Shadow Dancing: Chapter 2
By Helena Fallon
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Susie had made herself a coffee while she waited for Spencer to return home. She sat perched on the scarlet leather seated high chair before the black marble topped breakfast bar. It was a dramatic kitchen based on the colours of white, black and scarlet red that often surprised people who thought they knew the couple. However, Susie was not admiring her colour scheme at that moment as she leaned over the marble counter with her head resting on her left hand while peering out towards the front through the open slats of the scarlet venetian blinds. Susie was still seething at Jason Gideon's manipulative actions. She knew that Spencer had been very concerned about Gideon's behaviour even before the Tobias Hankel case that had changed their lives for ever. They had been a couple for two years at that time but only their respective Unit Chiefs knew because that was protocol and Hotch could hardly object about her. But Gideon had been kept in the dark along with the rest of the BAU, together with her own department, because it was none of their business.
The situation changed with the Hankel case because Spencer had been hurt, and subsequently hospitalised, and Susie had been flown out to Georgia to be with him. It had only been on the way to the airport that Susie was informed that Spencer had been kidnapped and missing, not for a few hours but days, and during that time he had been tortured. Susie was furious that she had not been told about the abduction when it had happened. However, her own 'boss' had tried to smooth things over talking about how the Bureau had not wanted to worry her needlessly when she was herself involved with such important and stressful work. Stuart Cordle had borne her anger well but he did have the grace to apologise but continued to explain that the Bureau still thought they had made the correct call in the matter. At least Hotchner had stayed at the hospital to brief her about the circumstances of Spencer's injuries before he joined the rest of his team, who had been kept waiting in their private jet on the tarmac.
She saw the familiar old design of Spencer's beloved Volvo swing into the drive and was aware of some of the tension within her easing; he was safely home. Susie slipped from the seat and entered the hallway but she made no attempt to open the front door because she thought it best for Spencer to take his own time to compose himself before entering.
She heard the key finally turn in the lock and he entered into the warmly welcoming atmosphere. Spencer felt a tremendous relief just to be back in this place he called home. Home was not just a word for him, it was wrapped up in a complicated mesh of emotions that were intrinsically linked to this woman he knew would be waiting for him. Spencer didn't want to talk at that moment but they instinctively moved towards each other and in a wordless embrace drank in the emotional comfort of that simple act of human warmth.
Spencer felt safe here and with this woman who had been part of his life for nearly three years now. This was their world; they were both essentially private people and, although they did occasionally have small dinners here to share their world with close friends, this house was a place where they both retreated from the pressures of their work. It was also difficult to entertain friends when Spencer could be called away at very short notice or emergencies, in the department where Susie worked, kept her shackled to the computer. However, they had a network of friendships formed out of their mutual leisure interests and this meant that she never felt uncomfortable at such venues if Spencer was unable to share those interests together. Home was a world well away from the BAU and the Bureau but tonight that distance had been shattered in a very cruel way.
Susie had slipped her arms inside the thick jacket he wore and let her hands gently rub his long bony back beneath her fingers. She felt his taut muscles relax under her touch and she tried to remain calm herself while he was home in need of this support. There would be time to talk when Spencer wanted to, but for the moment she knew that her role was to be his anchor in this very choppy sea of life. Susie was very aware about the distress of suicide from the experience of her own family; the memories remained with you despite the number of years that crept along. It was why she was not feeling very forgiving towards Dr Jason Gideon because as a psychologist he knew all about the impact of suicide on those left behind.
In another house, in a wealthy Virginian suburb, Aaron Hotchner crept into his home in a familiar fashion. He knew his way around this house in the dark because of the numerous times he had been home so late that his wife and son were safely asleep. He slipped into the master bedroom and took his gun from the shoulder holster and reached for the gun safe with a sure touch that comes out of practice over the years.
Suddenly, the bedside lamp clicked on.
"I didn't expect you back so soon, so it wasn't a case after all?" Hayley sleepily asked. She watched her husband's back and sensed that something more was wrong as he safely put away his primary weapon and then bent to retrieve the small gun from the ankle holster before giving her his attention.
"It wasn't a case, Hayley. I need to get out of these clothes and then I'll explain," his deep voice calmly stated but Hayley was now alert, her intuition was tingling with apprehension. Her husband disappeared into the ensuite bathroom and she heard the shower. Typical of him, he was avoiding her for a few more minutes so something nasty must have occurred but she knew that Aaron would eventually come to bed.
Her memory went into recall mode. They had been about to go to bed when his cell phone had bleeped. He had moved away from her like he usually did when it was work. It was an unconscious act as if by distancing himself physically from Hayley it would protect her from the ugliness of his work. She had naturally assumed that it was another case and knew that it was best not to ask. Hayley often found out more about the cases he was on through the television and newspapers. Besides, he had only just got home from a case after being abruptly 'recalled' to duty after his suspension. Hayley remembered vividly that it had not been Erin Strauss, who had rung to send Aaron on the Milwaukee case, but the Director himself. That particular call had put an end to the discussion that she and Aaron had been having about her husband's future within the Bureau.
It had been a strange month with the internal politics and jockeying for power that had led to Aaron's suspension. He had told her that Strauss wanted to move him sideways, away from the BAU and into 'white collar' crime, but Aaron was not going to move without a fight. Hayley had listened; she already knew that Aaron had considered his appointment with the BAU to be a demanding but satisfying position. It had been a difficult decision to be based at Quantico after almost three very happy years at the Seattle Field Office. However, they needed an experienced Unit Chief for the BAU after the horrific deaths of most of the away team by a bomb. The Unit Chief, Dr Jason Gideon, had witnessed his colleagues die and blamed himself. Gideon had suffered a breakdown following this incident and few thought that he would return to the Unit but he did; at first just to teach and to have a consulting role. After six months of being Quantico bound, Gideon had joined the new team in the field. Hayley still thought it ironic that the case that marked Gideon's return to the field had taken Aaron back to his old Seattle office.
The old memories washed over her just like the water that would be washing over her husband, but the memories brought no cleansing relief or even warmth on this cold night. The BAU had changed Aaron in a way that no other appointment had scarred him. Hayley mentally shook herself away from that path to concentrate on more immediate matters; if this evening had not been a case then what had happened? For a Unit Chief to be called it implied something had happened to BAU personnel or there was an emergency within the Bureau itself. She tried to stop her imagination creating explanations because she didn't have any firm facts and hoped that Aaron would at least share some of the night's events with her.
Aaron returned dressed in his dark blue pyjamas, he slipped into his side of the bed and Hayley reached over to click the lamp off again.
He reached for her in the dark and pulled her to him. Hayley could feel a sparking tension in the whole of his body, it sometimes happened after a particularly gruesome case but this tension intrigued Hayely further. She had been about to ask when her husband spoke.
"I don't know how to break this gently, Hayley, but you know how I said that Gideon didn't show up for the Milwaukee case…Well bluntly, Spencer went up to his cabin when we got back and, Oh God Hayley!" Aaron faltered for a second but his iron will forced him to continue. "Gideon had blown his brains out in his bedroom and left a note for Spencer saying, 'I knew you'd be the one to come.'" Aaron explained in a distant voice that told Hayley that her husband was still dealing with the shock himself. Just as the statement was beginning to hit her, Hayley let out an involuntary gasp of disbelief and felt the world stop for a few seconds while Aaron's words registered in her disbelieving brain.
"Is Spencer all right?" she whispered into the darkness as she thought of the sensitive and youngest member of the team.
"As all right as anyone can be who finds your mentor with his brains splattered over his bedroom… Hayley, what the hell was Gideon thinking of? He knew that Spencer would be worried, they had arranged to play chess the evening before the case and J.J. had found Spencer in the morning asleep in Gideon's office still waiting for his opponent to show up. While on the case, Spencer kept trying to call him when he thought Strauss wasn't around and he told me again on the plane home that he'd been worried about him since Sarah's death. Spencer had privately expressed his concern to me when Gideon had returned to the Unit and field duty too soon after her death but the psych department had sanctioned it all. I had told Spencer that I had noted his concerns in my report but we, as a team, could keep an eye on Gideon and try to get him to his retirement. Gideon had not much longer to go before he could retire on a full pension and the psych department could easily have prolonged his sick leave. Perhaps I should have made more of a protest about his premature return and tried to keep him office bound…"
Hayley squeezed her husband gently around his waist, "Stop it Aaron! You couldn't have prevented this…You know that if someone really wants to end their life then they will, no matter how much others try to help. But poor Spencer he really is a conscientious agent and was so loyal to Gideon…I'm sure that he's going through this same 'soul searching' right now. In a way I'm glad it was Spencer who found him and not one of the others because he has a wife to go home to."
"Yeah that's one blessing," Hotch conceded, "But if there had been no Susie then I would have brought him back here."
"Of course you would've done," Hayley gently agreed but they could go round in circles over these tragic events and get no emotional relief, so she decided to move on to more practical matters to break the downward spiral of Aaron blaming himself in some way. "You were not wanted any more at the cabin?" she suddenly broke the silence.
"I left agents and forensic technicians collecting evidence and recording the scene…It's all out of my hands now. After Spencer's call, I rang Quantico and informed the most senior agent on duty. I was put through to Assistant Director Lowery and he sent the team to record the scene and arranged with the authorities to take the body away for the autopsy. I told the lead agent that I was going to support my agent and I'd make sure that he got home all right. It was all right, Lowery had sent an experienced agent and Simpson dealt with Spencer in a sensitive manner. I made sure that he got home…Spencer wouldn't allow me to drive him in his precious car so I had to tail him…He got home all right and he'd rung Susie to tell her what had happened before I arrived." Aaron said in a quiet voice as he hugged his wife to remind himself of the good woman who shared his life and drank in the emotional comfort that was beyond words. But Hayley was concerned that his account was a little disjointed in the telling and that was so unusual considering his natural eloquence with words.
The room once more lapsed into a silence as each of them sank into their own thoughts but finally Hayley asked the question that she needed to know.
"What will happen now?"
"The funeral will probably be quite quick because Gideon was a Liberal Jew and the coroner's office tries to respect their religious practices. But there will be an internal inquiry and statements will be taken and copies handed to the coroner's officials. It will be a formality for them because of the Bureau's internal inquiry. The coroner's office and police will let the Bureau do the digging for explanations. No doubt there will be certain individuals, within the Bureau, who will try to apportion blame or distance themselves from decisions taken. You can't do anything about that but I'd appreciate it if you could be at my side for the funeral." Hotch said softly in a weary voice.
"Of course I'm going to be there with you…Will Susie?" she asked apprehensively.
"I don't know, I hope she is beside Spencer but the Reids have kept the team at a distance and well out of their private life. In fact, I don't think anyone in the BAU has ever met her," he replied suddenly thinking back to the first time he'd seen Susie. That had been long before Hankel but not long after he'd been officially informed that she was Spencer's partner as was required by the Bureau's rules. Hotch had attended a Computer Security meeting for Unit Chiefs and Section Heads and Susie had been one of the speakers, but she had made no attempt to introduce herself during the much needed coffee break after an intense session. Hotch and his fellow agents got the impression that Dr. Susie Brandt was all business and no play when it came to her work and her decisive mind scared a lot of the alpha males in that room. Meanwhile, the alpha women had dismissed her as all brains but with no femininity and she was afterall only a consultant, so Dr. Brandt was considered to be no threat to any personal ambitions that the female agents might have.
"What's she like?" Hayley asked because she was genuinely curious and she needed to turn her thoughts away from Gideon's actions that were going to be the source of distress for a lot of people over the coming days and weeks.
"You mean Susie?" he replied and his mind then registered her diversion tactic.
"Yeah…she's a bit of a shadowy figure," said Hayley into the darkness.
"A bit of a surprise really, she wasn't the kind of woman I thought Spencer would chose but whatever the attraction it has lasted nearly three years so it obviously works," Hotch replied evasively as far as his wife was concerned.
"You're not answering my question," pressed Hayley and realised that Aaron had never spoken about Mrs. Reid in any depth.
"I'm not avoiding your question, Hayley, but I honestly don't know what to say…She has never spoken to me other than when she arrived at the hospital following the Hankel case and then I was briefly telling her what had happened to Spencer. It was hardly a time to hold a normal conversation and she was naturally concerned about her partner. Spencer never speaks about her at work and that is deliberate. Even J.J. had tried to find out more about her when Spencer returned married but Spencer had gently stopped that conversation by saying that he liked to keep his private life separate from work.
I can tell you what she physically looks like, and I know that her work is held in high regard, but as a person I can't really say with confidence. I suppose what only matters is that Spencer loves and trusts her and he would not have married any woman who couldn't cope with the job. If she does attend the funeral then you might get a chance to draw your own conclusions about the mysterious Susie Reid,"Hotch had softly explained and Hayley held her silence despite feeling perplexed about the Reids. She liked Spencer and just hoped that he was happily married because the BAU put enormous strains on any relationship.
A few hours of fitful sleep were disturbed by the telephone and Hotch automatically reached for the offending noise while his brain kicked into gear. Agent Hotchner's call was from his immediate supervisor, Erin Strauss, who informed him that she would like to see him at 8 a.m. and would appreciate an initial report from him concerning the night's events. He had asked about Agent Reid and was told that Reid was to see two psychs to talk through the incident and she would be expecting Reid's report by the end of the day. Strauss further told Hotch that she had initially suggested by 4 p.m. but then she had given him some leeway and had told the agent that she would understand if it was a couple of hours later. Hotch had winced as Strauss had informed him of this little detail and he personally thought that Reid would probably meet the 4 o'clock deadline. Reid would work to a given time to help him cling to some normality of routine to cope with what was going to be a highly emotionally charged day for the BAU.
Aaron Hotchner appeared at Strauss's office as requested, exactly on time. He had said nothing to any other personnel he had seen since arriving but rumours were already spreading through Quantico about the death of an agent. He wanted to speak to Strauss first to find out what the upper echelons were planning for the next few days because there was obviously going to be some navel gazing.
"Come on in, Hotch," Strauss said with some warmth and Hotchner felt immediately alert over this unusual friendliness towards him. "Coffee?" she gestured towards the coffee machine.
"No thanks," he replied and took the proffered seat before her desk.
"I understand that Agent Reid called you?" she immediately jumped into the subject that would dominate the unit within her section.
"Yes…I'm the Unit Chief so it was a natural reaction to follow his normal chain of command."
"Of course it was. How did Reid appear last night?"
"He was shocked but then I think we all would have been and it was not a pleasant sight he found in the cabin. However, he was capable of driving himself safely home and he had rung his wife to tell her just before I arrived…Dr Brandt is not a gossip," Hotch firmly stated as he saw Strauss purse her lips at that detail.
"No, certainly not and she has a very high security rating so I don't think she would speak out of turn over this matter," she replied hastily and knew in this case that Agent Hotchner had probably told his own wife. However, Hayley Hotchner had proven herself to be a loyal agent's wife over the years and would not speak to the media if they started digging into the story.
Strauss decided to press on with the procedures to be followed.
"The Board of Inquiry is being chosen by the Director and will begin to gather evidence following Agent Gideon's funeral. This will affect the team because they will probably all be called to speak about their observations of Gideon's emotional stability. Consequently, the team will be office bound until all the team's evidence has been given. The make-up of the team will obviously be changing because another senior agent will need to be appointed to replace Gideon," Strauss gave Hotch a searching look but he met her scrutiny calmly and would not be baited by this woman. All she had said was obvious procedure but Hotch didn't want to be drawn into her scheming for a replacement; he had not forgiven her for planting Prentiss on the BAU without any consultation and that had put a good agent in a very difficult situation.
"You will need to inform the BAU staff of what has happened and stress the need to refrain from talking to the press and to people outside the Bureau over this distressing matter," Strauss continued in her officious tones.
Hotch merely nodded and replied, "I intend to call the Unit's staff together when I leave here. I also want to remind them to give Reid some space in this matter. Do you know when the psych department will be finished with him?"
"I was told that he was to report to them first and they could keep him for as long as they wished but an initial report is expected from him. The psych department know all of this and Knowles implied that the report could be prepared in his department to give Reid some peace from his colleagues who will naturally want to hear what happened from him."
"Yes, it might be for the best if Knowles drags things out a bit today because even routine matters will seem unreal until the funeral, but procedure can give us all some structure to help us through a difficult episode. I would like Reid to be given some compassionate leave until after the funeral. The break away from the Unit might help him to feel stronger for all the looks and unsaid questions," confessed Hotch but he had already thought about how he was going to handle his department that day.
"Yes, I understand your concern, it must have been a difficult experience last night for him," replied Strauss trying to reach for her most sensitive tone. Hotchner thought that it sounded rather false and she should have given the agent compassionate leave immediately but Hotch didn't think her a good manager of people and her actions merely confirmed his impression of the Section Chief.
Meanwhile back in the BAU, the new shift was assembling and the topic on every ones' lips was the rumour of an agent's suicide.
Morgan, Garcia, Anderson and Prentiss were one such little gathering that had formed to pool the limited information.
"Look, my 'Sweetpeas', no one's mentioning a name but rumour has it that the Director has already ordered a Board of Inquiry," said Penelope Garcia in a tone that lacked her usual playfulness. Her serious manner seemed incongruous to the outrageous clash of colours for her dress that was a random pattern of splashes of purple, tangerine, sunshine yellow and lime green.
"Well that's normal procedure," replied Emily Prentiss calmly while looking around the bullpen for her missing colleagues. She saw J.J. come out of her working area and caught her eye. The other woman read the look and came down the steps to join them.
"Hey J.J….Do you know anything about the suicide?" Morgan jumped in before Prentiss could say anything but Emily saw a closed look about her fellow agent.
"Just as much as the rest of you…and that's very little," she replied carefully. Emily just wanted to get Jareau away from this group because she sensed that J.J. had her own suspicions.
J.J. looked around the bullpen, "No Spence yet?"
"His car's here," Anderson assured them.
But Jareau wasn't listening, she moved away heading for the Ladies Restroom and Emily followed. The others didn't pay any attention to their departure because Garcia had gathered in Lauren, a clerical assistant, who was the usual direct feed to the latest Quantico gossip.
In the Restroom, J.J. appeared to be concentrating on her hair while Emily washed her hands until the only other occupant, a tired looking redhead from clerical support, left.
"What's wrong, J.J.?" Emily whispered so that if anyone else came in they would not over hear.
"Immediately I heard the rumours I thought about Gideon's no show for Milwaukee. I know Spence was worried about him…I found Spence asleep in Gideon's office before that case. He told me that they had arranged a chess game to be played there the previous evening. Spence was trying very hard to keep the channels of communication open for Gideon since Sarah's death," the blond agent softly explained.
Emily nodded thoughtfully, she was the newest member of the team and had observed the teams' dynamics with interest in order to try and fit in without ruffling too many feathers. She was aware that her arrival had been unexpected and finding herself later to be part of Strauss's power plays had made her think about resignation but Hotchner had understood when she told him about the pressure she was under. Prentiss still didn't fully understand the jockeying for power at Quantico but Hotchner had told her to be true to herself and that he was prepared to give her the chance to prove herself a good profiler.
Suddenly the door burst open and prevented any further quiet talk…
"Hotch has called us all into the bullpen for an announcement…Bet we're going to be told what's been happening," announced Garcia and she turned away from them knowing that the two women would follow.
Aaron Hotchner stood on the raised walkway waiting for all of the Unit's staff to assemble. He was well aware that they would have heard the rumours but there was no way of breaking the truth gently. Gideon had been a mercurial character at times; sometimes very warm and friendly but at others he could be cold and distant and even rudely brusque if he had a case to worry about. There were times when he could be the brilliant profiler when on top of his game, but those times had become increasingly rare and sadly he knew that Gideon himself was aware that he was not as good as he had been. Hotch pulled his mind back from its digression and stepped forward to prepare to inform his people that one of their number had taken their own life.
Hotch briefly scanned the group below, capturing the attention of the assembled before he solemnly began.
"I have to inform you all of some distressing news that will affect many people. I know that Quantico is alive with rumours this morning but the facts are very sobering. Late last night, Dr. Jason Gideon was found dead at his cabin retreat by Agent Reid. It appears to be suicide," he formally began; the assembled faces registered the shock amongst the personnel that was normally quite a talkative group. The faces looked towards their boss in disbelief; of all the people to have killed themselves none wanted to believe that it was one of their Unit.
"I am sure that you can appreciate that it was a shock for Reid and he is in Quantico today but he has obviously been ordered to the psych department to discuss last night's events and has been given compassionate leave until after the funeral. I can tell you that Reid rang me after finding Gideon and, after informing the Assistant Director on duty last night, I then went to the cabin myself. There will be a Board of Inquiry and some of you will be called to give evidence before it. I do not wish any of you to feel nervous about this procedure, none of you have done anything wrong, but the Bureau uses this protocol to establish the facts that have led to an agent's death. If you are called to give evidence, you are only required to answer any questions truthfully... something that I hope all of you would do anyway. I must also remind you that the Bureau expects you not to discuss this death with anyone outside the Bureau, especially the press or television reporters who might be digging for a story. Gideon had worked on many high profile cases and was consequently well known to some of them but this is not the time to reminisce with outsiders.
The team will be confined to base until the Inquiry has heard their evidence so we will keep busy with the many consult requests that are always in our in-trays. I would also like to remind you to respect Agent Reid's wishes when he returns to this Unit. He may not want to talk about last night and I would like to think that everyone here would also respect Reid's silence if he chooses to take that path," Hotch said in his quiet but commanding tones. At the same time he scanned the assembled faces to make eye contact with those who he thought would be the most obvious culprits of such behaviour. Satisfied that the message had been understood the Unit Chief continued…
"We all have our own individual way of reacting to grief; I have a friend and colleague to grieve for and there are many in Quantico with their own memories of Gideon because he had been an Agent for many years. I know that today is going to be particularly difficult for all of us here but we must remember that there is still our routine work that will help us get through this day and the coming weeks. I want you now to return to that work while we each find our own way to mourn our colleague." Aaron Hotchner spoke from his heart. He also wondered how Reid was coping with this morning but he hoped that the young agent didn't come back to the Unit today. Hotchner turned away and walked back to his office feeling as if he had the heavy burden of the cares of this Unit upon his broad shoulders.
The assembled personnel were very subdued as they moved back to their desks. When the rumours had begun to circulate the majority of them had not seriously considered that Gideon would kill himself. But it was the away team that felt the ice cold cloak of guilt wrap around each of them. Emily Prentiss sank down into her chair and mechanically picked the first file containing a profile request. Hotch was right work would help to get them through the day. However, she felt uncomfortable because she had not picked up on distress from Gideon beyond the obvious signs of grief at the death of a girlfriend, and wondered what Reid had seen. Her conscience then consoled her by reasoning that Reid had known him a long time, and Gideon had been his mentor, so it was natural for the younger agent to see worrying signs that could lead to suicide.
Morgan couldn't concentrate upon the request he had before him. He wondered if he had been unnecessarily hard on Gideon with his criticism of Gideon's decisions over recent cases.
Penelope Garcia retreated to her room. It was one thing to exchange the gossip and discuss the rumours but it was another when it was revealed that one of the team, she closely worked with, had been confirmed to be the subject of those rumours. Garcia felt sick and couldn't settle to do any work. This Bureau worker couldn't say that she actually liked the man because she had been was more afraid of him than anyone else who worked in the Unit. However, it still distressed her that Gideon had taken his own life in such a manner that just was so shocking for Reid to find.
Agent Jennifer Jareau retreated into her working area; she too thought about the effect upon Spencer Reid of finding his mentor dead. She knew that the relationship had changed from when she had first arrived at the Unit; Spence had changed and grown in confidence. Jareau suspected that Reid had a secret private life when he had given her the football tickets that Gideon had given him for his birthday. Reid had really not wanted to hurt Gideon but he didn't want to take her to the game nor was he really interested in the gift. Spence had quietly given her the tickets so she could go with her then boyfriend. Her memory recalled that dreadful birthday celebration that Morgan and Elle had insisted on holding for the 'kid'. J.J. had felt uncomfortable for him but Spence went through it all with his usual good humour.
Reid had proffered the tickets…
"You know!" Jareau had said surprised because she thought that only Hotch knew of that relationship. She had always tried to keep her private life private, except as an agent you did have to declare steady relationships to your Unit Chief. She had always trusted Hotch to keep such details private and that also included from Gideon. She had realised that Gideon thought she would treat Spence gently but the mentor had not thought that his protégé was actually already in a relationship.
But Spencer Reid had just given her his gentle smile in answer to her surprise, "We both like to keep our private lives private, J.J., I have always kept my life secret. Hotch has to know certain things but he obviously doesn't keep Gideon in the loop over everything," he had softly said and it seemed that Reid had aged for a few seconds before her eyes into a much older and knowing man as he spoke these words.
Jareau had told no one and they had kept their secret. She and Malcolm had enjoyed the evening but the rest of the Unit believed that she and Spence been on a date arranged by the 'mentor' and that she was too nice to refuse. The big shock had been the events following the Hankel case. For the first time Hotch had revealed that Spencer Reid had a partner whom had been flown out to be with him at the hospital while the rest of the team was being sent home.
"Who the hell is it?" Morgan had demanded and got a very frosty reply from Hotch when he'd been initially told that the team was returning home without Reid. Morgan tried to find out about Reid's partner again when Hotch joined them on the jet.
"Reid has a right to a private life just like all of us, Morgan," the Unit Chief had firmly reminded the team and then went to the back of the plane to be on his own to begin his report like he usually did at the end of a case.
Morgan had then turned on Gideon, "So who's this partner?" he demanded and Jareau was reminded why she liked to keep her private life quiet.
Gideon looked up and his face was inscrutable but his reply was tainted with a cold anger.
"Like you, Morgan, I have no idea."
Prentiss had exchanged a glance with her at the tone of that reply. They had eventually gone to the small galley to make a drink and shared a whispered conversation.
"Well it's nice to know that Hotch takes our privacy seriously," whispered Prentiss as she poured boiling water over her coffee granules, "But Gideon doesn't like being kept in the dark over his protege does he?"
Jareau had just shook her head; she was having her own problems over the case and Gideon had shown no real interest in her welfare. She knew that they would all have a psych debriefing because of the kidnapping and torture of Reid and she wasn't sure how well she would get on with that.
Then the world had shifted again as Reid had six months sick leave and none of them knew where he was but Hotch came in a month before he did return to announce that Reid had married quietly in Montana. When their genius had returned he was changed and it was obvious that he was no longer going to play the 'kid' to the group. But he had struggled to cope with the first few cases and J.J. had wondered if Spence would leave the Bureau or ask for a transfer to a different department. However, what was most disconcerting for the team, during this period, was that everyone had noticed the frostiness between the mentor and his former protégé. Fortunately, things seemed to settle down for the team but it quickly got around that Spencer Reid didn't talk about his wife or their life together right from the start.
J.J. remembered that she was not the only one to ask about Mrs. Reid. Emily had cheerfully enquired when Reid first returned, "Hey great to see you back," Emily had beamed, when the team returned to the Unit after a case for debriefing. "Congratulations on your marriage!"
"Yeah," interrupted Morgan who was also pleased to see him back. "So what's the lady's name and what does she do?" he continued, asking the question that had been on every ones lips for weeks, especially because Reid had not answered any emails that they had sent him during his sick leave.
"Susie…and she's a consultant in Forensic Computing so she doesn't talk about her work," he replied but it was an answer and tone that gave the listener the unsaid warning of 'don't delve'. But the Unit was aware of the experts who worked there; rumours were that the majority in the Unit were suffering from Asperger's syndrome. The Forensic Computing personnel were not known for their socialising and it was said that the most highly paid of the consultants were the best 'hackers' in the world but were equally known for their secrecy and high level of security clearance.
"Susie's a barcode?" asked Emily quietly and with a serious tone.
"Yes, so just don't ask," the returning agent had replied and so they had met with the official wall of silence. A 'barcode' meant that this consultant had a photo card ID which also had an additional barcode that gave them access to restricted areas and implied sensitive work and the highest of trust within the organisation.
But Morgan was not an agent to be easily thwarted and dug again, "So how long have you known your lady?"
Reid had just smiled and replied, "You don't remember do you? After the football date with J.J., I told you that it didn't matter about being involved with someone from a different department after you had reminded me to be careful about dating colleagues within the same unit."
Morgan had looked thoughtful and never raised the issue again.
But these events seemed so far away now. Agent Jareau just hoped that Susie loved the genius and that they were happy together…
"J.J.!"
Jareau jumped at the deep voice of her boss.
"Oh, sorry Hotch I was miles away," she replied pulling herself back to the present.
"You O.K.?" the older man said scrutinising his agent.
"Yeah, I was just thinking about Spence…I mean it must have been a hell of a shock last night although I know he was worried about Gideon's no-show. I just hope his wife is supportive," she answered truthfully because Hotch would not have respected anything less.
Hotch nodded with understanding, "Susie is an intelligent lady and I have the impression from Spencer that it is a strong and mutually supportive marriage."
"Good, I know they keep it all very private…and as a private person myself I can understand that," she added, "But I suppose I've always had a soft spot for him…I mean like a big sister looking out for a little brother," she added hastily trying to justify this line of conversation.
"It's all right J.J., I think we all realise that in the team. I just wanted to make sure that you were all right because you're on your own in here."
Jareau gave a sad smile at the thoughtfulness, "I'm shocked but I'm all right, like I said I'm more concerned about Spence."
"Yes, I second that sentiment but he was coping well last night and our genius is a lot stronger than we sometimes give him credit for."
Hotch re-assured but he was relieved when the psych department informed him that Agent Reid would not be returning to the Unit until after the funeral and that he was as all right as any man could be after finding a colleague who had brutally committed suicide.
End of Chapter 2
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