February 9, 2007
Nervous, stressed, worried. . . The list could have gone on and on, but the one word she was avoiding using was the most accurate. She was scared.
She didn't like to admit when she was afraid. She didn't like to admit that she wasn't as strong as her brother. That she was weaker than her father.
She stood outside the hospital room, watching through the glass wall as her brother his 'family' talked and laughed. No one seemed to notice her, meaning no one really cared. He was okay, that was all she needed to know. And he was happy. With them. So she didn't need to be there. She didn't need to visit him.
"Excuse me," a kind blonde woman holding coffee asked, "What are you doing here?"
"That's Spencer Reid, right? In there," she pointed.
The woman nodded, still apparently confused.
"We, uhm, well we grew up together," she smiled sadly.
The blonde nodded again and walked into the room, instantly joining the conversation. She watched as eventually everyone behind the glass was looking at her. A professional looking man in a suit came out to her and eyed her skeptically.
"My name is Aaron Hotchner, I work with Spencer. How do you know him?"
She bit her lip nervously and offered a shaky smile, "We lived together as children."
"Lived together?"
"Well, uhm, yes. We also happen to share the same predecessors," she stuttered on the last word.
"So you're his sister?" another agent asked.
She thought for a moment, then looked back at the two agents. "I suppose, if that's what you want to call me."
"Rei- I mean Spencer, never told us about having a sister."
The sad smile returned as she looked at the ground. "That's not surprising." She looked up with a spark of hope in her eyes, "Can I see him?"
The agents looked at one another for a moment before nodding.
"Thank you," she breathed, walking past them and to the doorway.
Just as she reached the door frame, she caught a look at herself in the glass. Messy hair in a bun, circles under her eyes, glasses on her face and even worse, only ninety one pounds. She knew something was missing, and only just then did she figure out what it was. She hadn't eaten today.
"Spencer," she called quietly, "Can I come in?"
The others in the room looked at her strangely, while Spencer just gasped.
"Of course, yeah, what are you doing here?" he chuckled breathlessly.
"Well somebody called mom, and she told me and well, she's not really supposed to leave, so I thought I'd come to visit you," she paused, walking over to him quickly. "Spencer, have you been eating?"
Everyone in the room watched in a strange confusion as she dug in her pockets for something.
"Del, how did you get here?" he asked.
"I walked."
"You walked," he repeated, "From Las Vegas?"
"I don't understand why you're confused. I walked, and some very strange young agent offered me a ride here."
"You took a ride from a stranger?" Spencer asked, obviously surprised.
"Oh, dear brother, why do you mistake me for a common fool?"
"Right. This is Delanie, my sister," he said, motioning towards her.
She studied the agents, assuming that was what they were, seeing as they worked with her brother. There was the blonde woman, the one she'd talked to earlier, a raven haired woman, an older man, and the two she'd spoken with earlier.
"Yes, hello," she nodded.
"So, Delanie, what do you do?" the older man asked.
She bit her lip nervously, fearing that her brother's new 'family' wouldn't approve of her. "I write."
"Books?"
"Yes, at least six, maybe more. Only three published, though," she looked down.
"Three books, that's a big deal," the blonde offered, smiling sweetly. "You must be really proud."
"Yeah, uhm, I guess," Delanie replied, looking all over the room. "So, you guys work with my brother?"
"Yes Del, they're FBI agents," Spencer said in a warning tone.
"Oh," she bit her lip nervously. "That's cool."
"Is that a problem?"
"No! I mean, I find it easier to relate to-" she began.
"Delanie," her brother cut in, "We were about to go get something to eat. Would you like to come?"
"Most definitely," she smiled.