Hotch | Reid | Rossi | Morgan

Wednesday, October 13th

(Wed 3:05 pm)
Have you come up with a code yet?

(Wed 3:09 pm)
You were serious about that?

(Wed 3:12 pm)
You seem surprised. Obviously we don't have to. I just thought it would help you so I'm not texting at inopportune moments.
(Wed 3:13 pm)
And it would also help me so I don't think I've finally said something that made you run off.

(Wed 3:15 pm)
I'll think about it and get back to you.

xxx

(Wed 3:17 pm)
He wants me to come up with something I can text him when we're on a case.

(Wed 3:20 pm)
You do realize I am sitting one row in front of you.

(Wed 3:22 pm)
Very helpful, Dave.
(Wed 3:23 pm)
And you know exactly why I'm texting.

(Wed 3:25 pm)
That heavy, resigned sigh you just heard was me.
(Wed 3:26 pm)
What's so difficult about choosing a code?

(Wed 3:27 pm)
He'll read into it. Correctly.

(Wed 3:28 pm)
And that's a bad thing?

(Wed 3:29 pm)
I don't know.

(Wed 3:31 pm)
So texting some random stranger – whom you know nothing about, I might add – is less frightening to you than coming up with a code word?
(Wed 3:33 pm)
I don't think this is just about him reading you correctly through texts. You want him to like the person behind them.
(Wed 4:00 pm)
Aaron?

(Wed 4:02 pm)
Yes.

(Wed 4:05 pm)
Then be yourself. He already initiates most of your conversations. I don't think he's going to suddenly stop. And if he does, is that really the kind of friend you want?

xxx
xxx

(Wed 9:47 pm)
Captain America.

(Wed 9:59 pm)
That was... definitely not what I was expecting.
(Wed 10:04 pm)
In a good way.
(Wed 10:07 pm)
Hotch?

(Wed 10:08 pm)
I want to explain why, but...

(Wed 10:09 pm)
You don't have to explain.

(Wed 10:11 pm)
I don't want you to read it the wrong way.

(Wed 10:12 pm)
Currently, I just think you're a guy who likes Captain America.
(Wed 10:12 pm)
And there's nothing wrong with that.

(Wed 10:13 pm)
Nothing insightful like the alpha male behavior analysis?

(Wed 10:17 pm)
Hotch, you wanted me to tell you why I thought you were a male. Putting that together was my way of evening the playing field since you obviously knew I was a male, given you knew my first name. Analyzing why you chose Captain America would be an invasion of your privacy. Could I do it? Definitely. But *will* I do it? No. I don't like profiling my friends.

xxx

(Wed 10:19 pm)
Why are you always right?

(Wed 10:24 pm)
It's a gift.
(Wed 10:25 pm)
What did he say?

(Wed 10:26 pm)
He doesn't like profiling his friends.

(Wed 10:27 pm)
There you have it, then. You're officially friends.
(Wed 10:29 pm)
And Aaron? I know I approved of this, but please do be careful.

(Wed 10:30 pm)
I can take care of myself, Dave.
(Wed 10:31 pm)
But thanks.

xxx
xxx

(Thurs 8:15 am)
I suppose it's my turn this time – did I say something wrong?

(Thurs 9:39 am)
No. You surprised me, and I wasn't sure how to respond.
(Thurs 9:45 am)
Though I probably should've at least told you "thank you."
(Thurs 9:46 am)
So thank you, Spencer.

(Thurs 10:50 am)
I surprised you?

(Thurs 11:18 am)
I wasn't expecting you to call me a friend.

(Thurs 11:20 am)
Oh.
(Thurs 11:22 am)
I didn't mean to presume anything. I just thought with how we'd been texting...
(Thurs 11:22 am)
Sorry.

(Thurs 11:24 am)
Spencer, I thought we'd covered this. Stop apologizing when you haven't done anything wrong.
(Thurs 11:25 am)
Why would I say "thank you" if I didn't want to be considered your friend?

(Thurs 11:27 am)
I don't know. I'm not very good at the whole... making friends thing.

(Thurs 11:28 am)
We'll work on it.

xxx

(Thurs 2:43 pm)
I've been thinking. If "Captain America" means I'm on a job, what means I'm off it?

(Thurs 3:19 pm)
Is this "thinking" being done with total disregard towards the work probably sitting in front of you?

(Thurs 3:25 pm)
I'm allowed breaks.

(Thurs 3:27 pm)
Which are probably taken more liberally than your boss would like.

(Thurs 3:30 pm)
Considering she has more than simply my team to keep tabs on, I believe I'll be fine.

(Thurs 3:32 pm)
You're some sort of Supervisor or Manager, aren't you?

(Thurs 3:34 pm)
What makes you say that?

(Thurs 3:36 pm)
You said "my team" instead of "department." That usually indicates you're overseeing a group of people.

(Thurs 3:40 pm)
What happened to, "I don't like profiling my friends"?

(Thurs 3:42 pm)
This wasn't done intentionally, and it's a harmless question. I'm not asking for details.
(Thurs 3:43 pm)
It just backs up my alpha male theory. I'm curious.

(Thurs 3:45 pm)
Yes, I am.
(Thurs 3:46 pm)
And it's your turn to come up with our code for when a job is wrapped up.

(Thurs 3:47 pm)
Aye, aye, sir.

xxx

(Thurs 6:26 pm)
After a very intense debate, I decided the best option would be to keep the same theme. Therefore, the code for when you're finished with a job is – Iron Man.

(Thurs 6:30 pm)
"Very intense debate"?

(Thurs 6:31 pm)
Choosing the perfect code isn't something you do on a whim.

(Thurs 6:32 pm)
I will concede to that point. Why Iron Man?

(Thurs 6:35 pm)
Aside from the obvious – because he's one of the Avengers like Captain America – I actually find his character quite intriguing and a little relatable. He knows the world isn't just black and white, and he makes choices that aren't always ethical but may be necessary.

(Thurs 6:37 pm)
Are you saying you've made unethical but necessary choices?

(Thurs 6:38 pm)
Yes.
(Thurs 6:39 pm)
Though sometimes I wonder if they were necessary.

(Thurs 6:41 pm)
The only one who knows the answer to that is you. For what it's worth, though, I'd say they probably were.

xxx

(Thurs 9:57 pm)
All right, Pretty Boy, time to spill. Who were you texting at dinner?

(Thurs 9:59 pm)
A friend.

(Thurs 10:00 pm)
Oh? What's the lucky lady's name?

(Thurs 10:01 pm)
Hotch. And he's literally just a friend.

(Thurs 10:03 pm)
Okay, okay. I jumped to the wrong conclusion. How'd you and Hotch meet?

(Thurs 10:05 pm)
One of his coworkers got a new phone, and he accidentally sent me a text because he typed the number incorrectly.

(Thurs 10:07 pm)
Reid, are you sure that's a good idea?

(Thurs 10:07 pm)
What do you mean?

(Thurs 10:09 pm)
Some guy just "happens" to send a text to the wrong number? How can you even be sure this guy is who he says he is?

(Thurs 10:11 pm)
Give me some credit, Morgan. He's only initiated a couple of our conversations. It's mostly been me.

(Thurs 10:13 pm)
And that automatically makes him an okay guy? I just think you should be a bit more cautious.

(Thurs 10:16 pm)
I am being careful. But I also know he's the only person (aside from my mother) I've ever talked to who doesn't make it seem like I'm some sort of freak for knowing all the things I know.

(Thurs 10:18 pm)
Look, kid, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to upset you. I'm just worried.
(Thurs 10:30 pm)
Reid?

(Thurs 10:32 pm)
It's fine. I'll see you tomorrow.

xxx

(Thurs 10:34 pm)
Is Dave against this?

(Thurs 10:40 pm)
That's a little abrupt. Assuming "this" is us texting, he did show some reservations about it, but he didn't tell me to stop.
(Thurs 10:45 pm)
Spencer, what brought this on?

(Thurs 10:47 pm)
My friend Morgan thinks it's a bad idea. It sounded like he thinks you're a stalker or some sort of pedophile.

(Thurs 10:50 pm)
I could be wrong, but I believe pedophiles don't go after someone who's at least 21. In regards to being a stalker, I don't know if I have any evidence to disprove that theory, and I don't think Morgan will simply take my word on it.

(Thurs 10:54 pm)
Pedophiles are generally described as people who have sexual desires towards children aged thirteen and younger. Obviously, any age under eighteen has to be taken into consideration, but studies have shown pedophiles have a younger age preference. Most pedophiles aren't even caught because they never approach children, since the ones who do are actually categorized as child molesters, which is slightly different since molesters act on their inappropriate desires while a majority of pedophiles do not.
(Thurs 10:56 pm)
And Morgan's just being overprotective. I know he means well, but sometimes he doesn't think about what he's saying.

(Thurs 10:57 pm)
I don't know whether I should be impressed or concerned that you know all that.
(Thurs 10:59 pm)
It's natural for your friends to worry about you. Typically, when you're involved in a potentially harmful situation, you're blind to it. In any case, I understand his concern, but barring a complete stop to our texts, there's nothing I can do to appease him.

(Thurs 11:02 pm)
I have to stimulate my brain somehow. And Morgan will come around, when it finally becomes clear that I'm not going to be killed in my apartment. That could be months from now, though.

(Thurs 11:07 pm)
If I were going to kill you, it probably wouldn't be where you live, especially if it's an apartment. That leaves far too many possible witnesses, as well as cameras. Plus, I'd be more likely to kill the people closest to you first, given I would be jealous of them having better contact with you than simple text messages.
(Thurs 11:11 pm)
Spencer? I was joking.

(Thurs 11:12 pm)
I know. I might have been busy laughing far too hard, given the circumstances.

(Thurs 11:14 pm)
I explain the process of how I would likely kill you (and your friends and family, mind you), and your response is to laugh? No wonder Morgan's concerned.

(Thurs 11:16 pm)
Stop. It hurts. I can't breathe.

(Thurs 11:17 pm)
Let me know when you're done bruising my ego.

(Thurs 11:22 pm)
I get the feeling you're serious, but I can't imagine how that could possibly upset you.

(Thurs 11:24 pm)
I can't frighten someone even when I'm the stranger on the other side of the phone. How is that not upsetting?

(Thurs 11:26 pm)
I'm sorry, Hotch. When I said I was laughing earlier, I was actually double-checking the locks on my door and windows and grabbing my unused baseball bat for protection.
(Thurs 11:27 pm)
Just in case you were lulling me into a false sense of security.
(Thurs 11:27 pm)
And then I, of course, had to exhibit bravado, so I pretended I was laughing again.

(Thurs 11:29 pm)
I don't have to be subjected to this cheekiness. I have better things to do. Have fun laughing.

(Thurs 11:33 pm)
I really am sorry this time, Hotch. I'm done laughing. Really.
(Thurs 11:40 pm)
Please don't be angry.
(Fri 12:00 am)
Goodnight, Hotch.

(Fri 12:01 am)
Goodnight, Spencer.

xxx

(Fri 2:47 am)
Captain America.
(Fri 2:48 am)
Also, since it's difficult to discern, I wanted to tell you I wasn't angry earlier.

xxx

(Fri 7:16 am)
I know.
(Fri 7:18 am)
Thank you for playing along for my amusement. I was a little upset by Morgan's reaction.

xxx

(Fri 12:07 pm)
Why do you think I did it? You aren't the only one who can read people through texts.

(Fri 12:10 pm)
I don't know what to say to that.

(Fri 12:12 pm)
You don't have to say anything. I'm glad I could help.

xxx
xxx

(Fri 6:47 pm)
You're late. Again.

(Fri 6:50 pm)
I couldn't find a parking spot. Cut me some slack.

(Fri 6:51 pm)
It's a Friday night. What did you expect?
(Fri 6:52 pm)
How far away did you park?

(Fri 6:53 pm)
A few blocks.
(Fri 6:53 pm)
I'm surprised you're not texting Hotch.

(Fri 6:54 pm)
Who says I'm not?

(Fri 6:54 pm)
You're answering too quickly.

(Fri 6:55 pm)
He's working. I don't want to distract him.

(Fri 6:56 pm)
That's cute.

(Fri 6:56 pm)
Why do I talk to you?

(Fri 6:57 pm)
Because you secretly find me charming.

(Fri 6:58 pm)
Actually, you leave a lot to be desired.

(Fri 6:58 pm)
Ouch.

(Fri 7:00 pm)
Exhibit A: You're officially half an hour late.
(Fri 7:02 pm)
If you don't walk in that door within the next ten minutes, I will leave.
(Fri 7:02 pm)
The waitress keeps giving me these looks.
(Fri 7:03 pm)
Like she thinks I've been stood up.

(Fri 7:04 pm)
Just imagine how shocked she'll be when she sees me.

(Fri 7:05 pm)
I hope she spits in your food for being a terrible friend to the poor nerdy guy in a sweater vest.

xxx

(Fri 11:12 pm)
I take it back. If texting Hotch keeps you in a more agreeable mood, please continue it.
(Fri 11:13 pm)
Just don't come haunting me when he kills you in your apartment.

(Fri 11:18 pm)
While I don't appreciate what you're implying, I'm pleased to see that you've come to your senses.
(Fri 11:20 pm)
And he's smarter than that. He said he'd be more likely to get caught if he killed me where I lived. Just in case you wanted to change your phrasing to more accurately reflect his murderous intentions.

(Fri 11:21 pm)
Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Pretty Boy.

(Fri 11:22 pm)
Consider it the first part of my revenge.

(Fri 11:23 pm)
What do you mean "the first part"?
(Fri 11:26 pm)
Reid?

(Fri 11:26 pm)
;)