Chapter Ten: Sorry, but it Looks Like You Are Out of the Picture (Part Two)

"I…I love…I love…!"

"Love…?"

"I love…this park! It's so peaceful!"

Said Reid as the evening traffic was causing a ruckus, honking unnecessarily at the train located right next to the park and blocking the road off. A group of kids began to brawl a few feet behind them. Hotch had to step in, announcing he would call for the police if they didn't stop, causing the kids to panic and scatter.

"So…peaceful…!" Reid's plastic smile was too obvious to Hotch.

"Sorry," Hotch shrugged. "Why don't we go to the pond?"

"All right…" Reid said.

It was now close to nine. The sky was completely cloudless, the full moon shining brightly over the calm waters of the pond. It was mostly quiet over here.

Reid and Hotch stood on a bridge connecting one side of the park to the other. They were in the middle, overlooking the water. It was too much the romantic setting for Reid to be comfortable.

Plus, no one was around.

"…Anything could happen!"

Dammit, Morgan... Reid made a face as Morgan's words rang through his head again. Must be words to live by.

"So how was dinner?" Hotch suddenly asked.

"It was good," Reid smiled and answered, engaging in the most relaxed conversation they've had all evening. "I'm glad Garcia threw the name out there; they had really delicious burger."

"Maybe we should go again together sometime."

Reid blinked. Hotch wanted to take him out to dinner again? Was their time together that exciting? They didn't even talk about anything; plus Reid choked on his food once from a sudden glance by Hotch and that couldn't have been appealing in the slightest. He sighed.

"Aaron, I'm sorry."

Hotch frowned. "What?"

"I'm so ridiculously clumsy. My thought process runs on logic and statistics, but I'm not sure if clumsiness can even be statistically measured. Regardless, I'm pretty damn sure it's a nuisance," Reid said with a sullen look.

"Spencer, don't say that." Hotch placed his hand on Reid's shoulder. "I've told you before I like you for who you are even with your faults, including the clumsiness. Actually, the clumsiness is something cute about you." Hotch proceeded to poke Reid's cheek. Reid's face grew red and hot, so hot he was sure steam was exiting his ears…even though that wasn't logically possible. Shoot, Reid was so clumsy it seemed that anything was possible.

But did Hotch just use the word cute? To describe Reid? Reid reached out to touch Hotch's face.

"S-Spencer?" Hotch was confused, for good reason.

"Just checking your body temperature to see if your brain is…fried," Reid said.

"…Was that supposed to be funny?" Hotch almost laughed.

"No, I was being serious." Reid looked like he was. Hotch returned to a straight face.

Reid had been rubbing Hotch's forehead, but after staring into his eyes for a moment Reid slid his hands over Hotch's cheeks, holding his head.

"A-Aaron…" Reid spoke softly. His heart was beating so fast, he thought it might burst through his chest…even though that wasn't logically possible either. At least he hoped not.

"What is it, Spencer?" Hotch blinked, seeming to not mind Reid holding his face.

"I wanted…to tell you that…I…I…

"I love you, Aaron!" Reid shouted, his voice resonating through the park. He let go of Hotch's face and closed his eyes tightly; he couldn't bear to look at Hotch's horrid expression. "I…I'm so sorry, Hotch…"

"For what?"

Reid slowly opened his eyes. Hotch didn't have a horrid expression on his face at all; he didn't even look mad or upset. It was…just a typical Hotch expression.

"Huh?" This puzzled Reid.

"You love me…" Hotch swapped roles, now he was the one holding Reid's face in his hands. "Spencer…"

"U-um…" Reid felt nauseous. Hotch was acting really strange tonight. It was driving Reid crazy.

Suddenly, he realized Hotch was getting steadily closer. Was he imagining things now?"

"A-Aaron…" Reid breathed, feeling Hotch's breath brush against his face. He closed his eyes, feeling like he could pass out…

When suddenly…

"Ahh! I see what's going on now…"

That all-too-familiar English accent shocked the two FBI agents and caused Hotch to quickly shove Reid aside.

"G-Gabrielle!" Hotch stared at the English beauty. There was the horrid look Reid had been expecting earlier.

"That's my name, don't wear it out," she smirked. "So, it was him all this time. You're gonna bang him, yes?"

Bang? Like bang-bang from a gun? Reid wasn't comprehending the slang. Or who she was even talking to.

"That's not…what it looked like…" Hotch sounded like he was having a difficult time saying that. Reid still wasn't sure what the conversation was even about.

"He just told you he loved you, so…" Gabrielle flipped some of her blonde hair over her shoulder, "that must have been your cue to take advantage of him."

"I wasn't taking advantage of him. I was just…"

"Just what, Aaron?" It sounded like Gabrielle was mocking Hotch. He scrunched his face in frustration.

"Stop, Gabrielle!" Reid yelled. "What the hell are you even doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" she repeated his words, asking like she herself didn't know. "Well…" she stuck her hand in between her breasts, considering her dress was super low-cut in the front.

"Erch!" Reid reacted disgustingly to her odd maneuver. But Hotch reacted much differently.

"Stop!"

In the next instant, both Hotch and Gabrielle had guns drawn at one another. Reid threw his hands up, completely thrown for a loop.

"Bang?" He was still oblivious to the meaning of Gabrielle's earlier comment.

"This is what I'm doing here," Gabrielle answered, still grinning. Reid was scared out of his mind. Sure, he's dealt with many insane criminals before, but this girl was crazy!

"…Anything could happen!"

"Anything!" Reid shrieked. Morgan was more right about that than he probably intended.

"Shut up!" Gabrielle barked. "You still scream like a little bitch. Someone doesn't have their gun and they turn into such a coward."

"Gabrielle, put down the gun," Hotch demanded. "Don't make me shoot you."

"Okay, Aaron," Gabrielle brushed aside the warning. Was she even worried about the gun pointing at her?

Reid couldn't panic now. He didn't have his gun, but there had to be something he could do.

"Gabrielle, your target is…me, right?"

Gabrielle made a face like he was stupid. "Duh? Not only did I discover that you were in love with Aaron, but you tattled on me to him when you realized I was lying just to get me out of your way."

"Aww…Someone sure was jealous," Reid shrugged his shoulders. "We both love Aaron, but I got more attention than you."

"What?" Gabrielle dropped the smirk.

"Spencer, now's not the time to tempt her," Hotch said.

"Sorry, Gabrielle, Aaron rejected you and you couldn't handle it. So now you want to eliminate me. I can't fathom why; I'm not much of a threat…"

"No? Honey, if you weren't a threat there would be no reason for me to even be here wanting to blow your brains out."

"H-huh?" Reid didn't understand. He turned to Hotch. "How am I a threat?" He then turned back to Gabrielle. "He doesn't even love me! He loves someone else!"

"Spencer…" Hotch squinted his eyes for a moment. "This isn't the time to explain it."

"Why not, Aaron?" Gabrielle returned to her devilish grin, clutching her gun aimed at Reid tightly.

"Shut up!" Hotch tightened his grip on his own gun. "This is pointless! Killing him is not going to make me love you!"

"Of course not! But if you're not with me, I would prefer you to be lonely. Sure, Haley's death was unexpected and tragic, but now she's gone. And then you just had to fall for someone else!"

"Who?" Reid questioned. Gabrielle snorted, then burst out laughing.

"Bwahaha! I thought this brat was supposed to be a genius!"

Reid was so dumbfounded. Hotch tightened his face like he was in pain.

"Spencer…" Hotch breathed, "the person I'm in love with is…is-!"

"It doesn't really matter," Gabrielle chuckled, "Because now…he's out of the picture!"

"No!"

BANG!