One night Reid was sitting in his apartment, playing Go, and thinking about the letter Gideon left him a month ago, when there was a knock on the door.
Reid got up and went to the door, checking through the peephole, before opening the door.
"JJ, what are you doing here," Reid asked. "It's ten o'clock at night."
"I know," JJ replied. "I just couldn't sleep. May I come in?"
"Uh, sure," Reid said, as he opened the door wide enough for JJ to come in. "Something wrong?"
"I just can't stop thinking about Gideon," JJ replied, as she walked in.
"You wouldn't be the only one," Reid said, closing the door.
"Why would he just leave," JJ said, sitting down on Reid's couch.
"He's been doing this job for over thirty years," Reid stated, sitting down on the couch also. "Frank is the only Unsub who out-smarted him and got away twice. He probably couldn't handle it anymore."
"I just don't understand how he could just leave, without saying goodbye to us," JJ said.
"He actually wrote me letter, just like my father did," Reid said, picking up the letter off the coffee table.
"Why," JJ asked.
"When I was first starting out in the BAU, Gideon became my mentor," Reid started to explain, as the memories of his first months in the BAU washed over him.
It was Reid's first day in the Bevhavioral Analysis Unit, and he had a meeting with SSA Jason Gideon and SSA Aaron Hotchner, before meeting the team.
The elevator stopped on the sixth floor. He got off the elevator and walked down the hall until he reached SSA Gideon's office. He knocked on the door.
"Come in," someone said, from inside the office.
Reid walked in and said, "SSA Gideon? I was told to meet with you and SSA Hotchner."
"You must be, Dr. Spencer Reid, the new member for the BAU," Gideon said, standing up and holding out his hand.
"Yes sir," Reid replied, shaking Gideon's hand.
"No need to call me sir, young man," Gideon said, sitting back down. "Take a seat."
Reid sat down.
"You seem nervous," Gideon pointed out.
"I kinda am," Reid stated.
"Perfectly natural," Gideon said. "So tell me why you decided to join the BAU."
"I don't really know why yet," Reid replied.
"That's ok. You will soon, after you're here awhile," Gideon stated. "I'm going to tell you something, I tell to everyone who has ever joined the BAU. I don't judge you by your past or what what you're capable of, but by what you bring to the team. Do you understand"
"Yes, I understand," Reid replied.
Just then SSA Hotchner walked in.
"Jason, is this the newest member of our team," Hotch asked, looking at Reid.
"Dr. Reid, this is SSA Hotchner, Unit Chief. Hotch this is Dr. Reid, the new team member," Gideon said, introducing the two to each other.
Hotch held out his hand for Reid to shake and said, "Welcome to the the BAU, Dr. Reid."
"Thank you, Agent Hotchner," Reid said, shaking his hand.
"You're on my team, you get to call Hotch," Hotch stated, then looked at Gideon. "The team is gathering in the conference room."
"Ok," Gideon said, standing up. "Come on Dr. Reid, time for you to meet the team."
