Human Connections
AvalonReeseFanFics
A/N: Well It's Christmas up in here, in this really late chapter, my dearest readers. It's also a very long chapter. Longer than usual but we have a lot happening in it and we get to see Protective Big Brother Spencer again. So I hope you enjoy it. As always don't forget to leave a review and I'll see you guys next week.
P.S. Ar3miss, you had a great question, I did send you a PM that answered it for you, so take a look at your inbox for that answer.
Chapter 8
Ryanne had been very clear. She wanted to spend Christmas with Spencer. She wanted to trade Christmas Traditions.
Hers involved Christmas dinner with Emily's family.
His involved sitting at home with a foreign film.
But since Emily's family lived in Vegas, it meant he was going home for Christmas. And if he was going home for Christmas, then he'd visit with his mom.
He had made the mistake of mentioning Ryanne in his letters to his mother, so when he called her to tell her he'd be coming to visit her on Christmas, the topic of why he'd do that came up. Once he knew that this new little sister was the reason behind it, his mother had demanded that Ryanne come with him so she could meet her.
Ryanne had been terrified by this change in plans. She was worried that Diana Reid was going to hate her, and honestly, Spencer had no idea what to expect. It could go either way depending on his mother's mental state that day.
What Ryanne should have been worried about, what Spencer should have been worried about as well, was who was coming to pick them up at the airport.
Ryanne had flown in specifically to Virginia so they could fly to Vegas together. They had both splurged on first class tickets. Ryanne spent her flight entrenched in a romantic comedy that made her cry. Spencer spent the flight with his nose in a book. Several books actually.
But they got off that plane, got through customs, easily because Spencer had her go through with him and his Nexus, and there was someone waiting for them at the arrivals gate. Someone who squealed loudly as soon as they saw Ryanne. Someone that Ryanne started squealing at once she saw her.
The woman in question, that bounced up and down until Ryanne rushed into her arms, was a buxom blonde, with the kind of looks Spencer expected from super model. She was taller than Ryanne but at least half a head but that could have been the heels she was in. It was super intimidating.
Spencer stood on the outside of that hug the two girls were engaged in waiting for them to notice or remember that he was still there. And then that super model's hazel eyes were on him and they did not betray a single iota of kindness in them.
He sort of wished that he didn't have her attention at all.
"Is this him?" she asked as they broke out of the hug. She had an almost too eager pointed grin directed at him.
"Oh, yes, Em, this is Spencer, Spencer this is my best friend in the whole world, Emily."
He was meeting the notoriously hard to please best friend… right now?! He thought he'd have more time to prepare.
"I'm actually more like her sister," Emily said as she offered Spencer a hand to shake.
"Uh… hi… it's nice to meet you."
Her smile was predatory, her eyes were darting up and down him in an appraising manner. He could tell by the way her eyes narrowed that she was not impressed but she didn't say that to him
"Well, we better go," Emily said. "My parents are all up in a tizzy about you coming back. They have the guest bedroom all done up for Spencer, and your room is ready to go but uh… conveniently forgot to set me up a room. Surprise, Surprise…"
"Aren't you staying in your room?"
"Well yeah…"
"And isn't your room the exact same?"
"Yes, but they could have aired it out Ryanne. I mean they aired out yours," Emily snapped. "Stop trying to trivialize my suffering."
Ryanne shot Spencer a knowing smile and a bit of an eye roll all while Spencer tried to remain calm.
She had mentioned that Emily's family was like a second family to her, but he was starting to realize that she downplayed how close she was to this family.
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Ryanne probably should have prepped Spencer more for the Middleton family.
He was definitely shocked to have Flora Middleton come rushing out of the house squealing, just like Emily had when she met them at the airport, to clasp Ryanne to her breast and hug her tightly.
Flora always made a big show of smothering Ryanne in love because her real mother neglected her. She was certain that if she kicked up her motherly instincts it would make up for the years of neglect and abuse she got at the hands of her parents.
Emily was prone to complaining that her parents loved her more than their own daughter, but she also encouraged the behaviour.
"Oh we just saw you on the TV dear, you looked absolutely marvelous. We are SO proud of you," she said. "I called everyone to brag about the interview."
"Standing right here mom."
"And I'm proud of you too… when you manage to keep your clothes on."
Emily had rolled her eyes, and Ryanne had moved to defend her friend immediately, but Flora was already too busy ushering Ryanne and Spencer into the house.
They had lunch, took their suitcases to their rooms. She introduced Spencer to Flora who immediately went about making him food to fatten him up and then to Earl who was still in the basement watching football reruns and drinking beer.
When lunch was done it was time for her to face her own fears. She was about to meet Spencer's mom.
She was taken to the care facility, where Spencer clearly knew everyone, leading her to a room that was filled with comfortable blankets and books.
Diana, herself, was sitting in one of the chairs book in her lap, open but not being paid attention to.
Her short blonde hair was neatly combed and she had a blanket around her shoulders. She must have been cold but Ryanne wasn't sure how that was possible.
"Hey mom. Merry Christmas."
Diana turned right away, a smile growing on her lips. "Spencer!" she cried standing right away to hug him. Then her eyes narrowed in on Ryanne who smiled as warmly as she could.
"And you must be the Ryanne that my son speaks so highly of."
"Yes I am, its so very nice to meet you."
"Spencer sent me your books," she said. "If I were still teaching literature we'd do a unit just on you. Your use of metaphors was just… it was exquisite. You brought your characters to life in such a realistic way."
Ryanne felt her mouth drop open. "Oh my… you're too kind. Thank you so much I'm so glad you enjoyed them. I'll… I'll be sure to send the newest novel to you when it's ready for print."
"I would absolutely love that," Diana said taking her hand in her and giving it a squeeze.
"Spencer, could you get us some tea from the cafeteria?"
Spencer glanced to Ryanne, and she shot him a glance that he should have understood meant don't leave her alone with his mother, but he didn't get it. He said sure and then left her there.
It wasn't that Ryanne thought that Diana had an ulterior motive, it was just that she was used to people who were nice around other people and then terrible when left alone. She had had so many experiences with that that she was just wary of being left alone with people she didn't know well.
"You know, William and I always wanted other children," Diana said. "I often wished that Spencer had someone else with him, maybe it would have helped him learn to socialize."
Well Spencer was like twelve when in high school so having a sister probably wouldn't have helped him learn to socialize in that situation.
"He's been so happy since you turned up…"
"Really? I was sort of worried that I was annoying him."
"Well that's what siblings are for," Diana said. "I'm sure he annoys you too."
His never ending stream of facts and knowledge was a little annoying but it wasn't all that bad. There were worse quirks out there.
Ryanne nodded and Diana smiled. "I have a favour to ask of you," she said and Ryanne nodded again. "Please take care of Spencer for me. I couldn't always be there for him, but you could… right?"
Ryanne smiled. "Yes, yes I can."
By the time Spencer came back with the teas for them, Ryanne and Diana were in their chairs talking about their favourite books. Brought together by their love for Spencer and now the secret bonding them.
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Ryanne and Spencer had spent a long time with Spencer's mom. So much so that Emily had called twice to ask when they were coming back.
They weren't set to have the traditional Christmas Dinner until the next day, as the next day was Christmas but apparently Flora had made a dinner for them and had wondered when they were coming over.
Though Diana wanted to talk more, they said their good-byes, promised to come back before they went back to their designated towns. They had returned to Emily's parents place, they were only out of the car for a few seconds when someone called Ryanne's name from across the street.
Well actually they called for Rye which Spencer knew she didn't like as a nickname and they both turned towards it.
Across the street and two doors down was a woman smoking on her porch, waving her over. Ryanne didn't look pleased by the sight of her but turned a sort of quivering smile onto him that he didn't trust.
"I'll be right back," she said leaving him to head towards the woman on the porch. "You head on in, I'll be right back…"
Spencer nodded, watching as Ryanne left heading towards the house. It felt odd, heading into the Middleton household without her. There was something off about how Ryanne had reacted to that woman across the street.
He wasn't through the door long when he heard Emily calling out from the living room.
"Welcome back, Reids! How was his mom? Did she like you?"
Spencer kicked off his shoes and then poked his head into the living room where he found Emily sitting in one of the armchairs, her long legs hanging over an arm, flipping the pages of a magazine, clearly not reading it but pretending to be super interested in it.
"Uh, it was good. And my mom loved her. There would have been a fight if she hadn't."
Emily looked up at him, blinked her eyes, and then leant forward as if trying to get a glimpse of her friend and got nothing but Spencer.
"Where's Ryanne…"
"She went across the street. Some woman called her over."
"Wait… hold on. Across the street two doors down? Blonde woman with a pixie cut and a cigarette?" she asked and Spencer nodded.
"Shit!" Emily cried and then she scrambled to jump to her feet. "Mom, Dad. Mayday! Mayday! She went home, I repeat, she went home!"
Went home? Wait a second what did that mean?
Her mother came pounding down the stairs while he heard her father grumbling from downstairs.
"She went where?"
"She's across the street right now," Emily said pushing past Spencer to look outside. "They're not on the porch she's gone inside."
"Oh dear… Louann's been complaining nonstop about her since the movie got announced. I thought you warned her that Louann's been in a bad mood."
"I did mom!" Emily complained but Flora seemed exceedingly distressed by the news.
"Uhm… what's happening right now?" he asked but he was ignored.
"Earl! Earl! Get the gun Earl!" Emily's mother was shouting.
Spencer was left there, standing in the hallway wondering why this family was scrambling around like they were preparing for war just because Ryanne had gone home.
Also why was he not told that her childhood home was across the street?
"How could you have let her go over there?" Emily hissed to him and Spencer just stood there mouth opening closing like a fish out of water.
"I mean… I didn't… I didn't know… Why is this such a bad thing?"
"You know for a genius you're not very smart," Emily snapped at him. She had pulled on her shoes and was heading for the door clearly about to march across that street to rescue Ryanne from whatever was tormenting her in that house but the door opened and Ryanne was there, sobbing.
"Aw shit!" Emily cried. "Why did you go over there? Why? They never say anything nice to you. Why would you go over?"
But Ryanne just continued to cry, which left Flora to push them all aside and put her arm around Ryanne.
"Aw sweetie," she said. "Don't you cry, you come in and sit in the kitchen, I'll make you some tea."
Ryanne hiccupped something. "What was that sweetie?" Flora asked and Ryanne struggled to reign in the tears just long enough to tell them what happened.
Spencer had never seen Ryanne so upset before.
"Where did that no good ungrateful brat run off to? I know she's in there Flora!" was shrieked at them from outside and Ryanne winced.
Emily and her mother froze. "No. She followed you?!" Emily asked.
"EARL! You better get up here with that gun!" Flora called and got a: "I'm just loading the damn thing!" shouted up at her.
"What is she even mad about?"
"I won't… give… Laurel the part she wants…" Ryanne hiccupped. "She… thinks that I can… just hand it out… That… that… I owe them…"
"What is in your hands?"
"A bill."
"For what?"
"All the undue stress I caused living in their house… they want… they want to sue me for emotional damages…"
What the actual fuck? Had that come from her… her mother?
"Oh that is it!" Emily cried and then before Flora could stop her Emily had stormed out of the house.
"Earl your daughter's out there facing off with Louann again. You better get up here!"
From outside he heard this big booming shout of: "You but hands on me, you gigantic thunder cunt, and so help me I'll slice you four ways to Sunday you'll look like a fucking waffle cut French fry!" from Emily.
Whoa. Well that was… scary. And he'd 100% believe that she'd do it to.
Earl finally came up the stairs, a massive shot gun in hand heading for the same door Emily had disappeared out of, with Flora following him.
Spencer turned to Ryanne who just collapsed into her hands to cry. He picked up the paper, which was essentially a notarized account of all the damages Ryanne had inflicted and how they were willing to sue her to get those damages paid to them.
Except Spencer knew right away that they could fight this, it wouldn't stand up in court because Ryanne's books were not about her family, and it was her family's job to take care of her as a minor, and from what he knew Ryanne had left her family's home before she was considered an adult. If anything he could probably get them for child neglect.
"Ryanne," he said softly kneeling in front of her. "Are you okay?"
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" she kept saying but he didn't once think it was her fault.
"Stop. I'm not mad, it's not your fault. I just want to know what happened. Is that your mom?"
Ryanne nodded.
"Like your real mom?"
It was a weird question but she knew what he meant because she nodded.
"Ryanne, your mom's threatening to sue you? You realize that this isn't normal right? That she doesn't have a single leg to stand on? You left when you were a minor. She can't make you pay for emotional damages when it's her job, as a parent, to take care of you. Nor can she claim your writing is causing emotional damages because you don't publish under your own name, nor have you written anything about your family. And I've read your books, so I know they're not in it."
Ryanne nodded again. He wasn't sure what she was saying yes to so he figured she was just agreeing.
"Is… has she always been like that?"
Ryanne nodded again and his heart sunk into his stomach. Sounds like the one who should be suing for emotional damages was her.
She finally looked up at him and that's when he noticed it. The big red, swelling imprint of a hand on her face.
She had been slapped. And hard.
"Did she hit you?"
Ryanne's eyes lowered, she stayed still, and didn't answer him. But he knew the answer and now he was mad.
"Right. Stay here," he said standing up. He pulled up his best imitation of Morgan and stormed out onto the front porch to see what was going on.
The Middletons were all standing on the porch, Earl with the shotgun leveled on the blonde hair middle aged woman standing in the driveway.
"Your daughter threatened me, I should call the cops!" Ryanne's mom was shouting.
"I'm not lyin' Louann. Get your ass off my goddamn property before I fill you with buckshot," Earl ordered.
"It's a free fucking country Earl, so I'll stay where I fucking want!"
And now would be the best time to intervene before someone got shot.
"Actually, according to Nevada Statute 207.200, going onto another's property without permission or remaining on another's property after being told to leave is a misdemeanor offence that can land you in jail for 6 months as well as being fined up to 1000 dollars. Though I'm sure, since you seem to be a repeat offender, they'll most likely jail you for as long as they can. Or I can just call my friends in the Sherriff's office see if we can't slap the highest level of punishment on you right now."
"Excuse me?!" Louann snapped. "And who the hell do you think you are?"
"I'm Spencer Reid. I'm a Supervisory Special Agent with the BAU."
"The what?"
"The BAU, we're a branch of the NVAVC working out of Quantico."
"What?"
"I profile serial killers for a living," Spencer said plainly. "I work with all sorts of police units and teams all over the US. I was just in Vegas a few months ago, I make one call and you're in jail for the rest of Christmas."
Louann just stood there, jaw slacked staring at him like she had no idea what to say next and judging by the faces of those around her this was a rarity.
"I think it might be best to leave, because there's a big red hand print that I can use as evidence of an assault. And if you don't think I will then you don't know how petty I can be, or just how much weight my name carries in law-enforcement."
Louann glared at him and then her eyes darted to the door where Ryanne was no doubt hovering.
"You!" she screamed pointing to her. "Get your lying manipulative ass down here and do as your fucking told. You think you're so high and mighty? You think you're better than us just cause you published a fucking book? Get your ass back in that house and you get my baby girl that part she deserves…"
Spencer continued to glare at her but Ryanne must have moved because Emily suddenly snapped: "Don't you fucking move."
"Aren't you tired?" Flora asked Ryanne's mother. "Aren't you tired of spouting so much poison? Cancer runs in your family, Louann, we wouldn't want your toxic behaviour causing you sickness, do we?"
"Shut your mouth," she snapped but Flora shook her head.
"Go home Louann, you've made enough of a spectacle for the season. I'm sure you're family has some tacky drinking tradition you need to get started."
Spencer had his phone in his hand. "Seriously. I have the Sherriff on speed dial. Am I calling him or what?"
Louann realized she was beat, would no doubt have to give up and leave, but not before spouting one last bit of poison.
"You got some skeletons in your closet, and if we don't get the money we want well… I bet the world would love to know who the real R. Middleton is."
And just like that she whirled away leaving them all on the porch. Earl finally lowered the gun. Spencer turned to find Emily with an arm around his still crying sister and he decided that he wasn't going to let it go down like that.
So he followed her.
"Alright, you listen here," he growled forcing her to turn around and face him. "I wouldn't be throwing rocks in glass houses because I'm positive my people can scare up some skeletons in your closet too. So unless you want all your dirty little secrets aired out for the world to see I better not see a single thing about Ryanne in the news. Or I will make your life a living hell."
Louann stared at him her eyes narrowed, clearly fuming and very much out of her depth. "You don't know her. Not like I do. She's a disgustingly selfish, manipulative little brat. She's playing up the victim, but she's not as good as she pretends she is."
"Yeah, and I'd be inclined to believe anything you'd say if you weren't exactly what Emily said you were. A gigantic thunder cunt."
And then he whirled around and stormed away. Heading right back up to that porch where the Middleton family were rallied around Ryanne trying to calm her down and assure her that everything was going to be okay.
"Why the hell did you go over there?" Emily cried, already turning on poor Ryanne.
But Spencer knew what it was like to want to do anything to please a parental figure and he didn't want Ryanne crying anymore.
But luckily Spencer didn't have to say anything. Emily's mother whirled around on her daughter and snapped: "You leave that girl alone, she's been through enough!"
Emily threw up her hands in exasperation. "Everyone coddles poor Ryanne!" she cried. "You gotta stop defending her when she does stupid shit. Your parents suck. Stop talking to them!"
"They're my family," Ryanne whispered softly and Emily shook her head.
"We're your family. They're just people who share your DNA," she growled. "You gotta have a goddamn backbone, we can't keep saving you from those people."
Emily stormed back into the house as Ryanne hung her head.
Well… this was shaping up to be a very interesting Christmas indeed.