I kind of really like this chapter. I hope you do, too. (:
Reid slides in to the booth across from Rossi. They'd agreed the night before to meet here in the morning. Bridie had plans with Seb and Frankie today, so Reid knew he'd be alone. Rossi raises an eyebrow, and Reid licks his lips.
"So, Reid, you wanted to talk?" Reid nods, tapping his fingers together. He takes a deep breath to calm himself, but his palms are sweating and his nerves are kicking in to high gear.
"Uh, yes, yes sir." He clears his throat. "It's about Bridie." Reid sees Rossi's look of concern, and he shakes his head softly. "Nothing bad. Just…" He stops, feeling the weight of his nerves on his shoulders. Reid knows if he doesn't hurry, he won't have the courage to speak. He looks up, straight in to Rossi's eyes, and he opens his mouth. "I want to marry your daughter." The mixed look of confusion and appreciation adds to Reid's nervousness. Rossi gives a small smile.
"Tell me how you know, Spencer. From the beginning."
~CM~CM~CM~CM~
Bridie smiles at her son on the playground. He wasn't active very often, so she was happy seeing him have so much fun. She stretches her legs out in the grass, and Frankie follows suit.
"So, Bridge, how are you and Doctor Genius? I mean, you managed to get in a huge argument and make up within hours of each other." Bridie smiles, sub-consciously touching the trail of hickeys on her neck that are hidden with make-up.
"Things are good. Great. I thought the secret would tear us apart, yet the bond we have is even stronger." Bridie blushes. "I love him, Frankie. More than I ever thought I'd love someone." Frankie raises an eyebrow.
"So, can I expect him to be part of your life for a long time, or am I going to have to buy you tubs of ice cream when you realize he's not the one?" Bridie rolls her eyes and takes a deep breath.
"Frankie, being a mom is hard. I have to think what's best for my son. If I didn't think Spencer would be part of my future, things wouldn't have gone this far." She takes a deep breath. "The truth is, I could see myself spending the rest of my life with him. It scares me, to be so reliable on another person. Yet I couldn't imagine my life without him." Frankie just nods, and Bridie looks up. "I don't know if it makes any sense at all. I guess it's just years of insecurities bubbling up." Bridie glances over the small playground, making sure her son is safe. He's perched at the top of the slide, and he smiles before sliding down. "Spencer Reid is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I will not risk losing him again." Frankie pats her shoulder softly.
"That's a good girl," she says and laughs. She dodges the playful swat that the redhead sends her way. Nothing could surpass the happiness in Bridie's life.
~CM~CM~CM~CM~
"She's beautiful, for starters," Reid says. He had taken a long pause and finished a cup of coffee before he could even speak. His nerves were starting to calm. "Her beauty is definitely what caught my attention in the beginning. Then she quoted Dante… in Italian. That proved to me how smart she is. Bridie just seemed too good to be true." He takes a sip of his refilled coffee. "Then she joined the BAU, and I thought that was the end. But Hotch seemed okay with the possibility of a relationship. You approved, too, so I wasn't really worried about the rules." Rossi nods, taking a sip of his own coffee. He was glad to have a chance to bond with the young genius, but was concerned about his intentions for his daughter. "When we had that case in Arkansas, that's when I knew she was different. She strikes different feelings in me than anyone before, even…" Even Maeve. Rossi knew how the sentence would end, and he nods his understanding. "Anyway, I didn't know where things would lead. Until yesterday, when I found out her biggest secret." Rossi chokes on his coffee, nearly spitting it out. Reid chuckles with a small smirk on his face. "Yeah, I should have put it together sooner. I guess that goes to show that even a genius has his weak moments." Reid sighs, thinking about the emotional turmoil of the day before. "We got in an argument over it—she wouldn't tell me herself. Morgan had to tell me, and that's when my feelings really hit me. When I realized Morgan left her, I wanted to punch him until I knocked out all of his teeth. I've never felt that protective over anyone in my life, and it showed me how deeply I care about Bridie." Rossi gives a knowing smile, and he leans back.
"Well then, kid, go for it. You have my blessing, or whatever it is you want. But if you think Bridie is going to go for something that serious this soon, you obviously haven't known her long enough."
"I know," Reid says. He bites his lip before clearing his throat. "I want her to meet my mom." Rossi's sharp inhale proves Reid point. His mom meant everything to Reid, and if she didn't approve of Bridie it could cause a riff in his relationships.
"That's big, Reid," Rossi pushes his cup of coffee to the side of the table and leans closer to the young man. "Are you sure? I mean, you'd have to take time off work. And you would have to find a sitter for Seb." Reid glances into Rossi's eyes and takes a deep breath.
"I have to run the idea of Bridie taking time off by Hotch, but I've already looked at plane tickets for the three of us." Rossi raises his eyebrows, and Reid looks down. "I want Seb to meet her. My mom will love him—he'll remind her of me." Rossi just nods in silence, and Reid continues to worry his lower lip with his teeth. After a long moment, Rossi stands up.
"Welcome to the family, Spencer. You'll make an amazing husband, father, and son." Reid smiles as Rossi drops his tip on the table and walks out the door. He never thought he'd be complimented so highly by Rossi. For the first time in a long time, Reid actually felt like he had a father figure supporting him.