Sins of the Fathers

by Skater3

When Reid arrives home one evening to find a strange young woman waiting on his doorstep, his life is turned upside down as he is forced to re-examine his assumptions about his father and about his own future. Coming at a time when Reid is still dealing with the memory of Maeve, it is sure to lead to unexpected complications for the young doctor.

1. Chapter 1

Reid drew a deep breath as he opened the door to his apartment building. It was an old building, and it always took him a minute or two to wrestle the heavy door open. He was tired, as he and the team had just spent several days solving a particularly gruesome case. Plus, his father had been repeatedly trying to reach him on his cell phone and Reid wasn't looking forward to returning the calls. He thought wistfully about the possibility of some quiet time this evening.

As he climbed the stairs, Reid gained a clear view of his doorway where he saw a young woman sitting on the floor in front of it, her back against the wall. He stopped, shifted the bags of groceries he was carrying, and watched her for a few minutes. She had a yellow highlighter in her hand and appeared to be reading and highlighting in a textbook. Occasionally, she would stop and consult a workbook she had laid out on the floor. Lying on the floor next to her was a well-worn black backpack and, standing against the wall, was a small, pink, rolling suitcase.

The girl glanced up and gave Reid a curious glance. She seemed to be consulting some inner reference and reaching a decision.

"Dr Reid?" The question sounded like she already knew the answer.

"Yes?" Reid didn't see any reason to deny the information.

"Dr. Spencer Reid?" She seemed determined to establish his exact identity.

"Yes. Should I know you?" She did seem to know who he was but he was certain he had never seen or met her.

The young woman stood up and dusted off the seat of her jeans. She was about a head shorter than Reid and he noticed that while her jeans fit her nicely they showed signs of having been repeatedly washed. The navy hoodie she was wearing was emblazoned with the University of Las Vegas logo and, now that he had moved closer to her, he realized that she was nearer his age than he had originally thought.

She brushed her long light brown hair out of her face and looked directly at him as if she were judging his reaction.

"You probably should," she responded. "I'm your wife!"

The bags of groceries fell to the floor as a sinking feeling enveloped Dr. Spencer Reid.