Reid and Larry ~ Invisible

A/N: Inspired by the song "Invisible" by Hunter Hayes I wrote this little crossover. I haven't seen Criminal Minds really, but a few of my friends have so I know a bit about Reid. And I think his backstory is so sad... just like Larry's. So I wanted to give Reid a person that could support him and this is the result. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own the series or the characters. Neither do I own the song. They belong to their rightful owners and I just borrow them.

Dr. Lawrence Fleinhardt met Spencer Reid when he worked as guest docent at CalTech. He had just finished his lecture and was packing his bag when a young boy, maybe 13 years old, entered the lecture hall and carefully looked around. The professor assumed that the boy was looking for someone and asked loudly: "May I help you?"

The boy startled. It seemed like he hadn't realized that there was someone else in the room. He opened his mouth to answer the question, but then just shook his head. Larry smiled softly at the boy's shy behavior.

"Reminds me a bit of myself.", he thought as he slowly went upstairs to the boy.

"Are you sure that I can't help you? Are you searching for someone? Your older brother or sister maybe?", Larry asked again and the boy finally found his voice and answered: "I- I'm not searching for anyone. I'm a student."

This sentence surprised the professor and he rose an eyebrow, not sure wether he should believe the boy or not. But then he remembered the teachers talking in the cafeteria. A young genius, named Spencer Reid, was student at CalTech. According to his teachers his IQ was so high that he was even smarter than some of the best professors.

,Are you Spencer? Spencer Reid?", Larry slowly asked and the boy seemed surprised at first, but then nodded. "Yes, Professor, I am."

Dr. Fleinhardt nodded and then thought that it was impolite not to introduce himself. He stretched out his hand and smiled while saying: "I'm Professor Fleinhardt, physics professor from CalSci. It's nice to meet such a great young mind like you."

Spencer carefully shook the offered hand and tried to look happier than he was. "It's nice to meet you too. I've heard that a professor was going to come here to give some lectures."

Awkward silence. Then Larry asked: "So, why are you here in the lecture hall... all alone? It's lunch break. Shouldn't you meet with some friends?" He knew the answer before Spencer answered, because he himself had been in this kind of situation. When he had entered college he had been about the same age, maybe a bit older, but still not as old as the other students. Larry knew that geniuses didn't get the chance to integrate into the daily life of a normal student. Because they were not normal... they were different.

"Well... I don't have many friends... ," Spencer muttered and sat down on one of the chairs, "actually I don't think I would call anyone at this university my friend. There is no one to meet with. When I enter the building I just get my things and immediately walk to the lecture hall. Then I wait until the lecture starts." Larry sat down next to the boy and thoughtfully placed a hand under his chin. "Why don't you just talk to someone?"

Spencer chuckled humorless. "I don't think that you will understand this, professor, but nobody wants to talk with a 13 year old genius. That's just not cool. They think I'm a little know-it-all and they hate me for it. But... I'm quite used to it. At my high school I was bullied all day long."

Larry sighed. He remembered his time in high school. The other students had called him names, they had hit and kicked him and he had never been allowed to sit at a table.

"I know exactly what you mean, my young friend. When I was a student... I was just like you. Alone and forgotten.", Larry said and Spencer looked him in the eyes for the first time. And these eyes told Professor Fleinhardt more than words could ever tell. He could see sadness and pain in them. Next to him sat a little boy that had been broken by so many people. A boy that had gone through psychological and physical torture. A boy that had lost his hope. And somewhere in Spencer's eyes Larry found himself. He had been the same back then... all alone and isolated. He, as a child, and Spencer... they were different from normal and that was the reason why others never accepted them.

"It hurts so much. Their words... and the things that they do. I will never get over it..."

Tears filled Spencer's eyes as he spoke and Larry just laid a hand on the boy's shoulder and replied: "Believe me when I say that you will. One day you will look back and all the anger and pain that you feel right now will vanish... It's going to be invisible. You will find persons that accept you the way you are and they will make you forget about the bad times."

"How do you know that? How can you be so sure?" Spencer couldn't understand the professor's statement. How should he ever forget what the bullies did to him? How should he forget being hurt and humbled all the time?

"I am sure, because I can see strength and power in your eyes. Your smartness will be your advantage and one day you will reach everything you want and all these kids that were mean will envy you, because you will get what they could never reach. And sooner or later you will find persons that believe in you."

As Larry talked he smiled softly. And as Spencer replied the smile the professor knew that he was right. This boy's future would be bright... he just knew it.