Weather the Storm

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas.

This is my story for the CCOAC Colours of the Rainbow Challenge. I picked Reid and was assigned Strauss (over the moon with that one – honest) and the sentence;

Staring out the window, she saw everything appeared faded by the lack of sunlight as if the stormy grey clouds had sucked the colour from everything...

This is set somewhere in Season 7 – well my version of it anyway. Also I have finally got the sentence in!

. . .

Glancing at the clock, Erin realised the time, sighing she had hoped it wouldn't come to this. As she walked away from her desk she leant against the wall, noticing the rumble of the approaching thunder. Staring out the window, she saw everything appeared faded by the lack of sunlight as if the stormy grey clouds had sucked the colour from everything. Turning back to her office she knew the weather was the least of her problems. The storm that was brewing in the BAU far outweighed the downpour that was about to beginning outside.

Hovering over her phone, Erin held her breath. The soft knock on her door startled back into the present.

"Enter," she huffed indignantly.

Looking up she was surprised to see Dr Reid.

"Dr Reid?"

"You wanted my reason for leaving the FBI," Reid said matter of factly.

"Take a seat," she replied, more than slightly surprised.

Reid sat in the same spot he had been mere hours earlier. The fidgeting began immediately.

Strauss looked at the familiar the sight, she wonder how far around the circle they would get this time.

"So Doctor Reid, can you explain your reasons for wanting to leave?"

No-one could miss the sigh that seeped slowly from his lungs.

"Seaver's death was a catalyst," he began, "Seeing her die, watching as she took . . ."

Spencer paused, he had no idea where this was leading, he had not come here to confess the contents of his soul to the woman he considered to sit at the devil's right hand. He had come to tell her the facts. He was leaving, that having watched a colleague die had been the final straw. That this had been a long time coming, his problems had been spawn years ago, germinated at the loss of Elle, cultivated by Gideon's disappearance. Prentiss had seen his depression bloom and if he didn't cut it back now it would continue to grow until he was consumed. Leaving now he had a chance of a life.

"Watching as she took her final breath," he continued, "has made me realise that there has to be more to life than this. I have an IQ of 187 and an eidetic memory which is currently being used as a spare computer, so that Garcia can focus on searching for the information I don't know."

"You are saying you are leaving as you feel the job is unfulfilling," her perfectly plucked eyebrow arched.

"No, I telling you that I'm leaving as this is something I no longer want to do."

"Dr Reid, Spencer, I may call you Spencer?"

Reid shrugged, she could call him what she liked, he no longer cared.

"Spencer, I understand that this is an extremely stressful job. It is as mentally exhausting as it is physically, without the additional 'difficulties' your team have had to face over the last year. It is no wonder that you are feeling the strain, everyone is. Everyone has their own way of dealing with this . . . anger. . . disappointment . . . grief," Erin was struggling to find the appropriate emotion to match to his mood. "However I am surprised to find you discussing this with me. Have relationships within the BAU broken down completely."

Reid took a long draw of breath, "As I explained before I thought you would accept my resignation easier than Hotch. I know he would try to talk me out of this, so I preferred not to discuss this with him."

"If I forward your request you will have to talk to Hotch, it will not be effective immediately. As you are more than aware you're team is one profiler down, another so soon, well. I am willing to admit I am worried for the stability of your team; this could impact on them in unimaginable ways. I am very reluctant to make snap decisions."

Spencer shuffled uncomfortably; it had taken him weeks to pluck up the courage to place that finite letter on her desk. He had never imagined the battle that would ensue after it.

"I thought you were desperate to cut budgets?" he added, with a little more venom then even he imagined possible.

Erin inter laced her fingers, looking at the young man in front of her. He had come a long way in his years in the BAU, a lot further than anyone imagined. Gideon had been right to see the potential so many had over looked. Yet she could see the man before her was struggling to deal with the expectations laid upon him.

"May I suggest a sabbatical? It's not ideal, but it may give you the opportunity to face the issues that are currently troubling you. I think I can confidently speak on behalf of your Unit Chief when I say that you are an important member of the team. If in twelve months you feel the same way, then I will process you resignation, no questions asked."

Spencer looked up at the woman a few feet across from him. Trying to understand her motive, his eyes narrowed as if he could channel an inner vision that would allow him to see right through her. Yet he knew there was nothing transparent about this woman. Locked in stalemate, neither making a further moved, Reid was painfully aware of the ticking clock that signalled it was his turn.

"What would I do with a sabbatical?"

"What are you planning on doing when you leave the FBI?" she retorted quickly.

Spencer's mouth opened, but no sound passed his lips. He realised he had no idea what he was going to do. What would a burnt out BAU agent do?

"You have no plans?" Erin asked, her voice dripping in that familiar sarcasm.

"I . . . I . . . I haven't finalised anything," he stammered, cross that he had allowed her to out gun him.

"Then I suggest you use the year to see what the real world is like Dr Reid," Spencer inwardly winced, as she returned to the formal form of address, "You may find that the BAU is not such a bad place after all."

Spencer nodded his head, dropping his eyes to the floor, "I want it to be effective immediately."

"I can arrange that as part of the deal," she smiled, "I will speak to Aaron Hotchner and we will make arrangements for your leave. Thank you Dr Reid."

Erin stood, watching the rounded shoulders of the young genius as he rose and left.

Alone, in the soothing silence of her office, Erin became overtly aware of the hammering sound of the rain hitting her window. She smiled to herself, please that she had halted the impeding hurricane that seemed hell bent on stripping her prize team, though her soul feared that this was only a temporary reprieve.