Part 9
"You're what?!" Morgan exclaimed.
The other members of the team had been surprised to be invited out to dinner by Reid had simply told them that it was his treat.
Every member of the team was there except for Gideon as he hadn't been invited because he already knew about the relationship between Hotch and Reid and didn't want to be involved in telling the rest of the team.
Hotch and Reid waited until dinner had arrived as neither of them wanted to be interrupted in their explanation as they wanted to get it over with all once.
"Hotch and I are in a relationship Morgan," Reid explained calmly without raising his voice staring steadily at the man that he considered another brother straight in the eyes refusing to back down.
"Hotch how could you..." Morgan began to rant until Reid stopped him with a gentle hand on his arms.
"Morgan calm down, sit down, and listen to what I have to tell you before you go off on Aaron," Reid told the black man firmly.
Morgan stared at Reid for a moment, then nodded stiffly and sat down, although he looked as if he wanted to get up punch Hotch in the gut.
"First off, we've both already been through this with Gideon who does not approve to put it mildly. Secondly I'm a grown man able to make my own decisions and I know your thinking that Hotch somehow took advantage of me and this is not true. Do you really think so little of me that I couldn't have said no to a relationship if it wasn't what I already wanted? You ought to know me, well enough to know that I never would have gotten involved with my superior if I hadn't already had very strong feelings for him for months before he said anything. Thirdly you ought to know Hotch well enough to know that he would never force anybody to do anything and that you implied that he had is insulting and you owe him an immense apology."
"He's right, Morgan," JJ told the big black man with a sympathetic smile. "You did imply that Hotch forced Reid into a relationship or somehow tricked him and you ought to know both of them well enough by now to know that it was entirely consensual."
"I know you're shocked," Reid told Morgan a reasonable tone of voice. "I can understand that, but you have to remember that I've been taking care myself since before I was 10 years old and I've been looking after my brothers and helping to raise them, because my father before his death was utterly useless in that department and my mother was too sick to help out much. However, my brothers are nearly grown up now and will soon be off to college so I actually have time to think about a serious relationship."
"But… But…" Morgan begin to protest. "What about settling down with a woman in a few years and having some children?"
"Morgan think about it," Garcia said speaking for the first time, though she had been following the argument closely. "Do you really see Reid settling down with anybody who isn't at least as intelligent as he is and such women are few and far between. Besides, as Reid pointed out he's a grown man, and more mature at 25 than most other men his age, so he's old enough to know his own mind and make his own decisions. Also did you ever assume that he might not want children? And if you does he can always try to adopt?"
"If you must know, Morgan," Reid said once Garcia finished what she had to say, "I've always known, well at least since I was 18 or so that I'm bisexual and that my heart could go either way. I certainly never intended to develop feelings for Aaron, it just happened and once I realized it had I certainly never intended mentioning them to him as I thought there was no way he could feel the same until he approached me."
This last statement was not true, but Reid told the lie smoothly as he couldn't exactly tell Morgan that he had been intending to tell Aaron of his feeling in another year, but that Hotch had beat him to it and he couldn't be happier about that.
"The only reason we decided to tell all of you was because we knew you would figure it out eventually, even though we've both done a good job of keeping our relationship under wraps we wanted to get any misconceptions and hard feelings out of the way so that we can still work together just like we always have," Hotch said. "If any of you can't accept this then you're welcome to transfer to another department and I'll get to work finding a replacement," Hotch said quite calmly, though it was clear he mainly meant Morgan and not the three women.
"Hotch and I already knew that besides, Gideon you would be the biggest objection to our relationship," Reid told Morgan not looking sympathetic in the least. "We got Gideon to see that it was a mutual decision and that Hotch did not force me into it."
"Alright, I admit that my initial reaction to your announcement wasn't very good," Morgan finally admitted, "but in my defense you shocked of bloody shit out of me so you'll have to forgive me."
"We know our relationship is shocking news, Morgan," Hotch told the big black man calmly with a half smile, "but we knew you would figure it out, probably in a few months and would've been furious at us for keeping it from you. For your information and just like Spencer said a few minutes ago I've known since I was about 15 that I was bi and that my heart could've gone either way. A lot of girls chased me in high school and college, but none of them truly stole my heart."
"So how long have you been going together?" asked Elle speaking for the first time.
"Six months," both Reid and Hotch answered at the same time.
"That long?" asked Garcia looking shocked. "You managed to keep it from all of us for that long?"
Reid shrugged and said, "We never showed our feelings at work and just acted normally making sure to never make you suspicious. We always drove separate cars, although we did text each other frequently, but all of you just assumed I was talking to my brothers, when you saw me do it, and while sometimes that was exactly what I was doing a lot of the times I was actually texting Hotch."
"However, although Spencer and I would have preferred to keep our private lives, well, private we knew that we couldn't keep up the act forever and that eventually one or both of us would slip up. Besides, now that you know we can start to share a hotel room whenever we are out of town instead of sleeping separately and for that alone I'm glad we decided to let you in on our secret."
"Is that why you've been so grouchy for the last few months?" Elle asked putting the clues together. "At least when we're out in town working a case, although, come to think of it you always cheer up once we get back home."
"Yes, that's why," Hotch admitted, "I don't mean to be a grouch, but I just don't sleep well anymore by myself."
"Does this mean this is going to be a permanent thing?" asked Morgan. "Or is this is just a fling?"
"Morgan," Reid told his friend rolling his eyes at his question, "do you really think I would have risked getting involved with my boss if I wasn't sure it was going to be a permanent thing? You ought to know me well enough to know that I'm far too sensible to sleep with a man that is not only older, but also my superior if I wasn't sure. I would never risk my career over a casual fling."
Morgan looked sheepish, because he knew that the man he considered a brother would never risk his career if he wasn't sure his relationship with Hotch was going to be a permanent one.
"Why isn't Gideon here?" Elle asked suddenly.
"Because Jason has yet to decide whether or not he's going to support Spencer and me or just ignore that our relationship is real," Hotch said bluntly. "I've always known that Gideon has a very old-fashioned views on relationships and when he figured out that I was involved with the man he considered a son well let's just say he wasn't very happy."
"That day in your office, about a month ago," JJ suddenly remembered.
"Yes, that day in my office," Hotch agreed quite calmly. "For Gideon assumed just like you did Morgan than that I had somehow hoodwinked Spencer into a relationship even though he should have known me and Spencer better than that. He was all prepared to pound me into the ground, except that Spencer refused to leave and calmly explained the situation to him. Eventually he calmed down when he realized that it was a mutual decision, but he still has to decide whether or not to accept it."
"I'm very happy for you," Garcia told the pair getting up to give Reid a hug, which he accepted with obvious pleasure.
Hotch watched the scene with a half smile and when JJ joined the hug it became three way.
"I'm still not sure about this," Morgan began
"You might not be sure, Morgan," Reid told him bluntly as soon as the three way hug had broken, "but it's really none of your concern, because I'm a grown man that's able to make his own decisions. If you truly believe that you can no longer work with me or Aaron, then you're welcome to transfer to another department, because I don't plan on giving him up, just make you happy, because that would only make me miserable and him to. I haven't been this happy in, well, ever actually as I was so busy either getting through the hell that is the Las Vegas public school system and doing the same at Caltech. Not to mention helping raise my brothers, doing my homework, working on my dissertations and getting through the hell that was FBI training that I've barely had time to even think, much less be truly happy. If you can't be happy for me Morgan, then you are not the man I think you are."
Morgan stared at Reid and saw he was completely serious and knew that he would either have to accept his and Hotch's relationship or he would lose the man that he considered a younger brother. Where had this forceful, Spencer Reid come from? Had he always been like this and he just put on the façade? Or was it just a part of his personality that he didn't let out very often?
"Whoah! What's happened to my baby?" Garcia commented after a moment of shocked silence at how tough and forceful Reid had sounded just minute ago. "I've never seen you be so forceful and commanding."
Reid gave her a half smile, and replied, "It's always been part of my personality, Penelope. You can't grow up with six younger brothers and not have a very forceful side to your personality because when they were young they could be extremely hard to deal with at times and they wouldn't listen to Aunt Shannon when they were in the mood to be disobedient and as I've said before my father was utterly useless. Besides, he left when they were only four and none of them really remember him. If I wanted to get my six brothers to obey what they were being told I had to learn to be forceful, because that's how they responded best."
"So you were their father and their older brother all wrapped into one," Elle said
"More or less," Reid agreed with a smile in her direction. "They are well-behaved now, but when they were much younger they could be little terrors and got into more trouble than you've ever seen in your entire life. Besides, they're nearly grown up now and not little kids anymore and they'll be off to college pretty soon."
"If you could handle six very young children who are all the same age and you should be able to handle just about anything," was JJ's opinion.
"You are a happy? Aren't you?" asked Morgan who had been staring at Reid and Hotch and noticed for the first time the almost visible connection that seemed to flow between the pair.
"Yes, Morgan," Reid told the older man gently, "I am very happy with him and I can't see my feelings ever changing."
What Reid didn't say was that he knew his feelings would never change because he and Aaron Hotchner were True Mates. In other words, meant to be together, but he couldn't tell Morgan or the others that so he had to find another way to convince them that what he and Aaron had was real.
"I'm not one of those people that fall in and out of love," Reid added. "Once I give away my heart it is forever."
"And if Hotch's feeling suddenly change?" Morgan asked determined the play the pessimist or the devil's advocate.
"Morgan," Hotch said sounded suddenly stern. He has stayed mostly out of it up until this point as he had been hoping that his mate would be able to convince Morgan that he was happy, but the black man was determined to be stubborn.
Morgan looked up at Hotch and noticed his expression and winced.
Once Hotch was sure that he had Morgan attention he told him sternly. "I don't blame you for having doubts, however, Reid has told you that he is happy, so you will either accept that he is and that he isn't lying about that or you can transfer. All of us have a right to make our own decisions, and Reid is a grownup that is more than capable of doing that considering he helped raise his six younger brothers. I know you feel very protective of him because you consider him a little brother, but you don't have a right to dictate how he lives his life. Not liking the fact that Spencer is in a relationship with me does not change the fact that he is and you're only going to alienate him to where he will not want anything to do with you and you're going to wreck your friendship if you keep up this attitude, but I will not let you hurt him with your coldness or your opinions. I don't want Spencer to lose you as a friend and a big brother considering he might already have lost Gideon because he might not be able to accept it. I can understand Gideon's views since he was raised in a different time, you however…"
"Alright," Morgan said hanging his head in shame. Both Reid and Hotch were right in everything they had said to him up until this point. It was Reid's life and it had been his choice and he was going to burn his bridges to the point that the man he considered his younger brother wouldn't want anything to do with him. He didn't know why he was so against it since as far as he knew he didn't have anything against same-sex relationships as he saw too much in his job to be and yet he kept arguing.
Morgan came to the sudden startling realization that the only reason he was still arguing was not because he had anything against same-sex relationships, but because it was Reid and when it came to his little brother his feelings were totally different as he felt very protective of him. He admitted that he had a rather idolized view of the youngest member of the team and to him Reid was a person that was sexless and had no sexual orientation or urges. To him Reid had always seemed in need of protection and Morgan admitted that he had never thought of Reid in the year and a half he had known him as somebody who had needs just like any other man, but logically Morgan knew that Reid had such urges and he was just really good at controlling them. Of course, it helped that Reid wasn't like him and didn't chase the opposite sex. He appeared to be just one of those people that didn't lightly give away his affection and definitely not his heart. Reid had told him that he had given away his heart to Hotch and Hotch had said that he had done the same to the younger man, so he was just going to have to accept that their relationship was a permanent one. If he didn't Reid had made it clear that if he had to choose between his happiness with Aaron Hotchner and his brother and friend Derek Morgan he would be choosing the first option and Morgan couldn't really blame Reid for that in the least as he would likely do the same if he was in a similar situation.
"Alright, so long as you're happy," Morgan finally copulated.
"Good," Reid said pleased and Hotch nodded in satisfaction when he saw that Morgan had finally accepted that the relationship between him and Spencer wasn't going to change.
"Yes, it's good because I'm glad that you saw that were hurting Spencer by your continued hostility," Hotch said. "I'm glad you're enough of a friend to him that you're willing to accept that we are together and that's not going to change even if you don't approve."
"It's not that I disapprove," Morgan protested. "Well, I'm not sure what I was thinking when I continued to argue against your relationship."
"You had built up this idolized view of me in your head," Reid informed him with a smirk a very unusual expression on his face. "You thought of me as some kind of sexless icon that had no normal urges, which is not true of course, but I just never bothered to correct that impression because it wasn't an issue before now."
"Oh, Morgan you didn't really think of Spence that way," JJ said laughing as the black man blushed. "Of course, Spence has urges just like any other grown man does. Just because he doesn't chase women like you do doesn't mean he doesn't have them."
The others also enjoyed Morgan's embarrassment as even Garcia was grinning her brown eyes sparkling with humor at him and it was clear that she was going her best not to laugh at him since they were close, but the others had no such problems.
Morgan thought that Reid was getting a little revenge on him for the way he had been acting and he couldn't really blame him for it because he had been acting like a jerk. He had no control over who Reid had sex with and who he didn't since he was a grown man and he finally admitted that Hotch was a good man to who would never hurt the man he considered a younger brother on purpose.
"Alright, fine, laugh," Morgan told everyone with good humor in his tone.
"You brought it on yourself in this case," Reid informed Morgan, laughter in his golden brown eyes. "I knew you had rather idolized view of me that was in no way realistic. I know you truly believed that just because I didn't boast about the dates I had before Hotch and I got together you thought that I never dated at all. I'll admit that there weren't many of those and most of them were while I was in college or at the academy, but yes, I have dated some, although I'm certainly not as prolific as you are, but then again you're determined not to settle down, while I don't have that problem."
Morgan blushed again, as he knew that Reid was right in everything he had just said.
"I don't really blame you for your view of me," Spencer added after a moment giving Morgan a sympathetic look, "However…"
"Alright, fine," Morgan finally said, "I won't interfere in yours and Hotch's relationship."
"Good," Reid said pleased. "I'm glad I don't have to pounded into your skull quite literally that I am a grown man that can make my own decisions because although you're bigger than I am, and I'm extremely unathletic I still run as often as I can in the park near my home."
Reid didn't bother to mention that he often ran on four legs instead of two and that's why he had so many muscles in his arm and his legs. His body was built to run, much more so then some of the others of the pack that were bigger and bulkier than he was. He could outrun any of those bigger, bulkier wolves without half trying and also unlike them he could turn on a dime.
"You couldn't take me," Morgan told Reid not boasting just stating fact.
"Probably not in a straight on fight," Reid admitted. "Besides, I wouldn't have to take you I'd leave that up to Hotch and he could wipe the floor with you."
Morgan looked at Hotch who grinned almost ferally at him making him gulp nervously. Morgan know that Reid was right that it was possible Hotch could take him, for despite his age he was in excellent shape and obviously worked out on a regular basis just as he did. Besides, Hotch really wasn't that much older than he was.
After the arguing was over they all finished their dinner in companionable silence just sharing an evening out with friends that they didn't get to see very much of in a social situation, since they always seemed to be working.
It was a nice change, although they knew that soon they would be back to work, but all of them needed this evening out just to relax from the stresses of the day.
~~~Spencer and Aaron~~~
Hotch had given in his two week notice to the manager of his apartment and moved the rest of his things over to Spencer's place.
There wasn't much more to move really as he decided to put all his furniture in storage because Spencer's house was already decorated and his style didn't really fit, but that was okay for Spencer's furniture was very nice, but also very comfortable
"It's so good to finally have you here on a permanent basis," Reid said giving Hotch a very passionate to be continued kind a kiss.
"Yes, I'm glad to be here," Hotch said. "I'm also glad that we finally told the team about our relationship so that I no longer have to sleep separately from you when we're out of town."
"Yes, definitely," Reid agreed looking pensive.
"Why so sad?" asked Hotch
"I'm not really," Reid said, "I'm so happy to have you here. Everything is nearly perfect, except…"
"Except with Gideon," Hotch supplied when Spencer didn't continue
"Yes," Reid said looking incredibly sad. "I would never give up our relationship for anything in the world, but it's apparent that Gideon is pulling away from me. I think he feels like I betrayed him in some way."
"You have to give him time, Spencer," Hotch told Reid gently. "Jason is an incredibly stubborn man and it takes time to get over old prejudices. Trust me, even though I knew by the time I was 15 that I was bisexual, it took me awhile to accept that I liked both sexes because I was raised very strictly. I know the distance he has put between you hurts, but I hope you realize that he might not come around and if he does not then he really doesn't love you like he believes. A parent accepts a child for who they are, and it isn't like, liking your own sex is a crime, even if it isn't accepted in certain circles, especially by older people or high society. Gideon was raised in a different time then I was, and unlike me he loved his parents.
"You didn't love your parents?" asked Spencer startled.
"My mother was fairly abusive," Hotch told him quietly with a look in his eyes that Reid hated to see. "Your mother had a good excuse for being neglectful and at least you had your Aunt Shannon and your brothers. I had Sean that's true, but my father was always working and I think he did that to avoid coming home as much as possible. Like my mother tried to do too me my parents marriage was a arranged by my grandparents from both sides of my family. Unlike me they went along with what their parents wanted, but they were very cold and indifferent to each other by the time I came along and it was likely that way from the first. I'm actually surprised that they managed to have sex enough to produce me and my brother considering they never showed any affection towards each other in all the time I was growing up as they barely even touched in my or Sean's presence. I've often thought over the years if they had been left free to choose who they wanted to marry or whether they wanted to marry at all then perhaps, they would have been totally different people."
"But if that had happened then you would never have been born and we never would've met," Reid said shuddering at that possibility. "As sorry as I feel for your parents loveless marriage I'm not sorry enough to wish they'd been free to choose."
Hotch smiled at that having to agree even if his childhood had been absolute hell.
"In any case, while my father was just neglectful and stayed at his office as much as he possibly could leaving me and Sean to the tender mercies of our mother, my mother on the other hand was totally different."
Hotch went on to describe some of the things that had happened doing his childhood and Spencer saw that overall his childhood had been good compared to what his mate had gone through.
"Well, it sounds like we both had fairly crappy childhoods, although I think on the whole mine was better," Reid said.
"Yes, it was, because at least you had your Aunt Shannon, Tommy, Keenan, your brothers and the rest of the pack and they helped to turn you into the good man that you are today, as they played a major part in your upbringing. Also your mother played a part as well even though she was so sick in the mind. As for me and Sean we didn't really have anyone, except each other and the series of nannies that my mother kept hiring to take care of us, but also firing shortly after as none of them could meet her impossible expectations. Sean and I never bothered to get close to any of them after the first couple only lasted for a few months apiece."
"I don't blame you there, your mother sounds like one of those people that just has to find fault with others."
"Oh, she was and I'm sure she still is, as I can't see her changing, although I haven't been back home...in well not ever since the last time I went and she started to get on me yet again about getting married and having a family and at that point I wasn't ready to settle down. She even tried to get me to agree to let her arrange a marriage for me for the second time, except this time I was like 30, instead of just 22."
"She still wanted to arrange a marriage for you even though you had turned one down the first time?" asked Spencer. "That doesn't make any sense."
"To you or to me for that matter no it doesn't, that's not true for my mother though," said Hotch with a grimace. "I believe I've made clear that my mother is extremely old fashioned and arranged marriages were quite common back in her day as ought to be obvious. I've never really understood why she tried it a second time after I turned her down once. I finally came to the conclusion that she's just one of those people that like to try to control every single aspect of her children's lives even when they're all grown up and out on their own."
"I hope I never have to meet her," Reid said
"I hope not either, even though I haven't seen her in over six years, I wouldn't put it past her to show up at the BAU especially if word filters back to her that I'm in a relationship with you."
"I don't know how that's possible since she lives far away," Reid said.
"Yes, I grew up in Chicago," Hotch agreed, "however, you never know with my mother as she has many friends here in Virginia and Washington so its possible that word might filter back to her at some point and if it does we'll deal with it when we have to."
"So are you looking forward to taking three whole weeks away from the job?" asked Spencer.
Vacation time for the both of them had already been arranged although Strauss had done her best to block it, but had not succeed. Erin Strauss was pure evil, spitefulness and Reid avoided her as much as possible.
"Yes, I am, because I haven't had a vacation in, well actually I can't remember the last time I had one," Hotch said.
"Not in the last year and six months anyway since that's how long I've been with the team," Spencer said, "but if you can't remember the last time you actually took more than a day or two off at one time you're way overdue."
"I never like to leave the team shorthanded, however, I do have a life outside of work, but before you and I met I never would have taken so much time off at one time," Hotch said.
"I'm glad I can get you to relax, at least a little as being all tense and serious all the time isn't good for you."
"You've been really good in that area ever since we told each other our feelings," Hotch said leering at his mate. "The way you and I go at it like a couple of..."
"Wolves?" Spencer suggested with a smirk
"I was thinking more along the lines of rabbits, but wolves will do," Hotch said with a genuine smile, as his mate always knew how to lighten his usually serious mood.
"What can I say except I'm trying to make up for lost time considering your scent about drove me crazy, before we admitted our feelings for each other. Even now, that we are together and we make love as often as we possibly can, your scent still about drives me crazy although, it's also better now because we are together in that way. I've been told by Keenan who is also mated and has quite a few children of his own that the longer we are together, the more that desire will decrease and although we'll still want to have sex as frequently as possible it will be easier to control."
"That's good to know, considering I'm going to be turned into a werewolf sometime in the next week or so," Hotch said.
"I plan on taking you to meet Keenan, Shannon and Tommy and we'll do it out there. I've been told the process is quite painful," Spencer said
"So you have said on several occasions and if you're trying to convince me not to go through with it you will not succeed," Hotch said.
"Well, no, I'm not," Reid said then added, "I just don't like the thought of you in so much pain, even if I know it will only last for a few hours."
"I'll survive," Hotch told Reid firmly.
"I know you will and I truly am looking forward to running through the forest with you, especially since the full moon is only a few days after we get there."
"Which is why we decided to go next week instead of later in the month," Hotch smirked and Reid nodded. "Spencer, I'm not looking forward to the pain of the transformation, but it doesn't last very long and once I'm like you I'm sure I'll end up attacking you because of your scent, because I'm sure I'll find it irresistible just like you do mine."
"You will," Spencer promised his voice sultry with promise. "I won't be surprised if we make love for days after that before we decide to leave the hotel or even get some food."
"So, we'll just order room service," Hotch said, "so we don't have to leave the room until we are ready to do so. I'm looking forward to this vacation as much as you are, simply because we rarely get more than a few hours alone at any one time because of our jobs."
"I wouldn't have it any other way though," Reid said, "even though I appreciate being alone with you just as much as you do with me."
"No, I love my job, and it's really great that we can work together," Hotch said.
"Why don't we go rechristen my bed," Spencer suggested. "I know we've christened it a lot in the last few months already, but I don't see why we can't do it again."
"And again, and again," Hotch added and Spencer nodded looking eager. "As many times as we can manage before we fall asleep from exhaustion."
"Now that's a great way to spend the rest of the evening," Spencer said, as he took Hotch into his arms and kissed him tenderly.
"Let's go then," Hotch said practically dragging Spencer towards the stairs and the master bedroom Reid following Hotch willingly.
Hotch smiled the entire way for he was glad to see the man he loved so happy and the sadness he had been feeling over the distance between him and Gideon dissipating.
~~~Spencer and Aaron~~~
"Welcome to the pack!" Keenan told Hotch after Spencer introduced him
The flight from Quantico Virginia to Las Vegas Nevada had been uneventful except for a couple of beautiful women staring at Hotch. This was not at all unusual though, so both Spencer and Hotch had ignored them until they had gone away.
"Thank you," Hotch told the Alpha politely shaking Keenan's hand. "I've been wanting to meet you for some time as Spencer has told me all about how you supported him and his brothers when their father left and I wanted to thank you for that."
"It was my duty to do so," Keenan said. "However, even though it was my duty, I enjoyed it as well. What William Reid did went against every single one of our laws and since he was raised in the pack he knew the laws as well as any of us."
"If I may offer you my expert opinion," Hotch offered.
"Of course," Keenan said politely.
"The human mind really is a funny thing," Hotch began. "Some can stand up under any amount of pressure, while others cannot. Even though I've never met William Reid, I believe that the stress of Spencer's mother's illness, coupled with the fact that he had seven small children and also that his oldest son definitely wasn't turning out like he expected him to was possibly what caused his attitude. Sometimes we have expectations for how our children will turn out and when they don't meet these expectations it can be what causes the mind to snap. Of course, it's possible they're are other contributing factors, but we'll never know since he's dead."
Keenan thought about that for a moment and then decided that it was a good logical explanation as any that he had thought of. "Yes, that's very possible, because at the end there William Reid definitely wasn't acting like himself, but if his mind had snapped even temporarily like you suggest… That would explain his behavior at the end."
"Also he might've had a guilty conscious simply because he treated Spencer so shabbily from the time he was very small," Hotch said and Keenan nodded having known this.
"I know that part of the reason he treated Spencer so badly was it soon became clear that Spencer was an Omega and he wanted him to be a Beta like he was or even an Alpha. I know he felt that Omegas were very weak willed, and would never accomplish anything, which isn't true, as many Omegas have left the pack and accomplished a great deal in their lives and Spencer is well on his way to doing the same."
"I have to agree with that statement, because not just anybody can accomplish what he has already," Hotch said noticing Spencer blush out of the corner of his eye, although he remained silent.
"So Mr. Hotchner know what is it you do for a living?" asked Keenan.
"You can call me, Aaron," Hotch offered. "I work, along with Spencer at the BAU or Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI and that is how we met."
"Why don't you tell me about that," Keenan suggested looking at Spencer now.
Spencer nodded and began to tell him all about going through FBI training and how Jason Gideon had encouraged him the whole time. "I managed to get through the training and although Gideon did have to have the physical aspects waivered, he felt that my brain would be so useful that he convinced instructors at the Academy to do it, even though he had to call in numerous favors."
"And he has more than proved in the last year and a half Gideon's faith in him," Hotch offered now. "Not only has our percentage of solving cases gone up quite a bit, he fits in with the other members of the team that have accepted his physical limitations and treat him as a son or a brother."
"Except for you of course," Keenan pointed out with a smile and Hotch nodded.
"Yes, that's very true," Hotch said without even a blush as he stood confidently before the Alpha.
"So how did you two meet?" asked Keenan now. "I know you're a members of the same FBI unit, but beyond that…"
"Well," Spencer began as he remembered perfectly what had happened that first day when he had joined the BAU. "That first day at the BAU Gideon led me directly to an office so that I could be introduced to the man that ran the team. I had been hearing about Aaron Hotchner of course, as he was really quite well-known within the bureau. The second I entered his office, I knew and I had a hell of a time controlling reactions. You know how it is when a werewolf meets their True Mate for the first time and that how their fangs want to drop and their eyes want to change color. Luckily, for me I managed to get myself under control and get through the rest of that initial meeting."
"But you were around him every day after that," Keenan said listening intently.
"It wasn't easy," Spencer admitted, "especially when we had to travel to some city to help out with their serial killer problem as being in an enclosed airplane cabin with his scent so close about drove me crazy. When we were in the office or he was out in the field it was easier, but still we traveled a lot and those airplane flights seemed incredibly long as I had to fight my instincts the entire way."
"So how did you two finally get together?" asked Keenan curiously.
"Well," Hotch begin to explain as he remembered that time. "I had figured out that I had developed feelings for him, even though I definitely wasn't expecting to and it took me a year to realize how I felt about him as I had never truly been in love before and in fact, my mother wanted to arrange a marriage for me with a girl I knew in high school after I had graduated college and I turned her down flat."
"That must've been hard," Keenan said sympathetically. "To go against something that your parents want."
"Well, that point my father had died at only 47 due to a heart heart attack," Hotch explained, "and it was my mother that wanted to arrange a marriage for me with another well off family. I knew I could never do she wanted me to as I had seen how unhappy she and my father were together as their marriage was also arranged and I wasn't about to make myself miserable and marry some woman that my mother arranged for me only for it to end in divorce a few years down the road and possibly have children involved. My mother might've wanted to arrange a marriage for me, but I also had to give my consent and I wasn't about to do that, which didn't please her at all."
"I just bet it didn't," Keenan said dryly, as he listened to the story that Aaron was telling him.
"In any case, I was the one that approached him and offered to take him out to dinner," Hotch said.
"I was shocked, truly shocked when Hotch approached me, called me by my first name, which he had never done before and told me that he wanted to take me out to dinner and that we had a lot to talk about," Reid added.
Reid recounted that first meeting and Keenan laughed appreciatively in all the correct spots.
Finally Reid got to the point where Gideon had found out about their relationship and had not been very happy about it.
"I tried my best to explain to him that it was a mutual decision, since I couldn't exactly tell him about werewolves, it was hard to get him to understand that I wasn't going to leave Aaron just to make him happy. He tried to accuse Aaron of somehow forcing me into a relationship, and I told him and that there was no way he could really believe that, because he had known Aaron Hotchner for years and he should know me well enough to know that I never would've let myself get involved with somebody who was my superior if I wasn't sure of my feelings."
"That must've hurt," Keenan said wincing in sympathy.
"It doesn't really bother me," Hotch told Keenan with the feral grin, "but then other peoples opinions have never bothered me, but for Spencer it is a totally different story. It doesn't help that he thinks of Gideon like a father and Jason thinks of him like a son."
"So he still hasn't come around," Keenan asked and Spencer shook his head looking melancholy and sad.
"I told Spencer that he was going to have to give Jason time, simply because he has some very old-fashioned views and he's got to decide if he's going to accept our relationship or lose Spencer entirely because it wasn't going to change, but he's also extremely stubborn, which doesn't help. I think he believes that if he puts distance between himself and Spencer that Spencer will break off his relationship with me, which isn't going to happen no matter what Gideon thinks."
Once Hotch and Reid had finished telling how the two had gotten together Keenan changed the subject and asked, "So I hear that you are going to go through the transformation to be turned into a werewolf, is this correct?"
"Yes, sir," Hotch answered politely. "Spencer has told me all that the transformation entails and how painful it will be until the change is complete, but I still want to go through with it."
"Alright then," Keenan with a new respect for Spencer's mate. "Did Spencer explain about having to drink a cup of blood or even several?"
"Yes, sir," Hotch answered politely. "He also said that some humans mates decide not to go through it, either because of the pain or because they can't stand the thought of drinking blood and neither of these things bothers me in particular. I've been shot in the past so I know precisely what pain is and I can see the pain of turning into a werewolf being any worse than being shot in the leg. I wasn't able to go into work for weeks and definitely not out in the field even after I was allowed back in the office. All I could do was sit behind my desk and do the paperwork."
"Well, if you get shot again it will heal quickly," Keenan said.
"I know," Hotch said, "the only problem is I would still have to wear a cast or a least a bandage on my leg or arm so that the rest of the team wouldn't be suspicious as to why I healed so quickly."
"Aaron's right, the team would be suspicious if one of us healed too quickly from a broken bone or a gunshot wound," Spencer said, "So even though we do heal fast, it's not really much use for us, unless we didn't go back into work until it was supposed to be healed."
"So how are your brothers doing?" asked Keenan
"They are doing fine," Spencer told him with a smile. "I know it's been along time keep seeing them but they're certainly not the children you remember, as they're all grown up and have gone off to college, different ones of course."
"Has it been that many years?" asked Keenan rhetorically.
"Yes, I know it seems pretty amazing but it's been nearly 12 years," Reid said.
"I know Shannon came back to the pack after you turned 17 and got custody and they would've been around 12 or so then."
"Well, they are all 18 now, as hard as that is to believe. Even I have trouble believing it as they seemed to grow up so fast so I can't imagine how you feel considering you haven't seen them since they were seven years old," Reid said.
"You'd be very proud of them as they have turned into fine young man," Hotch chipped in.
"Brock has even found his mate even though he was 17 when he did," Spencer added.
"He did?" asked Keenan in astonishment, "that's pretty amazing considering he was still so young at the time."
"I'll tell you what else is amazing," Spencer said, "she's also human."
"That's pretty unusual, to have two humans that are True Mates of one of our kind in the same family," Keenan said blinking surprise.
"I know it," Spencer said with a shrug, "but it happened, and in fact the Brock is going to the same college that Blanche decided on and you can't really blame him, since we all know that a werewolf needs to be near their True Mate. The two of them were even planning on sharing an apartment together."
The three of them continued to talk for a few minutes and then Keenan told Aaron that they could begin the transformation, immediately.
"You decided to be turned into a werewolf at a good time as the full moon is in just a couple of days and I will be happy to guide you through your first transformation."
"Thank you, but I believe Spencer was going to do that," Aaron answered politely and Keenan nodded, as if he had expected nothing less.
~~~Spencer and Aaron~~~
