Still don't own Criminal Minds…
Chapter 9
Derek shook his head in frustration as he walked down the tiny hallway in Spencer's apartment.
"I can't understand how someone that skinny can produce so much puke!" He snorted.
"Well at least he didn't vomit in your car." Penelope giggled.
"Oh no just on my shoe once we got into his parking lot. Then again before heading into the elevator and now in his bathroom." Derek grumbled looking for something to clean his shoe off with.
"What I don't get is what motivated our little genius to get so drunk in the first place and at JJ's wedding no less!" Penelope sighed handing Derek a dish towel from the kitchen.
"Reid has been acting weird these last several months. It's like he's been keeping some secret from everyone or something." Derek answered taking a swipe over his shoe.
Emily just remained silent as the conversation continued between the other two. She had a pretty good idea of what was going on with Spencer but couldn't get him to admit to anything.
"So who's going to stay here with him? He can't be alone right now?" Penelope asked.
"I'll stay." Emily said. "I don't mind taking care of a drunk."
"You won't get any argument from me!" Derek said quickly. "Come on baby girl, let's go."
Derek and Penelope hurried to the door and let themselves out.
The sounds of Spencer retching from the bathroom trickled down the hall and Emily wrinkled up her nose and went to the kitchen to get some water for her drunk colleague.
Upon peering into the bathroom she saw Spencer laying with his head on the rim of the toilet moaning lightly and looking utterly miserable.
"Reid? You want some water?" She asked softly.
"I want to die." She heard echoing from the toilet bowl.
"Well at least sit up and get your head out of the toilet." She said.
Spencer sat up slowly and scooted back against the wall laying his head back against it.
Emily reached over and flushed the toilet and pulled a washcloth from the rack and went to the sink and wet it down and handed it to Spencer.
"You have puke on your chin and cheek." She said.
Spencer took the cloth from Emily and wiped at his face. Once she saw that he had gotten the puke wiped off she went and sat down on the side of the bathtub.
"What in the hell got into you tonight?" She asked finally.
"I was celebrating the happy occasion." He answered dryly.
"I somehow doubt that. You've celebrated many happy occasions with us before and not once have you gotten plastered."
Spencer felt the knot in his gut tighten again. He didn't want to remember his little confrontation with Beth.
"I thought it would be fun to try it for once." He answered.
"Bullshit. Now what really happened that made you feel you needed to make an ass out of yourself?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Does this have anything to do with Hotch?"
"Why would you ask that?"
"Look Reid, I heard your little tryst with him in the bathroom on the jet a while back. I know it's been a while for me but I remember what it sounds like when two people are having orgasms."
"That's not what you heard." Spencer said softly.
"Oh I know what I heard. Now out with it Reid! What's going on?" Emily said forcefully.
Spencer closed his eyes and let out a loud breath. His head was still spinning and his resolve was thin to keep his mouth shut.
"I'm in love with Aaron." He said quietly.
Emily was a bit taken back hearing Spencer calling Hotch by his first name. She remained silent waiting for Reid to continue.
"After everyone ditched me at the bar when we all went out with Seaver to wish her well on her transfer, I noticed that Aaron was still there too so I pretended to be drunk so he would bring me home." Spencer licked his lips nervously. "I've had a crush on him since starting at the BAU. I just wanted to know if it was possible that maybe he had feelings for me too."
"So what happened?" Emily asked after a long pause.
"I asked him to stay for a bit and we ended up on the couch together. I couldn't help myself." Spencer began to choke up.
"Did you have sex?" Emily asked.
"No. We just got each other off. I thought that was the start of something wonderful."
The pieces were falling into place now for Emily and she finally saw the whole picture clearly.
"So I'm assuming that Beth is the problem."
"She threatened me tonight. She heard a conversation between me and Aaron. He lied to me Prentiss. He said that they were just friends." The tears were beginning to spill down the young man's cheeks. "The worst part is Beth's a real bitch. Her cheeky little act is just that. She's all wrong for Aaron."
"Reid? Did you and Hotch ever actually have sex?"
"No not yet. I want him to be my first."
Suddenly the furry began to build in Emily's chest. She wanted to get in the car and go straight over to her soon to be ex boss's house and set him straight. How dare he play with Reid's feelings this way. Then there was Beth. She knew there was something off about that woman. It would be fun to take a swing at that nasty bitch.
Emily sucked in a big breath to suppress her anger then picked up the glass of water and handed it to her sobbing friend on the floor.
"Drink this." She prompted. "It will help with the hangover."
Spencer took the glass from her and began to sip on it. Emily felt so bad for her friend and she knew there had to be something she could do to help him. The question was what was it?
Aaron sat twirling his pen in his fingers nervously. He had a feeling about what Emily was going to tell him during their meeting and he didn't want to hear it but more importantly he was worried about Spencer.
Aaron knew he was the reason for the drunken display last night and he felt terrible. Beth clung to him most of the evening like a cheap suit and that couldn't have looked good to Spencer.
A knock at the door brought Aaron out of his funk. "Come in."
Emily emerged through the door and quickly closed it behind her.
"Have a seat." Aaron said with a slight gesture of his hand.
"Well well look who's here. How's the head pretty boy?" Morgan teased seeing the pained young man coming in.
"Shut up Morgan." Spencer answered dropping his bag and sitting down at his desk.
"Is that any way to talk to the guy who's shoes you barfed on last night?"
"I did? Sorry."
"It's alright. At least you didn't do it in my car." Derek laughed.
Spencer just looked down at his desk. The BAU was the last place he wanted to be today not only because he felt like crap but he didn't want to face Aaron.
Derek just shook his head and went back to the file he was working on.
Emily closed the door to Hotch's office and made her way down the stairs back into the bull pen. The first thing she noticed was Spencer's bag setting on the floor next to his desk but no Spencer in his chair.
"Reid's here?" She asked "Where is he?"
"I think he went to get some coffee. He's discovering what a bitch a hang over can be." Derek laughed. "So how did your talk with Hotch go?"
"Fine. He took the news better than I thought." She sighed.
Instead of taking a seat at her desk Emily made her way to the break room to see if she could find Spencer.
Spencer was spooning sugar into his coffee not sure if his stomach really wanted the normally life saving drink.
"How are you feeling?" Emily asked.
"Like I've been hit by a bus." Spencer said stirring his coffee.
"Did you drink more water this morning?"
"Yes and I took some aspirin. It doesn't seem to be helping."
"It will. Just make sure to drink some water along with that sugary coffee." She added.
Spencer lifted the cup to his mouth and took a sip and turned to his friend. He remembered bits and pieces of what he had talked to Emily about the night before and he was feeling embarrassed.
"Do I remember you telling me that you were leaving the BAU last night or was that just a drunk illusion?"
"No it wasn't an illusion. I just got out from telling Hotch."
"How did he take it?"
"Surprisingly well. He seemed distracted the entire time though."
"Oh?"
"My guess is he's worried about you."
"Yep just like how worried he was last night when Beth was pawing him the whole time." Spencer said bitterly.
"Reid I think you have no idea how much of an effect you actually have on him. I've been watching him and you more closely since hearing your little encounter on the jet. Even though he's very subtle about it, Hotch always has you in his sights."
"Just as much as he does Beth." Spencer murmured.
"Oh for the love of god Reid! Quit wallowing and get out there and fight for what you want. If I were lucky enough to find someone special I wouldn't give up so easily."
"I've already told him how I feel. I made the first move. What else am I supposed to do?"
"Be more aggressive. Be sexy and seductive. Show Hotch what he's missing. Don't let what happened with stupid Beth stop you." Emily huffed.
Spencer blushed. "I don't know how to be sexy and seductive."
"Well apparently you do because you managed to get Hotch to grind on you that first night." Seeing that Spencer wasn't buying it Emily sighed. "Fine. I give up. Until you grow some balls and get in the game nothing I say is going to help you."
Emily just shook her head and stepped out of the break room leaving Spencer to think about what she said.
Aaron opened the door to his office and stepped out on the cat walk just in time to see Spencer emerging from the break room with his coffee cup in tow.
He pursed his lips seeing the pale face of the young man who captured his attention. It was obvious that he was suffering from quite a hang over and all Aaron wanted to do was go and wrap his arms around Spencer and kiss his forehead to help make the pain go away.
Spencer looked up and met Aaron's concerned eyes but he quickly looked back down at the floor and quickly made his way to his desk. Aaron's heart sank.
Spencer Emily and Derek were all three working on files when Strauss came breezing in through the glass doors of the BAU. She had an uncharacteristic smile on her face as she made her way up the stairs to the offices and knocked on Aaron's door.
Emily and Derek shot confused looks between one another as the door closed behind the woman.
A few short minutes later Erin reemerged and made her way down the steps and over to the desks of the three busy agents.
"The director informed me that this team has not taken time off for a while so he has decided that all of you should take the rest of the week off since JJ is away on her honeymoon." She smiled.
"Well alright!" Derek yelped setting down his file. "Thanks for the good news Strauss."
"I hope you all have a nice break." She said then made her way on out of the bull pen.
Spencer finished up his last file and began to pack up his bag. Derek had already left and Emily was still working.
"Are you coming?" Spencer asked.
"I just have this last file to finish and I'll head out." She smiled.
"Ok. See you later." He said and pulled his bag over his shoulder and made his way to the elevator.
Finally finished with her file Emily got up and made her way to Hotch's office. Rossi had already deserted his and Hotch's door was half open.
Just as she was about to knock she heard him on the phone and paused to listen when she realized who he was talking to.
"Jessica took Jack this morning with her to Florida to visit his grandparents. He won't be back until next week….You don't have to come over and cook me diner tonight. I've been fixing my own dinner for a while now…Alright then if you insist. I'll see you around seven….Bye."
Emily remained still for a few seconds before she reached up and knocked.
"Come in."
"Here's the last report for the case file." She said handing it to her boss.
"Thanks."
"Well, I guess I'll see you next week then." She said before exiting. Her mind already spinning with ideas.
Emily grabbed her things and hurried to the elevator. She had a grin on her face as she waited, mentally making a list of things she needed to pick up before going and seeing Spencer.
"Oh this is going to be some parting gift from me to those two." She giggled to herself as she stepped on the elevator.
Well what do you think? There's two more chapters left but I need to rework them a bit so I might not post again for a little while until I have time to really focus on them. Thank you again so much for the reviews and reading!
