Disclaimer: see my profile please.
A/n hey all this idea came to me when I was trying to sleep last night. I think it will only be two chapters. Please enjoy.
A Surprise for Emily
Reid looked up when Emily sighed and dropped her folder on her desk. Her face was very pale and her dark hair seemed to have lost its luster. He bit his lower lip between his teeth and frowned. Emily wasn't supposed to look exhausted and in pain.
"Oh… It looks worse then it is."
He shook his head to clear the image of her battered face and blood stained shirt from his head. He hadn't thought about that moment in years. Why relive one of the worst days of his life now?
He rubbed the side of his nose with the knuckles of his left hand. Maybe he was projecting because he was exhausted and his head hurt a little just thinking about the stack of paperwork on his desk.
"You okay?" He decided.
She smiled at him even thought he knew it cost her to do so.
"Yeah… I'm fine."
"Emily…"
"I'm fine," She repeated despite the pain in her eyes.
"I can see you're not fine." He challenged.
Her dark, beautiful eyes sparked to life, which pleased and terrified him. "It's none of your business Reid." She snapped.
"You're in pain Emily. I can see it in your eyes. You're my friend and I'm concerned.
She rubbed her hands over her face and eyes like a small child. "I have a killer headache," She admitted. "I'm exhausted and I can't believe I got up on New Year's Eve and came into the office just because I didn't want to be alone."
He managed to keep the surprise out of his voice at her admittance. "I don't want to be alone either," He said quietly. "Morgan went to Chicago, Garcia's off with Kevin somewhere and Hotch is with Jack. I don't know what JJ, Rossi and Seaver are doing. I thought paperwork was a good idea and now I'm not so sure."
Emily smiled. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I just want to get out of here."
"I think that's a great idea." He agreed. "I have an idea if you'll trust me."
He almost laughed at the way her eyes narrowed with suspicion at him. "What are you talking about?"
"I just have to make a quick call and then we'll get underway."
"We?"
"Yes," He answered with a grin. "You and I are going to spend New Year's Eve together."
Irritation rose in Emily's eyes. "Have you lost your mind Dr. Reid?" She snapped again. "Didn't you pay attention in the sexual harassment seminar we went to last month?"
"I'm not proposing anything untoward." He squeaked. "I want to show you my getaway." He said.
"Your getaway." She repeated as her eyebrows went into her bangs.
"Yes… I only ask that you don't tell anyone about it. It's a secret that I don't want the team to know about."
"Especially Morgan," Emily said knowingly.
"Especially Morgan," Reid agreed.
"I admit that I'm intrigued, but I'm not sure it's a good idea."
Reid began locking away his files and paper work. "I promise you'll love it. I'll be a perfect gentleman."
He actually crossed his heart like a little boy, which made Emily laugh. "I trust you Dr Reid." Her eyes went tired and sad again. "The truth is that I don't want to go home to an empty apartment. I'd love some company."
"Me too," he admitted firmly. "Why don't I pick you up in two hours? Make sure you bring something comfortable to wear." He said.
"Yes sir." She saluted him.
She shut away her files with a triumphant air that had him laughing. "Let's get out of here." She suggested.
"You don't have to ask me twice."
CMCMCMCM
"Where are we going?" The suspense was killing her.
"We're going to 1808 Washington Ave NW." He informed her as though she should know what he was talking about.
She looked away from watching the snow-drifted streets go by her window. "What's at 1808 Washington Ave NW?" She asked patiently.
His closed lips about their destination were a little irritating. At least her headache had backed off a little.
He steered his ancient Volvo carefully to the left. "We'll be there in five minutes Emily. You'll see. Be patient."
She glanced over at his profile. He drove much better than most of the team gave him credit for, she'd come to notice. He piloted the old car down the narrow streets of DC with expertise. He didn't speak again until they pulled up in front of what looked like a huge private home.
"What are we doing here?" She asked as he parked.
"This is the Swann House, the best bed and breakfast in DC." He said with more pride than she expected from him.
She eyed the front of the 19th century building built from deep, rose colored brick with a steeply angled roof and turret towers. It was more than a home she realized. It was an old mansion. A walkway led from the front of the home, up several steps to the front porch and entry.
"Come on." Reid opened his door, jumped out and ran around to open her door before she could move.
He took their overnight bags and led the way up the front steps. The snow from just three days ago was neatly removed leaving the concrete safe for walking, but not marring the beauty of, what she supposed, were the front gardens in the summer.
"Reid… I don't understand."
He smiled and held the door open for her. "Trust me," was all he would say to her.
The inside astounded her. The walls were painted the same dark rose color as the outside brick. Right in front of them stood a mahogany reception desk with a brass bell to one side. To her right lay a day room enclosed in glass with lots of indoor plants that were green despite the cold outside. The furniture looked like woven bamboo upholstered with ivory, rose and silver stripped patterned fabric that she really liked.
"Dr. Reid…" A voice said from their right.
A short woman with dark hair and a round, kind face strode up to them. She hugged Reid, and to Emily's astonishment, he not only allowed it, but he smiled broadly in return.
"How are you Martha?" He asked warmly.
"Wonderful now that nasty storm we had is over."
She let go of him and turned her attention to Emily. "Who is this?" She asked her dark brown eyes twinkling.
"Oh ah, this is Emily Prentiss. She's a profiler like me." He squeaked.
"I'm pleased to meet you Ms. Prentiss. I'm Martha Erickson. I run the Swann House."
"I'm pleased to meet you to Mrs. Erickson." Emily replied with a smile.
"You're room is ready Dr. Reid."
"How many times do I have to ask you to call me Spencer?" Reid admonished gently.
"Come," Martha pulled on his arm. "Jonathon!" She called out sharply.
A teenage boy about sixteen with the woman's eyes and same color hair hurried into the room. "What ma?"
"Take Dr. Reid's bags and show them up to the owner's suite."
Jonathon's eyes went wide. He took their bags and headed for the stairs. Emily followed Reid who followed Jonathon up the wooden staircase she hadn't noticed until that moment. It matched the wood of the check-in desk and someone had polished it until she could almost see her face. It branched off and Jonathon took the right side.
The hallway they emerged into reminded Emily of an old movie she'd once seen of a Victorian mansion. The carpet was old but in wonderful shape with a midnight blue background. It had golden and pink roses climbing vines worked into the pattern. She noticed four doors, two on each side of the hallway with an occasional table of the same mahogany wood between the doors.
Jonathon pulled a key out at the last door on the right side and opened it. He didn't speak to them as he disappeared through a door to her left. The small sitting room boasted a camel back sofa with rose-colored satin and matching paint on the walls. The hardwood floors had more throw rugs with colorful flowers. The coffee table matched the rest of the wood in the house. A modern flat screen TV was bolted into the wall across from the sofa.
"Thank you Jonathon." She heard Reid say.
The young man nodded and left the room very fast leaving the key card on the entryway table.
"Alright Spencer Reid… What's going on?" She demanded of him. "Why are we in the owner's suite? Why did that woman hug you like you were her long lost grandson?
"One question at a time," he said.
He opened a door to her right and gestured to her. She walked through and stopped dead again. The huge bed in the center of the room took her breath away. It had a white lace canopy that matched the fluffy snow-white comforter. It had a fireplace in front of the bed, two night tables with rose-colored pleated shades on the lamps and a little bench in front of the bed upholstered in rose velvet. A throw blanket in light grey, white and silver lay across the bed. A matching throw rug lay across the front of the bench. Her bag sat in the middle of the bench.
"This is your room. You're going to stay here. My room is on the other side of the suite. We'll have to share a bathroom though."
She just stood there staring at him. She couldn't make her mouth move. The room was so beautiful with flames already dancing in the fireplace and a window looking out over the setting sun. The sky was rose, purple and gold around a few white clouds in the sky and seemed to be made to match the décor of the room.
"Okay," she finally managed to say. "You didn't answer my questions."
"I answered the first." He reminded.
"Don't get cute Reid."
"Okay Emily… We're in the owner's suite because I'm the owner."
She felt her mouth gape open. No… He had to be lying of course.
Spencer doesn't lie.
"You own this place?"
"Yes… I bought it seven years ago."
She looked around again at the room with all of its original plaster crown moldings and a crystal chandelier over her head. It just couldn't be possible that Reid owned this wonderful and beautiful place.
"One of the first cases I had involved Martha and her husband. You met Jonathon?"
Emily nodded, intrigued by where the story might be going. "Yes." She said.
"He was kidnapped when he was eight. He's fifteen now. A pedophile took him from a local mall in Alexandria and held him for two weeks. We found him and brought him back. Martha and her husband Oliver decided to sell this place because they wanted to give all their attention to Jonathon while he recovered. I offered to buy it and keep them on to run the place. I deal with all the owner's responsibilities and the legal side. They deal with running the inn. As you can see, they do a great job and they have more time for their son."
"How is he doing?" Emily asked.
"He's much better. He doesn't speak to strangers at all. He would've talked to me had you not been here. He likes to help though. He's a good kid who lived through two weeks of hell and survived."
Emily touched his arm briefly. "Thanks for bringing me here. I love it."
He smiled. "You haven't seen anything yet."
He opened another door to another room she hadn't noticed while looking over the suite. She stepped through and once again stopped dead in her tracks.
"Oh Dr. Reid, I might just be in heaven."
A/n the bed and breakfast in this story is a real place. I've never been there, just seen it on the internet.