Author: Ren Kayashima
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Alas my top secret mission to steal the rights to Criminal Minds failed. At the last minute my repel line broke and I was arrested for trespassing on ABC ground. If you would like to help me with bail money…
0o0o0o0
Chapter Seven:
Reid stood next to Ethan as the latter straightened his tie. Reid was already in his tuxedo and it made him feel uncomfortable. The suit was heavier than his normal choice of clothing, and the July humidity wasn't helping. He wanted to be back in his slacks and sweater vests. He didn't worry about his hair most days, but today he made sure that it was perfectly manicured. He didn't need Mary Lou Bordeaux chastising him if there was a strand out of place.
"So, Marisa's friend Gwen seems to have taken a liking to you," Ethan grinned. "I have to ask: what do you think about her?"
"She's weird," Spencer stated bluntly.
"Wait until I tell Marisa that you hate her best friend," Ethan laughed.
"I don't hate her!" Reid said quickly. He let out a sigh to regain his composer. "She's like Garcia. I never know what she's going to say next. She likes to tease me," he explained as he crossed his arms. It was true; Garcia and Gwen both had an affinity for teasing the young doctor.
"Spencer, everyone teases you," Ethan laughed. He turned to look at his friend. "What makes her so different?" he asked as he raised a curious eyebrow.
Reid ignored his friend as he looked at his overly formal self in the mirror. He adjusted his watch once more. It felt awkward to have it actually touching his skin instead of around the fabric of his shirt. "You need to start heading out. Marisa is going to be at the alter before you if you don't."
Ethan laughed and clapped Reid on the back. "Whatever you say doctor."
0o0o0o0
"You and Spencer are getting along well," Marisa told Gwen as she applied her make-up. The Southern blond was in a simple slip knowing that she would be crazy to put her dress on before her make-up was done.
Gwen sat next to her in a white robe already done with her little make-up and working on trying to put her frizzy hair in order. She shrugged as she pulled a flat iron away from her. Her hair dropped onto her shoulder perfectly straight. After applying some hairspray she spoke. "Dr. Reid is a pretty cool guy. He gets a little flustered every time we talk though."
"That's your fault," Marisa stated matter-of-factly as she added a little bit more mascara to her eyes. "You always put people on edge with your go-get-em' attitude. You need to think about Spencer's situation. He's extremely awkward around people. Ethan said that you could barely get the kid out of his dorm back at Caltech."
"Sorry, but it's incredibly amusing," Gwen smiled as she straightened another part of her hair. "Our first night here…" she trailed off.
"What?" Marisa asked. She looked at the P.I and found that Gwen had a small smile on her face as she tamed her brown locks.
"I don't know," Gwen sighed. "We met on the balcony-"
"Sound's romantic," Marisa giggled.
"Shush," Gwen snapped childishly. "Even though he was flustered, he was… real. I like that."
"Interviewing politicians, you don't really get that. Do you?" Marisa nodded in understanding. It seemed like everyone in Washington was experienced in the art of doublespeak. She preferred it when Gwen was doing investigative pieces, but she wasn't going to say anything. She still got paid for political commentary. "When are you going to start doing investigative pieces again?" she asked.
"When I don't have two nosy teenagers living with me," Gwen said. She checked her hair in the mirror and deemed it presentable. "It's time to get you walking down the aisle," Gwen stood up and walked over to a navy cocktail length strapless dress. Around the waist was a baby blue sash. "Let me get into my dress, and then I'll help you with yours."
Marisa nodded with a small smile. "You were happier when you were investigating," she said.
"Drop it Marisa," Gwen sighed. "I can't write those articles right now."
0o0o0o0
Following the wedding ceremony at Saint Louis Cathedral, the wedding party and guests made their way to the New Orleans University Club where they were greeted with an open bar and a buffet style dinner. Marisa and Ethan wanted a casual setting for the reception so the tables were small and there was no assigned seating. They wanted people walking around socializing.
Gwen stood next to a table with her hand braced against the edge. She teetered on one foot as she tried to remove the black sling-back peep toe heel. She took off her other shoe as Marisa walked over with a pair of instant flats. Marisa lifted up the skirt of her dress to reveal that she too had traded flats for her uncomfortable heels.
Gwen took the flats from her friend. "Ris," she gushed. "You were amazing."
"Our vows were pretty basic," Marisa sighed. She stood in her floor-length strapless dress. The skirt was a loose lightweight fabric, and the bodice was beaded with intricate twists and turns. The bride looked around the busy country club and smiled when she saw Spencer talking with Ethan. "I hope your friend can get a speech out. You know it's tradition for the Best Man to give a toast."
Gwen looked across the room at Spencer as she pulled on her flats. Marisa's mother wouldn't hear of the Maid of Honor walking around barefoot, even if Gwen wanted to. There were standards to be upheld, and as an honorary member of the family, she was held to those standards. "He'll come up with something great," she said. "I'm sure of it."
"Are you going to give a toast?" Marisa asked.
Gwen shook her head. "I'm going to eat and watch people make complete fools out of themselves while they dance. That includes you," she answered.
Spencer Reid made his way to the bathroom. He needed to wash his hands before he even considered getting a plate of food. They were so sweaty, that he feared he would drop the plate. He really wanted to get the fettuccine alfredo that everyone was calling divine, delicious, and scrumptious.
As he stood in front of the sink he stared at himself in the mirror. His hair was still perfect due to some miracle, and he no longer looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a rushing car. That is until he spotted two sets of feet in one bathroom stall. Judging by the red patent leather pumps, one pair belonged to a woman. He immediately rushed out of the bathroom when he heard a moan.
In his flustered state, he didn't notice Gwen making her way to the table where a chef was cooking up some pasta.
"Oh!" Gwen yelped. She turned and steadied Dr. Reid by placing her hands on his shoulders. "Dr. Reid, you look like you just saw a ghost."
"There were…" Reid stopped talking. He couldn't even fathom something like that happening in a bathroom. They were at a wedding for God's sake.
Gwen smiled and gave his shoulders a comforting squeeze. "Relax doc," she said. "We're at a kick ass party, and you look like you're about to jump into a shark tank. Are you hungry?"
Reid nodded and closed his stuttering mouth and made his way to the pasta table.
As Gwen and Reid sat down with their food at an empty table, Gwen smiled gently. "It's been brought to my attention that I may owe you an apology for my rather unorthodox behavior."
Spencer stared at her as she spun her fork to gather up some pasta and alfredo sauce. Apparently she had heard the same things that he did when it came to the food. "You remind me of someone I work with," he said. After spending a week with her, he felt a bit more comfortable around her. He still had no clue what she would say when they began talking, but after the initial shock, they fell into an easy conversation. "You don't have to apologize for being you."
"Yes, but I always seem to put you in an awkward spot, and while I enjoy teasing people, sometimes, I need to be told if I've gone too far," Gwen smiled. "I make a living by catching people off guard, and it's hard to turn that off." She stared at him expecting a response. When she didn't get one, she shrugged and changed the topic. "Are you ready to give your toast?"
"Do I have a choice?" Reid asked. When he told Hotch about being the Best Man at Ethan's wedding the toast tradition was brought up, and Reid had been dreading it ever since. Even Morgan mentioned the ill-fated toast to him.
Gwen laughed slightly. "It's tradition for the Best Man to toast the happy couple," she reminded him.
Reid poked at his plate of food when a sudden thought popped into his head. "I've been meaning to ask you something," Reid stated quickly. It was something that raised his curiosity, and it would change the subject.
"Ask away."
"You live above Espresso Shot," Reid stated.
Gwen nodded. She made a gesture with a flick of her hand that prompted the agent to continue.
"Why do you live there?" Reid swallowed as he began cutting the long pasta with his fork. The last thing he needed was to choke.
"My office is next door," Gwen said. "Jen and I own the building. We bought it with the money that Jen inherited from her grandmother. I got money from my grandfather when he passed away back while I was in high school. I was only sixteen, but I was smart enough to listen to my brother and sister and put it in a couple of stocks. Once it grew I pulled it out and created a separate savings account for when I was ready to start up a business."
"Smart."
Gwen nodded as she took another bite. "Jen's married, she lived with her husband in a small house. I took the condo above our business because I was tired of living with Scott in D.C."
"So you work next door to the coffee shop?" Reid asked.
"Mmmhmm," Gwen hummed. "It's small and there are a couple of other offices that Jen and I rent out. My office is next door to a divorce lawyer who likes to throw some business my way, and I do the same. Across the hall is a workers comp lawyer and a personal injury lawyer."
Reid smiled. By renting out the extra office space Jen and Gwen didn't have to pay as much for the mortgage.
Gwen chewed pensively. "What about you? Do you live in Quantico?"
Reid shook his head. "I live in D.C. I own a flat in an older part of the city." He leaned back in his seat as a sudden pain shot through his head. He pleaded with his body to stall the oncoming migraine.
Gwen narrowed her eyes as she watched Spencer clench his jaw and close his eyes. He took a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief when the live band stopped playing. I know that look. Gwen thought. It was the look that Dr. Spencer Reid had on his face when she first saw him. "Dr. Reid, are you okay?" she asked.
Reid smiled weakly and nodded. He looked around and saw people setting up the plates for the cake. He had to make his speech before they cut the cake. "I guess it's time for my toast."
"Do you want to get a drink from the bar to calm your rattled nerves?" Gwen joked as she finished off the last of her pasta.
Reid shook his head. Alcohol was something that he didn't need. He couldn't take an Advil or Tylenol, so he was going to tough it out. He's made it through several migraines already, he was certain that he would be fine.
Reid stood up and made his way to the cake table. Gwen quickly followed and chose a strategic position across from the doctor. A waitress walked by and handed Reid a flute of Champaign. Gwen grabbed a flute for herself off of a tray as she leaned against a support beam.
"As tradition dictates," Winston stated as he called the room to attention. "The Best Man will now give a toast to the couple before we cut the cake."
Reid swallowed as everyone looked at him, wondering what prose would come out of the doctor's mouth. He held his Champaign flute in one hand while he stuffed the other hand in his pocket.
"Uh…" he began. He searched the room for something to stare at as he stumbled through the speech he had rehearsed for the past week. Marisa and Ethan were hugging each other close as they waited for Spencer to speak. He saw Gwen across the room looking at him with that same gentle smile she had at the rehearsal dinner.
"In Springer Mountain, Georgia, there's a register at the beginning of the Appalachian Trail," Reid began. "People sign it and try to write an inspiring message for other hikers to look at before they begin on their long adventure.
"The person's name at this point eludes me, but when I went to Springer Mountain for a case, I had just started at the BAU. Before leaving, I had a chance to look at the register, and this person wrote four words that rung true for me, and will ring true for Marisa and Ethan now. Those words were 'Your journey begins here.'"
Reid looked at the happy couple and raised his glass slightly. "Ethan, Marisa, together you will begin a new chapter in your lives together. I wish you the best and hope that the many journeys that do come will bring you closer as a couple and forever give you happiness."
Reid raised his glass high as the rest of the crowd did too. Gwen snuck up to Marisa and grinned. "I told you he would be great," she whispered.
Marisa nodded having gotten a little teary eyed. "I wonder how long he was thinking about it," she mused.
Ethan laughed and hugged his wife closer. "He's probably been trying to come up with it since I asked him to be my Best Man."
Gwen left the couple and walked over to Reid. "Inspiring words doctor," she said. She watched as he winces when a camera flash went off. "You sure you're all right?" she asked again.
"Yes," Reid said quickly.
Gwen frowned, but turned her attention to the happy couple as they cut the cake. "I hope you like chocolate," she said.
Gwen and Reid sat back down at their small table and Gwen focused on her cake while Spencer begged his headache to go away. He needed to last three hours and he couldn't do that if the pounding in his head didn't stop. He picked up his fork and pulled a small bite from the spongy chocolate cake. Another camera flash caused him to duck his head and wince.
Gwen set her fork down. "Dr. Reid, you should go back to Maison de Bordeaux. It's going to get loud again pretty soon, and cameras will be shoved in your face because you're the Best Man."
Reid shook his head. "I'm fine."
Gwen stood up suddenly and grabbed her cake. She moved to another table where her fellow Berkeley friends sat.
Ethan walked over and sat down. "What did you do to scare Gwen off?" he asked.
"Nothing," Reid stated defensively. "She just got off and left."
"We're about to throw the bouquet, you need to be ready to catch the garter."
Reid blushed as he reluctantly nodded. What would it look like if he didn't participate? He wasn't going to catch the thing anyway. He wondered if Gwen would try to catch the bouquet. She seemed to be enjoying the entire trip.
Reid stood up as all the single woman shuffled onto the dance floor. Marisa stood in front of them her bouquet of white roses and navy carnations. Marisa turned away from her guests and tossed the bouquet over her shoulder.
Reid watched as the flowers soared over half the women's heads. Gwen jumped up slightly and caught the bouquet as her feet touched the ground. She had a look of surprise on her face as she stared at the flowers. Reid thought that Gwen has no intentions of catching them. She only wanted it to look as if she had tried. This thought was confirmed when she started muttering a decent line of expletives.
Marisa laughed as a photographer pulled Gwen over to the bride to snap a quick picture.
Reid was herded onto the dance floor as Ethan helped Marisa sit in a chair. The room erupted in whistles and cat calls as Ethan lifted Marisa's skirt up. Reid winced as Marisa hid her face in mock embarrassment as she shook with laughter.
Reid was determined not to catch the garter. He slipped one hand in his pocket and didn't lift his open hand until Ethan had thrown the garter in the air. Reid jumped when the silk fabric touched his hand. Instinctually, his hand closed around the elastic symbol of intimacy. Crap! He thought.
If he actually believed in the folklore behind catching the garter, then this meant he would be the next person to get married. As it was, the wedding party would try to set Gwen and him up. He let out a mental groan as he was dragged over to the newlyweds for a picture.
Reid lasted a half hour before Gwen walked up to him. His head was ready to explode now that the music was on again.
"Go back to the mansion, or I'll drag you there myself," she ordered. She had a stern look on her face and it took Reid by surprise when she put her hands on her hips.
"I'm-"
"No, you're not!" Gwen whispered harshly as she cut him off. "You have a headache again. You keep wincing like you did when I first met you, so don't lie to me. I get enough of that when I'm on Capitol Hill."
Reid wasn't about to be babied by the woman. "I can handle a migraine," he stated.
"I'm not telling you to leave because I don't think you can handle it. I'm telling you to leave because I'm worried," Gwen countered. "Please, Dr. Reid, go back to the mansion."
Reid remained in his seat and Gwen stormed off. He watched as she talked with Marisa. The bride looked around anxiously as Gwen shook her head. Marisa and Gwen hugged and the bride whispered in Gwen's ear.
Marisa walked over a minute later to the young doctor. "Spencer, would you mind escorting Gwen back to the house. She isn't feeling well it seems and I don't want to put her in a taxi by herself."
Reid looked at Gwen from across the room. She had crossed her arms. He looked back at Marisa. The bride had a look of concern, but not for him. Her concern was directed at Gwen. Reid sighed. "Okay."
Reid met Gwen outside of the club. He stood next to her as she picked at her painted nailed. "You lied to Marisa," he said.
"I got you out of there didn't I?" Gwen asked as she saw a taxi pull up. "Marisa never lets me ride a taxi by myself. I knew that she would ask you to come with me because we've been talking the entire time we've been in New Orleans." She walked over to the taxi and opened the door. Reid climbed in and Gwen shut the door when she was seated. She gave the taxi drive the address and looked out the window as they continued their conversation.
"You didn't have to do that," Reid said.
"So, you were going to leave on your own?" Gwen asked.
"The reception was almost over," Reid argued.
"No," Gwen said. "There was another two hours of loud music and cameras."
"There was?" Reid asked surprised. "I thought we had been there longer than that."
After Gwen paid for the taxi, she followed Reid into the quiet mansion. She opened his bedroom door and ushered the doctor inside. "You better be in bed by the time I come to check on you."
Gwen closed his door and made her way to her own room. She pulled her flats off and dropped her heels on the ground. She let out a sigh as she stared at herself in the vanity mirror.
A half hour later, Gwen had showered and changed into a pair of baggy pajama bottoms and orange camisole, and zip-up hoodie. She left her room and knocked on Reid's door. "Dr. Reid, I'm coming in."
She opened the door and found the room dark. The moon shone through the French doors, and Reid groaned as the hall light peeked in.
Gwen sat in the large grey reading chair and looked at the curled up agent in concern. "This is the second time I've seen you with a migraine. Is everything all right?"
"I've already seen a doctor. He told me that there's nothing medically wrong," Reid said.
"Stress?" Gwen supplied. She knew his job wasn't easy. Maybe he just needed a break from the blood and gore.
Reid didn't respond. "You can leave. I'm going to stay here the rest of the night," he said suddenly. It was quiet and there wasn't a lot of light.
Gwen felt the need to explain her concern. "I get worried about headaches because my dad had them. Doctors discovered a benign brain tumor," she said quietly. "It could have been worse. I thought I was going to lose my dad just like I had lost my sister. Now do you understand why I wanted you to leave the reception, Dr. Reid?"
Reid blinked a couple time before he could pick out Gwen's silhouetted figure in the reading chair. "You can call me Spencer."
He heard Gwen sigh. "I'm going to stay here until you fall asleep," she said. "I just want to make sure that you're okay."
"You don't have to," Reid said as he turned away from her.
Gwen smiled and shook her head. "I want to," she stated. "Just try and go to sleep."
Reid winced again and buried his face in his pillow. He would have chosen to stay in his tux if he thought he could fall asleep sooner, but he found his regular sleepwear much more comfortable, and there wasn't a penalty if he ripped his grey t-shirt. The tux was rented and destroying it would be very bad. He listened to Gwen as she moved in the chair by his bed. He wouldn't say it, but he was glad she had taken him back to the Bordeaux home. He wasn't sure he could last another couple hours.
0o0o0o0
Marisa opened Gwen's bedroom door with the intention of waking her friend up for breakfast. She was hoping her former roommate was feeling better. Gwen told her that she was feeling ill at the reception, and Marisa never felt comfortable letting Gwen travel alone after an incident back when they were in college. She asked Spencer to take Gwen home hoping that they would be good company.
Marisa looked at the empty room in confusion. When Ethan called her name, she pulled her head out of the room and walked over to her husband who had gone to wake Spencer up. This would be the last day the couple was in Louisiana before they left on their honeymoon. "What?" she asked.
Ethan opened Spencer's door all the way. "I found Gwen," he said with a smile.
Marisa's eyes widened when she saw Gwen curled up in the plush grey reading chair. Her legs hung over one of the arms as her head fell to the side onto the padded back of the chair. Her arms had been crossed to keep her body warm.
Marisa crept into the room on her tiptoes. She shook Gwen's shoulder, but the woman wouldn't wake up.
Ethan grinned. This was too perfect. How could he waste such an opportunity? "Good morning everybody!" he shouted.
Gwen's eyes snapped open as Spencer jumped up in his bed.
"Ethan!" Marisa scolded. She knew that Ethan liked to poke fun at the two wedding guest because of the way they had been acting, but she was certain that this was an unusual circumstance for both Gwen and Reid.
Gwen turned and flipped out of the chair. She lifted her head up and met Spencer's shocked expression. "Shit!" she screamed. She quickly jumped up and pushed past Ethan in embarrassment. Marisa winced when she heard a door slam. Reid looked at everyone and wished they weren't in his room.
"Really?" Marisa asked her husband as she crossed her arms.
0o0o0o0
Author's Note: This is possibly the longest chapter I've ever written, but I hope you enjoyed it and didn't get bored. I wanted to finish off the wedding this chapter, but if I rushed it please let me know. I was thinking about writing the actual wedding, but I would have bored myself with it, so I can only imagine what it would do for the readers.
Please leave a review letting me know what you think. I know that a lot happened in this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed it.
Ren
