Take Your Dad to Work Day
A/N: Hullo, again! It is time for a lesser-seen side of Reid: Cranky Reid. Yes… I kinda had fun with it, so I apologize if I went over-board. Heh. Enjoy!...?
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Chapter 7: The Big Reveal -or- Shouting Makes Everything Better
"What are you doing here? How did you get in here?" Reid asked, holstering his weapon.
William looked relieved as he put his arms down. "I know you work for the FBI, but knowing it and seeing you point a loaded gun at me is something else."
"What are you doing here?" Reid asked more forcefully.
"I didn't think I would get the chance to talk to you at work, so I looked you up. You keep a key above the door, just like at home." William explained.
Reid swore under his breath; he'd been meaning to take that key down since Morgan had found it some time ago. As his adrenaline rush began to fade, the pain in his leg returned with a vengeance. He quickly braced himself against the door frame and turned his glare back on William. For his part, William looked worried that his son was leaning flush against the doorway for support. "Where's your cane?" He asked quickly.
"I left it at the door because I thought someone was robbing my apartment."
William chose to ignore the second half of Reid's comment and went to retrieve his son's belongings from the hallway. He shut the door, picked up the forgotten cane and messenger bag, and walked back over to Reid. Snatching up the proffered items, Reid walked over to the couch and deposited his bag before turning back to glare at his father. "I'm sorry I just showed up here, but I didn't think I'd get to do what I need to do any other way." William apologized.
"And what, exactly, is it you need to do?" Reid asked coldly.
"There are things that need to be said…"
"Well, why don't you just write them down and leave them for me to read later?"
"I shouldn't have done that, I know, but…" William began quietly.
"Then why did you?" Reid interrupted fiercely.
"I couldn't… handle… I just couldn't…" William struggled to find the correct words.
"Just say it: You resented us! Mom was crazy and I was a freak and we were dragging you down!"
"Don't put words in my mouth!" William was beginning to lose his temper as well. "It wasn't like that!"
"Then how was it??"
"You have no idea! I watched the woman I loved descend into madness! And you… you were so much smarter than I was! There was nothing I could do for you that you couldn't do for yourself! You were so much better at taking care for the two of you than I ever was. What are you supposed to do when you 10-year-old son can take care of your sick wife better than you can?"
"You're supposed to stay by them no matter what!"
"You were so smart! I thought- I thought you could handle it…"
"It doesn't matter how smart I was, I was a child!"
"I- I…" William scrambled for an argument.
"I loved her too." Reid said more quietly. "She's my mother and I had to watch her lose her sanity knowing that could be me one day."
William said nothing, so Reid continued. Everything he had ever wanted to say to his father was surfacing and he wasn't about to lose the chance. "I spent eight years worrying that someone would catch on and take me away from the last person on Earth who cared about me. When one of us was hurt, I was afraid to go to the emergency room because someone might separate us. I had to take care of everything. I made decisions no one should have to make, let alone someone my age! Do you know what it's like to have to take your mother to the emergency room because she tried to kill herself?? Or what it's like to be beaten repeatedly by people five years older than you? Do you… know what I… what we went through without you there?" He was quickly running out of steam by now.
William watched his son with a morbid fascination, unable to look away. After a few more minutes of ranting, Reid finally fell silent, taking a deep breath and simply staring at William. Then, he spoke again, surprising even himself. "I know you have your reasons for leaving but you can't expect me to get over it like that." Reid snapped his fingers allowing the room to fall into silence once more.
After a minute, the older man broke the silence. "I don't. I don't know. I suppose I really have no idea. But… my reasons seemed… valid at the time. I'm sorry." The older man hung his head in shame, continuing his speech. "She… wasn't the only person who cared about you. I loved you both, I did. And I still do. And… I'm so proud of you… what you've done…" William spoke quietly, not meeting his son's eyes.
Reid slumped down on the couch. His anger was gone now and he was left with nothing but exhaustion. "Just- go." He said finally.
"Okay, son, okay. I- here's the address where I'm staying and my number… just in case." William placed a slip of paper on the coffee table in front of Reid before he left without another word.
Reid sighed and glared down at the address. After a moment he laid down on the couch. This truly was a mess… he didn't even feel angry anymore. Perhaps shouting at his father was something he had needed to do. But with the anger gone, what was left? Could he really trust William again? It would have been so much easier if he could have stayed angry…
Sighing again, Reid shut his eyes and tried to focus on better things. Happier times before the stress had gotten to William. With those thoughts in mind, Reid drifted off to sleep.
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JJ stood up in front of the mass of ravenous reporters, wrapping up the press conference. "So, if anyone has any information regarding this suspect, please do not hesitate to call the FBI tip line. Thank you." She stepped away from the podium, down off the platform, and walked back into the FBI building, which the conference had been held in front of.
She met with Hotch just inside the doors. "How was it?"
"It looked good." He told her with a nod.
"All we do now is wait." JJ said, heading for the elevators.
"And keep working the profile." Hotch replied, following her.
"And work the profile." JJ nodded.
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Almost everyone had already arrived and was sitting around the round table room. JJ and Rossi were nursing cups of coffee as Emily poured over witness statements and case files. Hotch was in his office, gathering some files he had been looking at earlier that morning. Morgan had arrived only minutes ago and was still situating himself as Reid walked in on his own two legs. "Hey, Spence, feeling better?" JJ greeted him warmly.
"Ah- I think I am, yeah." Reid gave her a small smile.
Hotch came back into the room carrying an armful of folders. "Good, everyone's here." He said, putting the files down on the table. "Alright, what's our next step?"
Before anyone could speak, a young woman poked her head into the room. "Agent Jareau? There's a call." She addressed JJ.
JJ excused herself and left with the young agent. "We should start showing that picture around the community college, telling people the profile." Rossi said, calling everyone's attention back.
"That's a good idea. Reid, Morgan, why don't you go and do that while…" Hotch began.
"Don't bother, I think we've got him." JJ said, running back up from the bullpen. "A girl called the tip line saying she had a class with someone who fits the profile to a tee."
"What's the name?" Rossi asked, leaning forward.
"Daniel Fletcher. We can get Garcia to check him out." JJ told them, heading back down for the tech's office.
The others followed quickly, not quite used to just going and asking Garcia for info rather than calling her.
"Well, hello, my friends, to what do I owe this pleasurable mass visit?" Garcia said, watching as six other people piled into her small office.
"Garcia we need you to look up Daniel Fletcher." Hotch told her.
"Why, is he cute?" Garcia asked, turning to her computers and tapping furiously on the keys.
"He might be our unsub." Reid said.
"Oh," Garcia said after a moment. "Ew."
Morgan, Emily, and JJ tried to hide their smiles as Garcia searched. "And Bingo is our sicko. Or Daniel, I guess, but that's not the point…" She said, turning back to the group.
"Garcia…" Hotch brought her back on topic.
"Right, the point is, I have found Daniel Fletcher. He is 20 years old, current residence is a house conveniently close to all our crime scenes. In fact, that's been his residence since he was about 8."
"That would explain his familiarity with the area." Emily pointed out.
"He works for a small repair company which I'm betting works for victim number one's company."
"The transportation and access to Marcus Whitman." Morgan said.
"His mother died exactly one week before the killings started…"
"The stressor." Rossi interrupted.
"Any signs of abuse, Garcia? He may be going after his father soon, rather than substitutes. Where is his father?" Hotch asked quickly.
"If you would all stop interrupting me, I will get to it!" Garcia insisted, waving her hands in the air and bringing them back down to the keyboard. "There were no signs of abuse and his father is… dead. He died 10 years ago… in fact the date of his death is eerily close to his wife's."
"That's what the broken heart means," Reid said suddenly. "He feels his father abandoned him when he was helpless and broke his heart, figuratively."
"He's a real literal guy, then, huh?" Garcia muttered.
"Garcia, what's his address?" Hotch asked.
"I've got it, but I wouldn't bother with his house. His credit history shows he's been staying at a hotel."
"Which hotel?"
"The… Dayton Hotel."
Reid paled visibly, turning an owlish stare on Garcia. "Which hotel?" He asked quietly.
"The Dayton. Why, do you… what's wrong?" Garcia looked concerned as she turned to face the young profiler. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"That's the hotel my father is staying at."
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William Reid sat on the end of the hotel bed, wondering what to do. Even if Spencer didn't want to talk to him, he was in D.C…. he might as well see some sights while he was here. But what if Spencer tried to call while he was out? No closer to making a decision, William lay back on the bed spread and sighed. Suddenly, a thump and a shout of anger jarred him from his contemplative silence. It seemed to have come from one room over.
Before he knew what he was doing, he had opened his door and walked over to the next room. The door was slightly ajar, so he knocked gently and called into the room. "Is everything alright in there?"
The door swung open further to reveal a young man sitting on the bed, his head in his hands, breathing heavily. "Are- are you okay?" William asked quietly.
The young man looked up at him suddenly, scrutinizing him with wide, dark brown eyes, reminding him a little of Spencer. "I- I'm not sure." The young man said finally.
"What's wrong?"
"I- my father… he left me and I'm just…" The young man stuttered.
"I- I'm sorry to hear that… what's your name?" William inched closer into the room.
"Daniel… Daniel Fletcher."
"I'm William Reid."
They sat in awkward silence before William spoke once more, not entirely sure why he felt the need to be open with Daniel. "You know, I have a son."
"Hm?"
"Yeah… And I'm so proud of him. Dr. Spencer Reid. He works for the FBI."
"And… I bet you'd never do anything to hurt him, would you?" Daniel asked quietly, putting his head back in his hands.
"Actually… I… did. When he was young. I left him when I should have stuck by him… I abandoned him…" William said quietly.
Daniel's head snapped up, his eyes locking onto William. "Oh, really?"
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A/N: Oh, noes! Look out, William! Heh, I hope you're all enjoying! Just one chapter left, then the epilogue, then we're done… wow. Oh, by the way, I mentioned the key above Reid's door in the first Criminal Minds story I wrote called "More Accurately Put, Evil Incarnate." It's not important though. Review if you'd like! Thanks!
Thank you to everyone who has added this to their alerts and favorites and thanks a bunch to charming2drew, Nymphadora-CullenBAU, MagnusSpark, Stashed Away, hpenchantress, JusticeIsBlind13, and dangerousdolphin for your wonderful reviews. You guys make me smile! :)
