Facing Truth
Derek Morgan's eyes were closed to the other passengers in the plane as it wended its way from St. Paul to the more comfortable Washington climate and he allowed the soothing music to do what it always did on his flights back from another unsub, another nightmare. Rossi had planted himself on the bench and could be heard, well by everyone but Morgan, softly snoring. Hotch, as always, sat with paperwork, that never ending nemesis, in front of him. Alex Blake was fine tuning her next lecture while Reid momentarily ran his fingers down the page of his book before turning it. JJ made her way down the aisle from the restroom and parked herself opposite the most likely candidate for conversation.
"So, what's up Reid?"
"Mmm," Reid mumbled; neither his eyes nor his finger ever leaving the page of his book.
"Reid what happened tonight?" JJ asked.
"What happened? What do you mean what happened?"
"You know what I mean Spence; what you said to the unsub about no therapy being able to help him rid himself of his urges. That is not standard FBI textbook protocol."
Reid was quiet for a moment. "No, it wasn't. But I've tried FBI textbook protocol. I've lied through my teeth and watched someone I love blown away right in front of me. You know JJ; you witnessed it with your own eyes and there wasn't a damn thing the FBI textbook protocol did to help me in that situation. So, I elected to try something else. It didn't work."
"But Spenceā¦"
"I seem to recall," Reid interrupted her. "If my memory serves me correctly and, well, when doesn't it, that when you were talking to Billy Flynn on the radio, you decided to throw away the "FBI textbook protocol" and just talk to him honestly. The only difference here is that you got the desired result. I didn't. That seems to be the way it is with me."
JJ nodded her head, not responding as Reid continued to run his finger down and quickly turn the pages of his book.
"Maybe you need to examine what you said tonight Spence," JJ said at last.
Reid lifted his eyes from his book. "What do you mean JJ?"
"You told the unsub no therapy may be able to fix things for him." Reid nodded at this. "What happened with Maeve was a horrible thing but you did all you could. We all saw that. And it didn't work. And maybe nothing anyone says or does, any amount of therapy, will fix that." She rose and then leaned over close to Reid, "But, like you said, you shouldn't quit trying."
