Human Connections

AvalonReeseFanFics

A/N: I have no excuse for myself, I really don't. Here is the next chapter. We've got something really cute happening in this chapter which should make up for this update being late. I will do my very best to have chapter 10 out in a timely fashion! Thanks for the patience and I hope my readers are still out there! If you are drop a review so I know you're still there!

Chapter 9

Ryanne Reid was a mistake.

Or at least that was what her mother kept telling her.

She also told her that Ryanne was supposed to be a trap. A way to make William Reid marry her.

It backfired.

William agreed to be in the child's life, agreed to pay child support, but he had gotten a good look at Louann Walters' personality and decided that her brand of crazy was not the kind of crazy he wanted to deal with.

Which made sense because after dealing with Spencer's mother he probably didn't want any crazy at all.

At first William was around every weekend. Then it was every other weekend. Then it was once a month. Then it was just support payments and the day out on her birthday.

Louann always blamed Ryanne for failing to get her what she wanted.

Then she married a man named Bill Taylor. He came with a new older sister named Shannon who was four years older than Ryanne. She hated her new step-mom and her new step-sister so she wasn't very nice to her either.

Laurel came 3 years later. And two years after Laurel came Holly. And Ryanne officially stopped existing. Stopped being one of the family.

Emily told him that Laurel and Holly were signed up for all sorts of extracurricular but Ryanne was left home alone. She spent a lot of time reading, and at the library or across the street at her best friend's house

Laurel and Holly got the newest clothes, toys, computers, everything. Ryanne got hand-me-downs.

Laurel and Holly got a generous allowance. Ryanne got screamed at if she asked for money and at an early age started babysitting and eventually working as a cashier at the local library.

Laurel decided she wanted the loft bedroom as her own. Her parents moved Ryanne down to the basement to sleep on a pull out couch, making her keep her stuff in boxes because she wasn't allowed to have storage.

She actually endured that for three months. She had no privacy, she wasn't allowed a bed, she was expected to put the sheets away and make it look like no one was sleeping down there every morning. And she did so without complaining. Or well, her complaints fell on deaf ears.

The finally straw was when she came home and found that her mother had thrown out all of her boxes. Her clothes, her sentimental objects, trinkets of a child's life she had held on to. Her precious things. All gone.

The excuse was that it was taking up too much space in their basement and if Ryanne had really wanted them, well, why hadn't she unpacked and put them away? When Ryanne asked where her mother expected her to put any of those things, her mother just huffed and acted as if the couch in the basement was a whole bedroom and not just another couch in front of a TV and coffee table in a room the children all used to play and entertain their friends.

Ryanne didn't loose everything though. Emily's parents saw the boxes marked in Ryanne's writing just in time to save a few, though several did end up garbage truck before they could get over there. But that was the last night that she lived in the Taylor-Walters' house. She was 15.

After that she moved in with their dad, who couldn't handle having a child full time. Especially one that was willful and stubborn and ready to act out now that she wasn't with her controlling, over-bearing, unloving parents.

When she became too much, and he could no longer handle having her in his house, he sent her back to her mother's. Except Ryanne didn't go back, she had a sleep over at her best friend's house, she let slip that she didn't have anywhere to stay and Emily let it slip to her parents. The Middletons didn't even question it. Until further notice, Ryanne would stay with them. But something that started out as temporary turned into something more permanent.

Up until then, Ryanne had been Ryanne Reid-Walters as Bill hadn't wanted her to take his last name.

Not my kid, not giving her my name.

He said that to her all the time, without her prompting. He just liked to remind her of it. Not his kid, not his problem. Why should he spend money on a kid that wasn't his?

Well, after the Middleton's took her in, she dropped the Walters entirely.

Names became important to Ryanne. She wanted to be sure that she never gave credit to anyone in her family, for they were undeserving. She swore, when she became something, which she would, her mother and her step family, even William Reid himself, wouldn't be able to benefit.

So, when she published her first book, she did it as R. Middleton. Then, because Ryanne was good at her craft, it gained a bit of a following. All of a sudden Louann, who normally didn't want anything to do with her, was upset that she hadn't published under the Walters' name.

That fight had been monumental. Ryanne had told her mom the truth. That she couldn't just decide that she wanted Ryane in her life just because Ryanne was now becoming famous. Her mom had called her selfish and ungrateful and all other names she could think of.

It got so bad that Earl came out with the shotgun to get Louann away from Ryanne.

After that, Louann was forced to try and be civil. To prove to Ryanne that she didn't just want her around because of her riding stardom. The culminated in monthly phone calls, but even while trying to suck up the Taylor-Walters family were absolutely insidious to poor Ryanne.

That had been why, when William Reid slipped up that year and mentioned the existence of another Reid, she had been so excited. Because, for the first time in her life, she was hoping to find where she belonged. A family that was made up of her own flesh and blood that would like her for who she was.

All of this, of course, had been relayed to him by Emily as Ryanne hated talking about her family, and of course, that made sense to him now.

He had then relayed the whole story, first to his mother, who had been as horrified as Spencer was, and then to his team. He expressly told all of them not to say anything to Ryanne, and they all agreed to silently support her and try their very hardest to always make her feel welcome.

Garcia heard of the Christmas debacle and immediate did a deep dig into the Taylor-Walters background and dug up… well… a lot. She now had a little file of blackmail ready to throw at them if they ever threatened his sister again.

A file he had safely hidden away for just the right time.

All of this went down in the week between that disastrous Christmas and New Year's.

Ryanne had been practically catatonic for the rest of Christmas, this muted version of herself. It was so bad that Spencer was worried.

And that worry got worse when Ryanne practically disappeared after Christmas. Embarrassed, Emily had told him once Spencer called her. He hadn't been able to get a hold of her in too long so he called her best friend in a panic. Emily, however, had been in contact with her this whole time and knew that her best friend was just embarrassed to have had her mother create such a scene in front of him.

Then he and Emily concocted a plan. Emily had been invited to a New Year's Eve party, and in turn she had invited Spencer, and one friend. One male friend for Emily to talk to while Reid tried to talk to Ryanne. She recommended Morgan.

A party would be good for Ryanne. Get her out of her apartment and get her thinking of something, anything else. Spencer had immediately asked Morgan if he wanted to go. Usually Morgan avoided things that Spencer was going to, they didn't have similar tastes. But this was a New Year's Eve party that Emily, the model/makeup artist, had invited him to, and Ryanne was going to be there and the girl needed a major pick-me-up so he had agreed to go.

He confirmed that Morgan would come and Emily immediately went about tricking Ryanne into going. Which didn't work because apparently Ryanne knew Emily's play book and guessed right away that Spencer would be there. She had called the second Emily had given her the invitation, confirmed he'd be there, confirmed that Morgan would be there and then for some reason, agreed to go.

Spencer was just glad that she had agreed after all even though she didn't talk to him until the night of the party.

Spencer had arrived with Morgan. Morgan had gone all out. Black double breasted suit with a bow tie, looking like James Bond or something. He was definitely dressed to impressed. Probably Emily or a different girl at the party, because Ryanne was not Morgan's type. And he wasn't allowed to pull any of his typical moves on Spencer's little sister. Spencer had made him promise.

Spencer too had worn a suit but the kind of sweater vest suit combo that he usually wore to work. He could tell already that he was wildly under dressed.

The second they got there two girls came to them, their put New Year's Eve plastic and fake feather covered crowns on their heads and then handed them both the plastic squawkers into their hands.

The party was filled with men dressed like Morgan and woman that were way too tall and way out of all of their leagues in beautiful dresses. And then there was Ryanne.

She too was dressed nicely, in this beautiful hunter green mini dress with sheer sleeves. There were sequined star bursts all down the dress and she had done her make up.

She approached both of them sheepishly and suddenly Morgan was beaming at her.

"Look at you, you clean up nice Reid," he said and then frowned. The two siblings also frowned but they didn't have to say anything about not liking that. "Yeah, it felt weird as soon as I said it. How about Ry?"

As soon as she said it he winced and Spencer dug an elbow into his side.

"Uhm… well thank you for coming, Emily's not here yet, she's still on a photo shoot," she said. "I…I'm going to get a drink do you guys want anything?"

She was going to bring back three drinks? On her own? Really? But before they could say anything she walked away.

"Damn I forgot that was a family pet name," Morgan said once she walked away and Spencer shook his head. "I'll ask Emily what she calls her. And go by that."

Except Emily called her Ree-Ree, and Emily's parents called her Ry-pie, and they were the only ones would could. Morgan would have to come up with something different and that was just that.

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As soon as she got away from the boys she pulled out her phone and sent a text to her late best friend.

"He's here," it read. Because she didn't have to explain to Emily who she was freaking out about. "Any chance you can tone it down tonight cause if he asks you out I might die where I stand."

But Emily didn't respond until ten minutes later with a: "I'm already here." And that did not bode well for Ryanne.

Sure enough Emily appeared not moments later, coming off the elevator in this floor length gold sequined gown. She had one shoulder bared, the other had a long sleeve that tapered into a point that ran along the top of her hand and it had a slit all the way up to her cooch on one side. She had her hair done up like she was Marie Antoinette and her makeup was over dramatic.

Ryanne tried not to frown at her but she clearly was because Emily huffed and said: "I came straight from the shoot, alright, I didn't have time to change." She then looked her friend up and down. "Wow, see I told you that dress would look great on you."

Ryanne looked down to the outfit that Emily had hand picked to wow the guest of the hour which was Morgan.

"So which one is he?"

"The smoldering handsome man standing right beside Reid," she said gesturing back to where the two men were standing, both of them pointedly staring at the two of them.

Both of them waved and then Emily let out her breath in an appreciative whisper. "Damn girl that man is walking sex, how have you stopped yourself from jumping him?"

"Easy, that man is clearly not appropriately interested in me…"

"That man is undressing you with his eyes."

"You sure he's not looking at you?" Ryanne shot back almost bitterly.

Emily shook her head. "Right, if you're so worried I'll do up your make up."

"What's wrong with my make up?"

"Nothing but it's clearly subtle, we're going to make you pop," Emily said quickly. "And then I'll be sure to give Mr. Smolder cut eye so he knows I'm not interested. Freeze him right out right off the bat."

Ryanne smiled that was just like her friend to do that for her. So she smiled at her and let her pull her away. Emily loved to give her make overs, so she might as well cave now.

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The girls came back and it was clear that Emily had done Ryanne's make up because she went

"What did you do to her?" Morgan asked once he got over the shock.

Ryanne frowned. "Does it look bad?"

"No," Emily and Spencer said right away but Morgan, who's opinion clearly mattered more then theirs said: "That's not what… it's just… you were beautiful before. There was no need for… I mean, it's not fair now you're twice as beautiful, how am I supposed to…"

She was what now?

"Excuse me?" Spencer said and Morgan's eyes flew to him, looking at Spencer as if he had completely forgotten she was there.

"It was just… it was just… I mean… wow, I'm going to go mingle."

Emily smacked Spencer who merely yelped and cried: "What was that for?"

"Maybe we should take this…"

"I just spent thirty minute on your face, girl, we ain't taking off shit," Emily growled. "You look beautiful, even he said it. I think we just blinded him with your beauty."

"You guys know Morgan's like… a dog right? Like… he's a straight up womanizer," Spencer said. "You don't… you don't like him do you? Like, like-like him? Because… he's not… he wouldn't…. I made him promise to leave you alone!"

Ryanne blew a raspberry at him while Emily glared daggers at him.

"I wouldn't… him? He's not my type," she said and then looked anywhere except in the direction Morgan had gone or at Spencer.

So she was lying to him. That wasn't good. He didn't want his sister heartbroken over Derek Morgan, cause Spencer wouldn't be able to beat him up if that were the case.

Though, if he did break Ryanne's heart he could just leave Morgan alone with Emily. He had a feeling that she could adequately avenge Ryanne's honor if necessary. Spencer was just old fashioned and figured that it should be him, the elder brother who did it.

Maybe he and Emily could work together. Yeah, that was still okay? Right?

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Morgan had tried to stay away from Ryanne after that transformation. He had almost announce to everyone in that room, and her big brother, that he had liked her the way she was.

What the hell was wrong with him?

Easy. It was Ryanne. She was pretty before Emily put that makeup on her, and then she came out looking like one of these models around him and he lost control of himself. Emily should have been fined for making Ryanne look that good when he was trying to curb his desires. It was like she was setting him up for failure.

But though he wanted to stay away from her, though he wanted to give her space, and he had no business flirting with a girl he couldn't actively pursue, he found himself drawn to her. Which was how he found himself standing right beside her as the clock counted down and everyone was pairing off to kiss at midnight.

He glanced around and found that Emily had cornered Spencer clearly about to take one for the team. She had bumped into Morgan earlier and kind of alluded to him that he had an opening, that Ryanne wouldn't turn him down if he tried to kiss her, and she'd distract Spencer if needed.

Well, he got all of that from: "You've got one chance. I can help you out but you better not blow it."

After that he could get his mind off of it. Off of her. Off of framing her face with his hands and kissing that red lipstick right off of her face. He wasn't thinking about the evidence that would leave on his own lips nor was he thinking about what Spencer would think. All that mattered was kissing her, tasting her, getting a little bit of something from her to quench the thirst he had for her.

Five.

They were shoulder to shoulder now. She had turned her head to him and shot him a smile. That lowered eye, eyelash batting smile that she was prone to. A smile he now knew off by heart and realized was her flirtatious smile.

Emily was right. He had a chance.

Four.

"Looks like it's me and you," he said, though why he had to sound so eager and lame was beyond him. "If you don't mind."

God, since when did he ask permission, usually he stole kisses. Willing kisses, mind you. From girls who were licking lips and angling heads, girls that he knew wanted him to kiss him, who gave him better signs. Girls that weren't the little sister of his co-worker.

Look at this girl making him respectful.

Three.

"Why would I mind?"

Why would she? He couldn't think of a reason why she would. But that was clearly a yes, he had permission. She didn't mind having him kiss her at New Years. But what about after? Would she want to kiss him after? Because he had a feeling he would.

Two.

They were facing one another now. She was clearly nervous, though he didn't know why. It was just a little New Year's Eve kiss, it would mean nothing. And that is exactly what he'd tell Spencer if he caught them doing this.

One.

When he kissed her he expected the usual little flutter. But that wasn't what he got.

What he got was fireworks that matched the fireworks exploding in the night sky outside of that building. What he got was a kick up in heart rate. What he got was her hand gently resting against his cheek which just set him on fire, while his hand gripped the back of her dress like it was an anchor.

What he got was a surge of emotion. The urge for more. For everything. To always be able to hold her the way he was holding her right now. That was more than anything he had ever felt before, not right away, not all at once.

He pulled away and he saw the same star struck look in her eyes that was no doubt in his which meant she felt everything that he felt.

He realized then and there that he very much had problematic feelings for his co-worker's very off-limits little sister. Feelings that she clearly reciprocated.

And he didn't want to start his new year, arguing with Spencer of her intentions, when he didn't know what his intentions even were.