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I didn’t want to leave a really long author’s note so I just made it this way so it’s easier to read. If you want to skip my disclaimers, proceed to the next chapter!!!!!
First, this fic is brought to you courtesy of my best friend. You don’t know her, but she fielded all my frantic phone calls and put up with my incessant, anxious questions. She was my first audience and, without her, I would never have written this. So if you like this story just know it only exists because of her patience and the way she screamed in delight with every chapter I sent her.
Second, I started this when I knew a lot less about the publishing industry so don’t come for me about anything relating to Cecily’s career. I aimed for semi-plausible, and that’s about it. I know it’s inaccurate. I know it’s implausible. But I also know it’s fiction so shut up.
Third, this fic isn't completed. I'm still in the process of writing it, and I have one chapter left in my current plans. I will be posting it when I finish it.
Fourth, this is set in the Criminal Minds Universe. Bad things have happened and bad things will continue to happen. BUT, this is also a universe where my stupid little found family get to have HAPPINESS and ALL BE TOGETHER because I say so.
Non-Exhaustive Still Cannon Things: Tobias Hankle & Reid’s addiction and addiction recovery; Emily dying & then no longer being dead; Maeve & Maeve dying; The Reaper; Morgan having a kid.
Things in Cannon I’ve Tweaked: Gideon left the BAU after Frank, but he did not die; he’s just living his best road trip life and every so often he’ll send Reid a postcard. Emily didn’t leave the BAU to run the CIA office, she’s still part of the team. Haley didn’t die. Haley & Hotch worked out their marriage problems. Morgan stayed with the BAU. JJ kissed Reid when he was reeling from Maeve’s death. Strauss is still alive being happily miserable somewhere because fuck that noise, but Rossi is not involved w her. Reid going to prison is not a thing because it SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN A THING.
In my head, this was kind of like S.7/S.8/S.9 Spencer, but it honestly works with any version just as long as you mind the background trauma. All the cases I mention are nonspecific and not tied to canonical cases so you can kind of drag and drop anywhere.
Fifth, they have unprotected sex. They have a lot of unprotected sex. But this is fiction, so, that’s safe for them to do. In this canon, Spencer’s had a vasectomy and Cecily doesn’t have fallopian tubes anymore so no one’s getting pregnant. They’re both clean from any STIs. They also had a lot of convos about this shit before they actually had sex, and being unprotected is something they both decided for themselves that they were okay with. I didn’t include those convos in the fic for various reasons, but they were had and I felt it necessary to mention them.
Sixth, and Finally, I would like to dedicate this fic to everyone who watched Criminal Minds, saw Spencer Reid for the first time, and went “Oh I want to make that man my bitch.” I see you. I am you. And I hope this gives you joy.