The rain fell hard outside of The BAU's windows at ten am on Wednesday morning. Thunder occasionally snaking it's way into the sounds of the bustling office. People were going about their day, walking files to various ends of the building, making the usual phone calls, day to day work stuff. In fact, the BAU bull pen was especially cluttered today. However, this didn't even register to a young brown haired agent who strolled in slowly. His hair was a mess, matted from the rain, he didn't have any shoes and he had been missing for four days.
Derek Morgan was on the phone with Garcia asking about Reid's cell phone for the umpteenth time. He knew that she wasn't annoyed with him, but he did feel bad for continuing to call her. Because of his worries, this is why he did not see the shoeless Dr. Spencer Reid wander purposefully over to his desk in the middle of the bull pen.
Emily Prentiss was refilling her coffee cup for the tenth time today. She smiled, reminding herself of Reid. She was on her cellphone also, this time with local PD about a possible sighting of Reid. She was getting information so she could meet with the witness and organize a search party in the area. This is why she didn't notice the youngest agent as he made his way to his desk and sat quietly.
In fact, Agents Rossi, Jareau or Penelope Garcia were all in their offices so they did not noticed a young, wet, shoeless agent walk into the building.
Actually, it was Agent Aaron Hotchner who noticed. He thought it was a dream. He thought, after these countless days of no news and exhaustion that he had finally fallen asleep at work and he was picturing in his mind what he had wanted to happen ever since he heard that his boyfriend was missing. The superior's usual gathered demeanor was chiseling away slowly with each passing day that he wasn't with Reid. He never knew that one could actually be this heartbroken.
He watched as his young agent walked through the bull pen silently, unnoticed and sat down at his desk. His walking slow and meticulous but purposeful. He attempted to get up slowly, but soon realized that he was already half way to the missing agents desk.
Hotch knew something was wrong, besides the obvious physical nature of Reid. As Hotch rushed closer he slowed down. The young agent was tense, his shoulders shrugged up and hands flying around the desk to various sheets of paperwork that were littered on top.
Hotch slowed down and approached the desk carefully, worry flashing through his normal stoic expression. He didn't know what was wrong with Reid. All he knew is that he had to be near him. He had to tell him that he loved him.
"Not now, Aaron." Reid spurted, just as Hotch was about to open his mouth. "I have work to do." His voice wasn't loud but it wasn't quiet enough to go by Morgan's ears unnoticed. He glanced over at his dark skinned coworker and saw his shoulders tense up and his cell phone drop on his desk.
"Reid?" Morgan whispered and spun around so fast that it made Hotch practically dizzy. His subordinate leapt out of his chair, his expression of shock and concern.
"Reid?" Morgan said coming closer to his best friend. None of this even phased Reid as he continued filling out paperwork, his mind a million miles away. Morgan was about to put his hand on his shoulder when Hotch stopped him. He looked up at his superior with a questioning look and was met with a look of caution.
Hotch did not know what would happen if they broke Reid out of his trance. He didn't know if he was in shock or if it wasn't something worse.
He took in Reid's appearance. He noticed he was soaked from the rain and he had no shoes on. His mismatched socks showing proud. The younger agent's hair was flat against his head from the rain. He had a bruise and a gash across his left cheek but other than that he was relatively unharmed. What happened to him? What happened to the man he loves?
Prentiss had finished her phone call and was headed back to her desk to grab her jacket before she met up with the police department. She just wanted Reid back, she hoped this would be a good lead so that they could find him. She rounded the corner, and was met with a sight she did not expect. Morgan and Hotch were huddled around the missing agent's desk. Then she noticed that someone was in the seat of the desk facing away from them. It took her no time to realize who it was. She almost dropped her coffee cup out of shock but quickly gripped it tighter and ran over to her little adopted brother.
"Reid, where have you been?" Prentiss said once she was close to Reid. Her voice made the two older agents look at her. Now that she was this close she noticed Reid's behavior and knew that something was wrong. His behavior was erratic and tense.
"Hotch, what's going on?" She asked, somehow knowing that Reid wouldn't respond to her. She looked in her boss's eyes for some sort of explanation.
"We don't know, he just walked in here, sat down and went to work." Hotch stated, worry unusually evident on his face.
"What do you mean? I've been here doing paperwork." Reid stated. "And could you guys please be quiet, I really have to get this done." Reid voice tense and surprising, his eyes darted through the file in front of him and his hand rapidly filling out paperwork. It caused worry for Morgan and Hotch but Prentiss was relieved to hear his voice. She thought it was the best voice in the world.
"Reid," Hotch said hoping for a response, verbal or physical, that didn't come. He looked at Morgan and Prentiss for anything helpful but they only conveyed confused and shocked expression. "Spencer?" he tried again. Reid's shoulders only relaxed a bit, but Hotch thought it was a start. "Hey Spencer, I need to see you in my office." Hotch said gently and experimentally laying his hand on Reid's shoulder, leaning into Reid a little bit. Reid subconsciously relaxed at his boss's touch but didn't stop with his work.
"I can't, Hotch. This paperwork won't do itself." Reid said softer but still with a sense of stress laced through his words.
"I know but...you need to ah...you need one of the files at my desk to complete this file." Hotch said in the spur of the moment. Reid stopped all movement and sighed. Hotch took his hand from his shoulder and waited. Morgan and Emily went from looking at Reid to looking at their boss. Hotch's eyes never left Spencer's form.
"Okay. Okay." Spencer said as he got up slowly and turned towards Hotch's office. "But if I come back and that stack has multiplied..." He added hurrying through the bull pen. Hotch, Morgan and Prentiss trailed right behind him. Hotch caught up and guided him into the office and sat him on the couch.
"Rossi." Hotch said looking at Prentiss who stood at the door and she left at his command. Hotch heard a faint knock to the office next door and then Rossi was in the room with them.
Reid looked around the room, his eyes wild. Morgan sat next to him, putting a hand around his shoulder, more to comfort the agent rather than Reid. Hotch looked at Rossi who face was blank to control his composure but Aaron saw the hint of worry, concern and caution in his eyes. Hotch sat down on the coffee table across from his youngest subordinate. He grabbed the young agents hands and cupped them with his own.
Rossi stood there, his expression of bewilderment mirrored on Prentiss's face.
Hotch sat there taking in his features, dwelling on the bruise on his boyfriends cheek. "R-Spencer." Hotch said. Reid stopped looking around and his eyes fell on Aaron's face. His eyes wild and unfocused, a blank expression on him.
"Where is the file?" Reid said slowly.
"Spencer, do you know where you are?" Hotch asked ignoring the last question.
"Of course, we are in your office, Aaron." He responded with a quizzical look on his face. If the other team members found it weird that Reid was using first names, they didn't let on.
"Good. Where would you before you came here today?" Hotch asked gripping his lover's hands tightly. Reid must have just noticed this because he looked down to see them holding hands and stared for a really long time at the embrace.
"Spencer?" Morgan said when he didn't answer for a good five minutes. What happened next, nobody in the room expected. Reid withdrew his hands from Hotch's grasp and thrusted his shoulders up making a surprised Morgan to let go. He bolted up and walked around the coffee table. Hotch and Morgan were on their feet before he even got halfway around the other side of the coffee table.
Everyone was saying his name and their voices mushed together as Reid, determined and focused, tried to leave the room. Even if it meant pushing Hotch out of the way. Hotch instinctively wrapped his arms around Reid as the younger agent fought the embrace.
"Spencer!" Hotch said into his ear. "It's okay, it's okay." He soothed, rubbing his hands on his boyfriend's back
Reid tried to force his hands onto Aaron's chest to push him away. Unsuccessful he started to cry. Reid's tears frightened Hotch, although it meant they were getting somewhere.
"I...don't-" Reid started sobbing limply in Aaron's arms while the others stared at their boss and the person they considered family embracing their boss. The sight was shocking and would have been adorable if the circumstances were different.
"It's okay. It's okay, I'm here." Hotch said holding him tighter.
"NO." Reid said and with a massive force pushed Hotch away and backed away from the rest of his teammates, further into his boss's office, his tears shamelessly flowing down his face.
"It's not okay." He screamed. Reid's expression was dangerous, it was confusion and anger flashing alternatively on his face.
"What's wrong, Spencer?" Hotch asked regaining his composure quickly and effortlessly as he held his hands up in front of him trying to get closer to Reid again.
"I can't...I don't... I don't remember." He yelled. "I'm supposed to remember everything." He was freaked out and Hotch stepped closer without thinking and went to grab his lover again. It was fortunate because at that moment. Reid's body decided to give out and collapse to the floor. Reid's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he lost consciousness and started spirally towards the ground. Hotch caught him midway and guided his lover to the floor, holding the younger boy closer to his body. A single tear sliding down his cheek at the heart wrenching sight.
Morgan, Rossi and Prentiss continued to stare in shock. Only one question echoed in each of their minds.
"Where had Reid been?"
First story for criminal minds. I hope to expand it into a series. I really like Hotch/Reid relationship so I'll definitely keep that up, probably no slash though sorry.