Notes: This idea came about through chatter with my writing buddies. I was rewatching the first season and noticed Gideon basically wouldn't let Reid out of his sight, making him do things that while Reid enjoyed them weren't at the top of his list. Hotch during L.D.S.K. starts edging his way into Reid's life and starts to help him grow by letting him make his own decisions for the most part, etc. I hope you all enjoy this. P.S. Those waiting on the other updates to this summer's past stories, those will be coming along shortly. Thank you for sticking with me and my creative rabbit holes I find myself in. :)

Dr. Spencer Reid was at the gun range thirty minutes before Aaron Hotchner, his supervisor, told him to be there. He wanted to try and get in some practice time before Aaron saw what an abysmal shot he was with his gun. He worked on his stance, how he held his gun and tried to hit the target paper.

In his head he could hear Hotch explaining the importance of each direction and that made him fumble even more as he ran through his practice target. He put his gun on the counter and sighed in frustration as he took off his ear protectors. He turned around to see his boss, SSA Aaron Hotchner with his arms folded and leaning casually against the wall with his protective gear on. Hotch pushed himself away from the wall and walked over to where Reid stood.

He looked at the target paper still hanging and said, "You're not following through. Watch me." Hotch got into his stance and said, "Front sight, trigger press, and follow through. If you follow that order, you'll hit your target every time. Now you try." Hotch switched to a new target paper and Reid stood in front of Hotch as he put his safety gear back on.

Spencer ran through the steps and fired his gun, only to fail and hit the edge of the paper. Aaron stepped behind Spencer and took control of the training when he covered Spencer with his body, quietly nudging Spencer into the right stance and then having him shoot a few more times before he was allowed to move. Spencer set his weapon down and pulled his gear and waited for Hotch to do the same.

"I'm going to fail tomorrow. I'm barely qualified to have my gun now."

Hotch brought the paper forward and said, "You're not going to fail tomorrow. We just have to find the right gun for you." He motioned towards Spencer's gun and said, "Just because Gideon carries that gun doesn't mean it's the best for everybody. It fits your hands but the recoil is too strong for your frame. You might do better with Glocks like myself or you could look at finding a revolver that you like. Those would have the lowest recoil for you and your shot would be more accurate."

Spencer thought about Hotch's reasons behind him being a bad shot and he could see the logic in all of it so he asked quietly, "May I try your gun and see if it's any better?"

Hotch bent down and took off his backup piece and said, "Remember relax and it should work itself out."

Hotch watched Spencer with his backup piece and he noticed an improvement but knew that further training would be needed to find Reid a gun his hands would like. The two practiced side by side for the rest of the hour and after they cleaned up they went back to the BAU. Spencer sat at his desk and Hotch squeezed his shoulder and said, "You'll do fine tomorrow."
"Thanks."

The next day, Spencer slunk into the BAU office and went to his desk. Derek went to get up and tease Reid for his failure but Hotch caught Derek halfway to Reid's desk and he said, "Morgan my office now."

Derek stopped dead in his tracks and his grin fell into a frown. He changed paths and he went to Hotch's office. Hotch closed the door and asked, "What do you think giving the whistle to Reid would've accomplished?"

Derek just looked at Hotch and said, "It's meant in fun. He'd get that."

"Derek look at how Spencer is sitting. He's hunched over his desk. He doesn't need to be teased, he needs support from his team. Teasing is fine but not for something this important to him that he's still working on his confidence."

Derek watched as Spencer stayed curled over his paperwork and ignored the rest of the people around talking about his failure. Seeing it from this perspective Derek wanted to smack himself for what he was going to do. Derek looked back at his boss and said, "I'm sorry Hotch. He's just always so uptight and I thought it'd loosen him up a little."

"If you want to tease him subtly, hell give him the whistle but offer some support like some time at the gun range to help him, not a night out trying to get him plastered and laid."

"You're a buzz kill did you know that?"

"I just know that clubs and bars aren't Reid's usual hangouts outside of work."

"Alright I'll go offer him some time at the range if he wants to practice but that really is more your area."

"I know. I tried yesterday but he needs other people to shoot with too and give him options on weapons so it gives him confidence to switch his gun of choice if it helps him out."

"Will do Hotch."

When Derek closed the door Aaron rubbed his face and hoped Spencer would be okay. He was trying to work on Reid's confidence by asking his opinions, strategies for certain situations, and just getting him to talk outside of work. He had watched as Gideon groomed the young man and wanted to scream but held it in and tried to guide him quietly without Gideon knowing. After the previous night he was going to take a more proactive role in his training and he was going to start with confidence building to get Spencer to speak up more and not have to be reprimanded every time he opened his mouth.

A few minutes later, JJ stepped into Hotch's office and said, "We have a case."

"Okay. I'll be there in a few minutes."

The team ended up in Maryland and Hotch and Reid ended up in the ER facing down Philip Dowd, the LDSK. Hotch empathized with Dowd and shoved Reid to the floor and kicked Reid long enough for him to get his backup piece and get it ready. The next moment, Hotch saw Dowd fall to the ground with a gunshot through the middle of his forehead. Reid was still on the floor and Hotch wanted to go and check on him but he ran to the door as he shouted, "FBI! Suspect down! Don't shoot!"

Twenty minutes later, Hotch was able to get to Reid as he sat in the back of an ambulance after he was checked out. Spencer handed Aaron back the gun and he said, "Here you go."

Aaron rested his backup piece back in Spencer's hands and said, "Keep it. As far as I'm concerned you passed your qualification."

"Thanks Hotch. I was aiming for his leg though." Spencer let a grin slip through and Aaron returned it.

"Let's go get some rest before the flight back. Jason can close the rest of the case up."

"We can stop by the diner next to the hotel," Spencer looked down for a moment shyly and then continued when he met Hotch's eyes and continued, "If you're hungry that is?"

Hotch understood Spencer's need for company, he was waiting for the shock to hit. "Sure. Food sounds good."

Hotch went over to where Jason was standing and relayed he was taking Reid back to the hotel so he could rest before the flight in the morning. Afterwards Hotch took Spencer back to the hotel area. They walked to the diner Spencer mentioned and Spencer asked for an inside corner away from the windows. The hostess showed them to a booth and asked, "Will this be alright?"

"Perfect. Thank you." Spencer replied as he sat down. Aaron sat down across from him and they both put in coffee orders until they decided what to eat.

Reid ordered a breakfast platter while Hotch decided on a barbeque chicken plate with coleslaw and steak fries. It wasn't often he indulged in messy extra greasy food but being with Reid and Reid's need for company, he decided to let his hair down. As the two ate, they talked quietly about the case and at one point Hotch felt barbeque sauce drip down his chin and Reid was dabbing his chin with a spare napkin on the table.

Reid dropped his hand quickly and said, "Sorry Hotch. Didn't want it to ruin your tie."

Hotch wiped his mouth with the same napkin Reid used and cleared his throat. "It's no problem. You saved my favorite tie."

"You wear it 8.4 times a month, more than any of your other ties."

"It was a gift from someone I cared for deeply back in college."

Spencer bit his lip and looked at his food for a moment. He said when he looked back up at Hotch and said, "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for Reid. He's actually a professor now at Washington State and has been for many years."

Reid let out the breathe he didn't know he was holding and said, "Oh. Okay. I'm sorry didn't realize…"

Hotch reached across the table and rested his hand on Reid's and said, "I should have clarified. I still talk to him on the occasion but he's closer to your level of thought than I am."

"You know intelligence can't be quantified officially…"

"You know intelligence can't be quantified officially..."

Hotch chuckled and said, "I know Reid."

"And just so you know, you're closer than even Gideon." After Reid's confession burst from him, he looked down at his plate and didn't look back up at Hotch.

Hotch sighed and picked up his coffee as he thought of a way to explain to Reid about the boss/subordinate relationship. He figured though that Reid didn't need to be handheld through this so he said, "But Gideon is your mentor."

"Mentor yes but you're my friend." Reid said like it was shining bright like a Vegas sign.

"You consider me a friend? I thought that only extended to Morgan and the rest of the team."

Reid took a drink from his cooling coffee and said, "You more so but it wouldn't be appropriate for you to wrap your arm around me or for me to do more than check on you at night to see if you're going home at a decent hour."

"Reid you know we can do other things. We compartmentalize our lives pretty well that I wouldn't be opposed to spending free time with you."

"Hotch, according to the definition you just gave, that would be considered dating."

"I guess it would be but I'm not opposed to extracurricular conversation on the occasion if you want to talk."

"I'd like that too." Spencer smiled shyly.

"Okay." Aaron replied as he tucked back in and worked on finishing his meal.

On the plane the next day Reid sat next to Hotch and let himself relax. Hotch worked on file reports and Reid had one of his original puzzle books that he was creating out and working on it. It was a good way for him to work out what was going on in his head. Gideon sat across from the two and asked, "How ya feeling Reid?"

"I'm doing better. Hotch helped a lot." Reid said as he glanced up from his puzzles.

"That's good but you know the shock will wear off and when it hits, it can hit hard?"

Reid bristled next to Hotch and Hotch looked at Gideon and said, "He knows and we've talked about the situation. Reid will be fine. Just let him relax." Hotch pressed his leg against Reid's in silent support and Reid's hands stopped fluttering around the page as quickly.

Gideon just gazed at the two men and wandered what changed between them. A mystery he would like to happily solve. He moved back to his original seat and saw Reid's shoulders relax just a fraction but it was enough to get his mind going with implications and scenarios.