also why she hasn't gotten arrested yet. After they got to the prison and went through security four times, Sydney's anxiety made her hands shaky as the guard was patting her down. She closed her eyes as the guard was making sure she wasn't keeping anything illegal on her. Which she wasn't if you wanted to question.

After she was done, she flashed the security guard a quick nervous smile, but luckily, he gave her a couple of suckers which she happily took. Spencer tried taking one, but she hit his hand with a glare. "Mine."

Spencer chuckled at her as the suckers were her only form of happiness at the moment and also happier that they had her favorite flavor of candy.

They walked the three flights of stairs to the floor where Catherine was. Sydney took a deep breath and started the breathing techniques that Spencer told her to do to calm her down. When she made eye contact with her mother, she froze, which made Spencer bump into her. She couldn't move as she stood still like she was under a trance or spell. her mother's eyes glued on her, and she made her stop in her tracks as she was like a deer in the headlights. Spencer wasn't going to make her do this if she didn't want to.

He then thought of something, and he stood in front of Sydney so that her eyes weren't on her mother. He crouched down a little so that they were leveled. He grabbed her, already shaking his hands, and looked at her, almost puppy dog-like. like he's pleading with her for their lives.

Which he is, but Catherine doesn't know that. Or needs to.

"Syd." He says in a quiet voice as his daughter's teary eyes look at him as he knows that her heart is beating faster than usual as it's going up and down faster than it usually is. her eyes look almost to dance around his face. "I need you to do something for me, okay?" He says to her as her head slowly nods. He looks almost pleading to her as he sees how desperate he is she nods her head softly. "I will be right behind you, okay?" he says to her.

"Are you two done yet? I'm getting impatient, Spencie." Catherine's voice nearly echoes as the two Reid's roll their eyes before turning around so that Sydney can see her mother. This isn't on her list of plans, especially on her birthday. This was the last thing that she ever wanted to do on her birthday. But sadly, she needs to at least see her mother each year. Stupid court orders.

Catherine looks at her daughter before tilting her head ever so slightly as Sydney's slowly getting braver so that she's not afraid of her mother anymore. Sydney's eyes look up to her mother before Catherine's facial expression turns into a scowl, Sydney's brows squint slightly at her mother's sudden mood change. She wasn't expecting that at first, but oh well, with her mother, you can never be too sure. "You look like your father, an idiot." Catherine says as Sydney had it of her mother insulting her own father.

"He isn't an idiot; he's the most fucking brilliant man this world has ever known. you're on the other hand a coward, and a bastard." Sydney says to her mother, shocking both Catherine and spencer. Spencer cocked a brow as the cat rolled her eyes. "Also, he was ironically there for me, every fucking day of my life. Every night I had a nightmare of you torturing and abusing me. But what kept him going was knowing that one day, I wouldn't be that scared little girl I once was. I have a family of remarkable people who would drop anything and everything for a supposedly weak, fragile girl. While you are laughing through a mirror at seeing your daughter being in pain." Sydney says finding her voice for once in her life takes her mother by surprise as behind her Spencer looks all giddy and happy and proud for his daughter. He couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her, but he knew it would happen eventually.

What Sydney said took Catherine out as she couldn't think of anything to say, as Sydney just smirked at her mother. Knowing that she made her mother shocked at what she said as the two Reid's and Catherine didn't expect Sydney to say that. She even shocked herself but in a good way, and she's proud of it. It's because she's becoming more independent and confident in herself which is helping especially in moments like this.

Sydney walked towards her mother which made Spencer have a reality check, as Catherine watched Sydney's every move then she stopped in front of her. "If you say that again, I'll kill you." Sydney whispered to her mother that only the two of them would hear it. Not even Spencer heard it. When Sydney stepped away before looking over her shoulder to her mother. "I don't think I won't either." She said before she walked out of her mother's cell and made her way to the elevator. Without a single word, she took a deep breath once she was out of earshot. She had a confident smile on her face knowing that she had overcome one of her fears: her mother.

Spencer was right behind her following her lead. He had to try to keep up with her pace as she was suddenly walking like him, then again, she got a head start ok walking out. "What did you tell her?" he asked her as he didn't hear what Sydney told her mother. Sydney pressed the button, and the elevator opened. She didn't say a word. "Syd." he said to her as Sydney bit her cheek before she sighed.

Sydney thought long and hard as she didn't even look at her mother as she was processing what was said between the mother and daughter. She took a deep breath as she moved her tongue around her mouth. "If she calls you a coward and an idiot, I'll kill her, and don't think I won't." Sydney said with no hesitation after a moment of silence between the father and daughter.

It took Spencer a moment to realize what his daughter said as that wasn't something that she would say. So, he was mildly concerned as a father. He looked at her as he was going to say something. The elevator door opened, and the two Reid's walked out and headed towards the front entrance where they came in from. "I'm proud of you baby." he says to her which nearly made her stop in her tracks as she smiled to herself. "You made a huge step, congrats." he says bringing her in for a quick proud dad moment hug. They are both proud of her.

When they walked outside Sydney's hair was softly blowing in the wind as it was slightly windy outside but nothing too serious at least for a winter in Virginia. It took the two Reid's a minute to realize that it was softly snowing outside as it's winter in Virginia. Despite what she felt inside that prison Sydney had a small smile seeing the snow. She loves the snow. Her childlike personality comes out in the wintertime. In the wintertime Spencer would let Sydney be outside all day being in the snow and making snowmen, or snow families. It would be amazing seeing her outside just in her own world without a care in the world.

One hobby that she's looking forward to in the winter is snowboarding. She has a couple of snowboards in her closet in her room. "Look." Sydney says to her dad as she nudges him a little which makes him get out of his thoughts. He looked at her confused as she pointed to the sky, and that's when he saw the snow.

"It wasn't supposed to snow yet, not for another two weeks." Spencer says confused as Sydney gives him a look with a raised eyebrow but then shakes her head. Of course, he'd know that.

"Not surprised you know that at this point," Sydney says to him as they get to the car. She got into the car and sighed glad that she didn't have to see her mother again for the rest of the day or until they visited her again. this wasn't what she wanted to do on her birthday at all. But she knew that she had to at least try to talk to her. She did and she stood up to her mother, not being that scared little girl who was afraid of her mother. As she got older and until sometime last year after everyone found out about her lacerations on her legs. Which was the talk of the team as Sydney would always say that she 'accidentally' cut herself. They believed her for a long time, until a couple of weeks ago when Spencer found out about her suicidal attempts.

Spencer looked at her with a playful glare with a slight shake of his head. "How rude." he said to her as now it was now her turn to give him a playful glare with a roll of her eyes. "Alright, Einstein, I want food." She says to him as she swiftly pulls out her phone from her back pocket of her ripped jeans.

"You always want food. What are you talking about?" Spencer asked semi sarcastically, as Sydney just stuck her tongue out at her Dad.

"Why did you have to call me out like that? Rude." Sydney mutters under her breath, but still loud enough for her father to hear what she said.

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

They got to the hospital to visit Maeve as she's still at the hospital. She's doing good actually, her visible wounds have healed except for a couple of marks that will take time. She needed stitches as she has scars on her arms and stomach and one on her right cheek. The two Reid's got out of the car with their drinks in their hands. They took the elevator to Maeve's hospital room or well. As that's her undercover name for the time being and until she gets released.

Moments later they walked down the hall where her room was as she was reading a book. It looked like there were stuff in there, well for Sydney as those are her birthday presents.

Sydney smiles at seeing Maeve as she hadn't noticed the two Reid's. When she saw Spencer sitting in the chair next to her bed, that's when she saw him. She smiled brightly as she closed the book and put it beside her.

"Hey, how was it? what did she say?" Maeve asked as she looked at Sydney who was sitting on the little sink which is right next to spencer. Sydney scoffed with a roll of her eyes at what Maeve said. Said Maeve raised a brow at this as she looked at Spencer who nodded his head confirming it, that it didn't go that well. Maeve shook her head at this as Sydney took a sip from her Dr Pepper.

"Ooh she said things, that's for sure." Spencer says before Sydney poked his head as she just grinned at him.

"A little more than that said, and I quote 'said i looked like dad, an idiot'." Sydney says using quotation marks as Maeve's brow raised a little more. "Thennn, I was like, and I quote, 'he isn't an idiot, and you're a coward and bastard." Sydney says like she's gossiping which she is, and Maeve is loving every bit of it even if it's laced with sarcasm as she's seeing this side of Sydney which no one sees the bright and loving side of her. They're used to seeing the quiet and sensitive person who is afraid of her mother.

Maeve shakes her head at what Sydney said as she looks around before looking at Sydney. Spencer had a smile on his face when his daughter was telling Maeve what the situation was between the mother and daughter. As she couldn't believe it and that a mother would say that. Maeve looked at Spencer as he had a smile on his face as she was confused as she chuckled softly to herself at seeing him. "Why are you smiling?" She asked with a small smile as she was looking at him.

"Syd said that if her mother says that again, she will kill her mother." Spencer says with no hesitation as Maeve continued to look at him, and that at Sydney as her mouth gaped slightly.

"Oh wow." Maeve says out loud as the two Reid's nod their heads at her. Maeve shakes her head processing what was said at the prison. "Man, when I'm in the hospital I miss all the good stuff." She says with a slight playful frown on her face which made the two Reid's trying to hide their smile when she nurse that's been taking care of Maeve walks in.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" The male nurse asked Maeve as Sydney takes another sip from her dr pepper. the nurse was looking over Maeve's files as he is the only one to know who she really is. Maeve Donovan not Nadia Hart.

"Nothing bad actually with the antibiotics the pain has subsided. But the only other time it hurts is when I have to get up, but other than that there is no pain." Maeve says as the doctor writes notes down on the paper as Sydney is trying not to stare at the doctor. She's been trying not to stare at people but sometimes she can't help it.

What she can get out of his physical appearance is that he's young like early/late twenties maximum. He works out from his muscles that he has, his hair is slicked back. When he looked up, she saw that he has what looks like brown eyes. He saw her looking at her and flashed her a quick smile which she smiled back too. in order to hide her smile, she nonchalantly takes a sip from her drink.

He looked back down to the papers in his hand before nodding at Maeve. "I'll check on you in a couple hours." He says as he has a slight british accent as at this point Sydney is staring at him. Not realizing that Spencer sees this as he couldn't fight the smile forming on his lips. Before the nurse leaves, he turns to Sydney before winking at her.

When the nurse left and Sydney was blushing like a tomato, her phone vibrated as she pulled out her phone. She looked to see who it was as she had gotten a text message from an unknown number, but it was saved into her phone. She had a smile on her face as it was Owen. She had to admit but she wasn't going to tell anyone, but she had sort of developed a crush on him.

When she looked up from her phone feeling that people were looking at her. She saw that her dad and Maeve were looking at her. She tilted her head slightly, being confused more than anything. "What?" She asks as if nothing happened, and the fact that she was staring at the hot nurse and practically ogling him. What he's eye candy; she can't help it.

Maeve raised a brow at the teenager as she tried to hide her laugh. Spencer gave his daughter a blinking stare. "You were staring at him." She says to him as Sydney gave the woman a look as her mouth gaped open slightly as she tries to think of a cover, but nothing comes to mind.

Then Sydney thought of a cover story, but it was probably the dumbest one ever. especially to her, but it's better than having a staring contest with Maeve and her dad freaking her out, but she isn't going to mention that. "W-what? No, I wasn't." She denies what she was doing to the nurse as Maeve gave her a look, which made the teenager frown knowing that she can't get out of this situation, even if she wants to. She threw her hands in surrender, nearly hitting her dad in the face but he ducked just in time before he got a black eye from his daughter. "Okay! I was, sue me." She says jumping from the sink that she was sitting on as it was lowkey comfortable.

Maeve's smile grows as she knows that she was right about Sydney looking at her nurse. Spencer shakes his head at his daughter as he has a smile on his face.

"What are your guys' plans today?" Maeve asked the two Reid's as Sydney shrugged her shoulders.

"Not much actually." He says to Maeve as she nods her head. As technically Sydney's birthday was a while ago, but now they're making up for it. "Lazy Sunday." He says to her as Maeve motions towards the presents which finally caught Sydney's attention as she was confused.

She turned towards the two adults confused on why there are presents in Maeve's room. "Why are there presents in the corner?" Sydney asked as the two adults looked at each other for a moment before looking back at the teenager. which made Sydney more confused.

"What was a while ago?" Maeve asked the highly confused teenager as it took Sydney's genius brain a minute to realize what Maeve was talking about. When she realized what it was she embarrassingly nodded her head.

"Oh, right." she says as she sat by the window as Maeve's smile continued to grow at the teenager embarrassing herself.

"Wanna open them?" Spencer asks as Sydney shrugs her shoulders as he knows why the others aren't here.

"Not really, but thanks." She says with a tired sigh as she just wants to sleep but of course her dad wouldn't let her.

Not even fifteen minutes later Sydney was playing on her phone as she was back sitting on the sink. Then the door opened which scared Sydney when she saw who it was as it was Derek, Penelope, Hotch, Rossi, JJ, Jack, and Henry.

"Hey, hey, party people." Derek says who is carrying a big cake as Sydney gives him a blank stare as she watches him put it on the table. Sydney turned to her dad confused but all he did was just smile at her as he got up and went towards the ones who had presents before adding them to the already present mountain in the corner.

"Happy belated birthday, sydie." Was a voice that made the teenager look up as no one has said that before. She saw it was Henry and she smiled before she picked him up and held him in her lap. She softly brushed her hands through his long blonde hair, that was growing out.

"JJ one of these centuries, you need to cut this boy's hair. He's starting to look like Taylor Swift." Sydney said as JJ let out a sigh as she had a slight eyebrow raised.

"Try doing that to a kid who wouldn't let you cut his hair." JJ says as Sydney chuckled a little at hearing this. She wouldn't let anyone but her Dad cut her hair, she doesn't trust anyone else to do it. Even going to a professional place that still wouldn't cut it.

"I want Sydie to cut my hair." Henry says, which made JJ look at her son like he just said something in a language that she doesn't know.

"I-uh, if she wants." JJ says to Sydney as she automatically pointed to her father which made Rossi hit his arm to get his attention and then the genius turned around and saw Sydney pointing at him.

"Have him." Sydney says to JJ as she continues to point to her Dad which makes him more confused. Sydney was grinning at her dad which made JJ look at spencer.

"I have a favor, I've been wanting to cut Henry's hair for a while, and he doesn't want me to do it. He wants his favorite profiler to cut his hair." She says talking about Halloween when JJ finally convinced Henry that he can pick who are the true monsters.

Spencer nods his head with a bright smile as Sydney tries to look innocent like she wasn't doing anything wrong, but in all reality she was."Yeah I can do it. I do Syd's all the time." He says to JJ as she takes a sigh of relief finally glad to find someone who will cut Henry's hair.

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

After the party at the hospital, everyone filled up on cake and a couple people left because they had kids that needed to get to bed. Now it's only Sydney, Derek, Spencer, and Penelope.

"So how is the cake?" Penelope asks as it's a simple cake that has cookie crumbs in it. It's the cake that Sydney gets everywhere. Sydney has eaten six pieces of cake as she's stressed, but she doesn't care.

She shrugs her shoulders as this caught the attention of Derek and Spencer. "Good." she says as she was in her own world staring out the window on the alcove in Maeve's room. The adults looked at each other as they all had the same look.

Suddenly sydney's phone vibrated as owen had texted her. She felt a small smile appear on her lips, without noticing that the adults are looking at her she replies to Owen's text.

Owen: hey Syd, hope you have a great belated birthday party. I wish I was there and not currently getting adopted.

Sydney: it's fine, I'm shoving my face in cake. I hope it goes well ❤ ️.

After Sydney replied to Owen's text, she had a feeling that people were staring at her, so she turned a little. She had to think of an excuse quickly, but nothing came up. "It was people who had no life." She lied as the three adults raised a brow at the teenager as they knew it wasn't that as she was referring to 'spam'.

"Right, okay." They said in unison which made the adults laugh together as Sydney rolled her eyes at this.

꘎♡━━━━━♡꘎

later

The two Reid's and Maeve got to the house as Maeve could leave the hospital but is on bed rest. Which is fine as she didn't want to be at the hospital more than she wanted to.

She felt her phone go off as someone was calling her, she looked at the caller ID, and it said: unknown or spam. but she answered it either way.

"Hi, this is Sydney." She says as Spencer looked over his shoulder as he put the leftover birthday cake in the fridge.

"She is, oh my. when did that happen?" She asked the person on the other end.

"Okay, thank you for telling me." She says as she hangs up before looking at her dad.

"Emily is dead." she says.

꘎♡━━━━━♡꘎

hannah speaks!

dun dun dun

(sorry wanted to be dramatic).

emily is dead well, that happened.

sorry y'all.

well bye.