A/N: So, I gave it a shot. Hope you like it, Michou7.
If any of you have another idea in mind just tell me. =)
At first, Jason Gideon hesitated. Dr. Spencer Reid had written him letters ever since he left the BAU. Not much, but one a year, at least. Since he couldn't really be sure If his letter would arrive at the right Gideon's house he had to copy his letter. Sometimes Jason recieved the original, sometimes a copy. They always started in the same way, though.
Dear Mr. Gidon,
my name is Dr. Spencer Reid. This letter is supposed to be for a friend of mine, who disappeared not leaving an adress. I really hope you're this friend of mine. Else it would be nice If you could inform me about my mistake, either by e-mail or letter (contact details below). I'm sorry If I bothered you. I'm happy If I found you.
Sincerly,
Dr. Spencer Reid
After that the real letter was attached. It usually dealed with matters of no real consequence, which was so not Reid that it had Gideon curious right from the first letter. But he wasn't ready to answer the first letter. Not the second, either. It went on like that until the 13th letter he'd recieved two weeks ago.
Normally, Reid's letters were about 4 pages long. They quite serene. Never telling to much, but yet enough for Gideon to follow his friend's path through life. This time the letter was short. One page only and this one page wasn't even clean delineated.
Dear Gideon,
I'm sorry for not writing you until today. It's been half a year. I'm pretty sure I've got your right adress now, but I won't come over to visit, because I think you should be visiting us. The Christmas party starts at 4 p.m. on the 24th. It would be a blast to see you there.
I think it's time for you to meet some really great people.
Just ask for me once you're there.
Up for some chess?
Reid
Gideon had already noticed Reid's language developing, but this letter seemed so un-Reid-ish. It was fascinating and scaring him at the same time. When he looked at Stephen, who'd grown so much the last seven years he wanted to go and see the others. Reid wrote him about son Henry. Gideon would've liked to check on her and make sure she was happy. Even more he wanted to check on Reid to see if he was happy. But seeing Hotch again...
Well, let's say he didn't feel like they'd parted in great peace. He didn't know whether it was worth it. And still he was standing outside the building right now. His colleagues and friends just two floors up. It took him a lot courage to walk inside.
He was sweating as he went and told the receptionist that he was up to see Dr. Reid. It was weird. Formerly, he had just shown his badge to everyone when he was inside that building. Though he hadn't done that in years it still felt weird, especially at this place.
"Dr. Reid? Here's a..." The receptionist furrowed her brows.
"Jason Gideon."
"A Mr. Gideon to see you... Alright, Sir, I'll send him up." A little irritated, the recipionist hung up the phone and made an attempt to show Gideon the elevators.
"I know where they are, thank you", he refused.
"Alright. Have a nice visit."
Damn, he was nervous!
As he stepped out of the elevator there was no Reid behind the door waiting for him. Though this jarred him he didn't want to let this show. He walked down the floor and spotted some of his colleagues. J.J was sitting in the right corner, a blonde boy sitting on her lap. He seemed to be around six years old. He seemed like he was in need of a haircut. Reid had told him about Henry being his tiny protégé.
There was the tech-assistant... what was her name again? Gracie? No. Garcia. Yeah, that seemed right. She'd changed her hair color. Derek was sitting next to her. He seemed to be fine. Plus, he seemd more mature than the last time he'd seen him. Hotch was there, too.
Gideon turned his eyes away from him quite quickly. Else he was unfamiliar with the faces and people he saw. Reid was nowhere to be found. Gideon swallowed and turned around. He just couldn't...
"Hi, Gideon", Reid said bluntly.
"Reid." There was nothing else Gideon could think of to say. He scrutinized him from the top to the bottom whereas Reid did the same. Reid had his hair cut a little and he was properly shaved as usually. He still wore his same dorky clothes. But just like Derek he seemed more mature now then when Gideon left. He'd improved a lot and apparently, this wasn't the whole story.
The profiler was softly pushing a buggy forward and backward, rocking the baby inside. The baby wasn't older than a year. Gideon would've reckoned the baby being four months old by size. It shocked him, though. Reid never made a noise about having a girlfriend, never mind a baby.
"You..."
"Yes, she's mine", Reid clarified proudly. "It's one of the reasons I asked you to come. I wanted you to meet her... Thank you for coming." Reid was beaming ear to ear. He almost forgot to rock his daughter's buggy about that.
"Wow... well, congratulations." Gideon couldn't help. He brushed through the hair he'd left. A baby. He would've never expected that.
"Thank you."
"How old is she", he asked after a silent minute had passed in which they'd both just watched the baby's sweet slumber.
"She's six months and two days today" , Reid told him. As he recognized Gideon furrowing his brows he added: "She was born at 25 weeks premature. There was a lot she'd to catch up on. Actually, we just brought her home from the NICU last week."
"Oh." Gideon couldn't help, but think how grateful he was for having a healthy son born at 37 weeks. "I'm sorry."
"You don't have to be", Reid assured him. The buggy still between them. Both of them desired a hug after the long time. But he wasn't yet ready to take the last obstacle away. "She's alive and happy, nothing else matters, really."
The baby girl yawned and blinked her tiny eyes. At the sight, Gideon blinked his eyes just to make sure he wasn't mistaking. "She's blind", he blurted. It was rather a statement than a question.
"Yeah." Reid looked hearbroken. "It was unpreventable."
"I'm sorry", Gideon said.
"Oh really, it's not necessary. I've read 81 books about how to raise a blind child already. I think we're good and Maeve... Maeve's just lovely. She talks all day."
"So it's Maeve? Nice choice", Gideon guessed.
"No..." Reid chuckled, while his daughter was showing the opposite of that expression. "It's Bridget. Maeve's my wife."
It slipped from his lips so easily, so naturally, that it impressed Reid himself.
"You're married?"
"Almost for two years", Reid nodded shyly. Before Gideon could say anything else, Bridget started to cry.
Gideon went to his knees to check on her and Reid joined him.
"Probably she needs a new diaper?"
"Nah, I don't think so. Just changed her half an hour ago... she's just confused." Gideon gave him a uncomprehending expression. "She's blind", Reid explained, "She doesn't know where she is. Wouldn't that confuse you, too?" It actually turned out to be snappier than planned. "Sorry. I didn't mean to..."
"It's not a problem. What we gotta do about it", Gideon asked pointing to still crying Bridget.
"Uhm... Usually my voice helps her, but... she knows Maeve's way better than mine. I'll go get her. If you'd just..." Reid pointed to Bridget in a self explaining gesture.
"Sure. Go ahead."
Gideon looked at the baby. She was still crying. Her eyes were looking at nothing and they didn't have Reid's eye color. They were blue like the say, but with a milky shade to it. Her head was covered by a red baby cap only and she didn't seem to grow hair yet.
Bridget. Gideon liked this name choice. As it seemed to took Reid hours to gather his wife Gideon tried talking to her.
"Hi, Bridget...", he said. He looked her deep into those eyes and though they weren't of the same color as Reids he found some of Reid in it.
God. He'd missed all of that. Reid was now a married man. He even had a child. Knowing Reid he assumed that he'd known Bridget's mother way longer before they got serious and had their child... How old was Reid now, 34? When he'd left he still in his twenties.
Would Reid have told him about his girlfriend if he'd been there? Would he have given his makeshift son advise on women if he'd been there? Would he have reassured Reid after his child was born premature if he'd been there?
Gideon started brushing through is hair in frustration again when suddenly he felt tiny, chubby hands on his face. he looked up and saw Bridget reaching for him. She was pulling at his cheeks, trailing her hand over his nose and... he quickly closed his eyes so that she wouldn't poke them.
When he opened them again the girl was done exploring his face. She was done crying, too. Her blank eyes glared his direction and though he knew she couldn't see him he felt like she was watching him. Waiting for him to make a move.
"Hi, Bridget", he said, more softly this time. He reached a hand out and took one of her hands in his. Both would have fit in twice.
Her mouth wrinkled and she... she smiled. She smiled the smile of a strong baby who'd been in the NICU for almost her whole life to that day. And she gave that smile to him.
Gideon stroked her hand softly.
He might've missed all of it, but he wouldn't go on missing it. After all, he had some kind of a granddaughter now.
